Europe Travel eSIMs Compared: Airalo vs. Holafly vs. Nomad?

What is Airalo?

Founded in Singapore in 2019,Airalo is the world's first and largest eSIM store with eSIM plans for 200+ countries and regions world-wide.It’s an eSIM provider powered by a user-friendly platform and wide network coverage. Users often praise its helpful customer support, competitively priced plans, and reasonable connection speeds across multiple continents. It offers eSIM plans that can be easily purchased and installed through its mobile app or website.With Airalo eSIMs, travelers can get connected the moment they land in their destination and avoid nasty data roaming charges.

Airalo offers European coverage and eSIMs for over 39 countries across the region.You can choose from regional plans spanning the entire Europe or specific sub-regions like Eastern or Northern Europe for targeted savings.However, most plans are data-only with no additional voice minutes or messaging facility.That means you need to be online to make calls, using apps like WhatsApp, Facetime, Skype, etc.

Airalo Pros and Cons

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What is Holafly?

Founded in 2018, Holafly is considered one of Europe's best eSIM.Holafly now offers eSIMs in over 175 countries.Whether you're seeking local or regional eSIMs, Holafly offers a comprehensive range of options. You'll find unlimited data plans in multiple destinations.

While both Holafly and Airalo offer eSIM solutions, Holafly distinguishes itself by focusing on carefully curated regional plans, ensuring excellent coverage and service quality within those specific areas. This approach makes Holafly an ideal option for travelers who are planning trips predominantly within regions where Holafly has a strong presence, such as Europe, North America, or Asia.

Holafly stands out among other travel eSIMs because it offers a very convenient plan that packs unlimited data and calls that are customisable according to your stay. For Young travellers around the world, this is not just a few bucks to save, but it also makes them travel-conscious. The customer support available through WhatsApp is highly responsive and convenient, providing real-time assistance when you need it most. Holafly is a solid choice for travelers who unlimited data usage.

Holafly Pros and Cons

What is Nomad?

Founded in 2020, Nomad has quickly become a popular eSIM provider thanks to its easy-to-use app, wide coverage, and competitive pricing.Nomad provides affordable prepaid data plans for travelers in over 170 countries worldwide.Users praise the simplicity of purchasing and activating eSIMs through the Nomad app, the variety of data plans available for different countries and regions, and the affordable prices compared to roaming with domestic carriers. Whether you're seeking local, regional, or global eSIMs, Nomad offers a comprehensive range of options. You'll find unlimited data plans in some destinations, too.

Nomad Pros and cons

Airalo vs. Holafly vs. Nomad: Comparison Side by Side

1. Coverage

Airalo has a slight edge over Holafly and Nomad when it comes to coverage.Airalo offers data plans to over 200 countries and regions,available in Europe (39 countries).As for Nomad, their coverage is similar to Holafly, with the difference being they have a plan that covers 109 countries with different carriers. Other than this, they don’t have additional features based on their coverage!

The three providers offer mobile data through local telecom carriers, giving you a good and reliable connection from the moment you arrive abroad. However, it's worth remembering that, depending on your destination, geographical coverage can differ a lot. Use this handy map to select your destination and the local carrier to see their geographical coverage for yourself.

2. Average Speed

Airalo,Holafly and Nomad both offer 5G, 4G, 3G, and LTE networks, ensuring fast speeds wherever you go.Generally, the average speed depends on the local carrier where the eSIM works and what kind of network it supports. 

While data speeds will be good, overall, these might vary in remote areas. But Holafly was more transparent about its network speeds. It provides potential customers with the speeds it offers by country on its website, which Airalo or Nomad doesn't.

3. Europe Plans and Pricing

• Airalo

Airalo offers a wide range of eSIM plans with competitive pricing that varies based on the destination, data allowance, and validity period. The plans are categorized into local, regional, and global options to cater to different travel needs. Here’s a summary of the Europe eSIM plans:

Airalo's pricing structure is straightforward and transparent, with no hidden fees or contracts. However, purchasing a local SIM can sometimes be a cheaper option in some regions than Airalo. 

