Saily and Airalo are two of the most searched travel eSIM brands. Airalo has been selling eSIMs since 2019 and runs one of the largest catalogues in the category. Saily launched in 2024 from Nord Security, the company behind NordVPN, and adds privacy features to its data plans.
Disclosure and method: Wanderly sells travel eSIMs, so we compete with both. Prices below were read from each provider's own public plan pages on 21 October 2026, in US dollars, for the same two destinations. We did not run speed tests or contact either support team, so this comparison covers price, plan rules and features, not network performance.
The short version
| Saily | Airalo | |
|---|---|---|
| Launched | 2024 | 2019 |
| Parent company | Nord Security (NordVPN) | Airalo |
| Destinations | 200+ | 200+ |
| Fixed-data prices (Japan, USA) | Within about $1 of Airalo | Within about $1 of Saily |
| Smallest plan | 1 GB for 7 days | 1 GB for 3 days |
| Unlimited (15 days, Japan) | $48.99: 5 GB/day at full speed, then up to 1 Mbps | $48.00 |
| Rewards | 3% back as Saily credits, $5 per referral | Airmoney credit on purchases |
| Phone number | Separate US number add-on with call and text plans | Data, calls and texts plans in some destinations (e.g. the USA) |
| Extras | Virtual location, ad and tracker blocking, malicious-site blocking | Large top-up catalogue, app in 53 languages |
| Best for | Travelers who want the privacy extras | Travelers who want the widest choice of plan types |
Price comparison: nearly identical
Japan (checked 21 October 2026)
| Plan | Saily | Airalo |
|---|---|---|
| 1 GB | $3.99 (7 days) | $4.00 (3 days) |
| 3 GB | $7.99 (30 days) | $8.00 (7 days) |
| 5 GB / 30 days | $10.99 | $11.00 |
| 10 GB / 30 days | $17.99 | $18.00 |
| 20 GB / 30 days | $24.99 | $25.00 |
| Unlimited / 15 days | $48.99 | $48.00 |
United States (checked 21 October 2026)
| Plan | Saily | Airalo |
|---|---|---|
| 1 GB | $3.99 (7 days) | $4.00 (3 days) |
| 3 GB | $8.99 (30 days) | $9.00 (7 days) |
| 5 GB / 30 days | $13.99 | $13.50 |
| 10 GB / 30 days | $22.99 | $22.50 |
| 20 GB / 30 days | $36.99 | $36.50 |
| Unlimited / 15 days | $45.99 | $46.00 |
What the numbers show:
- On fixed data, price does not decide this. The gap is one cent in Japan and 49 cents in the USA, in opposite directions.
- Saily's small plans last longer. Its 1 GB and 3 GB plans run 7 and 30 days; Airalo's equivalent prices are for 3- and 7-day plans. For a week-long trip on a light allowance, Saily is the better deal.
- Airalo offers more plan lengths. It sells the same data sizes in 7-, 15- and 30-day versions, so you can buy only the validity you need. Saily's mid-size plans are 30-day only.
- Rewards cancel out. Both return credit on purchases, so neither gains a lasting price edge for repeat buyers.
Prices change often and vary by country, so check both for your destination on the day you buy.
Unlimited plans: read the speed rules
Both sell "unlimited" plans at almost the same price. Saily's plan page states the condition plainly: 5 GB per day at full speed, then up to 1 Mbps for the rest of that day. One Mbps is enough for messaging, maps and email, but slow for video calls or uploads.
Whichever provider you choose, find the daily full-speed allowance on the plan page before buying. If you use less than about 1.3 GB a day, a fixed 20 GB plan costs roughly half as much as 15 days of unlimited.
Activation and setup
- Saily says every plan has a 180-day activation period and activates automatically when you arrive in the destination. You buy on the web or in the app, but setup and management happen in the Saily app.
- Airalo sells through its website and app, delivers installation details for direct or QR installation, and lets you top up an installed eSIM from the app.
- Both require an eSIM-capable, carrier-unlocked phone. Check which iPhones have eSIM or the eSIM compatible phones list first.
Calls, texts and phone numbers
Most plans from both are data-only, so WhatsApp, FaceTime and other apps work but you get no regular phone number.
- Saily sells a separate US phone number that you pair with a call and text plan in its app. It is an add-on, not part of a data plan.
- Airalo lists Data / Calls / Texts plans for some destinations, including the USA.
If you need SMS codes from your bank, keep your home SIM active alongside the travel eSIM (data-only eSIMs and your phone number).
Features: Saily's real difference
Saily's app includes:
- Virtual location: browse as if you were in another country
- Ad and tracker blocking to reduce data use
- Malicious-site blocking
These work like a light VPN bundled with the data plan. They help most on networks you don't control, but they duplicate what you already have if you pay for a VPN. Airalo's app has no comparable security features. It focuses on a broad catalogue of local, regional and global plans, with top-ups.
Support
Both advertise 24/7 support: Saily through in-app chat, Airalo through chat including WhatsApp. We did not test response times. Most "my eSIM doesn't work" problems are a roaming setting or local network issue rather than the provider (eSIM troubleshooting).
Verdict
- You want ad blocking, tracker blocking and virtual location built in
- You need a small allowance for a week or more (its 1 GB plan lasts 7 days)
- You want a US phone number add-on for calls and texts
- You want to choose exact validity (7, 15 or 30 days) for each data size
- You need a plan with calls and texts in a supported destination
- You already have Airmoney credit
On price alone, neither wins: the two are within about a dollar at every size we checked.
How Wanderly compares (we sell eSIMs)
On the same day, Wanderly's cheapest 10 GB / 30-day plan was $8.99 for Japan and $9.99 for the USA, about half the Saily and Airalo price. Our 20 GB / 30-day plans were $12.99 (Japan) and $16.99 (USA). Plans differ in network, activation rules and top-up availability, so compare the specific plan pages before buying.
Compare Japan eSIM plans · Compare USA eSIM plans · Wanderly vs Saily · Wanderly vs Airalo
FAQ
Is Saily better than Airalo? Neither is better overall. Their fixed-data prices were within about $1 in Japan and the USA in October 2026. Saily adds privacy features and longer validity on small plans; Airalo offers more plan lengths and calls-and-texts plans in some destinations.
Is Saily cheaper than Airalo? Barely, and not consistently. In Japan, Saily was one cent cheaper on most sizes. In the USA, Airalo was 49 cents cheaper on 5, 10 and 20 GB. Saily's 1 GB and 3 GB plans last longer for the same price.
Is Saily's unlimited plan really unlimited? Data does not run out, but Saily's plan page says speed drops to up to 1 Mbps after 5 GB in a day. Check the daily full-speed allowance on any unlimited plan before buying.
Who owns Saily? Nord Security, the company behind NordVPN. Saily launched in 2024.
Do Saily and Airalo give you a phone number? Not with standard data plans. Saily sells a separate US number add-on with call and text plans, and Airalo offers data, calls and texts plans in some destinations, including the USA.
Do Saily and Airalo have rewards? Yes. Saily gives 3% back in Saily credits and $5 per successful referral. Airalo gives Airmoney credit on purchases.
Can I use Saily and Airalo on the same phone? Yes. Most eSIM phones store several profiles. An iPhone 13 or newer can keep two eSIMs active at once, with one handling mobile data.
Sources
Prices and plan rules were read on 21 October 2026 from Saily Japan, Saily USA, Airalo Japan and Airalo United States. Wanderly prices are from our live catalogue on the same date. Read our Saily eSIM review for more on Saily alone.