Last updated on April 10th, 2024 at 07:21 am
Looking for the best eSIM plan for your trips in 2024? When comparing Holafly vs GigSky, while Holafly has unlimited data great for unlimited data use, GigSky offers better data plan options with hotspot tethering.
When comparing Holafly vs GigSky, while Holafly offers unlimited data, the no-tether feature can be a big caveat. GigSky eSIM has high-speed reliable data and is the more affordable option for trips to the Caribbean, Latin America, and Costa Rica. GigSky also offers a 100MB Free Plan to almost every location worldwide. This is great for testing GigSky before committing to a higher data plan and for quick data needs – free and reliable data!
GigSky is the only eSIM with in-cruise data plans and in-flight data plans, making it one of the strongest eSIM brands in 2024.
This guide is the most up-to-date information to help you choose between Holafly and Gigsky. We look at their coverages, updated data plans in 2024, new features, and real user reviews. Read here best eSIM for a Caribbean Cruise
We review and compare Holafly and GigSky’s features in this guide, stacked against each other so you can make a better decision on which eSIM plan is perfect for your data needs and the location of your next trip.
Also read here: Airalo vs GigSky, Airalo vs Holafly, Holafly vs Ubigi and Holafly vs Nomad
Summary Comparing Holafly and GigSky
Coverage
GigSky offers connectivity in over 200 countries and regions, making it ideal for travelers seeking widespread global access. Holafly covers more than 130 destinations, focusing on key travel regions across continents.
Pricing and Plans
GigSky provides a diverse range of plans, including a unique free 100MB option for testing service quality. Plans are tailored for different needs, including local, regional, and global connectivity. Holafly’s unlimited data plans vary by destination, offering durations from 5 to 90 days.
Ease of Use
Both GigSky and Holafly boast user-friendly platforms, making it easy for travelers to purchase and activate their eSIMs. GigSky emphasizes seamless connectivity through its app, while Holafly simplifies the setup process with straightforward QR code activation.
Unique Offerings
GigSky stands out with its specialized inflight, in cruise and offshore data plans, catering to niche connectivity needs. Holafly differentiates itself with plans that include unlimited data and local phone calls in some European destinations, appealing to travelers who prioritize extensive data use and communication.
Both providers offer competitive eSIM solutions tailored to international travelers. Your choice between GigSky and Holafly should depend on your travel destinations, data needs, and preferences for specific features like GigSky’s inflight connectivity or Holafly’s unlimited data and included local calls. Be reminded that Holafly’s data cannot be tethered or shared via hotspot with other devices.
Data Coverage: Holafly vs Gigsky
GigSky eSIM Data Coverage
GigSky offers eSIM data coverage for consumers and eSIM solutions for businesses and manufacturers.
With the GigSky App, the whole process is easy and seamless. You choose the data plan that you need from the app, and then you’re ready with your eSIM data.
Here is the list of all the countries where GigSky offers data plans:
Albania, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Benin, Bermuda, Bolivia, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Christmas Island, Colombia, Congo, Congo (DRC), Costa Rica, Croatia, Curaçao, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Fiji, Finland, France, French Guiana, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guernsey, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jersey, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Martinique, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Montserrat, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Réunion, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Martin, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Sint Maarten, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, South Sudan, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Svalbard and Jan Mayen, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Turks and Caicos Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Zambia.
Holafly eSIM Data Coverage – Holafly vs Gigsky
The Holafly eSIM offers maximum speed coverage (4GLTE), so you can enjoy a fast internet connection. The speed may be slower in some more remote areas.
Holafly eSIM can give you coverage for up to 120 countries worldwide. See below for countries currently serviced by the Holafly eSIM:
Argentina, Andorra, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, Spain, United Arab Emirates, United States, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Laos, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Vietnam, and more.
The countries mentioned above are independent. However, Holafly also has a Multi-country eSIM that includes other destinations in Latin America, North America, Europe, and Asia.
