Saudi travel eSIM provider Burj says it has passed 500,000 users as it expands its international data service across more than 190 countries and regions. The milestone is company-reported rather than independently audited, but there are other signs of traction: its Saudi App Store listing currently shows a 4.7 rating from around 4,700 ratings. Apple lists the app at No. 41 in the Saudi Travel category at the time of writing, while Burj says it previously reached No. 1.

That makes Burj an interesting name to watch, particularly because it is emerging from Saudi Arabia rather than from one of the more established travel-eSIM markets.

Built around unlimited data

Burj’s proposition is straightforward. Travelers buy and install an eSIM before departure, then use it for mobile data when they arrive. Its website lists coverage in more than 190 countries and regions, with country, regional and global options. The company markets its plans as unlimited and says hotspot use is supported. Its App Store listing goes further, describing the plans as having “no throttling, no limits.”

That last point matters. “Unlimited” has become one of the travel-eSIM market’s most overused labels, and the actual experience can vary considerably between providers and destinations. Some unlimited products apply daily high-speed allowances or reduce speeds after a threshold; Nomad, for example, openly documents fair-use limits on some unlimited plans. Burj’s public messaging is unusually categorical, but its website terms do not currently provide much technical detail on traffic management, network prioritisation or destination-specific performance. For heavy users, that is information worth checking before purchase.

READ MORE: Unlimited Travel Data Plans: What You Really Get

Burj founder Ahmed Alharbi describes the idea in simpler terms:

“Burj started from a simple observation: connectivity is one of the first things a traveler needs on arrival, yet it remains one of the most complicated parts of the journey.”

“So we built an experience where connectivity is ready before departure, removing the need to hunt for a local SIM or rely on unclear alternatives.”

A Saudi brand targeting a global traveller

Burj is operated by Burj Al-Sharaih Company, which Apple identifies as the developer of its iPhone app. The service is data-only, so users do not receive a regular mobile number. That suits the increasingly common two-SIM travel pattern: keeping a home SIM active for calls, SMS and verification codes while routing data through a travel eSIM. Whether both lines can remain active simultaneously depends on the phone.

“We built Burj in Saudi Arabia for a global audience,” Alharbi said. “The technology, the product decisions, and the team are all local, but the traveler we serve could be flying out of Riyadh, London, or Tokyo.”

The iPhone experience is currently the more developed side of the product. Apple lists Burj as an iPhone app requiring iOS 16.1 or later, while plans can also be bought through Burj’s website. Installation can be handled through the app or by scanning a QR code.

READ MORE: Multi-Country eSIM Plans Compared: Regional, Global, and Everything Between

For travelers who specifically need voice, SMS or a local number, however, a data-only product may be less suitable. That distinction is becoming more relevant as some competitors broaden their offers: Airalo, for example, now sells selected packages that include calls and texts alongside data.

Where Burj sits in a crowded market

Burj is entering a sector where broad coverage is no longer a differentiator by itself. Airalo, Nomad eSIM and Ubigi each advertise availability in more than 200 destinations, while Holafly has pushed heavily into unlimited data and now also offers global subscription plans. Airalo has expanded into unlimited packages; Ubigi emphasizes reusable eSIM profiles and 5G; Nomad combines fixed-data and unlimited options across many destinations.

So Burj’s real test is not whether it can put “190+ countries” on the homepage. Many providers can make a similar claim. The more meaningful questions are which underlying networks are used, how consistently the unlimited promise performs, how transparent plan rules are, and how quickly support resolves problems abroad.

Burj has some useful signals here. Its App Store reviews frequently mention support, and the company routes assistance through its app and WhatsApp. Still, clearer public documentation around partner networks, speed expectations, refund handling and destination-specific limitations would make the proposition easier to evaluate. The current terms state that payments are generally final once service execution begins, except where a technical issue attributable to Burj is established.

The market is moving quickly

Burj’s growth comes as eSIM moves from travel-tech convenience toward mainstream smartphone infrastructure. GSMA Intelligence expects eSIM smartphone penetration to rise from 5% at the end of 2025 to 10% by the end of 2026, with eSIM smartphone connections projected to overtake removable-SIM connections by 2030. The GSMA is also increasingly describing roaming as a direct-to-consumer digital marketplace shaped by eSIM.

Travelers are therefore no longer simply choosing between roaming and a plastic SIM at the airport. They can compare digital connectivity brands before leaving home, and switching costs are low.

Conclusion

The 500,000-user figure gives Burj a notable growth story, but the more interesting part is where it is competing. Travel eSIM is moving beyond basic coverage toward clearer unlimited-data rules, reusable profiles, subscriptions, bundled voice, better app experiences and stronger support.

Burj already has broad reach, a strong Saudi-market app presence and a simple unlimited-data message. To stand out against Airalo, Holafly, Nomad, Ubigi and a long tail of newer providers, it will need to make the less glamorous details just as visible: network partners, performance policies, refund rules and exactly what “unlimited” means in practice.

That transparency, more than another country added to the coverage map, is increasingly what separates a convenient eSIM from a travel connectivity service people will trust repeatedly.