## Why I Stopped Using Holafly (And What I Use Instead)
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I want to be clear upfront: Holafly is a legitimate, good-quality service. This isn’t a hit piece. But after about a year of using it as my primary eSIM in Southeast Asia, I switched to Airalo for most trips — and here’s why.
[CTA:airalo-get-esim]
### Why I Started with Holafly
I switched to Holafly in mid-2023 because I was doing a heavy remote work stint in Bali. The promise of unlimited data was exactly what I needed for that period — I didn’t want to watch a data counter whilst on client calls.
Holafly delivered on that promise, mostly. The unlimited data worked. Support responded quickly when I had questions. For Bali, it was genuinely the right choice.
### Why I Switched Away
**Reason 1: I was paying for data I wasn’t using**
Once I tracked my actual usage, I was consistently using 6-8GB per month during normal travel (not heavy work months). Holafly’s unlimited plan cost $27 for 15 days or $45 for 30 days. Airalo’s 10GB plan cost $17 for 30 days.
I was paying $28 extra per month for data I wasn’t using.
**Reason 2: The evening throttling became noticeable**
In busy tourist areas (Canggu, Bangkok Sukhumvit, HCMC backpacker area), Holafly speeds would drop significantly in the evenings — presumably due to network congestion combined with their throttling policy. I’d sometimes see 2-3 Mbps when I needed 10+ Mbps for a call.
Airalo, being a fixed-data plan, doesn’t throttle at all until you run out. My 10GB at 30 Mbps beats 2 Mbps “unlimited” every time.
**Reason 3: Holafly doesn’t cover as many countries**
Airalo covers 200+ countries. Holafly covers around 150. For the handful of less-mainstream destinations I visit (Myanmar, parts of South Asia), Airalo has better coverage.
### When Holafly Is Still the Right Choice
I haven’t abandoned Holafly entirely. I use it for:
– Months when I know I’ll use 15+ GB (heavy client months)
– When I want the security of not watching a data counter
– When I want the reassurance of 24/7 live support for a complex trip
### What I Use Now
**Default:** Airalo Asia Regional 10GB ($17/month) — covers most months
**Heavy work months:** Holafly unlimited SEA ($45/month) — worth it when justified
**Extended single-country stays:** Local SIM — best value
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### The Honest Conclusion
Holafly is excellent for the specific situation it’s designed for: heavy data users who want unlimited peace of mind. For the average traveller using 5-8GB/month, it’s an expensive solution to a problem you don’t have.
Track your actual data usage for one month. If you’re under 10GB, Airalo is almost certainly the smarter choice.
[CTA:airalo-get-esim]
[INTERNAL:airalo-vs-holafly]