Best eSIM for Expats (2026): Saily vs Holafly for Moving and Living Abroad
The best eSIM for expats depends on where you are in your move: the first weeks abroad, settled life in a new country, or regular trips home and around the region. For most people, Holafly is the best choice for the first months, thanks to unlimited data, and Saily is the best value for short trips once you have a local SIM. This guide compares both and links to our detailed guides on every part of staying connected abroad.
Expats need more from an eSIM than tourists do. You need to keep your UK number for bank codes, avoid roaming fees over months rather than days, and stay connected while you sort out a local contract.
Best eSIM for Expats: The Quick Answer
Holafly is the best eSIM for expats in the first weeks and months after a move. Every plan includes unlimited data for 1 to 90 days, so you can video call family, work and stream without counting gigabytes. Holafly also sells monthly subscription plans, called Holafly Connect, with 10 GB, 25 GB or unlimited data.
Saily is the best eSIM for expats who already have a local SIM and travel often. It sells low-cost fixed data plans, covers 35 European countries including Turkey on one plan, and includes an ad blocker and web protection.
Many expats use both: Holafly while they settle, then Saily for trips home, holidays and visa runs.
What Expats Need From an eSIM
Long validity. A one-week tourist plan is no use when you are waiting a month for a local contract or a residence card. Look for plans that run for 30 to 90 days or renew monthly.
Dual SIM with your UK number. UK banks, HMRC and the DWP still send security codes to your UK number. The best eSIM for expats handles data while your UK SIM stays in the phone for texts.
Reliable support. When your data stops working during a flat viewing or a bank appointment, you need help fast. Round-the-clock chat support is worth more to an expat than a slightly lower price.
| Feature | Holafly | Saily |
|---|---|---|
| Data Model | Unlimited, priced per day | Fixed GB plans |
| Best For | First months abroad | Trips and light use |
| Plan Length | 1 to 90 days, plus monthly plans | Flexible, with top-ups |
| Europe Plan | 30+ countries | 35 countries incl. Turkey |
| Hotspot | About 500 MB to 1 GB per day | Uses plan data |
| Support | 24/7 chat, email, WhatsApp | In-app chat and email |
Holafly: Best eSIM for Expats in the First Months
The first months after a move are the most data-hungry. You search for flats, call family, join video interviews, use translation apps and often work from your phone before you have home broadband.
Holafly removes the stress of running out. Its Europe plans range from US$19.50 for 5 days to US$139.90 for 90 days, and every plan includes unlimited data. Hotspot sharing is limited to roughly 500 MB to 1 GB per day, so it is not a full replacement for home internet.
Our Holafly review covers fair use, speeds and prices in detail.
Check Holafly plans for your move →
Saily: Best eSIM for Expats Who Travel Often
Once you have a local SIM, you still need data on trips home, holidays and visa runs. Roaming on a local contract is often expensive outside its home country, and that is where Saily shines.
Saily lets you buy only the data you need, from small plans for a weekend to larger plans for a month. It is built by Nord Security, the company behind NordVPN, and its ad blocker and web protection add useful security on unfamiliar networks.
Our Saily eSIM review covers the app, speeds and plans in detail.
Best eSIM for Expats at Every Stage of Your Move
Before You Move
Check that your phone supports eSIM and is unlocked. Install your eSIM at home over WiFi a day or two before you fly, using our step-by-step guide on how to install an eSIM.
The First Weeks
Use Holafly or a larger Saily plan for data, and keep your UK SIM switched on for calls and bank texts. Turn off data roaming on the UK line to avoid daily fees.
Once You Settle
Most long-term expats eventually sign a local contract for a local number and lower monthly costs. Our eSIM vs local SIM in Thailand comparison explains this trade-off, and the same logic applies in most countries.
Trips Home and Around the Region
Keep a travel eSIM for every trip outside your new home country. Saily is usually the cheapest choice for short trips and light use.
Holafly for your first months, Saily for trips and light use
Best eSIM for Expats Who Work Remotely
Remote workers rely on mobile data for video calls, cloud files and backup internet when the flat or co-working WiFi drops. A fixed plan can run out in the middle of a client call, which is the last thing you want in a new country.
Holafly’s unlimited data is the safer choice as a primary connection while you wait for home broadband. Keep in mind the daily hotspot limit if you plan to tether a laptop for long sessions.
Once your home internet is installed, many remote workers switch to a small Saily plan as a backup connection. It costs little and keeps you online during outages.
