Saily eSIM Review: Whether Hong Kong iPhones Can Use It, Prices for Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and the Mainland, Unlimited Data Limits, and US$5 off a First Purchase

Saily is a prepaid travel eSIM service launched by Nord Security, which also operates NordVPN. Saily states that its data plans cover more than 200 countries and territories, with networks provided by local operators: the Japan page, for example, lists KDDI and SoftBank, and the mainland China page lists China Telecom and China Unicom. During installation, the phone may show the eSIM as provided by "Saily" or "Webbing"; both are normal.

The contracting party depends on the user's tax residence: users in the European Economic Area contract with Saily UAB in Lithuania, Australian users with a separate local company, and users elsewhere with Saily Inc., incorporated in Delaware in the United States (registration number 4419800). On this basis, the contracting party for Hong Kong users should be Saily Inc. Payments may be processed by Moonflash Ltd in London, NordSec B.V. in the Netherlands (PayPal only) or Lagosec Inc.

The terms of service are governed by Delaware law, disputes are in principle to be heard in courts there, and users waive the right to bring claims as a class action; where the law of the user's place of residence provides mandatory consumer protections, those protections continue to apply. The terms substantially limit Saily's liability and state that it accepts no responsibility for data throughput or speed. An eSIM is a prepaid service with no arrangement comparable to deposit protection, so it is advisable to buy only the plans needed for trips that are already confirmed.

This is the first point Hong Kong readers must confirm before paying. Saily's terms require the phone to be "unlocked and eSIM-compatible". According to an Apple support article published on 17 September 2026, iPhone 11 to 16 series models (including the Plus, Pro and Pro Max) bought in Hong Kong, Macao or mainland China, as well as the XR and XS Max, have two physical nano-SIM slots and no eSIM, and therefore cannot install Saily.

Among Hong Kong or Macao versions, the models with eSIM are the iPhone 18 Pro, 18 Pro Max, 17, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max, 17e, Air, 16e, 13 mini, 12 mini, SE (2nd and 3rd generation) and XS; the same models bought outside Hong Kong generally have eSIM. For Android phones, Saily's supported devices page lists many brands but notes differences between Hong Kong or mainland versions only for some models (such as certain Samsung models), so you should confirm in the phone's settings that it has eSIM and is not locked by an operator. Saily also states that phones manufactured and sold in mainland China do not support eSIM.

If you discover only after paying that the eSIM cannot be installed: under the terms of service, a plan that has not been installed, or has been installed but not activated, may be refunded in full if the request is made within 30 days of purchase, provided that the extras bundled with the plan (Extras) have not been used. However, reviews on the App Store (Hong Kong) include users who found out only after paying that their phone had no eSIM, as well as users reporting that their refund was refused, so it is advisable to check the model before paying.

Standard plans are either fixed-data or unlimited, and can cover a single destination, a region or the whole world: the Asia and Oceania plan covers 22 countries from US$4.99, the Europe plan covers 35 countries, and the global plan covers 121 countries from US$8.99. Fixed-data plans of 3GB or more for Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and mainland China all include a 30-day option, while 1GB plans last 3 to 7 days; unlimited plans are chosen by the number of days. Plans for different destinations can be added to the same eSIM without reinstalling it each time. Each purchase earns 3% in Saily credits.

Plans provide data only and come without a local phone number. For calls or text messages, a US (+1) number can be bought as an add-on: identity verification is required before it is activated; only local calls within the country where you are located are supported, although with a global plan the number can be used in several supported countries; MMS and call forwarding are not supported; some apps may treat the number as an internet phone number and fail to deliver one-time passwords to it; and people calling the number may be charged their operator's US long-distance rates. This site has not verified the price of this add-on.

Fixed-data plans can be shared with up to 4 other people (that is, up to 5 people sharing the same data allowance). Invitations must be sent by email in the app before the plan is activated, and invitees must also install the app and sign in to a Saily account; unlimited plans and Ultra cannot be shared. Security features include virtual locations (more than 115, according to Saily), ad blocking and the blocking of malicious websites.

