Holafly eSIM Honest Review: Everything You Need to Know

The invention of eSIMs makes life a lot easier as a traveler. They’re not a fool-proof cure-all for staying connected while you’re on the road, but they do the trick and the tech can only get better from here. I recently tried Holafly, and here’s what I can tell you about the customer service, pricing, pros and cons, and how it compares to Airalo and Saily.

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Holafly eSIM highlights

Is an Holafly eSIM worth it?

Yes! Holafly is worth it if you want unlimited data and reliable customer service. However, it’s not the cheapest option. I’ve been using their monthly subscription option for the past 6-ish months and it’s been flawless! But you can also use Holafly for shorter trips — even just a few days.

How does an Holafly eSIM work?

Basically, all eSIMs work by — and please remember I am not a tech girlie — accessing the local data network. This means you don’t need to swap out the little chip in the side of your phone to use an Holafly eSIM.

But how, you say? That’s a question for someone else. I already feel like Wi-Fi is witchcraft. All I know is that I need it.

But it’s such a luxury to arrive in a new country and be able to just tap a few buttons in your phone settings to get miraculous access to the internet.

Holafly is the best eSIM that I’ve tried in terms of functionality and customer service. More on that below.

Why I tried an eSIM in the first place

Connecting to the internet when you first touchdown somewhere new is both essential and inconvenient. Maybe you forgot to screenshot the directions or address of your Airbnb, or perhaps booking an Uber is going to save you way more money than catching a taxi.

(At Auckland airport, I was once quoted $90 for a taxi. I looked on Uber and the same trip was $40. I know the app has its issues… but 50 bucks more?!)

My arrival process always looked a little something like this:

- Screenshotting my accom’s location and/or check-in instructions.
- Connecting to airport wifi (which was not always reliable) to get directions or call an Uber.
- Using the wifi at my accom to map my way to the nearest phone store for a physical SIM card.
- Assessing the different data packages (usually while navigating a language barrier).
- Struggling to math as I get used to the local currency.
- Fumbling around with that little pointy metal thing to swap out my old SIM card.
- Accessing that sweet, sweet internet.

With an eSIM, the process is now streamlined to this:

- Installing an eSIM before getting to a new country.
- Quickly connecting to airport wifi to change some phone settings and activate it.
- Gaining access to data before I’ve even left the airport.

Is Holafly legit?

Absolutely. It’s so legit I use it myself! And if you can’t trust me, there are thousands of good Holafly reviews on Trustpilot. The company is headquartered in Dublin and the website has a cute little story about the couple who founded it. Basically, they couldn’t access internet easily on vacation, and set out to make the world a better place.

Holafly pricing

So my initial Holafly eSIM review is that they aren’t particularly cheap. But the convenience factor and ability to access unlimited data make it totally worth it. Holafly is also unique in that you can choose exactly how many days you need it, so you’re not paying for unused days.

And it still might be cheaper than a local phone plan, depending on where you travel. For example, at home in New Zealand, I pay about $25 USD for my monthly phone plan with 10 GBs. By comparison, a 30-day NZ eSIM with Holafly costs $75 USD — ahh! (Remember, it’s unlimited data, though.)

According to TMobile, the average phone bill in the US is $140/month. (Can someone who lives there tell me if that’s true?!) If so, the $75 eSIM on Holafly seems pretty cheap.

They recently launched Holafly Plans, which is a monthly subscription with global access and unlimited data for $65. I use it and I love it.

So check that out if you’re on an extended trip! And you can get an extra 10% off with my (kinda long) code: RUNAWAYTRAVELLER at check out.

Holafly customer service

Holafly’s customer service is really good in my experience. As with all things these days, I had to navigate through a few automated questions, but I was ultimately passed over to a real human in under a minute.

My issue was pretty mild — I’d just noticed that while the eSIM seemed to be on and working fine, the Holafly app was still prompting me to activate it. I couldn’t see how much data I’d used (even though it’s unlimited) or when it was expiring, so I wanted to get that fixed.

Really it was just a test so I could tell you all about the customer service experience. And they passed! They sorted me out quickly, the person I spoke to was friendly, and it was all very easy to understand.

Get 5% off Holafly eSIMs with unlimited data!

Would I use Holafly again?

Holafly is definitely the best eSIM I’ve tried, so it’s my new go-to for international trips. That said, when I’m in a situation where I can easily get a physical SIM, like the Canadian one I keep at my parents’ house, I’m going to do that instead so I can make calls.

That’s the only major difference between an eSIM and a regular one — the ability to make phone calls or texts. You’d think you don’t need it, but there are bound to be a couple occasions where you want to make a reservation over the phone or call a landline, and most eSIMs just doesn’t let you do that.