• Holafly

In contrast, in most destinations, Holafly's data packages are unlimited including the Europe eSIM.There's no sugarcoating it: unlimited data is a massive plus for many travellers. It means you get to travel and never have to worry about when you will hit your limits. So when it comes to pricing, Holafly is generally more expensive than Airalo. 

You can choose how long you want to use the eSIM, and the price automatically changes. The Europe eSIM unlimited plan cost from $6.

• Nomad

Nomad is also more expensive than Airalo, with a price range of $4 to $7 for the same countries. Nomad’s pricing structure is based on the amount of data and duration of the plan, with rates starting from as low as $0.90/GB in some regions. Here’s an overview of the most popular ones: 

Nomad also offers more flexibility, as you can choose a plan of shorter duration, such as 1 day, 3 days, 5 days, and 10 days.

Note: Both Airalo and Nomad provide global eSIMs that work in over 100 countries. Holafly doesn't offer any global eSIM for the time being.

4. Customer Service

• Airalo

Airalo offers several support channels, including email, in-app chat, and social media. However, they do not provide phone support.It’s important to note that Airalo website support is only available in English. If you change the language on the website, the live chat will still appear in English, but you can get support in other languages if you contact them through other available channels if you click the three dots on the live chat.

However,the responsiveness of customer support is a mixed bag based on user reviews. Some customers praise the support team for resolving issues quickly via chat or email. But a few others complain about the lack of real-time support options causing wait times of up to 24 hours.

• Holafly

In terms of customer service, Holafly takes the lead compared to Airalo.Holafly customer support is available in different languages. You only need to change the website language, and you are good to go. There are various channels to get support as well like WhatsApp or the phone number clearly stated at the top of the website.Holafly support is also faster, as most customer support answers are given in less than a minute. Overall, Holafly beats Airalo in this category due to the different channels and quicker response times. 

• Nomad

Nomad offers customer support primarily through emails, plus a ticketing system accessible via their website and mobile app.While there’s no phone support, users can submit detailed requests and receive prompt assistance from the support team. Nomad's customer support is generally responsive and helpful. Many users praise the quick response times, often within minutes, especially when using their ticketing platform.Nomads customer service is only available in English.

Holafly takes the lead thanks to their multichannel option to contact customer service and their accessibility for those who speak different languages.

5. Setup & User Experience

The eSIM activation process is quite straightforward, regardless of which provider you choose. All you have to do is buy an eSIM plan via its website or the mobile app. Then, install your eSIM from the app by following the step-by-step prompts, scanning a QR code to start the installation process, or entering your eSIM details manually in your device’s Settings.

All of the three providers offer user-friendly mobile apps with intuitive interfaces. You can efficiently manage your eSIM services, track usage statistics, and monitor data consumption. The apps provide clear and detailed information, enhancing the overall user experience.

6. Payment 

What’s also important to check out is the payment methods these eSIM providers offer. Flexible payment methods are crucial for eSIMs, offering convenience and accessibility to customers worldwide while ensuring secure transactions.

7. Data Sharing

You can share data with any of Airlo’s eSIM plans.Holafly only allows no limits data sharing when you purchase an eSIM with a fixed amount of data. You can hotspot and tether on an unlimited data plan, but the sharing is limited to 500MB per day. This feature is available in some destinations such as North America, UK, Australia, Switzerland, Italy, and Hong Kong, among others.Nomad also offers data-sharing, but as they only offer data-limited packages, the eSIM will run out of data faster.

Airalo vs. Holafly vs. Nomad: Comparison Table

Conclusion: Which eSIM Is Best?

Ultimately, the best eSIM provider for you depends on factors such as your destination, budget, and desired features. You should assess your requirements and preferences to determine which provider aligns best with your needs.