Holafly for sure is in all bucket list destinations covering more than 100 countries you will be covered with your eSim since you land in the country.
The best sellers in Holafly are Mexico eSIM and Turkey eSIM and Europe destinations like Germany eSim, Greece eSim, Spain eSIM and Italy eSIM. Check them out!
eSIM Data Pricing and Plans: Holafly vs Gigsky
Europe eSIM Plans and Packages for Holafly
Holafly offers unlimited data packages per country or per region.
Different eSIM plans can range from $19 to $104 when they are for a single country.
See the image below for Holafly’s data plans available for Europe. The biggest pro of using Holafly is their offer of unlimited data. For example, you can get unlimited data for 5 days for $19 and up to 90 days for $99 USD. The only caveat is that this unlimited data is not for tethering which limits the advantages of Holafly.
Comparing Holafly to GigSky’s Europe Regional plan below, for the price of $21USD, you can get a 5GB plan. This is the closest to Holafly’s $19 starting unlimited data plan for 5 days. So it’s up to you to decide which is more beneficial for you. GigSky can be more advantageous if you’ll spend a lot of time in your accommodation anyway where Europe easily has strong wifi signals.
GigSky eSIM Data Plan – Costa Rica
GigSky offers a 100MB FREE Plan for all countries in the world. We think this is one of GigSky’s best features because travelers are usually afraid of buying an eSIM and later finding out that it has no signal in their area. With 100MB for free, you can test out GigSky practically anywhere before you purchase a full plan. 100MB may even be enough for some countries where you’ll basically have access to wifi most of the time and you just need a little data when you’re outside.
Free eSIM for 100MB valid for 7 Days
1GB for $6.99 USD valid for 7 Days
3GB for $19.99 valid for 15 Days
5GB for &29.99 valid for 30 Days
10GB for $55.99 valid for 30 Days
GigSky Latin America eSIM
Again you can see above that GigSky starts its plans with a Free 100MB plan in the whole of Latin America. This is a regional plan from GigSky. See all plans below:
Free eSIM for 100MB valid for 7 Days
1GB for $8.99 USD valid for 7 Days
3GB for $24.99 valid for 15 Days
5GB for &34.99 valid for 30 Days
10GB for $65.99 valid for 30 Days
GigSky Caribbean eSIM
GigSky has a regional eSIM plan for the Caribbean and a local plan just for the Bahamas. The Caribbean regional plan is best if you are traveling to more than one Caribbean country in one trip.
Caribbean plans start at:
100MB for FREE for 7 Days
1GB for $13.99 USD valid for 7 Days
3GB for $40.99 valid for 15 Days
5GB for &63.99 valid for 30 Days
10GB for $119.99 valid for 30 Days
Now, these prices are definitely very high but Gigky’s plans are still more affordable than Airalo’s Caribbean regional plan and per country plan. You should understand how much data you’ll need outside of your accommodation in the Caribbean so you can make sure you’re only buying what you’ll need.
GigSky Unique Offers
One of the biggest pros of GigSky over Holafly and other eSIM brands is their various unique offers:
Free Data Plan
GigSky’s free 100MB plan is strong and reliable and best if you’re just starting out with GigSky and want to see how it works or just need a quick connection. This should work if you haven’t purchased the free plan previously. We tested this in Spain while traveling in a remote area 2 hours from Madrid and the connection is very strong despite being free. This gave us the chance to test the app and the data signal.
In Flight Data Plan
For those situations you just can’t wait to get a wifi signal once you land, GigSky offers an in-flight data plan.
