SIM Card vs WiFi Egg: Which to Use in Korea?

SIM Card Vs WiFi Egg: Compare the two most popular mobile options in Korea!

Do you want to share your travel experiences real-time on Facebook and Instagram? Or do you have to make calls and send text messages while traveling in South Korea?

Among many options for you to get accessed to the mobile internet and stay connected in Korea, here are the two most popular options that are commonly used by travelers: Prepaid SIM Card and WiFi Egg, or WiFi Router.

See which option is ideal for you based on your needs and stay connected in mobile-friendly South Korea!

1. Prepaid SIM Card

Need to make voice calls and use mobile data & SMS? Purchase an all-in-one prepaid SIM Card!

If you are a traveler who needs to make local calls and also wants to use mobile data and text while traveling in South Korea, purchasing a prepaid SIM card is ideal for you instead of renting or buying a portable WiFi router.

You will receive a new local (Korean) phone number while using your own mobile phone and be able to make or receive local calls.

*Possible Downside
Do keep in mind that since you will be using a new Korean number, you will have to tell your friends, family and acquaintances back at home about your new number.

*Tip

For those who don’t want to go through the hassle, bring another mobile phone that you do not use anymore along with the phone that you are using right now. Register and insert the SIM card in the old device and use the Korean number. This way, you can easily make local calls by just using your old phone.

Want more options? 

• 4G Data + Voice Call + SMS for 5~30 days (short term)
• Unlimited 4G Data Only Sim Card
• 4G Data + Voice Call + SMS for 30 days or more (long term)

2. WiFi Egg

Need to use loads of mobile data every day? Rent a WiFi Egg!

If you do not need to use the voice calls and text messages but need loads of mobile data for internet, using a WiFi Egg or a portable WiFi Router, is highly recommended.

According to a research, the average daily usage of mobile data of travelers is 125MB/day.

The WiFi Egg usually provides 1GB a day. Using 1GB a day is like sending/receiving 28,000 emails, shooting 2,000 Instagrams, or making 6,000 posts on Facebook.

Taking this into account, the amount of mobile data provided by SIM card is relatively smaller than that of the WiFi Egg.

If you choose to use the WiFi Egg, try to avoid heavy downloading and uploading online! There are extra charges when you exceed the data limit of 1GB. 😉

Share WiFi with your travel buddies with a WiFi Egg

WiFi Egg can connect up to 5 people simultaneously, which makes it perfect if you’re traveling with friends and family. If you do share the router with your friends, you can share the cost as well.

*Possible Downside
The battery life of the WiFi Egg lasts about 5-7 hours on a single full charge, which means that you have to carry around the battery charger when traveling. Plus, the battery life drains quicker when the WiFi Egg is used simultaneously. So make sure that you have an extra charger to charge the Wi-Fi router device. 

3. Where to rent or buy

Travelers can purchase a prepaid SIM card or Wi-Fi router online and then pick it up at various locations, including Incheon International Airport.

If you want to save your time and stay connected as soon as you arrive at the airport, we advise you to purchase the SIM card or Wi-Fi router online.

• Prepaid Sim Card – Data Only

For those who don’t need to use any voice calls or SMS and are going to stay temporarily in Korea, the data-only plan is an ideal choice.

▷Book Mobile data-only SIM card at a discounted price!

• Prepaid Sim Card – Data + Voice Call + SMS (Short term)

If you want to make local calls and send text messages on top using the mobile data, short-term sim card is ideal.

▷Book Data + Voice Call + SMS SIM card!

• Prepaid Sim Card – Data + Voice Call + SMS (Long term)

On the other hand, if you are planning on staying in Korea for more than a month, then this long-term prepaid 4G-LTE SIM card is a better option than the data-only plan.

With this SIM card plan, you can enjoy phone calls, text messages and 4G/LTE data for up to 90 days. For more info, click here.

This SIM Card is highly recommended for long-term travelers and international students visiting Korea for a student exchange program.

• Wi-Fi Router 

Similar to the prepaid SIM card, it is advisable to rent WiFi Egg online in advance and then pick up the egg at the airport.

On the last day of your trip, you must return it to the collection locations, Incheon Int’l Airport as an example. For more info on collection locations, click here.

Now, did you get your answers for which option to use when traveling to South Korea – the prepaid SIM card or the WiFi Egg?

If you want to find out more about South Korea’s SIM Cards, make sure you check out our previous post on ‘Survival Tip: All about SIM Card! (Prepaid SIM card for foreigners)‘.

Last but not least, don’t forget to visit Trazy.com, Korea’s #1 Travel Shop, for all the latest, newest and trendiest things to do in South Korea that will make your travel the best.