The answer depends almost entirely on how much data you use. Below about 1 GB a day, Saily's 30-day fixed plans beat Airalo's unlimited passes in 17 of our 18 destinations, often by half. Above that, Airalo's unlimited pass (3 GB a day at full speed) was the better buy in 12 of 18 on a two-week trip. Saily adds a US phone number option and "limitless" hotspot; Airalo adds clearer network names. Saily refunds unused plans within 30 days; Airalo pays refunds in app credit.
| Pick Saily if… | Pick Airalo if… | |
|---|---|---|
| Data use | Under about 1 GB a day | 1.5 GB a day or more, every day |
| Phone number | You need one for SMS codes ($1.99/mo US number) | You don't |
| Networks | You don't mind not knowing | You want the operator named |
| Refunds | You want 30 days on an unused plan | Credit for next time is fine |
| Unlimited cap | 5 GB/day, then 1 Mbps | 3 GB/day, then 1 Mbps |
We compared public prices (31 Oct 2026) and policies (1 Nov 2026) on each provider's own pages; we didn't test either. Aventure SIM is run by the team behind Lotso Travel, a competitor of both. Saily is owned by Nord Security, which also publishes its own Saily-vs-Airalo comparisons; this one isn't affiliated with either.
Head to head · 18 destinations both sell
Saily vs Airalo: who's cheaper for your trip?
Buying the cheapest fitting plan in all 18 destinations would cost $547.78 with Saily and $883.51 with Airalo. A plan that stays at full speed counts as the winner over a cheaper one that slows down. Our price index's standard trip: 0.5 GB a day.
| Destination | Saily | Airalo |
|---|---|---|
| JapanSaily: KDDI, SoftBank · Airalo: SoftBank (+ others) | $17.9910 GB · 30 days | $48Unlimited · 15 days, 3 GB/day full speed |
| NepalAiralo: Ncell | $89.973 × 3 GB · 30 days | $702 × Unlimited · 7 days, 3 GB/day full speed |
| IndonesiaSaily: Telkomsel · Airalo: Indosat (+ others) | $21.9910 GB · 30 days | $48Unlimited · 15 days, 3 GB/day full speed |
| TanzaniaAiralo: Halotel (+ 1 other) | $28.9910 GB · 30 days | $49Unlimited · 15 days, 3 GB/day full speed |
| MoroccoAiralo: Orange (+ 1 other) | $33.9910 GB · 30 days | $49Unlimited · 15 days, 3 GB/day full speed |
| PeruAiralo: Movistar | $29.9910 GB · 30 days | $44Unlimited · 15 days, 3 GB/day full speed |
| ChileAiralo: Movistar (+ 1 other) | $27.9910 GB · 30 days | $50Unlimited · 15 days, 3 GB/day full speed |
| ArgentinaAiralo: Movistar | $29.973 × 3 GB · 30 days | $692 × Unlimited · 7 days, 3 GB/day full speed |
| EcuadorAiralo: Otecel (Movistar) | $34.9910 GB · 30 days | $52Unlimited · 15 days, 3 GB/day full speed |
| Costa RicaAiralo: Liberty | $36.9910 GB · 30 days | $49Unlimited · 15 days, 3 GB/day full speed |
| MexicoAiralo: AT&T (unlimited); Movistar (fixed) | $23.9910 GB · 30 days | $24.5010 GB · 15 days |
| United StatesAiralo: T-Mobile (+ 1 other) | $22.9910 GB · 30 days | $46Unlimited · 15 days, 3 GB/day full speed |
| CanadaAiralo: Bell | $30.9910 GB · 30 days | $44.01Unlimited · 15 days, 3 GB/day full speed |
| IcelandAiralo: Síminn (+ 1 other) | $19.9910 GB · 30 days | $48Unlimited · 15 days, 3 GB/day full speed |
| NorwayAiralo: Telia (+ 1 other) | $17.9910 GB · 30 days | $48Unlimited · 15 days, 3 GB/day full speed |
| United KingdomAiralo: EE (+ 2 others) | $18.9910 GB · 30 days | $48Unlimited · 15 days, 3 GB/day full speed |
| Europe (regional)Networks not named | $35.9910 GB · 30 days | $49Unlimited · 15 days, 3 GB/day full speed |
| New ZealandAiralo: Spark | $23.9910 GB · 30 days | $48Unlimited · 15 days, 3 GB/day full speed |
| Policy | Saily | Airalo |
|---|---|---|
| How it sells data | Fixed GB (mostly 30-day) plus a 15-day unlimited option in many countries | Unlimited day passes on most country pages; fixed-GB packages behind a filter |
| Unlimited cap | 5 GB/day, then 1 Mbps | 3 GB/day, then 1 Mbps |
| Hotspot | "Limitless" | Yes, no device limit |
| Phone number | A US number add-on in the Saily app, US$1.99 a month plus a call and text plan (identity check required) | Not stated on the country pages we read |
| Top-ups | Yes | Yes; packages can auto-renew when 10% of data remains |
| Refunds | 30 days | Not stated; credit only in app |
| Support | 24/7 | 24/7 |
Cheapest plan from each provider that covers the whole trip at full speed where possible ("slows" means the daily cap is below your use). Public USD prices checked 31 Oct 2026, policies 1 Nov 2026; every price links back through the price index.
