Holafly is one of the most popular travel eSIMs out there and one that we use regularly for unlimited data, but, like all eSIMs, that doesn’t mean it’s immune to problems. Slow speeds on an “unlimited” plan, a hotspot that won’t share, an eSIM you accidentally deleted at 11pm before a 6am flight. We’ve seen it all across every eSIM provider. This is the full breakdown of what goes wrong with Holafly and exactly what to do about it.

Before Anything Else, Try These 5 Fixes

1. Turn airplane mode on for 15 seconds
2. Ensure Holafly is selected for mobile data
3. Enable data roaming on the Holafly eSIM
4. Restart your phone
5. Check your plan hasn’t expired

1. Your speeds are crawling

This is the number one thing people complain about with Holafly, so let’s tackle it first.

Unlimited data?

Holafly’s big selling point is unlimited data. Yes, the data is unlimited, but not totally. Like just about every eSIM in the market, there’s a fair use policy in place at the local carrier network level that kicks in after heavy use. In our testing and from user reports we’ve reviewed, speed reductions often appear after several gigabytes of usage in a single day, though the exact threshold varies by destination and local network. After that, speeds can drop significantly for the rest of the day before resetting.

Holafly’s own position is that their data is not throttled, but that some network operators may reduce speeds once a high-speed usage threshold is reached, typically during peak hours, under their fair use policy. For us as users, that distinction doesn’t matter much when you’re trying to load Google Maps up. For normal travel use (maps, messaging, social media, the odd video call) you’re unlikely to hit it. If you’re working remotely and hammering through data all day, you might. For context, we’ve only hit it once and we use a LOT of data.

If you do hit it, ultimately there’s no fix. It resets the following day, but there’s no way to bypass the fair use threshold mid-day. It’s worth knowing before you buy, especially if heavy data use is the reason you chose an unlimited plan in the first place.

Switch to a different local network

Even without hitting any fair use threshold, your phone may have connected to a local carrier that’s congested or just isn’t the best overall. Manually switching networks is often the fastest fix. How do you do it?

• iPhone: Settings > Cellular > tap your Holafly eSIM profile > Network Selection > turn off Automatic > pick a different carrier from the list and test

• Android: Settings > Connections > Mobile Networks > Network Operators > turn off “Select automatically” > choose a different network and test

The whole process takes a while, give each one a minute or two. Speeds can vary dramatically between carriers in the same city.

Force a fresh connection

If speeds are slow from the moment you land, it’s time to try the oldest trick in the book. Turn airplane mode on for 15 seconds, then off. This forces a full reconnect and often helps improve things.

2. You have signal bars but no internet

This is the most common error we encounter and one of the most frustrating as the phone looks connected, yet nothing loads.

Set Holafly as your data provider

On a dual SIM phone, when you have two SIMs active (your physical home SIM and the Holafly eSIM), data will only work on one of them. Your phone may be sending data through your home SIM, which is why you’re getting roaming charges or nothing at all.

• iPhone: Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data > select your Holafly line

• Android: Settings > SIM cards > Mobile data > select your Holafly line

Check your APN

The APN is the setting that tells your device how to connect to the mobile internet through a given network. It should configure automatically with Holafly, but doesn’t always. Holafly’s APN is Global.

• iPhone: Settings > Cellular > tap your Holafly line > Cellular Data Network > enter “Global” in the APN field

If the APN field is greyed out on iPhone, iOS has locked it via a carrier profile. Contact Holafly support and ask them to push a corrected profile to your account. In most cases, deleting the eSIM does not delete your plan or remaining data. The issue is simply reinstalling the eSIM profile.

• Android: Settings > Connections > Mobile Networks > Access Point Names > tap the + icon > Name: Holafly, APN: Global > save and select it as active > restart your phone

Try a different carrier manually

Even with the right APN, the carrier your phone chose automatically may have a routing issue. Follow the manual network selection steps in section 1 to try a different local carrier.

3. The eSIM won’t install

Getting stuck before the trip has even started.

Carrier lock

If you bought your phone through a mobile carrier on a contract or payment plan, there’s a good chance it’s carrier locked, meaning it will not work with any eSIM that isn’t from that carrier. This is probably the most common reason for outright installation failure.

• To check on iPhone: Settings > General > About > scroll down to Carrier Lock. You want “No SIM restrictions.” If it shows otherwise, call your carrier and request an unlock before you travel.

