Holafly Review - Best travel eSIM solution? (Thoughts after testing in 3 countries)

After testing out Holafly eSIMs in multiple countries, here is my full Holafly review - including both the good and the bad.
⭐️ Special discount for Holafly for Project Untethered followers: bit.ly/40PmqYx (coupon code PROJECTUNTETHERED)
If you’re looking for a travel SIM card that doesn’t take up a physical SIM slot in your phone and can be activated before landing in your destination, I highly recommend checking them out.
Some parts of the world are cheaper than others, but if you want to avoid the hassle of hunting down local SIM cards once you arrive, it’s certainly a convenient option.
***And for even more ways to save money traveling, this free download shows 15 tricks travel experts use to slash their costs: bit.ly/3bquA1B
Disclaimer: I received access to Holafly eSIMs in exchange for an honest review. As you will clearly see, all opinions are my own.
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▶ Is this the best carry on backpack ? • Is This The Best Carry...
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🟣A L I T T L E A B O U T U S
Heyo! Mitch and Day here 👋🏼
We’re just your typical American-Colombian couple determined to live every second of our precious time here on earth to the fullest. After a 10-month solo backpacking trip through South America, I (Mitch) stopped in Cali, Colombia to take salsa dancing classes 💃🏻. I only planned to stay for a couple weeks, but God had other plans for me. I met a cute Colombian girl (Day) in class, those couple weeks turned into a couple years, and before we knew it...we were married 👰🏻🤵🏼
Now we’re traveling the world full time as digital nomads, supporting ourselves by working online 👨‍💻👩‍💻
Our goal with these videos is to inspire you to step outside your comfort zone, give you an inside peek at our crazy imperfect lives, and show you that you don’t have to be rich to live an extraordinary life...all you need to do is make the choice!
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DISCLAIMER: Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission (at no additional charge to you!). I believe in and have experience with everything I recommend. Thank you for supporting ProjectUntethered.com so I can continue to provide you with free content each week!

[@LuppoEgberts]

Used Holafly in Mexico....worked perfectly!

[@ProjectUntethered]

Nice!!🌮🌮🌮

[@sasstewart1222]

Unfortunately, it's hard to trust any review that has a discount code/affiliate link attached to their video :(

[@ProjectUntethered]

Feel free to test it out without using the affiliate link or discount code! Make sure to read the updates in the description though first if you’re planning on tethering

[@Serf_dumb]

It worked flawlessly for me in Mexico, 2023. However, I can't speak about tethering as it was not needed/used. Considering a trip to the Dominican Republic & hopeful that it works just as well while there.

[@paulftl1]

Dude, I hope you are OK with me crushing on you! You are so cute. But not only that your reviews are ALWAYS very helpful and give me new things, ways, and ideas for travel. THANK YOU.

[@refo4805]

I used at Italy it’s really perfect and I will again buy it

[@ProjectUntethered]

Nice! Thanks for letting everyone know! 🤓

[@Kaari007]

I’m binge watching all your videos, these are so helpful, especially the Esim. I’m going to Thailand next October!

[@ProjectUntethered]

Glad you're finding them helpful! I'm planning to make a mega comparison video within the next month or two - it's a slow process though testing them all out!

[@jackthrt3]

@@ProjectUntethered I'II be there in four days. What was your final outcome?

[@ProjectUntethered]

@jackthrt3 actually still working on the full comparison, but so far Holafly is typically the best for heavy data users because they offer unlimited and large data plans in many countries. If you plan to use minimal data, there are often cheaper options with Airalo and Nomad (among others that I am currently testing. None of them are perfect, but I will probably never go back to normal SIMs just because these are way too convenient. I hope you have an amazing trip!

[@jackthrt3]

@@ProjectUntethered I can tell your going first class. khaolak on the 25th!

[@portlandGTR]

@@jackthrt3I’m landing in Bangkok January 11th. Leaving the states January 9th. My first time leaving the country and I’m so confused on the phone stuff. Wished Verizon had some sort of easy travel plan to pay for while gone. I have a 15 pro max with no carrier lock eSIM. So that all checks out, I just have no idea if I’ll be able to use my old number to flag card using or anything else

[@ismir5303]

Holafly is not so good as he say in this video! I bought Europe unlimited for 5 days, Hotspot unavailable with thi unlimited data pack. I was on 4G in Italy and the speed was very low, Slovenia on 3G useless and Croatia 4G same thing like in Italy. Try some other esim provider

[@ProjectUntethered]

When we used the individual country plans, it worked quite well for us (not lightning fast, but usable and convenient). Fingers crossed that the unlimited multi-country plans start to work well (I think they're still somewhat new) because that would be useful! UPDATE: Used an unlimited plan in Turkey and seemed to work fine.

