Last updated: April 2026. Prices accurate at time of writing but subject to change — check providers directly for current rates.

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Let me be upfront about something: we've tested a lot of eSIMs in Indonesia. Not as a side project, not during a two-week holiday, but as people who live here. Kieron and I are based in Kuta, Lombok. We work remotely, travel across the islands regularly, and rely on our internet connection in ways most visitors just don't.

That means we've had to find eSIMs that actually hold up — not just in the tourist strips of Bali or the dense coverage of Jakarta, but in small towns, on south coast beaches, during power cuts, and on the back of a Grab bike trying to load a map in the middle of nowhere.

We've also had some absolute failures along the way. Providers that didn't activate. Support teams that went quiet. eSIMs that worked fine in one part of the island and then dropped the moment we left town. If you're only here for a few weeks, you might not notice. If you're here long-term, you feel every gap.

This post covers every eSIM provider we've actually tried — what worked, what didn't, and who we'd genuinely recommend for Indonesia, depending on what kind of traveller you are.

Why Getting Connected in Indonesia Is More Complicated Than You Think

Before we get into the reviews, it's worth explaining why choosing an eSIM for Indonesia requires a bit more thought than in other destinations.

Indonesia has strict device registration rules. If you're using a foreign phone, you may need to register your IMEI number with the government, which involves paperwork, queues, and a process that's inconsistently applied depending on where you go and who's behind the counter. I once spent twenty minutes in a tiny phone shop in Lombok while the most patient girl in the world tried to help me register a physical SIM. She didn't speak English. I didn't have data for Google Translate. Eventually, I walked home, connected to WiFi, and bought an eSIM. I've never looked back.

Beyond registration, the infrastructure here is genuinely patchy outside the main tourist hubs. Coverage in Bali's southern peninsula — the Bukit — is spottier than you'd expect from one of the world's most visited tourist areas. Go to Nusa Penida, the Gili Islands, or any of the smaller villages on Lombok, and you'll find that the eSIM that worked beautifully in Seminyak might struggle to load a map.

This is why first-hand testing matters. The big eSIM review sites are mostly written by people who tried a product for a week in a city. We can tell you what happens when you're on a beach on the east coast of the Bukit with no signal at all.

Quick Comparison: Best eSIMs for Indonesia

Provider	Best For	Indonesia Coverage	Hotspot	Starting Price
Saily	Value + simplicity	Good	✓	From $4.79 USD
Simify	Unlimited + multi-country	Good, patchy in Bukit	✓	From ~$15 USD/30 days
Holafly	Unlimited, hands-off	Good in Lombok	✓	From $27.30 USD/7 days
Airalo	Budget, widely known	Generally good	✓	Varies by plan
MossRoam	Short stays, strong signal	Not tested in Indo	✓	From $27 USD/10GB
JetPack	Not recommended	Failed to activate	✗	—

The Best eSIMs for Indonesia: Our Full Reviews

Saily — Best for Value and Simplicity

Saily was the first eSIM I really committed to, and it's still one I come back to regularly. It was launched in 2024 by Nord Security — the same company behind NordVPN — which gave me confidence in the product from the start. If you're going to hand your connectivity over to someone, it helps to know the parent company has been in the security and privacy space for years.

The app is clean and genuinely easy to use. Everything from purchasing a plan to activating it is straightforward — you're never more than a few taps from being connected. For Indonesia specifically, there are both country-specific plans and regional Southeast Asia options, which is useful if you're moving between islands or hopping to Bali for a few days before heading to Lombok.

Indonesia plans start at around $4.79 USD for 1GB/7 days, rising to $35.99 USD for 20GB/30 days. If you're here for longer or want a regional option that covers Thailand, Malaysia, and beyond on a single eSIM, the Asia plans are worth considering.

