Holafly Study Finds Exact-Day eSIM Plans Offer Greater Value

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 8 (Bernama) -- Holafly’s Travel eSIM Value Index 2026 found that travellers can overpay for international eSIM coverage when fixed-duration plans do not match the length of their trips.

In a statement, Holafly said the study analysed official pricing and product information from leading travel eSIM providers across trip durations ranging from one to 30 days, comparing pricing efficiency, bundled benefits and the actual cost of covering an entire trip.

Across the destinations and trip lengths analysed, Holafly’s exact-day pricing model delivered median savings of between 10 per cent and 33 per cent compared with equivalent fixed-duration plans, according to the study.

The difference is largely attributed to how providers package their plans. While some offer only predefined durations such as seven, 15 or 30 days, travellers may end up paying for coverage they do not use.

For example, an 11-day trip would require a 15-day plan from Airalo at US$47.63 and a 15-day plan from Saily at US$48.59. By comparison, Holafly offers an 11-day plan at US$39.85, allowing travellers to pay only for the coverage required. (US$1 = RM4.04)

The analysis also found differences in median costs across trips lasting one to 30 days. Holafly recorded the lowest median real-trip cost among the providers evaluated, while Saily’s median cost was 3.7 per cent higher and Airalo’s 8.4 per cent higher.

The findings suggest that travellers should consider how closely an eSIM plan matches their actual trip duration, rather than relying solely on the advertised price of a single plan, when comparing overall value.

-- BERNAMA