JetFi Mobile eSIM Review: Hong Kong Phone Compatibility, Prices by Destination, Refund Rules and the Free eSIM Invitation Offer

JetFi Mobile is a Taiwanese travel connectivity brand that rents out portable Wi-Fi routers and runs an eSIM app. The footer of its website states that the eSIM app is provided by 桔豐國際股份有限公司 (unified business number 94175349) and the Wi-Fi routers by 桔豐科技股份有限公司 (unified business number 24761296), at 5/F, 246 Neihu Road Section 1, Taipei; the developer name on the App Store is "JetFi Tech Co.,Ltd". The website states that the service covers more than 138 countries and regions.

The terms of service (version of 1 June 2026) provide that the Taipei District Court in Taiwan has exclusive jurisdiction as the court of first instance in any dispute, which makes pursuing a claim inconvenient for Hong Kong users. We were unable to find any telecommunications licence or regulator details published by JetFi. An eSIM is a prepaid data service with no arrangement comparable to deposit protection, so it is advisable to buy only the plans needed for a trip that is about to take place.

This is the point Hong Kong readers most need to note. JetFi's terms of service and its App Store description both state that its eSIMs work with the iPhone XS, XS Max, XR and later models, but that "iPhones sold in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau are not supported". An Apple support article published on 17 September 2026, however, shows that some Hong Kong and Macau iPhones do have eSIM, including the iPhone XS, 12 mini, 13 mini, SE (2nd and 3rd generation), 16e, the 17 series, Air and the 18 Pro series; Hong Kong models of the iPhone 11 to 16 series (other than the mini models and the 16e), the XR and the XS Max have two physical nano-SIM slots only and cannot use any eSIM service.

As the two sources disagree, even a phone of a model with eSIM should first be checked with the device detection in the JetFi app, or by entering *#06# on the dial pad: if an EID is displayed, the phone supports eSIM. JetFi's FAQ adds that phones bought on instalment contracts in the United States or Japan and locked by the carrier may also be unable to use the service.

On Android, some models (Xiaomi, for example) cannot use one-tap activation because of firmware restrictions, and customers who have already bought a plan must contact customer service for manual activation. The FAQ also states that devices that do not support one-tap activation cannot use the free trial service. The terms do not say whether the free eSIM is subject to the same restriction, so users of such phones should check with customer service first.

JetFi provides data only, in three types of plan: fixed-data plans (for example 1GB for seven days or 10GB for 30 days, which stop when the data runs out), daily plans (for example 1GB a day or unlimited data each day), and a small number of special plans. Apart from multi-country bundles, each plan covers a single country or region; a trip spanning several places requires a multi-country bundle, such as Japan and Korea, Southeast Asia or the 39-country Europe bundle.

Plans must be activated within 180 days of purchase. Validity starts when the eSIM first uses data at the destination, and on daily plans each day is 24 hours. Special plans have their own rules: the 50GB Thailand special plan, for example, starts counting days as soon as it is activated. Some plan descriptions (such as those for the Japan 3GB and 10GB fixed-data plans) state that the plan must be activated within 30 days of the order being placed, which is inconsistent with the 180 days given in other plan descriptions and the FAQ, so it is advisable to confirm in the app before buying.

Activation requires no QR code: after buying in the app, tap activate under "My eSIM". You can activate in advance before departure while connected to the internet, which takes about 2 to 15 minutes depending on the plan, and then turn on the eSIM line on arrival at the destination. Before activation, you may sign in to the same account on another phone and activate the plan there; once activated, a plan cannot be moved to another phone, and changing phones requires a new plan. If an eSIM is deleted by mistake, it can be reinstalled from "My eSIM" as long as the plan is still valid and has data remaining. The App Store description also mentions a 100MB trial allowance that can be activated in Taiwan.

The Chinese version of JetFi's website lists prices in New Taiwan dollars and the English version in US dollars; we were unable to verify which currency Hong Kong users see in the app, or whether app prices match those on the website. The prices below are those shown on the English website on 13 October 2026, converted at about HK$7.848 to US$1.

Japan: 1GB for seven days, US$4 (about HK$31); 10GB for 30 days, US$21 (about HK$165); 1GB a day for five days, US$16 (about HK$126); unlimited on all four networks for five days, US$26 (about HK$204). South Korea: 10GB for 30 days, US$18 (about HK$141); unlimited on both the SKT and LGU+ networks for five days, US$21 (about HK$165). Taiwan: 5GB for 30 days, US$18 (about HK$141). Mainland China: 5GB for 30 days, US$18 (about HK$141); 1GB a day for five days, US$16 (about HK$126). Europe 39-country bundle, 10GB for 30 days: US$25 (about HK$196). United Kingdom, unlimited for seven days: US$36 (about HK$283).