What I value most about Saily in Indonesia is that it works without drama. You don't need to troubleshoot. It installs, you activate it when you land, and you have data. For a country where the SIM registration process can turn into a whole afternoon, that frictionless experience is genuinely worth paying a little extra for.

Hotspot: Yes — works well, and is important for digital nomads working from locations with unreliable WiFi.

Verdict: Our top recommendation for most travellers coming to Indonesia, especially if you're here for less than 30 days or want a low-stress experience.

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Simify — Best for Unlimited Data Across Multiple Countries

Simify is an Australian eSIM brand that specialises in unlimited plans — its strongest differentiator. We've been testing their 30-day Unlimited Southeast Asia plan, which covers Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and 9 other countries on a single eSIM. For us, based in Lombok but regularly travelling across the region, that multi-country coverage without needing to buy a new plan is genuinely useful.

Setup was excellent — probably the most straightforward eSIM I've activated. The app walks you through everything clearly, and the install-versus-activate distinction (you can install at home and activate when you land) is something Simify explains really well up front. That alone will save first-time eSIM users a lot of confusion.

We ran into one early issue where certain AI apps weren't loading, but their support team responded quickly, and the fix was a simple settings change. After that, it's been smooth.

The honest note on coverage: We've had some patchy moments in Bali, specifically on the west and east coasts of the Bukit. If you're spending time in the more remote southern beaches and relying on apps like Grab to get around, Simify has dropped out in spots where we've needed it.

Hotspot: Yes, and they specifically flag this as a feature — tethering and hotspot support are features many competitors restrict, so it's worth noting.

Pricing: The 30-day Unlimited Southeast Asia plan is around $15 USD/month for their Unlimited plan — excellent value for what you're getting across 11 countries.

Verdict: Strong choice for long-term stays and multi-country travellers. Coverage in more remote parts of Bali's south coast is worth factoring in if that's where you're spending most of your time.

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Holafly — Best for Remote Workers Who Need Unlimited Data

Holafly is the "unlimited, hands-off" option. You pay more, but in return, you never think about gigabytes, never top up, and never open the app mid-day to panic about how much data you have left. For remote workers doing video calls, uploading content, and running a hotspot when the power cuts — which it does, constantly, in rural Indonesia — that peace of mind has real value.

We tested Holafly extensively in Lombok. In our town, along the south coast, and in various cafés with questionable WiFi, the connection held up well. The hotspot in particular has been excellent — when the electricity drops and the WiFi goes with it, I can switch to Holafly's hotspot and be back on a call within seconds. That reliability matters.

Holafly is not cheap. Their Indonesia plans start at $27.30 USD for 7 days of unlimited data, and the 30-day Asia plan is $74.90 USD. If you're a light user or price-sensitive, it's probably more than you need. But if you work remotely, move around a lot, or just want one less thing to manage, the unlimited model genuinely removes friction.

No calls or texts — like all travel eSIMs on this list, Holafly is data only. Keep your physical SIM active for 2FA and calls home.

Verdict: Best for remote workers and long-stay travellers in Indonesia who want unlimited data and reliable hotspotting. Not the most cost-effective option for casual travellers.

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Airalo — The Most Widely Known, But We've Had Issues

Airalo is probably the first name you'll see in any travel Facebook group when you ask about eSIMs. Their pricing is competitive, their destination coverage is enormous, and the brand recognition is unmatched. There's a reason so many travellers default to Airalo — for most people, it works fine.

We mention it here for completeness, but we'll be honest: I've had an installation fail on me once, and since then, I don't personally rely on it anymore. The activation process can be finicky, and when things go wrong, sorting out a refund with Airalo is neither quick nor painless.

Most travellers we meet on the road still swear by Airalo and have had zero issues. If you're visiting Indonesia for a short trip, their pricing is genuinely competitive and worth comparing against Saily before you decide.

