Holafly Brazil eSIM Review 2026: Unlimited Data Worth the Price?

What Is Holafly?

Holafly is a Spain-based eSIM provider founded in 2018 that has carved out a unique niche: unlimited data plans for international travelers. While most eSIM providers sell fixed data packages (1 GB, 5 GB, 10 GB), Holafly takes a different approach. You pay a flat daily rate and get unlimited data for the duration of your plan.

They cover 170+ destinations worldwide and have built a loyal following among content creators, remote workers, and travelers who refuse to think about data limits. Their Brazil eSIM runs on the Vivo network, one of the country's largest carriers with solid 4G/LTE coverage in major cities and tourist areas.

The big question is whether "unlimited" justifies the premium price tag. For some travelers, it absolutely does. For most, it does not. Let's break down the details.

Plans & Pricing

Holafly uses a per-day pricing model at $7.90 per day. You choose the number of days, and you get unlimited data for that entire period. Here is what each plan costs:

Coverage & Network

Which Network Does Holafly Use?

Holafly connects to the Vivo network in Brazil. Vivo (owned by Telefonica) is Brazil's second-largest mobile carrier with approximately 100 million subscribers. It offers strong 4G/LTE coverage in all major cities including Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Florianopolis, Salvador, and Brasilia.

This is worth noting because most other eSIM providers -- including Saily and Airalo -- use the Claro network instead. Claro generally has slightly broader coverage in southern Brazil and rural areas, though the difference in urban and tourist zones is negligible.

Coverage and Speed

In our testing across Florianopolis and Sao Paulo, Holafly delivered consistent 4G/LTE speeds. In urban areas, we saw download speeds between 15-40 Mbps, which is more than adequate for video calls, navigation, social media, and streaming. Speeds in more remote areas (rural Santa Catarina, for instance) dropped to 5-10 Mbps but remained usable for messaging and maps.

One thing to be aware of: Vivo's coverage on some of Florianopolis's more remote southern beaches can be spottier than Claro's. If your trip focuses on less-visited areas, you may want to check Vivo's coverage map before committing. For the main tourist zones -- Jurere, Campeche, Lagoa da Conceicao, Centro -- coverage is excellent.

Pros & Cons

The Unlimited Data Reality Check

The word "unlimited" always warrants scrutiny. Here is what we found after testing Holafly in Brazil:

Is the data truly unlimited? Yes, in the sense that there is no hard data cap. You will not get cut off after hitting a certain threshold. We used over 8 GB in a single day during testing (streaming, video calls, uploading photos) without any interruption or notification.

Is there any throttling? Holafly does not publicly disclose a throttling policy. Some users report that after extremely heavy usage (think 20+ GB in a single day), speeds may be reduced. In our testing, we did not experience noticeable throttling during normal heavy use. However, if you plan to download large files or use it as your primary home internet replacement for an extended period, you may see reduced speeds.

What about hotspot/tethering? This is the biggest caveat. Hotspot availability depends on the specific plan and your device. Holafly has been expanding hotspot support, but it is not universally guaranteed on Brazil plans. If sharing your connection with a laptop is important to you, confirm hotspot availability before purchasing or consider Saily or Airalo, where tethering is typically included by default.

Bottom line: for the vast majority of travelers -- even heavy data users who video call daily, post stories constantly, and use maps all day -- Holafly's unlimited data works as advertised. The caveats only matter in edge cases.

How to Buy and Install

Getting started with Holafly is straightforward. The entire process takes about 5 minutes:

Pro tip: Install the eSIM before you leave home. You can install it days in advance -- it will not activate until you arrive in Brazil and enable data roaming. This way you are connected the moment you step off the plane.

Holafly vs Saily

This is the comparison that matters most for budget-conscious travelers. Saily is our top-rated eSIM provider for Brazil, and the price difference is dramatic:

Our take: For the vast majority of travelers, Saily wins on value. A 5 GB plan at $12.99 is enough for a full week of maps, WhatsApp, social media, and light browsing. You only need Holafly if you genuinely consume enormous amounts of data daily -- think hours of video calls, uploading high-resolution content, or streaming video regularly.

Holafly vs Airalo

Airalo is the world's largest eSIM marketplace. Here is how it stacks up against Holafly for Brazil:

Our take: Airalo gives you more flexibility with six different data tiers, and their 20 GB plan at $28 is excellent value for heavy users who want a large data cap without the unlimited price tag. Holafly only makes sense over Airalo if even 20 GB is not enough for your trip -- which is rare for most tourists.

Who Should Use Holafly?

Holafly is the right choice for a specific type of traveler. You should seriously consider it if you match any of these profiles:

• Content creators -- If you are uploading videos, posting stories, and live-streaming from Brazil, unlimited data means you never have to ration your content output.
• Remote workers on short trips -- Video calls with colleagues, screen sharing, uploading files. If your trip is under 10 days and you need to work, Holafly removes the data stress.
• People who hate data anxiety -- Some travelers simply do not want to think about data usage. Ever. That peace of mind is worth paying for if you can afford it.
• Families sharing a hotspot -- If hotspot is available on your plan, one Holafly eSIM can potentially cover multiple devices. Check hotspot availability at checkout.
• Heavy video callers -- If you are FaceTiming family back home for an hour every night, video calls eat through 1-2 GB per day alone. Unlimited data makes this a non-issue.

Who Should NOT Use Holafly?

Holafly is not the right fit for most travelers. Here is who should look elsewhere:

• Budget travelers -- At $55+ for a week, Holafly costs 4x more than Saily's 5 GB plan. If you are watching your spending, this is one of the easiest places to save money. Check our full eSIM comparison for cheaper options.
• Light to moderate data users -- If you mainly use WhatsApp, Google Maps, and occasional social media, a 3-5 GB plan from Saily or Airalo is more than sufficient and far cheaper.
• Long-stay travelers (2+ weeks) -- A 20-day Holafly plan costs $158. At that price point, you could buy multiple high-data eSIM plans or even a local Brazilian SIM card with a CPF workaround. The economics simply do not work for extended stays.
• Travelers who need hotspot guaranteed -- If sharing your data connection with a laptop is non-negotiable, Holafly's inconsistent hotspot support is a dealbreaker. Saily and Airalo both include tethering by default.
• Rural travelers -- If your itinerary focuses on remote areas, the Claro network (used by Saily and Airalo) generally provides better rural coverage in Brazil than Vivo.

Frequently Asked Questions