JetFi's eSIM page suggests about 500MB to 1GB a day for maps and looking up information, about 1GB to 3GB a day for social media, and 3GB or more a day, or an unlimited plan, for frequent video streaming. The website's price data occasionally contains obvious errors (one day of unlimited data across 44 European countries, for example, is shown as US$1,815), so the amount displayed in the app should be treated as definitive before checking out. As for payment, both the app page and the terms of service state that only credit cards are currently accepted; if the charge is settled in New Taiwan dollars or US dollars, the card issuer may add a foreign currency transaction fee, depending on the card's terms.

JetFi uses different networks depending on the plan. The four-network unlimited plan for Japan supports SoftBank, Docomo, KDDI (au) and Rakuten, while the Japan fixed-data plans default to KDDI (au) and also support SoftBank; the South Korea unlimited plan uses SK Telecom and LGU+; the mainland China unlimited plan uses the China Mobile network. The website states that the carrier name shown abroad will be JetFi mobile (except on multi-country bundles). The mainland China plan description claims that services such as LINE, ChatGPT and Gemini can be used without a separate VPN; this is JetFi's own claim.

"Unlimited" does not mean free of limits. The fair use policy in the terms of service provides that local carriers may manage the traffic of users who consume large amounts of data within a short period (for example through P2P, video, gaming, large downloads and automatic system updates), which may slow speeds or cut off access; the unlimited plan descriptions also reserve the right to terminate service where abnormal usage is detected. Some users report that merely updating apps led to their usage being judged abnormal and their speed being reduced to the minimum.

Other practical points: plans allow personal hotspot sharing, and if an iPhone cannot turn on its hotspot in Japan, JetFi recommends entering vmobile.jp in the APN field of the mobile data options. Remaining data can be checked under "My eSIM", although for special plans you must dial *111*6# on that eSIM line. Some users report receiving no warning when data is about to run out, so it is advisable to keep an eye on the balance yourself; others report that in Japan and the United States the connection appeared as roaming through a Hong Kong carrier's network.

Download the JetFi eSIM app through the link on this page, register with an email address and enter invitation code 8emhjb during registration to receive two benefits: a free eSIM voucher (for one country or region of your choice out of 110 worldwide) and a 30%-off coupon valid across the eSIM store. The link opens an ordinary download page and does not fill in the invitation code automatically, so you must enter it yourself. The code can be used only in the app, not on the website, and users who register by signing in with a Google account cannot enter an invitation code.

The free eSIM is limited to users registering with JetFi mobile for the first time during the promotion period, and existing members do not receive it (some promotional banners say "for new and existing customers alike", but the detailed terms state that existing members are excluded). It is limited to one per device and per account, and cannot be combined with other new-customer gifts. The deadline for both claiming and redeeming it is 23:59 on 31 December 2026. To redeem, tap "使用兌換碼" (use redemption code) on the home screen, go to "我的券匣" (your coupon wallet), tap "使用" (use) on the eSIM voucher, choose the destination data plan and complete the order, then activate it under "My eSIM".

The data allowance depends on the destination: 1GB for Japan, South Korea, mainland China/Hong Kong/Macau, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, the United States and Egypt; 500MB for Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines, India, Canada and the 47-country Europe bundle (including the United Kingdom), among others; and 300MB for Middle Eastern countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, and for places such as Mexico and South Africa. After redemption, the eSIM must be activated within 180 days, and it then lasts one day, that is, 24 hours from its first data use at the destination. It is therefore advisable to redeem only once your next destination is settled, and to keep the 180-day activation deadline after redemption in mind.

The 30%-off coupon is valid until 31 December 2026; JetFi has not published its minimum spend, discount cap or excluded plans, or whether it can be combined with other discount codes. JetFi reserves the right to change, suspend or cancel the promotion at any time. Disclosure: 8emhjb is our own invitation code. For each new member successfully invited, we receive a JetFi store coupon (up to five in total), not cash; we have been unable to verify the face value of these coupons.

