Airalo vs Holafly: Which eSIM is Better for Travel? [Comparison 2026]

Airalo vs Holafly: buying the eSIM

Purchase process

Vefru rating

Airalo 9/10

Buying works in the browser and Google login is smooth. A compatibility check and tutorial pages add steps you do not need.

Holafly 7/10

Google Pay only filled the billing address, our card was saved without a clear opt-in, and a WhatsApp message followed.

Verdict: Airalo wins. Both sell on the website, but Airalo's checkout is shorter and cleaner. Holafly's checkout made us type the card by hand, saved the card without asking and sent an unasked WhatsApp message.

Buying from Airalo

We signed in with Google on the website, picked a plan and paid, with no app needed. An account is required; Airalo also takes Apple, Facebook or an email code. Two steps slowed us down: a phone compatibility check before checkout and several tutorial pages before the eSIM itself. You can share the QR code, but there is no download button, so take a screenshot. Our Airalo review shows every screen.

• Payments: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, UnionPay and JCB, PayPal, Google Pay, Apple Pay in some countries, and Alipay in the app [6].
• Currencies: 16, from USD and EUR to PLN and THB, but not the Czech koruna. Displayed prices include VAT or similar taxes [2].
• ID check: in some countries Airalo asks for a passport photo before you can buy, and the privacy policy says this can include biometrics [4].

Buying from Holafly

Holafly's checkout works but takes a detour. We picked the big Google Pay button, and Holafly used it only for the billing address; we then typed the card number by hand. The confirmation page listed a saved card we had not knowingly agreed to store. Holafly's terms allow a saved card only with your explicit consent [11], so look closely at the payment screen. Our Holafly review shows the full flow.

• Payments: Visa, Mastercard, Google Pay, Apple Pay and PayPal, shown on the destination pages [18].
• Currency: unclear. Price tables show US dollars next to a purchase widget in euros [18]. Tax is included based on the postcode you enter [11].
• One destination per checkout, so a two-country trip on separate eSIMs means two orders [17].
• After paying, the details arrive by email, and Holafly also sent a WhatsApp message to our number.

If this is your first eSIM, our guide to checking compatibility, buying and installing a first eSIM covers the basics for either provider.

AiraloAiralo checkout on the website

HolaflyHolafly checkout on the website

Airalo app vs Holafly app

Mobile app

Vefru rating

Airalo 8/10

Smooth Google login and QR sharing. Over 50 MB, no download button, and it stops working without data.

Holafly 7/10

Opens as a shop with the login buried under Profile. One-tap eSIM install is its best feature.

Verdict: Airalo wins by a point. Its app is built for managing eSIMs and top-ups. Holafly's app is a shop first, and with no top-ups it has less to do once you have bought.

The Airalo app

Login was smooth with Google, and the eSIM page lets you share the QR code with a laptop or a second phone. The app is large, over 50 MB. With New Airalo you keep one installed eSIM and buy local, regional and global packages into it.

• Top-ups and alerts: top up under My eSIMs, with alerts at 25% and 10% of data left.
• Auto-renewal: buys the next package when 10% of your data is left. It needs a saved card and switches itself off if validity ends first [8].
• Goes dark without data: in our test the app stopped working the moment the plan ran out, so we needed Wi-Fi to buy more.

The Holafly app

The Holafly app opens on a list of plans for sale, with no prompt to log in. Existing customers find the login under Profile, below a scroll. Login is passwordless: you confirm a link sent to the email you bought with. On our Android phone it was a 47 MB download.

• Best feature: tap Install and the phone's own eSIM wizard opens, with no QR code to scan.
• Support chat is built into the app, so you need no browser when something goes wrong.
• Store ratings: Google Play showed 3.6 stars when we tested and 4.7 as of October 2026, in line with 4.8 on the App Store.

