When I was planning our month-long adventure in the Nordics, getting an unlimited and reliable eSIM was a top priority. Since it was my first time in Europe, internet connection would be essential to navigate and to stay connected. After Googling the best eSIM, I stumbled upon a Holafly eSIM review on Trustpilot. In this post, I’ll go over why I chose Holafly eSIM over other brands, and how it became my trustworthy companion throughout my travels.
Table of Contents
Why I Decided to Use an eSIM
I have been a long-time user of pocket WiFi since I often travel with friends. The pocket WiFi I used to rely on offered reliable and unlimited data. Also, it was cheaper because I could split the cost with my friends, so I used it for years. However, there was one time when I was traveling with friends and accidentally got separated from them. I had no way to communicate because the pocket WiFi device was in my friend’s backpack. I panicked because it was my first time in that place and I had no idea where I was. Although I could have tried to find public WiFi, the thought of being hacked made me decide against it. Ever since that trip, I’ve relied on eSIMs whenever I go on international travel.
What is Holafly eSIM and How Does it Work?
Holafly eSIM is a digital SIM card that lets you access the internet in more than 180 destinations worldwide without changing your physical SIM. What makes Holafly stand out is their unlimited data plans, as other eSIM providers often put a cap on data usage.
Holafly offers two types of eSIMs – local and regional. The local eSIM data plans provide country-specific connectivity. It’s just like getting a local SIM card without the hassle of physically getting one. For trips covering several countries, Holafly also provides regional eSIM data plans. If you’re traveling from one country to another within a specific area, the regional plan will automatically connect your phone to the local network without needing to change any settings. However, if your trip includes both Europe and the United Kingdom, you’ll need to purchase two different regional plans.
April 2024 Update: For the Europe plan, there used to be a free 60-minute call service. This feature was replaced with a hotspot feature which allows users to have 500 MB per day for internet sharing across multiple devices.
How to Set Up Holafly eSIM in 4 Easy Steps
Step 1: Check Device Compatibility
Before purchasing a Holafly eSIM, make sure your device is compatible. Most smartphones support eSIMs, but it’s always good to double-check. Here’s the list of compatible devices with Holafly eSIM. If your device is on the list, you’re good to go!
Step 2: Choose Your Plan
Next, choose the plan that suits your travel needs. Just select the number of days and the number of eSIMs you require, then add to cart!
Step 3: Purchase Your eSIM
Once you’ve selected your plan, proceed to purchase your eSIM. The process is straightforward – just add the plan to your cart, enter your details, and complete the payment. You’ll receive an email with your eSIM QR code and installation instructions shortly after.
Step 4: Install and Activate
Once you receive the email with your QR code, it’s time to install and activate. Follow these steps:
- Long-press on the QR code image. You’ll be given options, and one of them is to add eSIM. On Android phones, you can do the same thing or enable Google Lens to scan the QR code stored in your Gallery.
- Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the installation.
- Once installed, make sure to set the eSIM as your primary data line, and you’re ready to go!
My Holafly eSIM Experience After Using it in 7 Countries
Now that you know what Holafly eSIM is, it’s time to share my experience based on my recent trips to Finland, Estonia, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Singapore. Here’s my honest and hands-on take on its performance.
Fast and Reliable Connection
In cities like Helsinki, Oslo, Stockholm, and Copenhagen, as well as some pretty remote places in Iceland and the island country of Singapore, Holafly eSIM was nothing short of impressive. I think it’s because it switches to the local carrier with the best signal. So instead of being stuck with just one carrier’s coverage, like you would with a local physical SIM, you can get coverage from multiple carriers.
Transparency of Local Carrier Used
Unlike many other eSIM providers, Holafly eSIM is transparent about the local carriers used in each country. You can check the “Networks” under the technical specs of your travel destination on the Holafly website and use a mobile network coverage checker. This feature was especially useful during our road trip to remote areas in Iceland.
Holafly eSIM works in conjunction with a physical SIM card
With this feature, you can keep your home country’s SIM card in your phone, even while traveling. This means you can continue to receive text messages and calls from your home country without needing to remove your SIM. This feature is particularly useful for receiving OTPs and other SMS notifications while abroad, ensuring you can complete online transactions and avoid getting locked out of your accounts.
Warning: If you receive a call or make a call using your physical SIM, you’ll be charged based on the roaming partner’s call rate. The same applies if you send a text message, there’s a text charge from the roaming partner. Normally, you won’t be charged for incoming texts, but if applicable, you’ll be charged the incoming SMS rate of the roaming partner.
Unlimited Data Plans
From the eSIM brands I’ve looked into online, including ones I’ve tried before, Holafly stands out for offering unlimited data plans in the most countries by far. Even their standard plans often have higher data limits than other eSIM brands, which is reflected in the price. However, if you don’t use much data, Holafly’s plans might be more than you need.
I have really made the most of this feature on our trip. Since my friends and I were using different eSIM brands, another friend and I were the only ones with unlimited data (he bought Holafly eSIM as well). As a result, we were mostly responsible for navigation and researching things. Two weeks into the trip, three of my friends had almost used up their data plans from other eSIM brands.
24/7 Customer Support
Honestly, I didn’t encounter any issues with this eSIM during our month-long adventure in the Nordics. I never had to contact customer service for any problems. Before the trip, I checked where I could reach them just in case, and I was surprised to find 24/7 customer service available both on WhatsApp and through the website chat. They even had an online form and a direct email for inquiries.
Refund Policy
Holafly eSIM provides a full refund without any additional fees if you cancel before activating the eSIM and using any data, within 6 months of your purchase. In case your device is incompatible or blocked, they can offer a refund if the eSIM is unused and you provide necessary details within 6 months of your purchase. If the eSIM doesn’t work due to an issue with Holafly or the network infrastructure of the destination country is unstable, they can also offer a full or partial refund. More about their new refund policy here.
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Final Thoughts about Holafly eSIM
I have only used three eSIM brands over the past three years, but I can confidently say that Holafly eSIM is one of the best eSIMs for international travel. I got to send emails, post content for my website, scroll through Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, and watch Disney+, all without the fear of hitting a data cap. And that’s a HUGE deal for me. Considering my data usage for my trips, I wouldn’t settle for anything less than unlimited data.
There were only two instances where the connection was slow – when we were backcountry skiing in Rovaniemi (Finnish wilderness) and somewhere in the south of Iceland. My only wish is that Holafly eSIM retained the free minutes for call services (Europe plan), as that free feature helped me a lot during my visit to Saariselka, Finland.
So, that’s about it! I hope this Holafly eSIM review helps you decide which eSIM to get for your next trip. If you have any experiences (good or bad) with Holafly eSIM, or you’ve got another one you would like to recommend, just let me know in the comments below.
