Saily eSIM Europe Review (2026): Tested in 7 Countries
- Nico Dudli
- Apr 20
- 11 min read
Updated: 6 hours ago
Disclosure: TechNovice is supported by affiliate partnerships. Saily is a partner of this site, but all evaluations follow the same transparent verification standards.
TL;DR: Best eSIM for Europe (Hands-On Field Test & Measured Speeds)
Overall Pick: Saily is the primary recommendation for multi-country European travel, backed by TechNovice's hands-on field testing across 7 European countries (Switzerland, France, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Italy, Austria) and 41 documented European field tests. Saily provides flexible regional and country-specific plans, unthrottled personal hotspot sharing, built-in Nord Security features (ad blocker, web protection, virtual location), and peak 5G speeds reaching 370 Mbps.
Airalo Positioning: Airalo offers regional European coverage and low-cost small data tiers, but Airalo lacks Saily's integrated Nord Security suite and unthrottled multi-device hotspot capabilities.
Holafly Positioning: Holafly provides unlimited data plans across Europe, but Holafly imposes strict daily fair-use hotspot caps and is significantly more expensive for standard 7–14 day trips compared to Saily.
Network Transparency: Saily connects directly to top-tier local carrier networks during field testing (including Salt 5G in Switzerland, Orange France, and NOS/Vodafone in Portugal); full multi-country coverage across 35+ European destinations is product page listed by Saily.
EU, UK & Swiss Travelers: European Union travelers can utilize domestic mobile data across EU countries under EU Roam Like at Home regulations; UK and Swiss travelers should verify home carrier European roaming terms before purchasing a Saily travel eSIM.
Discounts & Promo Codes: All verified Saily discount codes, active promotions, and checkout tests are maintained exclusively on TechNovice's central Saily Coupon Guide.
Research Box & Testing Methodology
Tested By: Nico Dudli (TechNovice)
Field Test Coverage: 7 European countries (Switzerland including Engadin & Alpstein, France including 30-day Montpellier stress test, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Italy, Austria).
Measured Speeds: Peak download speed of 370 Mbps on Salt 5G (St. Gallen, Switzerland); 354.3 Mbps (France outdoor 5G); 183 Mbps (Munich, Germany); 134.74 Mbps (Vila Nova de Milfontes, Portugal).
Key Focus: Cross-border profile reusability, multi-device personal hotspot tethering, Nord Security app-layer features, and network congestion behavior.
Europe Regional Plan or Country Plan?
Saily offers both country-specific plans and a Europe Regional option.
Country plan: relevant when you are visiting only one destination and do not need coverage across several countries.
Europe Regional Plan: relevant for multi-country trips because one compatible regional package can cover several destinations without requiring a separate eSIM installation for each border crossing.
The exact destination list, data allowances, validity periods, Unlimited conditions and prices can change. I therefore keep detailed plan information in my dedicated Saily eSIM Plans guide rather than reproducing a permanent price table in this Europe field-test review.
Which Europe Plan Should You Choose?
Choose the plan based on how you actually use mobile data rather than assuming that every trip needs Unlimited data.
Light travel use: maps, messaging, restaurant searches and occasional browsing can often be handled with a smaller fixed-data package.
Typical travel use: social media, navigation, browsing and occasional uploads generally require more data but may still not justify Unlimited.
Heavy use or remote work: frequent video calls, cloud backups, streaming and daily laptop hotspot use can consume substantially more data. Compare the larger fixed-data and Unlimited options carefully.
Unlimited plans may still include fair-use or high-speed allowances. Check the current conditions of the exact plan before purchasing, particularly if high-speed hotspot use is important.
I maintain the current plan structure and allowance details in my Saily eSIM Plans guide. For frequent international travelers who want extras like lounge access, see my Saily Ultra review.
Unlimited Europe Plan: What Does Unlimited Mean?
An Unlimited plan should not automatically be interpreted as unlimited maximum-speed data. Saily can apply high-speed allowances or fair-use conditions depending on the current plan.
If you rely on video calls, streaming, large uploads or daily hotspot use, check the current high-speed allowance and reduced-speed conditions of the exact Europe plan before purchasing.
