GigSky Hands-On eSIM Review: Is It Worth It?
Known as Apple's first eSIM partner, GigSky is a Silicon Valley-based eSIM provider offering data plans in over 190+ countries, alongside unique features like inflight and offshore connectivity.
They are also a full MVNO (mobile virtual network operator), which essentially means they can independently reroute your data if something goes wrong.
We tested GigSky during our travels to share with you its real-world performance and help you decide if this is the right eSIM provider for you.
Our Experience with GigSky and How We Tested Their eSIMs
As full-time digital nomads, we are big on connectivity as our livelihood depends on it. For this reason, we frequently test new eSIMs, sharing our first-hand experience in our dedicated eSIM section.
This time, we tested GigSky to see how it performed during our trip to Europe, (Spain, the Canary Islands), Dominican Republic, and Cape Verde. We looked at everything, from its features and data plans to internet speeds and pricing. If you want to learn more about our hands-on experience with GigSky, keep reading.
GigSky eSIM Data Plans, Packages and Coverage
GigSky provides a truly wide range of data plans in more than 190+ countries around the world. These are the eSIM packages they offer:
Single-country plans
These plans are for people visiting a single destination, and they offer data allowances of 1/3/5/10GB with a duration between 1 day, 7 days, 15 days, and 30 days in most countries. They also offer unlimited plans, but at the moment they are only limited to Europe.
Regional plans
These are for travelers with travel itineraries that include multiple countries in the same geographical region. They offer regional plans for Europe, North America, Latin America, Africa, Asia-Pacific, and the Caribbean. Both Europe and Latin America have unlimited plans.
World plans
For truly global full-time travelers, they offer global plans that cover all the 190+ countries they cover with their eSIM services.
But what makes Gigsky really stand out is that they do not offer only data "on land". They also offer:
Data Inflight
Thanks to GigSky's partnership with Panasonic Avionics' AeroMobile, Gigsky provides inflight connectivity to stay connected on selected airlines.
Data Offshore (At Sea)
GigSky teamed up with Tampnet to also offer specialized data plans for locations such as the Gulf of Mexico and the North Sea.
Cruises
If in-flight and offshore plans were not enough, GigSky also offers plans for cruises. If you booked a cruise with popular providers such as MSC Cruises, Fred Olsen, Virgin Voyages, Royal Caribbean International, Carnival or TUI Cruises among others, chances are they offer a data plan for it.
How Much Does GigSky Cost?
Gigsky's single-country and regional eSIM plans all start from as low as $4.49, but they can also go up to $99.99 for some premium plans.
For some real-life examples, below is the breakdown of what we spent on our eSIMs:
- Europe regional plan: The regional eSIM plan for Europe starts at $5.99 for 1GB (valid for 7 days). We paid $19.99 for 5GB (valid for 30 days). They also offer unlimited data at $26.99 for 7 days and $48.99 for 15 days.
- Cape Verde: eSIM plans for Cape Verde start at $8.99 for 512MB (valid for 7 days). We paid $26.99 for 3GB (15 days duration) for our trip to the African country.
- Dominican Republic: eSIM plans for Cape Verde start at $4.99 for 1GB (valid for 7 days). We went for the 5GB plan at $12.99 for 30 days.
For all their new customers, GigSky offers a free 100MB data plan to try their services, which is certainly a perk we highly appreciated when we first signed up.
While we didn't try this service, worth sharing that GigSky also offers inflight internet with a plan of 100MB of data, valid for 1 day at $13.99. You can find the full list of all compatible airlines for GigSky's inflight connectivity below if you want to know more:
| A-C | B-E | K-S | T-V |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aer Lingus | Egypt Air | Kuwait Airways | TAP Air Portugal |
| Alitalia | Emirates | Lufthansa | Turkish Airlines |
| Asiana Airlines | Etihad Airways | Malaysia Airlines | Uzbekistan Airways |
| Biman Bangladesh Airlines | EVA Air | SAS Scandinavian Airlines | Virgin Atlantic |
| Cathay Pacific | Singapore Airlines | ||
| Swiss International Airlines |
And if you are wondering about pricing for their offshore data plans, here's a quick breakdown:
- North Sea: from $9,99 for 1GB to $174,99 for 35GB
- Gulf of Mexico: starting from $29,99 for 1GB to $119,99 for 10GB.
How Does GigSky eSIM Work?
When testing GigSky, we were surprised by how easy and user-friendly it was to use and set up a GigSky eSIM.
If you're in a rush, here's a quick overview of the process we went through to install GigSky eSIM:
For a more detailed guide on how to install and activate your GigSky eSIM, here are the steps we followed:
1. Sign Up with GigSky
Head to their website or download the app to create an account. You'll receive an email to activate your account.
2. Choose your eSIM plan
Pick the type of eSIM that best suits your travel needs. You will probably go for data on land, but you can also choose inflight, cruises, or offshore if you're on selected airlines and ships/cruises.