This plan is unique and no other eSIM plan offers an in-flight data plan as of 2024. This plan has coverage with the following airlines:
A-C
Aer Lingus
Alitalia
Asiana Airlines
Biman
Bangladesh Airlines
Cathay Pacific
B – E
Egypt Air
EmiratesEtihad Airways
EVA Air
K – S
Kuwait Airways
Lufthansa
Malaysia Airlines
SAS Scandinavian Airlines
Singapore Airlines
Swiss International Airlines
T – V
TAP Air Portugal
Turkish Airlines
Uzbekistan Airways
Virgin Atlantic
In Cruise Data Plan
Gigsky’s in-cruise plan is perfect for all your cruise trips! If you need a trip during the cruise, with GigSky, you can easily get a subscription and have a reliable connection during your cruise. Make sure that you see your cruise in the coverage inclusions below. This covers cruises in the Caribbean and Europe cruises.
GigSky Pros
- Broad coverage in over 190 countries.
- Unique offerings like inflight and offshore plans.
- Free 100MB plan allows users to test service quality.
- Offers affordable plans in areas of Costa Rica, Latin America and the Caribbean islands
GigSky Cons
- Can be more expensive than competitors for certain plans and regions
- Doesn’t offer unlimited data plans
Holafly Pros
- Coverage in over 197 destinations, focusing on key travel regions.
- Unlimited data plans available, suitable for heavy data users.
- Local calls included in some plans for Europe, beneficial for travelers needing to make phone communications.
- Excellent customer support, providing peace of mind for users
Holafly Cons
- Data sharing and hotspot capabilities may not be available with all plans, limiting the flexibility for users who wish to share their connection.
- High data usage could lead to throttling, impacting the speed and usability for power users.
- Some users might find Holafly’s plans less competitive compared to other options, especially for light data users or those looking for short-term plans.
Both GigSky and Holafly present compelling options for international travelers, with GigSky offering a broad global reach and unique plans for niche needs, and Holafly providing excellent value with unlimited data and included calls in some destinations. Your choice will likely depend on your specific travel requirements, destinations, and how you plan to use your data abroad.
Verdict and Our Final Thoughts: Holafly or GigSky
Why GigSky Wins
GigSky distinguishes itself with unparalleled global coverage, unique value propositions like free 100MB plans for connectivity testing, and specialized data plans including inflight and offshore options, catering to a wide range of traveler needs. We love a brand that you can test before you can fully commit and has flexible plan offers and for us, GigSky wins over Holafly in this review.
Got any comments or opinions? Let us know in the comment section below!
FAQs on eSIMs – Holafly vs Gigsky
What is eSIM?
eSIM is a virtual sim card that you activate on an eSIM-supported phone so you can connect to a data network of that eSIM company. This allows you to connect to a new network without disconnecting or even removing your original physical sim card. You get to keep your physical sim card phone number as well.
Is eSIM better than physical SIM?
eSIMs are great, as long as your mobile phone or tablet supports the capability. It is the next tech when it comes to sim cards. At the moment, it is still not the standard on sim cards as the majority of mobile phones in the world still use a physical sim card. You definitely get an advantage and extra features if ever your phone supports the eSIM capability.
How does eSIM work on iPhone?
If you’re using the iPhone 14 and got your mobile phone from the United States, your iPhone should come ONLY with an eSIM. Physical sim card trays have been removed for the iPhone 14 line-up in the United States. All these mobile phones can move their physical sim card information to an eSIM through their home networks – T-Mobile, AT&T, or Verizon.
Can I convert my SIM to eSIM?
Not all companies support this, but it is possible. Talk to your home network about this possibility. If you are moving from an earlier iPhone to iPhone 14 in the United States, talk to T-Mobile, AT&T, or Verizon because they can do this for you as iPhone 14 in the United States exclusively released their mobile phones with only eSIM.
About the Author: Ruben, co-founder of Gamintraveler.com since 2014, is a seasoned traveler from Spain who has explored over 100 countries since 2009. Known for his extensive travel adventures across South America, Europe, the US, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and Africa, Ruben combines his passion for adventurous yet sustainable living with his love for cycling, highlighted by his remarkable 5-month bicycle journey from Spain to Norway. He currently resides in Spain, where he continues to share his travel experiences alongside his partner, Rachel, and their son, Han.