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International eSIMs 2026: Airalo, Holafly or Saily? An Honest Test
A real comparison of the five biggest eSIMs on the market in May 2026 — price per GB, country coverage, and when each one is worth using for US travelers.
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A real comparison of the five biggest eSIMs on the market in May 2026 — price per GB, country coverage, and when each one is worth using for US travelers.
A real comparison of the five biggest eSIMs on the market in May 2026 — price per GB, country coverage, and when each one is worth using for US travelers.
Airalo has the largest catalogue in 2026: 200+ countries, regional pack Eurolink (39 European countries) at USD 5/GB and global Discover+ plan at USD 9/GB. Japan 7-day 1GB plan: USD 4.50. US 30-day 10GB plan: USD 26.
Holafly charges USD 6.90/day for unlimited plans (1-90 days) with no hotspot in most countries. Europe 7-day unlimited plan: USD 47. Japan 15-day unlimited: USD 84. Worth it when you consume more than 1GB/day (Maps + Stories + WhatsApp calls).
Saily is the cheapest option for fixed data in 2026: Thailand 1GB/7 days for USD 2.69, US 5GB/30 days for USD 17.99, Europe 10GB/30 days for USD 26. Launched in 2024 by Nord Security (parent of NordVPN).
Truphone (now 1Global) and Ubigi cost more (USD 7-12/GB) but cover cruise ships and commercial flights — only worth it for executives or digital nomads with specific needs. Not worth it for standard tourism.
Any US traveler with an iPhone XS or newer (2018+) already supports eSIM. Android: Pixel 3+, Galaxy S20+, Motorola Edge+. Full compatibility on Apple's site: support.apple.com/HT209096.
A real comparison of the five biggest eSIMs on the market in May 2026 — price per GB, country coverage, and when each one is worth using for US travelers.