[@commonsensecorner7275]

I know I watched one of your videos where you mentioned Airalo, but I was already sleepy and fell asleep. Which one is better or is it more to it than that?

[@Rockstar47Princess]

Hi I’m wondering if you could help. I’m a bit confused as to how this Esim works. Holafly says to set up using the following settings on iPhone: Default line to primary iMessage and FaceTime to primary Cellular/mobile data to holafly I’m traveling on their Europe plan but my primary is from att in the US. If I have the default line set as my primary line, if someone calls my phone number, will I get the call? I have wifi calling set up. If I do get the call, does it use data or does it count as roaming on my home carrier?

[@ProjectUntethered]

That is the setup I have with US Mobile and texts come through through wifi calling and doesn’t count as roaming (calls should work as well but I haven’t tested that). I would call AT&T to double check and make sure it is the same though!

[@wildeescape]

Excellent, and thanks for the tip! I bookmarked this for when I'm planning my next trip.

[@ProjectUntethered]

You bet! I can’t believe I waited this long to try it haha. I guess old habits die hard 😅

[@missicksjourney621]

Hi! thanks for this! in your last video you shared that Holafly did not allow wifi sharing, did this change (other than in Morroco)?

[@ProjectUntethered]

Most of their plans (especially the unlimited plans) still don't allow it :-( Although they told me they're working on creating alternative options that will allow it.

[@g.lacman9553]

Easy to use but unlimited access for 10 days not delivered as promised.

[@truckn]

This sounds like something I would buy into except I didn't hear the answer to my 1 question. What will be my cellphone number if I didn't keep my Home Country plan before leaving just because I didn't want to pay $35 a month just to keep my number?

[@ProjectUntethered]

I personally keep a cheap plan running at home (I believe it’s $6 a month now) so that I can continue receiving calls, texts, and bank verification codes to my US number. You can search my “how to receive bank codes overseas” video if that sounds interesting. If not, you can get by in many countries with free messaging apps like WhatsApp, Facebook messenger, etc. Finally, if you need to make a local call for some reason (this is rare for us), I just load up some Skype credits. You can also buy a Skype phone number (other services have this as well), but not all verification codes come through to these types of virtual numbers. Hope this helps!

[@jmathers1642]

Hi. Good video, thanks. Did you have any issues with the eSim using it with a VPN?

[@ProjectUntethered]

That’s a great question! I’m actually not sure because I typically only use a VPN when I’m using a wifi connection. Sorry I couldn’t help more! I will test it in a couple days when we get to Sri Lanka and I buy a new eSIM 😎

[@michaelcarino6765]

Do this work automatically with multiple countries in Europe like Germany, Switzerland, Italy, France, etc?

[@ProjectUntethered]

You can choose a regional plan that works in multiple countries, just make sure all the countries you need are on this list!

[@ProjectUntethered]

UPDATE: I now see their website says that their unlimited plans do not include data sharing, so keep this in mind if you need to tether data to your computer. If you don't need to tether, you should be good to go. If you do need to tether, here's another one I've been using for that: bit.ly/3y1vD27

[@trangkev]

Thank you for your video. May I ask 1 question, so let's say you get the eSim, I'm with Verizon, when you turn your Airplane mode off to accept eSim, will Verizon charge you their fees too? I heard sometimes when Airplane mode is off, some juice can get by and Verizon will charge you. Thank you

[@ProjectUntethered]

In your settings, you should have the option to turn data roaming off for your Verizon plan, but I would give Verizon a quick call if you want to be double sure

[@coolecaspergames4935]

Hi I have been using holafly, they keep throtteling the unlimited dataplan, only after contacting holafly it works for a certain time they blame it on providers and cell towers, while my dad who’s using a different carrier is having no issue.

[@ProjectUntethered]

Grr that is so annoying. I’ve been testing out other travel eSIM providers and have had similar issues with all of them so far. Seems like the old-school local physical SIM is the safest way to go for fast data, even though it’s sometimes a pain to get

[@eprohoda]

Project! Omg, breathtaking video!catch you later.;))

[@ProjectUntethered]

Thanks!! :-)

[@MylesTech]

i use Airalo:

[@moolove4537]

How do I know I’m using Holafly instead of my original data?

[@ProjectUntethered]

In settings, you can select which SIM you want to use for data

[@graytimmons1416]

Location for Holafly inaccurate. I’m in Warsaw Poland but my location shows I’m in London. Holafly says I have to buy a VPN to get the location accurate. What a pain 🤦🏻‍♂️ When I’m on WiFi it’s fine.

