Holafly vs. Airalo: Which eSIM Should You Choose?
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When getting ready for a trip abroad, there’s always a big list of tasks to complete before you can finally settle into travel mode. For most of us, one of these tasks is choosing the best way to use our connected devices while away.
Thankfully technological advancements like eSIMs have given us quick and convenient ways to check this off our list.
With multiple companies selling eSIMs online, and with each of them offering an array of different plans, it can be a bit overwhelming to try and find the best deal.
To help with this, in this article, we compare two of the top eSIM vendors – Holafly vs. Airalo – to help you sort out which is best for you.
What is an eSIM?
If you’re reading this article, you may already have a good understand of eSIMs, but just in case you’re wondering exactly “what is an eSIM?,” let’s quickly go over it.
eSIMs are digital SIM cards that use preinstalled software on your compatible device to let you easily access data around the world without needing to switch out your physical SIM card.
Thanks to its digital nature, an eSIM can be purchased and installed before you leave on your trip. Then, once you’ve arrived at your destination, you can simply activate your plan and enjoy immediate connectivity.
Why Choose an eSIM?
Before heading out on your next adventure abroad, you’ll want to make sure you have reliable access to the internet no matter where you are.
When choosing how you want to stay connected, there’s several advantages to choosing an eSIM over a physical SIM card for a local network or using a roaming package from your home provider.
Reasons to choose an eSIM include:
- Available in most destinations around the world
- No tiny physical SIM card to misplace
- Immediate connectivity when you arrive at your destination
- No roaming charges
- Ability to save money compared to most cell phone providers’ travel plans
- Flexible data plans to fit individual needs
- Easy to install, activate, and access
- Available on most eSIM compatible smartphones, tablets, and smartwatches
Holafly vs. Airalo
To best compare the data plans offered for Holafly and Airalo eSIMs, you’ll want to assess your needs in terms of how many days you’ll need the plan, how much data you think you’ll use, and what price you’re comfortable paying.
To evaluate Holafly’s eSIM vs. Airalo’s eSIM and to see how they stack up next to each other, lets compare these key factors and more.
Holafly vs. Airalo – Available Plans
The first this we’ll look at in the Holafly vs. Airalo match-up is the type and breadth of data plans that they have available.
To make this comparison easy to understand, we’ve set it up in the table below:
| Holafly | Airalo | |
|---|---|---|
| Countries/Regions Served | 200+ | 200+ |
| Global eSIM Available | Yes; works in 110+ countries | Yes; works in 137 countries |
| Plan Length | Choose exact number of days you want for your plan, from 1 to 90 days | Common plan length = 7, 15, and 30 days (though some regions offer plans up to 365 days) |
| Data Quantity | Always unlimited data | Ranges from 1 GB to unlimited (depends on country/region) |
Additionally, Airalo offers plans that include texting and calling in eligible countries and regions, giving you the added advantage of having a local number.
Depending on how you travel, this can be very helpful for getting in touch with tour companies, hotels, and other organizations that might not use Whatsapp or similar data-based communication services.
It’s also worth noting that Holafly and Airalo may have agreements with different telecommunications networks depending on which country you’re in.
For example, in Mexico, Airalo eSIMs use the Movistar network, while Holafly switches between Telcel and Movistar based on signal strength. Having access to both networks can be particularly helpful if you’re moving around the country, as different regions will be better connected to Telcel than Movistar and vice versa.
You can find information about which network you’ll be accessing with your eSIM by looking under « Technical Specs » on Holafly’s eSIM listings and « Additional Information » on Airalo’s listings.
Holafly vs. Airalo – Cost
The next factor to consider when comparing Airalo vs. Holafly is the cost of their eSIM data plans and how these compare across different trip lengths.
