Confirmed from each provider's own site โ see the trust card on each provider page for the verification date.
Airalo
Telekonek
ID verification
Airalo:
Required for some countries (passport/ID)
Telekonek:
Not required
Refund policy
Airalo:
Self-service refund request from your account (My eSIMs > Package History > Request Refund) for wrong purchase, changed plans, installation issues, or a non-working eSIM โ expired or fully-used eSIMs aren't eligible. Wrong-purchase/changed-plans refunds go to Airmoney (their in-app credit) only; installation-issue/not-working refunds can go to Airmoney or your original payment method, taking 7-10 business days (up to 30 depending on your bank).
Telekonek:
Refunds/replacement only for a technical problem on Telekonek's side that prevents the eSIM from installing or working โ not for unused-but-working eSIMs, wrong country/region, carrier-locked devices, changed travel plans, or voice/SMS expectations (data-only plans). Requests must be made within 5 days of purchase; approved refunds return to the original payment method in 3-5 business days.
Validity starts
Airalo:
Validity starts either when the eSIM connects to the destination network or at the moment of installation, depending on the specific plan โ check 'Additional Information > Activation Policy' on the plan page before buying to see which applies.
Telekonek:
Activation is instant once you scan the QR code, but the plan's own validity/day countdown begins when the eSIM connects to a live network at your destination, not at the moment of purchase.
Fair-use limit
Airalo:
Unlimited plans default to a 3GB-per-day full-speed allowance before throttling to 1 Mbps for the rest of that 24-hour period (counted from activation, not purchase); a different daily threshold is stated on the specific plan's page when it applies instead of the 3GB default.
Telekonek:
On metered (fixed-GB) plans, speed throttles to 1 Mbps after 3000MB is used in a day (2000MB/day on the North America bundle), resetting daily. Unlimited plans have their own daily high-speed cap shown per plan, commonly 2GB/day.
Top-ups & rollover
Airalo:
Only plans marked 'rechargeable' (checkable under Additional Information before buying) can be topped up, via the My eSIMs > Top Up option in the app โ a non-rechargeable eSIM or one that changed carriers requires buying a new eSIM instead.
Telekonek:
Existing Telekonek eSIMs can be topped up from your dashboard (or the order-hash link in guest-checkout confirmation emails) without rescanning a QR code โ the new plan attaches to the same eSIM. Top-ups are region-locked to their destinations.
Support
Airalo:
Live chat ยท Help center ยท 24/7
Telekonek:
Live chat ยท Email ยท Phone ยท WhatsApp ยท Help center ยท Chat 24/7; email replies 06:00โ23:00 UTC
Comparison by eSIMKart