I’ve tried at least five of the major eSIM companies out there, but Saily is one of my faves. It’s budget-friendly and comes with some unique security/privacy features you can’t find anywhere else. If you’re new to eSIMs, have no fear — I’m here to help. Below I explain how Saily works, what it costs, how it stacks up to competitors, and when you might benefit from their subscription model, Saily Ultra. Here’s what to know about using a Saily eSIM for travel. (Plus a 10% discount on your first one!)
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Saily eSIM review — my honest experience
I’m always on the hunt for anything that can make my life easier when I travel, and eSIMs are a game changer. Saily had great reviews and I was looking to branch out after a not-so-great experience with Airalo, so I gave it a go. And I’ve been a long-time NordVPN user, which is the same company behind Saily.
Overall, my Saily eSIM worked a treat in New Zealand, and my partner has been using the Saily Ultra monthly subscription for several months. It’s all been smooth Sailing (sorry) and I can confidently recommend it to everyone.
In fact, I genuinely think it might be the very best eSIM provider in the game right now. I’ll do a more in-depth comparison below.
Customer service
I reached out to customer service as a test. The person I spoke to was helpful, knowledgeable, and the chat function in the app was user-friendly. It started with a bot (as all things do these days) but I got through to a real human in a minute, tops.
You can get 24/7 live chat support if you have any issues with your Saily eSIM. I found the customer service infinitely better with Saily vs. Airalo.
Set up and functionality
You can get a Saily eSIM for 200+ destinations, which includes regional packages. For example, instead of just getting an eSIM for Indonesia, you could get one for all of Southeast Asia. Perfect if you’re planning to do a bit of country-hopping!
Saily can keep you connected nearly anywhere in the world, from Uruguay to Vanuatu to Mongolia. One of its standout features is that you don’t need to keep downloading new eSIMs for every new trip or destination.
For example, the way it works with Airalo is that I’d download an eSIM for Qatar, and then a separate one for South Africa and a separate one for the UK. With Saily, you just download it once and then top it up with packages for different destinations as you go. It cuts down on finnicky settings adjustments.
Read more: The Best eSIM for Indonesia
Where I've used Saily
I personally tested Saily first in New Zealand and had strong, reliable connection throughout. Even in more rural areas on the South Island where I was expecting it to drop out. It didn’t. (It won’t work deep into the Milford Track, but you’ll be just fine at Lake Tekapo, for example.) Chesney, my partner, has now used Saily Ultra subscription in Malaysia, Brunei, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.
Beyond our experience, I’ve had friends test it in a few other destinations. Two friends used it in the Philippines in April 2026 and raved about the easy setup and how solid the connection was. Another friend used it on a solo trip to Costa Rica, and I recommended it to my family on a trip to South Africa. I’ve had nothing but positive feedback.
Saily vs competitors
I like to weigh the pros and cons of every eSIM I test out, and they all have their strengths. But from a holistic view, Saily really is the best all-rounder. Here’s how it stacks up to its main competitors, including Airalo, Roamless, Holafly, and Jetpac.
| Saily | Airalo | Roamless | Holafly | Jetpac | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airport lounge access | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
| Phone number optional | ✓ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ |
| Hotspotting | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Subscription option | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cruise data | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
| Home screen data-left widget | ✓ | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ | ✕ |
| Trustpilot rating | 4.7 ★ | 3.9 ★ | 4.5 ★ | 4.7 ★ | 4.7 ★ |
Saily also has competitive pricing, unlimited data options for most plans, regional and global eSIMs, and a system where you only need to download an eSIM once. Then it’s easy to just top-up plans rather than re-downloading. There are even more perks if you get Saily Ultra, like airport fast track, Nord VPN-owned security subscriptions, and ClassPass credits.
Note the cruise data is wildly expensive ($29.99 for 1 GB) but that’s an emerging eSIM capability, so I assume this will get better over time. Saily isn’t the only company to offer it (GigSky does as well), but it’s certainly one of the first.
Saily vs Holafly
Comparing Holafly vs Saily is a little like comparing apples to oranges, in my opinion. They’re my top two favourite eSIM companies, but they serve two pretty distinct audiences.
The long and short of it, as I see things, is that Holafly is a straightforward eSIM option for unlimited data. But the premium price tag on unlimited data isn’t great if you’re a budget traveller. Saily has more flexible plans with a range of pricing that’s more comparable to other lower-cost eSIM options on the market.
Read more: Holafly vs Saily eSIM Comparison
How much does a Saily eSIM cost?
Saily is the most consistently affordable eSIM option. Occasionally you’ll find promotions on with other companies for certain destinations, so it’s never a bad idea to shop around. (For example, Jetpac sometimes has a $1/1 GB promo if that’s all you think you’ll use.)
But Saily is consistently budget-friendly regardless of the country or region. Here’s a price comparison for Saily vs Airalo and Holafly for trips to Thailand, the US, Europe, and New Zealand. (Updated September 2026, prices are USD.)
| Provider | Thailand | USA | Europe | Global monthly subscription |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saily | $10.99 / 10 GB / 30 days | $22.99 / 10 GB / 30 days | $35.99 / 10 GB / 30 days | Saily Ultra: $59.99/month for 30 GB |
| Airalo | $11 / 10 GB / 30 days | $22.50 / 10 GB / 30 days | $31 / 10 GB / 30 days | No subscription option |
| Holafly | $50.90 / Unlimited / 15 days | $50.90 / Unlimited / 15 days | $58.50 / Unlimited / 15 days | Holafly Plans: $64.90/month for unlimited data |
Read more: All the Best eSIMs for International Travel
Is Saily worth it?
