Airalo vs Saily eSIM 2026: Complete comparison of data eSIM providers

Airalo vs Saily: buying the eSIM

Purchase process

Vefru rating

Airalo 9/10

Buying works in the browser without the app and Google login is smooth. Tutorial pages add steps you do not need.

Saily 7/10

Quick checkout with Google sign-in and Google Pay, but the eSIM comes only through the app and marketing emails are on by default.

Verdict: Airalo wins. Both checkouts take a couple of minutes with Google sign-in. Airalo then gives you the eSIM in the browser, while Saily sends you to download its app, and its sign-up form opts you into marketing.

Buying from Airalo

We signed in with Google on the website, picked a plan and paid. A compatibility check before checkout and several tutorial pages afterwards slowed us down, but we never needed the app. Our Airalo review shows each screen.

• Payments: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, UnionPay and JCB, PayPal, Google Pay, Apple Pay in some countries, and Alipay in the app [6].
• Currencies: 16, from USD and EUR to PLN and THB. Displayed prices include VAT or similar taxes [2].
• ID check: some countries require a passport photo before you can buy [4].

Buying from Saily

Sign-up with Google took seconds and Google Pay made checkout quick. The thank-you page then sends you to download the app, the only place the eSIM lives. Our Saily review walks through every step.

• Payments: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, UnionPay and JCB, plus Apple Pay and Google Pay [11]. PayPal is not at checkout.
• Currency and tax: US dollars, VAT included. You choose a tax country, which also decides which Saily company you contract with [12].
• Marketing by default: the sign-up fine print says Saily will send marketing messages. The privacy policy lets you opt out in the app profile or through each email [13].
• Credits: every plan earns 3% back in Saily credits [16]. Airalo pays 5% to 10% back in Airmoney [9].

AiraloAiralo checkout on the website

SailySaily checkout on the website

Airalo app vs Saily app

Mobile app

Vefru rating

Airalo 8/10

Smooth Google login and QR sharing. Over 50 MB, no download button, and it stops working without data.

Saily 9/10

Clean, quick and easy to use, with auto top-up, a VPN, an ad blocker and web protection built in.

Verdict: Saily wins by a point. Both apps are good; Saily's is the most polished we have used and adds security features Airalo lacks. Both go offline when your data runs out, so top up before you hit zero.

The Airalo app

Login was smooth with Google, and the eSIM page lets you share the QR code with another device. With New Airalo you keep one eSIM and buy local, regional and global packages into it. Alerts arrive at 25% and 10% of data left, and auto-renewal buys the next package at 10% [8]. The app is over 50 MB, and it stopped working the moment our plan ran out.

The Saily app

Saily's app is clean, quick and shows a clear message after purchase: installing the eSIM will not start the plan. It also carries three extras, all included in the price [12]:

• Virtual location: a VPN that routes your traffic through another country, on only when you switch it on.
• Ad blocker and web protection: DNS filtering against ads, trackers and phishing, on by default. Saily claims the ad blocker saved 28.6% of data in a lab test; we did not measure that.
• Auto Top-Up: buys a new plan when the current one runs out, and switches off after a failed payment.

Saily warns that app access may be limited in China and Turkey, so set everything up before you fly [19] [18]. Both providers' websites come in Czech and Polish [11].

AiraloAiralo app on Android

SailySaily app

Installing an Airalo eSIM vs a Saily eSIM

eSIM installation

Vefru rating

Airalo 9/10

Data worked the moment the eSIM was installed, with no network selection or restart. We scanned the QR code from a screenshot.

Saily 9/10

The smoothest install we have seen, done inside the app. You still turn the eSIM on in your phone settings yourself.

Verdict: a tie. Airalo's eSIM needed nothing at all after installation; Saily's in-app install is smoother but leaves one switch for you. The bigger difference is when each plan starts.

Airalo installation and when the plan starts

We scanned the QR code from a screenshot and data flowed at once, with no network to pick and no restart. Airalo also has a direct install from the app and manual entry. Most packages start on first connection at the destination, but some start on installation [10], so read the package page before you scan at home. Partners may recycle an eSIM left unused, often after 90 days.

Saily installation and when the plan starts

Saily installs the eSIM inside the app with no QR code [11], and ends with a reminder to turn on data roaming. The app did not switch the eSIM on, though: we enabled it in the phone settings and chose it as the data line.

