Holafly vs Airalo: which eSIM provider is better for travel in 2025?
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At Cybernews, we constantly test various eSIM providers and their performance in different countries. Both Holafly and Airalo provide some of the best services abroad.
Holafly is known for its reliable connection. It also provides access to mobile data in over 200 destinations worldwide. It offers local, regional, and global plans and provides options with unlimited data in key regions like Europe and the US.
On the other hand, Airalo provides local, regional, and global eSIMs. It also offers global eSIMs that support phone calls and SMS messages, helping travelers avoid expensive roaming charges. With coverage extending to over 200 destinations, Airalo guarantees fast and reliable internet access wherever your travels take you.
Holafly and Airalo both provide eSIM services catering to travelers' needs, but they have some noteworthy differences. In this article, I compared their coverage, plans, prices, and customer support to help you choose the best provider for your next trip.
Holafly vs Airalo overview
After testing Holafly and Airalo in multiple countries and regions, I found they provide strong coverage and excellent connectivity. I had no issues choosing a plan as they were clearly laid out, and the setup was quick and easy.
| Airalo | Holafly | |
| ⭐ Rating: | ||
| 🥇Overall rank: | #2 out of #11 | #8 out of #11 |
| 💵 Price: | $4.50 | $6.00 |
| 🌎 Countries: | 200+ | 200+ |
| 🖥️ Cellular networks: | 5G, 4G, 3G, and LTE | 5G, 4G, 3G, and LTE |
| 📱Allow phone calls: | Yes (Discover+ Global plan) | No |
| 📥Support mobile hotspots: | Yes | Yes (depends on the region) |
| 💁🏻 Customer Support: | Live chat, email support, knowledge base, FAQs, blog | Live chat, ticket support, FAQs |
Both Airalo and Holafly are solid eSIM providers with wide global coverage, easy setup, and support for 4G and 5G networks.
In my testing, I found that Airalo offers better overall value. Its plans are cheaper, more flexible, and it has more customer service options. Holafly stood out for its unlimited data plans, which can be useful for longer stays or work travel.
When in use, both delivered stable and fast connections, but Airalo’s performance was slightly more consistent across multiple countries. Holafly still held its own, especially in locations where unlimited data made a difference.
Holafly vs Airalo: which is cheaper?
When reviewing plans, I noticed that Airalo is generally cheaper than Holafly. However, it's important to note that Holafly includes unlimited data for its price. Here is the price breakdown for some popular local eSIMs:
| Local eSIM plans for 7 days | Airalo | Holafly |
| USA | $4.50 | $29.90 |
| Japan | $4.50 | $29.90 |
| UK | $5.00 | $29.90 |
| Italy | $4.50 | $29.90 |
| Mexico | $8.00 | $29.90 |
| France | $4.50 | $29.90 |
| Spain | $4.50 | $29.90 |
Airalo has some of the cheapest eSIMs on the market. Its plans for 7 days with 1GB of data for the most popular locations range between $4.50 and $5.00. So, you’ll definitely cut costs with this provider.
Holafly is significantly more expensive, often costing 5 to 6 times more for the same period. In Japan, for instance, Holafly charges $29.90 for a 7-day plan, while Airalo offers a 7-day plan for just $4.50. The key difference is that Holafly gives you unlimited data, while Airalo only provides 1GB, which can be used up fast.
In my experience, Airalo is the better pick for casual use or short trips. But if you’re a heavy data user or want unlimited access to the internet, Holafly could be worth the higher cost.
Payment methods
It’s also worth looking at the payment options each eSIM provider supports. Flexible payment methods make things easier, especially when traveling, and help ensure smooth, secure purchases no matter where you are.
| Payment methods | Airalo | Holafly |
| Credit or debit cards | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| PayPal | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Apple Pay | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Google Pay | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Alipay | ✅ Yes (only via the mobile app) | ❌ No |
| Airmoney | ✅ Yes (Airalo in-app reward currency) | ❌ No |
| Shop Pay | ❌ No | ❌ No |
Both providers have essential payment methods, such as credit and debit cards, PayPal, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. Airalo offers more payment options compared to Holafly, including extras like an in-app reward currency.
Holafly vs Airalo: speed and coverage
When travelling, I used both of these eSIMs for navigating, video calling, and uploading content to social media. Speed and coverage proved to be vital aspects, because they directly impacted the quality of connectivity. If the eSIM service has slow speeds, you’ll encounter lag, buffering and won’t be able to open any website.