AiraloAiralo app on Android

HolaflyHolafly app on Android

Installing an Airalo eSIM vs a Holafly eSIM

eSIM installation

Vefru rating

Airalo 9/10

Data worked the moment the eSIM was installed, with no network selection or restart. We scanned the QR code from a screenshot.

Holafly 9/10

Tap Install in the app, no QR code, and the eSIM connected to 5G straight away.

Verdict: a tie. Both eSIMs installed in minutes and worked right away. The differences are in when the plan starts and what happens if you delete the eSIM.

Airalo installation and when the plan starts

We scanned the QR code from a screenshot, the profile installed and data flowed at once. Airalo also has a direct install from the app and manual entry. Most packages start when the eSIM first connects at the destination, but some start on installation, wherever you are [10]. The package page says which, so read that line before you scan at home.

• Unused eSIMs can expire: partners may recycle an eSIM not used or topped up within a set period, often 90 days from purchase.
• Excluded phones: iPhones from mainland China and most from Hong Kong and Macao, some Samsung models, and any carrier-locked, rooted or jailbroken phone [7].

Holafly installation and when the plan starts

We tapped Install in the app, the Android eSIM wizard opened and the eSIM connected on 5G with no extra setup. Holafly also has a QR code, which works only once, and manual entry [17]. The plan starts on the first connection to a partner network at the destination, with data roaming on [17].

• Do not delete it: a deleted Holafly eSIM cannot be reinstalled [17], and deleting it also ends the free Always On backup data [11].
• Travel only: the terms exclude use in your home country, the whole EU for EU residents [11].

For the phone side of either install, see our guides to adding an eSIM on an iPhone and adding one on a Samsung. If data does not start, our eSIM troubleshooting guide lists the usual fixes.

Airalo

Holafly

Airalo vs Holafly customer support

Customer support

Vefru rating

Airalo 7/10

A bot pushes installation fixes first. A human follows after a queue, handling several chats at once.

Holafly 6/10

Chatbot questions first, then a quick handover to a helpful human. No Czech or Polish in the chat.

Verdict: close, with Airalo one point ahead in our scoring. Holafly reached a human faster in our test, while Airalo made us push past its bot. Both run a 24/7 chat, WhatsApp and email, and neither has a phone line.

Airalo support in our test

1. A bot answers first. It ran through installation fixes and kept doing so after we said the eSIM was already installed.
2. You have to reject its answers. Only after we said the replies did not help were we placed in a queue for a person.
3. The agent is multitasking. The person who picked up seemed to handle many customers at once, so each reply took a while.

Contact routes: live chat on the website and in the app, WhatsApp on +1 984 224 7256, and support@airalo.com [1]. The US toll-free number in the privacy policy is for accessibility requests only [4].

Holafly support in our test

1. Avatars first. The chat opens with photos of three staff, two of them the same person.
2. Language choice. You pick the language of the chat, but Czech and Polish are not on the list.
3. Quick handover. After a few simple bot questions, a real agent took over and gave useful answers.

Contact routes: live chat in the app and on the website, WhatsApp on +1 661 384 8482, and help@holafly.com [11]. Neither provider reaches the 10 out of 10 that eSIM4Travel and Saily earned; see our ranking of eSIM customer support.

Airalo

Holafly

Airalo vs Holafly speed test

Speed test

Vefru rating

Airalo 7/10

No artificial cap: 40 to 150 Mbps down and about 40 Mbps up. Unlimited plans slow after a daily allowance.

Holafly 4/10

About 30 to 40 Mbps down and up on a 5G network that normally gives far more. Usable, but it looks throttled.

Verdict: Airalo wins clearly. Its fixed plan ran at up to 150 Mbps. Holafly's unlimited plan stayed at 30 to 40 Mbps from the first test, on a network where a local SIM reaches around 700 Mbps.

Airalo speed and the 3 GB unlimited allowance

Airalo's fixed plan showed no throttle: 40 to 150 Mbps down and a steady 40 Mbps up. The IELO network cut us off at 1.4 GB on a plan sold as 1 GB, so we got 40% extra. Once the data ran out, the app stopped working too.

