How to Set Up Your Holafly Phone Number on Holafly Plans Unlimited
2026 | The Dufresnes
To set up your Holafly phone number, open the Holafly App, tap Plans, scroll to "Let's set your number," choose your destination (Canada, United Kingdom, or United States), select how you want to receive SMS, check the consent box, and tap Activate phone number. Important: this is a one-time setup and the number cannot be changed once activated.
One of the most useful features of Holafly Plans Unlimited is the included phone number for receiving SMS — which solves a problem most travelers don't think about until they're stuck. After 9 years of full-time family travel, this is the feature that's saved us more than once when a bank or service needed to text a verification code. Here's exactly how to set it up.
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What Is the Holafly Phone Number Feature?
Holafly Plans Unlimited includes a phone number that lets you receive SMS messages — like verification codes from banks, airlines, and online services — while you travel. This matters because so much of modern life relies on SMS two-factor authentication (2FA): logging into your bank, confirming a payment, accessing an account from a new device.
When you're traveling and your home SIM is inactive or roaming is off, those SMS codes can't reach you — locking you out of your own accounts at the worst possible time. The Holafly phone number gives you a reliable destination for those messages.
Important to understand: This number is for receiving SMS only. It does not support regular phone calls or outbound SMS. For calls, you'll use apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, or FaceTime — no local SIM needed.
How to Set Up Your Holafly Phone Number: Step by Step
Setting up your number takes about a minute in the Holafly App:
Step 1: Open the Holafly App on your phone
Step 2: Tap Plans
Step 3: Scroll to "Let's set your number"
Step 4: Tap Phone number country
Step 5: Choose your preferred destination — Canada, United Kingdom, or United States
Step 6: Tap Save to confirm your choice
Step 7: Under "How do you want to receive SMS", select whether you'd like to get notifications via App or Email
Step 8: Tap Save again
Step 9: Check the consent box and tap Activate phone number
That's it — your number is active and ready to receive SMS.
⚠️ Important: This Is a One-Time Setup
This is the single most important thing to know before you activate:
Once you activate your Holafly phone number, it cannot be changed. This is a one-time setup. Choose your destination — Canada, United Kingdom, or United States — carefully, because you won't be able to switch it later.
Think about which destination makes the most sense for the services you use. If your bank or key accounts are tied to a specific region, picking the matching destination can help ensure SMS codes are accepted without issues. Take a moment to decide before you tap Activate.
What You Can and Can't Do with the Holafly Number
You CAN:
- Receive SMS messages (verification codes, 2FA, confirmations from banks and online services)
- Choose to get those SMS via the App or via Email
- Use it as a reliable destination for codes while your home SIM is inactive or roaming is off
You CAN'T:
- Make or receive regular phone calls on this number
- Send outbound SMS
- Change the number once it's activated
For phone calls: Use WhatsApp, Telegram, or FaceTime over your unlimited Holafly data. No local SIM needed — these apps work anywhere you have a connection.
Why This Feature Matters for Travelers
The SMS verification problem is one of the most underrated headaches in international travel. Here's the scenario that catches people out:
You're abroad. Your home SIM is off (to avoid roaming charges) or inactive. You try to log into your bank, make an online payment, or access an account from your phone — and the service insists on texting a verification code to your registered number. That code goes to a SIM that isn't receiving anything. You're locked out.
With the Holafly phone number, you have a working destination for those SMS codes. You set it up once, choose how you want to receive the messages, and you're covered for the rest of your travels.
For us — managing a business remotely, accessing banking from the other side of the world, and dealing with the constant 2FA requirements of modern online life — having a reliable number to receive codes has genuinely prevented account lockouts more than once.
What If I Don't See the Option to Set a Number?
If you open the Holafly App and don't see the option to set up a phone number, it means your plan doesn't include one. The phone number feature is included with Holafly Plans Unlimited. If you're on a different plan or an individual destination eSIM, the number feature won't be available.
To get the phone number feature, you'll need a Holafly Plans Unlimited subscription. Use code THEDUFRESNES for 10% off monthly or 32% total off annual.
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FAQ: Holafly Phone Number
Can I make phone calls with my Holafly number? No — the number is for receiving SMS only. For calls, use WhatsApp, Telegram, or FaceTime over your Holafly data.
Can I send text messages from my Holafly number? No — it's for receiving SMS only, not sending. Use messaging apps like WhatsApp for outbound communication.
Can I change my Holafly number after activating it? No — this is a one-time setup and the number cannot be changed once activated. Choose your destination carefully before you tap Activate.
Which destinations can I choose for my number? Canada, United Kingdom, or United States.
How do I receive my SMS messages? During setup, you choose whether to receive notifications via the App or via Email.
Why would I need a phone number while traveling? Mainly for receiving SMS verification codes (2FA) from banks, airlines, and online services — essential when your home SIM is inactive or roaming is off.
What if I don't see the option to set up a number? If the option isn't there, your current plan doesn't include a phone number. The feature is included with Holafly Plans Unlimited.
Does the individual destination eSIM include a phone number? No — the phone number feature is included with Holafly Plans Unlimited, not with individual destination eSIMs.
The Bottom Line
The Holafly phone number on Plans Unlimited is one of those features you don't realize you need until you're locked out of your bank account from the other side of the world. Setting it up takes a minute in the Holafly App — just remember it's a one-time setup, so choose your destination carefully.
Open the App, tap Plans, scroll to "Let's set your number," pick Canada, the UK, or the US, choose how you want to receive SMS, consent, and activate. Done.
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We are Official Holafly Ambassadors and use Holafly Plans Unlimited as our only SIM. All opinions are our own based on real daily use.