Why Holafly is so expensive — and what alternatives exist

In short: Holafly is more expensive because it invests heavily in brand, support, and marketing, and passes these costs on in its pricing; additionally, it sells unlimited data, which has a higher wholesale cost than plans by GB. This doesn't mean it's a bad option—it means there are equally reliable alternatives at a lower cost if you know where to look.

Why does Holafly charge what it does?

If you've searched for an eSIM for international travel, Holafly was likely one of the first results you found. And also one of the most expensive. This is no coincidence.

Holafly is a Spanish company founded in 2018 that has positioned itself as the leading brand in the eSIM market for Spanish-speaking travelers. Its success is accompanied by massive investment in advertising, influencers, and SEO positioning. All that marketing expense has to come from somewhere: the price you pay.

Additionally, Holafly offers unlimited data in most of its plans. While attractive on paper, this model has a higher wholesale cost than plans with a GB limit, and that extra cost is passed directly to the final price.

Other factors that inflate the price:

• 24/7 support in Spanish — Maintaining a multilingual customer service team is costly.
• Proprietary app — Holafly has its own app with consumption tracking, which involves continuous development and maintenance.
• Recognized brand — Its premium positioning justifies, to some extent, a higher price.
• Agreements with top-tier local operators — While not exclusive to Holafly, these reinforce high-quality networks.

The business model behind Holafly's pricing

To understand why Holafly is so expensive, you need to understand how the travel eSIM business works.

No eSIM provider for travelers is its own network operator. They all purchase wholesale capacity from local operators (Vodafone, Orange, T-Mobile, etc.) and resell it under their brand. The cost of actual connectivity is similar for everyone. The price difference lies in margins and operating expenses.

Holafly applies higher-than-average margins for several strategic reasons:

1. D2C model with strong investment in acquisition — They spend a lot on attracting new customers through advertising and SEO, which requires high margins to be profitable.
2. Focus on the occasional traveler — Their target customer is someone who travels 1-2 times a year and doesn't compare prices exhaustively. They don't need to be the cheapest, just the most visible.
3. Unlimited data as a selling point — "Unlimited" sounds better than "5 GB," even though for most travelers 5 GB is more than enough and much cheaper.

This doesn't mean Holafly is dishonest — they simply have a premium pricing strategy. The problem occurs when users assume that "more expensive = better," when in reality the underlying connectivity can be identical to that of a cheaper competitor.

Holafly vs. Alternatives: Price Comparison

eSIM prices change frequently and vary by destination and duration, so instead of quoting figures that will be outdated in a few months, here's how the model of each provider compares — which is what really explains the cost difference:

The exact price of each plan changes according to destination, season, and specific offers. Always compare the current price at the time of purchase; don't rely on figures you see in old articles.

As you can see, what makes the difference is not the network you use at your destination — usually the same for all providers in a given country — but whether you pay for "unlimited" or for the GB you will actually use.

If you want to delve deeper into this comparison, we have prepared a detailed analysis in our guide PuraSim vs. Holafly: complete comparison.

When Holafly might be worth it

We would be unfair if we only talked about price without acknowledging when Holafly is a reasonable choice.

Travelers with high data consumption

If you work remotely while traveling, make frequent video calls, or stream content constantly, Holafly's unlimited plans can end up being competitive compared to data-limited plans that you would have to top up.

Destinations with critical support

In less common destinations — some countries in Asia, Africa, or Latin America — Holafly has broader plan coverage than smaller competitors. If you travel to a niche destination, it might be the most reliable option available.

Users who value 24/7 Spanish support

For travelers with less technical experience or those traveling with family, having access to immediate support in Spanish can be worth the price difference. Peace of mind has a real value.

Last-minute purchases

Holafly has a very polished and fast purchasing experience. If you arrive at the airport without an eSIM, their activation process is one of the most agile on the market.

Cheaper alternatives without sacrificing quality

If price is your priority, these are the alternatives we recommend evaluating before purchasing with Holafly:

PuraSim — The most complete Spanish alternative

PuraSim offers eSIMs for Europe and over 200 destinations with a much more competitive price positioning than Holafly. The key difference: instead of selling "unlimited" at a premium price, we offer plans with enough GB for the average traveler, with the possibility of topping up if necessary, and 24/7 support in all languages via email and WhatsApp. Same network quality, lower cost.

