Ecuador: Buy the Best eSIMs | 2024 Guide

Ecuador – the orchid capital of the world. It is also one of the oldest civilizations in South America.

It has plenty of ancient pyramids, the Gálapagos Islands, and snow-capped tips on top of the Andres Mountains.

In the East of the country, you have dense rainforests with barely any roads going through them.

But, what can you do in Ecuador?

You can look at the tortoises and iguanas on the Gálapagos Islands.

Perhaps you fancy seeing colonial churches in Cuenca.

Or enjoy crystal-clear waters at beaches on the East Coast.

Overall, there is plenty to see and do in Ecuador.

But before you share your colorful Ecuador experiences online, be aware that international roaming can be expensive.

Travel eSIMs can be a much more affordable way to stay connected, even in Ecuador.

How much will a travel eSIM for Ecuador cost?

You can get an eSIM for Ecuador for as low as 8 USD and up to 79 USD from Airalo, Alosim & Holafly offering between 1 GB and unlimited data to be used locally, in the Americas, or globally.

While this may sound a bit pricey but international roaming will be even more expensive.

So yeah, these travel eSIMs can be worth it – especially if you favor convenience

In this guide, I will go over the travel eSIM options offered by Airalo, Alosim & Holafly. Let's go.

Original publication: 29th of August 2022. Last updated: 19th of October 2023.

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Table of Contents

eSIMs offered by Ecuadorian Mobile Operators

Suppose you want to get the best service and reception available in Ecuador.

In that case, it is better to get a SIM card or travel eSIM from the local mobile operators, which in this case would be the Ecuadorian ones.

Not only will you not have to deal with latency, but you also get a higher priority on the network because you are a direct customer of the mobile operator instead of a roamer.

And with most travel eSIMs, you are roaming on the network(s) of the local mobile operator(s).

But that is not always the case – the slow speeds part, that is.

Some mobile operators throttle the speeds of prepaid customers because they want more people to get a postpaid plan.

Unfortunately, travelers cannot get postpaid plans – so one way to avoid throttling is by using a travel eSIM.

Yes – travel eSIMs sometimes have faster speeds than native prepaid customers because of throttling.

So, which Ecuadorian mobile operators offer eSIMs to prepaid customers?

At the moment, no Ecuadorian mobile operator offers eSIMs to prepaid customers.

However, you have these three options for getting an eSIM for your trip to Ecuador: Airalo (with Bacanet), Alosim, & Holafly.

One of the main advantages of getting a travel eSIM for Ecuador is that (1) you do not have to try to speak (broken) Spanish to get a local eSIM, (2) you can set up the eSIM before arriving in Ecuador and activate it upon landing (with most eSIMs listed in this guide) & (3) you do not have to deal with Ecuador's SIM card registration laws.

(Why does this matter? Because hackers can steal your (critical) personal data if the mobile operator does not secure your data properly, like what happened in Australia (10 million Optus customers were affected, where info, like passport numbers, were stolen (including mine – luckily not my passport number but my boyfriend was not as lucky) or Indonesia (1.3 billion SIM card-related data was hacked)).

I have to mention that travel eSIMs will be more expensive than local eSIMs and SIM cards, but they are more convenient.

Moreover, I have plenty of experience with the eSIMs from Airalo, Alosim & Holafly, so I can vouch for them – so can many Phone Travel Wiz readers!

So let's go over what the travel eSIMs offer for Ecuador!

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Airalo eSIMs for Ecuador (Bacanet)

If you have read any of my eSIM or SIM card buying guides before, then you know I am a big fan of Airalo.

Not only does Airalo have eSIMs for most countries (200+) of any eSIM platform, but they are also often one of the cheapest while offering fantastic service in terms of speeds and reception.

That is because Airalo usually partners up with the mobile operator with the best coverage, the fastest speeds, both, or even multiple operators.

That way, you get the best bang for your buck 🤑.

Wait… you have no idea who or what Airalo is? I have an in-depth review explaining how Airalo works and all its options, based on four years of using Airalo eSIMs – you can read it now or later (I will briefly introduce Airalo anyway in this guide).

Back to Ecuador, the Airalo Bacanet uses the Movistar Ecuador network.

