{"path":"/compare/airalo-vs-holafly-vs-saily","title":"Airalo vs. Holafly vs. Saily (2026): Data Caps, Fair-Use Throttling & Hotspot Rules | Does It Work In","description":"Side-by-side comparison of Airalo, Holafly, and Saily across China firewall bypass, fair-use speed throttling on 'unlimited' plans, laptop hotspot caps, and reusable eSIM profiles.","as_of":"2026-11-11","kind":"guide","content":{"guide":{"slug":"airalo-vs-holafly-vs-saily","country":null,"kind":"compare","topic":"esim","title":"Airalo vs. Holafly vs. Saily (2026): Data Caps, Fair-Use Throttling & Hotspot Rules","description":"Side-by-side comparison of Airalo, Holafly, and Saily across China firewall bypass, fair-use speed throttling on 'unlimited' plans, laptop hotspot caps, and reusable eSIM profiles.","status":"works","verdict":"Pick Airalo or Nomad when you want unthrottled fixed-GB data and unrestricted laptop hotspot tethering; pick Saily when you want a single reusable eSIM profile across 190+ countries; pick Holafly when you want day-based unlimited data on a single phone without counting gigabytes.","officialClaim":"All three providers market seamless global eSIM connectivity in 190–200+ destinations with instant QR or in-app installation.","verifiedReality":"The core trade-off is Fixed-GB vs. 'Unlimited' Fair Use: (1) Holafly sells day-based Unlimited plans, but local partner carriers apply Fair Usage Policies (FUP) that can throttle speeds after 3–5 GB of heavy single-day usage, and hotspot sharing is capped at 500 MB–1 GB/day; (2) Airalo sells fixed-GB packs (1 GB to 20 GB) with zero daily speed throttling and 100% hotspot allowance; (3) Saily (by Nord Security) uses a single install-once eSIM profile so you never have to delete and reinstall eSIMs between trips.","beforeYouFly":["Estimate whether you will tether a laptop: if you work remotely from trains or cafes, choose a fixed-GB plan (Airalo, Saily, or Nomad) rather than a day-pass unlimited plan with a 500 MB hotspot cap.","If traveling to mainland China and you need ChatGPT without a separate VPN, verify that your plan routes through Singapore (Airalo Chinacom / Asialink).","Label your eSIM line clearly in iOS/Android settings (e.g., 'Travel Data') and turn off 'Allow Cellular Data Switching' so your home SIM never racks up $10/day carrier roaming charges."],"limitsAndGotchas":["Airalo creates a new eSIM profile for each country or regional pack you buy (unless you top up the exact same pack), whereas Saily and Jetpac reuse one profile globally.","Holafly's day count runs on 24-hour blocks from activation; activating right before a 14-hour flight wastes your first day."],"recommendations":[{"providerId":"airalo","role":"Best for transparent fixed-GB pricing & China/Asia routing","why":"Full hotspot tethering up to your plan's total GB, Singapore exit routing for China/Asia, and 200+ country/regional packs starting at $4.50.","caveat":"Requires installing a new eSIM profile when switching between unrelated single-country plans."},{"providerId":"saily","role":"Best single-profile eSIM for multi-country travelers","why":"Install the Saily eSIM once and add new country data plans in the app without scanning another QR code, plus built-in ad/tracker blocking.","caveat":"Data-only; does not include local voice/SMS numbers."},{"providerId":"holafly","role":"Best for single-phone travelers who hate watching data meters","why":"Custom day-length plans (1 to 90 days) with no hard data cutoff for maps, social media, and messaging.","caveat":"Hotspot sharing is limited to 500 MB–1 GB per day."},{"providerId":"nomad","role":"Best runner-up for Asia-Pacific dual-carrier 5G","why":"Strong multi-carrier partnerships in Japan, South Korea, China, and Southeast Asia with competitive 10–20 GB bundles.","caveat":"App catalog separates Day Plans from Regular Fixed-GB Plans—pick Regular Plans for unrestricted hotspot."