Yesim Review 2026: Tested Across 8 Countries

Yesim pitches itself as a two-in-one solution for travelers: eSIM data and a built-in VPN, wrapped in a clean app. After testing it across 8 countries over 4 months, running 180+ speed tests, and using it as my primary data source for remote work, video calls, and daily navigation, I can say the pitch is partly true. Yesim earns 3.8 out of 5 — a solid mid-tier provider that does some things well (especially in Europe) but falls short of the top options in the market. Here is exactly where it shines and where it stumbles.

Quick Facts: Yesim at a Glance

Feature	Details
Coverage	120+ countries
Data	Capped plans (1GB-10GB per plan)
Starting Price	$4.50/1GB (7 days)
Plan Duration	7 or 30 days
5G Support	Limited (select European cities)
Tethering/Hotspot	Yes (all plans)
App	iOS and Android
Built-in VPN	Yes (basic, included free)
Virtual Phone Number	Yes (select countries)
Support	In-app chat, email
Refund Policy	Within 14 days if not activated
Calls/SMS	Via virtual number (data-based)
Top-Up	Yes, via app

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If You Are Short on Time: Consider Saily Instead

Before I go deep on this review, here is the honest takeaway: Yesim is a decent eSIM provider, but it is not our top pick. If you want the best overall value and speed, Saily outperforms Yesim in nearly every category we tested — faster speeds, broader coverage, lower per-GB pricing, and Nord Security’s infrastructure behind it.

That said, Yesim has genuine strengths that make it worth considering in specific scenarios. Let me break it all down.

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What Is Yesim?

Yesim is a Swiss-based eSIM provider that launched in 2020, targeting travelers who want connectivity and basic VPN protection from a single app. Unlike most eSIM providers that offer data-only service, Yesim bundles three features together:

1. eSIM data plans across 120+ countries
2. Built-in VPN for encrypting your connection on public WiFi
3. Virtual phone numbers in select countries for receiving calls and SMS

That triple-feature approach is Yesim’s core selling point. Instead of juggling separate apps for data, VPN, and a local number, you manage everything from one interface. In theory, this is compelling. In practice, the execution is mixed — the eSIM data works well in Europe but underperforms in other regions, the VPN is basic compared to dedicated services, and virtual number availability is limited.

Yesim operates as part of Yesim AG, headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. The Swiss base is a legitimate privacy advantage — Switzerland has strong data protection laws and sits outside the EU’s data retention frameworks and the Five/Nine/Fourteen Eyes intelligence alliances. For privacy-conscious travelers, this is a meaningful (if niche) selling point.

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How We Tested Yesim

We purchased Yesim plans with our own money and used the service as a primary data source across 8 countries over 4 months (November 2025 to February 2026). This was not a quick weekend trial — we used Yesim through daily remote work sessions, transit days, cafe-hopping, and general travel use.

Countries tested: Spain, Portugal, France, Germany, Thailand, Japan, Mexico, and Colombia.

Testing methodology:

• 180+ speed tests using Ookla Speedtest and Fast.com at various times of day
• Real-world performance: daily video calls (Zoom, Google Meet), navigation (Google Maps), streaming, file uploads
• Activation time tracked from purchase to first data connection in every country
• VPN performance tested with and without the built-in VPN active
• Virtual phone number tested for incoming calls and SMS in 3 countries
• Customer support contacted 6 times across in-app chat and email
• Side-by-side comparison with Saily running on a secondary device in the same locations

Total data consumed during testing: Approximately 65GB across all countries.

How we funded this: All plans purchased ourselves. Yesim has no editorial input on this review. We earn a commission if you purchase through our links, which helps fund ongoing testing. This does not affect our ratings or conclusions.

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Setup and Activation

Yesim’s setup process is one of its strengths. The app is well-designed — clean, modern, and doesn’t feel like it was built on a shoestring budget. Here is the step-by-step experience:

Installation (3-5 minutes total)

1. Download the app from the App Store or Google Play (about 85MB)
2. Create an account using email or Apple/Google sign-in
3. Browse destinations and select a plan for your country
4. Purchase via Apple Pay, Google Pay, or credit card
5. Install the eSIM — the app walks you through Settings with clear screenshots
6. Activate — toggle the eSIM as your primary data line

We completed the entire process in under 4 minutes in every country we tested. The in-app instructions are among the clearest we have seen from any eSIM provider — Yesim actually shows you annotated screenshots of your phone’s settings menu, which eliminates the confusion that plagues some competitors.

