Moldova: Best Tourist eSIMs Reviewed (2024)

Are you planning to visit Moldova soon and looking for the best travel eSIM to stay connected while exploring the country?

There are many eSIM providers (re)selling plans and packages for Moldova, but not all are equal.

Some offer unlimited data, while others include a phone number for local, regional, or global use.

Some have blazing-fast speeds, while others have extended validity.

Whatever you need, there will be an eSIM for your liking.

In the case of Moldova, I recommend one of these eSIM providers, which I have tested in numerous countries on multiple continents:

• Airalo
• Alosim
• Holafly
• Nomad

What do these eSIM providers offer?

eSIM	Packages	Prices	Data	Phone Number?	5G NR?	Discount Code(s)
Airalo	6	4.50 USD – 26 USD	1 GB for 7 days – 20 GB for 30 days	No	No	APR10 (10%) & APR15 (15%) 2
Alosim	6	5.50 USD – 35 USD	1 GB for 7 days – 20 GB for 30 days	Yes (CA/US number) 1	No	PTW (5%)
Holafly	5	19 USD – 57 USD	Unlimited for 5 days – unlimited for 20 days	No	No	PHONETRAVELWIZ (5%)
Nomad	3	25 USD – 45 USD	1 GB for 7 days – 5 GB for 30 days	No	No	ADU123 (3 USD) 3

¹ Alosim allows you to pick a Canadian (CA) or American (US) phone number through its sister app Hushed, giving you credits worth 30 minutes (within Moldova or from Moldova to anywhere else) or 50 texts (same conditions as calling)² Holafly gives you an Austrian (AT) phone number, allowing you to make up to 60 outgoing calls within Europe and 60 incoming calls from anywhere. The country list is available in the Holafly section later on
² if you have never purchased an Airalo eSIM, use code APR15 for 15% off. You can still get 10% off using code APR10 if you are an existing customer. Note each code has a redemption limit of 3000 (while the codes of Alosim and Holafly have no redemption limit)
³ if you have never purchased a Nomad eSIM, use code ADU123 for 3 USD off. On Tuesdays, use NOMADTUE for 10% off on plans of 10 GB or higher

What about eSIMs for world travelers who want to install one eSIM only – do global eSIMs exist?

Yes, they do!

eSIM	Global eSIMs?	Countries	Phone Number?
Airalo	Yes (Discover(+))	120+	Yes (Discover+ only)
Alosim	No	N/A	N/A
Holafly	No	N/A	N/A
Nomad	Yes (Global 109/136)	109 & 136	No

Of course, the discount codes mentioned earlier can also be redeemed for the regional and global eSIMs when applicable.

Now that we have an overview of what our options are, let's go through each and find out about the benefits of them.

Each section will focus on the respective eSIM provider's Moldova and global eSIM variants.

But if you already have an eSIM provider in mind, just click on the links next to jump to the respective sections: Airalo, Alosim, Holafly & Nomad.

Original publication: 27^th of July 2022. Last updated: 26^th of March 2024.

---

Table of Contents

Airalo Moldova eSIMs

Airalo has two types of eSIMs that can be used in Moldova: Soroca Mobile and Discover(+).

Below is a quick overview:

eSIM	Coverage	Packages	Prices	Data	5G NR in Moldova?
Soroca Mobile	Moldova only	6	4.50 USD – 26 USD	1 GB for 7 days – 20 GB for 30 days	No
Discover(+)	Moldova & 120+ countries globally	12 (6 for Discover & 6 for Discover+)	9/15 USD – 69/89 USD 1	1 GB for 7 days – 20 GB for 365 days (1 year)	No

¹ 9 USD and 69 USD apply to the Discover eSIM. Discover+ eSIM costs between 15 USD and 89 USD

Remember to use code APR15 for 15% off if you have never purchased an Airalo eSIM before OR code APR10 for 10% off if you are an existing Airalo user (valid until the 31^st of March – only the first 3000 users can redeem either discount code).

If you already have an eSIM variant in mind, just click on the links next to jump to the respective sections: Soroca Mobile and Discover(+).

