Saily eSIM not working? Start here, and know the refund threshold before you test

The thing to understand before you start troubleshooting

Saily will refund an activated plan only if more than 99% of the data is still unused. Their Terms of Service:

“The non-subscription-based Data Plan has been activated… but the data remains generally unused (more than 99% of the Data Plan balance left)”

On a 5GB plan, that is about 51MB. Background app sync on landing can burn that before you consciously open anything.

We are not saying that to alarm you. We are saying it because it changes the order you should do things in. If you think you may want a refund, do the diagnostic steps that do not consume data first, and turn background data off before you start testing.

Saily publishes an article on exactly this, how to disable background services, and it is worth reading before you troubleshoot rather than after.

Good news first: with Saily, deleting is safe

This is the opposite of most providers, and it is worth knowing because it changes what you are allowed to try.

“Most eSIM plans are for a single device and cannot be installed on more than one at the same time. However, with Saily, you can reinstall your eSIM and even use it on a different device as long as you are using the same email address to log in to our application.”

Saily’s own reinstall procedure starts by deleting the eSIM. So if you have been told never to delete a travel eSIM, that advice is correct for Airalo and Holafly and does not apply here.

Their only caution is a soft one: “Avoid installing the same eSIM multiple times on one or more devices.”

If it will not install

Saily’s published order:

1. Check your connection. Switch between wifi and mobile. Their note: “If you are in an active phone call, try ending it and retrying the installation.”
2. Update your phone software.
3. Try a different install method. If the app fails, use the QR code or manual setup instead.
4. Disable any VPN and retry.
5. Restart the device.
6. Reset network settings. With this warning, which matters: “After completing a network settings reset, all network-related settings will be restored to factory defaults, this includes data roaming, APN, and other settings.” So you will need to redo those.

If it installed but there is no service

Saily’s published sequence for iPhone, in their order:

1. Make sure your plan is active.
2. Disconnect from wifi. Easy to miss, and it stops the phone masking the problem.
3. Toggle aeroplane mode. On, wait 15 seconds, off.
4. Turn data roaming on for the Saily line.
5. Check the eSIM is enabled and preferred. Turn On This Line, then set it as your Mobile Data line.
6. Turn 5G off. Saily: “Select ‘LTE’, ‘4G’, or ‘3G’ instead of 5G.”
7. Set the APN. Saily publishes one APN for everything: wbdata. Their instruction: “In the APN fields for both Mobile Data and LTE Setup, input: wbdata. Leave other fields blank.”
8. Reboot.
9. Reset network settings.
10. Select the network operator manually.

The Android and Pixel sequences are the same steps in a slightly different order. Saily publishes a dedicated Pixel article, the only device it singles out.

Write down wbdata before you fly

Here is the practical problem with step 7, and it is worth planning around.

Saily’s live chat lives inside the Saily app. Their own support page: “Please note that Live Chat is available only via the Saily application.” The web version of the chat button shows you a QR code that sends you back to the app on your phone.

So if your phone has no data and no wifi, you cannot reach the fastest support channel, and you cannot look up your own APN. There is no zero-rated channel and Saily publishes no offline mode.

Screenshot your APN (wbdata) and your install details before you leave home. It takes ten seconds and it removes the circular dependency entirely.

One more gap worth knowing: when Saily tells you to select a network manually, it does not tell you which one. Their articles say “Select your network provider. If no such option exists, please get in touch with our Customer Support Agents” and “If you are unsure which one it is, you can contact Saily Customer Support.” That requires the connectivity you are trying to fix. If you are stuck, try each operator in the list for 30 seconds.

Contacting Saily

24/7 live chat, in the app only, plus email through their support site. No phone support, and Saily states that plainly rather than leaving you to work it out:

“Saily does not offer phone support; all assistance is provided via chat and email for better visual guidance.”

If chat will not load, Saily’s own fallback advice is to check your connection, disable ad blockers, try a different device, or use the web email form. From another device is the realistic option if your phone is the problem.

Saily publishes no general response-time commitment. The only numbers they commit to are refund-specific: a decision within 5 working days, and processing within 30 calendar days.

If you want a refund

Saily’s primary route is a self-service tool, the Auto-Refund Center on their website. You log in, pick the order, choose a reason from nine options, and it decides.

No evidence or screenshots are requested by the tool. It works off your account data.

The windows: 30 calendar days from purchase for one-off plans, 14 calendar days for subscriptions. And the usage thresholds are strikingly different: a one-off plan needs more than 99% of data unused, while an Ultra subscription is allowed 5% usage for a full refund and up to 10% for a partial one. A one-off traveller is held to a far stricter standard than a subscriber.

One clause worth knowing before you tidy up your accounts: deleting your Saily account destroys any refund right.

“Deleted Account: If you delete your account after purchasing a Data Plan or a Phone Number Functionality product and subsequently request a refund, no refund will be granted.”

Full detail in how a Saily refund actually works.

And regardless of any policy: if you bought as an Australian consumer, your consumer guarantees are not limited by a seller’s refund window. What Australian Consumer Law says about a travel eSIM that doesn’t work.

If you are at the point of choosing another plan, our best travel eSIM guide for Australians compares the current options and their practical trade-offs.

Questions people actually ask

Can I delete my Saily eSIM and reinstall it?

Yes. Unlike most providers, Saily supports reinstalling and even moving it to another device on the same account. Their own reinstall procedure begins by deleting it.

What is the Saily APN?

wbdata, entered in both the Mobile Data and LTE Setup APN fields, with everything else left blank. Screenshot it before you travel.

Why does Saily say no service?

Work through their order: plan active, disconnect wifi, aeroplane mode 15 seconds, data roaming on, eSIM enabled and preferred, then turn 5G off.

Will troubleshooting cost me my refund?

It can. Saily requires more than 99% of the data unused to refund an activated one-off plan, which is roughly 51MB on a 5GB plan. Turn background data off before testing.

Can I contact Saily if my phone has no data?

Not easily. Live chat is app-only and the web button just shows a QR code pointing back to the app. Use the web email form from another device.

Does Saily have phone support?

No. They state it explicitly. Chat and email only.

How long do I have to ask for a refund?

30 calendar days for a one-off plan, 14 for a subscription. Deleting your account voids the right entirely.

Sources

All Saily guidance and quotes retrieved 17 August 2026 from Saily’s own support centre and Terms of Service (last updated 15 July 2026), including their articles on install troubleshooting, iOS and Android network connection issues, disabling background services, contacting support, and the Auto-Refund Center.

Written by Lachlan, who runs The SIM Shop from Brisbane and answers the support email himself.

One line about us

If you end up needing a replacement, we sell travel eSIMs in Australian dollars, and unlike Saily we price in AUD rather than USD. Check your phone is compatible first.