[@sdophoto1405]

Question. I am going to get holafly but I want to make sure that I don't get data my iPhone. What special settings do I need to set on my phone.

[@ProjectUntethered]

Do you mean you want to make sure you’re not using data on your home plan? There is a setting where you choose which SIM you want to use for your data. When you buy holafly, they send you all the detailed instructions in an email :-)

[@hih-meh1344]

This is good for unlocked phones only 👈. If you have locked phone it won't work coz you're tied up with your local phone provider, unless you call and ask them to unlock your phone before traveling internationally 😊 or just buy unlocked phone.. 😲

[@ProjectUntethered]

Yup that’s a good point. If you have a locked phone, give your provider a call to see if they’ll unlock it for you 😊

[@valeriogiovagnoli809]

The first thing you should do is check if your cellphone is compatible with e-sim... Because if not you'll lost your money since they don't do refund

[@ProjectUntethered]

That is a very good point!

[@jimmears]

Are you fkng kidding me? You expect to have data in the middle of a desert?

[@nadiaalromaithi5931]

Hi can I transfer it to another device while I have already downloaded on my phone?

[@ProjectUntethered]

Hey! I’m not quite sure, I’ve never tried that. I would just ask them in their chat or WhatsApp number. They should be able to answer you! :-)

[@DennisJDuran]

Gonna use Holafly in Macau next week. Will be back to leave update

[@ProjectUntethered]

Nice! Yeah let us know how it goes, have an awesome trip!

[@DennisJDuran]

@@ProjectUntethered thank you if it wasn't for this comment, I would've totally forgot about this. But it worked great. I had service everywhere I went. Will definitely use this company in the future. hmmm Japan

[@ProjectUntethered]

Thanks for the update! Glad to hear everything went smoothly, and I’m jealous if you’re heading to Japan next - that’s near the top of my list!

[@aldon78]

Can I install it on a second phone I have that is not connected? And can I make calls or it not can I use is as a hotspot for my other phone?

[@ProjectUntethered]

Installing on a second phone is the easiest way to do it :-) and it’s only data, no phone number. So for local/international calls, I use my Skype number. Hotspotting worked in every country except Morocco for me, but now their website says no data sharing, so might be risky if you depend on it. I’m testing out another that allows tethering that has worked so far for me in Bulgaria (see description 🤓). I’ll try to keep the description updated with my latest finds and testing.

[@KillerBvideos]

Holafly may be ok for some, but when I asked them for coverage map in a particular Italian region, they balked. But “don’t worry, you’ll be covered!” Yeah, right! 🙄

[@ProjectUntethered]

I think you'd need to see what local provider they use in the country, then search for it directly. I doubt any travel eSIM company would be able to provide these maps as they use different providers in different countries (and sometimes multiple providers in the same country).

[@Mr.DJones]

Thank you for your time and posting. I've decided on Airalo because I won't use tons of data in Vietnam.

[@ProjectUntethered]

That's also a good choice if you don't need much data! :)

[@amatijaca]

How do you scan a qr barcode that you receive in an email, and you have no printer (you are at an airport)?

[@ProjectUntethered]

That’s a great question. We travel with multiple phone, laptops, etc so never had to try this, but I’m pretty sure you can do it with just your phone by using Google Lens in the Google app

[@ProjectUntethered]

Just wanted to give a quick update here. I reached out to them and they said that you will be able to add the eSIM manually in their new app (without the need of scanning anything).

[@raulmorillo7555]

Hey there, would you please tell me how to use my US number abroad?

[@ProjectUntethered]

The way I do it is activate wifi calling before you leave the US. I’d call your provider to ask if that will work. When I do this, it lets me receive calls and SMS messages abroad (while on wifi). I’m not sure if the messages come through if I’m using data and not wifi, I’ll have to test that

[@williamaungleyraud]

@@ProjectUntethered some phones offer call over LTE or 5g, but again you might want to double check with your carrier before counting on it 😎👍👍

[@jandraravi9816]

I LOVE ALL OF YOUR VIDEOSAND THE PLACES YOU GO. I LEARNED A LOT FROM YOU MAN AND I HOPE I CAN TRAVEL WITH YOU ONE DAY AND MOST IMPORTANTLY I WANNA BE LIKE YOU WHEN I GROW UP. SHUKRAN, THNX, GRACIAS MERCI, SHUKRAN, GRADZIE AND MAHADSANID.

