Saily eSIM review: peace of mind on our USA trip
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Table of Contents
Ad · affiliate linkMy wife and I used Saily on our recent trip to the USA. We set it up at home, landed, and our phones just worked. No issues at all, the whole trip. That’s the review. The rest of this page is what’s worth knowing before you buy one, including who shouldn’t.
The short version
A travel eSIM is a data plan you download onto your phone instead of a plastic SIM you buy at the airport. The point of it isn’t speed or price. It’s not having to think about your phone once you’re overseas.
Data working when we landed, without hunting for airport wifi or a SIM kiosk.
You know what the data costs before you leave. No roaming pack ticking over in the background, and no surprise bill when you get home.
A phone number. It’s data only, so calls and texts go through apps like WhatsApp unless you add Saily’s separate number plan.
Anyone whose phone doesn’t support eSIM, and anyone who needs normal calls and texts on their Australian number all trip. WhatsApp and FaceTime calls still work, because they run on data.
Where it earns its keep
- Landing. Install it at home and Saily says the data starts on its own when you arrive. You walk out of the terminal already connected.
- The bill. You pay for the plan up front. If you run low, you top up in the app rather than finding out at home.
- The next trip. One Saily eSIM works across countries, so you add a plan for the next destination instead of installing a new one.
- Sharing. Hotspot is allowed, so a laptop or a second phone can borrow the data. It comes out of the same allowance.
- Help. Saily runs chat support around the clock in the app, which matters when you’re in a different time zone to everyone you know.
Four things the other pages leave out
- Your phone has to support eSIM. Not every phone does. Check Saily’s supported device list before you buy.
- Your Australian SIM can still roam. If you leave your normal line switched on overseas, your carrier can still charge roaming on it. Saily’s own guide says to turn that line off before you travel, and shows how on iPhone and Android.
- Turning it off has a cost too. While your Australian line is off, calls and texts to that number won’t reach you, and that includes bank codes sent by SMS. Sort those out before you fly.
- Unlimited isn’t unlimited at full speed. Saily’s US unlimited plan gives 5GB a day at full speed, then up to 1 Mbps. That’s fine for maps and messages, and slow for video.
The facts, from Saily
How this review was put together: the verdict at the top is from our own trip to the USA. Every figure below comes from Saily’s own website and help pages. Saily didn’t supply or check any of it.
For the USA, Saily sells fixed plans from 1GB over 7 days up to 20GB over 30 days, plus unlimited plans of 10 to 30 days. It runs on 4G, LTE or 5G depending on the local network. Saily doesn’t name which US networks it uses.
Every plan also includes three extras Saily calls security features: a virtual location, an ad blocker, and web protection that checks sites against a list of known threats. Nice to have. They’re not why you’d buy it.
I haven’t put a price on this page. Saily prices change with the destination, the plan length and the currency, and a number typed here would be wrong for most trips. Check it on the page you land on.
How to set it up before you fly
Do this at home, on your own wifi, a few days out.
- Download the Saily app and buy a plan for where you’re going.
- Install the eSIM from the app. You have 30 days from purchase to do it.
- Leave it. Saily says the data package starts automatically when you land.
- Before you board, switch off your Australian line if you don’t want roaming charges on it.
That last step is the one people forget, and it’s the one that brings the bill home with you.
Who shouldn’t buy this
If your phone doesn’t support eSIM, stop here. If your work needs you reachable on your Australian number every day of the trip, a travel eSIM alone won’t do it, and your carrier’s roaming pack may genuinely suit you better. And if you’re only crossing to New Zealand for a weekend and barely using data, check what your current plan already includes before you spend anything.
Questions people ask about Saily
Does Saily give me a phone number?
Not on a data plan. Calls and texts go through apps like WhatsApp or FaceTime. Saily sells a separate phone number plan if you need one.
When does my Saily plan start?
If you install it before you leave, Saily says the data package starts working automatically as soon as you land at your destination.
Can I still get calls on my Australian number?
Yes, if your phone can run a physical SIM and an eSIM at the same time. Saily warns that roaming charges may apply on your Australian line, so check with your carrier first.
Can I use Saily as a hotspot?
Yes. Hotspot is allowed, and it uses the same data allowance. Saily’s fair use policy applies.
What happens if I run out of data?
You top up in the Saily app. Pick the eSIM, add data, choose a plan and pay.
Related guides
If you’re travelling, the NordVPN page covers the other thing I use on hotel and airport wifi, and why. Everything in the ScreenBots section is software we pay for ourselves.
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