Saily eSIM Review 2026: Is Saily Good for Travel?
Updated: 4 days ago
Disclosure: TechNovice is supported by affiliate partnerships. Saily is a partner of this site, but all evaluations follow the same transparent verification standards.
Yes. Based on my own international use and TechNovice's field testing, I consider Saily one of the strongest all-round travel eSIMs in 2026.
I have personally used Saily during international trips for navigation, remote work, video calls, hotspot sharing and everyday travel. TechNovice's current test database contains 132 documented non-Wi-Fi mobile measurements across 12 countries, while our broader hands-on Saily experience covers additional destinations where we used the service without running comparable Speedtests.
What I like most about Saily is not one record-breaking result. It is the combination of easy setup, a reusable eSIM profile, country and regional plans, hotspot support and built-in security features.
Europe is one of the strongest use cases in my experience because the same eSIM can stay installed while traveling between countries. This is particularly useful for travelers coming from the United States or other non-European markets who would otherwise rely on international roaming.
Performance still depends on the local mobile network. Our measurements range from below 1 Mbps in difficult conditions to 798.49 Mbps in Latvia, which is why I do not judge an eSIM based on one impressive Speedtest.
Saily promo code TECH gives new customers 15% off their first purchase under the offer conditions confirmed through my Saily partnership. For subscriptions, the discount applies only to the first payment. I maintain current checkout evidence and eligibility details in my Saily Coupon Guide.
Saily at a Glance
Question | Answer |
|---|---|
What is Saily? | A prepaid travel eSIM service developed by Nord Security, the company behind NordVPN |
Is Saily good for travel? | Yes. It is my preferred all-round option for many international trips |
Best for | International and multi-country travel |
Destinations | 200+ countries and regions |
Europe | Country plans and a European regional plan |
5G | Available where supported by the local network, device and plan |
Hotspot | Yes |
Reusable eSIM | Yes |
Local phone number | Standard data plans do not provide a local destination number |
Calls & SMS | Optional US +1 number available separately |
Security features | Ad Blocker, Web Protection and Virtual Location |
TechNovice test database | 132 documented non-Wi-Fi mobile measurements across 12 countries |
Discount | TECH — 15% off the first purchase for new customers; subscription discounts apply to the first payment only |
Is Saily Good for International Travel?
Yes. In my experience, Saily is particularly useful for travelers who want one eSIM that can remain installed across multiple international trips.
I have used Saily for tasks that matter more to me than simply running Speedtests:
Google Maps and navigation
Uber and Grab
messaging and WhatsApp
banking and authentication apps
hotel and flight bookings
Google Meet and video calls
online teaching
remote work
laptop tethering
streaming
train, bus and road travel
For most of these tasks, you do not need hundreds of megabits per second.
A stable 30–50 Mbps connection is already enough for most normal travel use. That is why I look at reliability, latency, weak results and actual use in addition to download speed.
Saily's biggest technical limitation is the same as with every roaming-based travel eSIM: it still relies on the underlying mobile networks.
An eSIM cannot create coverage where there is no usable local signal.
How We Test Saily at TechNovice
I want the evidence behind this Saily eSIM review to be transparent.
I am Nico Dudli, founder of TechNovice and the primary reviewer of Saily on this site. I have personally used Saily extensively during international travel, particularly across Europe and Asia.
Additional field testing has been conducted by Svenja Eichenberger, including newer measurements in Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore.
Our current master database contains:
132 non-Wi-Fi mobile measurements
12 countries with quantitative mobile data
5G, LTE, 3G and other mobile connections
city, airport, rural and island environments
real-world hotspot and remote-work use
Our broader hands-on Saily experience extends beyond those 12 quantitative datasets to destinations where the service was used but no comparable mobile Speedtest was recorded.
That distinction matters.
For example, I personally used Saily in Singapore, but I did not run documented Speedtests there. The current Singapore performance measurements were recorded by Svenja.
I also publish poor results.
A 700 Mbps screenshot looks impressive, but it tells travelers very little if the service performs badly somewhere else on the same trip.
For the same reason, I do not use a Speedtest server name as proof of the underlying mobile carrier. Network partners are only identified when separately verified or directly observed.
These tests are real-world field measurements, not controlled nationwide network benchmarks.