Additionally, when it comes to coverage, the more countries are covered, the better your options while traveling. Wide coverage also means stronger connectivity worldwide. I also tried out the regional plans that both Airalo and Holafly offer to see if there are any issues when using them across different countries, but I ran into none.
Average speed
Holafly and Airalo rely on local carriers, so your experience will vary depending on the carrier's coverage and infrastructure in that country. Fortunately, both providers support major networks and are compatible with 5G, 4G, and LTE. That means you can expect fast speeds in urban areas and decent connectivity in many rural areas.
Below, I have listed the network carriers in the most popular countries.
| Country | Holafly | Airalo |
| US | AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon | T-Mobile, Verizon |
| Japan | Softbank, KDDI | Softbank, KDDI |
| Mexico | Telcel | AT&T, Telcel |
| UK | O2, Vodafone, Three | O2, Three |
| Spain | Movistar, Orange | Orange, Yoigo |
There are a few key differences in how both providers handle data. Holafly’s plans offer unlimited data but have a fair use policy. While the data limit is not mentioned on the website, heavy usage can trigger temporary speed drops. From what users say in their reviews, throttling visibly slows down your activity, apps take longer to load, maps lag, or video quality drops.
Airalo offers fixed data plans. You won’t get unlimited usage, but your connection stays consistent without throttling until your data runs out.
If you want consistency and reliability, I recommend Airalo. It also partners with fast, high-quality network carriers in each destination.
Coverage
Airalo and Holafly offer a wide range of eSIM plans, including country-specific, regional, and global options, with coverage in over 200 destinations worldwide.
The key difference is the amount of data and features provided. Airalo offers more flexibility regarding data amounts and pricing, and some of its plans even include calling and texting, which is useful if you need a local number. Holafly, on the other hand, is data-only. But it sets itself apart with unlimited data plans, which can be a big plus if you're a heavy user or want to avoid worrying about data caps.
When it comes to speed and coverage, there's no clear winner because both providers offer extensive coverage. Additionally, it seems unfair to judge based on speed, as neither provider has complete control over it. Below is a quick comparison of what they offer.
| Provider | Destination coverage | Data plans | Cellular networks |
| Holafly | 200 | Unlimited | LTE, 3G, 4G, and 5G |
| Airalo | 200 | 1GB-100GB | LTE, 3G, 4G, and 5G |
In my testing, I found that Airalo gives you more flexibility when it comes to choosing how much data you need and for how long. Depending on the country, you can pick anywhere from 1GB to 100GB, with options ranging from 7 to 180 days. Holafly, on the other hand, only offers unlimited plans for your chosen number of days.
Price-wise, Airalo plans start at around $4.50/month, while Holafly’s unlimited options start at $6.00/month. Unless you're constantly online, that price adds up quickly. For most trips, I found Airalo to be the better value.
Holafly vs Airalo: user experience and customer support
Based on my testing, both Holafly and Airalo are easy to use. They prioritize user experience with simple, well-organized interfaces, and both offer several customer support options, including live chat. If something doesn’t work as expected, it’s easy to get help and sort things out quickly.
User experience
Airalo’s interface is very user-friendly as there are only 4 main categories in the app, which are easy to navigate.
- Store, where you can find and buy any eSIM plan available
- My eSIMs, where your current and archived eSIMs are stored
- Profile, where you can find all the details about your account
- Airalo services such as Airmoney, membership, referrals, orders, ToS
In comparison, Holafly also has a neat and good-looking interface. The app looks a bit full, but it’s not overcrowded with buttons or information at all.
The eSIM activation process is quite straightforward, regardless of which provider you choose. All you have to do is buy an eSIM plan via its website or the mobile app. Then, install your eSIM from the app by following the step-by-step prompts, scanning a QR code to start the installation process, or entering your eSIM details manually in your device’s Settings.
Lastly, we liked that when you turn on Airalo Push Notifications in the Settings section, Airalo will send notifications to alert that you’re running low on data or your validity period is close to expiring. There isn’t a need for such a thing with Holafly, as it comes with unlimited data.
Customer support
From my experience, customer support is one of the most important factors when using an eSIM service. Especially when traveling, eSIM issues should be the least of your worries. I tested Holafly and Airalo to see how responsive and helpful their support teams are.