Airalo was the first eSIM store launched in 2019 when barely any phone supported eSIMs.

Now, it is the largest eSIM provider and covers more than 200 countries and territories (some being “duplicates”).

Airalo was the first eSIM I ever installed on my dad's phone (I did not have an eSIM-compatible device back then 🗿).

And it is also the the provider I have tested in the most countries so far (compared to other eSIMs).

Anyway, Airalo has a thing for giving each country's eSIM a unique name (which I love).

Airalo Soroca Mobile (Moldova) eSIM

For Moldova, it is Soroca Mobile.

As highlighted earlier, there are six Soroca Mobile eSIMs to choose from, which are shown below:

1. Moldova/Soroca Mobile 1 GB eSIM for 7 days, costing 4.50 USD
2. Moldova/Soroca Mobile 2 GB eSIM for 15 days, costing 6.50 USD
3. Moldova/Soroca Mobile 3 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 8.50 USD
4. Moldova/Soroca Mobile 5 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 11.50 USD – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
5. Moldova/Soroca Mobile 10 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 18 USD – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
6. Moldova/Soroca Mobile 20 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 26 USD – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in December based on data up to the 30^th of December (2023 data only). The (promotional) prices were updated on the 9^th of March.

The Airalo Soroca Mobile eSIM gives you access to one Moldovan mobile network: Orange Moldova network.

In my Moldova SIM card buying guide, I tell you more about which Moldovan mobile operator is/are the best in coverage or speed so you can manually select the network that would suit your needs.

Airalo Discover(+) eSIM

Lastly, we have the Airalo's global Discover and Discover+ eSIMs.

These eSIMs can be used in Moldova and 120+ other countries on each continent.

Previously, Airalo's Discover Global eSIM was kind of… meh.

I have had a decent experience with that eSIM, but I felt it could improve.

The new Discover(+) eSIMs have a maximum validity of 365 days (instead of 180) and can use 5G NR in most destinations.

Moreover, the + variant gives you an Austrian (+43) phone number.

As a result, the Discover+ eSIM can be up to 20 USD more expensive than the Discover eSIM, but the benefits are worth it, in my opinion (I have the + variant installed on my phone).

These Airalo Discover(+) eSIMs are available:

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 December based on data up to the 30^th of December (2023 data only). The (promotional) prices were updated on the 9^th of March.

The Discover(+) eSIM can use the Moldtelecom Moldova and Orange Moldova networks.

For an entire list of countries where the eSIM can be used, you should check out my ongoing Airalo Discover+ eSIM review.

Although the map below may be helpful if you know your world map well.

In every country I visit where I test country-specific Airalo eSIMs, I also try out its Discover+ eSIM (if it can be used there).

So you better check it out now and then to see if I wrote about the country/countries you plan to visit and read about the eSIM's performance in said country, as it is not always perfect.

Before Airalo updated its global eSIM, I used the old version (Discover Global) in 15+ countries. From August 2023, I will only test the Discover+ eSIM. This is why some country-specific reviews (like Japan) still refer to Discover Global and show the old eSIM image instead of Discover+.

Airalo eSIMs for Moldovay Summarized

To summarize, these are the characteristics of each Airalo eSIM covered in this section:

• Soroca Mobile:
  • can be used in Moldova only
  • is priced between 6.50 USD and 26 USD
  • has six variants (1 GB for 7 days – 20 GB for 30 days)
  • has no 5G NR access
  • has no phone number
• Discover:
  • can be used in Moldova and 120+ countries worldwide
  • is priced between 9 USD and 69 USD
  • has six variants (1 GB for 7 days – 20 GB for 365 days)
  • has no 5G NR access
  • has no phone number
• Discover+:
  • can be used in Moldova and 120+ countries worldwide
  • is priced between 15 USD and 89 USD
  • has six variants (1 GB for 7 days – 20 GB for 365 days)
  • has no 5G NR access
  • includes an Austrian phone number
    • offers up 200 international minutes and 200 international SMS (to any country worldwide, including those the eSIM cannot be used in)

---

Alosim Moldova eSIM

Alosim has only one eSIM that can be used in Moldova: Moldova.