[@ProjectUntethered]

Shukran for such a nice comment!! ☺️☺️

[@ryantorres2063]

do e-SIM still work if I have sim card currently attach to my phone? or do I need to remove it first?

[@ProjectUntethered]

If your phone is esim compatible, then you should have to take your physics sim out. Just switch the eSIM line on in your settings.

[@AanchalGhai]

@@ProjectUntethered Hi! Did you mean the physical sim has to be taken out? Or doesn't have to be taken out?

[@ProjectUntethered]

You should be able to just switch to the eSIM in your settings. You can leave your other physical sim inside your phone if you want.

[@2420-y2o]

How do you scan your QR code on your own phone?

[@ProjectUntethered]

I haven’t tried it yet because I always have a bunch of devices, but try using Google Lens (and let me know if it works!)

[@2420-y2o]

@@ProjectUntethered Okay, thanks a lot!

[@tonymontana4929]

DON'T waste your money on this. I bought eSIM access for my iPhone 13 Pro Max , is a total crap. I bought the European offer for 5 days to see how it is.Downloads are at 0.450 Mb/s meaning 450 Kb/s , barely opens a video on KZbin at 360p. I tried on various networks in Netherlands, Belgium and France.Is too expensive to be able to open only emails and a couple of apps.Try other solutions, as this one is expensive and bad.

[@ProjectUntethered]

Did you reach out to their customer support? I had decent speeds in the countries I’ve tested in so far, but I haven’t tested it yet in the countries you mentioned. I found that sometimes if you forget to toggle on one setting, it makes all the difference.

[@tonymontana4929]

@@ProjectUntethered Hello.Yes, I did contacted them.They reseted something , then a Netflix video worked for about 10 minutes (500 Mb) then again it slowed down to the point that I barely open an email. This service is good only to check emails on the go.

[@ProjectUntethered]

I’m sorry to hear you had that experience!

[@zennyosorio9841]

Thanks for all the info. I appreciate all your time.

[@75ss]

How are you gonna scan it if you don't have a second screen?? Also is 10GB enough?

[@ProjectUntethered]

That’s a good question, there should be instructions somewhere on how to add it manually. Usually copying and pasting a code try give you (but I haven’t tried with Holafly yet). And 10GB should be enough unless you plan on watching KZbin videos or going on instagram all day using your data. It all depends on the person. I usually save my data-intensive stuff for when I’m on wifi in my accommodation, and I usually only use a couple GB per month. But I know other people who blast through their data plans super fast.

[@ProjectUntethered]

Just wanted to give a quick update here. I reached out to them and they said that you will be able to add the eSIM manually in their new app (without the need of scanning anything).

[@cindybowser2673]

I am assuming you cannot make local calls with this it’s only data?

[@ProjectUntethered]

Some of their plans now include a local number, but not all. I believe a lot of Europe has numbers now but you’d have to double check on their site.

[@SaadonAksah]

Will hv to check this holafly 🤔

[@momentobooks]

Where is this, at 0:11 ?

[@marketingheroai]

YOUR PHONE MUST BE UNLOCKED FOR THIS TO WORK! If you have a phone that is still on an installment plan these eSIMS will not work. This little detail is very understated on their website and is almost never mentioned in any reviews!

[@ProjectUntethered]

Sorry I’ve never actually had a locked phone so my apologies if I forgot to mention that. Have you tried contacting your carrier to ask them to unlock your phone for you?

[@marketingheroai]

@@ProjectUntethered They are happy to unlock it if you pay off the balance of the phone 😫

[@ProjectUntethered]

Awww I’m sorry to hear that. In the past I usually bought my phones refurbished from Apple or Amazon, so they were never super expensive to begin with. I hope you can find a solution!

[@simonkramaric7641]

I recommend a solis as a portable wifi hotspot

[@ProjectUntethered]

I’ve been meaning to test one of those out. So do you just have it on all day and bring it with you everywhere you go, and use that instead of a SIM in your phone?

[@simonkramaric7641]

@@ProjectUntethered yea, thats the one pain is that you need to charge it and bring it around but yku can have multiple devices connected at the sane time and whenever u switch countries it automaticly switches to whatver carrier. I think its worth it but it can be alot i guess

[@ProjectUntethered]

Nice! It sounds like a there’s pros and cons to every setup, and you just need to find whichever fits your needs/budget the best. Definitely want to test one out soon though!

[@davidgarciag]

Going to Marakech and sahara desert this next weekend, hopefully it works as adversited, ill come back and update if I remember :)

[@davidgarciag]

Back from trip, it worked perfectly, thanks for the video. I really enjoyed having internet since airplane because immigration was so long. Also its really nice price for the unlimited if you travelling little time.