Airalo's unlimited plans are different. The fair use policy gives 3 GB a day at full speed, counted from activation, then 1 Mbps until the next reset [3]. The marketing page says the first 3 GB run at 20 Mbps [5]. Hotspot has no device limit on unlimited plans [3], but shared data counts toward the 3 GB [5].

Holafly speed and its fair-use rule

Holafly ran at about 30 Mbps both ways from the first test. After about 6 GB in one day it still held 30 to 40 Mbps, so we saw no further slowdown. That is enough for maps, streaming and video calls, but it is a fraction of what the 5G network gave a local SIM.

Holafly's terms let the network slow "excessive" use, with no threshold in GB and no reduced speed published [11]. Its FAQ says any reduction lasts no more than one day [15]. Hotspot is capped at 1 GB a day on trip eSIMs [18]. If you need more for a laptop, a portable Wi-Fi hotspot may suit you better, and our 4G vs 5G explainer shows what each speed is enough for.

Airalo

Holafly

Airalo vs Holafly prices

Prices

Vefru rating

Airalo 4/10

Market-median pricing, rarely the cheapest. Our 1 GB test plan cost more than four times the eSIM4Travel price.

Holafly 4/10

One simple price grid, but about 9% dearer than other unlimited eSIMs and the most expensive in half of our comparisons.

Verdict: a tie on our price score, but Airalo is the cheaper of the two for unlimited data. Airalo's unlimited plans sit at the market median, while Holafly's sit about 9% above it. Airalo also sells fixed-data plans, which suit most trips better than unlimited.

Airalo vs Holafly unlimited prices

This is the only like-for-like price comparison, because Holafly sells nothing else. The table shows each provider's own pages on 7 Oct 2026, in US dollars [5] [18] [19]. Holafly's US page uses the same grid as most of its countries.

Airalo is cheaper at every length, by 3% to 9% in the US and by 1% to 5% on the global eSIM. Across all countries the medians are close: Airalo $12.50 for 3 days, $27.50 for 7, $49.00 for 15 and $72.00 for 30; Holafly $11.90, $27.50, $50.50 and $73.90. The difference is what you get: Airalo gives 3 GB a day at full speed and publishes the rule, while Holafly publishes no threshold but capped our speed at 30 to 40 Mbps.

Both global unlimited plans are dear. Maya Mobile sells 30 days of global unlimited data for $49.99, a third of either price; see our Maya Mobile review.

Airalo fixed-data prices: what Holafly does not sell

For most trips, a fixed plan costs less than unlimited. Airalo's medians across single-country plans, as of 2 Oct 2026:

Holafly's 30-day price of $73.90 is about 1.6 times Airalo's 50 GB plan. Unless you use more than about 50 GB a month, a fixed Airalo plan is cheaper. Neither is the cheapest option overall: eSIM4Travel and Global YO cost about a third less than the typical provider for the same trip, as our cheapest eSIM comparison shows. To size your plan, use our travel data calculator.

Top-ups, loyalty and free data

• Airalo: 5% to 10% back in Airmoney credit depending on your loyalty tier [9], and $3.00 off for you and a friend on referrals. Top-ups and auto-renewal are in the app.
• Holafly: no top-ups; to extend, you buy a new eSIM [16]. Every trip eSIM bought from 25 Feb 2026 includes 1 GB of free Always On data per 30 days after the plan ends, as long as the eSIM stays installed [11].
• Holafly Plans: a subscription eSIM at €59.95 a month for unlimited data or €45.95 for 25 GB [20]. It renews every 30 days or every year, and if you cancel, nothing comes back for unused time [12].

Where Airalo sits on 10 GB, 30-day plans

All providers ranked by median price per GB for 10 GB, 30-day plans, the same basket as in every Vefru provider review. Holafly does not appear because it sells no fixed-data plans.