Where We Have Tested and Used Saily
Our hands-on Saily experience currently includes:
Destination | Tester / evidence | Main takeaway |
|---|---|---|
Switzerland | Nico | Extensive urban, regional and Alpine testing |
France | Nico | Strong mobile results plus remote-work use |
Portugal | Nico | Large dataset with major location differences |
Spain | Nico | Strong recent 5G results |
Italy | Nico | Extremely wide performance range |
Germany | Nico | Good urban use, weaker connectivity during some train journeys |
Austria | Nico | Reliable for road travel and navigation |
United Kingdom / Scotland | Nico | Normal travel and remote-work use |
Latvia | Nico | Fastest measurement in the current database |
Lithuania | Nico | Strong and relatively consistent tested performance |
Thailand | Nico + Svenja | Multiple trips, cities and islands |
Vietnam | Nico | Strong real-world mobile performance |
Singapore | Nico + Svenja | Nico used Saily; Svenja collected the current Speedtests |
Indonesia | Svenja | Nine documented mobile measurements on Bali and Lombok |
UAE | Nico | Successful airport and transit use |
Turkey | TechNovice testing | Very strong recent 5G measurements |
The depth of testing differs significantly between countries.
That is why this hub summarizes the evidence instead of pretending every destination has an identical sample size.
What My Saily eSIM Review Shows After 132 Mobile Tests
The current database is large enough that individual peak results are no longer the most useful metric.
For mobile-network testing, I primarily use the median because a few exceptionally high or low measurements can distort the arithmetic average.
Country | Mobile tests | Median download | Fastest download |
|---|---|---|---|
Latvia | 4 | 375.63 Mbps | 798.49 Mbps |
Turkey | 3 | 342.39 Mbps | 372.50 Mbps |
Lithuania | 4 | 293.76 Mbps | 377.06 Mbps |
France | 5 | 254.73 Mbps | 369.63 Mbps |
Vietnam | 1 | 247.36 Mbps | 247.36 Mbps |
Thailand | 12 | 222.91 Mbps | 717.82 Mbps |
Spain | 3 | 194.66 Mbps | 309.98 Mbps |
Indonesia | 9 | 178.99 Mbps | 348.93 Mbps |
Singapore | 2 | 119.84 Mbps | 136.65 Mbps |
Italy | 8 | 76.23 Mbps | 625.09 Mbps |
Portugal | 20 | 66.12 Mbps | 137.03 Mbps |
Switzerland | 61 | 60.35 Mbps | 515.19 Mbps |
These figures should not be interpreted as a ranking of national mobile networks.
The sample sizes, test locations, dates, devices and conditions differ.
Switzerland illustrates this particularly well.
The database contains 61 non-Wi-Fi measurements ranging from very weak connections to 515.19 Mbps, while the median is 60.35 Mbps.
Italy is even more extreme: the peak is 625.09 Mbps, while the median across eight tests is only 76.23 Mbps.
That is exactly why I prefer median values over impressive screenshots.
My takeaway: Saily can deliver extremely fast 5G performance, but the underlying mobile network and location matter far more than the eSIM brand alone.
Why Can Saily Have High Latency Even With Fast Download Speeds?
Download speed and latency measure different things.
A travel eSIM may use international roaming infrastructure rather than sending traffic directly to the internet through the nearest domestic network gateway.
Depending on the roaming architecture, traffic may travel through a regional or international IP breakout before reaching the public internet.
This can create a situation where the phone receives hundreds of megabits per second but still has relatively high ping.
Our Singapore tests illustrate why this distinction matters. The two documented measurements reached 103.03 Mbps and 136.65 Mbps, while median latency was considerably higher at 272.5 ms.
However, I do not infer the exact routing path from latency alone.
High ping can also result from:
network congestion
radio conditions
international routing
VPN usage
temporary network configuration
distance to network infrastructure
Latency matters particularly for:
video calls
cloud gaming
remote desktops
real-time collaboration
For Google Maps, messaging, browsing and normal streaming, it is usually less noticeable.
Is Saily Good for Europe?
Yes. Europe is one of the strongest use cases for Saily in my experience.
I have personally used Saily across European destinations including Switzerland, France, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria, Latvia and Lithuania.