The free eSIM itself is of modest value: at JetFi's own prices, one day of the Japan 1GB-a-day plan costs US$4 (about HK$31), and comparable one-day plans for South Korea and mainland China also cost US$4. For Hong Kong travellers it is better seen as a first trial, to confirm that the phone can activate the service and to test local speeds, than as a significant source of savings.

The value of the 30%-off coupon depends on the size of your next purchase. Assuming the coupon applies in full (the terms publish no cap or excluded plans): five days of four-network unlimited data in Japan falls from US$26 to US$18.20, a saving of about HK$61; five days of two-network unlimited data in South Korea falls from US$21 to US$14.70, a saving of about HK$49; 5GB for 30 days in mainland China falls from US$18 to US$12.60, a saving of about HK$42; and seven days of unlimited data in the United Kingdom falls from US$36 to US$25.20, a saving of about HK$85. In other words, the longer the trip and the more expensive the plan, the more the coupon is worth, but it must be used by 31 December 2026.

Each plan page on the website states which refund rule applies, and there are three types (quoted here in translation). The first applies to most plans: "Refundable within 30 days of the order being placed if the plan has not been activated, or has been activated but has used no data." The second applies to Japan 1GB, South Korea 1GB, Japan and Korea 1GB, the 50GB Thailand special plan and Canada 50GB: "Refundable within 30 days of the order being placed if not yet activated. Once this plan is activated, or more than 30 days after the order is placed, it cannot be refunded, whether or not any data has been used." The third reads: "This plan cannot be refunded or cancelled once the order is placed." In the website's plan list on 13 October 2026, we found no plan using the third rule.

The refund explanation in the FAQ is worded differently from the plan pages (it does not mention the 30-day limit, for example); this review follows the plan pages. As refunds must be requested within 30 days of the order being placed, it is unwise to buy too early while travel plans remain uncertain; plans of the second type become non-refundable as soon as they are activated, so it is advisable to wait until just before departure to activate them.

As of 13 October 2026, the app is rated 4.59 on the Taiwan App Store (965 ratings), 5.0 on the Hong Kong App Store (only 4 ratings) and 4.94 on the US App Store (16 ratings); the latest version, 1.2.5, was released on 6 August 2026 and requires iOS 16 or later. Its Google Play rating varies by regional page: the Taiwan page shows 4.0 and the US page 2.1 (both based on 102 reviews), with more than 50,000 downloads and a most recent update on 30 June 2026.

Among low-rated reviews on the Taiwan App Store from November 2025 to October 2026, the more common complaints are: full signal bars but slow speeds or dropped connections (in Osaka, Kyushu, Nagoya, Tokyo and Okinawa in Japan, in Seoul, and in Shanghai and Sichuan); poor coverage outside city areas in Germany and Italy; unlimited plans being cut to the lowest speed after heavy use within a short period; data routed through a Hong Kong network; no warning when data is about to run out; slow replies from customer service; and failures when signing in or verifying with a Gmail account. On Google Play, some users also said that discount codes did not work and asked for a QR code installation option. Positive reviews centre on how simple and quick one-tap activation is, and some users said that customer service replied promptly.

Customer service channels include LINE (@jetfimobile), email at [email protected] and a Taiwan telephone line, +886 2 2751 9338. The website's app and eSIM pages both claim 24-hour customer service, but the service point page states that the customer service line is answered only from Monday to Friday, 08:30 to 12:30 and 13:30 to 17:30, with no service on Saturdays, Sundays or Taiwan public holidays. If you have connection problems abroad, contacting them by LINE or email first requires another connection (hotel Wi-Fi, for example).

The App Store lists the app's languages as English, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean and Chinese, while JetFi's app page states that it offers Traditional Chinese, English and Japanese. The invitation page and the free eSIM terms are available in Chinese only, which makes little difference to Hong Kong readers.

Suitable for: Hong Kong residents whose phones definitely have eSIM (and pass the JetFi app's detection), who frequently make short trips to Japan, South Korea, Taiwan or mainland China, and who would like to complete purchase and activation in the app; and those who intend to try the free eSIM on their next trip before deciding whether to buy.

Not suitable for: users of phones without eSIM, such as Hong Kong models of the iPhone 11 to 16 series (other than the mini models and the 16e), the XR or the XS Max; those who need a local phone number or SMS; those who rely mainly on unlimited plans for long periods of video streaming or hotspot sharing; existing JetFi mobile members (who do not receive the free eSIM); and those who want disputes handled in Hong Kong or need to install via a QR code on another device.