}],"comparisonTable":{"headers":["Feature","Airalo","Saily","Holafly","Nomad"],"rows":[["Pricing Model","Fixed GB ($4.50+)","Fixed GB ($3.99+)","Unlimited by Day ($6.90+)","Fixed GB & Day Plans ($4.00+)"],["Single Reusable eSIM?","Per country/region pack","Yes (1 global profile)","Per destination pack","Per destination pack"],["Hotspot Tethering","100% of plan GB","100% of plan GB","Capped 500 MB–1 GB/day","100% on Fixed-GB plans"],["Daily FUP Speed Throttle?","No (full speed until GB used)","No (full speed until GB used)","Possible after heavy daily use","Only on Day Plans"],["Mainland China Firewall Bypass","Yes (Singapore exit)","Yes (Roaming exit)","Yes (HK/SG exit)","Yes (SG/HK exit)"]]},"faqs":[{"q":"Can I keep two travel eSIMs installed on my iPhone at the same time?","a":"Yes. Modern iPhones can store 8+ eSIM profiles and keep two lines active simultaneously (for example, your home SIM for SMS/iMessage and your travel eSIM for cellular data)."},{"q":"Which eSIM is better if I need to tether my MacBook for Zoom calls?","a":"Airalo, Saily, Nomad, or Ubigi on a fixed-GB plan (10 GB or 20 GB). Avoid day-pass unlimited plans like Holafly for laptop work because their 500 MB/day hotspot cap runs out in a single 30-minute video call."}],"asOf":"2026-11-11"},"path":"/compare/airalo-vs-holafly-vs-saily","country":null,"recommendations":[{"provider":{"id":"airalo","name":"Airalo","domain":"airalo.com","url":"https://www.airalo.com/","category":"esim","pricing":{"model":"paid","startingFrom":"$4.50 / 1 GB (7 days)","notes":"Fixed-data regional and country packs; top-up in app."},"summary":"Fixed-data travel eSIM marketplace covering 200+ destinations; mainland China Chinacom and Asialink packs route via Singapore or Hong Kong, bypassing the Great Firewall without a separate VPN.","affiliate":{"status":"pending","network":"Impact / Travelpayouts","commission":"10%–35%","cookieDays":45,"restrictions":{"noBrandBidding":true}},"checkedAt":"2026-11-11"},"goPath":"/go/airalo","role":"Best for transparent fixed-GB pricing & China/Asia routing","why":"Full hotspot tethering up to your plan's total GB, Singapore exit routing for China/Asia, and 200+ country/regional packs starting at $4.50.","caveat":"Requires installing a new eSIM profile when switching between unrelated single-country plans."},{"provider":{"id":"saily","name":"Saily","domain":"saily.com","url":"https://saily.com/","category":"esim","pricing":{"model":"paid","startingFrom":"$3.99 / 1 GB (7 days)","notes":"Single eSIM profile reusable across 190+ destinations."},"summary":"Travel eSIM service built by Nord Security using a single installable eSIM profile for all trips, with optional virtual location routing and ad-blocking features.","affiliate":{"status":"pending","network":"Nord Security / Impact / CJ","commission":"15%–40%","cookieDays":30,"restrictions":{"noBrandBidding":true}},"checkedAt":"2026-11-11"},"goPath":"/go/saily","role":"Best single-profile eSIM for multi-country travelers","why":"Install the Saily eSIM once and add new country data plans in the app without scanning another QR code, plus built-in ad/tracker blocking.","caveat":"Data-only; does not include local voice/SMS numbers."},{"provider":{"id":"holafly","name":"Holafly","domain":"esim.holafly.com","url":"https://esim.holafly.com/","category":"esim","pricing":{"model":"paid","startingFrom":"$6.90 / 1 day unlimited","notes":"Unlimited data by day count (1 to 90 days); hotspot tethering capped at 500 MB–1 GB/day on most plans."},"summary":"Day-based unlimited travel eSIMs with built-in roaming tunnel for China and Asia; convenient for single-device travelers, though carrier fair-use policies throttle heavy sustained video or hotspot use.","affiliate":{"status":"pending","network":"Direct / Impact / Travelpayouts","commission":"5%–10%","cookieDays":30,"restrictions":{"noBrandBidding":true}},"checkedAt":"2026-11-11"},"goPath":"/go/holafly","role":"Best for single-phone travelers who hate watching data meters","why":"Custom day-length plans (1 to 90 days) with no hard data cutoff for maps, social media, and messaging.","caveat":"Hotspot sharing is limited to 500 MB–1 GB per day."