I Swapped My $18 a Day Roaming for a Saily eSIM in Tokyo: Here’s How Much I Saved

I recently had the chance to test out a gifted Saily travel eSIM (from the makers of NordVPN) during a trip to Tokyo to see how it holds up in one of the most connected cities in the world.

Getting everything set up was super simple. I just used the Saily app and followed the prompts to install the eSIM before I left. Once I landed, it took about ten seconds to get online. On an iPhone, you just head to Settings > Cellular > SIMs, select your Saily line, and toggle Turn On This Line. It connected immediately, which is exactly what you want after a long and tiring flight.

Real-World Performance in Tokyo

I put the connection through its paces and the speeds were solid for a travel SIM. I was seeing download speeds between 67 Mbps and 101 Mbps, while uploads stayed steady between 4.88 and 5.15 Mbps.

The best part was the reliability. I didn’t run into any coverage gaps or lag while navigating the city or using translate apps, even in crowded areas. It was definitely nice having the peace of mind that comes with an unlimited data plan, which goes for $48.99 US for 15 days.

Finding the Right Plan

While the unlimited data was great, Saily offers a few other options that might be better if you aren’t a heavy user:

• 20GB for 30 days: $24.99 US (looking back, this probably would have been enough for my usage).
• 10GB for 30 days: $17.99 US.
• 5GB for 30 days: $10.99 US.
• 3GB for 30 days: $7.99 US.
• 1GB for 7 days: $3.99 US.

One thing to keep in mind is their activation policy. Saily gives you a 30-day window to activate your plan after buying it. You can grab your eSIM today to get organized, just make sure you’re ready to use it within that month, otherwise, it kicks in automatically.

As of late 2025 and into 2026, Rogers, Telus and Bell have pushed daily roaming rates up to $16 for the U.S. and $18 for international destinations. For a typical two-week vacation, you’re looking at nearly $300 added to your phone bill just for the privilege of using the data you already pay for at home. Saily’s $48.99 US unlimited plan is roughly a fifth of that cost.

You can click here to check out Saily’s eSIM plans ahead of your travels.