Best eSIM for International Travel: KnowRoaming, Airalo, Holafly, and Saily Compared.

Tired of roaming fees and physical SIM card hassles? Discover which global eSIM provider truly delivers. This detailed comparison ranks KnowRoaming, Airalo, Holafly, and Saily, analyzing their global data plans, data speeds, coverage, and support to help you choose the best eSIM for your travels.

Provider Overviews: Specific to Their Global eSIM Plans

Each provider offers over 200 destinations for their eSIMs. Each of these eSIM providers offers a global plan, meaning their services are available in 100+ countries. However, the quality of service, data speeds, and customer experience vary significantly.

KnowRoaming

Offers both fixed and unlimited global eSIM plans across 143 countries, making it a flexible and reliable choice for travelers.

Airalo

Provides fixed global plans across 138 countries, known for its affordability and simplicity.

Holafly

Specializes in unlimited data plans but their global plan is only available in 113 countries.

Saily

Offers fixed global plans in 105 countries, making it an option for travelers looking for cost savings.

Global eSIM Comparison: Breaking Down the Details

We tested these eSIM providers across multiple factors, including pricing, data speeds, app usability, and customer service. All using their Global eSIM plans.

1. KnowRoaming

Price: $9.00 for 1GB over 7 days. An unlimited plan is available for $7.99 for 3 days (Sale Price)

Data: 1GB fixed plan (or choose their unlimited plans).

Duration: 7 days, aligning with typical short-term travel needs.

Coverage: Available in 143 destinations, providing one of the most extensive coverage maps for Global eSIMs.

Multiple Networks: Yes, ensuring stronger connectivity by switching between networks where available.

App Usability: Excellent user experience. Clearly displays remaining data allowance, offers seamless top-ups, and includes a convenient 24/7 WhatsApp support button for quick assistance.

Customer Support: Took 1 minute and 13 seconds to get in touch with a live agent. The bot provided useful help before the handoff.

Installation and Setup: Easy automatic installation with the app. No issues at all.

Data Speed: Download: 45.9 Mbps | Upload: 10.4 MbpsFast and reliable for browsing, social media, and light streaming.

User Reviews: 4.7/5

Final Comments: Best for travelers who want fast, reliable service and global coverage. The fixed 1GB plan is ideal for short-term trips, while the unlimited option is great for high-data users.

All Destinations Covered: 200+

Fixed or Unlimited Plans: KnowRoaming is the only provider, in this comparison, that offers both Fixed and Unlimited eSIM Plans.

2. Saily

Price: $8.99 for 1GB over 7 days.

Data: A 1GB plan.

Duration: 7 days, a standard duration that aligns with short-term travel needs.

Coverage: Covers 105 destinations, providing a decent range of global connectivity.

Multiple Networks: Yes, but network options are more limited compared to KnowRoaming, which may lead to connectivity gaps in certain regions.

App Usability: The Saily app loads quickly, but data tracking isn’t always accurate. While it includes a countdown timer displaying remaining validity in days and hours.

Customer Support: It took over 1 minute and 30 seconds to connect with an agent. However, users need to go through multiple steps with the bot before reaching a representative.

Installation and Setup: The installation process is automatic and simple, but users would benefit from a guide on how to switch the eSIM on once installed.

Data Speed: Download speeds reached 31.0 Mbps, while upload speeds were significantly higher at 64.7 Mbps. The download speeds are slightly lower than KnowRoaming, which could impact streaming and browsing.

User Reviews: 2.5/5

Final Comments: Saily is a budget-friendly choice, but its slower download speeds and multi-step customer support process may be a drawback for frequent travelers.

All Destinations Covered: 200+

Fixed or Unlimited Plans: Fixed only.

3. Airalo

Price: $9.00 for 1GB over 7 days.

Data: A 1GB fixed plan with a predictable pricing model.

Duration: 7 days, aligning with the needs of most short-term travelers.

Coverage: 138 destinations.

Multiple Networks: Yes, providing coverage across various regions.

App Usability: Data tracking isn’t always accurate. Users reported instances where the app displayed no data usage despite usage.

Customer Support: We attempted to contact an agent through their built in support. We waited over 10 minutes before giving up.

Installation and Setup: The setup process is easy, but the app forces users to go through a virtual tour before activation, which cannot be skipped. This makes the setup process longer than necessary.

Data Speed: Download speeds were 12.7 Mbps, while upload speeds were 67.0 Mbps. The download speed is significantly lower than KnowRoaming and Saily, making browsing slower.

User Reviews: 2.6/5

Final Comments: Airalo is a decent choice for budget travelers, but its slow customer service response times and low download speeds could be a concern for those who need consistent access.

All Destinations Covered: 200+

Fixed or Unlimited Plans: Fixed only.

4. Holafly

We couldn't fully test Holafly's service as the eSIM failed to connect to any network, preventing us from verifying data speeds and overall performance.

Price: $9.90 for unlimited data over 1 day.

Data: Unlimited – No fixed plans available.

Duration: 1 day, designed for short, high-usage trips.

Coverage: 113 destinations, making it the least extensive of the providers reviewed.

Multiple Networks: Limited network access compared to competitors.

App Usability: Some eSIM plans were only available on the desktop version, making it impossible to purchase them directly through the app. This limited the convenience of mobile purchases and required us to complete the transaction on a desktop instead.

Customer Support: Took over 3 minutes to reach an agent, though the bot provided helpful information.

Installation and Setup: Setup was straightforward, but we reported issues with the eSIM failing to connect to any network.

Data Speed: Not applicable because eSIM was stuck on “no service.”

User Reviews: 4.6/5

Final Comments: Holafly is an option for travelers who need unlimited data, but connectivity issues may be a significant drawback.

All Destinations Covered: 200+

Fixed or Unlimited Plans: Only Unlimited.

Which eSIM Provider is the Best?

For the Best eSIM for International Travel, KnowRoaming excels.

Compared to global eSIM plans from Airalo, Holafly, & Saily, KnowRoaming offers the fastest support (1:13 min), best coverage (143+ countries), & reliable speeds (45.9 Mbps download). With fixed & unlimited plans, KnowRoaming is the top choice for global connectivity.