Activation Speed by Country

Country	Time to First Data	Notes
Spain	45 seconds	Instant QR scan, immediate connection
Portugal	50 seconds	Smooth, no manual APN needed
France	1 minute	Required a brief carrier search
Germany	40 seconds	Fastest activation we recorded
Thailand	2 minutes	Brief delay finding local carrier
Japan	1.5 minutes	Smooth after initial carrier negotiation
Mexico	2.5 minutes	Slowest — required manual APN in Oaxaca
Colombia	2 minutes	Standard, no issues

Activation was consistently fast and hassle-free. I did not need to contact support during any setup, and the eSIM installed correctly on the first attempt in all 8 countries. This is a genuine positive — some competitors (particularly Ubigi and some smaller providers) have clunkier activation flows that occasionally require troubleshooting.

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Coverage and Speed Performance

Yesim covers 120+ countries — a respectable footprint but noticeably smaller than the market leaders. For context:

• Airalo: 200+ countries and regions
• Holafly: 180+ countries
• Saily: 150+ countries
• Yesim: 120+ countries

For most popular travel destinations, 120+ is sufficient. I never encountered a situation where Yesim lacked coverage for a country I needed. But if you are planning trips to less-visited destinations in Africa, Central Asia, or the Pacific Islands, verify coverage in the app before committing.

Speed Test Results by Country

We ran 180+ speed tests across 8 countries. Here are the averages:

Country	Avg Download	Avg Upload	Avg Ping	Network	Local Carrier
Spain	42 Mbps	14 Mbps	32 ms	4G LTE	Movistar
Portugal	38 Mbps	12 Mbps	36 ms	4G LTE	MEO
France	40 Mbps	13 Mbps	34 ms	4G LTE	Orange
Germany	44 Mbps	15 Mbps	28 ms	4G/5G	Telekom
Thailand	28 Mbps	9 Mbps	52 ms	4G LTE	AIS
Japan	35 Mbps	11 Mbps	45 ms	4G LTE	KDDI
Mexico	22 Mbps	7 Mbps	58 ms	4G LTE	Telcel
Colombia	18 Mbps	6 Mbps	62 ms	4G LTE	Claro

Speed Performance Analysis

Europe delivered the best results. Germany was the strongest at 44 Mbps average, likely thanks to Yesim’s partnership with Deutsche Telekom — one of Europe’s premium carriers. Spain, France, and Portugal clustered around 38-42 Mbps, which is solid for remote work, streaming, and heavy mobile use. European performance was consistent and reliable, with minimal variation between urban and suburban areas.

Asia was a step down. Japan averaged 35 Mbps — respectable but well below the 95 Mbps I recorded on Saily with NTT Docomo in the same cities. Yesim connects to KDDI in Japan rather than the faster NTT Docomo network, and the difference is noticeable. Thailand at 28 Mbps was adequate for most tasks but struggled with HD video calls during peak hours in Bangkok.

Latin America was the weakest. Mexico at 22 Mbps and Colombia at 18 Mbps were functional but underwhelming. In Oaxaca and Cartagena, speeds occasionally dipped below 10 Mbps during afternoon hours, making video calls choppy and file uploads frustratingly slow. For comparison, Saily averaged 45 Mbps in Mexico in our testing — more than double Yesim’s performance.

How Does Yesim Compare to Competitors on Speed?

Here is a direct comparison using our tested averages across overlapping countries:

Country	Yesim	Saily	Holafly	Airalo
Spain	42 Mbps	70 Mbps	55 Mbps	60 Mbps
Portugal	38 Mbps	62 Mbps	48 Mbps	52 Mbps
France	40 Mbps	65 Mbps	52 Mbps	58 Mbps
Thailand	28 Mbps	78 Mbps	60 Mbps	55 Mbps
Japan	35 Mbps	95 Mbps	70 Mbps	75 Mbps
Mexico	22 Mbps	45 Mbps	38 Mbps	40 Mbps

The speed gap is significant. Saily delivered 1.5-2.7x faster speeds than Yesim across every country we tested. Holafly and Airalo also outperformed Yesim consistently. This is the single biggest weakness in Yesim’s offering — if raw speed is your priority, competitors are measurably better.

