How we compare

What our recommendations mean

We compare published plans from active providers in our catalogue. This is not a complete market survey. A recommendation is a data-based fit for the selected destination, allowance and validity, not a promise of the best network or an independent connection test.

How the score is calculated

The comparison score runs from 0 to 100. It combines price value (40%), provider reviews (35%), fair use and high-speed allowance (15%), hotspot support (5%) and flexibility (5%). Customer stars remain a separate provider review measure. Each plan’s “Why recommended?” disclosure shows its reasons, component scores and evidence completeness.

  • For trip presets and searches with both minimum data and validity, price value compares the total package cost of plans that cover the requested trip. Extra unused data or days do not improve this component. Other searches compare unit prices within similar allowance and validity groups; unlimited plans never receive an invented GB amount. A small comparison set is disclosed.
  • Provider reviews are adjusted for review volume so a few perfect reviews cannot dominate. Reviews older than 180 days or missing reviews receive a neutral value. They are not our own customer reviews.
  • Fair-use evidence distinguishes unrestricted or pooled data, daily high-speed quotas and reduced speeds. Hotspot restrictions matter. Flexibility considers recurring billing and top-ups. Unknown evidence is neutral, never a confirmed benefit; it reduces evidence completeness.

Reproducing the calculation (version 2)

Overall score = 0.40 × price value + 0.35 × reviews + 0.15 × fair use + 0.05 × hotspot + 0.05 × flexibility. Each component ranges from 0 to 100. An unknown component is 50, not zero. Evidence completeness is the same weighted sum of known evidence, separately from the score.

  1. With both a requested data allowance and trip length, one price comparison group contains fresh plans whose documented allowance, validity and fair-use conditions cover that trip. Daily quotas retain their daily-use restriction. Without both requirements, groups share the destination eligibility, allowance model (pooled, daily or unlimited) and validity band: 1–7, 8–14, 15–30, 31–90, over 90 days, or no expiry. The benchmark uses eligible plans before provider, review and feature filters. Each provider has a total weight of one, divided among its plans, so a large inventory cannot dominate the weighted median. At least three providers are required.
  2. Let U be the comparable price and B the provider-balanced median. Price value = 100 × B / (B + U). It is 50 when both are zero or when comparable evidence is missing. For a requested trip, U is the entire effective package price in USD, without credit for unused data or days. Otherwise finite plans use USD per GB (1 GB = 1,000 MB), and unlimited plans USD per day within their own group. Stale prices, missing conversion evidence or insufficient trip coverage receive a neutral price component.
  3. Reviews use one external source: Trustpilot when available, otherwise the first source alphabetically. Ratings must have a source, count and check date within 180 days. The rating r is normalized to 1–5 and the contributing count n is capped at 1,000. Adjusted rating = (300 + n × r) / (100 + n), equivalent to a prior of 100 reviews at 3 stars. Review score = 25 × (adjusted rating − 1). Review audiences from multiple sources are not added together.
  4. Fair use receives 100 when documented high-speed data covers the compared allowance, or unlimited use has no documented early throttle; a documented daily quota receives 75. A speed reduction before the compared amount receives 50 at 1 Mbps or faster, and 25 below 1 Mbps. Missing thresholds or speeds remain neutral where they prevent verification. Ordinary exhaustion after the purchased allowance is not an early-throttling penalty.
  5. Hotspot: explicitly no separate cap = 100, a documented cap = 50, unavailable = 0, unknown = 50. Support with an unknown cap counts as half-known evidence. Flexibility is the average of two values: no subscription = 100 / subscription = 0, and top-up available = 100 / unavailable = 0. Each unknown half is 50 and reduces evidence completeness.

Recommended ordering puts current price evidence first, then the comparison score, then evidence completeness, then the lower eligible total price. Remaining ties use stable provider and plan IDs. Explicit price sorts put the selected price measure first; unknown values come last. Sponsored placements do not enter this ordering.

Prices, offers and grouping

Search results include free and paid plans together. New-customer offers are excluded by default and can be included using the filters. Coupon pricing is optional and uses eligible discounts, not cashback or wallet credit. Displayed currency conversions are estimates; checkout currency and the provider’s current terms govern the purchase.

Grouped results show each provider’s best matching plan under your selected sort. Additional plans obey the same filters and ordering. The full list can also be sorted by total price or price per GB. A daily allowance is not a freely shared trip total.

Freshness and editorial responsibility

Highlighted trip recommendations require a successful complete provider price check within 48 hours and enough supporting evidence. Updating statistics does not count as checking prices. Failed or incomplete imports do not refresh that timestamp. Exchange-rate freshness is tracked separately. When the evidence is insufficient, we show no highlighted pick.

Morten Ohle and Felix Hanser are responsible for eSIM Jungle. Affiliate commission and paid placements have no weight in the comparison score. Advertising is labelled separately. Provider facts and terms can change; check the original terms before buying. About us