Airalo vs Holafly 2026: which travel eSIM is better?

Data by the gigabyte or by the day

Airalo sells packages with a set amount of data that last from 3 to 45 days. Bigger packages bring the price per GB down, and the table above shows both providers' live prices in every country they both cover.

Holafly prices its trip plans by the number of days, and almost every plan has unlimited data. You pay for the length of your trip, not for a data size, so it gives better value the more data you use.

Unlimited data and its limits

Both sell unlimited data, but neither keeps full speed without limit. Airalo's own guide says its unlimited plans include 3 GB of high-speed data per day before the speed drops.

Holafly's unlimited data falls under each local operator's fair use policy. It says any slowdown after heavy use lasts no more than one day.

Hotspot and sharing

Airalo allows hotspot wherever your phone and the network support it, according to its help centre, so you can share data with a laptop or a travel companion.

Holafly caps hotspot at 1 GB a day. That covers a quick task on a laptop, but not a full day of work.

Phone numbers, top-ups and reuse

Both are mostly data only. Airalo's Discover+ global eSIM is the exception: it comes with a US phone number for calls and texts. Holafly's trip plans have no phone number, so calls go through apps such as WhatsApp.

Airalo eSIMs marked as rechargeable can be topped up in its app. Since September 2026, Holafly eSIMs are reusable: new days or destinations attach to the eSIM already on your phone when you buy with the same email address.

Refunds and support

Holafly refunds an eSIM that has not been activated if you ask within 6 months of buying. Airalo refunds eligible orders to your card when the eSIM doesn't work, but if you change your plans or bought the wrong eSIM, you get Airmoney credit instead.

Both offer support around the clock: Airalo by live chat, Holafly by chat, WhatsApp and email.

Who runs them

Airalo is run by AirGSM Pte Ltd in Singapore and has sold eSIMs since 2019. Holafly is run by Holafly Limited in Ireland, with terms under Irish consumer law.