--- title: "Best eSIM for International Travel 2026: Airalo vs Holafly" description: "We tested Airalo, Holafly and Saily across 30 countries. Airalo takes the top spot for coverage and transparency, with fair use data compared." lang: en json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/#organization", "name": "Luxury Hotel Compare", "alternateName": "Jack Williamson", "url": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com", "description": "Independent luxury hotel comparison and travel guide covering the world's top luxury destinations.", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/og/lhc-logo.png" }, "sameAs": [] }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/#website", "name": "Luxury Hotel Compare", "url": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com", "description": "Independent luxury hotel comparisons and travel guides for the world's top destinations.", "publisher": { "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/#organization" }, "potentialAction": { "@type": "SearchAction", "target": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/?search={search_term_string}", "query-input": "required name=search_term_string" } } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Article", "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/travel-guides/best-esim-international-travel-2026#article", "name": "Best eSIM for International Travel 2026: Airalo vs Holafly", "headline": "Best eSIM for International Travel 2026: Airalo vs Holafly", "description": "We tested Airalo, Holafly and Saily across 30 countries. Airalo takes the top spot for coverage and transparency, with fair use data compared.", "url": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/travel-guides/best-esim-international-travel-2026", "image": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/images/guides/esim-lifestyle-hero.webp", "inLanguage": "en", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/#website" }, "publisher": { "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/#organization" }, "author": { "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/about#jack-williamson" }, "datePublished": "2026-04-01", "dateModified": "2026-04-26", "speakable": { "@type": "SpeakableSpecification", "cssSelector": [ "h1", ".lhc-hero-subhead", "#overview", "#verdict-section" ] } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Travel Guides", "item": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/travel-guides" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Best eSIM for International Travel 2026: Airalo vs Holafly vs Saily Ranked", "item": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/travel-guides/best-esim-international-travel-2026" } ] }, { "@type": "Product", "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/travel-guides/best-esim-international-travel-2026#product-airalo", "name": "Airalo travel eSIM", "url": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/travel-guides/best-esim-international-travel-2026#product-airalo", "image": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/images/guides/esim-lifestyle-hero.webp", "brand": { "@type": "Brand", "name": "Airalo" }, "offers": { "@type": "Offer", "price": "4.50", "priceCurrency": "USD", "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock" }, "aggregateRating": { "@type": "AggregateRating", "ratingValue": 9.4, "bestRating": 10, "worstRating": 1, "ratingCount": 1 } }, { "@type": "Product", "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/travel-guides/best-esim-international-travel-2026#product-holafly", "name": "Holafly travel eSIM", "url": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/travel-guides/best-esim-international-travel-2026#product-holafly", "image": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/images/guides/esim-lifestyle-hero.webp", "brand": { "@type": "Brand", "name": "Holafly" }, "offers": { "@type": "Offer", "price": "19", "priceCurrency": "USD", "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock" }, "aggregateRating": { "@type": "AggregateRating", "ratingValue": 8.7, "bestRating": 10, "worstRating": 1, "ratingCount": 1 } }, { "@type": "Product", "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/travel-guides/best-esim-international-travel-2026#product-saily", "name": "Saily travel eSIM", "url": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/travel-guides/best-esim-international-travel-2026#product-saily", "image": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/images/guides/esim-lifestyle-hero.webp", "brand": { "@type": "Brand", "name": "Saily" }, "offers": { "@type": "Offer", "price": "3.99", "priceCurrency": "USD", "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock" }, "aggregateRating": { "@type": "AggregateRating", "ratingValue": 8.5, "bestRating": 10, "worstRating": 1, "ratingCount": 1 } }, { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/travel-guides/best-esim-international-travel-2026#products", "name": "Best eSIM for International Travel 2026: Airalo vs Holafly vs Saily Ranked", "numberOfItems": 3, "itemListOrder": "https://schema.org/ItemListOrderAscending", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/travel-guides/best-esim-international-travel-2026#product-airalo" } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "item": { "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/travel-guides/best-esim-international-travel-2026#product-holafly" } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "item": { "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/travel-guides/best-esim-international-travel-2026#product-saily" } } ] }, { "@type": "Review", "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/travel-guides/best-esim-international-travel-2026#review-airalo", "itemReviewed": { "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/travel-guides/best-esim-international-travel-2026#product-airalo" }, "author": { "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/about#jack-williamson" }, "publisher": { "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/#organization" }, "reviewBody": "Airalo is the eSIM I hand to family and friends first. Coverage is deeper than anyone else, the app is genuinely pleasant, and the fair use rules are written like a company that expects you to read them. Prices are not the cheapest on any single plan, but the combination of consistency, transparency and reliability is what makes it my top pick for 