3. Select and purchase your GigSky eSIM package
Pick your destination or region and select the data plan that best suits you. You'll be prompted to choose your preferred payment method (Apple Pay is supported). Hit 'Buy Plan' to purchase it and, once done, keep an eye on your inbox for the confirmation email.
4. Install and Activate Your eSIM
In your confirmation email, you'll receive all the instructions from Gigsky. Either scan the QR code they sent you or, if you have an iPhone with iOS 17 or above, use the GigSky app for the automatic installation (the quickest and our favorite option).
5. Monitor Your Data Usage and Top Up
You can use the GigSky app to check how much data you've used and quickly top up if you find yourself needing more. You can also track your data usage on the GigSky website if you prefer a bigger screen.
Our Real-World Performance Using GigSky eSIM
In our case, we tested data plans for Europe (mainly Spain and Canary Islands) and Cape Verde, and we were thoroughly impressed with the reliability of this eSIM. Here's an overview of what we observed:
| Country | Speed |
|---|---|
| Mainland Spain | 34.71 Mbps (download) / 9.52 Mbps (upload) |
| Fuerteventura (Canary Islands) | 33.10 Mbps (download) / 13.37 Mbps (upload) |
| Gran Canaria (Canary Islands) | 62.92 Mbps (download) / 17.48 Mbps (upload) |
| Cape Verde | 25.44 Mbps (download) / 11.73 Mbps (upload) |
| Dominican Republic | 13.41 Mbps (download) / 9.22 Mbps (upload) |
Both in mainland Spain and in the Canary Islands (Las Palmas and Fuerteventura) we had no problems whatsoever to work remotely, making video calls to our family and friends and using sharing our hotspot to connect multiple devices.
But the biggest surprise was for Cape Verde and the Dominican Republic. We tried other eSIMs for the same trips, and we can confidently say no other eSIM had the same consistency and reliability in those destinations. It's is actually hands-down our go-to option for these two countries (and trust us, we tried up to 3 popular eSIM providers for both destinations).
GigSky saved us multiple times, from when we were in the middle of nowhere and we had to find a quick taxi back to our accommodation in Dominican Republic to when we had to connect to our laptops via hotspots for the lack of free WiFi in most places in Cape Verde.
GigSky Hands-On Review: Top Features, Pros and Cons
GigSky offers a ton of great features that we really appreciated. Here's what stood out to us when testing it:
- Broad coverage and reliable connectivity: Traveling across various parts of rural Spain and beyond (including Cape Verde and the Dominican Republic), the wide coverage GigSky offers has been invaluable. Their strength is the fact that they are a full MVNO (mobile virtual network operator), so they can independently reroute your data if something goes wrong which is such a piece of mind for remote workers like us looking for reliable connectivity in remote areas.
- Variety of plans: The flexibility of GigSky's data plans is another major advantage. Depending on your destination and length of stay, you can select a plan that suits your specific needs, without overpaying for data you won't use. They go the extra mile, adding dedicated in-flight and offshore plans which is something other providers do not offer.
- Instant activation through the GigSky app: The simplicity and speed of activating our eSIM through the GigSky app has been a standout feature. As travelers who often need to connect to the internet shortly after landing in a new place, being able to activate our data plan instantly was a tremendous benefit.
After testing GigSky eSIMs, we can confidently say that they offer a consistent and reliable performance across the board.
But, like with all the eSIM providers, they aren't perfect, including the fact that they offer just a few unlimited plan options, and have slightly more premium prices compared to the average eSIM providers.
Below, an overview of the pros and cons for this provider to help you decide if a GigSky eSIM is actually right for you.
GigSky Pros and cons
Is Gigsky Worth It? Our Final Thoughts
During our travels, GigSky has proven to be extremely reliable. The experience of seamless setup and their smooth connectivity with no interruptions since their installation was something we liked.
While GigSky's pricing is on the higher end, we think that the value it delivers through reliable connectivity justifies the investment. For us, it's not just about staying connected but it's about the peace of mind that comes with knowing you have a dependable network, no matter where our travels take us.
For international travelers who prioritize quality service and value premium products, GigSky is certainly an eSIM provider to consider in our opinion.
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Claim Your DiscountAre There Any eSIM Alternatives to GigSky?
We constantly try and test new eSIM providers as frequent travelers and, based on our experience, the main alternatives to GigSky are Airalo and Holafly. Here’s how Gigsky compares to these 2 alternatives.
GigSky vs Airalo
Airalo is GigSky's direct competitor. They offer extensive coverage in over 200 countries with a wide range of affordable plan options, which makes them stands out for more budget-conscious travelers.
However, as mentioned in our review, GigSky is a full MVNO which distinguishes itself as a more premium service thanks to their strong customer support capabilities. This is ideal for those prioritizing dependable, private, and truly global connectivity.
GigSky vs Holafly
Holafly is another popular eSIM provider that offers similar services to GigSky. Though pricier than GigSky overall, they entice with their unlimited data packages, which are perfect for data-heavy travelers.
On the other hand, GigSky stands out with its lower prices, proactive network management and inflight and offshore eSIM options, catering to a wider range of travel needs.
Ready To Try GigSky Yourself?
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