Best eSIM Travel 
Airalo vs Saily eSIM — Honest Comparison for Asia 2025
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Saily is Nord Security’s travel eSIM — launched by the same company that makes NordVPN. It’s positioned against Airalo as a privacy-conscious alternative. I compared both on a Thailand-Vietnam trip. Here’s the honest breakdown.
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Quick Comparison Table
| Feature | Airalo | Saily |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2019 | 2023 |
| Countries | 200+ | 150+ |
| Thailand 10GB price | ~$17 | ~$19 |
| Asia Regional 10GB price | ~$17 | ~$29 |
| App quality | Excellent | Very good |
| Privacy focus | Standard | Privacy-first (Nord Security) |
| Customer support | Good | Good (Nord infrastructure) |
| Community/reviews | Very large | Growing |
Pricing — The Key Difference
For Thailand-only plans, pricing is close. For multi-country Asia travel, the gap is substantial:
- Thailand 10GB: Airalo $17 vs Saily $19 — nearly equal
- Asia Regional 10GB: Airalo $17 vs Saily $29 — Airalo 41% cheaper
If you’re doing multi-country Southeast Asia, Airalo’s regional pricing is a significant advantage.
Performance — Both Use AIS in Thailand
In Thailand, both Airalo and Saily roam on AIS — Thailand’s best network. The result:
| Test | Airalo | Saily |
|---|---|---|
| Bangkok download | 52 Mbps | 47 Mbps |
| Bangkok upload | 28 Mbps | 23 Mbps |
| Chiang Mai download | 38 Mbps | 36 Mbps |
Meaninglessly small difference. Both are fast. This is not a deciding factor.
Privacy — Saily’s Real Differentiator
Saily is built by Nord Security — a company whose entire business is built on user privacy. This means:
- Clear no-logging policy for eSIM data
- Privacy-first company culture informing product decisions
- Established trust from NordVPN’s track record
- Pairing Saily eSIM + NordVPN creates a privacy stack from one company
Airalo is a mainstream platform focused on convenience. Privacy policy is standard but not its selling point.
Coverage — Airalo Has More Countries
Airalo covers 200+ countries; Saily covers 150+. For Southeast and East Asia, both cover major destinations. Airalo has broader coverage in Africa, Central Asia, and Pacific islands.
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App Experience
Both apps are well designed. Airalo’s app benefits from 5+ years of iteration — data usage tracking, plan discovery, and eSIM management are all polished. Saily’s app is newer but clearly designed with quality in mind, inheriting Nord’s design quality.
Who Should Choose Each
Choose Airalo:
- Multi-country Asia trip (better regional pricing)
- Price is your primary consideration
- You want the most user-tested, community-supported provider
Choose Saily:
- Privacy is genuinely important to you
- You already use NordVPN and want one trusted company for connectivity
- Thailand/Vietnam only visit where pricing is comparable
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