Updated September 30, 2026 · TariffCue Editorial Team
GlocalMe vs Simbye
GlocalMe vs Simbye: the differences
| Compare | GlocalMe ReviewVisitVisit |  Simbye |
|---|---|---|
| Seller type | Mvno | Reseller |
| Host network | Multiple partner mobile networks (390+ carrier networks in 200+ countries) | NTT Docomo, KDDI/au, SoftBank, Rakuten Mobile (Japan); Orange Holiday Europe (Europe); 700+ partner networks worldwide |
| Price from | €24.65 | €1.95Lower |
| Reference plan prices | 10GB 30-day EU High Speed (38 countries) Data Package: EUR 43.95, 10GB, prepaid 30 days | 10GB 30-day Global Data Package: EUR 73.70, 10GB, prepaid 30 days | 10GB 30-day Germany Data Package: EUR 20.83, 10GB, prepaid 30 days | Japan 1 GB: EUR 1.95, 1 GB, 7 days, prepaid no contract (cheapest plan overall) | Japan Unlimited: EUR 18.95, unlimited, 7 days, prepaid no contract (cheapest unlimited) | Build Your Own eSIM, app only: 5-50 GB, 30-365 days validity, up to 10 countries (12-month, 30 GB+ line, price set in app) |
| EU roaming | Paid | Included |
| Roaming countries | from 200 | 190 |
| SIM-only | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Unlimited plan price | Not confirmed | €18.95 |
| Data rollover | Not confirmed | No |
| Hotspot sharing | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Markets | Not confirmed | CH, GB, PL, TR, US |
Same on both: 5G (Yes), eSIM (Yes).
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings.
Key differences
- Simbye scores higher overall: 8.8 vs 8.7.
- Price from is lower at Simbye: €1.95 vs €24.65.
- Support channels: only GlocalMe offers Phone, Help centre.
Our verdict on each
GlocalMe
GlocalMe suits travellers and long trips across many markets, with prepaid eSIM data on partner networks in from 200 countries and 5G included. Entry sits at €24.65, above the prepaid median of €3.07, so the wider footprint costs more at the start of a plan.
Simbye
Simbye is a prepaid eSIM reseller that suits travellers who want a short single-market data plan instead of a long mobile contract. Its entry plan starts at €1.95, Japan eSIMs run on the major Japanese carriers, and help arrives by chat and email.
Score breakdown
| Area | GlocalMe | Simbye |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.0Entry price sits above the prepaid median of €3.07, though the Germany package is a low outlier. | 8.7HigherThe entry plan is €1.95 and the unlimited plan is €18.95, with EU roaming included across 190 countries. |
| Offer | 9.3HigherCoverage of from 200 countries partner markets, prepaid billing and 5G on a single eSIM ready profile make the offer wide. | 8.9Entry plan starts at €1.95, close to KnowRoaming at $1.75, while unlimited sits higher at €18.95. |
Pick GlocalMe if, pick Simbye if
Pick GlocalMe if offer matter most.
Pick Simbye if cost and price from matter most.
Licences and countries
| Country | GlocalMe | Simbye |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | United States | United Kingdom |
How they place
| Ranking | GlocalMe | Simbye |
|---|---|---|
| Phone plans with eSIM | 1 of 389 | 3 of 389 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | GlocalMe | Simbye |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | Prepaid | Prepaid |
| Contract length | Not confirmed | 1, 12 |
| Legal entity | GlocalMe | Simbye Ltd |
| Headquarters | United States | United Kingdom |
| Support channels | Email, Phone, Chat, Help centreCovers more | Chat, Email |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | GlocalMe | Simbye | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price from | €24.65highest quarter | €1.95lowest quarter | €5 |
| Unlimited plan price | Not confirmed | €18.95below the median | €19.99 |
| Roaming countries | from 200highest quarter | 190highest quarter | 100 |
Median across 176 listed providers.
Pros and cons
GlocalMe
Pros
- A single profile reaches from 200 countries on multiple partner networks, so trips that cross borders do not need a new plan each time
- Billing is prepaid, so a data package ends on its own terms with no contract to exit
- 5G is available, which matters where partner networks in the destination have it
Cons
- Entry price of €24.65 is above the prepaid median of €3.07 and near the top of the ranking on price from at 15 of 15
- EU roaming is paid, so trips inside the EU need a regional package such as the EU High Speed data package rather than the base profile
- GlocalMe is listed as an mvno, which puts a reseller between customers and the host carrier networks
Simbye
Pros
- The entry Japan plan starts at €1.95, close to KnowRoaming at $1.75.
- Roaming reaches 190 countries and EU roaming is included, so a multi-country trip needs no extra regional pack.
- Japan eSIMs ride NTT Docomo, KDDI/au, SoftBank and Rakuten Mobile, with hotspot sharing available on the same plans.
Cons
- Data rollover is not offered, so an unused allowance expires with the plan it was bought for.
- Support runs on chat and email, with no phone line among the listed channels, so a failed install has no voice route.
- Simbye is a reseller, and the carrier you connect to in Japan belongs to a partner rather than to Simbye itself.
Who each suits
GlocalMe
Who it suits
- Travellers crossing several countries on a single prepaid profile
- People who want 5G data abroad without a contract
- Long trips where a regional or global data package is clearer than buying a local plan in each market
Who should look elsewhere
- Travellers staying in a single market, where a single-country eSIM usually starts lower than a global package.
- Anyone wanting EU roaming bundled into the base plan, since roaming here is paid
- Readers who want a named host carrier, as GlocalMe lists multiple partner networks rather than a single host
Simbye
Who it suits
- Travellers landing in Japan who want data on a major Japanese carrier without taking a handset contract.
- People who want to buy and install an eSIM in the app before departure.
- Readers who want a small prepaid top-up for a single market rather than a monthly allowance.
Who should look elsewhere
- co:sim suits anyone who would rather buy from an MVNO, as co:sim is mvno, than from a reseller working on partner networks.
- KnowRoaming fits a reader whose budget is set in dollars, with an entry price of $1.75.
- ESIMZON suits anyone who wants its named partner set, from AT&T and T-Mobile to Verizon, rather than a Japanese carrier mix.
Questions about each
GlocalMe
How much does a GlocalMe data package cost?+
Prices start at €24.65. Reference packages include an EU High Speed data package, a Global data package and a Germany data package, each carrying the same data allowance. Every package is prepaid for a fixed window, so there is no contract to serve and no monthly bill to cancel.
Does GlocalMe sell monthly plans or only prepaid packages?+
Billing is prepaid, so what you buy is a data package rather than a monthly subscription. Packages are loaded and used within their window. That suits short trips, though anyone wanting a repeating monthly bill would need a different kind of provider.
Simbye
What does the cheapest Simbye plan cost?+
The entry Japan plan starts at €1.95 as a prepaid plan with no contract, so you buy a set amount of data for a fixed trip rather than a monthly allowance. Unlimited data on the same Japanese coverage comes from the Japan Unlimited plan at €18.95. A Build Your Own eSIM can also be set in the app across several markets.
Is there an unlimited data option and what does it cost?+
The Japan Unlimited plan costs €18.95 and carries uncapped data for a short validity window, on 5G networks with hotspot sharing available. Compared with the entry plan at €1.95, the jump is large, so unlimited makes sense for a stretch of heavy use in Japan and less sense for a brief visit.