Holafly eSIM Review: Is It a Good eSIM for a Trip to Japan?
Frustrated by limited internet options during a trip to Thailand in 2017, Pedro and Lidia founded Holafly, a Dublin-based eSIM provider with a mission to let travelers buy data plans for any destination from their home country.
Today, Holafly stands out as one of the most popular eSIM providers, offering global coverage in over 210 destinations, with fast and reliable internet, and unlimited data in 155 of them – a unique perk in the market.
On our recent trip to Japan, we tested Holafly's Japan eSIM in Tokyo and Kyoto to see how well it performs for international travelers. Read on for everything you need to know about Holafly for Japan.
Holafly Japan eSIM: What’s in the Offer?
During our trip to Japan, we opted for the Japan-only eSIM as our trip was exclusively within the land of the rising sun. However, those traveling around Asia can also benefit from the Asian regional eSIM, available at a comparative cost by Holafly.
| Number of Days | Holafly Japan eSIM | Holafly Asia eSIM |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $5.90 | $5.90 |
| 3 | $12.90 | $20.90 |
| 5 | $20.90 | $28.90 |
| 7 | $28.90 | $36.90 |
| 14 | $47.90 | $48.90 |
| 30 | $74.90 | $89.90 |
| 90 | $136.90 | $218.90 |
We paid a total of USD 74.90 (USD 2.50 per day) for Holafly’s unlimited data package for a 30-day trip.
This competitive pricing is one of the main reasons we were excited to test the eSIM during our trip to both Tokyo and Kyoto. But it’s the unlimited data, speedy connections, and reliable service that keep us truly loyal to the brand.
Holafly Japan eSIM
When it comes to features, Holafly Japan eSIM boasts a ton of great ones. Let's look at them in detail:
- Speed: 3G/4G/LTE/5G
- Hotspot: 500mb per day to share with others
- Plan type: Unlimited data
- SMS: Not included
- Calls: No, only through apps (VOIP)
- Network: KDDI (top network provider in Japan)
As mentioned, this eSIM can be only be used in Japan exclusively. If you are traveling beyond Japan, the Holafly Asia eSIM is likely a better choice in our opinion.
Holafly Asia eSIM
The Holafly Asia eSIM offers in fact many of the same benefits as the Japan eSIM.
Travelers can expect 3G/4G/LTE/5G speeds and will still earn 500 MB per day of hotspot data to share with others. However, alongside coverage in Japan, the Holafly Asia eSIM offers unlimited data in the following countries:
- Japan, China, Indonesia, Thailand, South Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, Philippines, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Taiwan, Pakistan, Cambodia, Macau and Laos.
Something to be noticed though is that no SMS or voice calling is offered by Holafly so if you need this feature, you will have to look somewhere else.
How Does the Holafly eSIM for Japan Work?
We’ve been using Holafly for a number of years now (we tested their eSIMs in Europe, the USA, the UK, and China), so we’re used to their purchasing, installation, and activation process.
Let us share a quick overview of how to set up your Holafly eSIM if you are in a rush:
If you’re instead new to the brand or their eSIMs as a whole, let us walk you through exactly how the Holafly eSIM for Japan works.
Holafly eSIM Purchasing Process for Japan
If you are looking to purchase a Holafly eSIM for an upcoming trip to Japan, this is the exact step-by-step guide you need:
Step 1
Go to the Holafly website or mobile app and use the search box to find the Holafly Japan eSIM.
Step 2
Select the duration of your plan (1-90 days) and the number of eSIMs (1-200)
Step 3
Before completing your purchase, double-check the compatibility of your device. On their website, you can use the “Check Compatibility” tool beneath the eSIM listing and follow the on-screen instructions to verify your device. If you are using a mobile phone, you can easily reach out to customer support via chat for assistance.
Step 4
Once you’re ready to proceed, select “Get unlimited internet” on desktop or tap the checkout button showing the total price on mobile to begin the checkout process.
