Mapians vs Holafly: which eSIM should you buy?
Holafly sells unlimited day plans at a premium. If you know roughly how much data you use, a Mapians fixed-data plan is usually far cheaper, and hotspot sharing is not capped at 500MB–1GB a day.
| Mapians | Holafly | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | £1.50 | day plans from US$3.90 |
| Big-data value | From £0.15/GB (Three UK 100GB) · £0.36/GB Europe (Llamaya) | Sold mainly as unlimited daily plans |
| Unlimited plans | Yes (Japan KDDI, Thailand TRUE, Three UK and more), speed caps stated upfront | Yes, with fair-use slowdowns |
| Branded operators | 7 named networks | Varies by destination |
| Phone number | Included on Three UK plans | Not standard |
| Refunds | 30-day money-back | Conditions apply |
| Seafarer plans | Yes + crew discount | No |
| Support | 24/7 Live Chat & tickets | See provider |
| Reviews | 4.9 ★ Trustpilot | 4.6 ★ Trustpilot (May 2026) |
Holafly information from its published pages and third-party comparisons; check current prices on Holafly's site before buying.
Where Holafly is strong
Unlimited data focus.
Where Mapians wins
- Lower price per GB on medium and large plans
- Choice of named European and Asian networks
- Dedicated seafarer range
- 24/7 Live Chat and tickets with priority SLA
Our verdict
If you want the cheapest data for a planned trip, especially 10GB or more, Mapians usually costs less. Compare the exact plan for your destination before you buy.
How much will you save on your trip?
Three quick answers. We compare roaming, an airport SIM and the Mapians plan we'd recommend. All amounts in GBP.
Airport SIM price (optional)
Roaming and airport figures are your inputs or typical examples. Mapians prices are plan prices including tax, converted at an indicative exchange rate.
More plans, lower prices, real networks
The same trip usually costs less with Mapians, especially on 10GB and above.
| Mapians | Airalo | Holafly | Saily | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price | £1.50 | from about US$4.50 | day plans from US$3.90 | from US$1.99 (selected countries) |
| Big-data value (Europe) | 25GB / 28 days £8.99 · £0.36/GB (Llamaya) | €0.72 / GB (UK 50GB, 30 days, €36) | Sold mainly as unlimited daily plans | Close to Airalo on most plans |
| Branded operator eSIMs | Orange, Vodafone, Three, O2, Llamaya, KDDI, dtac | Network not always named before purchase | Varies by destination | Varies |
| Plan types | Per-day, fixed, unlimited, network bundles | Fixed + some unlimited | Mostly unlimited | Fixed + some unlimited |
| Dedicated seafarer plans | Yes, with crew discount | No | No | No |
| Refunds | 30-day money-back guarantee | Full refund only if the eSIM was not installed | Conditions apply | Flexible policy |
| Pay in your currency | 9 currencies incl. ₹, AED, SAR | Multiple | Multiple | Multiple |
| Support | 24/7 Live Chat & tickets, priority SLA | Chat, email, WhatsApp · no phone line | Chat | Chat |
| Unlimited plans | Yes: UK, Japan, Thailand + more | Some destinations (3GB/day then 1Mbps) | Yes, with fair-use slowdowns | Some plans |
| Hotspot on unlimited | Allowed (fair use shown upfront) | Varies | Capped 500MB–1GB/day | Allowed |
| Seller | UK-registered company, verifiable | Singapore-based | Spain-based | Part of Nord Security |
Competitor information from published pages and third-party comparisons (Saily blog, May 2026; Amigo eSIM, Oct 2026; Jetpac review, 2026). Prices change often, so check each provider's site before buying.
Most "unlimited" data isn't really unlimited
Under operators' fair-use policies, many unlimited plans give you a set amount of high-speed data, then cut you to a crawl. Here's what the small print says, from published sources.
