FairWave vs Holafly: which travel eSIM fits your trip?
FairWave · Published 2026-09-11
Let’s start with what Holafly does well, because plenty: it’s one of the biggest names in travel eSIMs, with a Trustpilot rating of 4.7 from over 110,000 reviews and more than 25 million eSIMs sold (their figures, 11 Sep 2026). If you want a known brand and a simple “unlimited” promise, Holafly is a reasonable choice. We’re the new company on this page; they aren’t.
Here’s where we differ, and why we exist.
“Unlimited” has a footnote
Independent testing across the category found that unlimited travel eSIM plans, Holafly’s included, throttle heavily once a daily trigger is passed — reviewers measured slowdowns to under 1 Mbps (travelanywhere.blog 10-country test, 2026). The plan is unlimited; the speed is not. FairWave’s answer is Fair Print: the real speed, the real throttle point and the real coverage printed on every plan card before purchase. You may still choose Holafly — but you’ll know exactly what we sell, in writing.
Price transparency
On Holafly’s site, prices appear after you choose a destination and duration (checked 11 Sep 2026). FairWave shows the plan card — price, data, speed, throttle — before you type anything.
What happens to unused data
On a typical eSIM, leftover data expires, full stop. At FairWave, 70% of the unused value comes back as FairCredit toward your next trip, valid 12 months. On a Holafly unlimited plan the concept doesn’t apply — you pay for the duration whether you use it heavily or not.
Where Holafly beats us today, plainly
Brand recognition, years of reviews, and destination breadth. We’re US-focused by design — if your trip is outside our covered corridors, use them.
FairWave and Holafly, side by side (their figures as published 11 Sep 2026)
Pricing shown before checkout
Yes — the plan card, before you type anything
After you choose a destination and duration (checked 11 Sep 2026)
Speed and throttle point printed per plan
Yes — Fair Print, on every plan card
Not published per plan; unlimited plans throttle after a daily trigger
Unused data
70% of unused value back as FairCredit, valid 12 months
Not applicable on unlimited plans — you pay for the duration
Review base
New company — no review base yet
4.7 on Trustpilot from 110,000+ reviews (their figures, 11 Sep 2026)
Destination coverage
US corridors only, by design
Broader than ours — their win
FAQ
Is Holafly really unlimited?
The plans are sold as unlimited data, with speed reduced after a daily usage trigger — under 1 Mbps in independent tests. Whether that matters depends on how you use data.
Is FairWave cheaper than Holafly?
It depends on trip length and data habits — our plans are $29.00 for 5 GB; Holafly prices by destination and duration. Run both for your actual trip; the FAQ answer that always holds is that we show our price and speed before checkout.
Which should I pick?
Short trip, heavy streaming, want a big brand: Holafly is defensible. Want to know the speed you’re buying and get unused value back: that’s us.
Sources
esim.holafly.com (fetched 11 Sep 2026); travelanywhere.blog 10-country test (2026); Trustpilot Holafly page (11 Sep 2026).
Prices and policies last checked 2026-09-11; we re-check monthly.