2026. The Global plan works in over 200 countries on a single QR code, which is the closest thing to a proper world roaming SIM I have found.", "reviewRating": { "@type": "Rating", "ratingValue": 9.4, "bestRating": 10, "worstRating": 1 } }, { "@type": "Review", "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/travel-guides/best-esim-international-travel-2026#review-holafly", "itemReviewed": { "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/travel-guides/best-esim-international-travel-2026#product-holafly" }, "author": { "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/about#jack-williamson" }, "publisher": { "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/#organization" }, "reviewBody": "Holafly wins if your only worry is running out of data. Their unlimited plans mean you never have to top up mid trip, and the app tells you when the daily fair use throttle kicks in. The catch is hotspot. Officially it is not supported, and while some phones will happily tether, others will not. If your trip is short, urban and heavy on maps and social, Holafly is often the best value in the market. For longer stays or hotspot dependent workflows, Airalo is safer.", "reviewRating": { "@type": "Rating", "ratingValue": 8.7, "bestRating": 10, "worstRating": 1 } }, { "@type": "Review", "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/travel-guides/best-esim-international-travel-2026#review-saily", "itemReviewed": { "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/travel-guides/best-esim-international-travel-2026#product-saily" }, "author": { "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/about#jack-williamson" }, "publisher": { "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/#organization" }, "reviewBody": "Saily is the new arrival that anyone security minded should try. Nord Security built it, so the routing, encryption and VPN like extras feel a generation ahead of the field. The virtual location tool lets you appear in another country while abroad, useful for banking apps that geolock. Coverage is broad, the app is quick, and prices are competitive. Where it loses to Airalo is customer base and battle tested reliability. Where it beats Airalo is anyone who tethers a laptop from their phone all day.", "reviewRating": { "@type": "Rating", "ratingValue": 8.5, "bestRating": 10, "worstRating": 1 } }, { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/travel-guides/best-esim-international-travel-2026#comparison", "name": "Airalo vs Holafly vs Saily, compared across 30 countries", "description": "Airalo is the best eSIM for international travel in 2026 on coverage, transparency and reliability. Holafly is the pick for short unlimited city trips, and Saily for hotspot heavy travel and anyone who cares about routing and privacy.", "numberOfItems": 6, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Coverage", "description": "Airalo travel eSIM: more than 200 countries against 190 for Saily and 170 for Holafly", "item": { "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/travel-guides/best-esim-international-travel-2026#product-airalo" } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Fair use transparency", "description": "Airalo travel eSIM: 2 GB a day then 512 kbps, published in plain English", "item": { "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/travel-guides/best-esim-international-travel-2026#product-airalo" } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Unlimited data", "description": "Holafly travel eSIM: unlimited plans in over 170 destinations with a daily reset", "item": { "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/travel-guides/best-esim-international-travel-2026#product-holafly" } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Hotspot", "description": "Saily travel eSIM: tethering allowed on every plan in the range", "item": { "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/travel-guides/best-esim-international-travel-2026#product-saily" } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 5, "name": "Privacy and routing", "description": "Saily travel eSIM: Nord Security infrastructure with virtual location built in", "item": { "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/travel-guides/best-esim-international-travel-2026#product-saily" } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 6, "name": "Value on a week in the USA", "description": "Saily travel eSIM: $3.99 for 1 GB against $4.50 on Airalo", "item": { "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/travel-guides/best-esim-international-travel-2026#product-saily" } } ] }, { "@type": "Recommendation", "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/travel-guides/best-esim-international-travel-2026#verdict", "itemReviewed": { "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/travel-guides/best-esim-international-travel-2026#product-airalo" }, "author": { "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/about#jack-williamson" }, "publisher": { "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/#organization" }, "reviewBody": "Airalo is the best eSIM for international travel in 2026 on coverage, transparency and reliability. Holafly is the pick for short unlimited city trips, and Saily for hotspot heavy travel and anyone who cares about routing and privacy." }, { "@type": "FAQPage", "@id": "https://luxuryhotelcompare.com/travel-guides/best-esim-international-travel-2026#faq", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "What is the best eSIM for international travel in 2026?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Airalo is the best eSIM for international travel in 2026. It reaches more than 200 countries, publishes its fair use rules in plain English and serves over 30 million customers. Holafly is better for short unlimited city trips, and Saily is better if you tether a laptop or care about routing and privacy." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do eSIMs work on iPhone 17 Air?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes, and on the iPhone 17 Air an eSIM is the only option. Apple ships that model without a physical SIM tray in every market, so a travel eSIM is now the standard way to get data abroad. Every new iPhone sold since September 2025 needs an eSIM plan for international use." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can I use hotspot with a Holafly eSIM?