| Provider | How it's sold | What actually happens | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airalo | Unlimited (selected destinations) | 3GB high-speed per 24 hours, then 1Mbps | Saily review of Airalo, 2026 |
| Holafly | Unlimited data | Fair-use slowdowns after heavy use; hotspot capped at 500MB/day (Europe) or 1GB/day (Asia) | Jetpac Holafly review, 2026 |
| T-Mobile (US roaming) | Unlimited data abroad | 5GB high-speed, then 256kbps | ShopBack US roaming guide, Aug 2026 |
| Jio (India) roaming packs | "Unlimited" data packs | 1GB–10GB high-speed, then 64kbps | Jio packs as published (prune.co.in, July 2025) |
| e& (UAE) Daily Data | Daily roaming data | 500MB per day, then 64kbps | eand.ae Roaming Daily Data Plan, 2026 |
Video calls, HD streaming, hotspot, maps
Maps and messages; video buffers
Slow web pages, photos take ages
WhatsApp text only. Maps barely load
We tell you exactly how much full-speed data you get
- Every plan shows its full-speed allowance in GB, upfront
- Per-day plans clearly say what happens after the daily allowance (128kbps until midnight)
- Big fixed plans like 100GB give full speed the whole time, from £0.15/GB
- Speed caps, such as KDDI's 10Mbps option, are shown on the plan before you buy
Fair-use details are taken from the providers' published terms or from the reviews named in the Source column, and can change. Check each provider's current terms.
How Mapians compares, with the numbers
Published prices, compared like for like. Sources listed underneath.
Price per GB
Lower is better.
30 days in Europe
Most travellers use under 1.5GB a day, so 100GB covers a month of heavy use for well under half the price.
What's included
Sources: Mapians plan prices (Oct 2026); Airalo UK pricing via Amigo eSIM comparison (Oct 2026); Holafly pricing, hotspot limits and plan start rules via Jetpac review (2026); Airalo support and refund themes via Saily review and Kimola consumer insights (2026). Currency conversions are indicative.
The top eSIM complaints, and how we fixed each one
From analysis of customer reviews across the market: connectivity is 40% of complaints, activation problems 23%, and support 20%.
Unknown "best available" networks and heavy throttling.
We name the exact operator and speed before you buy, and use tier-1 networks like Three, Orange, Vodafone and O2.
Confusing APN settings and one-shot QR codes.
One-tap install in the app, a 5-second device check at checkout, and a free replacement if anything fails.
Slow replies when you're stuck abroad.
24/7 Live Chat and tickets answered by trained people, with a faster SLA than other providers.
Refunds only if the eSIM was never installed.
30-day money-back guarantee, including when it's installed but won't connect.
Some plans start counting from purchase.
Install early: most Mapians plans start when you first connect abroad. Each plan states its rule.
Daily tethering caps on unlimited plans.
Hotspot allowed on our plans, with any fair-use limit stated upfront.
Hard to tell how much data you actually need.
Plan finder recommends one plan from your trip length and usage, in plain words.
Complaint shares from Kimola's consumer-insight analysis of Airalo reviews (2026); other issues from Jetpac and Saily reviews.
We stay with you for the whole trip
Most eSIM sellers stop at the QR code. That's where our service starts.
- 0 minInstant delivery
QR code by email and in the app, with one-tap install.
- Day beforePre-trip check
A reminder to install over Wi-Fi, and a quick check it's ready.
- On landingAuto-connect + arrival tips
Your plan activates on the local network. We send a simple "you're connected" guide.
- During tripLow-data alerts & top-ups
Alerts at 80% used and top-ups in two taps, so you never run dry.
- Any time24/7 Live Chat & tickets
Fast answers in plain language, around the clock.
- After tripMoney-back if it failed
If it didn't work, you're covered for 30 days.
You see the real network before you pay
- Operator name on every plan: Three, Orange, Vodafone, O2, KDDI, TRUE
- Speed shown upfront: 4G, 5G or capped speeds like 10Mbps
- Coverage list for every country on the plan
- If a network underperforms, we move you to another partner network free
Trusted by networks, payment providers and travellers
Sending employees abroad? Cut travel data costs for good.
One account for every employee trip: client visits, events, project deployments. Lower cost than roaming packs, central billing, and a team that treats you as a long-term partner.
You're buying from a registered British business
Not an anonymous app. Our company details are public and you can check them yourself on the UK government register.
- Company number
- 16116903
- Registered office
- 71-75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2H 9JQ, United Kingdom
- VAT number
- GB 452 8391 20
- ICO data protection
- ZB619042
- Payments
- Stripe · PCI-DSS Level 1
- Network partners
- Authorised distributor
Switching from Holafly?
Your phone can hold both eSIMs. Install Mapians alongside and compare for yourself.