Tip: I recommend manually selecting the Movistart Ecuador network instead of Movistar Ecuador for the best network performance (best coverage and fastest speed).

You have four Airalo Bacanet eSIM options:

1. Ecuador/Bacanet 1 GB eSIM for 7 days, costing 8 USD – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
2. Ecuador/Bacanet 2 GB eSIM for 15 days, costing 15 USD – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
3. Ecuador/Bacanet 3 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 21 USD – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
4. Ecuador/Bacanet 5 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 32.50 USD

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in October based on data up to the 11^th of October (2023 data only).

I can already tell you that Airalo has the cheapest eSIM options for Ecuador in this guide.

Moreover, you will have one of the, if not the best, best network experience with the Airalo Bacanet eSIM compared to some/most other travel eSIMs because of the network the eSIM uses.

What makes things even more pleasant is that you can top up your eSIM when it is expiring or when you are out of data without the need to purchase a new eSIM.

But you may think that a local SIM card or eSIM will (still) be cheaper than Airalo or any other travel eSIM.

And you are right – that is true in most cases.

But with some countries making getting a prepaid SIM card a hassle, involving long queues, excessive registration requirements, and long activation periods, the (slightly) higher prices for an Airalo eSIM can be worth it.

• Find out which countries have SIM card registration regulations and what is required from you (lookup tool)

So while you technically could get cheaper plans, the question is whether you can actually get them or not.

Most mobile operators will only sell you (overpriced) tourist SIM cards or the most expensive plans because of “mandatory top-up requirements” (which are often lies to take more of your money anyway).

Anyway, you should be aware that while you can get up to 4G/LTE connection with the Airalo Bacanet eSIM, your speeds will most likely not be faster than someone using a local SIM card.

That is because you are roaming on the Movistar Ecuador network instead of being a native customer.

But that does not mean you will have (extremely) slow speeds – just slower than native customers.

In the Americas, mobile data speeds are not that fast as other regions (East Asia and Europe) anyway, so the difference is small.

Anyway, the Airalo Ecuador eSIM is an eSIM LOVED by many Phone Travel Wiz readers, and the complaints about it are minimal.

The eSIMs are affordable, the data allowances can be tailored to your needs (1 GB to 5 GB + top-ups are available) & you will have a smooth network experience (in most cases).

I test and use Airalo's eSIMs in every country I go to, so you better check out my Airalo eSIM reviews and see if I have written a review for the eSIM you are interested in.

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Alosim eSIMs for Ecuador

Alosim is a young eSIM provider covering 130+ countries.

Not only have I only started using its eSIMs, but they have been up and running for more than a year.

For the eSIM industry… that makes Alosim a veteran 🗿.

One thing I like about Alosim is that its eSIMs have 5G NR access in popular destinations.

Unfortunately, that is not the case for Ecuador yet… but that could change soon 😏.

I include Alosim in my eSIM guides for the Americas because they are reasonably priced.

The Americas, except for Canada, Mexico & the United States, is a difficult region for eSIM providers to enter and to offer reasonably priced eSIMs, I have been told by many eSIM providers.

There is an eSIM provider, Instabridge, charging 515 USD for 5 GB for Honduras… yeah… and they wonder why I do not want promote them 🤡.

Luckily, that is not the case with AloSIM, which uses the Movistar Ecuador network.

You have five Alosim Ecuador eSIM options:

1. Ecuador 1 GB eSIM for 7 days, costing 8 USD – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
2. Ecuador 2 GB eSIM for 15 days, costing 15 USD – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
3. Ecuador 3 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 21 USD
4. Ecuador 5 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 32.50 USD
5. Ecuador 10 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 55 USD – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in October based on data up to the 11^th of October (2023 data only).

And as I am always looking out for you, use code PTW for 5% off your Alosim eSIM purchase!

Getting an Alosim eSIM is straightforward and so is installing it.

Just note that you have to manually change the Access Point Name (APN) to alosim instead of the default one, as in the screenshot below.

Fortunately, the installation page mentions this too, but it is still something that does not have to be done often with most eSIM providers.

Resulting in you thinking the eSIM does not work, even though it will when you change the settings.

