For a week of unlimited data, Airalo and Holafly cost almost the same: in Japan, $26.50 against $27.50. The difference is what “unlimited” means. Airalo slows you to 1 Mbps after 3 GB a day in Japan and 5 GB a day in Europe, the USA and Thailand; Holafly has no daily allowance but limits hotspot sharing to 1 GB a day. Airalo also sells fixed data, which is far cheaper for most trips: 10 GB for a week in Japan is $17.00, and $10.00 in Thailand. Pick Holafly if you want unlimited data with no daily counter and a long refund window. Pick Airalo if you want fixed gigabytes, top-ups or a plan with a phone number.
Most comparisons stop at “Airalo is cheaper, Holafly is unlimited”. That hides the useful part. Below are both brands’ own prices on 9 October 2026 for Japan, Europe, the USA and Thailand, the speed rules behind each “unlimited” plan, and the trips where each one actually wins.
- Airalo: fixed plans from $4.00 for 1 GB and 3 days in Japan, and unlimited plans from $9.50 for 3 days in Thailand, with a daily high-speed allowance of 3 GB or 5 GB, then 1 Mbps.
- Holafly: unlimited data only, $11.90 for 3 days up to $73.90 for 30 days, the same price in Japan, the USA and Thailand. Hotspot sharing is limited to 1 GB a day.
- Price for a week: unlimited costs $21.00 to $27.00 with Airalo and $27.50 with Holafly. Airalo’s 10 GB weekly plan costs $10.00 to $26.00 depending on the destination.
- Extras: Holafly gives up to 6 months to request a refund and 1 GB of free backup data a month. Airalo plans can be topped up, and some include a phone number.
What each brand sells
Holafly has one product shape: a number of days with unlimited data. Airalo has two: fixed data, where you buy a set number of gigabytes, and unlimited data with a daily high-speed allowance. Both are data-only in the destinations below unless you pick one of Airalo’s plans with minutes and texts.
| Airalo | Holafly | |
|---|---|---|
| Plan types | Fixed data and capped unlimited | Unlimited only |
| Speed after daily use | 1 Mbps after 3 GB a day (Japan) or 5 GB a day (Europe, USA, Thailand) | No daily allowance; operators may slow speeds for up to one day under a Fair Usage Policy |
| Hotspot | Not stated on the plan pages we checked | Up to 1 GB a day |
| When the plan starts | On first use | When you arrive and turn the eSIM on |
| Top-ups | Yes, plans are rechargeable | Not stated on the destination pages we checked |
| Phone number | Only on plans with minutes and texts, such as the USA voice plans and a global plan with a US number | No, data-only |
| Refunds | Check Airalo’s own policy | Up to 6 months to request one, conditions apply |
Price for the same trip
These are the prices on each brand’s destination pages on 9 October 2026, in US dollars. “Europe” means Airalo’s regional Eurolink plan and Holafly’s Europe plan.
| Destination | Airalo 10 GB, 7 days | Airalo unlimited, 7 days | Holafly, 7 days | Airalo unlimited, 30 days | Holafly, 30 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | $17.00 | $26.50 (3 GB a day) | $27.50 | $69.00 | $73.90 |
| Europe | $26.00 | $27.00 (5 GB a day) | $27.50 | $71.00 | $76.50 |
| USA | $21.50 | $25.00 (5 GB a day) | $27.50 | $68.00 | $73.90 |
| Thailand | $10.00 | $21.00 (5 GB a day) | $27.50 | $49.00 | $73.90 |
Two things stand out. Unlimited data costs about the same with both brands for a week, so the choice is about the speed rules, not the price. And if you do not need unlimited, Airalo’s fixed plans are the cheaper buy: in Thailand, 10 GB for 7 days is $10.00 against $27.50 for Holafly’s week.
Not tied to either brand? Our Japan, Europe, USA and Thailand eSIM pages list every plan we sell side by side, with speed limits, hotspot terms and where your data exits on each plan page.
What “unlimited” means with each
A daily allowance matters more than it sounds. Airalo’s Japan plan gives you 3 GB a day at full speed. That covers maps, messaging, photos and a few hours of video. After 3 GB the plan runs at 1 Mbps until the next day, which is still enough for messaging and maps but slow for video.