• Starts at the destination: the plan activates on your first connection abroad, not at installation [14].
• 180-day limit: a plan you never activate starts on its own 180 days after purchase [12].
• Unlocked phone needed: the terms require a carrier-unlocked, eSIM-compatible device [12].

Airalo lists the compatible phones and the excluded models [7]. Not sure about yours? Check our list of phones with eSIM support, and if data does not start, work through our eSIM troubleshooting checklist.

Airalo

Saily

Airalo vs Saily customer support

Customer support

Vefru rating

Airalo 7/10

A bot answers first and pushes installation fixes. A human follows after a queue, handling several chats at once.

Saily 10/10

Help center first, then a chatbot, then a fast human agent who asks for screenshots. Neutral, respectful and useful.

Verdict: Saily wins clearly, with the best support flow in our tests. Both start with a bot, but Saily's hands you to a fast, useful human, while Airalo's made us reject its answers before we joined a queue.

Airalo support in our test

Airalo's bot ran through installation fixes and kept doing so after we said the eSIM was already installed. Only after we said the replies did not help were we queued for a person, who seemed to handle many chats at once. Contact routes: 24/7 chat, WhatsApp on +1 984 224 7256 and support@airalo.com [1]. There is no phone line.

Saily support in our test

Saily shows help articles first, then a chatbot that advises as far as it can. A human agent then took over, asked for screenshots and worked through the issue. Replies were fast and to the point, in a neutral and respectful tone.

Contact routes: 24/7 live chat in the app and support@saily.com, with no phone line [12]. Ultra subscribers get priority support [20]. Saily shares the top spot in our ranking of eSIM customer support with eSIM4Travel.

Airalo

Saily

Airalo vs Saily speed test

Speed test

Vefru rating

Airalo 7/10

No artificial cap: 40 to 150 Mbps down and about 40 Mbps up. Unlimited plans throttle after a daily allowance.

Saily 8/10

174 Mbps down and 70 Mbps up on 5G is decent, but far below what the same network can deliver.

Verdict: Saily wins by a point. Both tests ran in Switzerland and neither plan was throttled. Saily peaked higher, especially on upload, though it still used a fraction of what the 5G network gives a local SIM.

Airalo speed in our test

Download ranged from 40 to 150 Mbps and upload held at about 40 Mbps, with no throttle on the fixed plan. The network cut us off at 1.4 GB on a plan sold as 1 GB, 40% more than we paid for. On unlimited plans, the fair use policy gives 3 GB a day at full speed, then 1 Mbps until the reset [3].

Saily speed in our test

Saily ran at 174 Mbps down and 70 Mbps up on 5G, enough for anything a traveler does. A Swisscom SIM reaches nearly 1 Gbps at the same spot, so Saily does not use the network's full potential. The data stopped right at 1 GB and 7 MB, with no zero-rated traffic for the app.

Saily states no speed cap for fixed plans. Unlimited plans run at full speed for 5 GB a day, or 3 GB in some destinations, then at 1 Mbps until local midnight [12]. In Japan it uses KDDI and SoftBank [16]. For what these speeds are enough for, see our 4G vs 5G explainer.

Airalo

Saily

Airalo vs Saily prices

Prices

Vefru rating

Airalo 4/10

Market-median pricing, rarely the cheapest. Our 1 GB test plan cost more than four times the eSIM4Travel price.

Saily 8/10

At market for 3 GB and cheap in Oceania, but among the dearest in most popular European destinations.

Verdict: closer than the two price scores suggest, and it depends on where you go. Across all countries both sit near the market median, and Saily's median plans are a little cheaper at 5 and 20 GB. In the big destinations, Airalo is usually cheaper: Saily is among the two dearest providers in 14 of 24 popular destinations.

In like-for-like comparisons (same country, data amount and trip length), Airalo ranks 6th of 12 fixed-data providers and Saily 8th. For unlimited data the prices match almost to the cent, but Saily gives more data at full speed.

Airalo vs Saily fixed-data prices

Median price of each plan size across all countries where it is sold, as of 2 Oct 2026. The two providers sell in different sets of countries, so medians are a guide, not a like-for-like match.

