By Lisa Salter
Montreal travel advisor · Updated August 4, 2026
Ubigi is the travel eSIM that is not really a travel eSIM startup at all — it is run by a telecoms operator. That difference is the whole reason to consider it.
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See eSIM plansWhat makes Ubigi different
Most travel eSIMs are marketplaces. They buy wholesale capacity from aggregators and resell it with an app on top, which is a perfectly reasonable business but means they have limited control over how your traffic is routed.
Ubigi is operated by Transatel, a Paris-based operator inside the NTT Group. It holds carrier relationships directly. In practice that shows up as more consistent performance and better routing, particularly in Asia and Europe — the difference is not dramatic, but it is real and it is structural rather than marketing.
What Ubigi does well
Operator-grade routing
Direct carrier agreements rather than resold capacity. Independent testing consistently rates its network quality at the top of the category.
Roughly half GigSky
Around US$6.90 for 3 GB in Thailand against GigSky's US$12.99 for the same allowance — a striking gap for comparable coverage.
200+ countries
Full breadth, with daily passes through to 30-day packages, so it suits both a long weekend and a month away.
Native on many devices
Ubigi ships pre-installed on a number of laptops and cars, so if you have a connected vehicle or a cellular laptop you may already have it.
Where Ubigi falls short
Built by engineers
The app is functional rather than delightful. Next to Saily or Airalo it feels like telecoms software, because that is what it is.
Fewer people have tested it
A smaller consumer brand means less crowd-sourced evidence about your specific destination — you are trusting the engineering rather than a thousand reviews.
Still thins out
Direct carrier deals help in cities. Rural coverage drops off much as it does with everyone, because that is the underlying network, not the reseller.
Who should buy it
People who care more about the connection working than about the app looking nice: remote workers, anyone whose trip depends on reliable data, and travellers heading to Japan or Europe where Ubigi's routing advantages are most visible.
If you want the friendliest experience, Saily is more polished. If you want the widest country list and the most accumulated evidence, Airalo still leads.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Ubigi?
Transatel, a Paris-based telecoms operator that is part of Japan's NTT Group. That makes Ubigi an operator product rather than a reseller with an app.
Is Ubigi better than Airalo?
On network quality and routing, frequently yes, because it holds carrier agreements directly. On breadth of coverage and sheer weight of real-world evidence, Airalo still leads.
Is Ubigi cheaper than GigSky?
Substantially — roughly US$6.90 against US$12.99 for a comparable 3 GB Thailand plan. For most travellers that gap is difficult for GigSky to justify.
Does Ubigi work on laptops and cars?
Yes, and it is pre-installed on a number of connected vehicles and cellular laptops, which is unusual in this category and worth checking before you buy anything.
Not sure which one fits your trip? Lisa Salter, a Montréal travel advisor, matches the right eSIM to how you actually travel and sets it up before you fly — in French or English. Ask Lisa →
