Disclosure: Advertising – this post was paid for by Holafly and contains affiliate links. If you book something through these links I get a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can read more about my disclosure and affiliate policy here.
I am old enough to remember the times when I traveled without a smartphone and without internet on the go. How I did it, I don’t remember – and I kind of don’t want to. Especially as a woman usually traveling on my own, staying connected not only makes my trips easier but also safer.
While I used to get a local SIM card when arriving at my destination, I have recently come to appreciate the benefits of an eSIM. These days, there are (too) many suppliers; however, the Holafly eSIM has stood the test of time in this fast-paced world.
What eSIMs does Holafly offer and how can they help you stay connected and travel safer? Read all about it in this Holafly eSIM review.
What is an eSIM and why do I need one?
By now, most travelers have heard the term eSIM before. Simply put, an eSIM is a digital SIM card you load onto your smartphone while your regular SIM card stays put.
eSIMs are especially useful when traveling because you don’t have to think about expensive roaming charges or wifi. You also don’t have to switch SIM cards or worry about keeping your home SIM safe while traveling the Seven Seas. You also keep your WhatsApp number and can receive SMS while using data from your eSIM on the go.
What makes the Holafly eSIM so special?
Holafly is one of the world’s largest eSIM providers and they have one clever concept: unlimited data wherever you go for any number of days.
What does that entail? Holafly eSIMs are available for over 200 destinations. This includes a huge number of individual countries, 15 regions, and even a global eSIM with coverage in over 110 countries. This includes countries where it is really tricky for foreigners to get a local SIM card, like Brazil or India, as well as countries where eSIMs are hard to come by, like the Maldives, Myanmar, or Papua New Guinea.
With Holafly, you can choose exactly how many days you need your eSIM – anywhere from 1 day up to 90 days. Each day, you get unlimited data (in accordance with the fair usage policy of the local network you are using), plus 1 GB hotspot to share with another device.
The best part: Unlimited data with no hidden costs, and your Holafly eSIM gets cheaper the more days you book.
In addition, Holafly has recently introduced Always On. This concept means you never have to be without data even if your plan has expired. Once you buy and install any Holafly eSIM, you get 1 GB of free backup data per month that you can use in over 150 destinations and be always on.
Traveling the world and staying longer than 90 days? Holafly Plans offers a global data plan. These eSIM subscriptions provide you with unlimited data or 25 GB per month in over 160 countries. And while it is a subscription, you can cancel monthly if your travel plans change (and still use your 1 GB backup through Always On).
*(for the first 12 months)
Holafly eSIM vs. a local SIM card
I have never used an eSIM until recently. I used to spend all my time researching how and where to get a local SIM card when I arrived in a country, comparing operators, plans, and prices. All that, because I assumed eSIMs were expensive and just not as reliable as a tangible SIM card.
I usually ended up with my SIM card from home taped to a little piece of paper, having wasted countless hours researching to save a few bucks. Now I am at the point where I can confidently say – I am too old for that stuff!
Here are the advantages of getting a Holafly eSIM instead:
Get your eSIM before your trip
Ever searched an airport arrival hall at midnight for a SIM card counter? Only to realize that either everything was closed or the line was around the block? I have, and more often than I like to admit. I have also spent a lot of time trying to find a cell phone shop and speak in a language I didn’t speak just to buy cheap data.
Getting a Holafly eSIM, on the other hand, couldn’t be easier. You can do it from the comfort of your bed at home (this is where I do most of my travel planning). Choose your destination, how many days you will be there, pay, and install your eSIM. Once you land at your destination, all you have to do is activate your eSIM.
Easy payment
Admittedly, more and more places accept credit cards these days, but I’ve often had to get cash first before buying my SIM card. And have you ever tried to pay with an international card on a foreign App to recharge? Let’s just say, it is not for the faint-hearted.
Instead, you can simply pay for your Holafly eSIM with credit cards like Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover, as well as Apple Pay, Google Pay, and PayPal. And since you don’t have to worry about running out of data, you don’t need to worry about a top-up either.
You can pay in 25 different currencies, and there are no hidden costs. In addition, you will get a proper invoice – great for all of us who can expense our phone bills.
No more guesswork, no overspending
What do I mean? Every other eSIM provider but Holafly offers a set number of days and/or a set amount of data. You can usually get one for 3, 7, 15, or 30 days. But let’s be real – most vacations are a day more or two days less, and so you will end up without data at the end of your trip or pay for unused days.