Ultra is a monthly subscription: 30GB of full-speed data each month, falling to 1Mbps thereafter, covering more than 121 destinations, and including NordVPN, NordPass, NordLocker and Incogni. Each month it also provides one airport lounge visit and one fast-track pass; unused visits and passes can accumulate for up to three months, and a lounge visit can also be claimed if a flight is delayed by two hours or more. Purchases earn 8% in credits. The participating airports are limited, and this site has not verified whether Hong Kong International Airport is included. The help centre states that full-speed data resets at the start of each calendar month, whereas the terms of service say it is counted per billing cycle; the two are inconsistent. The Ultra price is not shown directly on the website and must be checked in the app or on the checkout page.

The following are US dollar prices on Saily's website on 13 October 2026, converted roughly at US$1 to about HK$7.8 (the convertibility range under the Linked Exchange Rate System is HK$7.75 to HK$7.85), before any foreign transaction fee.

Japan (30 days): 3GB US$7.99 (about HK$62), 5GB US$10.99 (about HK$86), 10GB US$17.99 (about HK$140), 20GB US$24.99 (about HK$195); unlimited data for 5 days US$18.99 (about HK$148), 7 days US$26.99 (about HK$211), 15 days US$48.99 (about HK$382). South Korea (30 days): 5GB US$10.99 (about HK$86), 10GB US$18.99 (about HK$148), 20GB US$29.99 (about HK$234). Taiwan (30 days): 5GB US$11.99 (about HK$94), 10GB US$19.99 (about HK$156). Thailand (30 days): 3GB US$5.99 (about HK$47), 5GB US$7.99 (about HK$62), 10GB US$10.99 (about HK$86); unlimited data for 15 days US$38.99 (about HK$304). Mainland China (30 days): 3GB US$10.99 (about HK$86), 5GB US$15.99 (about HK$125), 10GB US$26.99 (about HK$211).

For long-haul trips, a 10GB, 30-day United Kingdom plan costs US$18.99 (about HK$148), and 15 days of unlimited data across 35 European countries cost US$49.99 (about HK$390). The 1GB plans for each destination (for example, Japan for 7 days at US$3.99, Thailand at US$2.99, mainland China at US$4.49 and Europe at US$4.99) are all below the referral code's US$5.60 threshold.

Saily accounts are offered in only four currencies, US dollars, euros, pounds sterling and Swiss francs, with no Hong Kong dollar option, so Hong Kong users must pay in a foreign currency and the card issuer may charge a foreign transaction fee. The payment methods this site has verified are bank cards and PayPal; for any other payment methods, the checkout page prevails.

Taking a five-day trip to Japan as an example: csl's "Major Asia Pacific" daily pass costs HK$88 a day for 1GB, after which speed is capped at 512kbps, coming to HK$440 for five days; csl also offers a HK$168 "Major Asia Pacific" data pack with 6GB, to be used within 30 days of activation and activated within three months of purchase. Holafly's five-day unlimited Japan plan costs US$20.50 (about HK$160), with 1GB of hotspot sharing a day. Saily's five-day unlimited Japan plan costs US$18.99 (about HK$148), or US$13.99 (about HK$109) on a first purchase with the referral code; if daily usage is modest, the 5GB, 30-day plan costs US$10.99 (about HK$86), or US$5.99 (about HK$47) on a first purchase.

On price alone, Saily is far cheaper than the daily pass; compared with the csl data pack, Saily's 5GB plan costs about half as much but provides 1GB less. The rules for "unlimited" data also differ between providers: Saily's Japan plan runs at full speed for the first 5GB each day, while Airalo's fair use policy sets a default of 3GB a day, after which both fall to 1Mbps. The advantages of a roaming pass are that it requires neither an eSIM-capable phone nor a separate installation, and that it is charged in Hong Kong dollars; if your monthly plan already includes roaming data for the destination, or your phone has no eSIM, Saily offers little benefit. This article uses csl only as an example; other operators' roaming charges vary.

