Saily and Airalo are two of the most searched travel eSIM brands, and they come from very different places. Airalo has been building a marketplace since 2019 and now covers more destinations than anyone. Saily arrived in 2024 from Nord Security — the company behind NordVPN — and leans on privacy and security features as its differentiator.
Neither is the obvious winner. Here is the honest breakdown.
The short version
| Saily | Airalo | |
|---|---|---|
| Launched | 2024 | 2019 |
| Parent company | Nord Security | Airalo (independent) |
| Destinations | ~190 | 200+ |
| Plan types | Local, regional, global | Local, regional, global (Discover) |
| Unlimited plans | Yes, in select destinations | Yes, in select destinations |
| Data-only | Yes | Yes |
| Rewards | No | Airmoney credits |
| Extra features | Web protection, ad blocking, virtual location | Larger catalogue, more top-up options |
| Best for | Privacy-minded travellers, simple pricing | Frequent travellers, obscure destinations |
Coverage: Airalo wins on breadth
Airalo's catalogue is the largest in the category, covering 200+ countries and regions. If you are heading somewhere unusual — Central Asia, smaller Pacific islands, parts of West Africa — Airalo is more likely to have a local plan.
Saily covers around 190 destinations, which comfortably includes everywhere most travellers actually go. For a trip to Japan, Italy, Mexico or Thailand, the difference is irrelevant.
Verdict: Airalo, but only if your destination is off the beaten path.
Pricing: closer than the marketing suggests
Both use the same underlying model — they buy wholesale data from local carriers and resell it. Prices move constantly and vary enormously by country, so any fixed comparison goes stale fast.
Broad patterns worth knowing:
- Saily tends to be competitive on longer-duration plans and often undercuts on Europe and Asia regional bundles.
- Airalo is frequently cheaper on small, short local plans — the 1GB / 7-day type purchase.
- Airalo's Airmoney gives back a percentage of each purchase as credit, which meaningfully lowers cost if you buy several plans a year.
- Neither runs the aggressive unlimited-data positioning that Holafly does.
The practical advice: check both for your specific destination and duration on the day you buy. A brand that is 20% cheaper for Japan may be 30% more expensive for Brazil.
Features: this is Saily's argument
Saily's Nord Security lineage shows up in the app. Plans include:
- Web protection that blocks malicious sites and trackers
- Ad blocking at the network level
- Virtual location, which lets you appear to be browsing from another country
For travellers who spend a lot of time on hotel and airport Wi-Fi, this has real value — it is essentially a light VPN bundled into the data plan. If you already pay for a VPN separately, it is duplicated spend.
Airalo's app is more of a straightforward store: browse, buy, install, top up. It does this well, with a large top-up catalogue and a clean installation flow, but there are no security extras.
Verdict: Saily, if you want the security bundle. Airalo, if you want a plain data plan and already have a VPN.
Installation and setup
Genuinely no meaningful difference. Both:
- Deliver a QR code by email and in-app immediately after purchase
- Support direct in-app installation on iOS, skipping the QR step
- Take about two minutes end to end
- Are data-only, so you get no phone number and cannot receive SMS on either
Both require an eSIM-capable, carrier-unlocked phone. If you are unsure, check which iPhones have eSIM or run through the device compatibility list.
Support
Airalo has the longer track record and a larger support operation, with 24/7 chat. Saily also offers 24/7 support and benefits from Nord Security's existing customer service infrastructure.
User reports on both are mixed in the way they are for every eSIM provider — the underlying issue is usually a local carrier problem that neither company can fix quickly.
Where Wanderly fits
Full disclosure: we sell travel eSIMs too, so treat this section accordingly.
The structural difference is that Airalo and Saily each resell from their own carrier agreements, while Wanderly aggregates plans from multiple suppliers and shows you the options side by side. That means you are comparing within one place rather than opening three apps.
Plans start at $1.99, and you can see full pricing here or read our direct comparisons: Wanderly vs Airalo and Wanderly vs Saily.
Whether that is worth it depends entirely on your destination and how much you value comparing before you buy. If you already have Airmoney credit sitting in an Airalo account, use it.
Which should you pick?
Choose Airalo if: you travel frequently enough for Airmoney to add up, you are visiting a less common destination, or you want the most established option in the category.
Choose Saily if: you want the built-in security features, you are buying a longer regional plan, or you would otherwise be paying for a VPN on top.
Choose neither if: you are travelling for a month or more in one country. At that duration, a local physical SIM bought on arrival is often dramatically cheaper than any travel eSIM — see eSIM vs Local SIM vs Pocket WiFi for the maths.
FAQ
Is Saily better than Airalo? Neither is universally better. Airalo covers more destinations and offers Airmoney rewards for frequent buyers. Saily bundles web protection, ad blocking and virtual location, and is often cheaper on longer regional plans. Compare prices for your specific destination before deciding.
Is Saily cheaper than Airalo? It depends on the destination and duration. Saily is often more competitive on longer and regional plans, while Airalo frequently wins on small short-term local plans. Prices change constantly, so check both on the day you buy.
Who owns Saily? Saily is operated by Nord Security, the company behind NordVPN. It launched in 2024, which is why its plans include security features like web protection and ad blocking.
Do Saily and Airalo give you a phone number? No. Both are data-only eSIMs. You cannot receive SMS or make regular voice calls on either, though apps like WhatsApp, FaceTime and Zoom work normally over data.
Can I use Saily and Airalo on the same phone? Yes, if your phone supports storing multiple eSIM profiles. An iPhone 13 or newer can even keep two eSIMs active at once, though only one will handle mobile data at a time.
Do Saily or Airalo work in China? Both offer China plans that route internationally, which means popular apps generally work without a separate VPN. Coverage and performance vary — see our China eSIM guide for the details.