The unlimited data plans from Holafly are great for travelers who need more data.However, you can't use a hotspot with Holafly. If you need a hotspot, consider buying from Nomad or Airalo instead.Nomad is usually cheaper and it generally has better signal thanks to more networks and better quality networks available to use. The global eSIM option from Nomad is particularly advantageous for those exploring multiple destinations. It can also be useful if you're a long-term traveler.

All that being said, Airalo’s app is cleaner, it’s available in more places and the tiered credit system that goes all the way up to 10% is unbeatable.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is eSIM worth it for travel?

eSIM is more secure than a physical SIM because it can't be removed if your iPhone is lost or stolen. With eSIM, you don't need to obtain, carry, and swap physical SIM cards (which can also be lost), or wait for them to arrive by mail. You can have two eSIMs active on supported iPhone models at the same time.

Can I buy eSIM before travel?

Unless you're traveling for over a month, you can buy it before you leave, and the validity will still cover your stay abroad. If you haven't purchased a plan before leaving, you can also buy your data plan when you arrive at your destination.

Is eSIM better than roaming?

eSIM offers a high level of flexibility and customization options for international travelers. Unlike physical roaming, which requires the purchase and insertion of a specific SIM card, eSIM allows users to switch between different networks on the same device without physically changing their SIM.

Can Airalo be trusted?

Yes, Airalo is a well-established company founded in 2019 as the world's first eSIM store. They have a proven track record of providing eSIM data plans to travelers in over 200 countries.

Does Airalo work with Apple?

Airalo is an eSIM marketplace that provides affordable eSIM plans for 200+ countries and regions worldwide. You can purchase a plan, install an eSIM on your iPhone, and instantly connect to a mobile network at your destination. Your iPhone must be carrier-unlocked to install an eSIM from a third-party provider.

Does Airalo have hidden fees?

Airalo eSIMs are prepaid, so you know exactly what you're getting. There are no hidden roaming fees, and you won't be hit by a surprise bill when you return home.

Can you call with Nomad eSIM?

If your carrier provides support for WiFi calling while overseas, then you will be able to use WiFi calling while using a data-only Nomad eSIM. However, there are a few things that you should configure to prevent accidentally triggering roaming charges while using WiFi calling.

Is Holafly reputable?

With a 4.6 out of 5 star rating on Trustpilot across over 36,000 reviews, Holafly has established a strong reputation as a trusted eSIM provider. Its unlimited data plans, expanding country coverage, and focus on environmental sustainability have garnered it many followers.

Is Holafly really unlimited data?

Holafly's data is really unlimited. However, based on our test, we need to clarify a few things here.First, what Holafly mean by data being "unlimited" is that you won't run out of data. In other words, you'll never reach a point when Holafly cuts you off from a connection to the internet altogether (unless, of course, your term duration runs out).

However, it's worth remembering here that Holafly works directly with dozens of local network carriers to provide an internet connection to their customers. Each of these carriers would have its own contractual agreements with Holafly, which, alongside other international measures, might all affect the speed of your connection.

Can I make phone calls with Holafly?

Once you have activated the Holafly eSIM, you can make calls thanks to unlimited data. For this, we will use applications such as WhatsApp, Telegram, Skype, Google Voice, or your favorite. These platforms enable voice calls and support video communication. In both cases, you need to have a stable data connection.

Can you text with Holafly?

Yes. Please remember that if you leave your SIM card activated, your network provider may apply data roaming charges to make or receive phone calls, and to send or receive text messages.

Can I use WhatsApp with Nomad eSIM?

With a Nomad travel eSIM, you can continue to stay connected and keep in touch with your friends via WhatsApp or any other messaging apps that rely on the internet!

Can I use iMessage with Nomad eSIM?

You can still use iMessage with your primary line! Using a travel eSIM when traveling does not mean that your contact number has to change.

Is Nomad eSIM trustable?

Nomad eSIMs offer extensive coverage in over 170 countries worldwide, making them a reliable choice for frequent travelers. Users report generally good connectivity and network reliability across various regions, including Asia, Europe, and North America.

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