Airalo vs Ubigi vs Saily for Japan: Which eSIM Is Best?
This article may contain affiliate links. We earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more
The Top 3, Head to Head
These are the three providers we recommend most often β and for good reason. Each wins in a different category. Here's how they compare across everything that matters.
---
At a Glance
| Airalo | Ubigi | Saily | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Network | KDDI au + SoftBank | NTT Docomo | KDDI au |
| Best for | All-rounder | Rural Japan | City speed |
| Avg speed | 71 Mbps | 82 Mbps | 147 Mbps |
| Peak speed | 88 Mbps | 95 Mbps | 295 Mbps |
| App rating | 4.7/5 | 3.5/5 | 4.5/5 |
| Cheapest plan | ~$4.50 (1GB/7d) | ~$9 (3GB/30d) | ~$4 (1GB/7d) |
| 5GB/30d price | ~$16 | ~$13 (3GB) | ~$13 |
| Unlimited | Yes (~$18/wk) | Via app | No |
| Top-up | Yes | Yes | No |
| Setup | App (no QR needed) | QR code + APN | QR code |
| Hotspot | Most plans | Most plans | Most plans |
---
Speed: Saily Dominates in Cities
From our speed tests across 6 locations:
| Location | Airalo | Ubigi | Saily |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shibuya (street) | 88 Mbps | 95 Mbps | 295 Mbps |
| Shinjuku Station (underground) | 35 Mbps | 62 Mbps | 45 Mbps |
| Shinkansen (TokyoβOsaka) | 35 Mbps | 48 Mbps | 42 Mbps |
| Osaka Dotonbori | 72 Mbps | 78 Mbps | 125 Mbps |
| Hakone (rural) | 18 Mbps | 35 Mbps | 22 Mbps |
| Hokkaido (deep rural) | 5 Mbps | 22 Mbps | 8 Mbps |
Winner: Depends on where you're going.
- Cities β Saily (KDDI au 5G crushes it)
- Underground/trains β Ubigi (Docomo infrastructure)
- Rural β Ubigi by a wide margin
---
Coverage: Ubigi's Docomo Advantage
If your Japan trip stays in Tokyo-Osaka-Kyoto, all three providers work perfectly. The difference shows when you leave major cities.
NTT Docomo (Ubigi) has:
- The most cell towers in Japan
- Best mountain/rural coverage
- Strongest Shinkansen signal (fewest drops)
- Reliable in Hokkaido, Okinawa outer islands, remote onsen towns
- Excellent city coverage + good suburbs
- Strong 5G in urban areas
- Good but not Docomo-level in deep rural
---
Quick Pick: Top 3 Japan eSIM Providers
Pricing: Saily Wins on Value
For the most common trip lengths:
7-Day Trip
| Provider | 3GB | 5GB | Unlimited |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airalo | $11 | $16 | $18/wk |
| Ubigi | $9 (3GB/30d) | β | β |
| Saily | $8.50 | $13 | β |
14-30 Day Trip
| Provider | 10GB | 20GB |
|---|---|---|
| Airalo | $26 | $42 |
| Ubigi | $19 | β |
| Saily | $22 | $36 |
Saily is cheapest for mid-range plans (3-5GB). Ubigi is cheapest for 10GB. Airalo is the only one with renewable unlimited plans.
---
App Experience: Airalo Is the Gold Standard
Airalo (5/5)
The app is genuinely great. Browse plans, purchase, and install β all without leaving the app. On newer iPhones, the eSIM installs directly without even scanning a QR code. Top-up is one tap. 10M+ users means the app is polished and bug-free.
Saily (4.5/5)
Clean and minimal β no bloat. Two taps to install. Feels like a premium product. Built by the NordVPN team, so the UX is solid. But no top-up support means you buy a new plan if you run out.
Ubigi (3/5)
Functional but dated. Requires QR code scanning and sometimes manual APN configuration. It works, but it's not as smooth as Airalo or Saily. The trade-off for Docomo's superior coverage.
---
Who Should Choose What
| Your Situation | Choose | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First time in Japan, want easy setup | Airalo β | Best app, most beginner-friendly |
| Tokyo/Osaka city trip, want speed | Saily β | 295 Mbps on au 5G |
| Budget trip, best price per GB | Saily β | Cheapest at 3-5GB tier |
| Rural Japan (Hokkaido, Shikoku) | Ubigi β | Docomo = only reliable option |
| Heavy data user, need unlimited | Airalo β | Only one with unlimited plans |
| Long stay (30 days), need 10GB+ | Ubigi β | $19 for 10GB/30 days |
| Business traveler, need reliability | Ubigi β | Docomo network, fewer drops |
| Privacy-conscious | Saily β | Built by NordVPN team |
| Multi-country Asia trip | Airalo β | Regional plans cover 30+ countries |
---
Our Bottom Line
There's no single "best" provider. Each one wins in a specific scenario:
- Airalo = best app + unlimited option + global coverage. The safe default.
- Ubigi = best coverage + best on trains. Choose this if going beyond cities.
- Saily = fastest + cheapest mid-range. Choose this for city-focused trips.
If you genuinely can't decide: Airalo. It's the all-rounder that never disappoints.
---
Full Reviews
- Airalo Review for Japan 2026 β 7-day Tokyo-Osaka trip scenario
- Ubigi Review for Japan 2026 β 10-day Hokkaido road trip scenario
- Saily Review for Japan 2026 β 5-day Tokyo business trip scenario
- Speed Test: Full Data β All 6 providers, 6 locations