Airalo
Airalo is a Singapore-based eSIM marketplace selling prepaid mobile data plans to international travelers across 200+ destinations via a self-serve web and mobile app platform, serving 30+ million users with usage-based pricing and a corporate travel tier.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersSingapore, Singapore
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Airalo does
Airalo is a Singapore-headquartered digital marketplace for prepaid travel eSIMs, founded in 2019 as the world's first eSIM store. The company sells destination-specific, regional, and global mobile data plans to international travelers across 200+ countries and territories through a fully self-serve platform comprising its consumer website (airalo.com) and native iOS and Android applications. As of the most recent disclosure, Airalo serves over 30 million users, offers 24/7 customer support in 53 languages, and positions itself as a cost-effective alternative to carrier roaming, citing savings of up to 90% versus traditional roaming on 7-day trips. Plans start at approximately $4.00 USD for local single-country coverage (e.g., US, Japan, Italy, UK, France, Spain, Mexico), $4.00–$5.00 USD for regional plans, and $8.50 USD for the global Discover plan, with unlimited tiers offering 3 GB/day of high-speed data on most destinations.
The underlying technology stack integrates multiple telecom infrastructure partners: Compax provides the BSS/OSS backend for plan management, usage tracking, and custom pricing across 200+ destinations; Valid supplies the Remote SIM Provisioning (SM-DP+) platform and Quality of Service intelligence for real-time network monitoring; and Thales' secure eSIM technology is integrated for instant connectivity and automatic local network selection. Airalo monetizes primarily through prepaid usage-based plan sales, supplemented by an in-app loyalty currency (Airmoney) and a corporate offering (Airalo for Business) with decentralized billing. Go-to-market is product-led growth: a digital-first, consumer-facing self-serve funnel augmented by content marketing, app store optimization, global out-of-home advertising, referral programs, and a B2B2C partners/reseller/API platform. Cathay Pacific and Golden Route West Japan tourism initiatives represent named distribution partnerships. Airalo is venture-backed (Series C of $220M in July 2025, unicorn status at $1B+ valuation, led by CVC with Peak XV and Antler Elevate) and operates as a remote-first global organization of 101–250 employees.
Airalo firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Airalo
- Legal name
- Airalo
- Website
- https://airalo.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Airalo is a Singapore-based eSIM marketplace selling prepaid mobile data plans to international travelers across 200+ destinations via a self-serve web and mobile app platform, serving 30+ million users with usage-based pricing and a corporate travel tier.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Airalo industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Travel eSIM / Mobile Connectivity Services
- NAICS
- Telecommunications Resellers and Agents for Wireless Telecommunication Services (51712)
- SIC
- Services-Telephone Interconnect Systems (7385)
- akta.pro primary industry
- SIM/eSIM, Mobile Connectivity & Student Tech Setup (EDAIANAG)
Keywords
Where Airalo is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Singapore
- HQ country
- Singapore
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Airalo business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Prepaid eSIM Data Plans: Airalo generates revenue by selling prepaid eSIM data plans to travelers. Users select destination-specific, regional, or global plans with specific data amounts or unlimited options, paying a fixed one-time fee upfront. Plans are time-bound (3–30+ days) and can be topped up. This is the primary revenue stream.
- Airmoney Loyalty and Referral Program: Airalo's in-app currency (Airmoney) can be earned through purchases, top-ups, and referrals, and redeemed toward future eSIM purchases, creating a loyalty loop and driving repeat transactions.
- Airalo for Business (Corporate eSIM): Corporate solution enabling employees to purchase eSIMs for business trips with decentralized billing features, allowing direct in-app purchase using corporate or personal cards.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Local eSIM plans starting from $4.00 USD per destination |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Regional eSIM plans starting from $4.00 USD |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Global eSIM plans starting from $8.50 USD |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Unlimited eSIM plans with 3 GB/day high-speed data |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Data/Calls/Texts eSIM plans with phone numbers |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
Airalo product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Airalo operates the world's first and largest eSIM store, selling prepaid digital mobile data plans to international travelers across 200+ destinations. Customers purchase, install, and manage eSIMs through Airalo's website or iOS/Android apps without needing a physical SIM card. Plans are sold as local (single-country), regional (multi-country), and global variants, with both fixed-data and unlimited tiers, plus Data/Calls/Texts packages that include local phone numbers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Airalo for Business: Corporate solution platform with decentralized billing features allowing employees to purchase eSIMs for business trips
Quantifiable outcome
- Up to 90% savings vs. traditional carrier roaming on 7-day trips
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Airalo
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Airalo technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Airalo partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Stink StudiosminorStink Studios partnered with Airalo to develop the global 'Connection Means The World' out-of-home advertising campaign, featuring typographic artwork by nine local artists representing their home cities (Tokyo, Paris, London, New York, Mexico City, Bangkok, Marrakech, Madrid, Rome).
- CompaxcoreCompax, a BSS/OSS software provider for telecommunications, extended its partnership with Airalo for another five years (2026). The Compax backend platform enables Airalo to manage data plans across more than 200 destinations, track usage in real-time, and set custom pricing independently for its 20 million users.
- Melon Mobile (Melon Digital)coreMelon Digital, a South African MVNO platform-as-a-service provider, partnered with Airalo to enable international visitors to South Africa to access mobile services without physical SIM cards or roaming plans. Melon Mobile (the first MVNO on the Melon Digital platform with over 100,000 local subscribers) is now live with Airalo's eSIM service in South Africa, utilizing MTN's network infrastructure. Expected to increase monthly traffic by 20%.