Yes, Saily is absolutely worth it. It’s the best and most comparable alternative to Airalo. It’s slightly more affordable, has far better security, more perks, works in nearly all the same countries, and has superior customer service.
I’m comparing it because Airalo is one of the major players — the self-titled “world’s first eSIM store.” It was the first eSIM I tested, and I had a mix of good and bad experiences.
But Airalo had some serious security concerns in 2025/26. Users complained that their accounts were hacked and cards had random charges with no support from customer service. And worse, no refunds. The company hasn’t addressed it, but I saw it all over Reddit. And it’s never worth risking your phone and credit card, is it?
So whether you’re considering an eSIM for the first time or looking to jump ship from Airalo for a better alternative, Saily should be your go-to.
And you’ve got the 10% Saily discount code: NAOMI10
Saily security features
Saily has the most security features of any other eSIM I’ve tried. It has a particular focus on security and a great reputation. It’s operated by the same people behind NordVPN. (VPN stands for virtual private network.)
The service encrypts your internet activities and can change the location of your IP address, keeping your information private and protected when you’re online. Airalo’s recent alleged data breach is a perfect example of why all of this is important.
Saily eSIMs have similar online safety features, including:
- Ad-blockers: Loading ads while you’re using the internet can suck the life out of your data package. So Saily’s ad blocker doesn’t just get rid of annoying ads, it preserves those GBs you’ve paid for — around 30%! Pages usually load faster without ads, too.
- Web protections: This fights off malware and phishing scams. Something you definitely don’t want to deal with ever, let alone when you’re traveling.
- Virtual locations: This basically makes it look like you’re in Canada, the US, etc. while you’re actually accessing the internet in Thailand (or wherever). Some websites are geo-restricted, and some people say you can find cheaper flights based on where you’re searching from, so a VPN really comes in handy.
- Adult site blocking: If your kids have access to your phone or you’re getting an eSIM for them, you might want to switch this one on 🙂
- Added security subscriptions (Saily Ultra only): The monthly eSIM membership gives you access to security tools, including NordVPN, NordPass, NordLocker, and Incogni.
Saily Ultra eSIM subscription
Saily recently released a monthly subscription option called Saily Ultra. The Plus plan is 60 USD for 30 GBs per month with global access.
For an extra 10 bucks on the Premium plan, you can get a phone number with a baseline of 50 calling minutes and 50 texts. If you’re on a budget and don’t care about the phone number, the Standard plan with 10 GB might be enough. Though if you’re a heavy data user, 10 GB might not cut it.
Chesney has been using the 30 GB Saily Ultra Plus plan in different countries around Asia it’s been a breeze. It works as soon as we land in a new country and takes maybe a minute to connect to the new local network. We’ve also been enjoying the monthly Saily lounge access and airport fast track perks.
Take this short Saily eSIM quiz
I developed this short, six-question eSIM quiz to help you find the best eSIM for your trip and travel style. This compares Saily to four other providers: Holafly, Roamless, Jetpac, and aloSIM.
How long is your trip?
How much data do you realistically use while travelling?
How do you prefer to pay for data while travelling?
Do you need a phone number while travelling?
What matters most when choosing an eSIM?
Where are you travelling?
What others say about their Saily eSIM experience
What, I’m not good enough for you? Nah of course it’s always a good idea to check review sites to see what the majority of users have experienced.
My general takeaway is that a Saily eSIM is a pretty low cost/low risk thing to try. So maybe just start with a small plan to test the functionality, and you can always top up if it goes well. Here’s what the internet has to say:
Saily eSIM on Trustpilot
Saily has over 30,000 reviews and a solid 4.7/5 on Trustpilot.
People always rave about the strong cell service, internet speed, customer service, and price of their Saily eSIM. Poor reviews included complaints about the app and it not being clear enough that prices are always listed in USD. (Kind of a user error IMO.)
- 5 Stars: “Can’t believe how easy it was. Came to Canada for the World Cup. Set up my eSIM in less than 10 mins.” — Clarissa, June 2026
- 5 Stars: “I bought a plan thanks to a recommendation and I couldn’t be more happy. It worked perfectly and it was very easy to install. The rates are fair and affordable compared to other companies in the market.” — Mickey BVM, April 2025
- 1 Star: “Price are in US$ and it isnt indicated nowhere. Big surprise, when you realized that you have paid 30% more.” — J, December 2024
Saily eSIM on Reddit
Reddit is the most negative place on the internet, and even most people here have good things to say about their Saily eSIM experience.
- Happy Redditor: “Overall, I’m pretty happy with my experience. Maybe I should have had 5G speeds, but I don’t know. For the price, I didn’t miss it. Installation was easy, and the ability to do it before leaving and not have to worry about a separate “activation” step was nice. A single eSIM for multiple international coverage plans was nice. We’ve turned our Saily lines off for now, but we will keep the eSIMs installed for our next trip.” — u/Aprehensive_Ant3436
- Unhappy Redditors: There was a thread from December 2024 where people complained about service not working in Japan, specifically. But others replied in the thread saying they’d had no issues, so it may just be a phone model thing. Who knows. Tech stuff is weird.
Naomi Lai
Naomi is a Canadian travel editor and writer with 13 years of international travel across Southeast Asia, Europe, South America, New Zealand, and beyond. She covers everything from budget backpacking to luxury travel — always from personal experience.
More about Naomi →
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