Airalo vs Holafly: which one costs less for your trip and data use
Airalo and Holafly are two of the most used travel eSIM brands, and they sell data in different ways. Airalo mostly sells a fixed amount of data (1 GB to 50 GB) for a set number of days, and also has unlimited plans with a stated daily speed rule. Holafly sells unlimited data by the day. So the useful question is not which brand is "better", but which one costs less for the trip you are planning and the way you use your phone. We compared both on three common destinations, Japan, France and the USA, using prices read on each brand's website on October 3, 2026. We sell travel eSIMs too (TravelNet), so our offer appears only in a separate section at the end.
Side-by-side (checked Oct 3, 2026)
| Airalo | Holafly | |
|---|---|---|
| How data is sold | Fixed data (1–50 GB) or unlimited, set durations | Unlimited, by number of days |
| Cheapest plan, Japan | 1 GB / 3 days: $4.00 | 3 days: $11.90 |
| 7 days, unlimited, Japan | $26.50 | $27.50 |
| 7 days, unlimited, France | $23.50 | $27.50 |
| 7 days, unlimited, USA | $25.00 | $27.50 |
| 30 days, unlimited, Japan / France / USA | $69.00 / $59.00 / $68.00 | $73.90 / $73.90 / $73.90 |
| Unlimited speed rule | 1 Mbps after 3 GB/day (Japan, France), after 5 GB/day (USA) | "Fair Usage Policy" may reduce speed for up to one day; no threshold published |
| Hotspot | Allowed; on unlimited plans Airalo states no tethering limit | 1 GB per day |
| Phone number / calls | Data-only on most plans; some USA plans include minutes and SMS | No, data-only |
| Networks (Japan / France / USA) | Softbank & KDDI / Orange / not stated on the page we read | KDDI & Softbank / Orange, SFR, Bouygues, Free / AT&T, T-Mobile |
| 5G | Listed as "5G data-only eSIM" on the three pages | "Where available" |
| Refund (summary) | 14-day withdrawal before activation; refund or replacement if service fails (conditions in Airalo terms) | Up to 6 months for withdrawal, incompatible device or connection issues (per Holafly) |
| Coverage | 200+ destinations (per Airalo) | 200+ destinations (per Holafly) |
Sources: airalo.com/japan-esim, /france-esim, /united-states-esim (USD prices) and Airalo terms of use; esim.holafly.com/esim-japan/, /esim-france/, /esim-usa/. Read October 3, 2026. Prices change often; check both sites before buying.
What a 7-day trip costs, by data use
| Your use over 7 days | Airalo, Japan | Holafly, Japan | Airalo, France | Holafly, France | Airalo, USA | Holafly, USA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light: maps, messages (≈3 GB) | $8.00 (3 GB) | $27.50 | $7.50 (3 GB) | $27.50 | $9.00 (3 GB) | $27.50 |
| Medium: + social media, photos (≈5–10 GB) | $10.00–$17.00 | $27.50 | $10.00–$16.00 | $27.50 | $12.50–$21.50 | $27.50 |
| Heavy: streaming, video calls (>10 GB) | $26.50 (unlimited) | $27.50 | $23.50 (unlimited) | $27.50 | $25.00 (unlimited) | $27.50 |
How to read it: for light and medium use, Airalo's gigabyte plans cost less on these three destinations. For heavy use, both unlimited options are within a few dollars of each other, and the choice comes down to the speed and hotspot rules.
Criterion by criterion
Price. For anyone who can estimate their data use, Airalo is cheaper on the destinations we checked: a 3 GB week costs $7.50 to $9.00 against $27.50 at Holafly. For unlimited data the gap narrows to $1 to $4 a week and $4.90 to $14.90 a month in Airalo's favor on these three countries.
Unlimited data. The two brands describe it differently. Airalo publishes the rule: full speed up to 3 GB a day (5 GB in the USA), then 1 Mbps, which is enough for messaging and maps but slow for video. Holafly publishes no daily threshold and says operators may slow the line for up to one day under a fair usage policy. Neither is "truly unlimited at full speed"; Airalo's rule is easier to plan around because it is stated.