Below is a quick overview:

eSIM	Coverage	Packages	Prices	Data	5G NR in Moldova?	Phone Number?
Moldova	Moldova only	6	5.50 USD – 35 USD	1 GB for 7 days – 20 GB for 30 days	No	Yes

Remember that you can use code PTW for 5% off any Alosim purchase (as many times as you wish for as many eSIMs as you want).

Alosim is an eSIM provider by AffinityClick, which is known for its Hushed app (“Temporary & Second Phone Number App for Wifi, Data Calling & Texting”, as it calls it (8 million+ downloads)).

It took some time and effort (from my end), but Alosim finally agreed to bundle its products.

What do I mean by that?

With any Alosim eSIM purchase, even country-specific ones with just 1 GB of data or a regional one with 10 GB of data, you will get a Hushed redemption code, giving you up to 30 international minutes or 50 international SMS.

AffinityClick offers American (+1), British (+44) & Canadian (+1) phone numbers from over 300 area codes (but only +1 phone numbers are part of this combo deal).

While it is looking to expand its offering in terms of phone numbers, you cannot get an Moldovan phone number at this point due to local regulations.

However, this makes Alosim the only eSIM provider I know of that gives you a phone number for each eSIM purchase.

Additionally, you do not have to switch back to your base SIM card in case you need to make international calls (and will save a lot on international call costs, which are often overly expensive).

Anyway, let's talk about Alosim's eSIM offering.

It has eSIMs for over 170 countries, including Moldova.

Alosim Moldova eSIM

For Moldova, you have the following six choices:

1. Moldova 1 GB eSIM for 7 days, costing 5.50 USD
2. Moldova 2 GB eSIM for 15 days, costing 9 USD
3. Moldova 3 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 13.50 USD – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
4. Moldova 5 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 17 USD – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
5. Moldova 10 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 22 USD
6. Moldova 20 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 35 USD – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in December based on data up to the 30^th of December (2023 data only). The (promotional) prices were updated on the 9^th of March.

Alosim's Moldova eSIM gives you access to the Orange Moldova network.

Unfortunately, none of them offer 5G NR access at this point in time.

For more information on how Moldovan operators perform, check out my Moldova SIM card buying guide, where I discuss the performance of each SIM card (in terms of coverage and speed).

Alosim eSIMs for Moldova Summarized

To summarize, these are the characteristics of each Alosim eSIM covered in this section:

• Moldova:
  • is priced between 5.50 USD and 35 USD
  • has six variants (1 GB for 7 days – 20 GB for 30 days)
  • has no 5G NR access
  • includes a free +1 (American or Canadian) phone number through Hushed
    • allows for up to 30 international calls and/or 30 international SMS (within Moldova or from Moldova to any other country)

---

Holafly Moldova eSIM

Holafly has only one eSIM that can be used in Moldova: Moldova.

Below is a quick overview:

eSIM	Coverage	Packages	Prices	Data	5G NR in Moldova?	Phone Number?
Moldova	Moldova only	5	19 USD – 57 USD	Unlimited for 5 days – unlimited for 20 days	No	No

Remember that you can use code PHONETRAVELWIZ for 5% off any Holafly purchase (as many times as you wish for as many eSIMs as you want).

Holafly is probably the eSIM provider with the most extensive coverage in terms of unlimited data eSIMs.

Yes, Holafly has unlimited data eSIMs for Moldova and most countries it supports, which is over 160 countries.

Of which about 100 have unlimited data eSIMs.

One thing that you should note already, and I will repeat it later, is that the prices of the Moldova eSIM and the Europe eSIM are exactly the same.

So, if you plan on visiting multiple supported countries during your trip (the list will be provided later), you should get the Europe eSIM instead of the Moldova one + another country-specific one to save a lot of money.

Holafly Moldova eSIM

But I got ahead of myself – you have five unlimited data eSIMs for Moldova:

1. Moldova unlimited data eSIM for 5 days, costing 19 USD – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
2. Moldova unlimited data eSIM for 7 days, costing 27 USD
3. Moldova unlimited data eSIM for 10 days, costing 34 USD – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
4. Moldova unlimited data eSIM for 15 days, costing 47 USD – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
5. Moldova unlimited data eSIM for 20 days, costing 57 USD

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in December based on data up to the 30^th of December (2023 data only). The (promotional) prices were updated on the 9^th of March.

