All About Holafly
Holafly is one of the most established eSIM providers in the world. Their whole model is built around one idea: unlimited data, fixed price, zero stress.
You pick your destination, choose your duration, pay once, and forget about data usage entirely. No GB counter, no top-up alerts, no rationing your Instagram Stories.
I used Holafly on a five-week trip across Southeast Asia. Knowing I could stream, use Maps constantly, and upload photos without watching a data gauge was genuinely freeing.
Holafly Key Features
- Truly unlimited data: no cap, no throttling warnings on standard plans, just use what you need.
- 170 countries covered: solid reach across Europe, the Americas, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and more.
- Simple setup: buy online, scan the QR code, activate when you land. Done.
- Hotspot included: share your connection with a laptop or travel companion.
- Massive review base: over 100,000 verified Trustpilot reviews at 4.7 out of 5. That kind of volume is hard to fake.
- Refund before activation: if your plans change before you've switched the eSIM on, you can get your money back.
Where Holafly Falls Short
- No built-in VPN: if you want to protect your connection on hotel or airport Wi-Fi, you'll need a separate app.
- Profile not reusable: once your plan expires, you buy a new one and install a new profile. Slightly more friction for frequent travellers.
- No top-up option: if you want more time or data, you buy a fresh plan rather than topping up the existing one.
- Speed can vary: on some destinations, very heavy usage may trigger speed reductions (known as throttling, which means your connection slows down after a certain point). Worth checking destination-specific reviews.
All About Saily
Saily is the newer player here, but it comes with serious backing. It's built by Nord Security, the same company behind NordVPN and NordPass. If you've heard of NordVPN, you already know these people take digital security seriously.
Where Holafly bets on unlimited simplicity, Saily bets on flexibility and control. You choose exactly how many GB you want, top up if you run low, and reuse the same eSIM profile across future trips. For UK travellers who take multiple trips a year, that reusability alone is a meaningful advantage.
Saily Key Features
- Flexible data plans: pick the GB amount that matches your actual usage. No paying for data you won't use.
- 200 countries covered: broader reach than Holafly, including destinations in Central Africa, Central Asia, and parts of the Middle East that Holafly doesn't cover.
- Built-in VPN: your connection is encrypted by default, which matters on public Wi-Fi in hotels, cafés, and airports.
- Reusable profile: install once, use on every future trip. No reinstalling from scratch each time.
- Top-up while travelling: run low on data mid-trip? Add more GB directly from the app without buying a new eSIM.
- Hotspot included: same as Holafly, you can share your connection with other devices.
- 30-day refund window: if you haven't activated the eSIM, you can get a refund within 30 days of purchase.
Where Saily Falls Short
- No unlimited option: if you stream heavily or work remotely all day, you'll need to monitor your usage or top up regularly.
- Fewer reviews than Holafly: 25,000 Trustpilot reviews versus 100,000+. Saily is newer, and the gap shows. The rating is just as strong, but the sample size is smaller.
- Slightly more to manage: choosing your GB, tracking usage, deciding when to top up. It's not complicated, but it's more hands-on than Holafly's set-and-forget approach.
Holafly vs Saily: Feature-by-Feature Breakdown
Data Plans: Unlimited vs Flexible
This is the core difference between the two providers, and it's worth thinking about honestly.
Holafly gives you unlimited data for a fixed price. You pay once and you're done. There's no decision fatigue, no mid-trip top-up stress, no calculating whether you've got enough GB left to get through the week.
Saily lets you buy exactly what you need. If you're away for a long weekend and you'll mostly use Maps and check emails, you don't need unlimited data. You buy a smaller plan, spend less, and top up only if you need to.
My honest take: if you stream video, work remotely, or travel for more than two weeks, Holafly's unlimited model is more comfortable. If you travel light on data or take frequent short trips, Saily's flexible approach often works out better value.
Coverage: 170 vs 200 Countries
For most popular UK travel destinations, both providers will cover you without issue. Europe, the US, Canada, Thailand, Japan, Australia, the UAE: you'll find both on the list.
The gap shows up in less mainstream destinations. Saily's extra 30 countries include parts of Central Africa, Central Asia, and some Middle Eastern countries that Holafly doesn't currently support.
If you're planning an off-the-beaten-track itinerary, check both providers' coverage pages before committing. And if you're doing a multi-country trip through regions where coverage varies, Saily's broader reach is a genuine advantage.
VPN and Security
This is where Saily has a clear edge. The built-in VPN is powered by Nord Security's infrastructure, the same team behind one of the most widely used VPN services in the world.
In practical terms: when you connect to hotel Wi-Fi in Bangkok, a café network in Lisbon, or an airport lounge in Dubai, your data is encrypted. That protects your banking apps, passwords, and browsing from anyone snooping on the same network.
Holafly doesn't include a VPN. If you want that protection, you'll need to subscribe to a separate service and run it alongside your eSIM. It works, but it's an extra step and an extra cost.
Reusability and Top-Ups
Saily wins here too. Once you've installed the Saily eSIM profile on your phone, it stays there. Next trip, you just buy a new data plan and load it onto the same profile. No QR codes to scan, no reinstalling.
With Holafly, each new destination or new trip means a new eSIM profile. It only takes a few minutes, but if you travel frequently, the Saily approach is noticeably smoother.
Reviews and Customer Support
Both providers score 4.7 out of 5 on Trustpilot, which is genuinely impressive in a sector where bad connectivity experiences generate loud complaints.
The difference is volume. Holafly has over 100,000 reviews. Saily has around 25,000. Holafly has been around longer, and that shows. But Saily's score on a still-significant sample is a strong signal.
Both offer 24/7 customer support. I've contacted Holafly's support team mid-trip before and got a response within 20 minutes. That kind of availability matters when you're stuck without a connection at midnight in an unfamiliar city.
Promo Codes
Both providers accept the code LEZBROZ for 5% off at checkout. It works whether you buy through the website or the app. Apply it before you pay.
For current prices on your specific destination and trip length, use the eSIM comparator to compare live offers side by side.
Which Provider Should You Choose?
Pick Holafly if:
- You want unlimited data with no usage tracking whatsoever.
- You're going on a long trip (two weeks or more) or working remotely abroad.
- You want the simplest possible setup: buy, scan, connect.
- Your destination is within Holafly's 170-country coverage.
- You feel more confident with a provider that has 100,000+ verified reviews behind it.
Pick Saily if:
- You want to choose your data allowance and only pay for what you'll actually use.
- You travel regularly and want a reusable eSIM profile you don't have to reinstall each time.
- You want a built-in VPN to stay secure on public Wi-Fi without a separate subscription.
- You're heading somewhere in Saily's 200-country coverage that Holafly doesn't reach.
- You want the option to top up mid-trip without buying a completely new eSIM.
A Note Before You Buy
A few things worth checking regardless of which provider you go with:
- Confirm your phone supports eSIM. Most iPhones from the XS onwards and many Android flagships do, but check your model specifically.
- Make sure your phone isn't carrier-locked. Some UK network contracts lock devices to their SIM. If yours is locked, an eSIM from a third-party provider won't work until it's unlocked.
- Install the eSIM before you travel. You need a stable internet connection to download the profile. Do it at home, not at the airport.
- Keep your UK SIM active in parallel. Your eSIM handles data abroad. Your UK number stays live for calls and texts on your main SIM.
- Check coverage for your exact destination. Both providers list supported countries and networks on their websites. A quick check before you buy saves frustration later.
In short: Holafly or Saily?
Holafly — unlimited data and a huge review base. Saily — flexible plans with a built-in VPN. Both give -5% with the LEZBROZ code.