But besides that, Alosim has one of the cheapest eSIM plans for the Americas!

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Holafly eSIMs for Ecuador

Another eSIM provider I recommend is Holafly, which covers 150+ countries.

In June 2022, Holafly introduced something that no other travel eSIM provider had done by that time (that I am aware of).

You can now get unlimited data plans for Ecuador, the United States, all European Union member states, most East- and Southeast Asian countries & a handful of others, including the United States.

Wait… there is an eSIM provider offering unlimited data plans, and I (you reading this) have never heard of it? Who is Holafly? 🤔

I have an in-depth review explaining how Airalo works and all its options, based on two years of using Holafly eSIMs – you can read it now or later (I will briefly introduce Holafly anyway in this guide).

Okay, back to unlimited data eSIMs – is it truly unlimited?

Yes… at least that was what I was told initially.

A few weeks later, though, this paragraph was added to its “Can my connection speed be reduced?” FAQ:

[…] if the mobile operator estimates the usage of more than 90 GB of data in a month, it may temporarily reduce the speed to 256 Kbps – 1 Mbps to avoid affecting other users. This limitation is intended to prevent network saturation and will be removed within 24 hours.

One of Holafly's competitors (an eSIM reseller) tried to hit a daily fair-use limit.

It realized that speeds get throttled after using more than 2.5 GB to 3 GB daily.

Other (Phone Travel Wiz) users claim to have been throttled after 1 GB to 1.5 GB already.

Interesting, is it not? 🤔.

What about myself? I have yet to be throttled, it seems. But unlike most travelers, I usually have multiple local SIM cards and travel eSIMs for testing purposes while I travel, so I can spread out my data usage among them. For countries without unlimited data plans, Holafly does not throttle speeds at all.

Anyway, Holafly's unlimited data plans for Ecuador are the most expensive ones mentioned in this guide.

In Ecuador, Holafly's eSIM uses the Movistar Ecuador network.

You have the following six Ecuador eSIM options with Holafly:

1. Ecuador unlimited data eSIM for 5 days, costing 27 USD/27 EUR/24 GBP/39 AUD/34 CAD
2. Ecuador unlimited data eSIM for 7 days, costing 34 USD/34 EUR/29 GBP/49 AUD/44 CAD – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
3. Ecuador unlimited data eSIM for 10 days, costing 37 USD/37 EUR/34 GBP/54 AUD/47 CAD
4. Ecuador unlimited data eSIM for 15 days, costing 47 USD/47 EUR/39 GBP/67 AUD/64 CAD
5. Ecuador unlimited data eSIM for 20 days, costing 54 USD/57 EUR/47 GBP/84 AUD/77 CAD
6. Ecuador unlimited data eSIM for 30 days, costing 79 USD/79 EUR/67 GBP/114 AUD/104 CAD

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in October based on data up to the 11^th of October (2023 data only).

Yes, these are not the cheapest eSIMs out there.

Do note that the Holafly Mexico eSIM cannot be topped up or extended.

So you need to buy another eSIM when you are out of data or the eSIM expires; you have to purchase a new one.

And do not install the eSIM (by scanning the QR code or manually entering the activation code) too early – preferably

But… you can get 5% off each and any Holafly purchase (so it does not have to be the Mexico eSIM) when you use code PHONETRAVELWIZ – fantastic, right 🤩?

I test and use Holafly's eSIMs in every country I go to, so you better check out my Holafly eSIM reviews and see if I have written a review for the eSIM you are interested in.

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Best eSIMs for the Americas & the World (including Ecuador)

So what if you plan to visit a neighboring country of Ecuador?

Unfortunately, you cannot use your Airalo, Alosim, Holafly, or Nomad eSIMs in any country than Ecuador.

Luckily, some of the eSIM providers mentioned so far do have eSIMs that can be used throughout most or all of the Americas.

And there are also some global eSIMs with attractive prices that can be useful if you visit the Americas and another continent or region.

I highly recommend these Americas or global eSIMs if you plan to visit multiple American countries to save money!

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Airalo Latamlink eSIM

Following Airalo's popular Eurolink eSIM, which can be used in 39 European countries, Airalo introduced the Asialink eSIM, which can be used in 14 East- and Southeast Asian countries ¹ a bit later.

