Nowadays, every traveler knows the importance of staying connected: keeping in touch with family and friends, searching directions, and using translation apps depends on being online. Today, I’ll share my honest review of Holafly’s unlimited eSIM for travelling in Europe.
Gone are the days of scrambling around the airport at your destination and fiddling with physical SIM cards. eSIM technology is here to stay: it’s convenient, reliable, and more eco-friendly.
I’ll guide you through the pros and cons of Holafly’s unlimited eSIM to help you prep for your upcoming Europe trip like a pro!
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links for products or services that I personally endorse and love. Should you make a purchase, I may make a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Jess Eats The World!
Summary: Holafly eSIM Pros and Cons
What I like:
– Unlimited data eSIMs in 200+ destinations worldwide (including regional and global eSIMs)
– Flexible eSIM durations
– Hotspot capabilities
– Easy setup
– 5G network support
– Eco-friendly alternative to physical SIM cards
What to keep in mind:
– Unlimited eSIMs are still subject to local provider fair-usage policies
– Unlimited eSIMs can be pricier, especially if you don’t have large data needs
– Some phones may not have eSIM compatibility
– Phones must be carrier-unlocked to use eSIMs
– Data-only eSIM (no phone line)
Want to jump to the hands-on review part? Click here to jump to my real-world experience using Holafly in Europe.
Save 5% off your Holafly eSIM using my discount code “JESSICAVIANA“
What is an eSIM and how does it work?
An eSIM (short for embedded SIM) works just like a physical SIM card, but it’s completely virtual, avoiding the awkwardness of looking for a SIM card when you land in a new destination, and fiddling with SIM card slots. They are also more eco-friendly, which I always support.
When you buy an eSIM, you install it into your device and you can then turn it on and off whenever you want, directly from your device settings.
Why eSIMs are the future
I love using eSIMs because they are super convenient: I always install mine right before boarding the plane, and then activate it once I land.
This way, I can get online right away and search directions or order a ride to my hotel. Plus, I don’t have to waste time looking for a shop selling SIM cards – I can dive straight into my new destination.
But there’s another reason: eSIMs are the future solution for staying connected. Starting with the iPhone 14 and newer models in the US, as well as some Samsung Galaxy and other Android devices, many new phone models are ditching the SIM card tray, relying exclusively on eSIM technology.
My prediction is that eSIM technology will become the standard in a few years.
Holafly unlimited eSIMs and pricing
One of the biggest advantages that Holafly offers, in my opinion, is the flexibility to choose eSIMs with custom durations.
Unlike other companies that offer fixed-duration eSIMs (eg. 10 days, 30 days, etc.), with Holafly, you can choose the exact number of days you need – from 1 day to 90 days – so you only pay for what you use. Holafly eSIMs start from USD $3.90 per day, and get cheaper the longer your chosen eSIM duration is.
Of course, Holafly eSIMs include unlimited data. As such, their eSIMs may be pricier sometimes, but you won’t need to worry about data limits this way.
Psst! You can save 5% off your Holafly eSIM using my discount code “JESSICAVIANA“
Should I get a country-specific eSIM or a regional eSIM for traveling in Europe?
Holafly offers both country-specific and regional eSIMs. When travelling in Europe, you can choose between buying an unlimited eSIM for a specific destination (eg. Italy, Greece, Spain, etc.) or getting the Holafly Europe regional eSIM, which works in 33 countries.
To decide on the best option for you, consider the below:
- Your travel plans: Are you going to visit one destination, or hop across borders? If your itinerary involves hopping between countries (or staying in areas close to borders), it may be more convenient to buy a regional eSIM so that you don’t have to worry about purchasing individual ones during your trip.
- Which countries you will visit: While Holafly’s unlimited Europe eSIM includes coverage in 33 countries, some European destinations are not covered by the regional eSIM, so make sure to check this against your itinerary. For example, if you’re visiting the south of France and want to visit Monaco as a day trip, you’ll need to buy an individual Holafly eSIM for Monaco, as it isn’t covered by the Europe regional one.