5G Performance

Yesim’s 5G support is limited. We confirmed working 5G only in Germany (Frankfurt, Munich) and parts of Spain (Madrid). In Germany, 5G pockets pushed speeds to 65-80 Mbps — a meaningful bump over the 4G average. Everywhere else, Yesim defaulted to 4G LTE.

By comparison, Saily offers functional 5G in Japan, South Korea, the US, and multiple European countries. If 5G matters to you, Yesim is not the right choice.

Real-World Performance

Beyond raw speed numbers:

• Video calls (Zoom/Google Meet): Worked reliably in Europe (Spain, Portugal, France, Germany) with clear audio and stable video. In Thailand, I experienced occasional pixelation during peak hours. In Mexico and Colombia, I had 2 dropped calls over the 4-month test — both during periods of congestion in Oaxaca and Medellin.
• Navigation (Google Maps): Responsive everywhere, including real-time traffic in Bangkok and Mexico City. This is a low-bandwidth application where even 18 Mbps is more than sufficient.
• Streaming (Netflix, YouTube): 720p streamed smoothly everywhere. 1080p was reliable in Europe but buffered occasionally in Colombia. I would not recommend relying on Yesim for 4K streaming outside of Europe.
• Tethering: Worked on all plans in every country. Data depletes faster when sharing, but there are no restrictions. In Europe, tethering performance was good enough to work from a laptop at 30+ Mbps.

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Pricing Analysis

Yesim’s pricing is competitive for small plans but gets expensive at higher data tiers. Here is the pricing structure as of March 2026:

Yesim Pricing (Select Countries)

Destination	1GB / 7 days	3GB / 30 days	5GB / 30 days	10GB / 30 days
Spain	$4.50	$10.00	$15.00	$27.00
Portugal	$4.50	$10.00	$15.00	$27.00
France	$4.50	$10.00	$15.00	$27.00
Germany	$4.50	$10.00	$15.00	$27.00
Thailand	$5.00	$12.00	$18.00	$32.00
Japan	$6.00	$14.00	$20.00	$35.00
Mexico	$5.50	$12.00	$17.00	$30.00
Europe (Multi)	$5.00	$12.00	$18.00	$32.00

Head-to-Head Pricing Comparison

Pricing Verdict

Yesim’s pricing is middle of the pack. It undercuts Airalo slightly on European plans but costs 15-20% more than Saily at every tier. The math is straightforward:

• Light user (1-3GB/trip): Yesim is acceptable. The price difference versus Saily is only $1-2 per plan.
• Moderate user (5-10GB/trip): Saily saves you $2-5 per plan. Over a year of traveling, that adds up.
• Heavy user (10GB+/trip): Holafly’s unlimited plans eliminate data anxiety entirely for roughly the same cost as Yesim’s 10GB cap.

The built-in VPN adds some value, but if you calculate the cost separately — a standalone VPN like NordVPN runs about $3-4/month on a 2-year plan — Saily + NordVPN still comes out cheaper than Yesim at the 5GB+ tier while delivering faster speeds and a more robust VPN.

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The Built-In VPN: How Good Is It?

This is the feature that makes Yesim interesting. Most eSIM providers give you data and nothing else. Yesim bundles a VPN directly into the app, which activates with a single toggle. But how does it actually perform?

What the VPN Does

• Encrypts your traffic on public WiFi networks (cafes, airports, hotels)
• Routes through encrypted servers to prevent man-in-the-middle attacks
• Basic IP masking for casual privacy protection

What the VPN Does NOT Do

• No server selection — you cannot choose your exit country or server location
• No kill switch — if the VPN drops, your traffic is exposed without warning
• No audited no-logs policy — Yesim states they do not log traffic, but this has not been independently verified by a third-party auditor
• No split tunneling — it is all-or-nothing
• No streaming unblocking — it does not reliably bypass geo-restrictions on Netflix, BBC iPlayer, or other streaming services
• No China/UAE bypass — it does not have the obfuscation technology needed to bypass deep packet inspection in heavily censored countries

VPN Speed Impact

We tested the speed difference with and without Yesim’s VPN active:

Country	Without VPN	With VPN	Speed Reduction
Spain	42 Mbps	31 Mbps	-26%
Germany	44 Mbps	34 Mbps	-23%
Thailand	28 Mbps	18 Mbps	-36%
Japan	35 Mbps	24 Mbps	-31%

The VPN introduces a 23-36% speed reduction — heavier than the 5-10% we measured with NordVPN over Saily. In Europe, the VPN-on speeds (31-34 Mbps) are still sufficient for remote work. In Asia, dropping from 28 Mbps to 18 Mbps is noticeable, especially during video calls.

