Skip Vodacom R29/MB. HelloRoam for South Africa.
No Contracts. No Rand Shock.
HelloRoam covers 185+ countries with instant eSIM data. Skip the SIM card queue at OR Tambo, Cape Town International, or King Shaka. Data works the moment you land.
Secure paymentInstant activation180-day refund on unactivated eSIMs
App Store
HelloRoam is a global eSIM company operated by Future Syncs Limited, a UK-registered business incorporated in 2024, with HelloRoam launching in August 2025. We provide prepaid e-sim data plans for travellers heading to 185+ countries, with no physical SIM card, no activation fees, and no surprise charges. Plans are digital, delivered by QR code, and activated in under 2 minutes. South Africans flying from OR Tambo, Cape Town International, or King Shaka get data the moment they land, at a fraction of Vodacom or MTN international roaming rates. Payments process through Stripe at PCI DSS Level 1 standard. Customer data is handled in line with South Africa's Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA).
Built Out of Frustration. Made for South African Travellers.
Co-founders Aqib Hassan (CTO) and Mubashir Gulab (COO) both hit the same wall in 2025. They arrived in new countries with no data, steep carrier fees, and a scramble for a local SIM card. South African travellers know this exact feeling. Vodacom charges R29 per MB and MTN charges R50 per day for international roaming. A week in Dubai or London can cost thousands of rands in data alone before you even consider accommodation.
HelloRoam launched in 2025 to fix that. Today, South Africans flying to Mauritius, Mozambique, Thailand, the UK, or Dubai get instant e-sim data from R 16,79 per day, without hunting for a SIM kiosk at OR Tambo, Cape Town International, or King Shaka. Buy before you fly, scan the QR code, and data is ready when you land.
Get your eSIMHow HelloRoam Compares to Other eSIM Providers
Vodacom and MTN international roaming rates can be brutal for South African travellers. Vodacom charges R29 per MB; MTN charges R50 per day. Cell C is not much better. HelloRoam undercuts all three with flat prepaid eSIM rates and no surprise charges. See how HelloRoam compares on the features that matter most when you land at Heathrow, Dubai International, or Suvarnabhumi in Bangkok.
| Feature |  | Airalo | Holafly | Nomad | Saily | Ubigi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 180-day refund on unactivated eSIMs |  |  | | | | |
| 24/7 live chat support | |  | | | | |
| $0 activation fees | | | | | | |
| Dual SIM, keep your home number active | | | | | | |
| No data overage charges | | | | | | |
| Instant QR code delivery | | | | | | |
| Premium US carrier networks | | | | | | |
| Own branded carrier identity (SPN) | | | | | | |
How to use HelloRoam
Up and running in minutes
Affordable, Secure, and POPIA Compliant
Instant eSIM Delivery
Your QR code arrives within seconds of purchase. No physical SIM, no airport kiosk queue, and no delays at OR Tambo, Cape Town International, or King Shaka. Activate at home before your flight and data is live the moment you clear customs abroad.
Transparent Pricing
You see the full cost before you pay. No hidden daily rates, no extra fees, and no shock rand bill when you get home. Prices show in USD with ZAR context so you always know what you are spending before you confirm.
199+ Carrier Partners
Direct partnerships with local networks mean your eSIM connects to the best available signal in each country. In the UK, UAE, Mauritius, Mozambique, and Thailand, you get real 4G or 5G speeds, not a slow fallback connection.
POPIA Compliant
We handle South African customer data in line with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA). Your personal details are never sold to third parties and are stored only as long as your plan requires.
Powered by premium carrier networks (190+)
Your Phone Says HelloRoam
HelloRoam operates its own branded carrier identity. When you install a HelloRoam eSIM, your phone's status bar displays HelloRoam as the network name, not a local carrier.
