Holafly eSIM Review: Why I Wouldn't Choose It For My Travels

Products heavily promoted by influencers on social media, YouTube, etc. often come with risks, and travel eSIMs are no exception.

shuhei

Updated: (Published: ) • 12 min read
Holafly eSIM Review: Why I Wouldn't Choose It For My Travels
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This is purely my personal opinion - nothing more, nothing less.

Nowadays, more and more travelers are turning to travel eSIMs, digital SIM designed for temporary use abroad, when going overseas.

They’re undeniably convenient. I've personally used eSIMs on more than 50 overseas trips since 2018, so I’m no stranger to their benefits.

It’s no surprise, also, that an increasing number of influencers, whether they are on social media, YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram, are recommending all sorts of travel eSIM brands.

The one I see popping up the most is Holafly eSIM. It seems they're really doubling down on their online marketing lately. If you search "Holafly eSIM" on X (formerly Twitter), you'll find posts from various influencers and bloggers.

Before I dive into the main topic of "why I wouldn't choose Holafly eSIM myself", let me make one obvious yet important note here:

Whenever you see an influencer endorse a product or service, it’s common that they’ve been paid or they receive commissions. In other words, many of them are sponsored content = PR.

*I don't know if Holafly actually pays these influencers, so this is just a general observation. In any case, I think most people are already aware of this and take it into account when they see such posts.

While eSIMDB - the world's largest comparison / directory site for travel eSIMs - also operates mostly on performance-based commissions, its purpose isn't to promote specific services or brands. Instead, it aims to let travelers easily discover products that suit them by comparing various options.

*This article does not contain any affiliate links whatsoever. So instead, there are a few Google ads placed (thank you for your understanding).

Alright, that's enough of the preamble, let's get into the main topic.

Why I Wouldn't Choose Holafly's Travel eSIM

Having used travel eSIMs over 50 times, I have three main reasons why Holafly wouldn't be my pick.

Reason #1: The Misleading Use of "Unlimited Data"

First off,

They intentionally use the term "unlimited data", which may not be false per se, but is highly misleading.

Let me repeat it again because it's important;

They intentionally use the term "unlimited data", which may not be a complete lie, but is highly misleading.

(*Note that I haven't examined every single eSIM and plan Holafly offers, so I’m basing my viewpoint on my knowledge and objective information.)

Understanding "Unlimited Data" in Mobile Networks

When it comes to using mobile data overseas (as opposed to Wi-Fi), keep in mind that;

  • "Unlimited data" and network speed are two different things.
  • Even with "unlimited data", in many cases speed restrictions apply, meaning your data speed slows down after you reach a certain usage.
  • Having true "unlimited data" with absolutely no speed restrictions is rare even among domestic mobile subscription plans, and in international roaming, it's extremely rare and practically nonexistent.

The second point is crucial:

"Unlimited data" does not necessarily mean "unlimited high-speed data".

In most cases, once you hit a certain data threshold, the speed drops to something like 128kbps or 512kbps, and you're stuck with that reduced speed.

This is known as "Fair Usage Policy" or simply "FUP".

We were pretty glad we were driving slow on our way home from a camping expedition in the mountains of Santa Barbra. This little guy (maybe only a hand’s width big) was crossing a bridge that ran over a small stream. We pulled over to check him out and give him a headshot. We did learn a while back that you shouldn’t move turtles out of the road because they might get scared and pee and then become dehydrated and die… but that might just be for turtles in the desert of Joshua Tree.

Fair Usage Policy is a rule or limit set by mobile network providers to make sure everyone gets a fair share of the network's resources. It helps prevent a few users from using too much data (or bandwidth), which could slow down the internet service for others. It’s like making sure everyone in a group has enough food at a picnic instead of one person taking too much.

"Unlimited Data" in International Roaming Is a Marketing Tactic

International roaming is a type of mobile data service provided through networks of carriers in other countries, not directly from your home carrier.

When you're using international roaming, the local carrier charges fees based on the amount of data you consume. Given this setup, it's highly doubtful that a truly unlimited data plan without any speed restrictions actually exists. (If you know someone in the telecom industry, feel free to ask them.)

Under these circumstances, it's hard to believe that Holafly, which presumably relies on international roaming, can provide truly unlimited high-speed data.

In fact, if you look closely at Holafly's website, under the Technical Specs section, it clearly states:

Speed reduction: if necessary. Some carriers may reserve the right to apply a Fair Usage Policy
Speed reduction under Technical Specs

This simply means that if you use a lot of data, your internet speed may be slowed down at some point. And the problem is that it's not clear when it's triggered.

To be clear, even with international roaming, "unlimited data" isn't necessarily a lie. It’s just that many people might assume "unlimited" means "always high-speed" which usually isn’t the case.

Earlier, I mentioned that they intentionally use the term "unlimited data" in their marketing, but I want to point out that Holafly isn't the only provider that does this (it’s a pretty common marketing tactic).

So, the lesson here is that you should almost never take "unlimited data" at face value.

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Personally, I find it stressful not knowing when my speed might get throttled. I’d rather have a plan that clearly states something like X GB in total or X GB per day at full speed.

Complaints on X About Holafly's Speed

While I can't verify their authenticity, there are posts on X (formerly Twitter) where people complain about speed restrictions/throttling or slow connections with Holafly eSIM.

FYI: Those plans were initially not advertised as 'unlimited'

A side note; it seems that during the first half of 2022, Holafly updated their data plans and began promoting their plans as "unlimited data".

Evidence of this change can be found in older blog posts, such as this article from travel with bender featuring Holafly.

