Overview

Saily entered the travel eSIM market in 2024 backed by Nord Security -- the company behind NordVPN -- and immediately differentiated itself with something no competitor offers: built-in privacy and security features. Virtual Location masking, ad blocking, and web protection come bundled with every plan, turning what is normally a simple data connection into a privacy-hardened browsing experience. For travelers connecting to sketchy airport Wi-Fi or hotel networks, these features solve a real problem.

Beyond the security angle, Saily competes aggressively on price. Plans start at $1.79 per gigabyte, undercutting even Airalo on many routes. The app is clean and well-designed, as you would expect from a team with NordVPN's UX pedigree, and the Trustpilot rating of 4.7 out of 5 reflects genuine user satisfaction. But Saily is still young, and it shows in places: coverage depth in remote areas lags behind established players, traffic routing through Romania introduces latency for real-time applications, and the app-only installation process lacks the QR code fallback that most competitors provide. Saily is the most exciting newcomer in years, but it is not yet the complete package.

Features Deep-Dive

Built-In Security Suite

Saily's standout feature is its integrated security toolkit, inherited from Nord Security's expertise. Virtual Location masks your actual IP address while browsing, preventing websites and services from tracking your physical location or serving you inflated "tourist prices" that some booking sites are known to deploy. The ad blocker strips intrusive advertising from web pages, reducing data consumption and speeding up page loads. Web protection flags known malicious sites before you visit them.

These features are not gimmicks -- they address real vulnerabilities that travelers face daily. Public Wi-Fi networks at airports, cafes, and hotels are prime hunting grounds for data interception, and most travelers do not think to activate a separate VPN. Saily bakes that protection into the connectivity itself, eliminating an extra step and an extra subscription. The trade-off is that routing traffic through Nord Security's infrastructure in Romania adds latency, which can affect video calls, banking app responsiveness, and real-time applications. For general browsing and social media, the impact is negligible.

Competitive Per-GB Pricing

Saily's pricing undercuts most of the market. A 1GB plan for popular destinations starts at $1.79, making it among the cheapest options available. Larger plans scale proportionally: 3GB runs roughly $5-7, 5GB around $8-11, and 10GB between $15-22 depending on the destination. The pricing is transparent and consistent, without the confusing tier structures that some competitors use.

For budget travelers who want straightforward, affordable data without unlimited plan premiums, Saily delivers genuine value. A week-long European trip with 3GB of data costs less than a single coffee at many airport lounges. The only caveat is that Saily's coverage catalog is smaller than Airalo's, so in less popular destinations you may find fewer plan options or slightly higher pricing. For mainstream travel corridors -- Europe, Southeast Asia, North America, Japan -- Saily is consistently among the cheapest.

Saily Ultra Subscription Bundle

For frequent travelers, the Saily Ultra plan at roughly $60 per month bundles unlimited eSIM data, a full NordVPN subscription, NordPass password manager, and airport lounge access through a partnership program. This is an aggressive value proposition: NordVPN alone costs $3-4 per month on annual plans, and airport lounge memberships typically run $300+ per year.

Whether Ultra makes sense depends on travel frequency. For someone taking 4+ international trips per year who already uses or wants NordVPN, the math works out favorably. For occasional travelers, the monthly commitment is harder to justify when pay-as-you-go plans from Saily itself start under $2. The bundle is clearly aimed at the digital nomad and frequent business traveler segment rather than casual vacationers.

Pricing Analysis

Saily occupies the budget tier of the eSIM market, and it earns that position honestly. Its per-GB rates match or beat Airalo across most popular destinations, and the gap widens on smaller plans where Airalo's fixed overhead per plan makes its per-GB cost higher. A 1GB Thailand plan on Saily costs roughly $1.79-2.50, compared to $4.50 on Airalo. For 5GB plans, the difference narrows but Saily typically remains 10-20% cheaper.

The catch is that Saily does not offer unlimited plans outside the Ultra subscription. Heavy users choosing between capped Saily plans and Holafly's unlimited offerings will find that above roughly 5GB of daily usage, Holafly's flat rate becomes more economical. Saily's sweet spot is the moderate user on a defined trip: someone who needs 3-10GB over a week and wants the lowest possible price for that specific amount. Add the included security features, and the effective value is even higher -- you are getting VPN-grade protection that would cost $3-12 per month separately, bundled free with your data plan.

Who Is This For?

Saily works best for:

• Privacy-conscious travelers who want built-in protection without the hassle of configuring a separate VPN. The security suite is genuinely useful for anyone connecting through public networks, and the fact that it requires zero setup makes it practical for less technical users.
• Budget travelers on mainstream routes visiting popular destinations in Europe, Asia, or North America. Saily's per-GB pricing is among the lowest available, and the app experience is polished enough that the budget pricing does not feel like a compromise.
• Digital nomads and frequent travelers who can justify the Saily Ultra subscription. The bundle economics are compelling if you were already planning to pay for NordVPN and travel data separately.

Who Should NOT Use This

Saily might not be the right choice if:

• You rely on video calls or banking apps: The traffic routing through Romania introduces measurable latency that can disrupt real-time communications and trigger security warnings on some banking applications. If your travel work involves frequent video conferences, Airalo or Ubigi provide more direct routing with lower latency.
• You travel to remote or unusual destinations: Saily's coverage catalog is still growing, and less popular countries may have limited or no plan availability. Airalo and GigSky offer broader geographic reach for off-the-beaten-path travel.
• You prefer QR code installation: Saily requires installation exclusively through its app, with no QR code or manual configuration option. If your phone has limited storage or you prefer the flexibility of QR-based setup, most other providers offer that alternative.

Bottom Line

Saily is the most compelling newcomer in the travel eSIM market, combining budget-friendly pricing with genuinely useful security features that no competitor matches. The NordVPN pedigree shows in the app quality and privacy infrastructure. It is not yet as versatile as Airalo or as convenient as Holafly, but for privacy-aware travelers on popular routes, Saily delivers more value per dollar than anyone else.

FAQ

Does Saily's security features slow down my connection?

The security routing adds some latency, typically 20-50ms compared to a direct carrier connection. For browsing, social media, messaging, and streaming, this is unnoticeable. For real-time video calls and latency-sensitive applications like online gaming or live trading, you may notice delays. You can disable the security features in the app if you need maximum speed for a specific task.

How does Saily compare to using NordVPN with a regular eSIM?

Saily's built-in protection is lighter than a full NordVPN tunnel -- it focuses on location masking, ad blocking, and malicious site protection rather than full traffic encryption. If you need complete VPN coverage (for example, to access geo-restricted streaming services), a separate NordVPN subscription provides more comprehensive protection. The Saily Ultra bundle includes both, making it the most cost-effective option for users who want everything.

Can I use Saily on Android devices?

Yes, Saily supports both iOS and Android. However, the app-only installation requirement means you need to download the Saily app before you can install your eSIM profile. There is no QR code fallback, so ensure you have app store access and sufficient storage before departing. Some Android devices may require enabling eSIM functionality in settings before installation.