GOAN eSIM vs Holafly: Data, Countries, Support Compared
I used Holafly for our Barcelona week and GOAN for everything else. The reason I switched after one week tells you most of what you need to know, but let me give you the full story.
The Setup
Tom and I arrived in Barcelona as part of our 3-month trip. I'd bought Holafly's "unlimited" Europe plan for 15 days at $44. Tom had GOAN's 20GB plan at $29.
The first 2 days were fine. Both worked. Both had decent speeds. I was feeling good about the "unlimited" choice because we were uploading a lot of content and I didn't want to worry about data caps.
Then day 3 happened.
The Throttling Problem
Around 2pm, I noticed my Instagram was loading slowly. Really slowly. I ran a speed test: 0.3Mbps download. Tom ran one on GOAN: 28Mbps download. We were standing in the same spot.
I'd used about 1.5GB that day between posting stories, browsing, and maps. Apparently, that triggered Holafly's fair usage policy. Their "unlimited" plan has a daily soft cap. Cross it, and your speeds get throttled to what I can only describe as "2010 vibes."
For the rest of the day, I couldn't:
- Upload any content (timed out every time)
- Load Google Maps with satellite view
- Video call my mum (froze after 3 seconds)
- Even browse Instagram at a usable speed
I was essentially on a very expensive plan that worked for half the day and became unusable for the other half.
Tom, on GOAN's 20GB plan, was cruising at full speed the entire time.
The Real Comparison
| Feature | GOAN | Holafly |
|---|---|---|
| Price (Europe) | $29 (group) / $39 (solo) | $44 (15 days) / $57 (30 days) |
| Data | 20GB (no throttle) | "Unlimited" (throttled daily) |
| Phone number | Yes (real number, calls + SMS) | No (data only) |
| Countries | 105+ (one plan) | 60+ |
| App required | No (QR code only) | Yes (Holafly app) |
| Non-EU Europe (UK, Switzerland, Turkey) | Included | Varies by plan |
| Speed after fair use | Full speed until 20GB used | Throttled to ~0.3Mbps |
On "Unlimited"
Let me be direct: Holafly's unlimited plan is not unlimited in the way most people understand the word. You get unlimited data at full speed up to a daily soft cap (reportedly 1-2GB/day depending on the plan and region). After that, speeds drop to near-unusable levels.
If you're a light user who just needs maps and WhatsApp, you'll probably never hit the cap. If you're posting content, video calling, hotspotting a laptop, or doing anything data-intensive, you'll hit it by mid-afternoon.
GOAN's 20GB isn't unlimited, but it's honest. You get 20GB at full speed. I've never used more than 15GB in a month, even with heavy content creation. The remaining 5GB is buffer. No surprise throttling, no mystery slowdowns.
On Phone Numbers
Holafly is data-only. No phone number, no calls, no SMS. This didn't bother me until I needed to call a restaurant in Barcelona to change our reservation. Data-only means WhatsApp or nothing. The restaurant didn't have WhatsApp. I had to ask Tom to call from his GOAN number.
That's when I decided to switch. Not because of one restaurant call, but because the phone number gap kept showing up in small, annoying ways. Booking confirmations, hotel check-ins, coordinating with local guides.
Read Jake's detailed guide on why real phone numbers matter for more on this.
On the App Requirement
Holafly requires you to download their app to manage your plan. It's not terrible, but it's one more app on your phone. GOAN emails you a QR code. You scan it. Done. No app, no account management, no push notifications asking you to upgrade.
On Coverage
Holafly covers about 60 countries. GOAN covers 105+. For our trip (Morocco, Turkey, Kenya, Thailand, Japan, plus various European countries), GOAN covered every single one. Holafly wouldn't have covered Kenya.
If your trip is Europe-only, both cover the major countries. But if you're going anywhere outside Europe (or to non-EU European countries like Turkey and the UK), check carefully.
Cost Over Our Full Trip
Here's what each provider would have cost for our 12-week trip:
| Provider | Per Person | Couple Total | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| GOAN (group) | $87 (3 months) | $174 | Full speed, real number |
| Holafly | $171 (3 x 30-day plans) | $342 | Throttled daily, no number |
GOAN is literally half the price AND includes a phone number AND doesn't throttle.
When Holafly Makes Sense
I'm being fair. Holafly works for:
Very light users. If you barely use your phone abroad (check email, quick maps lookup, occasional message), you'll never hit the daily cap. The "unlimited" label gives peace of mind even if you don't technically need unlimited data.
Short Europe trips with no content creation. A 5-day city break where you're mostly sightseeing and not uploading videos. The throttling might not affect you.
People who want one brand name. Holafly has strong marketing and high brand awareness. Some people just want to buy from the name they recognise. That's fine, but it doesn't make it the best value.
When GOAN Makes Sense
Content creators and heavy users. If you're posting stories, uploading reels, video calling, or hotspotting, you need predictable full-speed data. GOAN delivers that.
Couples and groups. Group pricing at $29/person makes GOAN significantly cheaper than Holafly for two or more people.
Multi-region trips. If your trip includes countries outside Europe (or non-EU European countries), GOAN's 105+ country coverage is broader.
Anyone who needs to make phone calls. GOAN includes a real phone number. Holafly doesn't.
Our Verdict
I switched from Holafly to GOAN on day 5 of our Barcelona week. Tom had been on GOAN from day 1. For the remaining 11 weeks of our trip, we were both on GOAN with zero issues.
The "unlimited" label is seductive. But 20GB of honest, full-speed data beats "unlimited" throttled data every time. Especially when the honest option is cheaper, includes a phone number, and covers more countries.
Check GOAN's coverage map for your destinations.