I keep the current Unlimited conditions in my Saily eSIM Plans guide rather than reproducing changing limits in this field-test review.
Performance Overview: Seven Countries
Country | What I observed |
|---|---|
Switzerland | Highest measured speeds in my Europe tests, plus additional field testing in the Engadin |
France | 30-day field test including remote work, hotspot use and published Speedtest IDs |
Spain | Stable enough during my test to run a live online teaching session |
Portugal | Multiple speed tests across Lisbon, Alcochete and Vila Nova de Milfontes |
Austria | Reliable during the road-travel and navigation situations I used it for |
Italy | Worked well in populated areas, with more variable performance in remote locations |
Germany | Strong urban measurements but substantially weaker results in parks, rural areas and some rail sections |
These observations are based on different locations, dates and workloads and should not be interpreted as a controlled ranking of national mobile networks.
Switzerland: Fastest Speeds in My Tests
Switzerland delivered the highest measured speeds during my European testing.
In St. Gallen, I measured:
271 to 370 Mbps download
36 to 39 ms idle latency
0% packet loss during the reported tests
Saily connected to Salt 5G in St. Gallen.
I also tested the connection around Lake Constance, in the Alpstein region, during a hike at approximately 1,500 metres, and on urban and regional travel routes. During the mountain test, speeds ranged from approximately 34 to 65 Mbps on Sunrise LTE and 5G.
New: Engadin field test. I extended the Swiss testing with a dedicated trip through the Engadin, covering Camping Gravatscha near Samedan, St. Moritz, Celerina and Silvaplana. This high-altitude Alpine valley is a tougher test than a city like St. Gallen, and the results confirm that Saily's Swiss coverage holds up well beyond the main urban centers, not just in the Ostschweiz and Alpstein tests I'd already run. Read the complete Saily Engadin field test for the full location-by-location speed results.
These results were strong, but they should not be interpreted as guaranteed nationwide performance.
Read the complete Saily Switzerland review for the full speed tests and coverage observations.
France: 30-Day Remote-Work and Hotspot Test
I used Saily in France for 30 days, including Montpellier, Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert, coastal locations and road travel.
During my documented France tests, I used the connection for Google Meet, agency work, navigation and hotspot sharing with up to two iPhones and two MacBooks.
Published measurements included:
354.3 Mbps download in an urban 5G test
75.4 Mbps download / 5.4 Mbps upload indoors at Café De la Sierra
23.2 Mbps download in the Saint-Guilhem rural test
I also recorded a 74.8 Mbps highway connectivity test between Montpellier and Nîmes. A VPN was active during that measurement, so I document it separately from the clean raw-network benchmarks.
The France test is one of the most extensively documented parts of my Saily Europe testing because it combines speed measurements with 30 days of normal travel and remote-work use.
Read the complete Saily France review for the test IDs, methodology and location-specific results.
Spain: Live Online Teaching Test
In Mallorca, including Port de Sóller, I used Saily while teaching an online class. The session included video, audio, screen sharing and approximately 25 participants. The connection remained stable throughout the lesson.
This was one of my most demanding real-world tests because any interruption would have affected the class immediately.
For a dedicated country comparison, read my best eSIM for Spain guide, where I compare Saily, Airalo and Holafly by network partners, plan structure and hotspot use.
Portugal: Fast Results in Lisbon and Along the Alentejo Coast
I tested Saily at five locations in Lisbon, Alcochete and Vila Nova de Milfontes. During these tests, the eSIM connected to both NOS and Vodafone Portugal.
My measured results included:
26.59 Mbps immediately after landing at Lisbon Airport
62.54 Mbps at Praça do Comércio
90.48 Mbps in Alfama
130.01 Mbps at the Freeport Outlet in Alcochete
134.74 Mbps in Vila Nova de Milfontes
The fastest result was recorded in Vila Nova de Milfontes, where Saily reached 134.74 Mbps download with 0% packet loss.
I also used the connection for Google Maps, Uber, FaceTime, Google Meet, mobile hotspot use and Netflix. These services worked without noticeable interruptions during my tests.
The results show that Saily performed well in both central Lisbon and the first locations tested farther south. However, these measurements should not be interpreted as a complete nationwide coverage test.