Saily's 1 GB plan lasts 7 days against Airalo's 3, which matters for a week-long trip. Above 20 GB, Saily has almost nothing, so Airalo is the only option of the two for heavy users. Unsure what size you need? Our guide to how much data you need for travel gives numbers by activity.

Airalo vs Saily unlimited prices

Here the two cost the same. Prices for 15 days of unlimited data on each provider's own pages, 7 Oct 2026 [5] [15] [16] [17]:

Saily gives up to two thirds more full-speed data for the same money, though its terms allow 3 GB a day in some destinations without saying which [12]. Airalo sells unlimited plans in 141 countries and for any length from 3 to 30 days; Saily had 37 single-country unlimited plans in our snapshot, 30 of them in Europe.

Global plans and extras

• Global eSIMs: Airalo's global eSIM starts at $8.50 for 1 GB over 7 days; Saily's Global plan costs $8.99 for the same and covers 121 destinations [14]. Saily's 20 GB for 365 days at $66.99 suits frequent travelers.
• Calls: Airalo's calling packages cost a median 27% more than the same data-only plan. Saily sells a US number for $1.99 a month, with call and text packs from $0.99 [11].
• Saily Ultra: a subscription from $39.99 a month with 10 GB at full speed, lounge passes and NordVPN included [20]. Airalo has no subscription.

How Airalo and Saily compare on 10 GB, 30-day plans

All providers ranked by median price per GB for 10 GB, 30-day plans, the same basket as in every Vefru provider review. It is the size where the two sit closest together.

Airalo and Saily against the market

The box below sums up both providers' price position against the market: their rank among fixed-data providers, how often each had the cheapest or dearest plan, where each is a good deal, and the countries where Airalo is clearly cheaper.

Airalo vs Saily: prices

Airalo is the cheaper of the two in most popular destinations and for plans of 5 GB and more like for like. Saily is at market for 3 GB, cheap on small islands in Oceania, and gives more full-speed data on unlimited plans at the same price.

Price rank among 12 providers

Airalo6/12 Saily8/12

1 = cheapest, across 3,013 like-for-like plan comparisons.

Cheapest plan in Airalo3% Saily4%

Most expensive plan in Airalo8% Saily11%

Share of comparisons (same country, data amount and trip length) where each provider had the cheapest, or the most expensive, plan.

Who is cheaper for what

Airalo Saily

By amount of data

1 GB pricier^* pricier

3 GB pricier average

5 GB average pricier

10 GB average pricier

20 GB average pricier

50 GB average none sold

Unlimited average pricier

By region

Europe pricier pricier

Asia average pricier

Africa average average

Oceania average cheaper

North America pricier pricier

South America pricier pricier

By regional plan

Europe plan average much pricier

Asia plan average much pricier

Global plan pricier pricier

Saily's unlimited plans cost the same as Airalo's on the country pages we checked, but they sit above market across all comparisons. Saily's 1 GB plan lasts 7 days, Airalo's 3.

Where Airalo is clearly cheaper

Airalo is cheaper in

• Mexico
• Portugal
• Morocco
• France
• Canada
• Germany
• Italy
• Greece
• United Kingdom
• Egypt
• Spain

Among our 24 most popular destinations, as of 13 Oct 2026. Saily was not clearly cheaper than Airalo in any of them; its cheapest countries are small islands like Tonga, Vanuatu and Bermuda.

Based on all 3,188 Airalo plans and all 818 Saily plans, each compared with 13 other providers for the same country, data amount and trip length. How we compare prices (prices as of 2 Oct 2026).

Go to Airalo Go to Saily Compare both providers

Neither is the price leader. eSIM4Travel and Global YO cost about a third less than the typical provider for the same trip; see our cheapest eSIM comparison.

What customers say about Airalo and Saily

Customer feedback

Vefru rating

Airalo 8.2/10

Strong app store ratings and praise for easy setup. A lower Trustpilot score, with complaints about eSIMs that never connect.

Saily 9.4/10

4.7 on Trustpilot from more than 31,000 reviews. Praise for easy setup and human support; complaints about failed connections.

Verdict: Saily wins. It holds 4.7 on Trustpilot against Airalo's 4.1, both from tens of thousands of reviews. Customers of both praise easy setup and complain about eSIMs that fail on arrival.

