If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve been stung before. Maybe it was a roaming bill that made you wince when you got home, or the queue at an airport SIM kiosk after a long-haul flight when all you wanted was a shower (and a sit down). Or your maps froze at a busy junction while everyone in the car shouted a different direction. I’ve had every one of those over six years of pretty much full-time travel, and none of them were fun.
Holafly’s pitch is simple. You get unlimited data in over 200 destinations, priced by the day rather than by the gigabyte. Pick where you’re going and for how long, install it before you fly and switch it on when you land. You don’t count megabytes and you never top up.
So does it live up to that? Mostly, yes. But “unlimited” comes with a couple of asterisks, and it isn’t the cheapest choice for every trip (more on that further down). If it does suit you, my code THETRAVELTINKER knocks 5% off any travel eSIM, or 10% off the monthly Holafly Plans for your first 12 months.
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Holafly: Quick Facts
What Holafly is and how "unlimited" actually works
Holafly sells eSIMs. An eSIM is a digital SIM profile you download straight onto your phone, so there’s no fiddling about with a tiny plastic card and a paperclip (and the paperclip is always the bit that goes missing). You choose a single country, Japan say, or a region like Europe, which covers 33 countries with the UK included. Pick your number of days and that’s it. Unlimited data for the whole stretch.
Because every plan is unlimited, the only real decision is how many days you need. I really like that. I’ve stood in enough phone shops abroad trying to guess if 5GB would last a fortnight of Google Maps, Instagram and the odd Netflix episode in a hotel with useless wifi.
You connect to local networks, on 5G where it’s available and 4G or LTE everywhere else. There are two catches, though:
- Fair use. In rare cases the local network slows you down to manage traffic. Holafly says this lasts no more than a day and resets the next day, and if you’re mostly on maps, messaging and a bit of scrolling I doubt you’d notice.
- Hotspot limits. Sharing your connection with a laptop or a mate’s phone is capped, usually somewhere between 500MB and 1GB a day depending on where you are. Europe gets 1GB.
Coverage also comes down to the local network, same as any SIM. Holafly is upfront that signal can get patchy in mountains and remote areas (it name-checks parts of the Alps). Heading somewhere twisty and remote? Download offline maps as a backup. Belt and braces.
The Always On benefit explained
Always On is Holafly’s newer perk, and it’s a clever one. Every Holafly eSIM comes with 1GB of global monthly backup data, valid in 150+ countries, at no extra cost.
How it works:
- It switches on automatically once your main plan has finished
- You get a fresh 1GB every 30 days, counted from the day you installed the eSIM
- Unused data doesn’t roll over, so it resets to 1GB each cycle
- The only rule is that you keep the eSIM installed
1GB doesn’t sound like much, and it isn’t meant for streaming. Holafly reckons Google Maps navigation uses around 5 to 10MB an hour, while WhatsApp messages barely register. Picture a cancelled flight and an unplanned night in a transit city. That 1GB is plenty to book a taxi, message the hotel and find somewhere to eat.
Most people who’ve travelled for a while have been there (me included), wandering about looking for a café with the wifi password chalked on a board. So a free safety net that just sits on your phone? I’ll take it.
One small catch. The Always On country list is shorter than Holafly’s full destination list, so check your stopover country is covered before you rely on it.
How much Holafly costs
Holafly charges by the day, and what surprised me is how little the price shifts between destinations. A week in Japan costs about the same as a week in Europe, the USA or Thailand. It’s the number of days that moves things, and the longer you go, the lower the daily rate.
Prices are a guide and vary by destination, trip length and promotions. Holafly charges in whichever currency you pick, so the £ and € figures below are rounded conversions of the $ prices.
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| Destination | Trip length | £ (approx) | € (approx) | $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Europe (33 countries) | 3 days | £9 | €10 | $11.90 |
| Europe (33 countries) | 7 days | £20 | €24 | $27.50 |
| Europe (33 countries) | 15 days | £38 | €44 | $51.50 |
| Europe (33 countries) | 30 days | £57 | €66 | $76.50 |
| USA | 7 days | £20 | €24 | $27.50 |
| USA | 15 days | £37 | €44 | $50.50 |
| Japan | 7 days | £20 | €24 | $27.30 |
| Japan | 15 days | £38 | €44 | $50.90 |
| Thailand | 7 days | £20 | €24 | $27.50 |
| Thailand | 30 days | £55 | €64 | $73.90 |
There's also Holafly Plans, a monthly subscription aimed at people who travel constantly. It starts at about £37 a month for 25GB (€43 / $49.90), or about £48 (€56 / $64.90) for unlimited data, and the unlimited tier lifts the hotspot cap too. It covers 170+ destinations. My code takes 10% off Holafly Plans for your first 12 months, which brings those down to about £33 (€39 / $44.91) and £43 (€50 / $58.41) a month.