I will tell you already: Holafly's Moldova eSIMs are the most expensive ones mentioned in this guide.

Speaking of networks, you can be on Moldtelecom Moldova or Orange Moldova.

Holafly eSIMs for Moldova Summarized

To summarize, these are the characteristics of each Holafly eSIM covered in this section:

• Moldova:
  • is priced between 19 USD and 57 USD
  • has five variants (unlimited for 5 days – unlimited for 20 days)
  • has no 5G NR access
  • has no phone number

---

Nomad Moldova eSIMs

Nomad has two types of eSIMs that can be used in Moldova: Moldova and Global.

Below is a quick overview:

eSIM	Coverage	Packages	Prices	Data	5G NR in Moldova?
Moldova	Moldova only	3	25 USD – 45 USD	1 GB for 7 days – 5 GB for 30 days	No
Global	Moldova & 108/135 other countries	6 (3 for 109 countries & 3 for 136 countries)	25/19 USD – 45/57 USD 1	1 GB for 7 days – 5 GB for 30 days	No

¹ 25 USD and 45 USD apply to the 109 Countries Plan. 136 Countries Plan eSIMs costs between 19 USD and 57 USD

Use code ADU123 for 3 USD off your first Nomad order (new customers only). But existing customers can use NOMADTUE on Tuesdays only for 10% off on plans of 10 GB or more.

If you already have an eSIM variant in mind, just click on the links next to jump to the respective sections: Moldova and Global.

Nomad, not to be confused with the (digital) nomad lifestyle, is an eSIM provider that has significantly improved over the past few years.

Not only has it been adding more countries, but it has continuously been dropping its prices where applicable.

Right now, Nomad has eSIMs for more than 160 countries.

While Nomad is not a marketplace of eSIMs, it does sell eSIMs powered by different partners.

Some countries have “duplicates” of the same variant of eSIM (1 GB for 7 days, for example) because of different partner offerings (although Nomad has reduced duplicates in recent months, as per request. Look at this old Italy example).

Nomad Moldova eSIM

For Moldova, you have these three choices:

1. Moldova 1 GB eSIM for 7 days (Truphone), costing 25 USD
2. Moldova 3 GB eSIM for 30 days (Truphone), costing 40 USD – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
3. Moldova 5 GB eSIM for 30 days (Truphone), costing 45 USD

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in December based on data up to the 30^th of December (2023 data only). The (promotional) prices were updated on the 9^th of March.

Heads up: eSIMs with “(Nomad)” are powered by an unknown provider (unthrottled speeds). “Nomad Black” = Tele2 Sweden (@ max. 35 Mbps). Truphone (rebranded to 1Global) is just Truphone/1Global (unthrottled speeds).

Depending on who powers the eSIM, you can access different Moldovan mobile network (you can see the network list by pressing See Details on the Nomad Moldova eSIM product page).

My Moldova SIM card buying guide will inform you which network is/are the best regarding coverage and speed.

Nomad Global eSIM

Finally, we have Nomad global eSIMs.

While Nomad is one of the few eSIM providers with a global eSIM, it is pretty expensive (especially compared to Airalo's Discover(+) eSIMs).

However, the eSIM has one big fan… my dad.

Yes, really! He is a truck driver and sometimes visits countries not covered by regional eSIMs or Airalo's Discover(+) eSIMs.

So, instead of buying multiple eSIMs, he just uses Nomad's global eSIM 😎.

Anyway, the eSIM can be used in up to 136 countries – Moldova included.

And two plans are available: 109 Countries Plan (Truphone/1Global) and 136 Countries Plan (eSIM Go).

Both providers have been introduced earlier, and the same conditions apply – 5G NR is available in many countries with the 136 Countries Plan eSIMs, which is not the case with the 109 Countries Plan.

Each plan has three eSIMs: 1 GB for 7 days, 3 GB for 30 days & 5 GB for 30 days.