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MossRoam — Strong Signal But Poor Value

We tested MossRoam in Bangkok and Ayutthaya, not in Indonesia, so we can't give a direct verdict on how it performs here. What we can tell you is that while the signal strength was good, the pricing wasn't competitive — a 10GB Thailand plan cost $27 USD at the time of testing, compared to Saily's equivalent at $12 USD. Without an app to track data usage, we were also flying blind on consumption.

For Indonesia specifically, where data-conscious travellers have better-value options available, MossRoam wouldn't be our first recommendation. It's not a bad product, but for the price, you can do better.

JetPack — Avoid

JetPack was a complete misfire for us. The eSIM wouldn't activate even though we were already in the country, and the support team weren't helpful in resolving it. After a couple of attempts, we moved on. We mention it only as a reminder that not all eSIM providers are created equal — always have a backup plan installed before you travel, especially for Indonesia.

What to Look for in an eSIM for Indonesia

If you're comparing eSIMs for Indonesia specifically, here are the things that actually matter:

Coverage beyond Bali. Most eSIM providers work fine in central Seminyak or Ubud. The real test is how they perform in the Bukit, on Lombok, on Nusa Penida, or in smaller coastal towns. Ask specifically about network partners in Indonesia — the best eSIMs partner with Telkomsel, which has the widest coverage across the archipelago.

Hotspot support. Indonesia's WiFi infrastructure is patchy, especially outside the main tourist areas. You will need to hotspot at some point. Make sure your eSIM allows it — some cheaper providers restrict tethering.

Installation vs activation. This is an Indonesia-specific issue. You need WiFi to install an eSIM. If you're arriving without a connection, you need to set everything up before you leave. The better providers make this clear and let you install at home and activate on arrival.

Data tracking. Knowing how much you have left matters, especially on longer trips. Providers with a proper app (Saily, Simify, Holafly all have one) make this easy.

Regional plans if you're island-hopping. If you're moving through multiple countries — Bali to Singapore to Malaysia — a Southeast Asia regional plan is almost always better value than buying country by country.

Our Setup Recommendations by Traveller Type

Short-term tourist (under 2 weeks): Saily country pack or Airalo. Simple, affordable, no commitment.

Island-hopper moving through Southeast Asia: Saily Southeast Asia regional plan or Simify Unlimited Southeast Asia. One eSIM for the whole trip.

Remote worker based in Bali or Lombok: Holafly (unlimited, reliable hotspot) or Simify Unlimited. Both handle work-from-accommodation setups well, though Simify has had patchy moments on the Bukit.

Long-stay traveller (1 month+): Consider a physical SIM for your primary connection and an eSIM as backup. Indonesia's local SIMs (Telkomsel, Smartfren) are excellent value if you're willing to navigate the registration process.

A Note on Physical SIMs in Indonesia

For completeness: if you're in Indonesia for more than a few weeks and in a town with a decent phone shop, a local physical SIM can be more cost-effective than any eSIM. Telkomsel packages offer excellent value and wide coverage. The catch is the registration process, which requires your IMEI, passport, and patience. If that sounds manageable, it's worth looking into for longer stays.

For anyone who doesn't want to deal with that — or is arriving at odd hours, moving between countries, or just wants things to work without hassle — an eSIM is the better option.

Final Thoughts

After testing more eSIMs in Indonesia than we ever planned to, here's where we land:

For most travellers, Saily is the easiest, most reliable choice. It's not the cheapest on every metric, but it works, the app is clean, and it removes the friction of getting connected in a country where that friction can be significant.

For remote workers and long-stay travellers, Holafly's unlimited data earns its premium. The hotspot reliability alone makes it worth it if you're working from accommodation with unreliable WiFi.

For multi-country travellers who want one plan for the region, Simify's Unlimited Southeast Asia is excellent value — just be aware of the occasional coverage gap in the Bukit if that's where you're spending most of your time.

And above all: always have at least two eSIM apps installed before you arrive. Indonesia will test your patience in ways no other destination quite manages — but that's also part of why it's so good.