For a trip involving one country, I would compare:
a Saily country plan
your existing carrier's roaming offer
a local SIM or eSIM if you need a local number
For a multi-country European trip, a regional eSIM becomes much more convenient.
Example itineraries include:
France → Switzerland → Italy
Spain → Portugal
Germany → Austria → Switzerland
Italy → Austria → Germany
You do not need to replace the eSIM when crossing borders covered by the same regional plan.
This is particularly relevant for travelers from the United States, because US carrier international roaming can vary substantially by plan.
But I would not automatically buy an eSIM just because I am traveling internationally.
Always compare what your existing carrier already includes.
For more detailed European testing, see my Saily eSIM Europe Review.
Switzerland: My Most Extensive Local Testing
Switzerland is my home market, so it provides my deepest long-term testing environment.
The current master database contains 61 non-Wi-Fi Saily measurements in Switzerland.
The median download speed across those measurements is 60.35 Mbps, while the fastest reached 515.19 Mbps in Chur.
I have tested Saily in:
St. Gallen
Graubünden
the Engadin
Lake Constance areas
Alpine environments
cities and rural locations
The mountain tests are particularly important.
I have encountered places with perfectly usable connectivity and other locations where there was little or no usable mobile signal.
That makes Switzerland a good example of why I do not treat a 500 Mbps city result as proof of nationwide performance.
Read my full Saily Switzerland Review.
Portugal: 20 Mobile Measurements
Portugal is another one of my largest individual datasets.
The current master database contains 20 non-Wi-Fi mobile measurements, with:
median download: 66.12 Mbps
fastest download: 137.03 Mbps
slowest download: 0.47 Mbps
median latency: 115 ms
I used Saily for:
Google Maps
Uber
FaceTime
Google Meet
hotspot use
streaming
normal travel research
The 0.47 Mbps result is especially useful because it shows the opposite of the marketing-friendly Speedtests.
Saily worked very well in many Portuguese locations but performance could change dramatically depending on where I was.
Read the complete Saily Portugal Review.
Thailand: Multiple Trips and 12 Mobile Tests
Thailand now has one of the strongest Saily datasets on TechNovice.
I have personally used Saily during several Thailand trips, including for:
remote work
video calls
hotspot use
navigation
banking
travel planning
Newer quantitative testing also includes measurements by Svenja Eichenberger.
The current dataset contains 12 non-Wi-Fi mobile measurements with:
median download: 222.91 Mbps
fastest download: 717.82 Mbps
slowest download: 2.64 Mbps
median latency: 117.5 ms
That range tells the real story better than the 717.82 Mbps peak alone.
Read the full Best eSIM for Thailand guide.
Indonesia: Field Testing by Svenja Eichenberger
I have not personally traveled to Indonesia for these tests.
The TechNovice Indonesia dataset was collected by Svenja Eichenberger during travel on Bali and Lombok.
The current dataset contains nine non-Wi-Fi mobile measurements:
median download: 178.99 Mbps
fastest download: 348.93 Mbps
slowest download: 11.95 Mbps
median latency: 147 ms
The tests show that Saily can provide strong mobile performance in the tested locations while also demonstrating meaningful variation.
These are Svenja's field measurements, not my personal Indonesia experience.
Singapore: My Use vs. Svenja's Measurements
I have personally used Saily while traveling in Singapore.
The service worked well for my normal travel needs, but I did not run documented Speedtests during that trip.
The current quantitative Singapore dataset comes from Svenja Eichenberger.
Her two comparable mobile tests measured:
103.03 Mbps
136.65 Mbps
The median download is therefore 119.84 Mbps.
This distinction is intentional: personal experience and quantitative field measurements should not be attributed to the same person when they came from different testers.
What Is Saily?
Saily is a prepaid travel eSIM service developed by Nord Security, the company behind NordVPN.
An eSIM is a digital SIM profile built into compatible smartphones.
Instead of buying a physical SIM card after landing, you can install Saily before departure and purchase a data plan through the app.
Once the Saily profile is installed, it can remain on the phone for future trips.
You can then add another destination or regional plan without installing a completely new eSIM every time.
That reusable setup is one of the main reasons I like Saily for frequent international travel.
Which Saily Plan Should You Choose?
Saily offers several types of plans:
country plans
regional plans
global options
unlimited options in selected destinations
Saily Ultra
I would choose based on the itinerary rather than automatically buying the largest package.
