Getting an Airalo eSIM for Japan?

Backed by a near-perfect ProductReview rating, ZenSim delivers exceptional service at a competitive price.

Read on for a complete ZenSim vs Airalo eSIM review to see which is the best product for you.

WHAT IS AN ESIM?

First time getting an eSIM? Don’t worry. You don’t need a computer science degree.

The eSIM is basically just a digital SIM card profile. Instead of prying open the SIM tray and swapping tiny plastic cards, you download an eSIM from a website and install it on your phone. The whole process takes under 5 minutes and doesn’t require any tech skills.

The eSIM works kind of like roaming. As soon as your plane touches down at the Tokyo Airport, your phone connects to a local network. The big difference is that – unlike roaming – the eSIM won’t obliterate your bank balance.

Most modern smartphones support eSIM. See our eSIM compatibility tool to confirm yours.

WHY GET A PRE-PAID ESIM IN JAPAN?

Japan is one of Australia’s favourite holiday destinations, partly for its organised chaos and wacky, everyday zaniness. While this eccentricity is pivotal to Japan’s appeal, the unfamiliar language and culture make travelling challenging at times – mobile internet is a must-have.

It’s true that physical Japanese SIM cards often work out cheaper. But to get set up, you’ll need to find a telco shopfront, queue for service, battle the language barrier, provide your passport, and wait for the attendant to register your details and configure your Access Point Name (APN). All this in a haggard, jetlagged state after crawling off a 10-hour flight from Australia.

Roaming is easy. But the convenience comes at a cost. Even the ‘affordable’ Day Pass plans offered by some Aussie telcos cost way more than an eSIM. And if you’re careless enough to exceed your data allowance, you could cop an extortionate bill.

The eSIM is a happy compromise. Getting set up takes minutes, and it’s way cheaper than roaming.

ZENSIM VS. AIRALO: AN ESIM JAPAN REVIEW

Airalo is the biggest eSIM brand on the planet, serving 20 million customers across 201+ destinations, including Japan. The big-name Singaporean brand has translated its app into 53 languages to cater to markets worldwide.

ZenSim is a small, up-and-comer. A duo of easy-going Aussie blokes left their full-time telco jobs to create a start-up specialising in domestic mobile plans and international travel eSIMs. Low prices and generous inclusions make it among the best eSIM options in Japan.

PRICE

On all the costing comparisons I’ve done for this blog, Airalo consistently ranks among the cheaper eSIM competitors.

In Japan, its 20GB/30-day plan costs a buck less than ZenSim. However, ZenSim wins by a smidgen at the 10GB price point. On our Japan unlimited data plans, the A$8 cost difference is a bit more meaningful – that’s enough for a steamy bowl of Chuka Soba ramen.

Before selecting a plan, do some research on how much data you need in Japan.

• Winner: ZenSim (difference is marginal on 10/20GB plans)

ORIGIN AND BRAND RECOGNITION

Airalo hails from the advanced, tech-crazy island state of Singapore. Founded in 2019, the brand has grown steadily to become the world’s best-selling eSIM. But big doesn’t always mean better.

As a homegrown up-and-comer, ZenSim competes fiercely on features and cost. If you prefer supporting little Aussie underdogs over massive multinationals, we might be a better fit.

• Winner: Case dependent

PARTNER NETWORKS: WHAT NETWORK DOES AIRALO USE IN JAPAN?

This one is a biggie.

Both eSIMs offer a multi-network service in Japan. That means your phone will automatically connect to whichever supported network has the best speeds at the time, factoring in signal strength and saturation (AKA congestion).

Airalo partners with Softbank and KDDI in Japan. Although both are top-tier telcos, their infrastructure is primarily concentrated in the cities. Customers can expect zippy connections in urbanised areas but may encounter issues elsewhere.

ZenSim uses a potent triple-network combo: Au / NTT documo / Rakuten Mobile. Au, which is operated by KDDI, and Rakuten Mobile offer excellent connections in Japan’s densely populated cities. When exploring remote or mountainous regions, NTT documo fills in the gaps with its nationwide coverage.

