Travel eSIM decisions
Airalo vs Holafly vs Saily: Which Travel eSIM to Pick
Pick Airalo for a short trip with predictable use: it sells local, regional and global fixed-data packages and advertises 200+ countries and regions (as of 26 Sep 2026). Pick Holafly if you travel for months and would rather not count gigabytes: its Unlimited subscription costs EUR 59.95 with monthly billing and includes hotspot under fair use (as of 26 Sep 2026). Pick Saily for a group or family: an eligible fixed-data plan can be shared with up to four invitees before activation (as of 7 Sep 2026).
By DmytroUpdated 9 min read
Short answer
- Airalo: fixed-data packages for 200+ countries and regions; the allowance covers the whole validity period, validity cannot be extended and only rechargeable eSIMs take top-ups. Some country packages need identity verification before purchase (as of 26 Sep 2026).
- Holafly: Unlimited subscription at EUR 59.95 a month with monthly billing, hotspot included under fair use. It excludes use in your home country (the whole EU for EU-based customers) and caps continuous use in one destination at 90 days (as of 26 Sep 2026).
- Saily: from Nord Security, with local, regional and global plans and no subscription for one-off plans. Eligible fixed-data plans can be shared with up to four invitees; Ultra and unlimited plans cannot (as of 7 Sep 2026).
- All three are data-first. None of them receives the bank SMS sent to your home number, so keep that line active.
Two lines in one phone on a trip
- Home lineStays onOrdinary calls and bank SMS codes
- Travel eSIMSet as the data lineMobile data: maps, messaging, app calls
Who should pick Airalo, Holafly or Saily
The right provider follows from how much data you use, how long you travel and whether you share.
Airalo suits most short trips. It is a marketplace of local, regional and global packages with a fixed amount of data, and states coverage in 200+ countries and regions and 24/7 support (as of 26 Sep 2026). Choose it when you can estimate your use: maps, messaging, bookings and occasional browsing. Read each package before buying: validity, countries and the start trigger differ by package, and for a wrong purchase or a change of plans Airalo’s help offers Airmoney credit, not cash.
Holafly suits long or heavy use. Its Unlimited subscription costs EUR 59.95 with monthly billing and advertises unlimited data and hotspot under fair use (as of 26 Sep 2026). It is a poor fit if you need only a few gigabytes, and it is not a home connection: the terms exclude domestic use, which for EU-based customers means the whole EU, and limit continuous roaming in one destination to 90 days. Holafly also sells one-off destination eSIMs; those no longer take top-ups, so extra days need a new plan and a new eSIM profile.
Saily suits groups. It comes from Nord Security, advertises 200+ destinations and sells one-off plans without a subscription, plus an unlimited Ultra tier that bundles cashback and a NordVPN subscription (as of 7 Sep 2026). An eligible fixed-data plan can be shared from one pool with up to four invitees, who must be added before activation. Base plans are data-only; an optional phone number needs identity verification.
Airalo, Holafly and Saily compared
Plan types, data rules, sharing, numbers and refunds side by side.
Each row gives the date the provider’s terms were checked. Prices for one-off packages depend on the destination and are shown at checkout.
| Provider | Plans | Data and validity | Hotspot and sharing | Calls and SMS | Top-ups and refunds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airalo (26 Sep 2026) | Local, regional and global fixed-data packages; 200+ countries and regions | Allowance covers the whole validity period; starts on installation or first connection, by package; cannot be extended | Set per package; an installed eSIM cannot be moved to another phone | Data Only and Data, Voice & Text packages; local calls and texts work within the covered country | Top-ups on rechargeable eSIMs only, as a separate package; wrong purchase or change of plans refunded in Airmoney |
| Holafly (26 Sep 2026) | Unlimited subscription from EUR 59.95 a month (monthly billing); separate destination eSIMs | Unlimited data under fair use; no domestic use; continuous use in one destination capped at 90 days | Subscription includes hotspot under fair use; destination plans have their own hotspot allowance | SMS through a virtual number on Unlimited subscriptions, not on every destination eSIM | One-off eSIMs take no top-ups; cancelling renewal does not automatically refund the current period |
| Saily (7 Sep 2026) | Local, regional and global plans, no subscription; unlimited Ultra tier | Allowance, validity and countries vary by plan | Eligible fixed-data plans shared with up to 4 invitees before activation; Ultra and unlimited cannot be shared | Base plans data-only; optional number after identity verification | Refund options narrow after activation |
Which one fits your trip
A city break, a long stay and a group trip lead to different picks.
Five days in one city with good Wi-Fi at the hotel: compare Airalo and Saily fixed-data packages for that country and buy the smallest one that covers your measured use. An unlimited plan costs more than you need here.
