Sometimes renowned and leading companies come up with a new idea that turns into something promising. In the world of secure internet connections anywhere in the world, NordVPN is an important and large provider. Nord Security, the company behind NordVPN, decided to discover, innovate and take the world of eSIM to new heights through Saily.
In fact, eSIMs aren't that different from VPNs. Both are actually designed to give people a reliable connection, especially away from home.
Where a VPN protects your privacy on different networks, an eSIM gives you a secure and reliable internet connection when you travel, wherever you travel.
The fact that Saily is a product of NordVPN of course gives Saily eSIMs an advantage. At Traveltomtom we took a closer look at Saily eSIMs to see whether they live up to their great name and promises.
How does Saily work?
Whatever your destination, Saily is there for you according to the Saily website. Saily has made their entire eSIM process as simple as possible, so that it is easy to purchase an eSIM. Even if you're not tech savvy.
You basically start with deciding your destination. Most of the times, when you start searching for eSIMs, you already know your destination. So, once you know that, start searching for specific eSIM plans for your next destination. Selecting the right plan is important and depends on several factors. For example, how long are you going to travel for and how much data do you think you will need?
Once you have decided on the most suitable eSIM plan for your next trip it's best to download the Saily app. You will need it anyway in the end. You can buy the eSIM from their website, but you will need the app to install and activate the eSIM. We'll go deeper into the Saily app later.
After you have downloaded the Saily app it's super easy to install and set up the eSIM, just follow the instructions. How to activate? Don't worry, your plan will automatically activate when you reach your destination or 30 days after you've bought it. Couldn't be easier!
Why Saily?
Traveling with an eSIM has many advantages, which we enjoy the benefits of every day. With an eSIM you have no roaming charges! You might have experienced this yourself in the past and believe us when we say that roaming charges can add up quickly. Just get a prepaid data plan for your next destination and stay in control of your phone bill. It's as easy as that.
With Saily and the Saily app you are connected in just a few taps. Your plan and mobile data will be ready to use when you get to your destination. No further action needed.
Saily offers multiple affordable data plans which you can choose from. You can get as much or as little data as you need. There is a plan for every need. On your first purchase with Saily you get an eSIM which you can and will use for all your future travels. Simply add new destinations to your existing Saily eSIM by using the Saily app.
Saily plans
Saily actually offers three types of eSIM plans: country, region, global. You have the local plans where you buy an eSIM plan for a specific country. That means if you order an Saily eSIM for the USA, it is only valid in the USA.
You also have regional plans, where you buy a plan for a larger region, for example Europe. You then have a connection without roaming costs in multiple countries.
Saily ranks really well in our Brazil eSIM comparison and comes out as best eSIM for Brazil.
Other available eSIMs for larger regions are: Asia, North America, Middle East & North Africa, Latin America, Africa and Caribbean Islands.
Finally, there is also a Saily global plan that gives you worldwide access, something for the real world travelers among us.
The Saily Global eSIM plans also rank high in our list of the best international sim cards for traveling the world.
Keep in mind that athough it is called a Global plan, it is not valid in every country, but 'just' in 105 countries around the world.
Click above for more details about any of the Saily eSIM plans.
Saily App
We mentioned it before in this blog, but Saily has its own app and it is useful! You can download the app from your app store and create an account. From there you can browse their destinations and plans very easily.
That said, it is not mandatory to download the Saily app to order an eSIM. You can also simply order an eSIM on the Saily website and use a Saily eSIM without downloading the app.
For testing Saily we tried out the app and we purchased a Saily eSIM via the app.
Go to your destination and select the plan that best suits your travel plans. Select your payment method (creditcard, google Pay, Ideal or paypal) and very easily make the payment.
Once your payment is confirmed, your order is successful as well. You can then proceed within the app.
Instal Saily eSIM
Start with checking your eSIM plan in the app. If you go to the eSIM section in the app you will immediately get a pop up saying that you need to install the eSIM first, otherwise you won't be able to use it. It's just a matter of following the steps in the app. You can't do anything wrong with this.
Before you know it, you will receive the message 'eSIM installed' and you can get started!
We purchased the Saily eSIM at our destination, so once it was installed it became immediately active. If you buy it before you travel, it will remain inactive until you reach your destination. Once you reach your destination it will become active without any extra effort needed.
The app is basic and simple, but gives you all the exact information you need. You can have an extensive app, but sometimes the basis is just strong and sufficient. With Saily this is definitely the case. Basically you only need the eSIM section of the app. Here you find your current data plan(s). You can easily add extra plans from here in case you travel to a next destination.
Value for money
What is really useful about Saily is that you can immediately see at what the eSIM starting prices are for your destinations.
In terms of price, Saily is not the cheapest, but certainly not the most expensive either. They offer competitive packages. They also offer packages that few other eSIM providers offer. Like the Saily eSIM for Europe with 100 GB data for 180 days for $179.99 USD. If you are traveling through Europe for a longer period of time, this is really an extremely suitable package.
For a lot of popular tourist destinations Saily eSIMs start from just $3.99 USD. That is a very competitive starting price compared to other eSIM providers.
Find the Saily eSIM for your destination in this link.
FAQ & Support
On the Saily website and in their app you can find a support section with FAQ and common issues. There is no live chat or chat function available. From their app you can leave a support request which will be answered through the email you registered with.
We logged one support request just to test the speed of response and the outcome was a bit disappointing. The email was not immediately answered. If you really encounter problems, you do not have 24/7 support to turn to.
So if you have any questions you will have to be patient. As a traveler you often don't have time to be patience and want to go online immediately, so there is still some room for improvement here when it comes to Saily eSIM support.
Saily vs. NordVPN
As frequent travelers, we can only hope that Saily and NordVPN, both from the same makers, will eventually join forces and that you as a user can use both products for the best price possible. In fact, you cannot separate an eSIM and a good VPN.
As a frequent traveler you always need both. You need a good, fast, local and reliable internet connection, for which an eSIM is of course the ideal solution. But it is also becoming increasingly important to be safe online. That's exactly why you need a good VPN.
We would really love to see NordVPN and Saily join forces and offer a complete package for travelers. At Traveltomtom we are sure that is in the making and are excited to see a joint package coming from Saily and NordVPN.
Traveltomtom eSIM tip
A last eSIM tip from us. If you just like Traveltomtom are a major user of various eSIM providers then make sure you give every eSIM a clear name in the eSIM management of your phone. As you now know, most eSIM are reusable, including Saily. This is also a big plus about using Saily eSIMs. You don't have to constantly install a new eSIM. You install the Saily eSIM once and then you activate a package on your profile. Either through the app or the website.
Organize all your eSIMs on your phone and keep them safe for your next trip!
Click above for more info or to order a Saily eSIM for your next trip abroad.