Airalo alternatives: what each option does differently
Airalo is often the first travel eSIM people try: a large catalog, gigabyte plans from $4, and unlimited options in many countries. People look for an alternative for specific reasons: a lower price, unlimited data with different rules, more generous hotspot use, one eSIM for several countries, or an easier refund. This page takes those reasons one by one and shows which provider does what differently, using prices and terms read on each website on October 3, 2026, for Japan, France and the USA. TravelNet is our own service and is listed as one of the options; we give its limits as plainly as the others'.
Reference: Airalo (checked Oct 3, 2026)
| Japan | France | USA | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 GB / 30 days | $11.00 | $11.00 | $13.50 |
| 20 GB / 30 days | $25.00 | $23.00 | $36.50 |
| Unlimited, 7 days | $26.50 | $23.50 | $25.00 |
| Unlimited speed rule | 1 Mbps after 3 GB/day | 1 Mbps after 3 GB/day | 1 Mbps after 5 GB/day |
The alternatives at a glance
| Airalo | Holafly | Saily | TravelNet | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plan model | GB plans + unlimited | Unlimited only, by the day | GB plans + unlimited | GB plans + 2 unlimited tiers |
| 20 GB / 30 days, France | $23.00 | — | $22.99 | $11.99 |
| Unlimited, 7 days, Japan | $26.50 | $27.50 | not read for 7 days | $4.99 (Standard) / $7.99 (Plus) |
| Unlimited full-speed allowance | 3–5 GB/day, then 1 Mbps | Not published | 5 GB/day, then up to 1 Mbps | 1 GB/day then 512 kbps (Standard); 2 GB/day then 2 Mbps (Plus); Japan: 256 kbps on both |
| Hotspot | Allowed; no limit stated on unlimited | 1 GB/day | No restrictions stated | Supported on most plans; depends on the local partner network |
| One eSIM for several countries | Regional/global plans | Regional plans | Yes, add destinations | No |
| Refund (summary) | 14-day withdrawal before activation; refund/replacement if service fails | Up to 6 months, specific cases | 30 days if unused or <1% used | Full refund if not activated, replacement first if faulty |
| Support | Not checked | 24/7 chat, email, WhatsApp | 24/7 chat | 7 days a week, reply within 12 h on average |
| Japan network type | 5G | 5G where available | 5G where available | 4G |
Sources: airalo.com, esim.holafly.com, saily.com country pages and policy pages; travelnet-esim.com plan pages. Read October 3, 2026.
If you want… pick by reason
A lower price for gigabyte plans. Saily's prices matched Airalo's within one dollar on the plans we compared, so switching between them saves little. TravelNet's gigabyte plans were lower on these three destinations (for example 20 GB for 30 days in France: $11.99 against $23.00 at Airalo), with 4G only in Japan.
Unlimited data without counting. Holafly sells only unlimited data, by the exact number of days, and publishes no daily speed threshold, but it limits hotspot use to 1 GB a day and cost slightly more than Airalo's unlimited on our three destinations. Saily's unlimited keeps full speed longer (5 GB a day) than Airalo's in Japan and France (3 GB a day).
A cheap unlimited plan for moderate use. TravelNet's unlimited plans cost less (Japan, 7 days: $4.99 Standard, $7.99 Plus) but keep full speed for 1–2 GB a day, less than Airalo's 3–5 GB.
One eSIM for a multi-country trip. Saily lets you add destinations to the same eSIM. Airalo and Holafly offer regional plans; TravelNet sells one eSIM per destination.
An easier refund if plans change. Saily refunds within 30 days if the eSIM is unused; Holafly states up to 6 months for specific cases.
Staying with Airalo makes sense if you want short plans (from 3 days), USA plans with minutes and SMS, or a stated speed rule with a high full-speed allowance in the USA (5 GB a day).
Holafly alternatives, briefly
People leaving Holafly usually want a larger hotspot allowance or a lower price for light use. Airalo and Saily both sell gigabyte plans (from $3.99–$4.00) and state more permissive hotspot terms than Holafly's 1 GB a day. See our Holafly review for its full terms.
Saily alternatives, briefly
Saily's prices are close to Airalo's, so people leaving Saily usually want day-by-day durations (Holafly) or a lower price (TravelNet). See Holafly vs Saily and Airalo vs Saily.
FAQ
What is cheaper than Airalo?
On Japan, France and the USA (October 3, 2026), Saily's prices were within a dollar of Airalo's. TravelNet's gigabyte and unlimited plans were lower, with lower daily full-speed allowances on unlimited and 4G only in Japan.
Is there an Airalo alternative with unlimited data and no daily limit?
Holafly does not publish a daily threshold; it says operators may slow the connection for up to one day under a fair usage policy. Its hotspot is limited to 1 GB a day.
Which alternative lets me keep one eSIM across countries?
Saily: you add new destinations to the same eSIM.
Is Holafly better than Airalo?
It depends on your use. Airalo was cheaper on every plan we compared; Holafly sells exact day counts and does not publish a speed threshold. See Airalo vs Holafly.
Is Saily better than Airalo?
Prices are nearly identical. Saily's differences are one reusable eSIM, a 5 GB/day full-speed unlimited allowance, a 30-day refund on unused eSIMs and privacy extras. See Airalo vs Saily.