Holafly vs Airalo: which eSIM provider is better?
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Holafly and Airalo are top eSIM providers that are improving global connectivity and offering hassle-free solutions for travelers.
Holafly is renowned for its reliable eSIM card services, providing access to the internet in over 197 destinations worldwide. Offering both local and regional plans, Holafly ensures options with unlimited data in key regions like Europe and the United States. It also includes choices for making and receiving calls.
On the other hand, Airalo seems to be more flexible, offering local, regional, and global eSIMs. Several of its global eSIMs also support phone calls and SMS messages, helping travelers avoid the burden of expensive roaming charges. With coverage extending to over 200 countries and regions, 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 differences worth noting. Thus, we compared coverage, plans, prices, and customer support to help you choose the best provider for your needs.
Holafly vs Airalo: overall comparison
Holafly and Airalo both offer affordable local and regional eSIMs, which are easy to set up. Additionally, they provide strong worldwide coverage, including access to popular cellular networks like 5G.
| Airalo | Holafly | |
| ⭐ Rating: | ||
| 🥇Overall rank: | #2 out of #11 | #8 out of #11 |
| 💵 Price: | $4.50 | $6.00 |
| 🌎 Countries: | 200+ | 197+ |
| 🖥️ Cellular networks: | 5G, 4G, 3G and LTE | 5G, 4G, 3G and LTE |
| 📱Allow phone calls: | Yes (Discover+ Global plan) | Yes (depends on the region) |
| 📥Support mobile hotspots: | Yes | Yes (depends on the region) |
| 💁🏻 Customer Support: | Live chat, email support, knowledge base, FAQs, blog | Live chat, ticket support, FAQs |
Comparing Airalo vs Holafly, Airalo has some strengths over Holafly. It’s slightly cheaper, it has a more extensive customer support range, but it also comes with global plans. Still, Holafly is a reliable contender, as you can even choose an eSIM for particular cities or receive unlimited data in some locations.
Data plans and pricing
When it comes to pricing, 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 eSIMs plans for 7 days | Airalo | Holafly |
| USA | $4.50 | $6.00 |
| Japan | $4.50 | $27.00 |
| UK | $5.00 | $27.00 |
| Italy | $4.50 | $27.00 |
| Mexico | $8.00 | $27.00 |
| France | $4.50 | $27.00 |
| Spain | $4.50 | $27.00 |
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 $8.00. So, you’ll definitely cut costs with this provider.
In comparison, Holafly has more expensive plans, but there’s a small catch. You can choose how long you want to use the eSIM, and the price automatically changes. Each of its 7-day subscriptions costs $6.00, but don’t forget that you’ll receive unlimited data in all of these countries.
What’s also important to check out is the payment methods both eSIM providers offer. Flexible payment methods are crucial for eSIMs, offering convenience and accessibility to customers worldwide while ensuring secure transactions.
| 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 | ✅Yes |
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 in-app reward currency.
Holafly vs Airalo: speed and coverage
Speed and coverage are vital aspects of eSIM services because they directly impact the quality of connectivity while traveling or using mobile data.
More precisely, if the eSIM service has slow speeds, you’ll encounter lags and 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.
Average speed
Generally, the average speed depends on the local carrier where the eSIM works and what kind of network it supports. One of the things in which Holafly and Airalo are equal is the networks they support. Depending on the region, they are compatible with 5G, 4G, 3G, and LTE, so expect ultra-fast speeds in the regions with 5G and 4G coverage.
However, when talking about Holafly, there are certain fair usage policies to consider. Despite having unlimited data, excessive usage could result in a temporary slowdown. Therefore, if you experience a decrease in your internet speed, it could be due to reaching the high-usage threshold for the day.
Coverage
Both Airalo and Holafly offer extensive global coverage. More precisely, Airalo has local, regional, and global plans in over 200 countries and regions. Holafly, on the other hand, comes only with local and regional plans. However, eSIM plans cover more than 197 countries and regions, making it one of the most widely spread eSIM services.
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.
Holafly vs Airalo: user experience and customer support
Both Holafly and Airalo are user-friendly. While Airalo and Holafly prioritize the satisfaction of their users and come with a simple and well-organized interface, they also include several customer support channels, such as live chat. That way, you can overcome any inconvenience easily.
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 service
Customer support is one of the most important elements, when using eSIM service. Both Holafly and Airalo have several options to reach for help if something goes wrong.
You can contact Airalo's customer support through email or the Airalo app, where you can opt for 24/7 live chat or WhatsApp options.
Holafly offers FAQs and 24/7 live chat support via chat or WhatsApp. You can also fill out a form for them to contact you.
We tested both eSIM customer support chats on WhatsApp for setting up our eSIM plan, and received a response in under 24 hours.
Holafly vs Airalo: additional values
Aside from the main eSIM features, both Airalo and Holafly have additional perks.
If you go for Airalo, when your eSIM is rechargeable, you can top it up in the Airalo app by going to the My eSIM section, tapping on the eSIM you wish to top up, clicking on Top Up, and selecting a top-up package. Topping up the eSIM is great because it ensures continuous connectivity on the go without interruption.
Furthermore, with Airalo's global plans, you can make calls and send text messages, and access features like data sharing and hotspots. Airalo also has a referral program, where you can share your referral code to earn $3 Airmoney for each successful referral.
Last but not least, Airalo has an offline mode that allows you to open the app and read step-by-step instructions to access your eSIM data with no internet connection. This is useful upon arrival at a travel destination if you’re not remembering how to turn it on.
Compared to Airalo, Holafly doesn’t have many extras, but if you have a 5-day plan and then spend more days in that country, you can top up your days, not data (as it offers unlimited data).
Conclusion: which eSIM is better?
Both Holafly and Airalo offer worldwide coverage with over 190 eSIM locations and support 5G, 4G, 3G, and LTE networks. On top of this, they’re both user-friendly and offer neat interfaces, making their installation a piece of cake.
However, our recommendation for seamless travel would be Airalo. It is much better than Holafly when it comes to the prices, versatility of plans, more extensive customer support, and wide range of extra features. It has everything you might look for and allows fantastic internet connections when exploring the world.
FAQ
What is better than Airalo?
Currently, Airalo is one of the best eSIM providers on the market. However, if you don’t prefer its offerings, you can go for some of the other reliable eSIM services, like Holafly or Saily.
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.
Does Holafly work in Europe?
Yes, Holafly works in over 32 European countries. With Holafly you can get great internet connections, no roaming charges, and some European eSIMs even allow you to make calls or send texts.
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