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Officially no. Holafly does not support tethering on its unlimited plans, and iPhone users in most markets find the personal hotspot toggle simply does not pass traffic. Some Android handsets will share the connection anyway, but it is not guaranteed. If you tether daily, buy Saily or Airalo instead." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Which eSIM works best in Japan?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Ubigi is the strongest choice in Japan because it runs natively on the NTT Docomo network rather than reselling a roaming agreement, so speeds are uncapped and attachment on landing is immediate. Airalo Moshi Moshi is the sensible fallback and costs less on short trips of a week or under." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Does Airalo really cover 200 countries on one QR code?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "The Global Discover plan does cover more than 200 destinations on a single profile, so one installation carries you through a multi continent trip. Read the destination list before you buy, though, because a handful of regional plans quietly exclude specific countries inside the region they name." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Is Saily safe if it is owned by NordVPN?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Saily is built by Nord Security, the company behind NordVPN, and that lineage is the reason its routing and encryption are the strongest in the category. Traffic is carried over its own protected infrastructure, and the app adds web protection and a virtual location tool at no extra cost." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What happens when I hit the fair use daily throttle?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Your connection slows rather than stops. Airalo drops to 512 kbps after 2 GB in a day, Holafly to 1 Mbps after 500 MB and Saily to 128 kbps after 1 GB. Messaging and maps still work at those speeds. Video calls and large uploads generally do not. Everything resets at midnight." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Which eSIM works in China?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Saily and Holafly both reach the open internet from mainland China because your traffic leaves the country before it resolves. One caveat matters. Research presented at USENIX Security 2025 found that Holafly routes Chinese traffic through Hong Kong, which sits under a different legal regime." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can I get a refund if the eSIM does not work on my phone?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes, provided you have not used the data. Airalo refunds an unused plan within 30 days of purchase, Holafly does the same where no data has been consumed, and Saily offers a 30 day money back guarantee. Check that your handset is unlocked before you buy, because a locked phone is the usual culprit." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do I need to keep my normal SIM active when using an eSIM abroad?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Keep it active but switch data roaming off on that line. Your home number then continues to receive calls, bank codes and texts over wifi calling while the travel eSIM carries all the data. Set the travel line as your default for mobile data and leave messaging tied to your usual number." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Will an eSIM work if my phone is locked to my carrier?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "No. A handset locked to your home network will refuse any other profile, which is the single most common reason a travel eSIM fails to install. On iPhone, open Settings, General, About and look for the line reading No SIM restrictions. On Android, ask your carrier to confirm the unlock before you buy." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can I use a travel eSIM on an iPad or laptop?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes on most modern devices. iPads from the 2018 Pro onward, recent MacBooks with Apple silicon and Windows laptops with a cellular option all accept a profile. Airalo and Saily both allow installation on a tablet. Check the provider terms first, because a few sell phone only plans." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Does unused eSIM data roll over to the next plan?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "No. None of the three main providers roll data over, so anything left when the validity period ends is lost. Buy a smaller plan and top up in the app instead of buying generously up front. Airalo and Saily add the new allowance to the same profile with no reinstallation." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Should I turn off data roaming on my normal SIM?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes. Leave your home line switched on so calls and verification texts still reach you, but turn its data roaming off and set the travel eSIM as your mobile data line. Otherwise your own carrier bills you at roaming rates for browsing the eSIM has already paid for." } } ] } ] } ] --- [L Luxury Hotel Compare Indep · Editorial · 2026 ](/) Destinations Guides [Best eSIM](/travel-guides/best-esim-international-travel-2026)[Priority Pass Review](/airport-lounges)[Best Luxury Luggage](/suitcases) [Book Via Booking.com](https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-101801746-17288959?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fsearchresults.html%3Fss%3Dluxury%2Bhotels%26checkin%3D2026-10-21%26checkout%3D2026-10-23%26group_adults%3D2%26no_rooms%3D1%26group_children%3D0) In this guide Key facts In this guide - [Key facts](#key-facts-h) - [Airalo vs Holafly vs Saily, line by line](#comparison-h) - [1\. Airalo](#airalo-h) - [2\. Holafly](#holafly-h) - [3\. Saily](#saily-h) - [Country by country, what I would actually buy](#countries-h) - [How to choose, in the order that matters](#choosing-h) - [Will your phone actually take one](#compatibility-h) - [Installing and activating without the airport panic](#install-h) - [Calls, texts and keeping your own number](#numbers-h) - [eSIM, local SIM or your own carrier's roaming pass](#cost-h) Guide facts Author Jack Williamson Last updated Updated August 2026 Length 18 min read Buy a plan - [![Airalo logo](/assets/airalo-ByZ4bDVy.webp)Top pick From $4.50 Buy ](https://airalo.tpx.lt/XJUpu9hS) - [![Holafly logo](/assets/holafly--4gUi4Ci.webp)Unlimited