(However, ETravelSim and aloSIM offer texting and calling on most plans. And Jetpac just released a calling feature in 50 countries.)

Holafly vs Airalo vs Saily: Which eSIM is better?

I’ve tested all three eSIM providers, and the differences are clear: Holafly is best for unlimited data, Saily is budget-friendly, and Airalo isn’t worth it due to reliability issues and poor reviews.

Overall functionality

Airalo seemed good at first on a short trip but issues started to arise when I used it for a three-month trip to South Africa. It worked for the first month, then freaked out when I went to top-up 30 days. The support team and I never found a solution, and they wouldn’t refund me. (Though I did get credit after a lot of back and forth.)

My Saily eSIM didn’t work for about 8 hours when I first switched it on, but once it kicked in it was perfectly fine. The ad-blocker was a nice perk.

So far, my Holafly eSIMs have all worked perfectly. The set up was super easy with step-by-step guides and images. It’s maybe a liiiiittle bit confusing the first time you do it because there are a few settings to adjust, but I promise it becomes clear. The more you use an eSIM — any eSIM — the most you’ll understand what the settings are for.

Customer service

Holafly and Saily’s customer service were both way more human than Airalo’s. They all technically have human support, but I felt Holafly actually spoke to me like a human rather than sending me long lists of dizzying, poorly-formatted instructions. Holafly’s instructions were soooo much easier to read.

That said, I’ve never had any major issues to troubleshoot with Holafly, and I’ve never had to ask for a refund. So I can’t totally weigh in on what that process would look like.

They do advertise a 6-month refund period where you can get your money back if you don’t end up needing to use the SIM card, so that’s a good sign!

Holyfly vs. Airalo customer service instructions

Pricing

Saily and Airalo’s prices are about on par, while the major difference with Holafly is its unlimited data. Yes, it’s more expensive, but you get what you pay for. You’ll never have to worry about downloading, streaming, maps, etc. when it’s unlimited.

Here’s an example of how the pricing stacks up. (Prices are for an eSIM in New Zealand and accurate as of January 2026.)

- Saily: 30 days, 10 GB — $24
- Airalo: 30 days, 10 GB — $26
- Holafly: 30 days, unlimited GBs — $75

I have no idea how to effectively estimate how many gigs I’m going to use/need on a trip. I got a 3 GB Airalo eSIM thinking I’d start small and top-up as needed. But I somehow managed to run through those 3 gigs in two days.

To avoid that happening again, I paid for 20 GBs, and then only used 8 over three weeks. No idea how or why. Like I’m sure that’s totally on me. But I don’t want to worry about all that when I’m trying to enjoy my trip!

I also really hate being like, “Oh nooo, I can’t use Google Maps because it’ll drain my data.” So the fact that every Holafly option includes unlimited data I’m like, sign me tf up. You can also use Holafly’s data calculator to estimate your usage and see if an unlimited plan right for you.

Referral/points programs

Holafly has the Travel Club and offers you 500 coins (€5) for every person you refer and gives them a 5% discount. Holafly also has a cash back system where you’ll get “Hola Coins” when you buy an eSIM to use towards a future purchase.

Saily uses a simple 5-for-5. Refer a friend and they’ll get a $5 USD discount, and you’ll get $5 USD credit to use towards your next eSIM purchase.

Airalo will give you $3 USD of credit for every friend you refer, and gives them $3 off their first purchase, too. The credit is called “Airmoney” and you can put it towards your next purchase.

Holafly pros and cons

While the pros certainly outweigh the cons, here are some things to consider before you give Holafly a whirl. But look, it’s honestly pretty low risk, so I say go for it!

Pros

You can activate it as soon as you arrive in a new country. Convenient af.

Every plan comes with unlimited data. You just pay for the number of days you need it rather than trying to predict how much data you’ll use.

It’s easier to dodge scams. If you have an eSIM pre-organized, you won’t be desperate to buy the first real SIM you see. They’re often sold for more than they’re worth if you get one at the airport.

You don’t even need to remove your home SIM card. Holafly works once you adjust the settings to use the eSIM as the default. No messing around with the little pokey tool or a chip.

You get 5% off any eSIM in any destination if you use my code! And who doesn’t love a good discount?

Cons

Holafly only provides data, not a local phone number. This can be important if you need to set up 2FA with a phone number, or want to call a landline for any reason. If you need a number, look into aloSIM. It works with Hushed to offer free calling and texting.

Cell service isn’t quite as strong as with a local SIM. I found the cell reception pretty good overall, but when we were driving through a rural area of New Zealand, my partner had access to data in a few patches where I didn’t. Otherwise I had strong 5G pretty much the whole time.

Comparing The Best eSIM Options for International Travel