Simbye positions itself clearly as the price-breaker of the travel eSIM market: coverage in more than 190 countries, aggressively cheap entry-level plans, and its own wallet system with cashback. Unlike Airalo or Holafly, though, Simbye has only been on the market since late 2023 — which means a smaller review base, and makes the question driving this test all the more fair: can you trust this provider with your travel internet and your payment details? We gathered the available facts — company records, payment methods, real App Store and Trustpilot ratings including verbatim quotes — and rate them as neutrally as we can, despite our affiliate relationship with Simbye.
Is Simbye legit?
Because Simbye is a young, smaller provider, it deserves a closer look than the established names. We checked four things: who legally stands behind Simbye, how payment works, how the wallet system functions, and how support responds.
Who's behind Simbye?
The operator is Simbye Ltd, a private limited company registered with UK Companies House under number 15310933. Registered office per the filing: 71-75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2H 9JQ. The company was incorporated on 27 November 2023 and is classified under SIC code 61200, "Wireless telecommunications activities" — exactly the line of business you'd expect. This is not an anonymous construct without a legal notice, but a properly registered UK company with a verifiable filing history. What it lacks is the long track record of a large corporation: the company is barely two and a half years old.
Payment methods and buyer protection
Simbye accepts PayPal, credit card, Google Pay and Apple Pay. This is the single most important fact in this entire test from a buyer-protection standpoint: pay via PayPal, and PayPal's buyer protection applies if an ordered eSIM is never delivered or doesn't work as described. With a credit card, you additionally have the option of a chargeback through your bank. Note that the German Simbye shop bills directly in euros, with no foreign-currency conversion markup from your bank — a practical advantage over providers that bill in US dollars.
The wallet and cashback system
Through the Simbye app, every order earns you 5% of the purchase price as credit in your own wallet. That credit never expires and is applied automatically to your next order. This is a legitimate loyalty mechanism, not a pyramid scheme or a points system with expiry traps — the credit stays available even if you don't book again for months.
Support channels: chat, WhatsApp, 24/7
Besides email support, Simbye offers contact via chat and social channels including WhatsApp, stated to be available around the clock with very short response times. In practice, several of the Trustpilot reviews quoted below confirm fast, friendly handling of order issues. For a company this size, though, support capacity is naturally smaller than at Airalo or Holafly — during peak times or with more complex cases (see the critical QR-code review below), delays can occur.
Our verdict on legitimacy: Simbye is a properly registered, verifiable company with working buyer-protection payment methods and a mostly positive, but still small, review track record. Its risk profile sits between "large established provider with tens of thousands of reviews" and "unknown discount website with no legal notice" — clearly closer to the legitimate end, but with the caution that's warranted for any young provider.
How Simbye works
Simbye covers more than 190 countries — including plenty of off-the-beaten-path destinations. The flow: pick a plan in the web shop or app, pay via PayPal, credit card, Google Pay or Apple Pay, then the QR code arrives by email or directly in the app. No account registration required for a simple purchase — the eSIM can be activated right after purchase, ideal for last-minute bookings just before a flight.
Through the dedicated Simbye app, installation is more convenient than the classic QR scan: one-tap installation, real-time usage tracking, and top-ups directly in the app without going through the web shop. One Android review, however, reports that the initial sign-up step can't be skipped on some devices (e.g. Google Pixel 9), and no "continue with Google" option is offered either — a small but real UX friction point we won't gloss over. If that bothers you, you can still use the classic QR-code route through the web shop, no app required.
Real user reviews
Instead of relying on marketing claims, we pulled the real aggregate scores from the App Store, Google Play and Trustpilot — plus a selection of verbatim quotes, both positive and critical.
The honest takeaway: these are good, but still young ratings. 79 iOS reviews and 57 Trustpilot reviews are a modest sample compared to market leaders. The trend is clearly positive, but statistically less robust. Here are four verbatim quotes — three positive, one critical:
"Work properly in every country of Europe"
"15 days in Japan. It works how it is supposed to work and you expect."
"Simbye gave me low latency, consistent data throughout the test period. I will be purchasing another Esim before my next overseas trip."
"They took money from me but did not give me a qr code. They are scammers and liars."
Two more critical points from the Android reviews are worth mentioning: one user claims an Asia eSIM was routed through China (a technical complaint we could not independently verify editorially), another flags the sign-up requirement on first app launch mentioned above on some Android devices. On the positive side, the email support experience stands out repeatedly — for instance Roberto Ruiz Torío, who describes an order problem as having been resolved quickly and efficiently.