Airalo and Holafly against the market

The box below sums up both providers' price position against the market: how often each had the cheapest or dearest plan and where each is a good deal. Holafly sells only unlimited plans, so it has no rank among fixed-data providers.

Airalo vs Holafly: prices

Airalo is the cheaper of the two: its unlimited plans sit at the market median, Holafly's about 9% above it, and only Airalo sells fixed-data plans. Holafly has no fixed-data rank, because unlimited plans are all it sells.

Cheapest plan in Airalo3% Holafly1%

Most expensive plan in Airalo8% Holafly49%

Share of comparisons where each provider had the cheapest, or the most expensive, plan. Airalo: fixed-data comparisons (same country, data amount and trip length). Holafly: 168 unlimited comparisons (same country and trip length).

Who is cheaper for what

Airalo Holafly

By plan type

Fixed data average none sold

Unlimited average pricier

By region

Europe pricier pricier

Asia average pricier

Africa average pricier

Oceania average pricier

North America pricier average

South America pricier average

Region pills compare Airalo's fixed-data plans and Holafly's unlimited plans with the market for the same kind of plan. Holafly's South America and Oceania rest on one country each (Peru and Australia).

Based on all 3,188 Airalo plans and all 173 Holafly plans, each compared with 13 other providers for the same country, data amount and trip length. How we compare prices (prices as of 2 Oct 2026).

Go to Airalo Go to Holafly Compare both providers

What customers say about Airalo and Holafly

Customer feedback

Vefru rating

Airalo 8.2/10

Strong app store ratings and praise for easy setup. A lower Trustpilot score, with complaints about eSIMs that never connect.

Holafly 9.4/10

4.7 on Trustpilot from over 113,000 reviews, among the best-rated providers we track. Slow data is the main complaint.

Verdict: Holafly wins. Both are among the most-reviewed eSIM providers, and Holafly is rated higher everywhere: 4.7 on Trustpilot against Airalo's 4.1. Customers praise easy setup at both; the complaints differ, with failed connections at Airalo and slow data at Holafly.

The complaints match our own findings. Airalo's reviewers describe eSIMs that never connect and an AI assistant that makes refunds hard, which fits its weak traveler reports. Holafly's reviewers describe slow data even with full signal bars, which fits our speed test. Our analysis of customer reviews across 11 providers puts both in context.

What customers say about Airalo and Holafly

Trustpilot reviews and app store ratings for both providers, read in October 2026.

Airalo Holafly

Trustpilot 4.1/545,721 reviews 4.7/5113,513 reviews

App Store 4.6/5100k ratings 4.8/514k ratings

Google Play 4.3/5180k ratings 4.7/577.8k ratings

Both have tens of thousands of reviews, so neither rating rests on a small sample.

What customers like and dislike

Airalo

Buying and installing the eSIM is quick and easy, even for first-time users

The connection often works as soon as the plane lands

Prices are much cheaper than roaming with a home carrier

Some eSIMs never connect, or stop working partway through a trip

Support leans on an AI chatbot, and refunds can be hard to get

Holafly

Buying and installing the eSIM is quick, even for people who are not confident with technology

Support replies within minutes and walks customers through fixes

The connection stays reliable for the whole trip in most countries

Data can be slow or unstable in some places, even with full signal bars

Support often starts with an AI bot repeating the same steps, and refunds can be partial or slow

One typical review each

AiraloPrice

We have used Airalo esims all over Asia and Central America. They have worked perfectly for us in every case, activating automatically when we step off a plane and never leaving us without service. They are also very easy to top up if you post too many photos of your food. Buy this at home and have it ready to go.

HolaflyActivation

Recently used Holafly for my Italy trip. Purchased and installed at airport gate just before flight. Activated upon arrival and it worked perfectly throughout trip to Venice, Florence, Rome. Good price compared to international plan through my regular provider.

