Airalo vs. Holafly: The Definitive Review 2025

The two biggest names in travel eSIMs go head-to-head. Is cheap data better than unlimited data?

At a Glance: The Core Difference

Before we dive deep, here is the main distinction:

• Airalo sells fixed data packages (e.g., 1GB, 3GB, 10GB). It is cheaper but you can run out of data.
• Holafly sells unlimited data packages based on days (e.g., 5 days, 10 days). It is more expensive but offers peace of mind.

Feature	Airalo	Holafly	Winner
Data Plans	Fixed (1GB - 20GB)	Unlimited	Depends on usage
Price	Starts at $4.50	Starts at $19.00	Airalo (Budget)
Coverage	200+ Countries	160+ Countries	Airalo
Hotspot / Tethering	Allowed ✅	Often Blocked / Limited ❌	Airalo
Speed	4G/5G (varies)	4G/5G (varies)	Tie
Customer Support	Email / In-app (Slow)	24/7 WhatsApp (Fast)	Holafly

Deep Dive: Airalo

Airalo is the pioneer of the eSIM store. Their app is polished, easy to use, and they have the widest range of countries.

Pros

• Cost-Effective: If you only need a little bit of data for Maps and WhatsApp, you can pay as little as $4.50.
• Tethering: You can share your data with your laptop or iPad. This is huge for digital nomads.
• Transparency: You know exactly what network you are connecting to before you buy.

Cons

• Data Anxiety: You have to watch your usage. If you scroll TikTok for an hour, you might burn through your 1GB plan.
• Top-ups: While easy, having to top up mid-trip can be annoying.

Deep Dive: Holafly

Holafly focuses on premium, unlimited service. They want you to forget about counting megabytes.

Pros

• Unlimited Data: Use Maps, Instagram, YouTube, and Spotify as much as you want. No limits.
• Customer Service: Their support team is very responsive on WhatsApp, which is great if you run into technical issues.
• Custom Days: You can choose the exact number of days you need (e.g., 13 days) so you don't overpay.

Cons

• No Hotspot: This is the dealbreaker for many. Most Holafly unlimited plans do not allow you to share internet with other devices.
• Price: It is significantly more expensive upfront.
• Fair Use Policy: "Unlimited" often comes with a hidden cap (e.g., if you use 90GB in a day, they might slow you down).

The Final Verdict