Last updated on July 22, 2026
If you’ve read many of our travel guides, you might have noticed that we recommend Holafly whenever we mention eSIMs.
That’s not because it’s the only eSIM we’ve ever used, but because after years of family travel, it’s the one we most prefer.
We’ve now used Holafly everywhere from road trips in Morocco to city breaks in France and family adventures in Lapland. It’s on our pre-holiday checklist, and we always sort it before we leave home (or in the airport if you’re last-minute like me!).
There are plenty of good eSIM providers these days, but for us, Holafly wins due to its unlimited data, ease of use, hotspot capability and Always On, a perk that gives you backup data every month and stops us ever getting caught out with none (if you’ve been in that situation, you’ll know how annoying it is! More on that later…)
This post lays out why eSIMs are now an essential part of any travel kit, plus the reasons we choose Holafly.
And yes, this is a sponsored post with affiliate links, but as always, all opinions are genuine.
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Sign up with this link and add the code BRIDGESBALLOONS to get 5% off any Holafly eSIM – or 10% off Holafly Plans for the first 12 months. Buy your eSIM now.
What is an eSIM?
If you’ve never used an eSIM before, don’t worry, it’s much simpler than it might sound.
An eSIM is a digital SIM card that lets you connect to a local mobile network without swapping the physical SIM already in your phone. That means you can usually keep your regular number for calls and WhatsApp while using local mobile data abroad.
Once you’ve bought your eSIM, it arrives almost instantly by email (and WhatsApp), so there’s no need to buy anything in person or wait for anything to be delivered. Installation takes around two minutes, and brands like Holafly give you several options, including scanning a QR code or, on newer iPhones, installing it with a single tap.
We usually install ours before we travel, then simply switch it on when we land. This is the best way to do it as otherwise you might need to connect to airport wi-fi to activate it, which can be a bit finicky.
Using an eSIM vs buying a local SIM card
We’ve bought local SIM cards plenty of times over the years, and while they’re sometimes a little cheaper, they’ve always been a bit of a hassle (the amount of time I’ve wasted looking for a pin to open a SIM tray!).
The benefits of an eSIM…
- Everything is sorted before you leave home. You can buy and install your eSIM in advance, so there’s one less thing to think about when you arrive.
- You’re online almost as soon as you land. No searching for airport wi-fi or trying to navigate public transport before you’ve even got connected.
- No hunting for a phone shop. You don’t need to spend the first part of your holiday comparing SIM cards or queueing at a kiosk in the airport.
- No swapping tiny SIM cards. There’s no need to remove your existing SIM, find somewhere safe to keep it or search for that little SIM ejector tool (or, more realistically, a paperclip!).
- You keep your usual number and WhatsApp. Because your existing SIM stays in your phone, you can continue using your normal number and WhatsApp just as you do at home. That also means you can still receive things like banking verification texts if you need them. This one is so useful!
- It’s kinder to the environment. Because everything is digital, eSIMs don’t require the plastic packaging and disposable SIM cards that traditional SIMs do.
Why we choose Holafly over other eSIMs
1. Unlimited data means one less thing to think about
This is probably the biggest reason we keep choosing Holafly.
When we’re travelling as a family, we’re constantly using our phones. Google Maps, restaurant recommendations, translation apps, booking confirmations, finding nearby playgrounds, checking opening times etc.
The last thing I want is to be wondering how much data we’ve got left – or be caught short with none. That’s happened many a time to me, and nearly always when we’re nowhere near a wi-fi connection, so I can’t top up easily.
Holafly offers unlimited data in more than 200 destinations, so you don’t have to ration your usage, and there are no hidden costs or surprise charges. It eliminates the need to search for wi-fi, and that simplicity is worth a lot when you’re travelling with children.
2. The Always On perk is really useful
One benefit that particularly caught my eye is Always On. Once your eSIM is installed, it gives you 1 GB of backup data every month in more than 150 destinations, automatically and at no extra cost. So, if you forget to sort your eSIM in advance, or if it expires when you’re travelling, you can easily get online to renew it – or do something like book a taxi in an emergency. I’ve lost count of the times that I’ve unexpectedly run out of data, or had an expired eSIM, and been nowhere near Wi-Fi – so with Holafly, I really appreciate having this backup data as a safety net
3. Holafly Plans are a good option for frequent travellers
If you travel regularly, it’s also worth looking at Holafly Plans. Rather than buying a new eSIM for every trip, you can choose a monthly subscription that works across more than 160 destinations.
For people who are away several times a year – or who often visit multiple destinations on the same trip – it takes away the hassle of buying a new eSIM every time you travel. Instead, you have one plan that keeps you connected wherever you’re headed next.
4. You can hotspot with other devices
Holafly offers hotspot capability in more than 200 destinations, so you can connect a tablet or other devices when you need to. This can be really handy for connecting the kids’ tablets, or if you need to do a bit of laptop work on the go. Note the hotspot is limited to 1GB/day for travel eSIMs.
5. It works almost everywhere we travel
One of the reasons we originally chose Holafly was its coverage. Alongside unlimited data in more than 200 destinations, there are more than 15 regional eSIMs and a global eSIM if you’re travelling through several destinations on one trip, plus customisable day plans in more than 200 destinations, so it’s easy to find something that matches the length and style of your trip.
As someone who spends a lot of time planning multi-stop itineraries, I appreciate not having to buy separate SIM cards every time we cross a border.
6. Real people on the other end
Holafly has a 24/7 support team you can reach on WhatsApp or website chat – actual humans rather than a chatbot. We’ve thankfully rarely needed them, but when you’re troubleshooting a connection issue in an unfamiliar place, knowing a real person will answer is a relief (I think we’re all a bit sick of AI chatbots!).
Is Holafly perfect?
No travel product is perfect, and I don’t think there’s a single provider that’s right for every traveller. If you’re only taking a very short city break and know you’ll barely use any data, you may find cheaper pay-as-you-go eSIMs elsewhere.
For us, though, unlimited data is worth paying for. I’d rather not spend the holiday checking usage or buying extra data halfway through a trip. It’s also super useful if you want to use any streaming services.
Is Holafly worth it?
For our style of travel, absolutely. It’s part of our routine. We buy it through the app before we leave, install it at home, and by the time we land we already have maps, booking confirmations, WhatsApp and everything else ready to go.
It also helps that there’s a safety net if things change: you have up to six months to request a refund, which is rare for a travel purchase.
Could we save a little money by shopping around every single trip? Maybe, but I don’t think it’d be worth the extra hassle. For us, it’s peace of mind – sorted once, before we’ve even packed.
Get a Holafly eSIM discount
Sign up with this link and add the code BRIDGESBALLOONS to get 5% off any Holafly eSIM – or 10% off Holafly Plans for the first 12 months.