- Your hotspot needs: Most Holafly eSIMs allow for hotspot capabilities, but not all. For example, individual Holafly eSIMs allow data sharing for most European countries, but the regional Europe eSIM does not. In this case, if you require hotspot capabilities in Europe, you should purchase individual, country-specific eSIMs.
Holafly eSIM Real-world Review: My Experience
I have been a die-hard fan of eSIMs ever since trying them out a few years ago, and I’ve never gone back to using physical SIM cards. Holafly is one of the biggest household names for eSIMs, so I decided to test their eSIMs in Europe, during my recent 5-day trip to Poland.
As with most eSIMs, the installation process was quick and easy – I purchased my eSIM while on the bus to the airport, and installed it on my iPhone without issues. Jump here to learn how to install a Holafly eSIM.
I kept the eSIM turned off before the flight, and then turned it on once I landed in Wroclaw. Instantly, I could send messages over iMessage and WhatsApp (I sent a photo from the plane window view to my partner), check my social media feeds, and search directions on Google Maps.
The most important lesson I got from my experience was regarding local provider fair usage policies. One day, as I was taking a photo, my phone popped up the most dreadful notification anyone (especially a blogger) can get: “Storage full“.
My heart sank.
As I needed to capture photos and videos from the trip for this website, I jumped to problem-solving mode and started uploading older videos and photos to the cloud to free up space. Just my luck – the hotel wifi was not working properly in my room – so I started uploading the files using the eSIM data.
I must say, the data speed was very good, even for uploading a large 4GB file. However, I noticed that once the data usage reached 10GB (yes, I was very desperate to free up space), progress stopped.
The next day, I couldn’t connect to the internet at all. After contacting Holafly’s 24/7 customer support, I learned that this was due to the local provider’s fair usage policy. Despite the eSIM having unlimited data, depending on the local provider, if you reach their fair usage limit, you may experience data throttling for 24 hours.
The following day, my data connectivity was back and reaching the usual speeds.
This was a valuable lesson for me, but I’d say that the average user likely wouldn’t encounter this situation.
I do recommend using your hotel wifi for any heavy uploads or downloads, and using your eSIM for everything else during your trip.
How easy is it to install and activate a Holafly eSIM?
It is very easy to install and activate a Holafly eSIM!
Start by checking that your phone is compatible with eSIM technology. I recommend installing your eSIM on the day of your flight, so that you don’t risk accidentally activating it before your trip. You’ll also need wifi/data connection to install the eSIM, so I recommend doing this at home before leaving to the airport.
Once you purchase your eSIM via the Holafly website or app, you’ll receive an email with a few options on how to install it: Automatic, QR code, and Manual Codes.
- The Automatic method (in-app installation) is the easiest, if your phone is compatible. Watch this video for the full process. If you have iOS 17.4 or above, you can just press the QR code you got from your Whatsapp or email for one-button installation.
- Alternatively, you can use the QR Code method. If you purchase eSIMs for other people, they can install them this way, too. If the QR Code doesn’t work for you, you can also install the eSIM using Manual Codes. Watch this video for the full process.
Once you land at your destination, activate it by turning on Data Roaming, and you’ll be instantly connected!
Save 5% off your Holafly eSIM using my discount code “JESSICAVIANA“
Last thoughts
As I’ve mentioned, I’m a huge fan of eSIMs – they’re convenient, more eco-friendly, and provide you with instant connectivity no matter where you are.
I think Holafly is a great option for an unlimited eSIM in Europe, especially if you’re visiting multiple countries, as you can take advantage of their regional eSIM. As long as your phone is compatible with eSIM technology, the convenience and peace of mind of a flexible and unlimited eSIM is well-worth it.
*This blog post was sponsored by Holafly. However, as always, all opinions and experiences are entirely my own.
Travelling to Europe and wondering which eSIM to buy? Pin this post and refer to it for later!