Hotspot. This is the clearest difference. Holafly caps sharing at 1 GB per day. Airalo says its unlimited plans have no tethering limit, and on gigabyte plans you can share as much as you bought. If you need to connect a laptop, Airalo's terms are more permissive.
Flexibility. Holafly lets you pick durations day by day. Airalo sells set durations (3, 5, 7, 10, 15, 30 days for unlimited; 3 to 30 days for gigabyte plans) and lets you top up an existing eSIM.
Calls. Neither gives a standard local number on the plans we compared. Airalo has some USA plans that bundle minutes and SMS (for example 5 GB + 50 SMS + 50 minutes for 7 days at $17.00).
Refund and support. Holafly states a longer request window (up to 6 months for specific cases). Airalo's terms give a 14-day withdrawal right before activation, plus a refund or replacement when the service fails and Airalo cannot fix it within 10 days of the request.
Verdict: which one fits which traveler
- You use little data (maps, messages, a bit of browsing): Airalo's gigabyte plans cost a fraction of Holafly's price on the destinations we checked.
- You use a lot of data on your phone and don't want to count: both unlimited options cost about the same for a week. Airalo states its speed rule (1 Mbps after 3–5 GB a day); Holafly does not publish one.
- You need to share data with a laptop or companions: Airalo's stated hotspot terms are more permissive than Holafly's 1 GB per day.
- You want an exact number of days (for example 12): Holafly sells day-by-day durations; Airalo uses set durations.
- You want the longest refund window: Holafly states up to 6 months for specific cases.
An alternative: TravelNet
TravelNet (this site) sells data-only travel eSIMs with gigabyte plans and two unlimited tiers. Prices on our own plan pages, October 3, 2026:
| 7 days | Airalo unlimited | Holafly | TravelNet Unlimited Standard | TravelNet Unlimited Plus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | $26.50 | $27.50 | $4.99 | $7.99 |
| France | $23.50 | $27.50 | $6.49 | $12.49 |
| USA | $25.00 | $27.50 | $12.99 | $25.49 |
The trade-off is speed: Unlimited Standard drops to 512 kbps after 1 GB a day and Unlimited Plus to 2 Mbps after 2 GB a day (256 kbps for both in Japan), lower daily thresholds than Airalo's 3–5 GB. In Japan our plans are 4G only. Support runs 7 days a week with replies within 12 hours on average, with a full refund if the eSIM is not activated and a replacement first if it is faulty. Compare TravelNet plans →
FAQ
Is Airalo or Holafly cheaper?
On Japan, France and the USA (October 3, 2026), Airalo was cheaper for every plan we compared: $7.50–$9.00 for a 3 GB week against $27.50 at Holafly, and $1–$4 less for a week of unlimited data.
Is Airalo or Holafly better for Europe?
For France, Airalo's unlimited week cost $23.50 and Holafly's $27.50. If you only need a few gigabytes, Airalo's 3 GB plan was $7.50. If your phone plan is from an EU country, EU roaming rules may already cover you at no extra roaming charge, within your operator's fair use limit.
Is Airalo or Holafly better for Japan?
Both use the Softbank and KDDI networks in Japan. A week of unlimited data cost $26.50 at Airalo (1 Mbps after 3 GB a day) and $27.50 at Holafly; Airalo's gigabyte plans started at $4.00.
Are Airalo and Holafly the same company?
No. They are separate brands with different plan models: Airalo mainly sells data by the gigabyte, Holafly sells unlimited data by the day.
Do Airalo or Holafly give you a phone number?
Holafly's eSIMs are data-only. Most Airalo plans are data-only too; some USA plans include minutes and SMS.
Can I use a hotspot with Airalo and Holafly?
Yes with both. Holafly limits sharing to 1 GB per day. Airalo says its unlimited plans have no tethering limit, and gigabyte plans let you share the data you bought.