Unlimited Holafly eSIM Review

As you guys know, we have been on the road full-time since January of 2012. You might also know that we have explored 91 countries across all 7 continents on this honeymoon. Before we jump into our Holafly eSIM review…what you might not know, because it’s not so glamorous, is how many hours of our travels we’ve spent hunched over a glass countertop in a foreign land, trying to get a SIM card installed on our phone. But good news: times have changed! For a little humor, we’re gonna share a retrospective on the ridiculousness of the old-school way and how easy it is now to install an eSIM and have a super-powered journey!

The process of installing a physical SIM card in another country:

From 2012 until 2022 (a decade!), when eSIMs became commonplace, our experience every time we arrived in a new destination looked like this:

• Cross a border by bus, minivan, taxi, train, boat, on foot, or by plane. Once we crossed over, our cellphones stopped working. We had no way to look up currency conversion, open Google Maps to see how far the nearest town was, check the bus schedule, call an Uber, etc.
• We asked around and found a way to get to the nearest town, or if we landed at the airport, we found customer service for directions. (At least we were smart enough to ignore the SIM card snake-oil salesman at the arrivals terminal!)
• Once we got to the city, we would find a hotel to stay at, drop our bags, and head straight to the cellphone store (FYI, these are not cellphone stores like in the USA; they are more like cellphone accessory kiosks, selling screen protectors and rhinestone-studded cases, that also sell physical SIM cards.
• We ask if they have SIM cards and what the plan options are. Usually, there is a language barrier, plus rules and restrictions on the SIM card that are hard to understand in our own language, let alone when translating from Thai or Swahili. After 20 or 30 minutes of trying to pick the best plan, we’d move to the hardest part of the process: installing the SIM and updating all the settings to work in this new country. The salespeople would often get frustrated if this took more than a few minutes (which it ALWAYS does), as they only earn a dollar or two for each SIM card they sell…so I completely understand their frustration…but it certainly didn’t make us feel better, now in hour 2 or 3 of trying to get a SIM card so we can use our phone.
• And as if that wasn’t bad enough, they often needed our passport, which meant one of us had to go back to our hotel to retrieve it, then let this random guy at a screen protector kiosk copy our personal documents (not the most reassuring feeling).
• After a few hours finding this shop, and often having to bounce between multiple stalls to find someone willing to help, then picking plans and adjusting settings, the data would flow….and we would practically hug the person who just helped us get data.
• That was literally our first day in every single country we entered, and it was exhausting.

The process of setting up an eSIM:

Getting a working data plan abroad just got a whole lot easier; follow these simple steps to set up your eSIM:

• Before you leave your home country or head to your next destination, buy an eSIM online and scan the QR code to set up your new cell plan in minutes.
• You cross the border (either overland or by airplane). The moment you enter the next country, you switch over to the eSIM, and your data works immediately. You can book a Grab/Uber, look up Google Maps, find your hotel’s address…whatever you need.
• MIND = BLOWN. I honestly can’t even explain how much of a game changer this is for travel.

Holafly eSIM Review

If you haven’t used one before, an eSIM is essentially a digital SIM card that you install directly on your smartphone. Unlike a traditional SIM, you don’t need to open your SIM tray or worry about keeping track of that tiny piece of plastic while you’re abroad.

Holafly is a well-known eSIM provider that makes it super easy to stay connected while traveling without having to swap physical SIM cards. They offer eSIM coverage in more than 200 destinations worldwide, with unlimited data plans available in many of them.

Holafly offers plans for individual countries and regions, as well as monthly options, making it a convenient choice for different types of trips. Once connected, you can use your data for everyday travel essentials like Google Maps, messaging, social media, and travel apps when you’re away from Wi-Fi.

How Does Holafly eSIM Work?

Before purchasing a plan, it’s important to check that your phone supports eSIM technology and is unlocked. Most newer smartphones, including iPhones from the XS onwards and most recent Android devices, support eSIMs, but it’s always worth checking your specific model before you buy. Check here the full list of compatible devices. 

Once you’ve confirmed your phone is compatible, here’s how it works:

• Purchase your Holafly eSIM data plan on the Holafly website or app before your trip. Don’t forget to use our code HONEYTREK at checkout for a discount.
• Holafly will send you a QR code to scan or instructions to install the eSIM.
• Wait until you reach your destination to activate your mobile data.
• Once you land, turn on the Holafly line in your phone’s cellular settings.
• Start using your phone as normal.
• Tip: turn off your home SIM to avoid any unnecessary roaming charges.

Pricing for Destination eSIMs

While some country plans are slightly more expensive, prices are pretty consistent (roughly $4 a day). Search your desired destination here. For comparison, the AT&T Day Pass and Verizon TravelPass are both $12 per day, 3x the price of a Holafly eSIM.

Why we choose Holafly over other eSIMs

• Unlimited data means you don’t need to worry about your usage, and you can get the info you need whenever you need it
• One eSIM card, with unlimited data (super fast up to 20GB, then reduced speeds, but still fast enough for Google Maps, email, and all those sort of goodies), that automatically works in over 160 destinations, so you don’t need to worry about installing new eSIMs (or painstaking physical SIMs) in each new destination.
• The Always On benefit gives you 1 GB of data every 30 days at no additional cost. Always On is such a sweet perk, as it continues even after you cancel your plan. Say you book a 1-week eSIM for a trip to Portugal. After your trip, your eSIM will keep giving you 1GB of FREE data in any Holafly-covered destination for another 12 months. How’s that for travel peace of mind! That way, if you get to a new country and forget to get an eSIM, and you just need a bit of internet to check something, Holafly has your back!
• Holafly Plans are a good option for frequent travelers like us!
• You can hotspot other devices
• It works almost everywhere we travel
• 24/7 support team to help with any issues

Is Holafly worth it?

There are lots of eSIM providers out there, and they will all tell you they are the best/fastest/cheapest…but having used dozens of eSIM providers over the last 5 years, we can tell you that the reassurance of having an eSIM, with unlimited data in every country we visit, at one fixed price without any hidden fees or tricks… well, that is a peace of mind we can wholeheartedly recommend!

The Unlimited Plan provides a lot of value for $64 a month ($2.13/day), and it drops to $52 per month (aka $1.73/day) if you are on the annual plan (heck, it might just replace your home country plan!

Now that you have read our Holafly eSIM review, get the HoneyTrek discount

Sign up with this link and add the code HONEYTREK to get 5% off any Holafly eSIM – or 10% off Holafly Plans for the first 12 months.