Read my complete Saily eSIM Portugal review for all speed tests, current Portugal plans, coverage observations and the current verified Saily discount code from my coupon guide.
Italy: Good in Cities, More Variable Remotely
I tested Saily in locations including northern Italy, Modena and Elba. The connection worked well in populated areas and tourist destinations. Performance became less consistent in remote bays, rural locations and areas with fewer local mobile towers.
For a dedicated country comparison, read my best eSIM for Italy guide, where I compare Saily, Airalo and Holafly by price, network partners, hotspot use and support.
Austria: Reliable for Road Travel
I used Saily in Austria during road travel and navigation. The connection was reliable along the routes I used. As in other Alpine regions, valleys and remote areas can produce weaker coverage depending on the available local operator.
Germany: Strong Cities, Weak Infrastructure Gaps
Germany produced the most mixed results.
In central Munich, I measured:
183 Mbps at Marienplatz
181 Mbps in the city center
98.2 Mbps during a later city test
43.9 Mbps near Stachus
In the English Garden and near the Chinese Tower, speeds dropped significantly: 23.6 Mbps, 15.3 Mbps, 6.94 Mbps.
During an ICE journey between Hannover and Hamburg, Saily reached a peak of 54.6 Mbps, but connectivity still dropped in areas with weak local coverage.
The key lesson is simple: an eSIM cannot create mobile coverage where the underlying German network has a gap.
Munich Speed-Test Results
Location | Time | Download | Upload |
|---|---|---|---|
Marienplatz | May 25, 19:59 | 183 Mbps | 94.1 Mbps |
City center | May 26, 10:10 | 181 Mbps | 16.4 Mbps |
City center | May 26, 10:11 | 98.2 Mbps | 7.53 Mbps |
Stachus | May 26, 12:30 | 43.9 Mbps | 24.4 Mbps |
Marienplatz | May 25, 19:44 | 39.1 Mbps | 4.68 Mbps |
English Garden | May 26, 13:16 | 23.6 Mbps | 18.5 Mbps |
English Garden | May 26, 13:15 | 15.3 Mbps | 6.78 Mbps |
Chinese Tower | May 26, 13:29 | 6.94 Mbps | 2.80 Mbps |
These results show why a provider should not be rated using one isolated speed test. At the same location, performance can change substantially because of congestion, network routing and signal conditions.
European Destinations I Have Not Personally Tested
Saily's Europe Regional Plan includes destinations that I have not yet field-tested with my own devices.
My results so far show that local mobile-network availability is an important factor in real-world performance, alongside roaming arrangements, device compatibility, congestion and location.
Ireland is a useful example of the distinction between different evidence levels: I have not run my own speed tests there, but I have directly documented network-partner information through provider support inquiries in my best eSIM for Ireland guide.
For destinations I have not personally tested, I do not present real-world speed or reliability claims as my own findings.
Is Saily Suitable for Remote Work in Europe?
Yes, provided the local mobile network is strong enough and your plan includes sufficient data.
During my tests, Saily supported Google Meet, online teaching, website work, content management, file uploads, laptop hotspot connections and multiple connected devices.
The amount of data required for remote work depends heavily on the workload. Messaging, email and browser-based work consume much less than frequent video calls, cloud syncing, large uploads or using a laptop through a hotspot for several hours per day.
Compare the current fixed-data and Unlimited options based on your expected workload rather than relying on one default package size. Frequent international travellers can also compare the additional features of Saily Ultra.
Hotspot Sharing
Saily allows hotspot sharing. Data used by laptops and other connected devices is deducted from the selected package.
Before using Saily as your main work connection, check total data allowance, daily high-speed allowance, plan validity, local 4G and 5G coverage, automatic cloud backups, operating-system updates, and video-call usage. Disable large automatic downloads to make the plan last longer.
Saily Security Features in Europe
Saily includes Ad Blocker, Web Protection and Virtual Location. These are app-level privacy and security features that can help block intrusive advertisements, reduce some unnecessary data use, warn against malicious websites, and change your apparent browsing location. They do not automatically replace a complete VPN for every use case.