Airalo gives you a few different ways to get in touch. You can email them at [email protected] or reach out through the Airalo app via 24/7 live chat or WhatsApp. In my case, the live chat connected me to a real agent in under 5 minutes, and they were able to answer some basic questions quickly. Email responses took about 24 hours, which is fairly standard.
Holafly offers support through live chat, WhatsApp, or emailing [email protected]. There’s a chatbot at first, but you can get through to a live agent. When I tested it, it took around 10 minutes to get a response. The agent was helpful and confirmed that hotspot sharing is allowed on most plans, but there’s a 500MB/day limit in most destinations. Email replies also came in about a day later.
So, while both providers offer decent support options, I prefer Airalo with its faster and straight-to-the-point answers.
Holafly vs Airalo: customer reviews
From what I’ve found on various review sites such as Apple App Store and Trustpilot, Holafly receives better user feedback. It has a higher overall rating, and many users praise how easy it is to set up, the stable connection, and the peace of mind that comes with unlimited data. While there are occasional complaints about speed throttling or unclear fair use policies, the general tone is positive, especially for short trips or heavy data use.
Airalo has a noticeably lower rating. Common complaints include slow or unhelpful customer support, issues with eSIM activation, and problems with top-ups not applying correctly. A lot of users seem frustrated when things go wrong, particularly when they’re traveling and need quick help.
That said, I’ve had a different experience. For me, Airalo worked smoothly, and I appreciated the flexibility and features like top-ups, regional plans, and hotspot support. However, the volume of negative reviews clearly shows that their support and reliability can be hit or miss. I hope they get on top of this and improve the overall experience.
Holafly vs Airalo: additional value
Both Airalo and Holafly have some additional perks in addition to the main eSIM features, but in my experience, Airalo offers more useful extras when you're actually traveling.
Airalo allows topping up directly in the app by going to the My eSIM section, tapping the eSIM you want to refill, clicking Top Up, and selecting a package. I used this a couple of times mid-trip, and it was effortless. There was no need to buy a whole new plan. The top-up feature was super handy for keeping my data going without interruption.
I also liked that some Airalo’s plans support calls and text messages, while Holafly only allows using calling apps such as WhatsApp. Airalo also allows data sharing and hotspot use, which allowed me to use my phone as a hotspot in a café with slow Wi-Fi, and it worked without any issues. On top of that, Airalo has a referral program where you can share your referral code and earn Airmoney for each successful referral.
Another helpful feature was Airalo’s offline mode. When I landed and didn’t have a connection yet, I could still open the Airalo app and follow the step-by-step instructions to activate my eSIM. That saved me a lot of guesswork when I needed to get online quickly.
Compared to Airalo, Holafly doesn’t offer as many extras. If you're on a 5-day plan and need to stay longer, you can top up your days. It’s simple and works well if you just want unlimited data, but overall, I found Airalo’s flexibility and extra tools more useful during my travels.
Airalo vs Holafly: which one to choose?
Overall, Airalo is the better eSIM provider for most travelers. It offers better pricing, more flexible data plans, and a wider range of features. You can evaluate your data usage, choose how much data you need, and pay based on that.
Both Holafly and Airalo offer worldwide coverage in over 200 locations and support 5G, 4G, 3G, and LTE networks. They’re also user-friendly, with simple-to-navigate interfaces.
However, Airalo offers stronger customer support and more country-specific options, which can be helpful on longer or multi-country trips.
FAQ
Is Airalo or Holafly better?
Airalo is the better choice, especially if you're a light data user. It gives you more flexibility and lower prices, which is great for shorter trips or budget travel.
Is there something better than Airalo?
Airalo is one of the best eSIM providers on the market. If it doesn’t fit your needs, I recommend trying Saily, which offers an easy setup, flexible data plans, and reliable coverage. Holafly is another option, but it’s better suited for heavy data users.
Is Holafly really unlimited?
Yes, Holafly is unlimited when it comes to mobile data. This means that you don’t have to worry about using your internet data and avoid high roaming costs.
What are the disadvantages of Airalo?
Airalo doesn't have many downsides, but one notable drawback is that you can't add extra days to your chosen plan. Also, its cheapest plans offer only 1GB of data for 7 days, which might not always be enough.
What are the disadvantages of Holafly?
Holafly does have a few drawbacks. Its unlimited plans are more expensive and may not be worth it for light data users. It also has no texting or calling features, and it lacks some of the security features you get with competitors like Airalo.