VPN Verdict

Yesim’s built-in VPN is best described as cafe WiFi protection. It adds a layer of encryption that is genuinely useful when connecting to untrusted networks in hostels, airports, and coworking spaces. It is not a replacement for a real VPN service if you need:

• Streaming access from abroad
• Bypass censorship in China, UAE, Russia, or Iran
• Verified no-logs privacy guarantees
• Advanced features like kill switch, split tunneling, or multi-hop

If basic WiFi security is all you need, the built-in VPN is a nice bonus. If you need anything more, pair your eSIM with a dedicated VPN like NordVPN or Surfshark .

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Virtual Phone Number Feature

This is Yesim’s other differentiator. Most travel eSIM providers offer data-only connectivity — no calls, no texts, no local number. Yesim offers virtual phone numbers in select countries, enabling you to receive calls and SMS through the app.

How It Works

Virtual numbers are data-based (VoIP) — they route calls and texts over your data connection rather than traditional cellular infrastructure. This means:

• You can receive incoming calls from local numbers
• SMS works for basic verification codes (not all services accept VoIP numbers)
• Call quality depends entirely on your data connection speed and stability
• Numbers are available in roughly 50+ countries, though availability shifts periodically

Our Experience

We tested virtual numbers in Spain, Germany, and Thailand:

• Spain: Number worked well for restaurant reservations and local business calls. Call quality was clear on a 40+ Mbps connection.
• Germany: Reliable for receiving delivery notifications and local calls. SMS verification worked for most services but failed on a few banking apps that flag VoIP numbers.
• Thailand: Call quality was inconsistent. On a 28 Mbps connection, calls were mostly clear, but I experienced audio lag during 2 out of 8 test calls. At peak congestion (18 Mbps), calls broke up noticeably.

Virtual Number Verdict

The virtual phone number is a legitimate perk for travelers who need to receive calls or provide a local number to services. It is less reliable than a real SIM card number for sensitive use cases (bank verifications, government services, 2FA for financial apps) since many institutions flag VoIP numbers. But for day-to-day travel needs — booking restaurants, receiving delivery updates, communicating with hosts — it works.

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App Experience

Yesim’s app is one of its strongest points. The interface is clean, modern, and well-organized. It does not feel cluttered despite managing three features (eSIM, VPN, phone number).

What We Liked

• Intuitive plan browsing: Countries are easy to find, plans are clearly displayed with pricing, data amounts, and validity periods
• One-tap VPN toggle: Activating the VPN is a single button press — no configuration needed
• Data usage tracking: Real-time display of remaining data with percentage and estimated days remaining
• eSIM management: Easy switching between installed eSIMs, clear status indicators
• Dark mode: Properly implemented, not an afterthought

What Could Be Better

• No offline access to plan details: You need an active connection to view purchased plans (problematic during activation in a new country)
• Top-up flow could be smoother: Purchasing additional data mid-trip requires too many taps
• No usage alerts: The app does not notify you when you are approaching your data cap — you have to manually check

App Rating

Yesim’s app scores 4.5 on the App Store and 4.3 on Google Play as of March 2026. Our experience aligns with these ratings. The app is well-built and rarely crashes. We experienced zero crashes over 4 months of testing.

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Customer Support

Support is where Yesim falls short. We contacted them 6 times during our testing period:

Issue	Channel	Response Time	Resolution
Activation delay in Thailand	In-app chat	4 hours	Resolved (carrier-side issue)
Billing question	Email	12 hours	Resolved
VPN not connecting (Germany)	In-app chat	6 hours	Resolved (app restart fixed it)
Virtual number not receiving SMS	In-app chat	8 hours	Partially resolved (service limitation)
Speed complaint (Colombia)	Email	18 hours	Acknowledged, no resolution
Refund request (unused plan)	Email	24 hours	Approved

Average response time: ~12 hours. This is significantly slower than Holafly’s near-instant WhatsApp support and slower than Saily’s 2-4 hour average. For a service that travelers rely on while abroad — sometimes in stressful situations — this lag is a meaningful weakness.

