Airhub
BNEsim
Airhub vs BNEsim: Which eSIM Should You Buy?
Updated September 20, 2026
The Short Answer
Pick Airhub if you want a promo code you can actually type in at checkout, plus a real local number and SMS on top of data. Pick BNEsim if you'd rather see the discount already baked into the price as an automatic sale, no code-hunting required, and you want the option to pay a bit more for data that never expires. Neither is a flat winner on price: whichever is cheaper flips by destination.
The Core Difference: A Code You Apply vs. a Sale Price You Don't
Airhub's discount only shows up if you enter one at checkout. Its own affiliate code, ADAMANDLINDS, is currently broken and applying no discount, so the only code we can currently recommend is the public ESIMOFFER5 for 5% off. BNEsim skips codes entirely: its own pricing pages already show a struck-through original price next to a lower sale price, discounted by up to 70% automatically, with nothing to type in. If a promo code not working is the kind of thing that annoys you (it happened to Airhub's own code), BNEsim's approach removes that failure point completely, but it also means there's no extra code to stack on top of BNEsim's already-discounted price the way there is on Airhub's.
BNEsim also runs on a credit-based account you top up and draw from, accepts crypto alongside cards, and lets you schedule a plan to start activating on a future date instead of the moment you buy it. Airhub's checkout is a standard one-off purchase with none of that.
Price Snapshot (per GB, current listed prices)
| Destination | Airhub | BNEsim |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $2.82 (3GB) ≈ $0.94/GB | $1.48 (1GB) |
| Italy | $5 (3GB) ≈ $1.67/GB | $1.67 (1GB) |
| Thailand | $0.85 (1GB) | $2.06 (1GB) |
| Turkey | $2.25 (1GB) | $0.92 (1GB) |
| Global | $11.5 (3GB) ≈ $3.83/GB | no fixed global plan listed |
Airhub sells in bigger multi-GB packs (usually 3-4GB) where BNEsim sells 1GB at a time, so the per-GB math above evens out the unit sizes, but the upfront cost of an Airhub pack is still higher even where its per-GB rate wins. Neither one is cheaper everywhere: Airhub wins clearly in Thailand and the US, BNEsim wins clearly in Turkey, and Italy is close to a wash.
Discount Codes
- Airhub: ESIMOFFER5, 5% off. Full code list →
- BNEsim: no working code, currently discounted through an automatic site-wide sale instead. Full details →
Airhub's own affiliate code (ADAMANDLINDS) isn't applying a discount right now, which is why ESIMOFFER5 is the one we recommend. See the Airhub page for the full rundown of which codes are dead.
Is Airhub or BNEsim the Right Pick
Go with Airhub if…
- You're headed somewhere Airhub's per-GB rate clearly wins, like Thailand or the US
- You want a real local phone number and SMS bundled with data, not just data
- You'd rather use a plain one-off checkout than set up a credit account
Go with BNEsim if…
- You're headed somewhere BNEsim's rate wins, like Turkey
- You visit the same country on an irregular schedule and want the option of data that doesn't expire
- You'd rather pay with crypto or keep a running balance than check out separately every trip
Two Things Worth Knowing Before You Decide
Airhub bundles SMS and a local number; BNEsim doesn't. If receiving a text (a delivery code, a 2FA message) matters on your trip, that alone can outweigh a small per-GB price difference in BNEsim's favor.
BNEsim's live chat is real; Airhub's isn't. BNEsim advertises 24/7 live chat and email. Airhub's support is 24/7 too, but over email/ticket rather than a live chat widget, despite what a quick glance at either page's feature badges might suggest.
For device setup and eSIM basics that apply to both providers, see our eSIM compatible devices guide.
Airhub vs BNEsim FAQ
Which is cheaper, Airhub or BNEsim
It depends on the destination. Airhub is clearly cheaper per GB in Thailand and the US; BNEsim is clearly cheaper in Turkey; Italy is close to a tie. Check both before buying rather than assuming either one wins everywhere.
Does BNEsim have a discount code
No working one we could find. BNEsim discounts automatically through a site-wide sale, shown as a struck-through price, rather than through a code you enter.
Is Airhub's own discount code working
Not right now. Airhub's own affiliate code, ADAMANDLINDS, isn't applying a discount at checkout. The public code ESIMOFFER5 is the one we currently recommend instead.
Which one gives you a real phone number
Airhub. Its plans support a local number and SMS alongside data. BNEsim is data-only with no number or SMS.
Which one has real live chat support
BNEsim. It advertises 24/7 live chat and email. Airhub's 24/7 support runs over email/ticket rather than a live chat widget.
Some codes and links on this page are affiliate codes and links, including our own (ADAMANDLINDS, where it applies). If you use one, we may earn a commission. We show our own code more prominently where we have one, not because it's automatically the best deal. See our about page for the full breakdown.