data on short city trips From $19 Buy ](https://esim.holafly.com/) - [![Saily logo](/assets/saily-BBCRIIbw.webp)Hotspot From $3.99 Buy ](https://saily.tpx.lt/VAiIK5qH) Affiliate links. Your price does not change. ![A traveller checking a phone by an aircraft window on the way to an international destination](/images/guides/esim-lifestyle-hero.webp) TRAVEL ESSENTIALS · CONNECTIVITY · 2026 # Best eSIM for International Travel 2026: Airalo vs Holafly vs Saily Ranked Independently tested across 30 countries. Real fair use data. No paid placements. By Jack Williamson · Updated August 2026 · 18 min read Prices and policies last verified 24 August 2026 by Jack Williamson. ![Airalo logo](/assets/airalo-ByZ4bDVy.webp) ![Holafly logo](/assets/holafly--4gUi4Ci.webp) ![Saily logo](/assets/saily-BBCRIIbw.webp) Last Updated: August 2026 Reviewed by [Jack Williamson](/about)· Luxury Travel Editor Airalo is the best eSIM for international travel in 2026. It covers more than 200 countries, publishes the clearest fair use policy of any major provider, and now serves over 30 million customers. Holafly is the strongest choice for short unlimited city trips where you plan to burn through data on maps, translation and social media. Saily wins for anyone who cares about routing and security, thanks to its NordVPN engineering roots and its virtual location tools. Ubigi remains the specialist pick for Japan and long stay Europe. The rest of the field is competent but rarely the right answer for a luxury traveller in 2026. I have carried all three of these profiles on the same handset for the past year, switching between them on landing to see which attaches before the bags reach the belt. What follows is what I found, including the parts the providers would rather you skimmed. The affiliate links here do not change what you pay and they do not change the order. Rank 1 ![Airalo logo](/assets/airalo-ByZ4bDVy.webp)Airalo Coverage, transparency and the everyday default 200+ countries · from $4.50 Buy now Rank 2 ![Holafly logo](/assets/holafly--4gUi4Ci.webp)Holafly Unlimited data on short city trips 170+ destinations · from $19 Buy now Rank 3 ![Saily logo](/assets/saily-BBCRIIbw.webp)Saily Hotspot, routing and privacy 190+ countries · from $3.99 Buy now ## Key facts Top pick Airalo (200+ countries, 30M+ customers, transparent fair use) Best for unlimited city trips Holafly (unlimited plans in 170+ destinations, fair use throttle to 1 Mbps after 500 MB per day) Best for security and hotspot Saily (NordVPN owned, virtual location, hotspot allowed on all plans) Best for Japan Ubigi (native Docomo network, uncapped speeds) Best value USA Airalo Change plan or Saily (both under $5 for a week of 1 GB) Best value Europe Airalo Eurolink or Nomad Refund windows Airalo 30 days if unused, Holafly 30 days if no data consumed, Saily 30 day money back Phones iPhone 17 Air is eSIM only globally. Every new iPhone sold from September 2025 requires an eSIM plan ## Airalo vs Holafly vs Saily, line by line Everything below was checked against each provider's own site and terms pages on 31 August 2026. Prices are the live retail rates for the plan named, not promotional first order pricing. Swipe to see every column Airalo, Holafly and Saily compared for international travel in 2026 Feature ![Airalo logo](/assets/airalo-ByZ4bDVy.webp)Airalo ![Holafly logo](/assets/holafly--4gUi4Ci.webp)Holafly ![Saily logo](/assets/saily-BBCRIIbw.webp)Saily Coverage 200+ countries 170+ destinations 190+ countries Plan types Local, regional, global Unlimited on most plans Local, regional, global Fair use throttle 2 GB a day then 512 kbps 500 MB a day then 1 Mbps 1 GB a day then 128 kbps Hotspot Yes on most plans Device dependent, not official Yes on all plans Voice Data only Data only Data only App rating 4.8 iOS, 4.6 Android 4.7 iOS, 4.4 Android 4.7 iOS, 4.6 Android Support 24/7 chat 24/7 chat 24/7 chat Payment Card, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, crypto Card, PayPal, Google Pay Card, PayPal, Google Pay 7 day USA, 1 GB $4.50 $19 unlimited $3.99 7 day Europe, 3 GB $8 Eurolink $27 unlimited $6.99 Trustpilot 4.6 from 150k+ reviews 4.7 from 60k+ reviews 4.4 from 5k+ reviews Founded 2019, Singapore 2017, Madrid 2024, Nord Security Buy now Buy now Buy now Buy now ### The ranking in one line each The three best international travel eSIMs for 2026, ranked Rank Provider Best for Coverage From Buy now 1 ![Airalo logo](/assets/airalo-ByZ4bDVy.webp)Airalo Coverage, transparency and the everyday default 200+ countries $4.50 Buy now 2 ![Holafly logo](/assets/holafly--4gUi4Ci.webp)Holafly Unlimited data on short city trips 170+ destinations $19 Buy now 3 ![Saily logo](/assets/saily-BBCRIIbw.webp)Saily Hotspot, routing and privacy 190+ countries $3.99 Buy now Rank 1 ![Airalo logo](/assets/airalo-ByZ4bDVy.webp)Airalo Coverage, transparency and the everyday default From $4.50 ![A traveller checking a map on a phone from a hotel balcony above a Mediterranean old town](/assets/airalo-scene-CjNgAq5J.jpg)One profile, forty countries. Dalmatia, April. ## 1\. Airalo The widest coverage and the clearest rules in the category Airalo is the eSIM I hand to family and friends first. Coverage is deeper than anyone else, the app is genuinely pleasant, and the fair use rules are written like a company that expects you to read them. Prices are not the cheapest on any single plan, but the combination of consistency, transparency and reliability is what makes it my top pick for 2026. The Global plan works in over 200 countries on a single QR code, which is the closest thing to a proper world roaming SIM I have found. - 200+ countries - 30M+ customers - 2 GB a day then 512 kbps - Hotspot on most plans - From $4.50 ### What I like - 200+ country coverage on a single account - Fair use policy published in plain English - Global plan covers 200+ destinations on one QR code ### What to watch - Not always cheapest per gigabyte - Unlimited plans throttle harder than Holafly - Some regional plans exclude specific countries within the region Get Airalo In practice Airalo behaves like a well run marketplace rather than a network, and that is the point. It resells capacity from the strongest local operator in each market, so the speed you get in Lisbon or Bangkok is the speed the host network gives everybody else. What Airalo controls is the buying experience, and that is where it is a long way ahead. You choose a destination, you see the network partner