The difference is in what happens next. Saily's reviewers describe an AI chat that hands over to a patient human; Airalo's describe an AI assistant and refunds that take several attempts. Both match our support test. Our analysis of customer reviews across 11 providers sets them against the rest.

What customers say about Airalo and Saily

Trustpilot reviews and app store ratings for both providers, read in October 2026.

Airalo Saily

Trustpilot 4.1/545,721 reviews 4.7/531,741 reviews

App Store 4.6/5100k ratings 4.7/512k ratings

Google Play 4.3/5180k ratings 4.5/594k ratings

What customers like and dislike

Airalo

Buying and installing the eSIM is quick and easy, even for first-time users

The connection often works as soon as the plane lands

Prices are much cheaper than roaming with a home carrier

Some eSIMs never connect, or stop working partway through a trip

Support leans on an AI chatbot, and refunds can be hard to get

Saily

The app walks you through every install step, even if you are not tech-savvy

Prices are a fraction of what home carriers charge for roaming

The AI chat hands over to a patient human agent who fixes the problem

The eSIM sometimes fails to connect on arrival or stops working mid-trip

Refunds are refused once any data has been used and often come only as Saily credits

One typical review each

AiraloActivation

I used the Airalo eSIM on my recent trip and it was incredibly useful and reliable. The setup was super easy to use, I just downloaded the app, bought my plan before leaving, and had instant internet the second my plane landed. Connection stayed strong the whole time. Will definitely use it again!

SailySupport

I had an issue at the beginning, the e Sim wasn't working. I still give 5 stars because of the great human support I received from Saily. They have an AI chat but it then redirects to a human. The person was super competent and resolved my issue.

Where customers report good experiences

Airalo

• Japan
• Thailand
• Australia
• Netherlands

Saily

• Japan
• Thailand
• United States
• Vietnam

Go to Airalo Go to Saily Compare all eSIMs

Airalo vs Saily coverage: where each eSIM works

Coverage

Vefru rating

Airalo 7/10

Plans for 200+ destinations, but the lowest share of working connections of the 14 providers we track.

Saily 8/10

Plans for about 200 destinations, but traveler reports below the market average, with weak spots in China, Mexico and Australia.

Verdict: Saily wins, but both sit below the market. Travelers report Saily working in 80.6% of 407 country-level reports (11th of 14) and Airalo in 71.8% of 1,873 (14th of 14), against a market average of about 85%.

"Worked in" is separate from our test score: travelers tell us whether an eSIM worked in a country, yes or no. Saily's sample is much smaller, so read its country figures with care.

Where Airalo works and where it does not

Airalo is a marketplace: it picks a partner network per country and resells the data [1]. It is reliable in Singapore, Japan, the Netherlands, Australia, Vietnam and New Zealand, all at 90% or more. It is weak across Southern Europe, Switzerland and Mexico, and in London it worked for only 7 of 34 travelers.

Where Saily works and where it does not

Saily picks its operators itself and makes no promise on coverage or quality [12]. It is strong in Japan and good in the US, the UK, Thailand, Vietnam and India. It is weak in China (9 of 14), Mexico, Australia and, on small samples, South Korea, Switzerland and Egypt. Its Global plan covers 121 countries, not the 200+ of its headline [14].

For Japan, both work well; our Japan eSIM guide names the strongest options. For Australia, Airalo is the safer of the two; see our Australia guide. The two boxes below show each provider's full country list, Airalo first.

Airalo vs Saily terms and conditions

Verdict: a close call. Both lean toward the provider and both refund only unused plans. Saily is kinder on disputes and gives unused plans longer, while Airalo logs less about your traffic.

Airalo's contract is with AirGSM Pte Ltd in Singapore [1]. Saily's is with Saily UAB in Vilnius for EEA customers, CyberQuay in Sydney for Australia and Saily Inc. in Chicago for everyone else [12].

What's in the Airalo and Saily terms

Both sets of terms mostly favor the provider. Saily is friendlier on disputes and on unused plans; Airalo collects less about where your traffic goes and keeps your credit if your account ends.

Airalo Saily

Refunds After activation, refunds only for Airalo's errorsThe 14-day withdrawal right ends at activation; after that you must ask within 30 days and Airalo gets 10 days to fix it. Refunds only if almost nothing was usedAn activated plan is refunded only with more than 99% of the data unused and a request within 30 days.