Eventually, it also launched the Latamlink eSIM, which can be used in 19 countries in the Americas.

There is not much to say about this eSIM because it is straightforward, except that the data allowances are not as generous as the Asian and European counterparts.

But as I said in the Alosim section, it is difficult for eSIM providers to enter the Latin American market, let alone selling eSIMs at reasonable prices, so we gotta take what we have, I guess.

The Airalo Latamlink eSIM can be used in the following 19 countries:

¹ on 3G only

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Holafly South America eSIM

Holafly also has an eSIM for the Americas.

Holafly's South America eSIM used to be my top recommendation for those wanting to stay connected in this region.

But then Airalo launched its Latamlink eSIM, which gives you more choices (four ranging from 1 GB to 5 GB), better coverage (19 countries) & longer validity (up to 30 days).

The Holafly South America eSIM gives you 6 GB of data for 15 days and can be used in the following 13 countries:

The Holafly South America eSIM costs 44 USD/47 EUR/34 GBP/67 AUD/59 CAD, and you can use code PHONETRAVELWIZ for 5% off!

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Airalo Discover(+) eSIM (formerly Discover Global)

Airalo was probably the first eSIM provider to introduce a global eSIM – it was called Discover Global.

I have had decent to good experiences with that eSIM, but I felt it could improve.

Such as extending the validity of most plans (maximum used to be 180 days) and having 5G NR access in popular destinations (like many regional Airalo eSIMs do nowadays, even country-specific ones).

In August 2023, Airalo made a radical change to its global eSIM.

Until then, the eSIM could be used in about 85 countries – always up to 4G/LTE (with some networks on 3G only).

This eSIM was powered by FL1 Telecom Liechtenstein (network name can be Mobilkom (Liechtenstein) at times).

This mobile operator worked well in Europe and some Asian countries, but it was often one of the slowest performing (Airalo eSIMs).

Now, Airalo's global eSIM is called Discover(+).

It is powered by eSIM Go (which is basically Drei Austria).

The difference between the Airalo Discover and Airalo Discover+ eSIMs is that the latter has calling and texting functionalities (with an Austrian +43 phone number).

Because of this, Discover+ eSIMs can be up to 20 USD more expensive than regular Discover eSIMs.

For the previous Airalo Discover Global eSIMs, you paid the same prices as the Discover+ eSIMs for worse availability (85+ countries instead of 130+) and no calling or texting at all.

So… it is an upgrade 😎.

Not only that, but you (finally) get 5G NR access in quite some countries (55+)¹ as well.

¹ click here, press select the variant you want & click on network to see which network(s) allow for 5G NR access. You often have access to multiple local networks, but not all have 5G NR access (and some do not even give you 4G/LTE access)

Moreover, the most expensive option is now valid for a whole year (365 days) instead of 180 days.

The Airalo Discover(+) eSIM can be used in the following 130+ countries:

You have these 12 Airalo Discover Global eSIMs:

1. Discover 1 GB eSIM for 7 days, costing 9 USD
2. Discover+ 1 GB (with 10 minutes and 10 SMS) eSIM for 7 days, costing 15 USD
3. Discover 2 GB eSIM for 15 days, costing 17 USD
4. Discover+ 2 GB (with 20 minutes and 20 SMS) eSIM for 15 days, costing 27 USD
5. Discover 3 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 24 USD
6. Discover+ 3 GB (with 30 minutes and 30 SMS) eSIM for 30 days, costing 36 USD – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
7. Discover 5 GB eSIM for 60 days, costing 35 USD – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
8. Discover+ 5 GB (with 50 minutes and 50 SMS) eSIM for 60 days, costing 50 USD
9. Discover 10 GB eSIM for 180 days, costing 59 USD
10. Discover+ 10 GB (with 100 minutes and 100 SMS) eSIM for 180 days, costing 79 USD
11. Discover 20 GB eSIM for 365 days, costing 69 USD – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
12. Discover+ 20 GB (with 200 minutes and 200 SMS) eSIM for 365 days, costing 89 USD

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in October based on data up to the 11^th of October (2023 data only).