named before you pay, and the plan installs over hotel wifi in under a minute. The Global Discover plan is the reason it wins for anyone crossing continents in a single trip. One QR code carried me through Singapore, the Maldives and Dubai in April without a single reinstallation, and the fair use policy told me exactly when I would slow down. Two gigabytes a day is generous for maps, messaging and email, and the drop to 512 kbps afterwards is survivable rather than punitive. Where it stumbles is the regional small print. Eurolink names 40 plus countries, and one or two of the ones you assume are included are not, so read the destination list before Montenegro or Albania appears on your route. For a deeper look at Airalo's app, plans and setup, read our [full Airalo review](/airalo-esim). Rank 2 ![Holafly logo](/assets/holafly--4gUi4Ci.webp)Holafly Unlimited data on short city trips From $19 ![A traveller crossing a European city square at dusk while looking at a phone](/assets/holafly-scene-MTfo5zg4.jpg)Short city trips are where unlimited earns its money. ## 2\. Holafly Unlimited data for short city trips, with one hotspot caveat Holafly wins if your only worry is running out of data. Their unlimited plans mean you never have to top up mid trip, and the app tells you when the daily fair use throttle kicks in. The catch is hotspot. Officially it is not supported, and while some phones will happily tether, others will not. If your trip is short, urban and heavy on maps and social, Holafly is often the best value in the market. For longer stays or hotspot dependent workflows, Airalo is safer. - 170+ destinations - Unlimited on most plans - 500 MB a day then 1 Mbps - Hotspot not official - From $19 ### What I like - Unlimited data in 170+ destinations - Clearest daily fair use reset - Strong Trustpilot rating and human support ### What to watch - No hotspot on iPhone in most markets - More expensive than Airalo per day for shorter trips - Independent routing tests flagged some Asian regions going through Hong Kong Get Holafly Holafly sells one idea and sells it well. You buy a number of days rather than a number of gigabytes, and then you stop counting. On a five day trip to Rome where two people are navigating, translating menus and posting all afternoon, that removes the only connectivity decision worth worrying about. The app displays your daily fair use position clearly, and once you pass 500 megabytes the drop to 1 Mbps still carries maps and messaging without complaint. The hotspot position is the reason it sits second. Tethering is not officially supported, and on an iPhone in most markets the personal hotspot toggle simply does not pass traffic. Some Android handsets will share the connection happily, which makes the experience feel arbitrary rather than designed. Support is genuinely good, staffed by people who answer within a couple of minutes, and the refund policy is honoured where no data has been consumed. Buy it for a short, urban, data heavy trip and it is excellent. Buy it for three weeks with a laptop and you will wish you had bought Airalo. Rank 3 ![Saily logo](/assets/saily-BBCRIIbw.webp)Saily Hotspot, routing and privacy From $3.99 ![A laptop tethered to a phone on a hotel desk with a city skyline beyond the window](/assets/saily-scene-BGYDzAjB.jpg)Tethering allowed on every plan, which is the whole argument. ## 3\. Saily Nord Security engineering, hotspot on every plan Saily is the new arrival that anyone security minded should try. Nord Security built it, so the routing, encryption and VPN like extras feel a generation ahead of the field. The virtual location tool lets you appear in another country while abroad, useful for banking apps that geolock. Coverage is broad, the app is quick, and prices are competitive. Where it loses to Airalo is customer base and battle tested reliability. Where it beats Airalo is anyone who tethers a laptop from their phone all day. - 190+ countries - Nord Security owned - 1 GB a day then 128 kbps - Hotspot on all plans - From $3.99 ### What I like - Hotspot allowed across the entire range - Virtual location and web protection built in - Nord Security backing means privacy is more than marketing ### What to watch - Newer brand with fewer reviews - Unlimited plans throttle sooner than Holafly - Support is chat only Get Saily Saily arrived in 2024 with the advantage of being built by a security company rather than a travel one, and it shows in the parts of the product nobody photographs. Traffic runs over Nord Security infrastructure, the app includes web protection and ad blocking as standard, and the virtual location tool lets you appear to be at home while abroad, which quietly solves the banking app that refuses to load from a Bangkok address. Tethering is allowed across the whole range, so this is the profile I now put on the phone when I know I will be working from a hotel room with unreliable wifi. Prices undercut Airalo on several headline plans, including a week of a gigabyte in the United States at $3.99. The reservations are about maturity rather than engineering. The review base is small, support is chat only, and I have had one attachment failure in Marrakech that needed a restart to clear. On current form it will be a genuine rival to Airalo within two years. ## Country by country, what I would actually buy Coverage claims are close enough between the big three that the sensible way to choose is by destination. These are the picks I give people when they ask, based on what attached fastest and held speed once I was there. ### Japan Ubigi Native Docomo network with uncapped speeds. Fallback: Airalo Moshi Moshi for trips of a week or less. [Where to stay in Tokyo](/destinations/tokyo) ### Europe, multi country Airalo Eurolink or Nomad One profile carries you across 40 plus countries. Nomad undercuts it on larger data bundles. [Where to stay in Paris](/destinations/paris) ### USA Airalo Change or Saily Both sit under $5 for a week of 1 GB. Saily is the pick if you tether a laptop in the hotel room. [Where to stay in New York](/destinations/new-york) ### United Kingdom Airalo Uki Reliable on EE and Three, and cheap enough that a spare week costs less than a coffee. ### United Arab Emirates Saily Consistently better Dubai speeds in our testing, particularly around Downtown and the Marina. [Where to stay in Dubai](/destinations/dubai) ### Thailand Airalo Sabai Strong island coverage and instant attachment on landing