To understand exactly what you get with each option, consult our guide Cheap eSIM: the best alternatives to Holafly.

Airalo — The global marketplace

Airalo is the largest eSIM marketplace in the world and usually has competitive prices. The downside is that support is less agile than Holafly's, and the user experience in some destinations can be less polished. You can see the full comparison in our guide Airalo vs. Holafly.

Saily — From the creators of NordVPN

Saily is a relatively new option but backed by Nord Security. It has reasonable prices and a good user experience, although with less geographical coverage than Airalo. We analyze it in detail in Saily vs. Holafly.

Ubigi and Nomad

Other solid alternatives for specific destinations. Ubigi stands out in Asia-Pacific, and Nomad has good options for North America, though generally with less brand presence than Holafly, Airalo, or PuraSim.

Common myths and mistakes when switching eSIMs

When someone decides to leave Holafly for a cheaper alternative, they almost always make the same two or three mistakes. None are serious if you know about them beforehand, but they can ruin your first day of travel if you've never encountered them.

"Unlimited" is almost never truly unlimited

Many plans sold as unlimited data — not just Holafly's — apply a fair usage policy: after a certain amount of daily consumption from continuous streaming or heavy downloads, the speed is notably reduced. If your actual use is browsing, maps, social media, and occasional streaming, a well-calculated GB plan will be cheaper, and you won't notice any difference. Unlimited only starts to make sense if you're making long video calls every day or constantly uploading heavy videos.

Install the eSIM before leaving home, not at the airport

This is the most common mistake that causes headaches: most eSIMs — including Holafly's — need a connection to download the profile the first time if you don't do it via QR with Wi-Fi available. Install the profile with your home Wi-Fi before traveling, but don't activate the data plan yet: wait until you land. This way, you don't lose a day of the plan waiting for coverage in the arrivals area or queuing at passport control. You can see the complete step-by-step guide in our how to install an eSIM guide.

Don't delete the old eSIM until you confirm the new one connects

If you're switching from Holafly to another provider, do not delete the old profile from your phone until you have verified that the new eSIM has data at your destination. Most modern phones allow you to have multiple eSIM profiles installed at once — although only one can be active for data at any given time — so you can switch between them without reinstalling anything if something goes wrong upon arrival.

Check that your phone supports eSIM and is unlocked

It seems obvious, but it is one of the most common reasons for "the eSIM I bought doesn't work." You need an eSIM-compatible phone (generally, iPhone XS or later, most mid-to-high-end Samsung models, and Google Pixel from 3 onwards) and, most importantly, it must be unlocked from your Spanish operator. If you bought it with a contract and never unlocked it, no eSIM will work on it, whether it's from Holafly or any alternative.

Save the QR and activation data in more than just your phone

If you lose your phone or need to reinstall the profile for any reason, you'll need to rescan the QR code or manually enter the activation data. Take a screenshot and save it to your email or cloud, not just in the provider's app. It's an extra minute that will save you real trouble if your trip gets complicated.

Conclusion

Holafly is expensive because they chose to be: they invest heavily in brand, support, and marketing, and need high margins to sustain that model. It's not a bad company — it simply has a premium pricing strategy.

The real question isn't "is Holafly expensive?" (yes, it is), but "does what they offer justify that price for my specific case?" And the honest answer is: for most travelers, no.

If you're looking for unlimited data without worrying about consumption, Holafly can be convenient. If you want the best value for money and are willing to estimate how many GB you need (generally 5-10 GB is more than enough for a normal week of travel), GB-based alternatives usually offer significant savings, especially the longer your trip.

At PuraSim, we believe that staying connected while traveling doesn't have to be expensive. Take a look at our eSIM plans for Europe and see for yourself.

Frequently Asked Questions about Holafly and its price

Written by Marc González Sáez Founder of PuraSim and a specialist in eSIM and connectivity for travelers. He has been helping people travel connected worldwide for years without overpaying for roaming, and personally tests eSIMs in each destination before recommending them.