Two or three months on the move, with video calls and navigation every day: Holafly’s Unlimited subscription saves you from counting data. Check the 90-day limit for a single destination. Holafly’s subscription terms tie renewal to the purchase date, so note the next billing date at checkout rather than counting from activation. For laptop work, read the hotspot terms: on Holafly destination plans the hotspot allowance is set per destination.
A family or group of five: Saily lets one eligible fixed-data plan serve the whole group from a shared pool, with invitees added before activation. Example: four people expect 1.5 GB each and one expects 4 GB, so 4 × 1.5 + 4 = 10 GB. A 10 GB pool leaves no reserve; a 15 GB pool leaves 5 GB. One heavy user can drain a shared pool, so agree who streams video on Wi-Fi only.
Install without starting the clock early
Installation, activation and working data are three separate steps.
Check that your exact phone model is carrier-unlocked and supports eSIM next to your home line. Read the package’s validity rule before installing: with Airalo, most packages start when the phone connects to a supported network at the destination, and some start on installation. Install on reliable Wi-Fi and save the order details and support contact offline. Keep the QR code private.
A package for another country will not connect at home, so you can check the installed profile but test data only on arrival. Then select the travel line for mobile data, follow the provider’s roaming and APN instructions and load a small page with Wi-Fi off. Turn off data roaming on the home line so the phone does not fall back to it.
Checklist
- Every country and date on the route is in the package.
- You know whether the allowance is total, daily or shared, and what the hotspot limit is.
- Installation does not start validity before you travel.
- The home line stays active for calls and bank SMS.
- Order details and the official support route are saved offline.
Bank codes and your home number
A travel eSIM gives you data; your bank still texts the number it has on file.
Your bank sends SMS codes to the number registered on your account, so keep that line active while you use the travel eSIM for data. A number from the travel provider does not change this: Saily states that OTP and 2FA support on its optional number is not guaranteed for every app or bank, and Holafly’s SMS feature is a virtual-number service for Unlimited subscriptions.
Where your bank supports an app approval or an authenticator, set it up before you leave. Push approvals need a data connection, which the travel eSIM provides.
Reasons to rule a plan out
One missing condition is enough to choose another package.
Skip a package if it misses a country on your route, ends before your trip does, cannot carry your planned laptop work over hotspot or does not support your phone. For an Airalo country package, check whether identity verification is required before you buy.
For a Holafly subscription, note the next billing date at checkout and remember that an annual plan commits you for 12 months. For a Saily shared plan, invite everyone before the plan is activated. If a limit or refund rule is unclear, ask the provider’s support before paying and keep the answer.
FAQ
Which is cheapest: Airalo, Holafly or Saily?
For a few gigabytes on a short trip, a fixed-data package from Airalo or Saily usually costs less than an unlimited plan; Holafly’s Unlimited subscription is EUR 59.95 a month with monthly billing (as of 26 Sep 2026). Compare packages for the same countries, days and data at checkout.
Is Saily better than Airalo?
Both advertise 200+ destinations and sell local, regional and global plans. Saily is the better pick for groups, because eligible fixed-data plans can be shared with up to four invitees (as of 7 Sep 2026). Airalo suits a solo traveler who wants one fixed package per country or region, and it adds Airmoney rewards (as of 26 Sep 2026).
Does Holafly unlimited include hotspot?
The Unlimited subscription includes hotspot under fair use (as of 26 Sep 2026). Holafly’s one-off destination eSIMs have their own hotspot allowance, set per destination.
Can I install the eSIM before flying?
Yes, as long as installation does not start the validity. Most Airalo packages start on first connection at the destination and some on installation; check the package before you scan the QR code.
Do Airalo, Holafly or Saily give me a phone number for bank codes?
Some plans include a number, but your bank keeps texting the number registered on your account. Keep your home line active for those codes.
Sources
- About Airalo — Airalo
- How do data amounts and validity periods work for eSIM packages? — Airalo
- Airalo rechargeable eSIMs — Airalo
- What can I do if I didn’t purchase the right eSIM or have a change of plans? — Airalo
- What’s an eKYC and why do some eSIMs require it? — Airalo
- Can I transfer my eSIM to a new device? — Airalo
- How can I use calls and texts with my eSIM? — Airalo
- Holafly unlimited plans — Holafly
- Holafly subscription terms and conditions — Holafly
- SMS abroad with Holafly plans — Holafly
- Top up data on a Holafly eSIM — Holafly
- How to Activate Hotspot and Share Data? — Holafly
- Saily official site — Saily
- What is the Saily Family Plan? — Saily
- What is a Saily phone number? — Saily
- What is Saily’s refund policy? — Saily
Fees and terms change, so check the provider’s current price page before you sign up. How we compare