in Bangkok and Phuket. ### Turkey Airalo Merhaba Turkey throttles all eSIMs after 8 days by regulation, so plan a local top up for longer stays. ### Australia and New Zealand Airalo Yolo or Holafly unlimited Distances are long and wifi is patchy on the road, so unlimited earns its keep here more than in Europe. ### Mexico and the Caribbean Airalo Cambia or Holafly Resort wifi is the weak point in this region. Carry data you can tether where the plan permits it. ### South America Airalo LATAM regional One plan across Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Peru saves buying four local bundles. ### Egypt Nomad Better pricing and cleaner attachment in Cairo and along the Nile than the larger names. ### India Airalo Jio Bharat India requires Aadhaar identification for local plans, which makes a travel eSIM the only practical route for visitors. ### China Saily, with Holafly as backup Both reach the open internet reliably. Note that USENIX Security 2025 found Holafly routes China traffic via Hong Kong. ## How to choose, in the order that matters Most people start with price, which is the least useful place to begin. The gap between the cheapest and the dearest plan on a week away is about the cost of two coffees, and the thing that ruins a trip is never the extra dollar. It is landing at midnight with no signal because the profile was never installed, or discovering at the hotel desk that your laptop cannot borrow the phone connection. So work in this order. First, does the plan cover every country on your route, including the airport you connect through if you need a boarding pass on the way. Second, can you tether, because if a laptop or a partner depends on your phone, that single answer eliminates Holafly. Third, what is the daily fair use ceiling and what speed sits behind it. Fourth, how you buy more data if you run out, which should be two taps in the app rather than a new purchase and a new QR code. Only then does price deserve a look. One more thing worth saying out loud. A travel eSIM is a data plan, not a phone line. Your own number stays where it is, on your normal SIM, and the eSIM simply carries the internet. That is exactly what most travellers want, but it does mean nobody will be able to ring you on the travel number, because there is not one. ![A traveller checking a map on a phone from a hotel balcony above a Mediterranean old town](/assets/airalo-scene-CjNgAq5J.jpg) ![Airalo logo](/assets/airalo-ByZ4bDVy.webp) The default answer ### One profile, more than 200 countries If you would rather not think about any of this again, install the Global plan before you fly and let it follow you across borders. It is the plan I keep on my own phone. Get Airalo ## Will your phone actually take one Two things have to be true. Your handset must support eSIM, and it must not be locked to your home carrier. On iPhone that means the XR, XS or anything newer. On Android it means most flagship Samsung, Google Pixel and recent Motorola models, though a surprising number of mid range handsets sold in Asia and Latin America still ship without eSIM even in 2026. The carrier lock is the one that catches people out, and it is the reason a lot of one star reviews exist. If you bought your phone on a contract from a network in the United States, Canada or the United Kingdom, it may refuse any profile other than that network's own. Check before you buy a plan. On iPhone, open Settings, General, About and look for a line reading No SIM restrictions. On Android, dial the network unlock check in your carrier app or simply ask them. It costs a phone call and it saves a refund request. Tablets and laptops are eligible too, and this is where the field thins out. Most iPads from the 2018 Pro onwards take an eSIM, and both Airalo and Saily sell data plans that install on one directly. Windows laptops with a cellular option and recent MacBooks with Apple silicon can also carry a profile, though check that the provider allows installation on a non phone device before you pay. ## Installing and activating without the airport panic Buy and install at home, the night before you fly, on wifi you trust. Installation writes the profile onto the phone but does not start the clock on most plans, because the validity period begins when the profile first attaches to a network at your destination. Airalo and Saily both make that distinction clearly in the app. Holafly starts counting from the activation moment you choose at purchase, so pick your first day carefully. Once you land, three settings decide whether it works. Turn on the travel line, set it as the mobile data line, and turn data roaming on for that line only. Leave your home line switched on for calls and texts if you want your number reachable, but turn its data roaming off, otherwise your own carrier will happily bill you for the same browsing your eSIM is already carrying. That single toggle is the most expensive mistake in travel connectivity. Keep the original QR code somewhere you can reach without data, in a screenshot or a printout. Most profiles can only be installed once, so a factory reset abroad without a saved profile is genuinely awkward. Airalo and Saily will reissue in support chat, but that requires a connection you may not have. ## Calls, texts and keeping your own number Every plan compared here is data only. There is no travel phone number, no incoming voice and no SMS on the eSIM line. In practice that matters far less than it sounds, because calls run over WhatsApp, FaceTime or the wifi calling built into your own line, and all three ride the eSIM data perfectly well. Where it does matter is two factor authentication. Banks still send verification codes by text to your home number, and those arrive on your home line only if it is switched on and registered on a network abroad. Keep the home line active and let it roam for texts, or move your logins to an authenticator app before you go. If you genuinely need a callable number abroad, Saily and Holafly both sell a subscription tier with one attached, and Roamless offers in app calling. None of the three main plans include it as standard. ## eSIM, local SIM or your own carrier's roaming pass Here is what a fortnight in Europe on roughly 5 GB costs by each route, using the same August 2026 pricing as everything else on this page. It is the clearest argument for a travel eSIM I can make. Fourteen days in Europe on about 5 GB, priced 31 August 2026 Route Cost What you