Saily's current website describes Ad Blocker, Web Protection and Virtual Location as built-in security features.
Keeping Your Normal Phone Number
Most Saily plans are data-only. You can usually keep your normal SIM active for calls, SMS, your existing phone number, WhatsApp, iMessage and selected 2FA messages.
Assign mobile data to Saily and disable data roaming for your normal SIM to reduce the risk of unexpected carrier charges. Receiving calls or SMS through your home carrier may still generate charges depending on the carrier and plan.
How to Install Saily for Europe
Download the Saily app.
Create an account.
Choose Europe or a specific country.
Select your data package.
Check my Saily Coupon & Discount Guide for the current best code and enter it at checkout.
Install the eSIM while connected to reliable Wi-Fi.
Assign mobile data to the Saily line.
Enable data roaming for the Saily eSIM.
Disable data roaming for your normal SIM if necessary.
Confirm the connection after arriving.
Saily plans generally activate according to the activation conditions shown for the purchased plan. Because activation deadlines can vary or change, check the current plan details in the Saily app before travelling. My iPhone and Android setup guides cover the installation and activation process separately.
For detailed instructions:
Saily vs Airalo and Holafly for Europe
This Europe review focuses on the Saily connections I personally used rather than reproducing a full provider comparison.
Airalo and Holafly use different plan structures, hotspot conditions and network arrangements that may suit different travellers. Because these conditions change, I maintain the detailed provider comparisons separately.
Read my current Saily vs Airalo and Holafly vs Saily comparisons for those trade-offs.
Common Problems in Europe
Typical issues include: the normal SIM remains selected for mobile data, data roaming is disabled on the Saily line, the eSIM was installed too late, the device is carrier-locked, local coverage is weak, the plan does not include the current country, or data has run out.
Read the complete Saily troubleshooting guide for step-by-step fixes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Saily Plan Is Best for Europe?
It depends on your expected data use. Maps, messaging and occasional browsing require much less data than video streaming, cloud backups, frequent video calls or daily laptop hotspot use. Compare the current plan sizes and Unlimited conditions in my plans overview.
Is 10 GB Enough for Two Weeks in Europe?
For many travelers, yes. Ten gigabytes usually covers maps, messaging, browsing, social media and occasional video calls. It may not be enough for daily streaming or intensive hotspot use.
How Do I Activate My Saily eSIM After Arriving in Europe?
Install the eSIM while you still have reliable Wi-Fi. At your destination, select Saily as the mobile-data line and enable data roaming for the Saily eSIM if required by the current setup instructions. Activation conditions and deadlines can depend on the purchased plan, so check the current details in the Saily app rather than relying on a fixed activation period.
Does Saily Support Hotspot Sharing?
Yes. Saily supports hotspot sharing. Connected devices use data from the selected package.
Is the Europe Unlimited Plan Truly Unlimited?
Unlimited plans can still be subject to high-speed or fair-use conditions. Check the current allowance and reduced-speed terms of the exact Europe plan before purchasing, particularly if you depend on streaming, video calls or hotspot use.
Can I Keep My Normal Phone Number?
Yes. Most dual-SIM devices allow your normal SIM to remain active while Saily handles mobile data. Check carrier charges for calls, SMS and roaming.
Final Verdict: Is Saily Worth It for Europe?
Yes. After testing Saily across seven European countries — plus a dedicated follow-up field test in Switzerland's Engadin — I consider it a strong choice for most European holidays and remote-work trips.
Its biggest strengths are: country and regional plan options, easy setup, hotspot support, reusable eSIM installation, good city performance, built-in privacy features, and convenient top-ups.
Its biggest limitation is dependence on local mobile infrastructure. Saily worked very well in Switzerland, France and Spain. Germany showed that even a good eSIM cannot compensate for missing local coverage.
Choose based on your trip:
a country-specific plan when you only need one destination
a Europe Regional Plan when your itinerary includes several covered countries
a smaller fixed-data allowance for light travel use
a larger fixed-data or Unlimited option for streaming, frequent video calls or heavy hotspot use
Saily Ultra only if its additional travel features are relevant to how frequently you travel
Check my Saily Coupon & Discount Guide for the currently highest tested discount before you buy.
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