Unused plans Unused eSIMs can be recycledPartners may recycle an eSIM not used or topped up within a set period, often 90 days from purchase. Plans start on their own after 180 daysA regular plan you do not activate within 180 days starts by itself, and its validity runs.

Disputes English courts and no class actionsWherever you live, the laws of England and Wales apply and their courts decide. Delaware law, but EU consumers keep local courtsDisputes go to Delaware after a written notice; class actions are waived.

Unlimited data 3 GB a day, then 1 MbpsAfter 3 GB in a 24-hour period, speed drops to 1 Mbps until the daily reset. 3 or 5 GB a day, then 1 MbpsThe daily allowance depends on the destination, and heavy tethering can get you slowed or cut off.

Your data Stored and processed worldwideTransfers out of the EEA rely on Standard Contractual Clauses, and no retention periods are given. Where your traffic goes is loggedSaily records your traffic destinations and app categories plus your IMEI, and keeps billing data for 10 years.

Account closure Suspension at Airalo's sole discretionAiralo can suspend or end your account at any time, with notice, for example over a suspected breach. Credits and unused data lost on terminationIf Saily ends your account for a breach, unused plans, subscription time and credits are not refunded.

Red flag Watch out Fair

Sources: Airalo: General terms, Terms of use and refund policy, Unlimited data fair use policy, Privacy policy. Saily: Consumer Terms of Service (updated 27 Aug 2026), Privacy Policy (updated 10 Aug 2026). Read on 7 Oct 2026. Our reading, not legal advice.

Airalo vs Saily refunds in practice

• Airalo: a refund or replacement is due only if Airalo's error or a retired service makes the eSIM unusable. "Wrong purchase" refunds come only as Airmoney credit; card refunds can take up to 30 business days [2].
• Saily: an eSIM never installed, or installed without the plan being activated, can be refunded in full [12]. Customers report that refunds after any use are refused and often paid as Saily credits.

Airalo vs Saily: which eSIM to pick

Verdict: Saily wins this Airalo vs Saily comparison, 8.6 against 7.4. It has the better app, the better support and fewer failed connections, and its unlimited plans give more full-speed data for the same money.

Airalo keeps three real advantages: you can buy and install without an app, it sells larger plans and calls, and it is cheaper in most popular destinations. Neither is the price leader; eSIM4Travel, the highest-scoring provider in our tests, beats both on price and support, as our Airalo vs eSIM4Travel comparison shows.

Airalo or Saily: which one should you pick?

Based on our tests, Saily is the better eSIM: easier to get help with, nicer to use and more reliable. Airalo is the better pick for heavy users, calls and the lowest price of the two in big destinations.

Our pick

7.4/10

Pick Airalo if you

• Want to buy and install without downloading an app.
• Need more than 20 GB, up to 50 GB.
• Want calls and texts, or a global eSIM with a US number.
• Are heading to France, Italy, the UK, Mexico or Portugal, where Airalo costs less than Saily.
• Are going to Australia, where Airalo worked for 20 of 22 travelers.

Travelers who want plan choice and a website checkout.

Go to Airalo Read the full Airalo review

Our pick

8.6/10

Pick Saily if you

• Want a human on chat quickly when something goes wrong.
• Want the most polished app, with a VPN and ad blocker included.
• Want unlimited data with 5 GB a day at full speed.
• Are going to Japan, the US, the UK, Thailand or Vietnam, where Saily reports are strong.

First-time eSIM users who value support and an easy app.

Go to Saily Read the full Saily review

Look at another provider if you

• Want the lowest price: eSIM4Travel, the highest-scoring provider in our tests, and Global YO cost about a third less than the typical provider.
• Need the most reliable connection: Holafly and Maya Mobile have the fewest failures in our traveler reports.
• Are going to China or Mexico, where both providers have weak traveler reports.

Compare every provider for your destination

Airalo and Saily plans and prices

Verdict: the tables above are a snapshot; the finder below is live. Pick your destination, or several, to see every Airalo and Saily plan side by side with current prices.

For a two-country trip, try Airalo and Saily for France and Italy, where Airalo is the cheaper of the two in our comparison.