trade Travel eSIM (Airalo Eurolink 5 GB) $16 Installs before you fly, keeps your own number for calls and texts Travel eSIM (Saily 5 GB Europe) $14.99 Hotspot allowed, so a laptop and a tablet share the same allowance Holafly unlimited, 15 days $64.90 No counting at all, but no official tethering Local physical SIM bought on arrival $10 to $25 Cheapest per gigabyte, costs you an hour and a passport photocopy Your own carrier daily roaming pass $70 to $150 Zero setup, uses your normal allowance, by far the most expensive A local physical SIM is still the cheapest way to buy data in almost every country, and if you are staying for a month it is worth the queue. For anything shorter, the hour you spend at an airport counter finding the desk, showing a passport and waiting for the registration text is worth more than the ten dollars you save. ![A laptop tethered to a phone on a hotel desk with a city skyline beyond the window](/assets/saily-scene-BGYDzAjB.jpg) ![Saily logo](/assets/saily-BBCRIIbw.webp) If you travel with a laptop ### Tethering allowed on every plan Built by Nord Security, so hotspot, routing and virtual location come as standard. A week of a gigabyte in the United States is $3.99, which undercuts almost everyone. Get Saily ## Top ups, rollover and what happens when the plan expires Data does not roll over on any of the three. When the validity period ends, whatever you have not used disappears, which is why buying a small plan and topping up beats buying a generous one and wasting it. Airalo and Saily both let you add data to the same profile in the app without a new installation, and the new allowance stacks onto the existing line rather than replacing it. Holafly works differently because the plans are unlimited. You extend the number of days rather than the amount of data, and if the trip stretches you buy a fresh period. Their Always On tier now includes a gigabyte a month even when no plan is active, which is a genuinely useful safety net for landing. Expiry dates run in whole days from first attachment, not calendar days, so a plan activated at four in the afternoon runs until four in the afternoon on its final day. Set a reminder for the morning of the last day. Nothing is more irritating than losing maps on the way to the airport. ## When it goes wrong, which occasionally it does Nine failures out of ten are one of four things. The travel line is installed but not enabled. Data roaming is off for that line. The line is enabled but your home line is still set as mobile data. Or the automatic network selection has latched onto a partner network with no agreement, which a manual network choice in settings will fix in about thirty seconds. If none of that works, restart the phone before you contact anybody, because a restart clears a stuck attachment more often than any support agent will. When you do open the chat, give them the ICCID from the plan details screen, the country and city you are standing in, and the network name the phone is showing. That single message replaces about four rounds of questions and usually gets a working answer inside ten minutes. Airalo and Saily both refund without argument where a profile genuinely cannot attach and no data has been used. ## Fair use throttles side by side Unlimited never means unlimited. Every provider sets a daily ceiling and slows you afterwards, and the honest differences are here rather than in the marketing. Daily fair use thresholds and reduced speeds, verified 31 August 2026 Provider Threshold Reduced speed Source Airalo 2 GB per day 512 kbps Airalo fair use policy Holafly 500 MB per day 1 Mbps Holafly terms of service Saily 1 GB per day 128 kbps Saily fair use terms Each figure is taken from the provider's own published terms: the Airalo fair use policy, the Holafly terms of service and the Saily fair use terms. All three reset at local midnight. ## What the security researchers found According to the USENIX Security 2025 paper on international eSIM routing, the path your data takes after it leaves your handset varies far more than any provider advertises. Travel eSIMs do not simply hand you to the nearest local operator. They route your traffic through a home network of their own choosing, sometimes in a different jurisdiction from the one you are standing in, and the researchers measured exactly where those exits sit. The finding that matters most to travellers concerns China. The paper reports that Holafly routes Chinese traffic through Hong Kong, which is why the connection reaches the open internet at all, and also why the arrangement deserves a moment of thought. Airalo and Saily were measured routing through other jurisdictions with different retention rules again. **What this means for you.** If you are reading email and using maps, none of this changes your day. If you handle client material, financial documents or anything covered by professional confidentiality, assume that the country your traffic exits in governs it, and run a VPN of your own on top of the eSIM. That is the single habit that makes the routing question irrelevant. ## Why this matters for iPhone 17 Air owners Apple's official iPhone 17 Air specification page confirms the model ships with no physical SIM tray in any market. There is no drawer to open, no local SIM to buy at the airport and no fallback if you land without a plan installed. The eSIM is the only way that phone gets data abroad. The change is broader than one model. Every new iPhone sold from September 2025 requires an eSIM plan for international use, which turns what used to be a clever trick for frequent flyers into ordinary travel admin. Install the profile at home over wifi the night before you fly, leave the line switched off so it does not begin counting, and enable data roaming on that line only once you land. ## Also worth knowing Seven more names come up often enough to deserve an honest sentence each. Ubigi Best for Japan and long stay Europe, owned by Transatel, part of BNP Paribas. Nomad Strong for Europe and Egypt, with the most refined app after Airalo. Jetpac Good design and a pleasant buying flow, but a thin country list. GigSky Solid for cruise ship and airline use, which almost nobody else covers. Firsty Freemium, slow when free, useful as a backup profile you never pay for. aloSIM A white label of Airalo, so there is no reason to pick it over Airalo itself. Yesim A Swiss brand, privacy conscious, but priced above what the coverage justifies. Roamless