Verdict: Airalo is the best eSIM for most international trips: 200+ destinations, pay-per-gigabyte country plans, and the largest pile of real-world traveler reviews. Holafly is the pick if you stream and tether all day and want unlimited data. Nomad is the pick if you want per-gigabyte pricing, tethering, and a free 1 GB trial.
Buy a travel eSIM before you fly, install it on the home Wi-Fi, and switch it on when the plane lands. That one habit replaces the airport SIM kiosk, the $10-a-day roaming pass, and the dead phone at baggage claim. The only real decision is which provider, and for most trips the answer is Airalo.
Here is the short version, then the reasoning, then who should buy something else.
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Airalo is the pick for most people. It sells local, regional, and global data packs for 200+ destinations, so one app covers a two-country trip and a six-country trip. Holafly is for the person who streams, tethers a laptop, and does not want to watch a gigabyte counter. Nomad is for the person who wants simple per-gigabyte pricing, hotspot support, and a free 1 GB plan to test before paying.
Your phone has to support eSIM and be unlocked. Apple’s support page lists iPhone XS, XS Max, XR, and later as eSIM-capable. Airalo’s own page adds that an Android phone needs an “Add Carrier” menu and must be network unlocked. Check this before you pay, not at the gate.
Most travel eSIMs are data-only. Holafly says plainly that its standard eSIMs cannot make calls or send texts. That is fine for WhatsApp, FaceTime, and maps. It is the reason you should keep your home SIM active in the second slot, so bank codes and two-factor texts still reach you.
Install at home, activate on landing. Installing needs internet. Holafly’s own guidance is to install before departure, keep the eSIM off, then turn on data roaming for that line at your destination. Nomad says the same about data roaming. Airalo’s validity period starts when the eSIM connects to a supported network.
Prices are shown in your local currency and change by destination. The numbers below were what each provider’s own page showed on 2026-10-12. Check the country page before you buy.
| Airalo | Holafly | Nomad | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Most trips, mixed itineraries | Heavy users, unlimited data | Value, tethering, trying it free |
| Coverage | 200+ locations | 200+ destinations (subscriptions cover 160) | 200+ destinations |
| Pricing style | Fixed-gigabyte packs | Day-based unlimited, or monthly plans | Per-gigabyte packs |
| Example price | Country plans from about $6 CAD (US, Japan, Italy) | Subscriptions from $49.90 a month for 30+ day trips | Roughly 0.85 to 1.00 CAD per GB in listed countries |
| Hotspot | Not stated on the main page | 1 GB shared per day on day plans | Tethering and hotspot supported |
| Calls and texts | Not stated on the main page | None on standard plans | Local number on some plans, check per plan |
| Support | 24/7, 53 languages | Not verified | 24/7 live chat and email |
Airalo is the default because it removes decisions. You open the app, pick the country or the region, pick a gigabyte size, and install. If the itinerary changes mid-trip, there are regional and global packs in the same app. A global eSIM tile on Airalo’s page starts at $12.50 CAD, for the trip that does not stay in one place.
The case for it is also social proof. In a GummySearch roll-up of 308 Reddit eSIM reviews across 22 subreddits, Airalo had the most reviews by a wide margin (73) and a 4.5 out of 5 average, with reviewers mostly describing a working connection in specific countries. The caveat is that the roll-up is mostly short positive notes, so read it as “rarely a problem” rather than “flawless.”
The honest negatives are two. Airalo’s packs are metered, so a heavy user burns through a pack faster than they expect. And its main page does not say whether hotspot is allowed on every plan, so check the plan page if you plan to tether.
Holafly sells the thing the others do not: unlimited data. You choose the number of days, and its monthly plans come in Light (25 GB), Unlimited, and Ultra tiers. That makes it the calm choice for someone working from a hotel on a laptop, uploading video, or sharing a connection with a partner.
Read the hotspot rule before you commit. Holafly’s own page says day-based eSIMs allow 1 GB of shared data per day, so a seven-day plan allows up to 7 GB of tethering. The unlimited phone data is real. The unlimited laptop is not. Holafly is also the most expensive of the three for a short trip, and Reddit reviewers in the roll-up reported TikTok blocked on Holafly’s service.
Standard Holafly eSIMs cannot call or text. The Unlimited and Ultra monthly plans add a local number for inbound SMS, which is useful for verification codes.
Image: Holafly
Nomad prices by the gigabyte, and its page shows per-GB rates from roughly 0.85 CAD in the United States and 0.88 in Singapore and Turkey up to 1.97 in Canada. It says its eSIMs support tethering and hotspot, which makes it the cheaper answer for a traveler who needs a laptop online without paying for unlimited.
It also lets new users redeem a free 1 GB plan. That is the best low-risk test in this group: install it, confirm your phone works with it, and you have learned the setup before the trip. Nomad Pass is a $3 a month, 1 GB Europe plan with 15% off add-ons, which suits a frequent short-hop traveler.
The trade-offs: Nomad’s main page does not list refunds, and its voice number is plan-dependent, so read the plan details. Some travelers will also prefer Airalo’s larger review base.
Image: Nomad
Pick the plan by behavior, not by country. Maps, messaging, and ride-hailing barely register. Video calls, music streaming, and tethering are what drain a pack. If you stream or tether every day, buy unlimited. If you check maps and messages, a small fixed pack plus hotel Wi-Fi is enough, and Airalo or Nomad will cost less.
Mixed trip? Buy a regional or global pack once, not a new eSIM at every border. Pair it with the right plug and a charged phone: our universal travel adapter guide and best power banks for travel cover the rest of a connectivity kit.
Is an eSIM cheaper than roaming?
Usually, for anything beyond a day or two. A prepaid eSIM is a fixed price for a fixed amount of data, with no per-day roaming fee. Compare your carrier’s international day pass for your exact destination against the provider’s country page before you decide.
Can I keep my home number?
Yes. A travel eSIM is a second line. Keep your home SIM in the primary slot with data off, put the travel eSIM on for mobile data, and calls and texts to your home number still arrive over the home line.
What if my phone is locked?
Then the eSIM will not install. Ask your carrier to unlock the phone, which usually has to happen before you leave. Do this early, since some carriers take days.
Do I install before the flight?
Yes. Install on home Wi-Fi, keep the eSIM line switched off, and switch it on when you land. Installing needs an internet connection, and airports are a bad place to find that out.
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