Airalo: The travel eSIM with the most plans to choose from

Airalo sells data bundles for single countries, for regions such as Europe or Asia, and for the world, in several sizes and validities. You buy the size that matches your trip rather than a one-size plan, and a bundle bought in advance does not start its clock until you activate it at the destination, which makes it easy to prepare before a trip or to buy during a sale.

The range is the reason to pick it: for a trip through three or four countries, one regional plan replaces several local SIMs. The trade-off is that you manage the data yourself, top up when you run low, and check plan by plan whether hotspot sharing and a phone number are included.

What works

  • Country, regional and global plans in several sizes and validities
  • Bundles stay inactive until you first connect at the destination
  • Top-ups in the app without reinstalling the eSIM
  • Clear list of the local networks each plan uses

What to watch

  • Metered data: a few video calls can empty a small bundle quickly
  • Most plans are data only, with no local phone number
  • Speed and network vary by destination, as on any travel eSIM

Best for A trip across several countries where you want to choose exactly how much data you carry.

See Airalo plans

Holafly: Unlimited data for the length of your trip

Holafly sells time rather than gigabytes: you choose a destination and a number of days, and data is unlimited for that period. For a city break spent on maps, messaging and streaming, it removes the question of how much you have left.

Unlimited comes with conditions. Fair-use policies can slow speeds after heavy use, hotspot sharing is restricted or capped on many unlimited plans, and the per-day price makes less sense on a long stay with light use. Read the plan page for your country before assuming you can tether your laptop.

What works

  • No data counting: one plan for the whole stay
  • Simple choice, a destination and a number of days
  • Support that is often singled out in traveller reviews

What to watch

  • Hotspot sharing limited or capped on many unlimited plans
  • Fair-use rules can reduce speed after heavy use
  • Less economical for long trips with light data use

Best for A short, intensive trip where you would rather not think about data at all.

See Holafly plans

Saily: Low-cost data with a security layer built in

Saily is the travel eSIM from the team behind NordVPN. It sells metered plans for countries, regions and the world, with a security angle the others do not have: web protection, an ad blocker and a virtual location option are part of the app.

It suits travellers who use their phone for maps, messages and the occasional upload, and who connect to hotel and café Wi-Fi along the way. Heavy users will still be better served by an unlimited plan, and the destination list, while wide, should be checked for remote countries.

What works

  • Plans priced for light and medium data use
  • Web protection and ad blocking included in the app
  • Global and regional plans alongside single countries

What to watch

  • Metered data, so not the choice for streaming every evening
  • Data only, no phone number
  • A younger service: check your exact destination is covered

Best for A budget trip where you mostly navigate, message and browse, often on public Wi-Fi.

See Saily plans

Metered or unlimited: what decides between travel eSIMs

The three providers work in most of the same countries. These five checks separate them for a given trip.

None of the three is the cheapest everywhere: the same week can cost less on a metered bundle in one country and on an unlimited plan in another. Compare the plan for your exact destination and dates on two of them before buying.

Whichever you pick, install the eSIM on Wi-Fi before you leave and keep your home SIM for calls and SMS codes.