Pay as you go by the gigabyte with no expiry, which suits people who hop countries with no fixed plan. Maya Quietly good in Asia and the Middle East, with generous multi country bundles. MobiMatter A marketplace rather than a network, so it often lists the cheapest bundle for an odd country pairing. GlobalYO Worth a look only for very long stays, where a 360 day global allowance beats buying monthly. ## Frequently asked questions - ### What is the best eSIM for international travel in 2026? − Airalo is the best eSIM for international travel in 2026. It reaches more than 200 countries, publishes its fair use rules in plain English and serves over 30 million customers. Holafly is better for short unlimited city trips, and Saily is better if you tether a laptop or care about routing and privacy. - ### Do eSIMs work on iPhone 17 Air? + Yes, and on the iPhone 17 Air an eSIM is the only option. Apple ships that model without a physical SIM tray in every market, so a travel eSIM is now the standard way to get data abroad. Every new iPhone sold since September 2025 needs an eSIM plan for international use. - ### Can I use hotspot with a Holafly eSIM? + Officially no. Holafly does not support tethering on its unlimited plans, and iPhone users in most markets find the personal hotspot toggle simply does not pass traffic. Some Android handsets will share the connection anyway, but it is not guaranteed. If you tether daily, buy Saily or Airalo instead. - ### Which eSIM works best in Japan? + Ubigi is the strongest choice in Japan because it runs natively on the NTT Docomo network rather than reselling a roaming agreement, so speeds are uncapped and attachment on landing is immediate. Airalo Moshi Moshi is the sensible fallback and costs less on short trips of a week or under. - ### Does Airalo really cover 200 countries on one QR code? + The Global Discover plan does cover more than 200 destinations on a single profile, so one installation carries you through a multi continent trip. Read the destination list before you buy, though, because a handful of regional plans quietly exclude specific countries inside the region they name. - ### Is Saily safe if it is owned by NordVPN? + Saily is built by Nord Security, the company behind NordVPN, and that lineage is the reason its routing and encryption are the strongest in the category. Traffic is carried over its own protected infrastructure, and the app adds web protection and a virtual location tool at no extra cost. - ### What happens when I hit the fair use daily throttle? + Your connection slows rather than stops. Airalo drops to 512 kbps after 2 GB in a day, Holafly to 1 Mbps after 500 MB and Saily to 128 kbps after 1 GB. Messaging and maps still work at those speeds. Video calls and large uploads generally do not. Everything resets at midnight. - ### Which eSIM works in China? + Saily and Holafly both reach the open internet from mainland China because your traffic leaves the country before it resolves. One caveat matters. Research presented at USENIX Security 2025 found that Holafly routes Chinese traffic through Hong Kong, which sits under a different legal regime. - ### Can I get a refund if the eSIM does not work on my phone? + Yes, provided you have not used the data. Airalo refunds an unused plan within 30 days of purchase, Holafly does the same where no data has been consumed, and Saily offers a 30 day money back guarantee. Check that your handset is unlocked before you buy, because a locked phone is the usual culprit. - ### Do I need to keep my normal SIM active when using an eSIM abroad? + Keep it active but switch data roaming off on that line. Your home number then continues to receive calls, bank codes and texts over wifi calling while the travel eSIM carries all the data. Set the travel line as your default for mobile data and leave messaging tied to your usual number. - ### Will an eSIM work if my phone is locked to my carrier? + No. A handset locked to your home network will refuse any other profile, which is the single most common reason a travel eSIM fails to install. On iPhone, open Settings, General, About and look for the line reading No SIM restrictions. On Android, ask your carrier to confirm the unlock before you buy. - ### Can I use a travel eSIM on an iPad or laptop? + Yes on most modern devices. iPads from the 2018 Pro onward, recent MacBooks with Apple silicon and Windows laptops with a cellular option all accept a profile. Airalo and Saily both allow installation on a tablet. Check the provider terms first, because a few sell phone only plans. - ### Does unused eSIM data roll over to the next plan? + No. None of the three main providers roll data over, so anything left when the validity period ends is lost. Buy a smaller plan and top up in the app instead of buying generously up front. Airalo and Saily add the new allowance to the same profile with no reinstallation. - ### Should I turn off data roaming on my normal SIM? + Yes. Leave your home line switched on so calls and verification texts still reach you, but turn its data roaming off and set the travel eSIM as your mobile data line. Otherwise your own carrier bills you at roaming rates for browsing the eSIM has already paid for. This guide contains affiliate links. If you buy an Airalo or Saily plan through my links I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The Holafly links are currently direct and uncompensated. Neither arrangement changes the ranking above. In this guide - [› The verdict](#verdict) - [› Key facts](#key-facts) - [› Full comparison](#comparison) - [› 1. Airalo](#airalo) - [› 2. Holafly](#holafly) - [› 3. Saily](#saily) - [› Country by country](#countries) - [› How to choose](#choosing) - [› Phone compatibility](#compatibility) - [› Install and activate](#install) - [› Calls, texts and your number](#numbers) - [› eSIM vs local SIM vs roaming](#cost) - [› Top ups and expiry](#topups) - [› When it goes wrong](#trouble) - [› Fair use throttles](#throttles) - [› Security research](#security) - [› iPhone 17 Air](#iphone) - [› Also worth knowing](#also) - [› FAQs](#faq) Top pick #### Airalo, 9.4 / 10 More than 200 countries on one account, plans from $4.50 and fair use rules written to be read. Get an Airalo eSIM → I earn a small commission at no cost to you [L ](/) Luxury Hotel Compare Independent reviews of the world's best hotels, written by someone who actually cares. 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