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Quick answer
Choose Airalo if you want to pay less and are happy with a fixed amount of data you can top up. Choose Holafly if you want unlimited data and don’t want to count gigabytes, and you don’t mind paying more. On our data (checked 20 October 2026), Airalo scores higher on value for money and Holafly scores higher on customer ratings.
Airalo vs Holafly at a glance
On price, we compared the two on 702 like-for-like trips across 175 destinations: Airalo was cheaper 690 times and Holafly 9 times. They cost the same 3 times.
| Airalo | Holafly | |
|---|---|---|
| eSIM Mentor score | 9.1 | 7.9 |
| Value for money | 8.5 | 5.1 |
| Features | 10.0 | 10.0 |
| Coverage | 10.0 | 10.0 |
| Customer ratings | 8.7 | 9.5 |
| Countries covered | 200+ | 200+ |
| Top-ups | Yes | Not stated |
| Plans with a phone number | Not stated | Not stated |
| Refund policy | Refund possible for unused eSIMs; expired or fully used eSIMs are not eligible. | Refund requests within 6 months of purchase; conditions depend on whether the eSIM was activated or its QR code scanned. |
| App Store rating | 4.6 (102,012) | 4.8 (40,865) |
| Trustpilot rating | 4.1 (47,610) | 4.7 (115,145) |
Cheapest plan for common trips in Japan
| Trip | Airalo | Holafly |
|---|---|---|
| 3 GB for 7 days | $8.00 | $27.50 |
| 10 GB for 15 days | $17.50 | $50.50 |
| 20 GB for 30 days | $25.00 | $73.90 |
| Unlimited for 7 days | $26.50 | $27.50 |
| Unlimited for 15 days | $48.00 | $50.50 |
Prices are the cheapest plan from each provider that covers the trip, from single-country plans checked on each provider’s own site. Scores and facts are worked out the same way for every provider. Not a hands-on test. Facts and ratings checked 20 Oct 2026. How we rate
The table updates itself when prices, facts or ratings change. Green prices are the cheaper of the two for that trip.
Price
For like-for-like trips, the two trade wins depending on the destination, so check the price table above for yours. Across all the trips we compare, Airalo’s value-for-money score is clearly higher than Holafly’s (checked 20 October 2026).
Data and hotspot
Airalo mostly sells fixed-data plans with top-ups on the same eSIM. Holafly is known for unlimited-data plans, but hotspot sharing is limited on the Holafly plans we track.
Refunds
Airalo refunds unused eSIMs; expired or fully used ones are not eligible. Holafly accepts refund requests within 6 months of purchase, and whether you get one depends on whether the eSIM was activated or its QR code scanned.
Support and ratings
Both offer 24/7 chat and WhatsApp. Holafly has the higher Trustpilot rating; both have very high App Store ratings from tens of thousands of reviews or more.
Who should pick which
- Airalo if you know roughly how much data you need, want to top up as you go, and want the lower price.
- Holafly if you stream, work online or simply don’t want to watch a data counter, and value a longer refund window.
Deals
No verified Airalo code right now. We only list codes after we test them, so check back soon.
See Airalo plans5% off your eSIM
Last verified 18 Oct 2026
Get the dealWant more detail? Read our Airalo review and Holafly review, or compare every provider for your trip in the eSIM finder.
Frequently asked questions
Often, but not always. It depends on the destination and trip length. Across all the trips we compare, Airalo scores higher on value for money (checked 20 October 2026). The table above shows current prices for Japan.
Holafly sells unlimited-data plans, but hotspot sharing is limited on the plans we track. Check the plan details before you buy if you want to share data with a laptop.
Holafly accepts refund requests within 6 months, depending on activation. Airalo only refunds eSIMs that haven’t been used.