[@ProjectUntethered]

@davidgarciag I’m glad it worked well, and that’s a really good point about long immigration lines! How’d the rest of your trip go?

[@esimplanet]

How do I scan the QR code if I only have my phone on me ? :)

[@ProjectUntethered]

That’s a great question that I asked their customer service. They’re coming out with an app that lets you copy and paste the SIM details in manually without the need to scan. But until then, unfortunately you’ll have to figure out a way to scan it (print it out, scan before leaving home, send it to a friend, etc)

[@ProjectUntethered]

Just wanted to give a quick update on this. They now have an app that you can use to add the plan manually (so you wouldn't need to scan a code if you only have one device).

[@sheddybhulji8196]

Thanks for the great video

[@nebox1923]

You’ve said that you share data to your laptop but in Europe unlimited data plan it says that you can’t share data with any devices

[@ProjectUntethered]

That’s interesting! When I published that video, the unlimited plan hadn’t come out yet and I was using the individual country plans. I hope they allow it on the unlimited plan, otherwise it wouldn’t be very useful for digital nomads working from their laptops!

[@ProjectUntethered]

Just an update for everyone. I just rechecked their website, and Nebox is right, it is now saying data sharing isn't available for several plans. So if you plan to do tethering, you might need to find a different option.

[@sjoerdhamerslag1422]

@@ProjectUntethered Although not what I hoped for, this information is very useful. I was in the process of buying a e-sim. Are there other e-simproviders for Mexico that allow you to share data by using the hotspot?

[@ProjectUntethered]

This might be an option: bit.ly/3y1vD27 (affiliate link). I haven't tested it in Mexico specifically, but tethering worked for me and my wife in Bulgaria.

[@mkoschara]

Thank you.

[@paulhamel1991]

they would be better if to could pair with IPAD..

[@bitte929]

Hey I will be travelling to Germany for a week, So is this the best option for me or better to take a temporary sim or activate international roaming on my Airtel sim card?

[@ProjectUntethered]

For a week it’s be kind of a hassle to buy a local SIM. I would compare prices of different travel eSIMs to see which have the best offers for your data needs. I haven’t tried Airtel so unfortunately I can’t speak to that!

[@enix159]

How do you scan your QR code on your own phone?

[@ProjectUntethered]

If you don’t have two devices, you should be able to copy and paste the codes in manually. I’ve done it this way with another esim company we tried, so I assume it works the same with Holafly as well. Best bet would be to shoot their chat box a message if you’re unsure!

[@ProjectUntethered]

Just wanted to give a quick update here. I reached out to them and they said that you will be able to add the eSIM manually once their app is launched (without the need of scanning anything). Until then, you have to scan the QR code. So if you only have one device with you, it's best to add your plan before you leave home. Hopefully the app comes soon!

[@kristianortiz350]

So how does it work in regards to activating . Correct me if I am wrong. Once I install it the day before I fly out to Thailand . There’s nothing else I need to do . My phone will notice I am out the US and will automatically switch to that esim . Is that right ? I got the iPhone 14 pro max which already has esim compatible

[@ProjectUntethered]

Yeah if you have it active and set up before leaving, it should work as soon as you get off the plane You might need to toggle airplane mode on and off to jump start it. Just make sure to follow the instructions in their email to make sure all the settings are correct (it’s pretty straightforward though).

[@markmark35]

Holafly is way more expensive than Airalo.

[@ProjectUntethered]

It seems to depend on the country, also Holafly offers unlimited plans in several countries for heavy data users, which I don’t think are available on Airalo. I used Airalo in Bulgaria and it worked well, but now in Turkey it has been a bit buggy so far.

[@maromorostar6621]

Its to expensive no thx 😊 a sim card with 10gb is more then enough, and it cost nothing in countries like Morocco, even if they charge you double, you still get it cheaper then eSIM.

[@ProjectUntethered]

Definitely nothing wrong with doing things the old fashioned way if you don’t mind the extra work! Sometimes we still get physical sims if we plan to stay somewhere for several months.

[@maromorostar6621]

@@ProjectUntethered when I was in Morocco they handed out free SIM cards at the airport they already had 1gb data included for free , Maroc telecom had 1gb free and INWI had 2 gb free, medietel was the only one that did not give you data but offered you to top it up. It was a great way to test the different companies for free, I found out quickly Maroc Telecom was the superior one, it worked flawlessly everywhere. So if anyone seeing this and going to Morocco, go for Maroc Telecom. But of course not every country makes it this easy for tourists. So yes it can take some of your time to get a local card. 🙂