Service Provider Name
HelloRoam provisions its own SPN in every eSIM profile. Your phone's status bar displays HelloRoam as the carrier name, just like it shows AT&T or T-Mobile on your primary SIM. Most travel eSIM resellers show the local carrier name instead.
Public Network Name
HelloRoam holds a registered Public Network Name with international telecommunications authorities. HelloRoam is recognized as a licensed service provider, not a white-label reseller operating under another carrier's identity.
Access Point Name
HelloRoam's APN configuration connects your device to the strongest local network infrastructure at your destination automatically. No manual APN setup is required on iPhone or most Android devices.
Prices are our retail rates. Plan recommendations are based on real traveller feedback and network performance data. Every purchase includes a 180-day money-back guarantee on unactivated eSIMs.
Meet the Founders
Two founders built HelloRoam because international data cost too much and took too long to set up.
Aqib Hassan
Co-Founder & CTO
Aqib Hassan is Co-Founder and CTO of HelloRoam, a travel eSIM provider active in 185+ countries. He designed the backend systems that complete eSIM activation in under two minutes. His background in fintech and mobile infrastructure is why South African travellers get instant, affordable data the moment they land, without queuing for a SIM card kiosk.
Mubashir Gulab
Co-Founder & COO
Mubashir Gulab is Co-Founder and COO of HelloRoam, managing carrier partnerships across 185+ countries. He works directly with mobile networks to keep eSIM plan prices far below what Vodacom or MTN charge for international roaming. South Africans travelling to the UK, Dubai, or Mauritius pay a fraction of carrier rates because of the deals he builds.
“eSIM removes the last physical barrier to international connectivity. With HelloRoam, travelers activate data before they land. No airport kiosk, no roaming shock.”
“Our 63-language support means a traveler from Tokyo to São Paulo gets the same native experience. Pricing in their currency, support in their language.”
What South African Travellers Say About HelloRoam
Verified reviews from the Apple App Store
Great service
So pleased with both the app (easy to use) and the ease of installing the eSIM - so so simple with step by step instructions
CharF38
Spain esim
Very good like it
Soul7x
Great experience
Super easy to set up, no hassle with physical SIM cards, and the connection was reliable the whole time I was travelling. Speeds were solid, and I stayed connected without worrying about crazy roaming charges.
Areesh72829
Best E-sim App
Very helpful, easy to use and straight forward. Highly recommend this app to everyone.
X99HAS
Travel Data
Absolutely Amazing
ui.riyad
Very Easy & Quick
Very Good Service, very affordable rates
Imrangulab
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Loved by travellers worldwide
App Store
"Used HelloRoam across 8 countries in Europe. Connected every time, right from the airport. Saved over R7,500 compared to what Vodacom would have charged. I won't travel internationally without it again."
Sarah M.
"Got sorted at OR Tambo before boarding to Tokyo. Had fast data the moment I cleared customs at Narita. No SIM card shops, no queue, no stress. This is how travel should work."
Michael Chen"Family trip to Mauritius with 4 phones. 14 days of unlimited data at a fraction of what Vodacom would have charged. The kids were lekker happy sending photos home and I wasn't stressed about the bill at all."
"Working remotely for 180 days across 12 countries. HelloRoam's support team helped me fix a network issue twice. Both times they came back in under 10 minutes. That level of service is rare."
Alex Rivera"Study abroad in Barcelona for a semester. HelloRoam kept me connected without wrecking my budget. Setup took 2 minutes and it worked perfectly for 4 months straight."
Emma Thompson
"Honeymoon in Bali and Singapore. Zero stress with data the whole trip. It worked everywhere we went and support answered my questions the night before we flew. Highly recommend."
James & Lisa K.Popular eSIM Destinations
Download the app. Travel sorted.
Buy, activate, and track your eSIMs from any device, on any trip abroad.