Holafly has no daily allowance. Its pages say network operators can apply a Fair Usage Policy that slows the connection for no more than one day at a time. The real limit is hotspot: you can share up to 1 GB a day, so a 7-day plan includes up to 7 GB of sharing. If you plan to run a laptop from your phone, that matters more than the headline “unlimited”.
Our explainer on whether unlimited eSIM data is really unlimited compares these speed rules across more brands.
When Airalo is the better choice
- You use less than 1 to 2 GB a day. A fixed plan covers the trip for less. At about 500 MB a day, a week uses around 3.5 GB; see our travel data guide for app-by-app numbers.
- You want to top up rather than rebuy. Airalo plans are rechargeable, so you can add data to the same eSIM.
- You need minutes or texts. Airalo sells USA plans with minutes and texts, for example 5 GB, 50 minutes and 50 texts for 7 days at $17.00, and a global plan with a US number. Holafly is data-only.
- You are in Thailand. Airalo’s unlimited week is $21.00 and its 10 GB week is $10.00, both well below Holafly’s $27.50.
When Holafly is the better choice
- You stream or upload video every day. No daily allowance means no drop to 1 Mbps after 3 GB or 5 GB.
- Your plans might change. Holafly says you have up to 6 months to request a refund, with conditions.
- You want a safety net after the trip. Holafly includes 1 GB of free backup data a month on an installed eSIM.
- You do not want to think about data at all. One product, one price per number of days, nothing to count.
A third option, and when not to use it
Both brands charge for the brand and the app. If you mainly want data at the lowest price, fixed plans from smaller sellers are often cheaper. In our own catalogue on 9 October 2026, 10 GB for 30 days cost $7.00 in Japan, $7.54 across Europe, $9.80 in the USA and $7.00 in Thailand. Our capped-unlimited week is $11.00 in Europe and $19.00 in Japan.
Be honest about the trade-off. We are a smaller store with far fewer independent reviews than either brand. Our Japan unlimited plan drops to 256 kbps after 3 GB a day, which is slower than Airalo’s 1 Mbps. Our cheapest unlimited plan that lasts a week in the USA is $36.80 for 10 days, and we sell no unlimited plan for Thailand. If those matter for your trip, Airalo or Holafly is the better buy. Our Holafly alternatives article goes through more destinations.
Looking past both brands? We put Airalo’s 10 GB prices next to Ubigi and smaller sellers in five destinations in Airalo alternatives.
Frequently asked questions
Is Airalo cheaper than Holafly?
For fixed data, yes: Airalo’s 10 GB weekly plan cost $10.00 in Thailand and $17.00 in Japan on 9 October 2026, against $27.50 for Holafly’s week. For unlimited data the two are close: $21.00 to $27.00 for a week with Airalo and $27.50 with Holafly.
Is Airalo unlimited really unlimited?
There is no data cap, but there is a daily speed allowance. On the plans we checked, Airalo slows you to 1 Mbps after 3 GB a day in Japan and after 5 GB a day in Europe, the USA and Thailand. Full speed returns the next day.
Which is better for Japan, Airalo or Holafly?
For typical use, Airalo: 10 GB for 7 days is $17.00 and 20 GB for 30 days is $25.00. For heavy daily video, Holafly’s $27.50 week has no daily allowance, while Airalo’s $26.50 unlimited week slows to 1 Mbps after 3 GB a day.
Does Holafly allow hotspot?
Yes, up to 1 GB a day according to Holafly’s destination pages, so a 7-day plan includes up to 7 GB of sharing. If you need to tether a laptop for longer, a fixed plan that lists hotspot support lets you share the whole allowance.
Do Airalo or Holafly give you a phone number?
Holafly’s plans are data-only, with no number. Most Airalo plans are data-only too, but Airalo sells USA plans with minutes and texts and a global plan with a US number. Without a number, internet calling apps still work and your home SIM keeps receiving texts.
Can I get a refund from Holafly or Airalo?
Holafly’s pages say you have up to 6 months to request a refund, with conditions such as the eSIM being unused. Airalo has its own refund policy, which you should check before buying. With any provider, refunds are easiest before the eSIM is installed.
Both are good products for different people. Count your gigabytes once before you buy, and the right one usually becomes obvious.
Last reviewed 9 October 2026. Airalo and Holafly prices and terms are from each brand’s own destination pages on that date, in US dollars; they change and can vary by country and promotion. Our prices and speed limits come from our catalogue on the same date; product pages are authoritative. Airalo and Holafly are trademarks of their owners; this article is independent of them.