Holafly vs. Ubigi (2026 review)

Unlimited-first pricing that overcharges light users.

Holafly’s plans start around $19 for five days of unlimited US data and run to $49.90 a month. If you stream and tether all day, that flat rate is fair. For a short trip on a little data, you pay for plenty you won’t touch.

A low entry price, undercut by everything the plan leaves out.

Ubigi’s 500MB starter runs about $2, and its network quality is real. But the plans are strictly data-only with no rewards and no bundled number, so the low headline price buys just data, which suits a light user but offers little to a repeat traveller.

200+ destinations on an unlimited model, no carrier shown.

Holafly’s reach matches the field on paper, and unlimited data removes the where-did-my-gigabytes-go worry. What’s missing is granularity and disclosure: fewer true regional plans, no European sub-zones, and no carrier or speed shown before you pay for it.

Data straight from a real operator, with 5G across dozens of destinations.

As an NTT company running its own mobile infrastructure, Ubigi delivers fast, reliable data with 5G in 65+ destinations and unlimited plans in around 75. The network pedigree is genuine and consistently praised, easily its strongest card and the main reason to choose it.

One of the largest verified review bases in the category.

Holafly holds 4.7 on Trustpilot across roughly 110,000 reviews, plus 4.71 on the App Store and 4.57 on Google Play from 81,646. Praise lands on simplicity and speed to connect; criticism on the unlimited throttle and refund friction. On sheer volume it’s a leader.

Solid on Trustpilot, dragged down by a weak Google Play score.

Ubigi holds 4.1 on Trustpilot across 45,144 reviews and 4.4 on the App Store, but Google Play sits at just 3.77 from 7,530 reviews, a real weak point that reflects app and account frustrations rather than the network, which reviewers generally rate well.

Unlimited data is the feature; almost everything else is missing.

There’s no phone number in the box beyond a paid EU regional add-on, no data calculator, and no security tools. What you get is genuinely unlimited data with a clean, one-tap experience, which for many single-country trips is exactly the point, and enough.

Strong core connectivity, but almost nothing bundled around it.

Ubigi offers 5G and unlimited options, which matter, but the plans are data-only: no phone number, no data calculator, no security tools. The product is a conduit to a good network rather than a feature suite, so travellers wanting extras will look elsewhere.

Allowed, but quietly capped at roughly 500MB a day.

Holafly limits hotspot use to about 500MB a day on unlimited plans, and that ceiling isn’t disclosed before you buy. For anyone tethering a laptop, that’s the first wall they hit, an important caveat given the plans are sold on the promise of unlimited data.

Unrestricted tethering, a genuinely consumer-friendly touch.

Ubigi places no restriction on hotspot use, which suits laptop-heavy travellers well and is one of the most open policies in this comparison. Paired with its 5G network, tethering performance is a real strength rather than a grudging allowance.

HolaCoins and generous referrals, nothing automatic on spend.

Holafly runs a HolaCoins loyalty scheme and referrals that can reach €100, which rewards frequent sharers well. What it doesn’t do is return a flat percentage on every purchase automatically, so casual buyers see less back than the referral headline suggests.

Effectively none, beyond an occasional welcome code.

Ubigi runs no loyalty program and no standing referral; the most you’ll see is an occasional welcome promo. For a repeat traveller nothing accrues, which is a clear gap next to rivals that return credit or run referral schemes on every purchase.

24/7 support over both live chat and WhatsApp, a real strength.

Holafly staffs chat and WhatsApp around the clock, and reviewers consistently reach a human quickly. For a provider selling to first-time eSIM buyers, that reassurance matters, and it’s one of the strongest support operations in this comparison.

A slow, portal-based email channel with no live lifeline.

Ubigi’s support runs largely through an email portal, and slow responses are a recurring complaint. There’s no 24/7 live chat and no web-reachable channel for when the eSIM won’t connect, so help is the weakest part of an otherwise capable product.

Clean, fast, and built for people who’ve never used an eSIM.

Holafly’s app and checkout are deliberately simple: pick a country, buy unlimited, connect. There’s little to configure because there’s little to manage. For a nervous first-timer that simplicity is a genuine feature, even if power users will want more control.

Capable, but the app and account tools show their age.

Ubigi works, but the consumer experience trails the field: the app and account management feel dated, and setup is fiddlier than newer rivals. The network is modern; the software around it hasn’t kept pace, which is where most of the frustration in its reviews sits.