Where customers report good experiences

Airalo

• Japan
• Thailand
• Australia
• Singapore

Holafly

• United States
• China
• United Kingdom
• Italy

Go to Airalo Go to Holafly Compare all eSIMs

Airalo vs Holafly coverage: where each eSIM works

Coverage

Vefru rating

Airalo 7/10

Plans for 200+ destinations, but the lowest share of working connections of the 14 providers we track.

Holafly 9/10

First of 14 providers in our traveler reports: 92% of country-level reports say it worked.

Verdict: Holafly wins by the widest margin of any category. Travelers report Holafly working in 2,220 of 2,406 country-level reports (92.3%), the best of the 14 providers we track. Airalo worked in 1,345 of 1,873 (71.8%), the lowest.

"Worked in" is a separate metric from our test score: travelers tell us whether an eSIM worked in a country, yes or no. The market average is about 85%. Adjusted for where its users travel, Holafly had 49% fewer failures than the other providers in the same countries.

Where Airalo works and where it does not

Airalo sells plans for 200+ destinations; its local list had 205 entries on 7 Oct 2026, nine of them sub-regions. It does not run networks: it picks a partner per country and resells the data [1].

• Reliable: Singapore 33 of 35 (94%), Japan 92 of 99 (93%), the Netherlands 23 of 25 (92%), Australia 20 of 22 (91%), Vietnam and New Zealand 19 of 21 each (90%).
• Weak: Spain 36 of 64 (56%), Italy 41 of 74 (55%), Switzerland 17 of 35 (49%), Mexico 19 of 42 (45%). In London it worked for only 7 of 34 travelers (21%), the worst spot in our data.

Where Holafly works and where it does not

Holafly's own country counts vary from page to page; its product sitemap had 189 country and territory pages [19]. In the US it runs on AT&T and T-Mobile [18].

• Strongest: Western Europe, 378 of 393 reports (96%), plus Türkiye and Vietnam. It beats 10 of 13 rivals in the same countries by margins too large to be chance.
• Weakest: New Zealand, 14 of 18 (78%) against a market rate of 89%, and Romania, 5 of 7.
• Cities: 351 of 417 city-level reports (84%), still above the 76% city average of the other providers.

For Southern Europe and Switzerland the gap is large enough to decide the choice on its own. Our guides to the best eSIM for Italy, for Spain and for Switzerland name the providers travelers report working there. The two boxes below show the full country lists, Airalo first.

Airalo vs Holafly terms and conditions

Verdict: Holafly's terms are friendlier. It gives six months to ask for a refund on an unused eSIM, a higher liability cap and the right to sue in your own country. Airalo's terms are clearer about unlimited data, but send disputes to English courts.

Airalo's contract is with AirGSM Pte Ltd in Singapore, under general terms of September 2025 and terms of use of July 2026 [1] [2]. Holafly's is with Holafly Limited in Dublin, under Irish law [11]. The box below sets the clauses that matter side by side.

What's in the Airalo and Holafly terms

Both sets of terms lean toward the provider. Holafly's are friendlier on refunds, liability and account closures; Airalo's publish a clear limit for unlimited data.

Airalo Holafly

Refunds After activation, refunds only for Airalo's errorsThe 14-day withdrawal right ends at activation; after that you must ask within 30 days and Airalo gets 10 days to fix the fault. Six months to ask for a refundAn unused eSIM bought from Holafly can be refunded for up to 6 months, paid back in 3 to 5 business days.

Liability Capped at $100.00, whatever you paidExcept where the law forbids it, Airalo and its affiliates owe you at most $100.00 in total. Capped at what you paid, or €100Liability is limited to what you paid in the previous 12 months or €100, whichever is greater.

Disputes English courts and no class actionsWherever you live, the laws of England and Wales apply, those courts decide, and you waive class actions. Irish law, but you can sue at homeIrish courts have non-exclusive jurisdiction, and consumers keep the right to claim in their own country.

Unlimited data 3 GB a day, then 1 MbpsAfter 3 GB in a 24-hour period, speed drops to 1 Mbps until the daily reset; some packages state another threshold. Can be slowed, with no limit written downThe network may restrict speed or data for excessive use; no GB threshold and no reduced speed are given.

