Airalo Alternatives: SayFone, Saily and Holafly Compared
SayFone is our first pick among Airalo alternatives for travelers who want small prepaid data packages and a separate browser dialer for ordinary phone calls. Saily is worth comparing for its app and fixed/unlimited options, Holafly for day-based unlimited products, and local operators when you need a domestic number or voice bundle.
The best reason to change providers is a better fit for the trip: the right included countries, enough data, useful hotspot terms or a lower final cost. An alternative is not automatically better just because its first advertised price is smaller.
Airalo alternatives at a glance
| Option | Why compare it? | Cost example checked | What to verify |
|---|---|---|---|
| SayFone | Our pick for fixed data plus optional separate phone calling | Japan 5 GB/30 days: $7.40 USD | Specific plan coverage, validity and network |
| Saily | Fixed and unlimited data options in its app | Japan 5 GB/30 days: €9.99 EUR in the viewed storefront | Checkout currency and unlimited speed terms |
| Holafly | Unlimited plans priced by trip duration | Get the selected destination/day quote | Hotspot allowance and fair use |
| Local operator | Domestic tourist bundles with voice benefits where offered | AIS Thailand 30-day tourist product: 1,199 THB | Number, registration and selected SIM/eSIM format |
| Airalo, retained as a baseline | Compare the actual package you would otherwise buy | Japan unlimited/7 days: $26.50 USD | Allowance and duration against the alternatives |
Sources: SayFone Japan, Saily Japan, Holafly Japan, AIS tourist plans and Airalo Japan, checked 11 November 2026. Different currencies and allowances are stated explicitly. These examples do not establish a universal cheapest provider.
1. SayFone: our recommended alternative
We would start with SayFone if you mainly need internet data away from accommodation Wi-Fi. Its destination catalog lets you choose a package around the actual trip. The checked Japan example costs $7.40 for 5 GB over 30 days; Spain and Italy each had a 5 GB, 30-day package at $6.76.
The advantage is buying a known allowance without treating unlimited data as the default. Compare your phone's recent usage, allow for the trip length and buy a package that leaves some room for arrival days and changed plans. A 100 MB entry package and a 5 GB holiday package should not be treated as equivalent simply because both provide a “from” price.
SayFone also has browser calling for supported ordinary phone numbers. Calling credit is separate. This is useful when an apartment host uses messages but the airline or hotel reception requires a phone call. The recipient can answer their normal phone without installing SayFone.
2. Saily: compare the actual allowance
Saily sells fixed-data and unlimited options. On its checked Japan page, the unlimited description stated 5 GB per day without a speed limit, followed by up to 1 Mbps. That is a clear reason to inspect the daily rule rather than compare only the word “unlimited.”
The storefront we viewed quoted the fixed 5 GB package in euros. If you compare it with SayFone's dollar quote, use your own final checkout currency and payment terms. We have left the original currencies visible rather than invent an exchange rate or imply the amounts are directly comparable.
Compare Saily when its package, app or included features suit your trip. For a buyer whose priority is the cost of a smaller data allowance, SayFone remains our first place to look.
3. Holafly: check sharing before laptop use
Holafly focuses on unlimited data products priced for a selected duration. That can suit a traveler who wants to purchase the exact number of days. The buying question is what the package allows at full speed and how much data can be shared.
The checked Japan page stated 1 GB of shareable hotspot data per day. That may be enough for some laptop tasks and too little for others. Read the details for the destination you will visit rather than applying Japan's rule to the entire catalog.
If you expect only a few GB over the whole trip, compare that day-based total with a fixed SayFone package. Our unlimited data comparison explains why an allowance you do not need can be an unnecessary expense.
4. Local operators: compare when a number matters
A local tourist SIM or eSIM may include a domestic number, calls or texts that a data-only travel package does not supply. AIS's Thailand tourist page is an example of a product with stated calling benefits and registration requirements. Confirm the selected product and identity process before you depend on it.
This category deserves a look if you need local incoming calls during a longer stay. It is a different requirement from simply getting maps and WhatsApp online. A local number also does not guarantee that every bank or account-verification service will accept it.
Switch without creating an arrival problem
Check device support and unlock status before buying an alternative. Save the installation instructions and read when validity begins. Keep the old eSIM installed until you know whether you still need it; deleting a profile can make reinstallation a support issue.
Install the new profile over a steady connection, select it for data when appropriate and review automatic data switching. Test a normal web page on arrival, then check remaining data after the first day. If the connection fails, inspect validity, coverage and APN settings before purchasing another package in a rush.
For a destination-specific choice, use our guides to Japan, Europe and Mexico. For most modest-data holidays, SayFone plans are our recommended Airalo alternative because you can buy for the trip you are taking and add phone calling separately when needed.