},{"provider":{"id":"nomad","name":"Nomad eSIM","domain":"getnomad.app","url":"https://www.getnomad.app/","category":"esim","pricing":{"model":"paid","startingFrom":"$4.00 / 1 GB (7 days)","notes":"Offers both fixed-GB plans and day-pass plans across Asia-Pacific and Europe."},"summary":"Strong Asia-Pacific eSIM provider partnering with dual local networks in Japan (IIJ/KDDI), China (China Unicom/Telecom via HK exit), and Southeast Asia, with unrestricted hotspot sharing on fixed-GB plans.","affiliate":{"status":"pending","network":"Impact / Direct","commission":"5%–15%","cookieDays":30,"restrictions":{"noBrandBidding":true}},"checkedAt":"2026-11-11"},"goPath":"/go/nomad","role":"Best runner-up for Asia-Pacific dual-carrier 5G","why":"Strong multi-carrier partnerships in Japan, South Korea, China, and Southeast Asia with competitive 10–20 GB bundles.","caveat":"App catalog separates Day Plans from Regular Fixed-GB Plans—pick Regular Plans for unrestricted hotspot."}],"relatedGuides":[{"path":"/china/esim","title":"Does an eSIM Work in China, and Does It Bypass the Great Firewall?","description":"Foreign travel eSIMs (Airalo, Nomad, Holafly, Saily) route mainland China mobile traffic through Singapore or Hong Kong, bypassing the Great Firewall for Google, WhatsApp, and Instagram without a separate VPN.","countrySlug":"china","countryName":"China (Mainland)","kind":"guide","topic":"esim","status":"works","verdict":"Yes. International roaming eSIMs connect to China Unicom, China Mobile, or China Telecom towers but tunnel traffic through Singapore or Hong Kong, so Google, Gmail, WhatsApp, and Instagram work immediately—provided you install the eSIM before departure.","asOf":"2026-11-11"},{"path":"/compare/wise-vs-revolut-abroad","title":"Wise vs. Revolut for International Travel (2026): Weekend FX Fees, Alipay & ATM Limits","description":"Real-world comparison of Wise and Revolut debit cards for travelers: Revolut's 1% weekend FX fee vs. Wise's 24/7 mid-market rate, Alipay/WeChat Pay linking, and ATM withdrawal allowances.","countrySlug":null,"countryName":null,"kind":"compare","topic":"payments","status":"works","verdict":"Carry both if possible—use Wise as your primary card so you never get hit by Revolut's 1% weekend exchange rate surcharge on Friday–Sunday restaurant bills, and keep Revolut in your wallet for a second monthly free ATM withdrawal allowance and disposable virtual cards.","asOf":"2026-11-11"},{"path":"/hong-kong/esim-real-name","title":"Do eSIMs in Hong Kong Require Real-Name Passport Registration?","description":"How Hong Kong's Telecommunications (Registration of SIM Cards) Regulation affects tourist eSIMs, which eSIMs require passport uploads, and how long approval takes.","countrySlug":"hong-kong","countryName":"Hong Kong","kind":"guide","topic":"esim","status":"conditional","verdict":"Local Hong Kong SIMs and Hong Kong-issued eSIMs require mandatory passport real-name registration (RNR) before data will activate. Many international roaming eSIMs (Airalo Hkmobile, Saily, Nomad) either handle KYC in-app before departure or roam via foreign carrier agreements.","asOf":"2026-11-11"},{"path":"/japan/esim","title":"Best eSIM for Japan: Coverage, Latency, and Fair-Use Throttling Compared","description":"How Ubigi (NTT Docomo 5G), Nomad, Airalo Moshi Moshi, and Saily perform in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Hokkaido—and why local Japanese breakout latency matters.","countrySlug":"japan","countryName":"Japan","kind":"guide","topic":"esim","status":"works","verdict":"Travel eSIMs work reliably across Japan on NTT Docomo, KDDI (au), and SoftBank. For the lowest latency and 5G access in congested Tokyo stations, pick Ubigi (an NTT subsidiary with local Japanese IP breakout) or Nomad.","asOf":"2026-11-11"}],"crumbs":[{"name":"Comparisons","path":"/compare"}]}}