- ThalescoreThales' secure eSIM technology has been integrated into Airalo's global platform, improving instant connectivity for over 20 million travelers in more than 200 destinations. The integration allows travelers to activate high-quality local networks easily, reducing manual setup and reliance on Wi-Fi.
- Cathay (Cathay Pacific)minorAiralo partnered with Cathay (premium travel lifestyle brand) on February 24, 2026, allowing Cathay Pacific travelers to purchase eSIMs at preferential rates while earning 100 Asia Miles per purchase. The collaboration targets the growing travel eSIM market projected to grow 500% between 2023 and 2028.
- ValidcoreValid, a global leader in Trusted Connectivity and eSIM technologies, announced a strategic collaboration with Airalo to enhance customer experience using Valid's Remote SIM Provisioning (RSP) platform and Quality of Service (QoS) intelligence solution. Valid's SM-DP+ platform enables Airalo to securely manage eSIM profiles across over 200 destinations, while the QoS solution provides real-time monitoring of network performance (data throughput, latency, carrier benchmarking).
- Golden Route to West JapanminorAiralo partnered with the Golden Route to West Japan (a tourism initiative by Fukuoka City) to offer 10–15% off Airalo eSIM products for international travelers visiting western Japan (Osaka, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, Kumamoto, Nagasaki). This is Airalo's first partnership with a regional tourism initiative in Japan.
- Fukuoka City (Golden Route West Japan)minorGolden Route to WEST JAPAN, a tourism initiative by Fukuoka City, partnered with Airalo to launch an exclusive travel connectivity campaign offering 10–15% off Airalo's eSIM products for international travelers visiting western Japan. The partnership aims to remove communication barriers and enhance connectivity for travelers along the Golden Route.
- Various Local Network ProviderscoreAiralo partners with local network providers in each destination to deliver connectivity. Examples include: EE (UK), Wind Tre (Italy), T-Mobile (US), Orange (France), NOS (Portugal), Softbank (Japan), Movistar (Mexico), China Unicom (China), Nova (Greece), MTN (South Africa), Bell (Canada), Turk Telekom (Turkey).
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Airalo competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- BNESIM: BNESIM is an eSIM marketplace selling prepaid mobile data plans for international travelers across many countries. Directly comparable consumer-facing product offering to Airalo.
- Holafly: Holafly is a direct head-to-head eSIM competitor focused on international travelers, offering unlimited and fixed data plans across 200+ destinations with a similar self-serve consumer model. It is the closest functional substitute to Airalo in the travel eSIM category.
- Flexiroam: Flexiroam is a publicly listed Malaysian eSIM/data roaming provider selling prepaid travel data plans globally, including to consumer and enterprise travelers. Its product scope and channel mix are highly comparable to Airalo's.
- Ubigi (by Transatel): Ubigi is Transatel's consumer eSIM brand providing mobile data for international travelers across many countries, often bundled with car makers and OEMs. Same fundamental resale-of-carrier-data model for travelers.
- GigSky: GigSky sells prepaid eSIM data plans for international travelers across 190+ countries via its own app. Overlaps Airalo directly on product, customer (travelers), and distribution (self-serve app).
- Truphone: Truphone provides global mobile connectivity via eSIM for both consumer travelers and enterprise IoT/connectivity use cases. Comparable technology stack and cross-border data resale model.
Emerging players
- Airhub: Airhub sells prepaid eSIM data plans for travelers across many destinations via a self-serve app. Smaller and less established than Airalo, but directly comparable in product and target customer.
- Saily: Saily is a newer eSIM-for-traveler product launched by Nord Security, competing for the same international-traveler audience with similar prepaid plans. Smaller scale than Airalo but targeting the same niche with strong brand backing.
- aloSIM: aloSIM is an emerging eSIM provider for travelers offering prepaid plans across numerous destinations. Smaller scale than Airalo but competes in the same consumer travel eSIM category.
Broad incumbents
- Google Fi Wireless: Google Fi is a US-focused wireless service that resells underlying carrier networks (T-Mobile/US Cellular) and offers international roaming on US subscribers' plans. It competes indirectly with Airalo for US outbound travelers but operates as a primary carrier, not a travel-only marketplace.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Airalo social profiles
Digital presenceAiralo financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Airalo leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Airalo funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds6 records
Investors20 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Airalo M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Airalo
What does Airalo do?
Airalo operates the world's first and largest eSIM store, selling prepaid digital mobile data plans to international travelers across 200+ destinations. Customers purchase, install, and manage eSIMs through Airalo's website or iOS/Android apps without needing a physical SIM card. Plans are sold as local (single-country), regional (multi-country), and global variants, with both fixed-data and unlimited tiers, plus Data/Calls/Texts packages that include local phone numbers.
Is Airalo a public or private company?
Airalo is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Airalo founded?
Airalo was founded in 2019. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Airalo based?
Airalo is headquartered in Singapore, Singapore, in the Asia region.
How does Airalo make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Prepaid eSIM Data Plans are the primary driver. The others are airmoney Loyalty and Referral Program and airalo for Business (Corporate eSIM).
Who are Airalo's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are BNESIM, Holafly, Flexiroam, Ubigi (by Transatel), GigSky and Truphone. Emerging players are Airhub, Saily and aloSIM. Google Fi Wireless is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Airalo have an API?
No public API is recorded for Airalo.
What industry is Airalo in?
Airalo's product category is Travel eSIM / Mobile Connectivity Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAIANAG, SIM/eSIM, Mobile Connectivity & Student Tech Setup. Its NAICS code is 51712 and its SIC code is 7385.