One country: A country plan usually makes the most sense.
Several European countries: Compare the regional Europe plan with individual country plans.
Frequent international travel: Compare regional or global plans and Saily Ultra.
Heavy hotspot or video use: Choose a larger data package or unlimited option where available.
Because prices and available packages change much faster than our field-test data, I maintain them separately in my Saily Plans Guide.
Can You Use Saily as a Hotspot?
Yes. Saily supports hotspot sharing.
I have personally used Saily to tether:
laptops
additional smartphones
work devices
I have worked through Saily connections using browser applications, content-management systems, research tools and video calls.
Hotspot performance depends primarily on:
the underlying mobile connection
latency
signal strength
remaining data
number of connected devices
If you work remotely, I would buy substantially more data than someone who mainly uses Maps and messaging.
Does Saily Support 5G?
Yes. Saily can connect to 5G where the local partner network, device and plan support it.
Our database contains numerous real 5G measurements, including results above 700 Mbps.
But 5G support does not mean 5G everywhere.
During one trip, a phone can move between:
strong 5G
LTE
weak data
no usable signal
That is normal mobile-network behavior.
Saily Security Features
Saily includes several security and privacy tools alongside mobile data:
Ad Blocker
Web Protection
Virtual Location
Ad Blocker
The Ad Blocker can prevent many advertising and tracking domains from loading.
Besides reducing clutter, this can also reduce unnecessary mobile-data consumption.
Web Protection
Web Protection is designed to help block malicious websites, phishing domains and trackers.
I treat it as an additional security layer, not a replacement for normal security practices.
Virtual Location
Virtual Location can change where your internet connection appears to originate.
This can be useful for privacy and selected location-based services.
I would still distinguish Saily's integrated tools from the capabilities of a dedicated full VPN.
Does Saily Include a Phone Number, Calls or SMS?
Many older Saily reviews are outdated on this point.
The standard Saily travel eSIM primarily provides mobile data. It does not provide a local phone number for the country you are visiting.
For example:
an Italy plan does not provide an Italian +39 number
a Thailand plan does not provide a Thai +66 number
a Swiss plan does not provide a Swiss +41 number
Saily also offers a separate optional US +1 phone number for supported calls and SMS.
That is different from receiving a local number at your destination.
On compatible dual-SIM devices, you can also keep your normal SIM active while using Saily for data.
Check your home-carrier roaming settings carefully to avoid unexpected charges.
How to Install Saily
The basic setup is straightforward:
Download the Saily app.
Create an account.
Select your destination or regional plan.
Purchase a data package.
Install the Saily eSIM.
Assign mobile data to Saily.
Enable data roaming for the Saily line.
Check or disable roaming for your normal SIM.
I recommend installing the eSIM before departure while you still have reliable Wi-Fi.
Once installed, you can leave the profile on your phone for future trips.
For detailed instructions:
Saily vs Airalo vs Holafly
There is no travel eSIM that is automatically best for everyone.
I have substantially more real-world field-test evidence for Saily than for Airalo or Holafly.
For that reason, I do not claim that Saily is objectively faster than its competitors.
A valid speed comparison would require the providers to be tested:
at the same location
at the same time
on comparable devices
under comparable network conditions
My decision framework is therefore based on use case:
Provider | Consider it if... |
|---|---|
Saily | You want flexible plans, hotspot support, regional coverage and built-in security features |
Airalo | Its package structure suits your particular destination or data requirement better |
Holafly | Unlimited-style data is your main priority |
Local SIM/eSIM | You need a genuine local phone number or long-term domestic mobile service |
Based on my own travel needs and testing, Saily is currently my preferred overall option.
For deeper comparisons:
When I Would Not Buy Saily
I would not automatically buy Saily for every international trip.
It may not make sense if:
your existing mobile plan already includes generous roaming
you need very little mobile data
you require a genuine local phone number
you are staying for several months
a local prepaid offer is substantially cheaper
you mostly use Wi-Fi
A good travel eSIM solves a problem.
If your existing plan already solves that problem, buying another eSIM is unnecessary.
Common Saily Problems
The most common issues I have encountered or investigated include:
mobile data assigned to the wrong SIM
data roaming disabled for Saily
incorrect phone configuration
weak local coverage
carrier-locked or unsupported device
temporary network or routing issues
exhausted data allowance
If Saily is installed but does not connect, check:
Is the Saily line enabled?