Standard plans have a 180-day activation window: after purchase, the eSIM can be installed in Hong Kong first, and the plan activates automatically when you arrive at the destination and connect to a network; if it has not been activated within 180 days, Saily activates it automatically and the validity period begins. Ultra subscriptions take effect immediately upon payment. Once a plan has been activated it cannot be paused, and any data remaining when the validity period ends is forfeited.

The steps Saily recommends are as follows: before departure, connect to Wi-Fi, install the eSIM in the app (no QR code needs to be scanned), and turn on "Data Roaming" for the Saily line; after arrival, turn off your existing primary SIM and the mobile data switching function, so that your Hong Kong operator does not charge roaming fees. If you keep your primary SIM on in order to receive bank SMS verification codes on your Hong Kong number, you should turn off data roaming on the primary SIM yourself and ask your operator about call and SMS charges while roaming. If the plan does not activate automatically after arrival, first check that the Saily line is turned on and that the APN settings are correct; Android users can open the app and wait up to five minutes for it to configure the settings automatically, while iPhone users must contact customer service.

The app sends a notification when usage reaches 80%. Users can buy additional data in the app, and the new plan takes effect automatically once the original plan has been fully used; auto top-up can also be turned on so that data is bought automatically when it runs out. Note that auto top-ups are always charged at the full price, even if the first purchase used the referral code or credits.

Because refund requests must be made within 30 days of purchase while the activation window lasts 180 days, it is unwise to buy too early before travel plans are confirmed; buying within 30 days of departure preserves the option of requesting a refund while the plan has not been activated.

"Unlimited" does not mean entirely without limits. The terms of service state that standard unlimited plans include 3GB or 5GB of full-speed data a day (depending on the destination), after which speed falls to 1Mbps for the rest of the day, resetting at midnight in the user's local time; the Japan, Thailand and Europe pages all specify 5GB a day. 1Mbps is broadly sufficient for messaging and maps, but struggles with high-definition video. If a user's usage is far higher than that of 99% of users, Saily may investigate and suspend that user's unlimited plan.

On hotspot use, the Japan and mainland China pages advertise "unlimited hotspot sharing", and the Taiwan page also states that all plans support hotspot use; however, the fair use clause in the terms of service prohibits hotspot sharing on unlimited plans "beyond occasional personal use". Where the two differ, the terms should be taken to prevail, which means unlimited plans are not suitable for providing a hotspot to several devices for long periods.

In mainland China, the eSIM must be bought and installed before entry, as it cannot be purchased while you are in the mainland; the networks are China Telecom and China Unicom, and coverage in areas such as Tibet and Xinjiang may be slower and less stable. Saily states that its app itself can be used without a VPN, but signing in with a Google account is not possible; Google and Instagram can be used through its virtual location feature, whereas WhatsApp requires a separate VPN. Mainland China plans cannot be used in Hong Kong or Macao.

In Turkey, Saily's website, app and top-ups may be unavailable, so the eSIM must be installed and activated before arrival, and it is advisable to turn on auto top-up in advance; if the app cannot be opened there, usage of the Saily line can be checked in the phone's settings.

Download Saily through the link on this page and, if the referral code is not applied automatically, enter JIMMYU6940 in the referral code field at your first checkout. Under the referral programme terms updated on 25 September 2026, new users receive a one-off discount on their first purchase, with the amount depending on the account currency: for a US dollar account, US$5 off standard plans and US$10 off Ultra (€4/€8 in euros, £4/£8 in pounds sterling, CHF4/CHF8 in Swiss francs).

Each condition should be noted: the offer is limited to new users who have never used Saily; it applies only to the first purchase; the plan must cost US$5.60 (€5, £4.50 or CHF5) or more, so 1GB plans are not eligible; it cannot be combined with other promo codes, promotions or discounts; and Saily may cancel the discount immediately if it is obtained through multiple accounts, resale or repeated checkouts by the same person. Before paying, you should confirm that the checkout page shows the deduction.