• Android: Settings > Network & internet > SIMs. The exact path depends on the manufacturer but most devices show lock status here.

No space for another profile

As eSIM testers, this one drives us crazy. For some reason, phones have a limit on how many eSIM profiles they can store at once. If you’ve used around 10 travel eSIMs over previous trips and never deleted any, you may have hit your limit. Go into your cellular settings, find any old eSIM profiles you no longer need, and delete them before trying again. It’s important you do this prior to attempting to install your Holafly eSIM, as you may not get the opportunity to install it again if you encounter any errors, such as…

“This code is no longer valid” error

This means the QR was already used once to attempt installation, even if the eSIM never ended up working. The QR itself is now used. Your options here are to try another form of installation (Direct or manual) or simply to reach out to Holafly customer support to explain the situation.

4. You’ve arrived but the eSIM isn’t connecting

Everything looks right, you’re at your destination, but there’s no data.

Data roaming

This one still gets us every now and then. eSIMs require data roaming to be active to connect to local networks abroad. It needs to be on specifically for the Holafly eSIM profile.

• iPhone: Settings > Cellular > tap your Holafly profile > Data Roaming > ON

• Android: Settings > Connections > Mobile Networks > Data Roaming > ON

Your plan may have started earlier than intended

Like all eSIMs, Holafly plans validity begins from the moment you first connect in a destination. If your Holafly eSIM was active during a stopover in a country that’s also covered by your plan, the clock may have started there – an issue we recently experienced around China/Hong Kong/Macau. Open the Holafly app and check status of the eSIM and remaining days of validity to rule this issue out.

Coverage gap for your specific country

Sounds simple, but it’s worth checking. If you’ve purchased a multi-country / regional plan, they don’t always cover every country that you might assume. Make sure to just double check which countries your specific plan covers.

5. You deleted the eSIM

Another common one that we run into regularly as we juggle eSIMs.

If you delete the Holafly eSIM profile from your phone, the plan itself doesn’t actually cancel on Holafly’s end. The data stays intact. The problem is reinstalling it.

Don’t attempt to scan the QR code again as this may cause errors. Instead, contact Holafly support directly. Have your order number, purchase email, device brand, and model ready. Whether reinstallation is possible depends on your specific situation and Holafly will need to review the case.

6. Hotspot isn’t working

Not all plans include it and allowances vary

The daily allowance may have run out

Hotspot data is capped by the day, and the amount depends on your specific destination plan. Once the daily allowance is used up, tethering stops even though your own device data keeps working fine. Check this in the Holafly app before assuming something has broken.

Basic troubleshooting

If the plan includes hotspot and it’s still not working, toggle airplane mode on and off, then restart your device.

• iPhone: Settings > Personal Hotspot > Allow Others to Join > ON

• Android: Settings > Connections > Mobile Hotspot and Tethering > Mobile Hotspot > ON

On Android, power saving mode can also silently block hotspot even when the toggle appears to be on. Check this if nothing is connecting.

7. No calls, no texts

Holafly is a data only eSIM. There’s no local phone number, no traditional voice calls and no SMS on standard destination plans. This isn’t a bug or something that can be fixed, it’s simply what the product is.

What works perfectly well over the data connection: WhatsApp, FaceTime, Messenger, Telegram, and any other internet based calling app. These are the best way to call and communicate while using Holafly.

If you need your regular number accessible for calls and texts, run your physical home SIM alongside the Holafly eSIM as a dual SIM setup. Set Holafly as the data line, leave your home SIM active for voice and SMS. Bear in mind your home carrier’s roaming rates apply to anything that goes through that line.

One thing worth knowing: in some countries, VoIP apps including WhatsApp and FaceTime are restricted by local regulations, meaning data calling won’t work even when the eSIM itself is functioning normally. This affects China, UAE, Oman, Qatar, and Turkey to varying degrees. If you’re travelling to any of these and rely on internet calls, check the situation before you go.

8. Still not working? Contact support

Holafly support runs 24 hours a day via live chat on the website and app, and also through WhatsApp. When you reach out, have your order number, the email address used to purchase, your device brand, and your device model ready. That’s what they need to look into the case.

9. Back online?

For the full picture on Holafly’s plans, speeds, and how it stacks up against the competition, our Holafly review covers it all. Buying? Use code for N/A Providers personally tested 455 Total verified speed tests run 20 Countries tested