Updated September 28, 2026 · NomadCue Editorial Team
Airalo vs Holafly
Airalo
Higher score in this comparison
Holafly
What sets them apart
| Compare | AiraloReviewVisitVisit | HolaflyReviewVisitVisit |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | €4Lower | €45.95 |
| Countries covered | from 200 | 200 |
| Reference plan prices | US 4.00 EUR; UK 4.00 EUR; Germany 4.00 EUR; Italy 4.00 EUR; Spain 4.00 EUR; Japan 4.00 EUR; Turkey 4.00 EUR; Egypt 5.00 EUR; Armenia 4.50 EUR | USA unlimited: 3 days USD 11.90, 5 days USD 20.50, 7 days USD 27.50, 10 days USD 36.50, 15 days USD 50.50, 30 days USD 73.90; Europe unlimited: same table; Japan unlimited: same table; global monthly Unlimited EUR 59.95/month; global monthly Light 25 GB EUR 45.95/month |
| Fair use policy | Unlimited plans have no fixed data cap; after more than 3GB per day, speed is throttled to 1 Mbps for the rest of that day and the daily allowance resets every 24 hours from activation; personal, non-commercial use only, no reselling or machine-to-machine use | Network operators apply an international Fair Usage Policy that can temporarily reduce speed for no more than one (1) day |
| Top-ups | YesHas it | No |
| Seller type | Marketplace | Mvno |
| Price per GB from | Not confirmed | €1.84 |
| 5G | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Networks | Not confirmed | AT&T, T Mobile |
Same on both: Unlimited data (Yes), Hotspot sharing (Yes).
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Key differences
- Airalo scores higher overall: 9.1 vs 8.6.
- Price from is lower at Airalo: €4 vs €45.95.
- Top-ups: only Airalo.
- Founded is lower at Holafly: 2017 vs 2019.
- Region: only Airalo offers Local, Regional.
- Features: only Holafly offers 5G.
Our verdict on each
Airalo
Airalo suits short trips and longer stays that want one shop for local, regional and global eSIMs, with unlimited plans, hotspot sharing and instant activation in the range. Coverage reaches from 200 countries, and entry plans start at €4 for a single destination or a whole region.
Holafly
Holafly suits travelers who would rather pay once and stop counting gigabytes: unlimited data across 200 countries, plans from €45.95, and hotspot sharing as standard. The trade-off sits in setup, with top-ups not offered and a Fair Usage Policy that can slow speeds for a stretch.
Score breakdown
| Area | Airalo | Holafly |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.3HigherEntry plans start at €4, under a site median of €5, with local, regional and global options across a broad destination list. | 8.4 |
| Offer | 9.3Higher | 9.1Runs as an MVNO on AT&T and T Mobile in the US, with the offer scoring 9.1 overall. |
| Trust | 8.2 | 8.2 |
How the counts compare
| Fact | Airalo | Holafly |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | €4 | €45.95 |
| Countries covered | from 200 | 200 |
What we checked
Airalo
- airalo.com: 16 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Holafly
- holafly.com: 18 facts, checked September 26, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | Airalo | Holafly |
|---|---|---|
| Travel SIMs and eSIMs | 59 of 926 | 90 of 926 |
| Travel eSIMs | 60 of 918 | 91 of 918 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Airalo | Holafly |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Local, Regional, GlobalCovers more | Global |
| Features | Unlimited data, Hotspot, Instant activation | Unlimited data, 5G, Hotspot, Instant activationCovers more |
| Pricing model | Marketplace | Not confirmed |
| Audience | Short trip, Long trip | Short trip, Long trip |
| Legal entity | AirGSM Pte Ltd | Holafly Limited |
| Headquarters | Singapore | Ireland |
| Founded | 2019 | 2017Lower |
| Support channels | Email, Chat, Help centre | Email, Chat, Help centre |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Airalo | Holafly | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price from | €4below the median | €45.95highest quarter | €4.99 |
| Price per GB from | Not confirmed | €1.84above the median | €1.44 |
| Countries covered | from 200highest quarter | 200highest quarter | 120 |
Median across 492 listed travel providers.
Pros and cons
Airalo
Pros
- Coverage of from 200 countries, with local, regional and global plans for multi-country trips
- Unlimited data plans, hotspot sharing and instant activation are all listed in unlimited data, hotspot and instant activation
- Top-ups are available, so data can be added mid-trip without buying a new eSIM
Cons
- Support runs on email, chat and help centre only, so there is no phone line to call
- Airalo sells as a marketplace, so the network behind a plan and its terms depend on which seller you pick
- Unlimited plans follow a fair use policy for personal, non-commercial use only, with speed slowed after heavy daily use
Holafly
Pros
- Unlimited data across 200 countries on a global plan, subject to an international Fair Usage Policy.
- Prices run from €45.95, with a starting rate of €1.84 per GB.
- Hotspot sharing is included, so a laptop or a second phone can share the same plan.
Cons
- Top-ups are not among its feature set (unlimited data, 5g and hotspot), so extra data needs a new plan rather than an extension mid-trip.
- Unlimited data still sits under an international Fair Usage Policy, where network operators can temporarily reduce speed.
- Support runs on email, chat and help centre only.
Who each suits
Airalo
Who it suits
- Travellers on a short trip buying a plan for a single destination
- Longer itineraries that need a regional or global plan across several countries
- People who want hotspot sharing and top-ups handled from one account
Who should look elsewhere
- eSIMGo.is, which starts at $0.99 and competes on entry price alone rather than on destination range
- SimToIsrael, priced at $25, for a plan aimed at a single market rather than from 200 destinations
- Zwitchy, which also covers 200 countries, if you want a second marketplace with the same reach to compare against
Holafly
Who it suits
- Travellers on a long or multi-country trip who would rather not track data use.
- People sharing a connection with a laptop or a second phone on the move.
- Anyone buying connectivity for the whole trip in advance and wanting instant activation.
Who should look elsewhere
- Travellers on a tight budget buying a single country: eSIMGo.is starts at $0.99.
- Anyone whose trip is only in Israel: SimToIsrael plans run from $25.
- Travellers who want to add data part-way through a trip, since top-ups are not offered here.
Questions about each
Airalo
How much do Airalo eSIMs cost?+
Entry plans start at €4, under a site median of €5. Reference prices for the US, the UK, Germany, Italy, Spain, Japan and Turkey sit close to that figure, while Egypt and Armenia cost a little more.
Does Airalo sell unlimited data plans, and are they really unlimited?+
Unlimited data plans are part of the range, listed alongside hotspot sharing and instant activation. They run on a fair use policy for personal, non-commercial use only: there is no fixed data cap, but speed slows once heavy daily use is passed, and the allowance resets each day from activation.
Holafly
How much does a Holafly eSIM cost?+
Plans start at €45.95 and the published rate per GB is €1.84. Reference prices are listed for USA, Europe and Japan unlimited plans, plus global monthly Unlimited and Light options, all under the same international Fair Usage Policy, so the full cost of a trip can be set before departure.
How many countries does Holafly cover?+
Coverage spans 200 countries on a global plan set, which suits both regional and worldwide trips. In the US the eSIM runs on AT&T and T Mobile, and 5G is available in Japan where the local network offers it.