Account closure Suspension at Airalo's sole discretionAiralo can suspend or end your account at any time, with notice, for example over a suspected breach. Closures need a reason and a warningHolafly can restrict an account only for valid reasons like fraud, with prior notice and a way to contest it.

Prices and payment Prices include VAT and similar taxesAny extra fee or surcharge must be shown before you complete payment. Your card can be saved for next timeThe terms allow it only with your explicit consent; in our test the card was saved without a clear opt-in.

Red flag Watch out Fair

Sources: Airalo: General terms, Terms of use and refund policy, Unlimited data fair use policy, Privacy policy. Holafly: Trip Service terms and conditions, Holafly Plans terms and conditions, Privacy policy (updated 22 Jul 2026), Refund policy. Read on 7 Oct 2026. Our reading, not legal advice.

Airalo vs Holafly refunds in practice

• Airalo: use the Request Refund button or contact support [2]. "Wrong purchase" and "Plans changed" refunds come only as Airmoney credit; installation and connection faults can go to your card, which takes up to 30 business days under the terms [2].
• Holafly: email help@holafly.com. Connection problems get a full or partial refund when the fault is Holafly's or the network's, but report them during the trip; partial refunds carry a USD 3.50 fee [14]. Always On data is not refundable [11].
• Your data: Airalo stores data in data centers worldwide with no retention periods given [4]. Holafly logs device identifiers, usage and support calls and keeps payment records for 7 years [13].

Airalo vs Holafly: which eSIM to pick

Verdict: Airalo wins this Airalo vs Holafly comparison, 7.4 against 6.9. It is easier to buy, faster in our test, a little cheaper for unlimited data and the only one of the two with fixed plans, top-ups and calls.

Holafly's case rests on one big strength: it works. Travelers report it working in 92% of cases, the best result we track, against 71.8% for Airalo, the worst. For a trip to Southern Europe, Switzerland or London, that gap matters more than any test score. Neither is the best value overall; eSIM4Travel, the top provider in our tests, costs far less than both, as our Airalo vs eSIM4Travel comparison shows.

Airalo or Holafly: which one should you pick?

Based on our tests, Airalo is the better all-round eSIM: easier to buy, faster and cheaper. Holafly is the better pick when reliability matters most.

Our pick

7.4/10

Pick Airalo if you

• Need a fixed amount of data, from 1 GB to 50 GB.
• Want to top up the same eSIM instead of buying a new one.
• Want calls and texts, or a global eSIM with a US number.
• Are heading to Japan, Singapore, Australia or New Zealand, where 90% or more of travelers report it working.

Travelers who want plan choice and fast data in Asia and Oceania.

Go to Airalo Read the full Airalo review

Our pick

6.9/10

Pick Holafly if you

• Want unlimited data and no counter to watch.
• Value a working connection more than top speed: 30 Mbps covers maps, streaming and video calls.
• Are going to the UK, Switzerland, Türkiye, Vietnam or Western Europe, where Holafly reports are strongest.
• Want a free 1 GB backup every 30 days after the plan ends.

Travelers who want one simple unlimited plan that works on arrival.

Go to Holafly Read the full Holafly review

Look at another provider if you

• Want the lowest price: eSIM4Travel, the highest-scoring provider in our tests, and Global YO cost about a third less than the typical provider.
• Want cheap global unlimited data: Maya Mobile charges $49.99 for 30 days, a third of either global plan.
• Want human support without a wait: eSIM4Travel and Saily scored 10 for support.

Compare every provider for your destination

Airalo and Holafly plans and prices

Verdict: the tables above are a snapshot; the finder below is live. Pick your destination, or several, to see every Airalo and Holafly plan side by side with current prices.

For a two-country trip, try Airalo and Holafly for Italy and Switzerland, two countries where their traveler reports differ most.