Yesim eSIM Review: Is the 15% WELCOMETOYESIM Discount Worth It for Hong Kong Travellers?

Yesim is a Swiss travel eSIM and virtual-number platform operated by Genesis Group AG in Baar, Canton of Zug (CHE-135.623.633), co-founded in 2019 by Max Pankratov and Dmitri Verbovski and listed as a GSMA member. As of 9 November 2026, the app is rated 4.8 out of 5 across 29,662 reviews on Google Play, 4.5 out of 5 on the Hong Kong App Store and 4.7 out of 5 on the UK App Store.

For Hong Kong residents, the single most important check comes before you buy any plan. Per Yesim's official compatible-devices guide, Apple models sold in Hong Kong, Macau and Mainland China with dual physical nano-SIM slots (iPhone XR, XS Max, and iPhone 11 through iPhone 16 standard, Plus, Pro and Pro Max models) do not contain eSIM hardware. Hong Kong iPhones that do support eSIM include iPhone XS, 12 mini, 13 mini, SE (2nd & 3rd gen), 16e, any overseas-bought iPhone, and eSIM-enabled Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel phones — dial *#06# first to confirm an EID number appears.

When you visit Yesim via our partner link and enter the official code WELCOMETOYESIM published on Yesim's Loyalty Program page, your first eSIM purchase is discounted by 15% at checkout. Yesim allows one promo code per checkout: because the device-compatibility page code (compdevices10) and the multi-eSIM cart discount both give 10% off, WELCOMETOYESIM (15% off) is the strongest option for your first purchase.

On top of the 15% code, Yesim operates an internal wallet currency called Ycoins (100 Ycoins = $1.00 USD / €1.00 EUR). Paying for an eSIM or wallet top-up with a credit/debit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay returns 5% of the payment amount in Ycoins to spend on future plans or Pay & Fly data. Booking through partner links inside the Yesim app also earns 4% to 10% in Ycoins (Trip.com 5%, GetYourGuide 6%, Discover Cars 4%, Kiwitaxi 10%).

On 9 November 2026 Yesim's official USD web prices after applying WELCOMETOYESIM (15% off, converted at $1 ≈ HK$7.78) work out as follows. For Japan (NTT Docomo / SoftBank 5G), 5GB / 30 days is $10.56, or $8.98 (~HK$70) with 15% off; 10GB / 30 days is $19.20, or $16.32 (~HK$127); 7-day Unlimited is $25.20, or $21.42 (~HK$167). For Thailand (AIS / DTAC 5G), 5GB / 30 days is $8.40, or $7.14 (~HK$56) with 15% off; 10GB / 30 days is $13.20, or $11.22 (~HK$87); 20GB / 30 days is $20.40, or $17.34 (~HK$135).

For Mainland China (China Mobile / China Unicom 5G, accessing WhatsApp, Instagram, Google and YouTube without a separate VPN), 3GB / 30 days is $8.40, or $7.14 (~HK$56) with 15% off; 5GB / 30 days is $13.20, or $11.22 (~HK$87); 10GB / 30 days is $22.32, or $18.97 (~HK$148). For long-haul trips to the United Kingdom and United States, UK 10GB / 30 days comes down to $16.32 (~HK$127) with 15% off, while US 10GB / 30 days comes down to $14.28 (~HK$111).

For multi-country flyers, Global Pay & Fly covers 170+ countries on a single reusable eSIM, with wallet top-ups starting at $18 / $42 / $90 and per-MB rates from $1.10/GB. Under Section 5.4.2 of the Terms of Service, your Ycoins and Pay & Fly balance stays valid indefinitely provided you open the Yesim app at least once every 180 days.

If you prefer unlimited daily data, the 365-day Annual Global Unlim Day Pass covers 83 countries and costs $34.68 (~HK$270) after 15% off for 7 days or $49.98 for 15 days, rolling any unused days forward for another 365 days when renewed before expiry.

We reviewed Yesim's Terms of Service (effective 15 June 2026) and Refund Policy. Unactivated and uninstalled plans can be refunded within 30 days of purchase (installing an eSIM counts as activating it), but Section 7.4 stipulates that any refund of €10 or less is credited exclusively in Ycoins — only refunds above €10 can return to your bank card. For technical faults abroad, Section 7.2 requires you to contact [email protected] with screenshots within 1 hour of the issue.

Also watch two billing rules: under Sections 6.7.2 and 8.6, saving a payment card or claiming free Ycoins charges €0.50, which is refunded immediately as 50 Ycoins inside your app wallet rather than reversed to your card. And under Section 6.7.3, if you turn on Auto-Top-Up, Yesim automatically repeats your last plan purchase when remaining data drops below 30% or 1 day before expiry.

Unlike most plans that can be installed in Hong Kong before your flight and activated within 180 days, Japan fixed-data bundles have a 90-day activation window, cannot be topped up mid-trip, and must be installed after arriving in Japan.

Standard Yesim eSIMs are data-only. Yesim's optional $7.20/month virtual numbers (UK, US, NL, CA) are VoIP-only inside the app, do not support emergency calls, do not guarantee SMS OTP acceptance by every bank or app, may require KYC checks, and carry a €1,000 penalty under Section 5.5.1(b) for spam or prohibited use.

Compared with other international travel eSIMs on Perk, Saily (10% referral discount) or Airalo ($3 new-user credit) can sometimes be $1–$2 cheaper upfront on small 1GB–5GB packs, while GigSky focuses on cruise ships and inflight data.

Yesim stands out when you stack the 15% WELCOMETOYESIM first-order discount with 5% Ycoins cashback on 10GB–30GB bundles, want a reusable 170+ country Pay & Fly wallet, or value the built-in VPN and firewall-free Mainland China data. Skip it if you use a dual-physical-SIM Hong Kong iPhone without eSIM hardware.