For a US dollar account: Japan 5GB for 30 days falls from US$10.99 to US$5.99 (about HK$47); Japan unlimited data for five days falls from US$18.99 to US$13.99 (about HK$109); mainland China 3GB for 30 days falls from US$10.99 to US$5.99; and Thailand 3GB for 30 days, at US$5.99, just clears the threshold and costs US$0.99 (about HK$8) after the discount. The discount can be used only once; subsequent additional purchases and auto top-ups are charged at the full price.

Disclosure: JIMMYU6940 is this site's referral code. When you complete a first purchase with this code, this site may receive Saily credits equal to the discount you receive; these can be used only on Saily purchases, cannot be exchanged for cash and are valid for one year. If you later request a refund or make a chargeback, Saily may cancel those credits.

The terms of service state that a full refund may be requested if the plan has not been installed, or has been installed but not activated, and the extras bundled with the plan (Extras) have not been used; an activated plan is treated as used, and Saily will consider a full or partial refund only if more than 99% of the data remains and the bundled extras have not been used. Refund requests for standard plans must be made within 30 days of purchase, and no refund is given for plans that have expired or been used up. Saily makes a decision within 5 working days and, if the request is approved, refunds within 30 days at the latest; whether to refund, and how much, is at Saily's discretion.

Ultra renews automatically each month at the price in effect at the time: Saily sends a notice at least 3 days before renewal and charges the registered payment method 2 days before the next period begins; within the 40 days before renewal, a US$0 or small pre-authorisation may appear on the credit card and is later released automatically. If a charge fails, Saily may try again within 14 days after the renewal date. Users can cancel auto-renewal in the app at any time and may continue to use the service until the end of the current period. Ultra refunds must be requested within 14 days of the charge: a full refund may be given if data use does not exceed 5% of the period's allowance and the bundled extras have not been used, and a partial refund may be given if usage is between 5% and 10%.

An account can be deleted in the app under Profile > "account settings" > "delete account", or through customer service. Deletion is permanent, all purchased services are lost, and no refund is given after deletion; any unused plans or pending refunds should be dealt with first.

As at 13 October 2026, the Saily app was rated 4.4 on the App Store (Hong Kong) (319 ratings, of which 241 were five-star and 29 one-star) and 4.8 on the UK App Store (9,851 ratings); the UK Google Play page showed 4.7 (about 98,000 reviews), while the Hong Kong page showed 4.3. On Trustpilot it was rated 4.7 (32,245 reviews), with 83% five-star and 3% one-star, and Saily had replied to 99% of negative reviews.

Negative reviews on the Hong Kong App Store fall mainly into four categories: discovering after payment that an iPhone bought in Hong Kong has no eSIM; data stopping suddenly during a trip; customer service failing to resolve problems, with refunds refused; and being charged for auto-renewal without consent. Negative reviews on the UK and US App Stores and on Trustpilot include: "unlimited" data becoming difficult to use once throttled; poor signal in some places (such as Switzerland and Sicily in Italy); problematic activation requiring repeated contact with customer service; an internet connection being needed before topping up or viewing plans; refunds refused after activation, or refunds given only as Saily credits; and sign-in being possible only with a Google or Apple account.

Saily offers 24-hour live chat and an email form, with priority support for Ultra users. The website has Traditional Chinese (Taiwan) and Simplified Chinese versions but no Hong Kong version, and this site has not been able to verify whether Chinese-language customer service is available. If you cannot get online abroad, you must first connect to Wi-Fi in order to contact customer service.

Suitable for: Hong Kong residents whose phone is confirmed to have eSIM and is unlocked, and who make frequent short trips to Japan, South Korea, Taiwan or Thailand; heavy daily users who need an unlimited plan with 5GB of full-speed data a day; families travelling together who would like to share one fixed-data plan; and people whose trips are confirmed and who can buy within 30 days of departure.

Not suitable for: people using an iPhone 11 to 16 series model sold in Hong Kong (except the 12 mini, 13 mini and 16e), an XR or an XS Max; people who rely on WhatsApp in mainland China and do not wish to install a separate VPN; people who need a local phone number; people who wish to pay in Hong Kong dollars; people whose monthly plan already includes roaming data for the destination; and people whose trips are not yet confirmed and who may need a refund after activation.