Mexico (country-specific eSIM)
| Trip Length | Holafly | Airalo |
|---|---|---|
| 7 days | Unlimited data for $40 | 1 GB for $6.50 |
| 15 days | Unlimited data for $70 | 2 GB for $11.50 |
| 30 days | Unlimited data for $103 | 3–20 GB for $15.00–55.00 |
Europe (regional eSIM)
| Trip Length | Holafly | Airalo |
|---|---|---|
| 7 days | Unlimited data for $34.30 | 1 GB for $7.50 |
| 15 days | Unlimited data for $70.00 | 1 GB for $13.50 |
| 30 days | Unlimited data for $103.00 | 3–20 GB for $18.50–69.00 |
Global eSIM
| Trip Length | Holafly | Airalo |
|---|---|---|
| 7 days | Unlimited data for $62.00 | 1 GB for $13.00 |
| 15 days | Unlimited data for $134.00 | 2 GB for $24.00 |
| 30 days | Unlimited data for $224.00 | 3 GB for $34.00 |
As you can see from the above tables, it can be a bit tricky to compare Holafly vs. Airalo in terms of cost because they don’t organize their plans in the same way.
Holafly’s data plans have the excellent advantage of offering unlimited data across the board, so you’ll never have to worry about running out of data and losing connectivity in a critical moment. However, for this advantage, you do pay a bit more up front.
Comparatively, Airalo’s plans start at a lower price-point but only come with a small amount of data and the ability to top-up your plan if you need more.
To show a more apples to apples comparison, let’s imagine that you’re travelling to Mexico for 7 days and based on your normal data usage, you think you’ll use 5 GB of data during your trip.
To get 5 GB of data over 7 days with Airalo, you could choose the 1 GB/7 day plan and top it up 4 times for a total of $32.50, or you could choose their 5 GB/30 day plan for $23.00. With both of these options, you will still run the risk of running out of data and needing to top up again for a fee.
Comparatively, with Holafly, you can purchase a $40 7-day eSIM plan and never worry about whether your data will run out. So in this case, for a small premium, you can set up your plan and then forget about it.
Holafly vs. Airalo – Installation and Support
Airalo and Holafly both offer simple download and installation processes that are basically identical.
With either vendor, once you’ve purchased your eSIM, you can either get started by scanning the QR code that’s provided and following the step-by-step instructions, or you can opt to install your new eSIM manually following similar prompts.
If you have any problems installing and activating your eSIM, or you have issues during your trip, both Holafly and Airalo have excellent customer service to help you resolve any problems you come across.
Holafly stands out in trusted consumer reviews. For example, if you consult Holafly on Trustpilot, you can see that there is an overwhelming amount of positive feedback scoring 4.5 out of 68k reviews. While Airalo also has decent reviews, they fall a little behind in consumer opinion scoring 4.0 out of 13k reviews.
Airalo has 24/7 customer support available via live chat which can be accessed from the Airalo website.
Holafly also has a 24/7 live chat feature available on the Holafly website. Additionally, you can also send an email or a message via Whatsapp if you’re in need of assistance.
Bottom Line
Both Holafly and Airalo offer an excellent range of eSIM data plans to suit any travel situation.
For those who prefer the ease of unlimited data, the flexibility to choose the exact number of days you want, and multiple ways to access customer support, Holafly is likely the best choice.
On the other hand, for travellers looking for smaller data packages and who don’t mind keeping track of their data usage, or for those who prioritize having the ability to enjoy local texts and calls, Airalo may be the better option.
Once you’ve got your eSIM plan settled, check out our other travel guides on using NordVPN to help you keep your data safe while you travel, using two-factor authentication while out of the country, and keeping up with your favourite TV shows while you’re away.
And if you’re looking for more information on the best eSIMs, or how to get a free eSIM with Visa or Mastercard, check out other eSIM guides just below.
FAQs
What is an eSIM?
An eSIM is a digital SIM card that uses the preinstalled software on your compatible device to let you enjoy data access just about anywhere in the world without needing to switch out your physical SIM card.
Since it’s entirely digital, an eSIM can be purchased and installed before you head out on your next adventure. Once you arrive in your destination, you can easily activate your plan and your connection to the local data network should be almost instantaneous.
Are eSIMs trustworthy?
Yes, eSIMs purchased from reputable vendors like Airalo, Holafly, and Saily are very trustworthy.
How do eSIMs work?
eSIMs are a digital version of a physical SIM card. Using your eSIM-compatible device’s preinstalled software, they provide you with reliable internet access in most countries around the world.
To use an eSIM, you need to:
- Purchase an eSIM
- Install it onto your device before you leave
- Activate it when you arrive at your destination to access the local data network
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