Prices checked on Airalo's and Holafly's own websites on 10 October 2026, in US dollars. Prices shown in euros or pounds differ.
The short answer: pick Airalo if you use a normal amount of data, want to top up, or need calls and texts in the US or Mexico, because a fixed amount of data usually costs less than unlimited. Pick Holafly if you want unlimited data at one simple price, never want to count gigabytes, and do not need to share much data with a laptop. On unlimited plans the two cost about the same, so the real choice is fixed data against unlimited.
Airalo vs Holafly at a glance
| Airalo | Holafly | |
|---|---|---|
| Plan types | Fixed data (1 GB to 100 GB), unlimited on many destinations, data with calls and texts on some | Unlimited data, sold by the number of days |
| 7 days in Japan | 5 GB for $11.00 (valid 30 days), unlimited 7 days $26.50 | Unlimited 7 days $27.50 |
| Unlimited speed limit | Stated per plan: 1 Mbps after 3 GB a day (Japan), after 5 GB a day (Europe, US) | No published daily figure; operators may slow speed for up to a day |
| Hotspot | Allowed where phone and network support it | 1 GB a day on trip plans |
| Top-ups | Yes, in the app | No, buy a new eSIM |
| Calls and texts | On some plans (US, Mexico, global Discover+) | Trip plans are data only |
| Europe plan | 41 countries, includes UK, Switzerland, Turkey | 33 countries, includes UK, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, not Turkey |
| Refunds | Withdrawal within 14 days before activation; change of plans refunded as app credit | Up to 6 months to ask; unused eSIMs refunded in full |
Our full write-ups go deeper: Airalo eSIM review and Holafly eSIM review.
How each one charges
Airalo prices by the gigabyte. You choose an amount of data and a validity: in Japan, 1 GB for 7 days is $4.00, 5 GB for 30 days is $11.00 and 20 GB for 30 days is $25.00. When it runs out you top up in the app. Airalo also sells unlimited plans of 3 to 30 days on many destinations, and in the US and Mexico it sells plans that bundle minutes and texts with the data.
Holafly prices by the day. Every trip plan is unlimited data, and the price depends only on how many days you buy. In Japan and the US, 7 days is $27.50 and 15 days is $50.50; Mexico is a little cheaper at $24.50 and $44.90. You never choose a data amount, and you cannot top up: if you need more days, you buy another eSIM.
If you are unsure which shape suits you, our guide to fixed, daily or unlimited data explains how each one behaves. A typical traveler who navigates, messages and posts photos uses around 0.5 to 1.5 GB a day.
Real trip costs
All prices in US dollars from each company's site on 10 October 2026.
| Trip | Airalo fixed data | Airalo unlimited | Holafly unlimited |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan, 7 days | 5 GB (30 days) $11.00, 10 GB $18.00 | 7 days $26.50 | 7 days $27.50 |
| Europe, 10 days | 5 GB (30 days) $19.50, 10 GB $31.00 | 10 days $35.00 | 10 days $37.50 |
| USA, 7 days | 5 GB (30 days) $13.50, 10 GB $22.50 | 7 days $25.00 | 7 days $27.50 |
| Mexico, 15 days | 10 GB with 100 minutes and 100 texts, 15 days, $24.50 | 15 days $43.00 | 15 days $44.90 |
What the table shows:
- For light and normal use, Airalo's fixed plans cost far less. A week in Japan on 5 GB is $11.00 against $27.50 for Holafly's unlimited week, and the Airalo plan stays valid for 30 days.
- For unlimited, the two are close. Airalo's unlimited plans came in $1.00 to $2.50 cheaper than Holafly's on these four trips.
- Mexico is the exception for calls. Airalo's Mexico plans include minutes and texts with the data; Holafly's Mexico plan is data only.
Unlimited data: speed limits and hotspot
Neither company's unlimited plan means full speed for any amount of data, and the hotspot rules differ more than the prices.
Airalo states the limit on each plan. On its Japan unlimited plans the speed drops to 1 Mbps after 3 GB a day, according to the plan details on Airalo's site. On Europe and US unlimited plans our review found the drop comes after 5 GB a day. Full speed returns the next day. 1 Mbps is enough for maps and messaging, slow for video. Hotspot sharing is allowed where your phone and the network support it.