Best eSIM for Retired Expats
Retirees who winter in Spain, Portugal or Thailand often split the year between two countries. That makes flexible, short-term plans more useful than a second long-term contract abroad.
For a winter of three months, Holafly’s 90-day plan covers video calls with grandchildren and evening streaming without data worries. For shorter stays or lighter use, Saily keeps costs down.
The most important step for retired expats is keeping the UK number active. State pension, bank and HMRC accounts often depend on text codes to your UK mobile.
Best eSIM for Expats by Destination
Spain: the most popular destination for British expats and winter residents. See our guide to the best eSIM for Spain, including the Canary and Balearic Islands.
Portugal: popular with retirees and remote workers on the Algarve and in Lisbon. See the best eSIM for Portugal.
Across Europe: a regional plan covers multiple countries on one eSIM. See the best eSIM for Europe.
Thailand: a favourite for retirees and digital nomads. See the best eSIM for Thailand.
Dubai and the UAE: a major hub for British professionals, with some app restrictions to know about. See our eSIM for Dubai guide.
Keeping Your UK Number as an Expat
Losing your UK number can lock you out of UK bank accounts, HMRC online services and many other accounts that rely on text codes. Keeping it active is one of the most important steps when you move abroad.
The usual setup is a cheap UK SIM in the phone for texts, plus an eSIM or local SIM for data. Our guide to how to keep your UK number abroad compares the cheapest ways to do it.
Why Not Just Use UK Roaming?
Most big UK networks now charge around £2 to £2.50 a day for roaming in Europe, and much more further afield. Over months abroad, those fees add up to hundreds of pounds.
UK plans also have fair use rules for people who spend most of their time abroad, and networks can add charges or restrict roaming. Our comparison of UK roaming charges explains the rates on EE, Vodafone, Three and O2.
The UK regulator Ofcom publishes guidance on using your phone abroad, and the GSMA sets the eSIM standard used by every major phone maker.
Troubleshooting Your Expat eSIM
Most eSIM problems abroad come down to settings. Data roaming must be switched on for the eSIM line, and the eSIM must be selected as your mobile data line.
If your data stops working, our guide to an eSIM not working abroad covers twelve fixes for iPhone and Android. Never delete a travel eSIM to try again, because many cannot be reinstalled.
Pair the Best eSIM for Expats With a VPN
An eSIM gives you a foreign IP address. UK banking apps may flag it, and BBC iPlayer, ITVX and Channel 4 block viewers outside the UK.
A VPN with UK servers fixes both on eSIM data and on home or café WiFi. NordVPN pairs naturally with Saily because both come from Nord Security, and Proton VPN is a strong privacy-first alternative.
Our Verdict: Best eSIM for Expats in 2026
Holafly is the best eSIM for expats during the first months of a move, because unlimited data removes the stress of running out while you settle. Saily is the best eSIM for expats who already have a local SIM and need cheap data on trips home and around the region.
Whichever you choose, keep your UK number active for bank codes and pair your eSIM with a VPN. That combination covers almost everything an expat needs to stay connected and secure abroad.
What is the best eSIM for expats?
Holafly is the best eSIM for expats in the first months after a move, because every plan includes unlimited data. Saily is the best eSIM for expats who already have a local SIM and need cheap data on trips.
Can expats use an eSIM long term?
Yes. Holafly offers plans up to 90 days and monthly subscription plans. Most long-term expats eventually add a local SIM for a local number and lower costs.
Can I keep my UK number with an eSIM?
Yes. Keep your UK SIM in the phone for calls and bank texts, and use the eSIM for data. Turn off data roaming on the UK line to avoid daily fees.
Is an eSIM cheaper than a local SIM for expats?
For the first weeks, an eSIM is usually simpler and competitive on price. For long stays, a local SIM is normally cheaper and gives you a local number.
Do expats need a VPN as well as an eSIM?
Most do. A VPN with UK servers helps UK banking apps and streaming services such as BBC iPlayer work smoothly on a foreign connection.
Related Guides
- Best eSIM for Spain
- Best eSIM for Portugal
- Best eSIM for Europe
- Best eSIM for Thailand
- eSIM for Dubai
- eSIM vs Local SIM in Thailand
- Keep UK Number Abroad
- UK Roaming Charges Compared
- How to Install an eSIM
- eSIM Not Working Abroad
- Holafly Review
- Saily eSIM Review
Expat Essentials
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