QuiqSim and Holafly are both travel eSIM providers. The difference is what WhatsApp does in the customer journey. Holafly sells through its website and offers WhatsApp as a customer-support channel after purchase. QuiqSim sells through WhatsApp directly: customers save a contact, message it, and complete the eSIM purchase, installation, top-up, and support inside the same WhatsApp chat — without downloading an app, creating an account, or being tracked across a marketing funnel. The shorthand: Holafly is support-via-WhatsApp; QuiqSim is the entire journey via WhatsApp. Both serve travelers; they differ on where WhatsApp enters the funnel and how much of the experience lives there.
A note before the comparison: every travel eSIM, from every provider including QuiqSim and Holafly, leaves your existing WhatsApp account untouched. WhatsApp is bound to your phone number, not to the SIM that's currently providing data. Adding a travel eSIM creates a second data line without changing your number or disconnecting your WhatsApp identity. This is universally true and is not a differentiator for any eSIM service.
Holafly's positioning
Holafly is a Madrid-based travel eSIM service launched in 2020. The product is sold through holafly.com and the Holafly mobile app. After purchase, customers receive a QR code or activation link via email, install the eSIM on their device, and travel.
The WhatsApp surface in Holafly's flow is the customer support layer. Holafly maintains a multilingual support team reachable on WhatsApp. When a customer has a question — installation difficulty, no signal on arrival, billing issue — they message Holafly's support team via WhatsApp and a human or agent responds with help. This is a useful service, especially for travelers in unfamiliar destinations who prefer messaging to phone calls or email.
The purchase, the product catalog, the account, and the post-sale management all live on Holafly's web and app surfaces. WhatsApp is added on top of that as the support channel.
QuiqSim's positioning
QuiqSim is a Barcelona-based travel eSIM service operated by Seldon Solutions S.L. (CIF B26921650), launched in 2026. The product is sold and operated entirely through WhatsApp.
The WhatsApp surface in QuiqSim's flow is the entire customer journey:
- Purchase — the customer saves QuiqSim as a contact and messages where they're going. The chat returns plan options. The customer pays via a secure link inside the chat. No website checkout, no app download, no account creation.
- Installation — the activation link arrives in the same WhatsApp thread. One tap installs the eSIM on iPhone XS+ / Samsung S20+ / Pixel 4+ / compatible devices.
- Data status — the customer asks "how much data is left?" in the chat and gets the answer.
- Top-up — when data runs low, the customer messages "top up" and the chat handles the renewal in the same thread, often on the same eSIM profile without re-installation.
- Support — the customer asks any question in the same chat. There is no separate support number, no separate ticket system.
There is no separate app to download, no account to create, no portal to log into, no behavioral tracking across a marketing funnel, and no push notifications afterward.
The structural difference
| Axis | Holafly | QuiqSim |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase channel | Website + app | |
| Installation flow | Email + QR code | WhatsApp link, in-chat |
| Account required | Yes | No |
| App download required | Optional (for management) | No |
| Behavioral tracking | Account-tied (logged-in funnel) | None |
| Push notifications | App-based notifications | None |
| Customer support | WhatsApp (post-purchase) | WhatsApp (entire journey) |
| Top-up | Account portal / new purchase | In-chat, same thread |
Both providers offer eSIMs in 100+ destinations at comparable per-GB pricing. The structural choice is whether the customer wants their travel-data provider to be a website with a WhatsApp help desk, or a WhatsApp contact for the whole experience.
QuiqSim and Holafly both leave your existing WhatsApp account working — that's universal. The difference is whether you'd rather buy and manage your travel eSIM in WhatsApp, or buy it through a separate site and only reach for WhatsApp when you have a problem.
If you'd rather do the whole thing in WhatsApp, save the QuiqSim contact: wa.me/34671619991. Message it where you're going.
If you'd rather buy through a website and use WhatsApp only for support, Holafly is a well-established choice.