Best eSIM For South America
This article will introduce you to the best eSIM to use in South America.
We loved our time backpacking through South America. It was one of the best adventures we’ve ever had, but we couldn’t have done it without our trusty South America eSIM.
Our guide to eSIMs in South America will help to ensure you get the best value for money and the strongest data signal when travelling on the continent.
The eSIM South America is provided by Airalo, our recommended eSIM provider for worldwide travel, and can be used in 11 of the 12 countries in South America (sorry, Suriname fans) and a further 8 countries in Latin America, too.
Having an eSIM for South America travel will help you research how to visit Machu Picchu in a day, as well as help you figure out the best 6-week backpacking route for South America.
So, let’s dive into: Best eSIM for South America
Disclaimer - this blog post contains affiliate links where we can earn a commission if you make a purchase through them (at no extra cost to you).
Guatape - the most colourful place we saw in Colombia
Is an eSIM or Physical SIM Card better?
This is a tricky question to answer definitively but, in general, we would say that eSIMs are better than physical SIM Cards. This might not be the opinion of everybody, but we certainly think so.
Here are some Pros of eSIMs:
Less plastic waste than physical SIM cards
More convenient - you download them directly onto your phone
Usually more cost-effective than physical SIM cards
Can be activated in your home country and work as soon as you land
Here are some Cons of eSIMs:
Usually can’t use texts and phone calls with eSIMs
Not compatible with all phones (though most modern phones are compatible)
As you can see then, while there are pros and cons to both, we think that the pros of using an eSIM outweigh the cons.
Did you know? eSIMS are also more environmentally friendly as they produce an average of 46% lower emissions than physical SIMs.
Recommended eSIM for South America
Hopefully, you now understand some of the benefits of using eSIMs over traditional, physical SIMs. So now you’re probably wondering what our choice of the best eSIM for South America travel is.
Well, Airalo are our choice for the best South America eSIM because we personally used the eSIM they offer in South America and it worked like a charm. Not only that, we have also used Airalo eSIMs in multiple countries across the globe and they have worked every single time.
They also happen to be the world’s first and largest eSIM store, so you know you’re buying from a reputable and trustworthy source.
Airalo currently has four different South America eSIM Packages:
Something to consider: if you need to make texts and phone calls during your trip to South America, we recommend buying a physical SIM card once you land and asking for a phone/texts package to be included. You will obviously have to repeat this for each country you visit unless you find a regional physical SIM card that includes texts and calls.
How to purchase the South America eSIM
Buying the South America eSIM is very straightforward and can be completed in a matter of minutes.
Firstly, head to the Airalo website and choose between the different South America eSIM options, then press ‘buy now’.
From here, you can either log in to an existing Airalo account, or simply create a new one with your email address.
Once you’ve created the account, you will go through a simple ID verification process before buying the eSIM for South America.
Once you’ve bought the eSIM, you then have to ‘install the eSIM on your device’ - we promise it’s not as complicated as it sounds, as long as you follow the on-screen instructions.
Important: the data package begins on the day you activate, so once you’ve bought the eSIM, don’t press activate until the day you are due to travel to South America.
Tips for downloading the eSIM South America
Before you buy the eSIM South America, you must check that your phone is compatible with an eSIM. You can view a full list of Airalo eSIM compatible devices here.
If you don’t want to be charged for data roaming on your home SIM card, we recommend turning that off in your phone settings. Airalo will guide you through how to do this when you install your eSIM.
We recommend downloading the Airalo App once you’ve bought your eSIM - from the app you can track how many days of data you have remaining.
As mentioned, with a South America eSIM you have mobile data but no access to phone calls or text messages. If you need this, we suggest buying a physical SIM card in each country you visit. It will be tricky but it’s the only way
When extending your stay in South America, you aren’t able to extend the eSIM package but you simply buy a new package and activate it the same way as the initial package.
South America eSIM Alternative
While the eSIM above covers 19 different countries throughout Latin America, you may want to visit only a few countries on the continent.
In this scenario, it may be worth considering buying individual eSIMs for the countries you will be travelling to. Thankfully, Airalo offers a number of packages for specific countries throughout Latin America.
Some example packages that Airalo offers for the Latin American countries are:
Huacachina - one of the best places we visited in Peru
There we have it, folks, a complete round-up of the best eSIM for South America. Whether you want to send photos to your family of your weekend in Rio de Janeiro or wish to book the best day trips from Cusco, the Jordan eSIM will handle all of your needs.