Check Holafly's prices for your dates through my link and THETRAVELTINKER goes on automatically, so the 5% (or 10% on Holafly Plans) comes straight off. If the code isn't showing at checkout, type it into the discount box.
Holafly vs roaming vs local SIM vs pocket wifi
This is the bit a lot of reviews skip. If you’re from the UK and heading to Europe, check your own network first. Most of the big UK networks charge around £2 to £2.60 a day (€2.35 to €3.05 / $2.70 to $3.50) to use your normal allowance in Europe, and a few plans include it free. On a short Europe trip with a big data allowance, that can come in cheaper than Holafly.
Where Holafly pulls ahead is further afield, because roaming outside Europe gets pricey fast. It also makes sense if your UK allowance is small, your network caps roaming data, or you just can’t be bothered thinking about it.
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| Option | Typical cost | Hassle | Data | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holafly eSIM | About £1.85 to £2.90 a day (€2.15 to €3.40 / $2.50 to $3.90) | Low. Install at home, switch on when you land | Unlimited on your phone, hotspot capped | Long-haul trips, heavy users, multi-country trips |
| UK network roaming in Europe | About £2 to £2.60 a day on most big networks (€2.35 to €3.05 / $2.70 to $3.50), free on some plans | None, it just works | Your UK allowance, often with a roaming cap | Short Europe trips on a big data plan |
| Local SIM | Often cheap, varies a lot by country | Find a shop or kiosk, sometimes show your passport, swap SIMs | Fixed bundle, top up locally | Long stays in one country |
| Pocket wifi | A daily rental fee | One more gadget to charge, carry and return | Usually generous, shared between devices | Families or groups sharing one connection |
For years the airport SIM kiosk was my default. Cheap data, sure, but I lost count of the times I stood in that queue at the end of a long flight wondering why I hadn't sorted it before leaving home. With an eSIM (any eSIM, not just Holafly) you skip that queue completely.
How to set up Holafly before you fly
It’s a five-minute job, give or take. Here’s the order I’d do it in:
- Check your phone works with eSIMs. Dial *#06# and if an EID number shows up, your phone supports eSIM. It also needs to be unlocked (on an iPhone, go to Settings, General, About and look for “No SIM restrictions” next to Carrier Lock).
- Buy your plan for the right destination and number of days. Go through my link and THETRAVELTINKER is added for you.
- Install it on wifi. Use the one-tap install in the Holafly app (iPhones on iOS 17.4 or later) or scan the QR code from your confirmation email.
- Label it something obvious like “Holafly” so you don’t mix up your lines later.
- When you land, switch the Holafly line on, set it as your mobile data line and turn on data roaming for it. That’s just how the eSIM connects abroad, and there’s no extra charge for it.
- Keep a copy of the QR code in case you need it. Holafly also stores your eSIM details in the app.
While you’re ticking off the pre-trip admin, sort your travel insurance too. It’s the other thing people leave until the night before.