Why the winner flips with usage
The two sell different things. Saily's core product is a fixed amount of data valid for 30 days: 10 GB cost $17.99 in Japan and Norway, $18.99 in the UK, $22.99 in the US, $27.99 in Chile. Airalo's country pages now lead with unlimited passes: $48 for 15 days in most places, $44 in Peru and Canada.
At 0.5 GB a day, a two-week trip needs 7 GB, so one Saily 10 GB plan covers it for roughly $18–$35 against Airalo's $44–$70. Saily won everywhere except Nepal, where its fixed plans are expensive ($29.99 for 3 GB).
At 1.5 GB a day, the trip needs 21 GB. Saily now needs a 20 GB plan plus extra, or its own 15-day unlimited ($43.99–$57.99), and Airalo's $44–$50 pass comes out ahead in 12 of 18 destinations. Set the tool to "Social & streaming" to see which countries.
Unlimited plans compared directly
If you've already decided on unlimited, the plans are close. Saily's gives "5GB/Day without a speed limit", then "up to 1 Mbps"; Airalo's gives 3 GB at full speed (its unlimited FAQ says "at 20 Mbps"), then 1 Mbps. Saily's cap is higher, Airalo's price is usually a dollar or two lower, and Airalo sells more lengths (7, 15, 30 days) where Saily mostly sells 15.
Hotspot, numbers and extras
Both allow sharing. Saily advertises "limitless hotspot sharing"; Airalo says "there is no limit on tethering or the number of devices you connect", with tethered data inside the 3 GB daily allowance. Saily is the only one of the two with a phone number option, a US number for US$1.99 a month after an identity check. It also bundles ad and malicious-site blocking from Nord Security.
Networks, refunds and support
Networks: Airalo names its primary network on every country page (Ncell in Nepal, Movistar in Peru, Bell in Canada). Saily mostly says "best networks", naming them only in Japan and Indonesia among our destinations. For a trek where the operator decides whether camp has signal, that's a point to Airalo.
Refunds: Saily gives a full refund within 30 days for an eSIM that wasn't installed or activated. Airalo's in-app refunds are Airmoney credit. Point to Saily.
Support: both publish 24/7 chat and both install from polished apps. A draw.
A third option worth checking
For light use, Nomad was cheaper than both in most of our destinations and names the network every time. For heavy use over two weeks or more, Maya Mobile charged $27.99 for 14 days of unlimited. See the full provider table.
Questions people ask
Is Saily cheaper than Airalo?
For light and moderate use, yes. At 0.5 GB a day for 14 days, Saily's cheapest fit was cheaper in 17 of our 18 destinations ($548 vs $884 in total). At 1.5 GB a day the result flips: Airalo's unlimited pass was the better buy in 12 of 18, because Saily's fixed plans run out and its 15-day unlimited costs about the same.
Which is better, Saily or Airalo, for Nepal?
Neither is great value. Saily's fixed plans in Nepal cost $29.99 for 3 GB; Airalo's unlimited on Ncell cost $35 for 7 days and $79 for 15. Nomad ($24 for 10 GB on Ncell) and Maya Mobile ($27.99 for 14 days unlimited) were both cheaper on 31 Oct 2026.
Does Saily or Airalo give you a phone number?
Saily sells a US number for calls and texts at US$1.99 a month through its app. We didn't find a number on Airalo's country pages.