MobileXY vs Airalo vs Holafly in 2026: honest comparison

We sell eSIMs, so take this comparison with the appropriate grain of salt — but the numbers below are pulled from each provider's public catalog on the same week in 2026. The three providers serve different traveler profiles. Here's the honest breakdown.

Pricing: head-to-head on common plans

For a 5 GB / 30-day Spain plan in May 2026:

• MobileXY: $7-9 (varies by tier markup).
• Airalo: $9.50 (5 GB / 30 days "Mediterraneo").
• Holafly: $19 (unlimited / 5 days). Holafly's pricing is per-day, not per-GB.

For unlimited Japan (8 days):

• MobileXY: $25-30. Truly unlimited, no daily throttle.
• Airalo: $26 (10 GB cap, not unlimited).
• Holafly: $34 (unlimited but throttles to 256 kbps after 500 MB/day on some plans).

Coverage breadth

All three cover 150+ countries. MobileXY has 190+. The differences matter only at the edges — Greenland, Western Sahara, Falkland Islands. For mainstream destinations, all three work.

Support

• MobileXY: Web ticket + email, ~6-12h response. No 24/7 phone.
• Airalo: In-app chat, response varies from 1h to 24h depending on tier.
• Holafly: 24/7 chat via WhatsApp. Fastest of the three for live issues.

If you're a once-a-year traveler, Holafly's WhatsApp support is genuinely useful. If you buy 3+ eSIMs/year, MobileXY's account dashboard and reorder flow is faster.

Refund and unused-data policy

• MobileXY: Refunds on unused plans (not yet activated) within 30 days. Activated plans: no refund.
• Airalo: Similar — unused refundable, activated plans rarely.
• Holafly: Strict no-refund on activated plans. Wider unused-window than the others.

Hidden differences worth noting

• Phone number: Only MobileXY and Holafly offer real virtual phone numbers for SMS verification. Airalo plans are data-only.
• Currency: MobileXY supports automatic currency conversion (USD/EUR display). Airalo charges in USD only; Holafly in EUR.
• Country specificity: For some destinations (China, Russia, Cuba), only one or two of the three actually have stock. Always check before you fly.

Quick verdict

If you need true unlimited + WhatsApp support: Holafly. If you want the lowest per-GB price on common destinations: MobileXY. If you're already deep in Airalo's loyalty program: stick with what works. For everyone else starting fresh in 2026, MobileXY's per-country plans hit the best price-to-coverage ratio.