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AIS eSIM2FLY Global eSIM

SimOptions also sells a global eSIM: AIS eSIM2FLY Global.

And it can be used in 140+ countries for 15 days – 53 of them with 5G NR access.

The AIS eSIM2FLY Global eSIM can be used in the following countries:

¹ with 5G NR access

If you get this eSIM from SimOptions, which I recommend, you will pay 39.90 USD.

The main issue I have with the AIS eSIM2FLY Global eSIM is its short validity.

Making it hard to call it an actual global eSIM… unless you can somehow visit 140+ countries within 15 days – something not even I can do🧐.

Still, it is a relatively affordable global eSIM covering 140+ countries… with 5G NR access!

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Nomad Global eSIM

Besides Nomad's eSIM for Ecuador, it also has a global eSIM that can be used in Ecuador and a total of 109/139 countries (including most European ones).

While Nomad's Global eSIM covers a few more countries than Airalo's Discover(+) eSIMs (109/139 vs. 130 (previously 85+)), it is significantly more expensive than Airalo (but not the most costly global eSIM in this guide).

Even so, Phone Travel Wiz readers have shown interest in this eSIM and have had positive experiences with it, especially after Nomad improved it (with its 139 Country Plan powered by eSIM Go (has 5G NR access in 50+ countries) instead of the 109 Country Plan by Truphone (4G/LTE only).

Anyway, you have these six Nomad Global eSIMs:

1. Global (109 Countries Plan) 1 GB eSIM for 7 days, costing 25 USD/24 EUR/21 GBP/34.50 CAD/23 CHF – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
2. Global (139 Countries Plan) 1 GB eSIM for 7 days, costing 19 USD/18.50 EUR/16 GBP/26 CAD/17.50 CHF
3. Global (109 Countries Plan) 3 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 40 USD/38.50 EUR/33.50 GBP/55 CAD/37 CHF – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
4. Global (139 Countries Plan) 3 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 40 USD/38.50 EUR/33.50 GBP/55 CAD/37 CHF
5. Global (109 Countries Plan) 5 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 45 USD/43 EUR/37.50 GBP/61.50 CAD/41.50 CHF – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
6. Global (139 Countries Plan) 5 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 57 USD/54.50 EUR/47.50 GBP/78 CAD/52.50 CHF

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in October based on data up to the 11^th of October (2023 data only).

The Nomad Global eSIM can be used in the following 109 (Truphone)/139 (eSIM Go) countries:

¹ 109 Countries Plan (Truphone) only
² 139 Countries Plan (eSIM Go) only
³ 5G NR access (if you have the 139 Countries Plan (eSIM GO) – does not apply to the 109 Countries Plan (Truphone)

Remember to use code ADU123 for 3 USD/2.75 EUR/2.35 GBP/4 CAD off your first Nomad purchase!

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Overview of the Best eSIMs for Ecuador

So, we reviewed some eSIMs that can be used in Ecuador.

I will give you a quick recap of each and link to their product pages in case you need more info or want to purchase an eSIM already (just remember the activation policies of Holafly, Nomad & SimOptions – do not buy their eSIMs too early):

• Airalo Bacanet eSIM (best value for money)
• Alosim Ecuador eSIM (priced roughly the same as Airalo with a bit more options)
• Holafly Ecuador eSIM (unlimited data eSIMs)
• Airalo Latamlink eSIM (best value for money for 19 American countries)
• Holafly South America eSIM (simple eSIM covering 13 American countries)
• Airalo Discover Global eSIM (reasonable global coverage (84+ countries) at attractive prices)
• AIS eSIM2FLY Global eSIM through SimOptions (eSIM with the most 5G NR supported countries (50/123) at a reasonable price but with a short validity)
• Nomad Global eSIM (extensive global coverage (109/139 countries) at high(er) prices)

Remember to use code the relevant discount codes for (ADU123 (Nomad), PTW (Alosim), or PHONETRAVELWIZ (others)).

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Buying a SIM Card in Ecuador

Want to just use a SIM card but not your current one because roaming will be criminally expensive?

Consider getting an Ecuadorian SIM card instead – local SIM cards are the cheapest way to stay connected abroad.