Prices & plans
Simbye's biggest selling point is price. In our ongoing cross-provider price comparison, Simbye regularly shows up among the cheapest options for small and medium data packages in standard destinations (EU, Southeast Asia, USA). Current plans straight from our database, sorted by price per gigabyte:
| Provider | Data | Validity | Price | €/GB | 5G | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Best €/GB | 200 GB | 30 days | 42,95 € | 0,21 € | — | Visit deal → |
| 100 GB | 30 days | 28,95 € | 0,29 €+35 % | — | Visit deal → |
| 100 GB | 30 days | 46,95 € | 0,47 €+119 % | — | Visit deal → |
| 100 GB | 30 days | 46,95 € | 0,47 €+119 % | — | Visit deal → |
| 100 GB | 30 days | 46,95 € | 0,47 €+119 % | — | Visit deal → |
| 100 GB | 30 days | 46,95 € | 0,47 €+119 % | — | Visit deal → |
| 100 GB | 30 days | 46,95 € | 0,47 €+119 % | — | Visit deal → |
| 100 GB | 30 days | 46,95 € | 0,47 €+119 % | — | Visit deal → |
| 100 GB | 30 days | 46,95 € | 0,47 €+119 % | — | Visit deal → |
| 100 GB | 30 days | 46,95 € | 0,47 €+119 % | — | Visit deal → |
Pros & cons
Pros
- 190+ countries covered, including harder-to-reach destinations
- Usually a low entry price, often among the top 3 in our price comparison
- 10% off with code dealz10, exclusively negotiated
- 5% wallet cashback on every order, no expiry date (per the provider)
- No account registration required, instant activation after purchase
- Payment via PayPal, credit card, Google Pay, Apple Pay — full buyer protection
- Billed in euros with no foreign-currency markup
- Support via chat and WhatsApp, stated to be 24/7
- iOS app with one-tap installation, no QR scan needed
Cons
- Young company (founded late 2023), smaller track record than Airalo/Holafly
- Far fewer reviews than established providers (79 iOS / 57 Trustpilot reviews)
- Android app still without enough ratings for a store score
- No 5G available in every country
- Isolated critical reviews about missing QR codes and forced sign-up
- Not a German company — UK Ltd, no German VAT invoice
Who is Simbye worth it for?
Simbye is worth it if price matters more to you than a years-long track record. For standard trips to Europe, Southeast Asia or the US with small to medium data needs, the combination of cheap plans, the 10% dealz10 code and wallet cashback frequently makes Simbye one of the most affordable options in the comparison — from a company that checks out cleanly on paper and offers real buyer protection via PayPal/credit card.
Simbye is less suited for anyone who needs maximum reassurance from a long review history, or for trips to very niche destination countries where Airalo's wider country selection has the edge. If you travel often and want a direct comparison, check out concrete price examples in our Airalo vs. Holafly vs. Simbye comparison.
Frequently asked questions about Simbye
Is Simbye legit or a scam?
Based on everything that can be verified: legitimate, but young. Simbye Ltd is a properly registered company with UK Companies House (No. 15310933), based in London, founded in late November 2023. Payment runs through PayPal, credit card, Google Pay or Apple Pay — so if something goes wrong, your normal buyer protection applies. Trustpilot shows 4.1 out of 5 stars from 57 reviews, mostly positive, with a few critical voices (see below). We don't see the kind of total-failure risk you'd expect from an actual scam site, but the reputation is naturally thinner than at established providers like Airalo or Holafly.
Who owns Simbye and where is the company based?
Simbye Ltd, registered with UK Companies House under number 15310933, registered office at 71-75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9JQ. The company was incorporated on 27 November 2023 and is classified under SIC code 61200, "Wireless telecommunications activities." That's a regular UK limited company, not an anonymous offshore construct — though it's also not a German entity with a German VAT ID, which can matter if you need a specific type of invoice.
How many reviews does Simbye have so far — is that enough to judge?
Honestly: not many yet. The iOS app sits at 4.62 out of 5 stars from 79 reviews, Trustpilot at 4.1 out of 5 from 57 reviews. For comparison, Airalo alone has more than 34,000 Trustpilot reviews. The Android app has some reach with 10,000+ downloads, but not yet enough reviews for a store score. The trend among existing reviews is clearly positive, but the sample is small — be careful with generalizations.
What do I do if Simbye doesn't deliver a QR code or activation gets stuck?
That exact scenario shows up in one critical Trustpilot review (payment went through, but no QR code arrived). Immediate steps: check the spam folder for your order email, check your Simbye account/app for the order, then contact 24/7 support via chat or WhatsApp with your payment receipt ready. Since you pay via PayPal or credit card, you can also file a chargeback or buyer-protection claim if the eSIM was never delivered. We cover the general troubleshooting steps for stuck installs in detail in our "QR code not working" guide.
How does Simbye's wallet / cashback system work?
Every order placed through the Simbye app earns you 5% of the purchase price as credit in your own Simbye wallet. That credit never expires and gets applied automatically to future orders. Combined with the discount code dealz10 (10% off), that adds up noticeably across multiple trips.
Can I get my money back if the eSIM doesn't work?
Per Simbye's own refund policy: refund requests must be submitted within 30 days of purchase. A full refund is possible if the eSIM was never activated and no data was used. For documented connection problems (whether caused by Simbye or the underlying network), partial or full refunds are possible — but only if you report the issue while you're still traveling, not after the fact. Keeping a screenshot of the error message with a timestamp helps speed up processing.
Is Simbye cheaper than Airalo or Holafly?
For small to medium data packages in standard destinations (EU, Southeast Asia, USA), Simbye regularly shows up among the three cheapest providers in our price comparison — partly thanks to the 10% dealz10 code stacking on top. For very niche destination countries or unlimited-data needs, Airalo (more countries) or Holafly (real unlimited) tend to come out ahead. Find concrete price examples in our Airalo vs. Holafly vs. Simbye comparison.
Does Simbye support run in English/German and over WhatsApp?
Simbye offers support via chat and social channels including WhatsApp, and states it's available 24/7 with very short response times. In practice, several of the Trustpilot reviews quoted below confirm quick, friendly handling of order issues. That said, for a company this size, support capacity is naturally smaller than at Airalo or Holafly — during peak times or with more complex cases (see the critical QR-code review below), delays can happen. For simple questions (activation, wallet credit, discount code) the experience is largely positive.
