As we all know, traveling without connection and being far from home can be a real nightmare. Therefore, if you want to avoid going offline or paying extra for roaming services offered by your domestic operator, the Philippines SIM card is your best choice. You can connect to the internet at a much cheaper price than paying for roaming in the Philippines.
If this is the first time you’ve heard about the prepaid data SIM card for the Philippines, don’t worry, below we will show you everything you need to know about SIM cards from where you can get them, to the best alternatives and providers from which you can buy them at the best price!
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Where to buy a SIM card for the Philippines?
Although you have different options, we recommend buying the SIM card through an online store before traveling because this way you’ll get internet as soon as you land in the Philippines. This way you will save a lot of time because you can request a taxi or an Uber much easier.
Even some online stores like Holafly offer you additional perks with their products, such as unlimited data during your trip.
Buy before you travel
The safest and most workable choice you can have to connect to the internet without paying for roaming in the Philippines is to buy a data SIM card or virtual SIM card through an online store before traveling. In addition to the advantages mentioned earlier that we talked about, some online stores like Holafly offer many more benefits, which we will talk a little more about this below.
1. Request a taxi upon arrival
By buying your SIM card before you travel, all you have to do when you land, is insert your SIM card into your smartphone. Once you do this, you will be able to connect to the internet and request an Uber inside the airport without having to stand in long lines at the shops inside the airport or having to take risks on a public WiFi spot.
2. Unlimited data
With the unlimited data offered by Holafly Philippines digital SIM card, you can connect to the internet unlimitedly during your vacation with a 4G LTE network connection using Smart cellular network, one of the best carriers and eSIM providers in the country.
3. COVID free
Although there’s been an improvement in the global public health situation, we must bear in mind that it’s not a good idea to let our guard down. So, if you can avoid closed and crowded spaces like airport shops, it’s best to do so.
Holafly online store
If you plan to buy your Philippines SIM card through an online store, you must consider that not all online stores offer the same thing, much less at the same price. Therefore, we recommend that you take a look at the eSIM cards offered by Holafly because, as we mentioned before, these products have additional advantages such as instant delivery, the possibility of keeping your phone number, your contacts, and your chats on WhatsApp, and even 24-hour customer service!
If you are interested in knowing more about this store you can visit the official webpage and see more in-depth features and prices. The payment methods available are Visa, MasterCard, PayPal, and American Express.
Buy upon arrival
Although we recommend buying your SIM card before traveling, if you are already in the Philippines, or if it’s too late to buy it you can also find some advantages inside the airport stores, which are as follows:
- Larger product variety
Once you find yourself in the airport stores you will be able to find numerous shops and products. This variety of products makes it much easier to get the perfect SIM card for you at a slightly lower price.
Globe Stores in the Philippines
Before buying a Philippines data SIM card, we recommend that you take a look at the cellular network that your SIM card has in the Philippines. Depending on this, your SIM card will have better or worse coverage, and this will affect the quality of the internet during your trip.
Once you know which cellular network is used by the SIM card you want, we recommend that you prioritize buying a SIM card that uses the Globe cellular network because this is one of the best cellular operators in the Philippines.
To buy a SIM card with Globe coverage, you can go to one of their branches at the airports, or you can also buy a Philippines SIM card at Holafly which uses Smart cellular networks, another great local company so the coverage and internet quality is pretty good.
How much does a SIM card cost to travel to the Philippines?
The price of Philippines data SIM cards depends on many factors. However, the most important is the cellular network they use in the Philippines since, although you can have enough data on your SIM card at a reasonable price, it’s most likely that the cellular network you use is not the best one to enjoy a fluid connection.
Holafly Philippines digital SIM card
In the case of the Philippines virtual SIM card offered by Holafly, you can find its price and features in the following table:
| Days | Data | Price (USD) |
| 5 days | Unlimited data | $19 |
| 7 days | Unlimited data | $27 |
| 10 days | Unlimited data | $34 |
| 15 days | Unlimited data | $47 |
| 20 days | Unlimited data | $54 |
Holafly Asia virtual SIM card
If you want to connect to the internet in other Asian countries besides the Philippines, we recommend that you buy an Asia digital SIM card, which has the following prices:
| Days | Data | Price (euro) |
| 5 days | Unlimited data | $27 |
| 7 days | Unlimited data | $34 |
| 10 days | Unlimited data | $37 |
| 15 days | Unlimited data | $47 |
| 20 days | Unlimited data | $54 |
| 30 days | Unlimited data | $79 |
eSIM card for the Philippines, the new alternative
If you couldn’t buy your Philippines data SIM card, we recommend that instead of activating roaming in the Philippines, you buy a data eSIM that works exactly like a traditional SIM card. However, the only and main difference is that the eSIM card is a completely digital product.
So, you can buy it, no matter what the time is and no matter where you are, which makes it the ultimate lifesaver if you couldn’t get your SIM card ahead of time. To buy one of these virtual products, you can do it through online stores such as Holafly.
Holafly eSIMs also has several added benefits that allow you to enjoy your trip even more. To buy the Holafly eSIM for the Philippines, all you have to do is go to the official Holafly website. Once there, select your country, fill out the purchase form and that’s it! To activate it, you just have to scan the QR code sent to your email.
Advantages and disadvantages of eSIM for the Philippines
If you still have doubts about this product, we show you the advantages and disadvantages that you may have once you buy it.
Advantages
- Immediate delivery
Being a virtual product, you receive it instantly, which makes it very practical when you want a quick solution.
- Keep your WhatsApp number
The eSIM for the Philippines allows you to keep your number, contacts, and chats on WhatsApp without any problem.
- Keep your phone line
As it is a virtual product, the traditional physical SIM card you have in your smartphone works simultaneously with the eSIM that you buy thus turning your smartphone into a dual SIM phone.
Disadvantages
- Limited cellphone compatibility
Although the eSIM has great advantages, its main disadvantage is that to use this alternative, your cellphone has to be compatible with the eSIM that you are going to buy. How can you know if your cellphone is compatible? Most compatible devices are iPhone XR, XS or later versions, Samsung Galaxy S20 or later versions, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip, Huawei P40, Google Pixel 3a, or later versions.
Other internet options in the Philippines are Pocket WiFi, the operator roaming service, and public WiFi.
The price of the roaming service depends on the operator you use, but the rates are usually between 6 and 12 euros.
The compatibility of your cellphone with the eSIM that you are going to buy depends a lot on the brand of the eSIM that you buy. In the case of Holafly, the compatible cellphones are iPhone SE, XR, XS, XS Max, iPhone 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max, 12, 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max, 12 Mini, Samsung S20, Galaxy Z Flip, Note 20 Ultra, Fold LTE, Huawei P40, P40 Pro, and Google Pixel 3, 3a,4, 4a, and the Motorola Razr 2019.
If you bought your SIM card through Holafly’s online store, don’t worry because Holafly’s customer service will answer any questions you may have around the clock. In case you bought it in a different physical store, we recommend that you look for the provider and ask them personally or contact the company.
How much does eSIM cost for the Philippines?
The prices, like the SIM card, depend on the cellular network you use in the Philippines. The better the network, the more expensive the eSIM will be even if you have a small amount of data or valid days.
eSIM Philippines
In the case of Holafly, this online store has the following prices and features:
| Days | Data | Price (USD) |
| 12 days | 6 GB | $ 37 |
eSIM Asia
If you want to connect to the internet in other Asian countries, Holafly has a data eSIM for several countries in the continent, which can help you spend less money than you would if you bought an eSIM for each destination.
| Days | Data | Price (USD) |
| 12 days | 6 GB | $ 37 |