Then there is the question of how much data you will actually use, always a guessing game. Since Holafly gives you unlimited data, you won’t ever be caught without. And you won’t have to pay for something you won’t ever use (looking at you, 150-GB-data-plan I used 8 GB of!).
How much data do you actually use?
One of the biggest advantages when getting an eSIM from Holafly is your daily unlimited data allowance. While we think we want to disconnect when on vacation, the reality is often a different one – internet on the go is a must, at least for most of us.
However, many travelers don’t actually know how much data they need during a trip, especially when you never have to think about it thanks to unlimited wifi at home.
Holafly actually did a study that showed which apps use the most data. This includes YouTube (193 MB per 5 minutes), Pinterest, and Snapchat, as well as navigation apps like Google Maps (87 MB per 5 minutes) and AllTrails. Chances are you may use some of those especially while on vacation.
But even knowing how much each App uses doesn’t make it easier to estimate how much data you need for any given day. Unless you want to note down in detail how much time you spend with each and then do a lot of math. You can get a good estimate through Holafly’s data usage calculator, or you can just get a Holafly eSIM with unlimited data and not have to worry about your usage at all!
*(for the first 12 months)
Keep your number
Since an eSIM is digital, you can keep your home SIM card in your phone. That means you keep your WhatsApp number and, more importantly, you can still receive SMS even if you turn off roaming. This is increasingly important because many banking apps and services send codes and confirmation numbers via SMS.
How much is a Holafly eSIM?
It depends on where you are traveling and whether you are getting a Holafly eSIM for one country, a region, or the globe. And as mentioned above, it also depends on how long you plan to stay – the longer you stay, the cheaper the daily rate gets.
Here are some examples of how much a Holafly eSIM costs:
Holafly eSIM for Thailand
- 1 day – $3.90
- 15 days – $3.37 = $50.50
Holafly eSIM for Asia: this includes Thailand and 15 more countries in Asia
- 1 day – $ 3.90
- 15 days – $ 3.37 per day = $50.50
Holafly eSIM for Mexico
- 1 day – $ 4.90
- 15 days – $ 2.93 per day = $43.90
Holafly eSIM for North America: yes, I know the World Cup is over, but just in case…
- 1 day – $3.90
- 15 days – $4.06 per day = $60.90
I chose a standard two-week trip so you can compare prices easily, but as mentioned before, you can choose any Holafly eSIM between 1 and 90 days, and it gets cheaper the more days you book.
- Keen to save a bit? Use my Holafly discount code MIDNIGHTBLUE to get 5% off on eSIMs and 10% off on Holafly Plans (for the first 12 months).
Get a Holafly eSIM – Step-by-step guide
First things first: Holafly eSIMs work with most but not all smartphones. To find out whether your phone is compatible, check this list and make sure it is unlocked.
If your phone is compatible, you are good to go. Now you have to answer two simple questions:
- Where are you traveling to and how long are you staying?
What you don’t have to do is compare prices and guess how much data you will use with Holafly.
Either use the website or the Holafly app to choose a one-destination eSIM or a regional plan if you are traveling to multiple countries, and add the number of days you will be staying. Now you can buy your eSIM.
Once you paid, you can start the easy setup by scanning a QR code, entering your eSIM details manually, or using the Holafly app. For this, you will need stable wifi. On the Holafly website, you will find details on how to install your eSIM on a variety of phone models.
The steps are:
- Add eSIM under the mobile service settings on your phone
- Tap or scan your QR code, or manually enter the activation code
- Click Activate eSIM
The last step may sound a bit confusing because this is just the final step of the installation process, but won’t actually activate your eSIM yet. This only happens once you arrive at your destination. Once there, you just need to turn on data roaming for your newly added Holafly eSIM and turn it off for your personal SIM to avoid roaming charges.
Now you are good to surf!
If you have any issues with installation, activation, or anything else, you can contact Holafly support. They are available 24/7, and you can speak to real people (though you have to ask for it, as you will initially be connected to a bot).
Keen to get your own Holafly eSIM and take full advantage of unlimited data to surf whenever and wherever you want? Use my code MIDNIGTHBLUE to get 5% off any Holafly eSIM and 10% off Holafly Plans (for the first 12 months). Or follow this link, and your discount code is already activated.
