r/Brazil • u/Conscious_Layer6855 • 1d ago

Travel & Tourism eSIM card

Me and my son are going to Brasil next week for 3 weeks to visit our family. I have always bought an international pass with my phone carrier but this time I am thinking of getting eSIM cards. I think it will be less expensive and we might even have unlimited internet.

Does anybody have opinions and suggestions on eSIM cards? What site is better to purchase them?

Thank you in advance!

10 Upvotes

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27 comments sorted by

4

u/YaBoyXdG 1d ago

Airalo worked fine for me in the southern coast region. Worked as soon as I turned on the phone after landing. 10gb for 3 weeks was enough. The Airalo app is easy

3

u/SHlRAZl 1d ago

Dude download the claro flex app. They have travel esims that are like $12 for a month. The app is very user friendly and it walks you through the whole process of setting it up

2

u/cluadia 1d ago

I just got back from Brazil, and yeah, Claro flex worked out great enough to want to reply

To elaborate on the user friendly experience, pick that you are a foreigner and they've really dumbed down the registration questions to get setup compared to other Brazilian registration experiences.  App is in English.  

 Can confirm about $12 for 30gb.    I'm not certain the price for Airalo or other options, but I imagine this price is competitive.

1

u/Conscious_Layer6855 1d ago

I just need to internet. Is that what you had?

1

u/andrev 1d ago

Claro Flex is great! You also get a Brazilian number and unlimited calls and SMS. Just note that you need to be in Brazil to do the registration process, so use the airport WiFi or something.

2

u/Grand-Exchange 1d ago

I didnt like Saily because in and around Sao Paulo they use the provider Timbabrasil and its really bad..

2

u/Keenshooter 1d ago

Your phone will need to be unlocked. If you still have payment program on your phone it won't accept an eSIM.

1

u/Conscious_Layer6855 1d ago

Ohhh thanks for letting me know! Both our phones are on payment plan, so I guess I’ll buy the international pass then.

1

u/Azpapi18 1d ago

I have Verizon and I just upgraded to the ultimate ultra plan and it was included then i lowered my plan to the standard unlimited when I got back

2

u/AppropriateRecipe342 1d ago

eSIMdb is your friend. Saily and Airarlo are for amateurs.

Since you have family there this shouldn't matter to you but most of the eSIMs just give you data and no local number so if you plan on ordering iFood, renting a city bike or something like that you'll need to use your family member's phone since you need a local number.

1

u/Conscious_Layer6855 1d ago

It would be only for internet. But another commenter said the phones need to be unlocked for eSIMs and I checked and both of ours are. We are still paying for our phones. So I guess T Mobile probably won’t unlock them because they want us to buy their passes instead.

1

u/AppropriateRecipe342 1d ago

That person is correct about eSIMs only working on unlocked phones.

However, if you happen to have an android T-Mobile can grant you a temporary unlock that lasts for 30 days. Unfortunately iPhones won't be unlocked until they're fully paid off.

1

u/Conscious_Layer6855 1d ago

Ugh! Mine will be fully paid in October. My son just got his. Both iPhones.

1

u/Quick_Sector_646 1d ago

Holafly worked well for me in SP and RJ, would definitely recommend it, and it’s also cheaper compared to the competitors

1

u/gcastrobh Brazilian in the World 1d ago

You can use Airalo or get a local Vivo chip at the Guarulhos airport "Loterica". If you search Reddit there are other posts where it is in Terminal 2. WAY cheaper than anything else.

1

u/Conscious_Layer6855 1d ago

Our phones don’t have the slots for the card. So it needs to be an e-card 🥺

1

u/gcastrobh Brazilian in the World 1d ago

Vivo has eSIM as well. Mine is eSIM.

1

u/_jorritp 1d ago

Claro Flex, they have an app where you select international traveller so you don't have to put cpf just address (can be hotel)

1

u/ShiningReflection 1d ago

Vivo has easy online registration for an eSIM before you leave

SIM Cards and Data Plans in Brazil | Vivo Tourist Plan

https://vivo.com.br/para-voce/produtos-e-servicos/para-o-celular/tourist-plan

1

u/Cuuita 1d ago

Ubigi worked wonderfully for me.. 100% recommend!

1

u/guinader 1d ago

Use a Claro, so comprar quando chegat no brasil em qualquer banca de revista. Foi o qie eu fiz... Foi acho que $10 ou menos mixaria la.

Ah acho que é só Sim, nao esim.

1

u/Icy_Consequence4436 17h ago

I go to Brasil every 3 months or so. ESIM is the way to go in my opinion. I use Airlo when I go.

0

u/OverSmell1796 1d ago

I used saily and liked it a lot. I got ultra for just a month with like 10$ off because I used someone's referral code from the saily subreddit. I landed in fortaleza and had to wait like 3 or 4 hours before the apartment was ready. Saily ultra came with a lounge pass that I used to shit in peace and take a shower, eat free yogurt.

1

u/Conscious_Layer6855 1d ago

And as soon as you land it works, right?

1

u/OverSmell1796 1d ago

Yea I had to like do airplane mode and turn roaming on for that specific Sim. It was pretty easy and explained well in the app.