The short validity and high prices, which I will show you shortly, make it hard for this eSIM to be a proper eSIM for world travelers.

Anyway, here is the list:

1. Global 1 GB eSIM for 7 days (109 Countries), costing 25 USD
2. Global 1 GB eSIM for 7 days (136 Countries), costing 19 USD
3. Global 3 GB eSIM for 30 days (109 Countries), costing 40 USD
4. Global 3 GB eSIM for 30 days (136 Countries), costing 40 USD – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
5. Global 5 GB eSIM for 30 days (109 Countries), costing 45 USD
6. Global 5 GB eSIM for 30 days (136 Countries), costing 57 USD – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in December based on data up to the 30^th of December (2023 data only). The (promotional) prices were updated on the 9^th of March.

Because I have no ongoing review for this eSIM, you can use the Nomad Global product page to find all supported countries or the map below.

Nomad eSIMs for Moldova Summarized

To summarize, these are the characteristics of each Nomad eSIM covered in this section:

• Moldova:
  • is priced between 25 USD and 45 USD
  • has three variants (1 GB for 7 days – 5 GB for 30 days)
  • has no 5G NR access
  • has no phone number
• Global:
  • can be used in Moldova and 108/135 other countries globally
    • 109 Countries Plan (powered by Truephone/1Global)
    • 136 Countries Plan (powered by eSIM Go)
  • is priced between 19 USD and 57 USD
    • 109 Countries Plan: 25 USD – 45 USD
    • 136 Countries Plan: 19 USD – 57 USD
  • has six variants (1 GB for 7 days – 5 GB for 30 days)
    • 109 Countries Plan: 1 GB for 7 days, 3 GB for 30 days & 5 GB for 30 days
    • 136 Countries Plan: 1 GB for 7 days, 3 GB for 30 days & 5 GB for 30 days
  • has no 5G NR access
    • 109 Countries Plan: no 5G NR access
    • 136 Countries Plan: no 5G NR access
  • has no phone number

---

Overview of the Best eSIMs for Moldova

I reviewed a handful of eSIM providers that offer numerous eSIMs to be used in Moldova, neighboring countries & even globally.

Because I went over many things, here is a summary of characteristics so you can quickly decide which eSIM you want.

Moldova-only eSIMs:

• Cheapest 3 GB Moldova eSIM: Airalo (8.50 USD)
• Cheapest 5 GB Moldova eSIM: Airalo (11.50 USD)
• Cheapest 10 GB Moldova eSIM: Airalo (18 USD)
• Provider with unlimited data plans for Moldova: Holafly
• Moldova eSIM with the longest validity: Airalo, Alosim, & Nomad (30 days)
• Moldova eSIM with 5G NR: N/A
• Moldova eSIM with phone numbers: Alosim (American/Canadian)

Europe eSIMs:

• Cheapest 3 GB Europe eSIM: N/A
• Cheapest 5 GB Europe eSIM: N/A
• Cheapest 10 GB Europe eSIM: N/A
• Provider with unlimited data plans for Moldova and Europe: N/A
• Europe eSIM with the longest validity: N/A
• Europe eSIM with 5G NR in Moldova: N/A
• Europe eSIM with phone numbers: N/A

Regarding global eSIMs, Airalo's Discover(+) eSIM is superior to the Nomad global eSIM in terms of prices, data allowances & validity (+phone number).

However, Nomad's eSIM has better coverage (up to 135+ instead of 120+).

And do not forget to use one of these discount codes for extra savings:

• Airalo: APR15 for 15% off if you have never purchased an Airalo eSIM. If you have, use APR10 for 10% off (each code can be used 3000 times among all Airalo customers, so better redeem it quickly!
• Alosim: PTW for 5% off (the code can be used by anyone, including existing customers, as many times as you wish – no redemption limit)
• Holafly: PHONETRAVELWIZ for 5% off (the code can be used by anyone, including existing customers, as many times as you wish – no redemption limit)
• Nomad: ADU123 for 3 USD (or your currency's equivalent) if you have never purchased a Nomad eSIM

Enjoy your trip to Moldova (and neighboring countries)!

---