Step 5
Checkout as normal, taking care to enter both your telephone number and email address. This is required for the installation and activation process.
Holafly Japan eSIM: Installation and Activation Process
Once the payment has been processed, Holafly will email a QR code (or manual installation code), ready to install your eSIM.
iPhone and Android users can follow the online instruction manual (emailed alongside the QR code) or the below step-by-step guide to activate and install the eSIM using the QR code:
- Open the email received from Holafly including the QR code. For devices running iOS17+, take a screenshot of this code. For Android devices or iOS devices running older software, simply open the email on a separate device, ready to scan the QR code.
- In your device's “General Settings”, locate the “Mobile Data / Cellular” settings.
- Choose the “Add Data Plan” option before scanning the QR code. This will both install and activate the Holafly eSIM.
- Continue by following the on-screen instructions to complete the eSIM step-up process. Here you can tweak cellular data, SMS, and call preferences.
- Rename the eSIM - (“Japan eSIM” or similar) before closing the settings.
Your new Japan eSIM will then be ready for use when landing in Japan and local data will be accessed immediately after turning off “Airplane Mode”.
Using Holafly’s Japan eSIM: Our Experience
Using the Holafly Japan eSIM was super easy and the data worked flawlessly throughout our trip from the moment we landed to the time we departed.
During our time in Japan, we also took measurements of both the download and upload speeds that we were able to access in Tokyo and Kyoto and these were the results:
| Location | Download Speed | Upload Speed |
|---|---|---|
| Tokyo | 79.31 Mbps | 14.96 Mbps |
| Kyoto | 56.38 Mbps | 12.26 Mbps |
Whilst we found the data worked wonderfully on our mobile devices, we must say that we were slightly disappointed with the 500 MB cap on the hotspot.
Understandably, this is to prevent overuse of the service, but reaching this limit it's not ideal when working while tethered to the eSIM-holding mobile device like we did.
Pros and Cons of Holafly eSIM for Japan
As with all eSIMs, there is a range of associated pros and cons associated with the product. To give you at least an idea of what to expect, here's the advantages of disadvantages of using Holafly in Japan:
Our Final Thoughts
With unlimited data, the Holafly Japan eSIM is a fantastic option for international travelers, digital nomads or data-heavy tourists exploring the country.
Japan offers a range of connectivity options, but none are as convenient as the unlimited data offered by the Holafly eSIM.
The only downside to the eSIM we found is the cap on the hotspot. There’s a 500 MB cap per day which is great if you’re in a pinch, but not ideal if you’re using the eSIM for sharing the connection across devices.
If you’re a heavy data user instead and plan to use it for streaming videos, using Google Maps, browsing social media, and making calls via VOIP, Holafly is a wonderful choice. It’s not as inexpensive as some of the local eSIMs available, but for convenience and the peace of mind that unlimited data offers, it’s well worth the money in our opinion.
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Grab your discount nowAre There Any Alternatives to Holafly for Japan?
Holafly is one of the oldest eSIM companies in the business, but it’s not the only brand offering coverage in Asia. Here are the alternatives you have and how Holafly compares to them.
Airalo
Airalo is perhaps the best-known of all eSIM providers and for good reason. Established in 2019, the company arrived later than Holafly but quickly gained traction.
The biggest difference between Airalo and Holafly lies in the unlimited data packages. Although standard with Holafly packages, there are no options for unlimited data eSIMs with Airalo. There’s also a lack of flexibility in the package duration with options of just 7, 15, and 30-day options available.
Jetpac
Selling eSIM packages from only 1 USD, the Jetpac eSIM for Japan offers a range of data options for up to 30 days in the country.
Unlike Holafly, unlimited data is not offered with Jetpac. Instead, users must choose one of their data-capped packages. This offers good value for money, but it obviously comes with the limitations of 4, 7, 10, or 30-day packages and limited data choices, which might not be ideal for some users.
Ready to Give Holafly a Go for Your Trip to Japan?
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