Holafly does not publish a daily threshold. Its terms say network operators may reduce speed under a fair-use policy for no more than one day, with speed coming back the following day. The firm limit is on sharing: on trip plans you can share 1 GB a day as a hotspot, so a 7-day plan includes up to 7 GB of shared data, as stated on Holafly's Japan page.
If you plan to run a laptop from your phone, the hotspot rule matters more than the word "unlimited".
Coverage
Both sell eSIMs for around 200 destinations. The difference shows on the regional plans:
- Airalo's Eurolink Europe plan covers 41 countries, including the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Turkey, plus Norway, Iceland and most of the Balkans.
- Holafly's Europe plan covers 33 countries, including the UK, Switzerland, Norway and Iceland. Turkey is sold as a separate destination.
In Japan, Airalo names its networks: SoftBank and KDDI, with 5G. Holafly uses 5G where the local network offers it, otherwise 4G.
For UK travelers, both Europe plans cover home, so the same eSIM works when you land back. For Australians heading to Japan or the US, the country plans above are the relevant ones.
Refunds, top-ups and support
- Airalo: you can withdraw within 14 days, but only until the eSIM is activated. If the service fails and Airalo cannot fix it, you get a replacement or a refund of the unused part. If your plans change, the refund is in Airmoney, Airalo's app credit, not back to your card. Top-ups are available in the app on the plans we checked. Support is by live chat, around the clock.
- Holafly: you have up to 6 months to ask for a refund. An unactivated eSIM bought on Holafly's site or app is refunded in full; otherwise refunds are partial, based on data used, minus a $3.50 fee. There are no top-ups. Support is 24/7 by WhatsApp, email and chat.
Both have well-rated apps for iOS and Android where you buy, install and manage the eSIM.
Which to choose, by traveler type
- Light user (maps, messages, a few photos): Airalo. A 5 GB plan covers a week for most people, at well under half the price of a week of unlimited data.
- Heavy user (streaming, video calls, lots of social media): either unlimited plan. Airalo's is slightly cheaper and tells you its daily threshold; Holafly's has no published threshold and a more generous refund window.
- Remote worker tethering a laptop: Airalo, or a large fixed plan. Holafly's 1 GB a day hotspot cap is tight for a working day on a laptop.
- Family sharing one phone's hotspot: Airalo. Sharing a fixed plan such as 20 GB works within its rules; on Holafly, 1 GB a day of sharing does not go far between several devices. Separate eSIMs for each phone is often the simplest answer with either company.
- Traveler who needs a number for calls and texts in the US or Mexico: Airalo, whose plans there bundle minutes and texts.
- Traveler who wants zero thinking: Holafly. One price per day count, no data to choose, no top-ups to manage.
A third option
eSIM Lounge, the site you are reading, sells daily-allowance and unlimited plans as well, so we are a competitor of both. On 10 October 2026 our 7-day unlimited plan for Japan was $17.99, and our 7-day unlimited plan for Europe was $19.99. Our unlimited plans run at full speed for the first 5 GB each day and slower after that, and our Europe plan covers 30 countries, including the UK and Switzerland but not Turkey or Norway.
FAQ
Is Airalo or Holafly cheaper?
For a normal amount of data, Airalo is cheaper: on 10 October 2026 a 5 GB Japan plan was $11.00 on Airalo against $27.50 for a 7-day unlimited plan on Holafly. On unlimited plans the two were within $1.00 to $2.50 of each other on the trips we checked, with Airalo slightly lower.
Is Holafly really unlimited?
Holafly's trip plans have no data cap, but network operators may slow speed for up to a day under a fair-use policy, and hotspot sharing is limited to 1 GB a day, as of 10 October 2026.
Does Airalo have unlimited plans?
Yes. Airalo sells unlimited plans of 3 to 30 days on many destinations. On its Japan unlimited plans speed drops to 1 Mbps after 3 GB a day, and on Europe and US unlimited plans after 5 GB a day, as checked in October 2026.
Can I top up Airalo or Holafly?
Airalo plans can be topped up in its app. Holafly does not offer top-ups; you buy a new eSIM if you need more days.
Which is better for using a hotspot?
Airalo, because it allows hotspot sharing on its plans where the phone and network support it, while Holafly limits sharing to 1 GB a day on trip plans.
Do Airalo or Holafly include a phone number?
Holafly's trip plans are data only. Airalo's standard plans are data only too, but its US and Mexico plans with minutes and texts, and its Discover+ global plans, include calls and texts.
Facts and prices checked on 10 October 2026.