From travel with blender blog

Reason #2: No Clear Advantage in Network Quality

After more than 50 uses of travel eSIMs, I care about two main things (assuming multiple options exist):

  • Network quality (speed, latency, coverage, and reliability)
  • Value for money

This is probably true for most people.

In terms of network quality, the thing is that you don’t really know for sure until you actually try it at your travel destination.

I won’t go into the technical details but generally, local eSIMs provided directly by local carriers tend to be best in my opinion (though local eSIM availability is still limited).

Since Holafly primarily relies on international roaming, it’s unlikely they provide significantly better connectivity quality than others. At best, they’re probably on par with other eSIM brands using similar international roaming infra.

That said, I suspect their quality isn't that terrible either in most cases. The key lesson is simply not to expect superior connectivity / quality from their eSIMs, that’s all.

Posts on X Saying Issues with Holafly eSIM

Although negative feedback can be found for nearly every provider if you dig hard enough, here are some found on X.

Reason #3: Concerns About Data Limits on Hotspot

Holafly's eSIMs do support tethering (a.k.a Personal Hotspot or just Hotspot), but there are limits on the amount of data you can use specifically for tethering.

You can check this under the Technical Specs section on their website.

Hotspot data limit - Technical Specs

The tethering data cap seems to vary by country, but generally you’ll often see things like 500MB/day or 1GB/day.

For travelers who rely on tethering for a laptop, tablet, or to share data with family members, that might be a deal-breaker.

If you don't usually share mobile data, then it doesn’t matter. But for those who do, it’s crucial to know ahead of time.

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Personally, I think 1GB/day would probably be fine for general travel, but 500MB/day might be a bit worrisome.

However, the fact that they set limits on data usage for tethering can be seen as supporting my earlier point that "unlimited data" is a marketing term. Generally, tethering tends to consume more data than usual, so it appears that Holafly doesn't want users to consume large amounts of data with hotspot.

As far as I know, it's extremely rare for travel eSIM services to impose restrictions on tethering data. Some services don't allow tethering at all, but those that offer fixed data plans like XX GB have no reason to limit tethering.

About the Prices

So far, I've mentioned that:

  • "Unlimited data" doesn't guarantee you'll always get high-speed data (there's a chance of sudden speed reductions).
  • Holafly is roaming-based, meaning their network quality isn’t likely superior to other options.

So, what about pricing?

Naturally, we all want an eSIM that's affordable and offers the best value for our money.

Comparing to Other Options

A quick search on eSIMDB allows you to filter eSIM plans by destination, price, data size, etc.

If you're considering Holafly's eSIM after seeing posts or hearing about it, try searching for other eSIM options for your destination on eSIMDB.

You might end up in one of these scenarios:

  1. You don't need that much data
    -> If so, you don’t need "unlimited data", and you’ll likely find a cheaper option than Holafly.
  2. You want (or aren’t sure how much) data you’ll need
    -> Then "unlimited data" plan with possible speed throttling out of the blue may not be your best choice.

Simply put, if you don’t need lots of data, Holafly is relatively pricey. On the other hand, if you do require large amounts of data, the potential risk of speed throttling could become a headache.

These days, many travel eSIM plans offer large amount of data, so you can buy prepaid plans with GB amounts that are more than enough for typical trips.

Ok, now let's compare prices using some popular travel destinations as examples.

Example #1: United Kingdom – 7 Days

UK is a popular destination for both tourists and business travelers.

At the time of writing, Holafly's 7-day UK plan is $29.90.

If you go to eSIMDB UK eSIM page and search for 7-day + under $25, you’ll find plenty of plans that are all (way) cheaper than Holafly.

Plus, many eSIM providers offer promo codes, so you could save even more.

Example #2: Thailand – 10 Days

Thailand is one of Asia's top destinations, with Bangkok, its capital, attracting over 30 million international tourists in 2024.

With Holafly, the 10-day Thailand plan is $36.90.

Using eSIMDB and filtering Thailand eSIM plans for 10 days under $35, you will find many other options that are much cheaper.

Compare Thailand eSIM - eSIMDB

FYI, Thailand is one of the few countries where you can buy local tourist eSIM packages at very reasonable price.

Related article

As we can conclude from the two examples mentioned above, it's important to know the various available options and choose what's best for you. DYOR!

Tips on Choosing a Travel eSIM

  1. Don’t be tempted by "unlimited data" right off the bat.
    Almost all of such plans have some form of speed throttling hidden in the fine print.
  2. It helps to know exactly how many GB you’re getting at high/normal speed.
    I personally prefer "XX GB total" or "XX GB/day" plans, so I know what to expect.
  3. Consider how much mobile data you actually need.
    Often, 1GB per day is enough for general travel usage (maps, social media, messaging). 2GB per day should be more than sufficient. If you need more, you can find plans offering it, or you can rely on Wi-Fi at your hotel etc. to reduce mobile data usage.

Finally, just to be clear, I’m not against promotions using influencers or sponsorships. That’s not my point here. I’m simply explaining why I personally wouldn’t choose Holafly eSIM, based on the facts at hand and my own opinions.

That said, I must admit that I do feel compelled to sound a note of caution when I see a lot of influencers on social media or YouTube recommending a specific product all at once (without solid data or evidence).

Before wrapping up, I want to mention some positive aspects of Holafly that I personally think are great. First, the website is clean and easy to navigate, which is excellent. They also support various payment methods, not just cards but also Apple Pay, Google Pay, and PayPal which is a big plus (especially Apple Pay for iPhone users).

In conclusion, once again, it’s best to understand that there are multiple options available and pick what suits your needs. A little research up front can go a long way!

Looking for a travel eSIM? eSIMDB is a dedicated directory site designed to help you easily discover the best options.

Search by a country or region, filter by GB or days. eSIMDB helps you find the best eSIM for your next trip!

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