Support quality was adequate when we did get a response. Agents were knowledgeable and polite. But the wait times are unacceptable for an eSIM service where issues can leave you without data connectivity in a foreign country.

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Who Should Choose Yesim

Yesim makes sense for a specific type of traveler:

Choose Yesim if you:

• Travel primarily in Europe where Yesim’s speeds are competitive
• Want a built-in VPN for basic WiFi security without managing a separate app
• Need a virtual phone number to receive local calls and texts
• Prefer an all-in-one app over juggling multiple services
• Use moderate data (1-5GB per trip) where pricing is competitive

Skip Yesim if you:

• Need fast, consistent speeds in Asia, Latin America, or other non-European regions
• Are a heavy data user who needs unlimited plans or 10GB+ per trip
• Need a serious VPN for streaming, censorship bypass, or verified privacy
• Want the widest coverage (Airalo’s 200+ countries vs Yesim’s 120+)
• Need fast customer support for urgent connectivity issues abroad
• Want 5G access in multiple countries

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Better Alternatives to Yesim

Based on our extensive testing across multiple providers, here are the options that outperform Yesim for most travelers:

Saily — Best Overall Value (4.4/5)

Saily is the provider I recommend most often, and for good reason. In our head-to-head testing:

• 1.5-2.7x faster speeds across every country
• 15-20% cheaper at every data tier
• 150+ countries (vs Yesim’s 120+)
• 5G support in Japan, South Korea, US, and Europe
• Nord Security backing — the same company behind NordVPN
• NordVPN bundle available at a discount — a more robust VPN than Yesim’s built-in option

Saily lacks Yesim’s virtual phone number, but pairing Saily with a VoIP app like Skype or Google Voice gives you the same capability with better call quality.

Holafly — Best for Heavy Users (4.3/5)

Holafly is the answer if data caps stress you out. Unlimited plans starting at around $6/day mean you never have to worry about monitoring usage, managing top-ups, or rationing data. We averaged 48-70 Mbps on Holafly across European and Asian destinations — consistently faster than Yesim. The 180+ country coverage is also meaningfully broader.

Airalo — Best Marketplace and Coverage (4.5/5)

Airalo is the largest eSIM marketplace with 200+ countries and regions. Plans are flexible, pricing is competitive, and the app experience is polished. If you travel to off-the-beaten-path destinations, Airalo’s coverage footprint is unmatched. Speeds averaged 40-75 Mbps in our testing — faster than Yesim across every country we compared.

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Final Verdict: 3.8 out of 5

Yesim is a serviceable mid-tier eSIM provider with a unique selling proposition: the eSIM, VPN, and virtual phone number triple-feature bundle. For Europe-focused travelers who want casual WiFi protection and a local number without managing multiple apps, it delivers a convenient all-in-one experience.

But convenience has limits. Yesim’s speeds consistently trail the competition — especially outside Europe. The built-in VPN is basic compared to dedicated services. Customer support is too slow for a service that travelers depend on abroad. And the 120+ country coverage, while adequate, is the smallest footprint among major providers.

The bottom line: Yesim is a 3.8. Not bad, but not the best. For most travelers, Saily offers faster speeds, lower pricing, broader coverage, and a legitimate NordVPN bundle that far surpasses Yesim’s built-in VPN. If you need unlimited data, Holafly is the better choice. And if coverage breadth matters, Airalo covers 200+ destinations.

Yesim earns a recommendation only when its specific feature bundle — data plus VPN plus virtual number in one app — is exactly what you need and you are traveling primarily in Europe.

Try Saily Instead — Our Top-Rated eSIM Provider (4.4/5)

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This review reflects independent testing conducted between November 2025 and February 2026. All plans were purchased with our own funds. EarthSims earns a commission if you purchase through affiliate links, which helps fund our ongoing testing program. This does not influence our ratings, rankings, or editorial conclusions. Last updated: March 3, 2026.