NTT documo is extra handy when visiting Hokkaido, rural Tohoku, the Japanese Alps (plus other mountainous areas), and offshore islands like Okinawa. As NTT documo uses a low-frequency network (Band 19 / 800 MHz), it performs well in concrete buildings and subterranean metro stations.

• Winner: ZenSim

AVERAGE FEEDBACK SCORE

Both eSIMs will try to convince you they’re better – that’s marketing 101. For an unbiased opinion, check out review aggregator sites like Trustpilot and Productreview instead.

Airalo has an uninspiring 4.0/5 Trustpilot score from 26,000+ reviews. Most complaints concern connection and installation issues or data not updating after a top-up. Like many corporations in the maturity stage, it seems standards may have started to slip.

ZenSim proudly boasts a near-perfect 4.9/5 stars on ProductReview based on several hundred happy reviewers. Customers rave about our speedy connections, simple setups, responsive customer service, and exceptional value.

• Winner: ZenSim

UNLIMITED PLANS

ZenSim and Airalo both offer unlimited data plans in Japan, with a transparent 3GB/day use cap.

After using 3GB of data, the local networks will throttle your connection to around 1Mbps. That’s enough for basic browsing and Google Maps, but won’t get you far with high-resolution streaming.

• Winner: Tie (though ZenSim is a bit cheaper)

TETHERING

Both ZenSim and Airalo include unlimited hotspotting across all plans. That means you can tether your laptop (or another device) to your eSIM phone as much as you want, subject to standard eSIM data limits.

• Winner: Tie

IN-APP TOP UPS

Airalo allow customers to top up data or extend their trip by adding extra days through the mobile app. Some reviews complain about top-up delays, but we’re not sure whether that’s an ongoing problem.

ZenSim also do data and duration top-ups through a mobile app, as well as a unique feature called ‘destination top-ups.’

Say, for example, you’re flying Korean Airlines to Tokyo and planning a stopover in Seoul. With ZenSim, you can add Korea as a destination top up through the app. This approach is cheaper and more convenient than purchasing two separate eSIMs, making ZenSim a clear winner in this situation.

You might also want to check out the ZenSim Asia regional eSIM, which covers 15 countries, including Japan.

• Winner: ZenSim for destination top-ups; otherwise, tie.

EASE OF INSTALLATION: HOW DOES AIRALO WORK IN JAPAN?

ZenSim and Airalo have fine-tuned the installation process to make getting set up as simple as possible. Customers can choose from three methods.

1. Direct installs: One-click setups done through the app (works on iPhones and most Android phones)
2. QR code: Scan a QR code on a separate screen and follow the prompts.
3. Manual: Follow the instructions to copy-paste a code into your phone’s eSIM settings.

All options are easy enough for someone with basic computer literacy. ZenSim has step-by-step instructions for the major phone types in its help centre.

• Winner: Tie

CUSTOMER SUPPORT

As a multinational corporation catering to customers worldwide, Airalo naturally offers 24/7 live chat support through its app. We played around with the customer-facing website and spoke to a generic AI chatbot, so we recommend downloading their app if you need help.

ZenSim offers near-24/7 support via WhatsApp, with native Australian agents (real humans) covering multiple time zones.

• Winner: Case dependent (Airalo has longer hours; ZenSim has native Aussie support)

ZENSIM VS AIRALO SIM CARD FOR JAPAN: THE VERDICT

Is Airalo good in Japan? It’s not a bad product, though you may find competitors like ZenSim offer better value.

ZenSim and Airalo are comparable across many metrics, including hotspotting, daily-use caps, costing, support, and the installation process.

But ZenSim has an edge where it counts: customer feedback and coverage. Thanks to its powerful triple-network combo, we can provide exceptional coverage across Japan, including remote, rural, and mountainous regions (Airalo works best in cities).

And with a near-perfect 4.9/50 Productreview rating, punters can rest assured they’re in safe hands.

Before you buy an Airalo eSIM for Japan, take a look at the ZenSim Japan eSIM. For many travellers, our reliable, hassle-free connections with great nationwide coverage make us the better choice.