FAQs
HelloRoam is a legitimate eSIM company run by Future Syncs Limited, a UK-registered business incorporated in 2024, with HelloRoam launching in August 2025. HelloRoam is safe to use and fully compliant with South Africa's POPIA and ICASA consumer protection principles. Payments go through Stripe at PCI DSS Level 1 standard. HelloRoam sells prepaid eSIM data plans covering 185+ countries. Your QR code arrives within minutes of checkout, no physical SIM card required.
HelloRoam support is available 24/7 by live chat on the website, by email at help@helloroam.com, and through the in-app Help section. Email responses average under 2 hours. If something goes wrong after you land at OR Tambo or abroad at Heathrow, live chat is the fastest way to get sorted.
HelloRoam eSIM plans start from R 16,79 per day for a data-only plan. Fixed data packages start from R 16,79 for 3GB over 12 days, and unlimited daily plans are available for longer trips. Compared to Vodacom roaming at R29 per MB or MTN at R50 per day, HelloRoam rates save South African travellers a significant amount on popular routes to the UK, UAE, and Mauritius.
Most HelloRoam eSIM plans are data-only and do not include a local phone number or voice line. They give you fast internet for apps, maps, browsing, and WhatsApp calls abroad. Keep your primary Vodacom, MTN, or Cell C SIM active for calls and texts, then use the HelloRoam eSIM for data. Some plans do include a local number, so check the plan details before you buy.
Your South African number stays on your primary SIM when you add a HelloRoam eSIM for travel data. Most modern smartphones support dual SIM, so you run your SA number on one line and the HelloRoam data plan on the other. Turn off mobile data on your primary SIM to avoid getting charged twice. Family back in Joburg or Cape Town can still reach you, and you get affordable local data at your destination.
Many modern phones support two or more eSIM profiles at once. eSIM compatible phones include iPhones from XS onward, Samsung Galaxy S20 and later, and Google Pixel 3 and later. You can store multiple plans and switch between them for different trips. Once an e-sim profile is installed on a device, it is tied to that hardware and cannot be moved. Contact HelloRoam support if you need to check reinstall options after a phone change.
HelloRoam eSIM profiles are tied to your device hardware and cannot be physically stolen the way a SIM card can. The GSMA eSIM standard requires encrypted provisioning and user authorisation for any profile transfer. HelloRoam encrypts all account data end-to-end. Enabling two-factor authentication on your HelloRoam account adds extra protection against unauthorised access.
HelloRoam does not share your location data with third parties. Like any mobile connection, your e SIM registers on a local carrier network to route data. HelloRoam stores only the data needed to run your plan, in line with GDPR and South Africa's POPIA. Running a VPN over your HelloRoam eSIM connection adds privacy for your browsing traffic while abroad.
The Samsung Galaxy M53 does not support eSIM. It has dual physical nano-SIM slots but no embedded eSIM chip. eSIM support in Samsung's range starts with the Galaxy S20 series and later flagships. To check your specific device, go to Settings, then Connections, then SIM card manager. If no Add eSIM option appears, your phone uses a physical SIM card only.
Adding a second eSIM to an iPhone takes about 2 minutes. Open Settings, tap Cellular, then Add eSIM, and scan the QR code HelloRoam sends after purchase. iPhones from XS (2018) onward support multiple eSIM profiles. Label each line so you know which handles data. Activate your HelloRoam plan before your flight so data is ready the moment you clear customs.
HelloRoam regional plans cover multiple countries in one purchase. A Europe plan covers 30 or more countries and is ideal for South Africans visiting the UK, France, or Italy on the same trip. Global plans reach over 100 destinations. Single-country plans cover one destination. Check the coverage list on any plan page to confirm which countries are included before you buy.
A HelloRoam eSIM connects to a local carrier network in your destination country, which removes Vodacom or MTN international roaming fees entirely. Keep your primary SA SIM active for calls. Turn off mobile data on it to avoid parallel charges. With this setup you get local data speeds in London, Dubai, Zanzibar, or Mauritius without a shock rand bill when you return home.
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