Ubigi eSIM Malaysia Review After My Kuala Lumpur Trip

I’ve visited Kuala Lumpur several times over the years and have tried different ways of staying connected. Especially as a solo traveller, the idea of getting lost gives me anxiety, so I always want to make sure I have data. 

On my previous trip, I used Airalo. This time, I wanted to find out whether buying a local SIM card was still worth it, so I decided to compare Ubigi against a Hotlink tourist SIM by using both side by side throughout my week in Kuala Lumpur.

Overall, the Hotlink SIM card worked well. However, buying it meant queuing at the airport after a long flight, while my driver waited outside. Then, during my trip, it suddenly stopped working while I was in Chinatown trying to book a Grab. Thankfully, after turning my phone off and on, it started working again about ten minutes later.

I also had a benchmark from my previous visit. Unfortunately, my Airalo eSIM didn’t activate at all, which meant I had no data while I was trying to meet a city tour. I couldn’t use Google Maps, contact the guide on WhatsApp or even order a Grab. Customer support was extremely slow, and although I eventually received a refund, I’d almost missed the tour by then.

For this trip, I bought a Hotlink SIM card at Kuala Lumpur Airport. It cost 25 MYR (around US$6.12 at the time of writing) and included 40GB valid for seven days, which sounds like excellent value on paper. 

However, buying it meant queuing at the airport after a long flight while my driver was waiting outside, before registering my passport, swapping SIM cards and waiting for everything to activate. 

Ubigi, on the other hand, was already installed before I left Bali, so the moment I landed in Kuala Lumpur my phone connected automatically and I could immediately message my parents without having to think about mobile data. With Ubigi, you also get access to two of the country’s best networks (Maxis, YTL) for maximum coverage, both in 5G.

The Hotlink SIM worked well for most of my trip, but as mentioned earlier, one afternoon while I was walking around Chinatown it suddenly stopped working just as I was trying to book a Grab. 

Although it wasn’t a major issue, it reinforced what I’d noticed throughout the week. While the Hotlink SIM offered excellent value for money, Ubigi simply gave me a much smoother experience from start to finish. For someone who travels alone, it’s a big deal!

I also realised I never came close to using 40GB. Kuala Lumpur has excellent WiFi in hotels, cafés and shopping centres, so most of the time I only needed mobile data while I was out exploring, using Google Maps, booking Grab rides, replying to WhatsApp messages or looking up restaurants. 

For the way I travel, one of Ubigi’s smaller plans would have been more than enough.

I was travelling alone and trying to meet for a city tour. Some stations are massive, so I got lost and missed the exit where the meetup was. However, I couldn’t call the tour guide or even understand where I was. No cafes around either.

Customer support was extremely slow. Although I eventually received a refund, that didn’t help me in the moment when I needed internet the most.

When I’m travelling alone, I need to know I can rely on my phone. If I get lost, I want Google Maps to work. If plans change, I need to message someone. If I’m out late, I want to be able to order a Grab without worrying about finding WiFi first.

That’s why reliability matters more to me than saving a few dollars.

Since then, I’ve used Ubigi in Japan, Indonesia and now Malaysia, and it has worked every time.

➡️ If reliable mobile data matters as much as it does to me, check out the latest Ubigi plans and use OBSERVER10 for 10% off. 

Country Plan Or Asia Plan?

After sharing my experiences about Ubigi, I’ve had quite a few people reach out to me on socials and even in person to ask whether they need a new eSIM every time they travel to another country.

Example: “I’m travelling through Indonesia, then Thailand and Vietnam. Do I need to buy a different eSIM for each country, and what happens when I cross the border?”

The answer depends on your itinerary, but many travellers don’t realise that most eSIM providers offer both country-specific and regional plans. So, if you’re visiting several destinations in Asia, it’s worth checking whether an Asia plan covers your entire trip instead of buying separate plans for each country (hint hint, most of the time they do!).

Several readers have since told me they ended up choosing an Asia plan after we spoke because it was much simpler than buying a new eSIM every time they entered a different country. It meant they could set everything up before leaving home and simply enjoy their trip without worrying about mobile data every time they crossed a border.

One reader even contacted me before setting off on a multi-month journey across different continents. In that case, an Asia plan wasn’t enough, so they opted for one of Ubigi’s World plans instead. 

At the time of writing, World plans start from US$9 for 500MB over 30 days, while travellers spending longer on the road can choose larger monthly or long-term plans, such as 5GB per month from US$17 or 20GB per month from US$44. It worked much better for their itinerary than trying to juggle multiple country plans over several months.

➡️ Planning to visit more than one country? Compare Ubigi’s Malaysia, Asia and World plans and save 10% with OBSERVER10. 

Prices

So, how much does Ubigi cost? 

Ubigi offers a range of plans depending on how much data you need and how long you’re travelling for.

Malaysia plans start from US$6 for 1GB over seven days, while 3GB for 30 days costs around US$8. If you need more data, there are also 10GB and 25GB plans, as well as unlimited data plans starting from around US$19 for seven days, US$29 for 15 days and US$49 for 30 days.

Based on my own experience, I think most travellers spending around a week in Kuala Lumpur will be surprised by how little data they actually use. 

Despite having a local SIM card with 40GB, I mainly relied on hotel, café and shopping centre WiFi, only using mobile data for Google Maps, Grab, WhatsApp and the occasional Google search while I was out exploring. To keep in mind, public WiFi can be sketchy at times both in terms of connectivity and security, so the better idea is probably to use eSIM data as much as possible throughout a trip. 

If you’re visiting several countries, it’s also worth looking at Ubigi’s Asia regional plans, which start from around US$12 for 3GB over 30 days. Quite a few readers have asked whether they need a separate eSIM for every country they visit, but if your itinerary is covered, a regional plan can be a much simpler option.

➡️ View the latest Ubigi plans and choose the right amount of data for your itinerary. Use OBSERVER10 to save 10%. For example, if your chosen plan costs US$12, you’ll pay US$10.80 after applying the discount.

How To Install Ubigi

Step 1: Create a Ubigi account through the website or app.
Step 2: Choose either a Malaysia plan or one of the Asia regional plans.
Step 3: Purchase your data plan.
Step 4: Scan the QR code sent to your email to install your eSIM.
Step 5: Once you arrive in Malaysia, switch your mobile data to the Ubigi eSIM and enable data roaming.

That’s it. I found the whole process surprisingly quick and easy, and the Ubigi app is one of the most intuitive I’ve used while travelling. With Ubigi, you also get to keep the same eSIM which you can use in 200+ destinations. No need to scan QR codes every time you change country or want a new plan, compared to many other eSIMs in the market.

Everything is clearly laid out, so it’s easy to check how much data you have left, buy another plan or manage your eSIM in just a few taps. It’s one of those apps that simply works, which is exactly what you want when you’re travelling and don’t want to spend time figuring things out.

➡️ Set up your Ubigi eSIM before you leave home and skip the hassle of buying a SIM card after landing. Save 10% with OBSERVER10.

FAQs

Last Tip: Working Remotely? 

If you work remotely like I do, there’s one more thing worth thinking about before choosing your data plan.

Although I mainly used my eSIM for Google Maps, Grab and WhatsApp, there were also times when I used it as a hotspot for my laptop, particularly on trains or in places where the WiFi wasn’t very reliable. It worked really well and meant I could carry on working without interruption.