Is mobile data assigned to Saily?
Is data roaming enabled?
Does the phone show a mobile signal?
Is data remaining on the plan?
For detailed fixes, see my Saily Troubleshooting Guide.
Saily Pros and Cons
What I Like
simple setup
reusable eSIM profile
broad international availability
country and regional plans
strong Europe use case
hotspot support
5G where available
integrated security features
optional US phone number
easy top-ups
strong performance in many real-world tests
What I Do Not Like
performance still depends heavily on local mobile networks
standard plans do not provide a local destination number
rural and mountain dead zones remain possible
high download speed can still come with high latency
competitors may be cheaper for certain trips
users with good existing roaming may not need Saily
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Saily eSIM legit?
Yes. Saily is a legitimate travel eSIM service developed by Nord Security, the company behind NordVPN.
I have personally used Saily during international travel, while TechNovice's current database contains 132 documented non-Wi-Fi mobile measurements.
Is Saily good for travel?
Yes. Based on my own travel use and TechNovice's wider field testing, Saily is a strong all-round travel eSIM.
Its biggest advantages are simple installation, reusable eSIM setup, hotspot support, regional plans and integrated security tools.
The main limitation is that performance still depends on the local mobile network.
Is Saily good for Europe?
Yes.
Europe is one of the use cases where I find Saily particularly useful because a regional plan can cover multiple countries without requiring a SIM change at each border.
Is Saily good for travelers from the United States?
It can be.
A Saily eSIM lets compatible dual-SIM phones use Saily for mobile data while keeping the normal US SIM active.
However, compare your existing carrier's international roaming before purchasing another plan.
Does Saily support 5G?
Yes.
Our field testing includes numerous 5G connections and measured download speeds above 700 Mbps.
5G availability still depends on location, partner network and device.
Can I use Saily as a hotspot?
Yes.
I have repeatedly used Saily for laptop and smartphone tethering during travel and remote work.
Does Saily have a phone number?
The normal Saily travel eSIM does not provide a local destination-country number.
Saily separately offers an optional US +1 number for supported calls and SMS.
Can I keep my normal phone number?
Yes.
On compatible dual-SIM phones, your normal SIM can stay active while Saily handles mobile data.
Is Saily better than Airalo?
For my travel needs, I currently prefer Saily.
However, I have not performed controlled side-by-side testing across every destination, so I do not claim Saily is always faster than Airalo.
Is Saily better than Holafly?
It depends on your priorities.
I prefer Saily for flexible fixed-data plans, hotspot use and its security features. Holafly may be more attractive if unlimited-style data is your main requirement.
What Saily discount code works?
Saily promo code TECH gives new customers 15% off their first purchase under the offer conditions confirmed through my Saily partnership. For subscriptions, the discount applies only to the first payment. I maintain current checkout evidence and eligibility details in my Saily Coupon Guide.
Final Verdict: Is Saily Worth It in 2026?
Yes. Saily is currently my preferred all-round travel eSIM based on my own international use and TechNovice's wider field-test evidence.
The reason is not one 798 Mbps Speedtest.
It is the overall package:
simple installation
reusable eSIM profile
broad international coverage
country and regional plans
strong performance in many tested locations
hotspot support
integrated security tools
convenient app-based management
Our testing also documents the opposite side.
We have measured extremely fast 5G as well as slow connections, high latency and poor coverage.
That makes the evidence more useful than a review built only around successful Speedtests.
If I were traveling internationally and primarily needed mobile data without buying a physical SIM after arrival, Saily would be one of the first eSIMs I would check.
More Saily Guides on TechNovice
This Saily eSIM review is the central hub for my Saily coverage. For specific questions and destinations, use the dedicated guides:
About the Author
Nico Dudli is the founder of TechNovice and Heyweb GmbH and teaches digital technologies, business informatics and AI at Swiss higher professional education institutions.
Based in St. Gallen, Switzerland, he tests travel technology under real-world conditions while traveling and working remotely.
TechNovice's eSIM coverage combines Nico's own field experience with documented testing by additional contributors, including Svenja Eichenberger.
Personal experience, measurements and separately researched provider information are deliberately kept distinct.