The honest pros and cons
What I like:
- You never have to do data maths, full stop
- Any trip length from 1 to 90 days, so you’re not paying for days you won’t use
- The Europe plan covers 33 countries on one eSIM, the UK included
- Always On gives you free backup data after the trip ends
- A 6-month window to claim a full refund if your plans change and you haven’t activated it
- 24/7 support through online chat and WhatsApp
What I don't:
- It’s data only, so there’s no local number and no normal calls or SMS
- The hotspot cap makes it a poor choice if you work from a laptop
- Light users pay for unlimited data they’ll never touch. If you only need a few GB, a fixed-data eSIM from another provider can cost a fraction of the price
- You can’t reinstall it or swap it to a new phone
- For Brits on a short Europe trip, your own network’s roaming is often cheaper
Who Holafly suits, and who should skip it
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| Traveller type | Trip style | What to pick | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long-haul holidaymaker | 1 to 3 weeks in the USA, Japan or Thailand | Holafly country eSIM for your exact days | Roaming outside Europe gets expensive and you'll lean on maps all day |
| Road tripper | Driving across borders | Holafly regional plan, like Europe | One eSIM for the whole route, with no SIM swapping at borders |
| Heavy user or content creator | Daily uploads, streaming, video calls | Holafly, any trip length | No data counter and no surprise bills |
| Light user on a short Europe break | A weekend or a week, maps and WhatsApp | Probably skip it and check your UK network's roaming first | You may already have it for a couple of pounds a day |
| Laptop worker or digital nomad | Months on the road, tethering most days | Holafly Plans monthly subscription, unlimited tier | Travel eSIM hotspot caps are too tight for proper work, and my code takes 10% off for the first 12 months |
| Family sharing one connection | Several devices online at once | One eSIM per phone, or pocket wifi | A capped hotspot makes one Holafly a poor family router |
Road trips are where unlimited data comes into its own. Your phone ends up as the sat nav and the "where on earth do we park" oracle, often both at once on a busy roundabout. If you're planning something like my road trip through Slovenia, Croatia and Italy, book your car hire early and read up on driving in Slovenia if it's on your route.
How to use the THETRAVELTINKER discount code
The code gets you 5% off any Holafly travel eSIM, or 10% off Holafly Plans for your first 12 months. Using it is quick and painless:
- Head to Holafly through any of the links in this post, which apply the code for you
- Choose your destination and the number of days (or pick a monthly plan)
- Select how many eSIMs you need (it’s one per phone)
- At checkout, check THETRAVELTINKER is showing, and type it into the discount box if it isn’t
- Make sure the discount has come off before you pay
- Install it at home, as above
Gear we actually travel with
Passport holders, packing cubes, travel wallets. Stuff that earns its place in the bag.
Browse the shopSo, is Holafly worth it?
For long-haul trips, multi-country trips, road trips and anyone who’d rather never look at a data counter again, yes. It isn’t the cheapest per gigabyte, and the hotspot cap is a proper limitation if you work from a laptop. What you’re paying for is convenience, and Holafly does that well. Unlimited data in over 200 destinations, Always On backup data once the trip’s over, and a refund window long enough that a change of plans won’t cost you.
Off for a quick week in Spain on a big UK contract? Check your roaming first. For pretty much anything further away, get your Holafly eSIM sorted here. My link applies THETRAVELTINKER automatically for 5% off (or 10% off Holafly Plans for your first 12 months). Then install it the night before you fly.
FAQs
Can I use Holafly and my normal SIM at the same time?
Yes, if your phone supports dual SIM (most recent iPhones, Samsungs and Pixels do). Set Holafly as your data line and leave your normal SIM on for calls and texts, but turn off data roaming on your normal SIM so it doesn’t run up charges.
Will WhatsApp still work with my usual number?
Yes. WhatsApp stays linked to your normal number, so your chats, contacts and groups carry on as usual while Holafly provides the data.
Can I use Holafly in my home country?
No. Holafly eSIMs are built for travel abroad and don’t work for domestic use, so a UK resident can’t use one at home. Visitors coming to the UK can buy a UK or Europe plan.
What happens if my phone isn't compatible?
You can get a full refund, as long as you haven’t scanned the QR code or used any data and it’s within 6 months of buying. Holafly asks for screenshots showing the phone is incompatible or locked, so check with *#06# before you buy and save yourself the faff.
Is Holafly worth it for a week in Europe?
It depends on your UK network. If roaming costs you around £2 a day (€2.35 / $2.70) and you’ve got a big allowance, roaming usually wins on price. If your allowance is small, your network caps roaming data, or you never want to think about data again, Holafly is the easier option.
Travel Hubs
Recommended Websites and Resources:
- Flights: Find the best deals on Trip.com
- Hotels: Best rates on Booking.com · Best hostels on HostelWorld · Ratings and bargains on TripAdvisor
- Apartments: Affordable rentals on VRBO
- Car hire: Best prices on RentalCars.com
- Travel insurance: VistorsCoverage for worldwide cover · AirHelp for flight delay compensation
- Activities: Tours and skip-the-line tickets on GetYourGuide · Instant mobile tickets on Tiqets
- Trains: Most affordable trains on Trainline · Rail passes on Rail Europe
- Travel eSIMs: Use your mobile phone anywhere worldwide with Airalo
- Need more help planning your trip? Visit our Resources Page to see all the companies we trust and use for our travels
