Not by default. A standard Saily eSIM plan is data only. You can add an optional Saily phone number: a real US-based (+1) number for voice calls and SMS, sold separately in the app.
The catch: the number is US-based, doesn’t support MMS, and some apps treat it as a VoIP number for verification codes.
If you’re used to a local SIM card, you’d expect a new number with your travel eSIM. Saily works differently. Its plans give you mobile data, and the phone number is an extra you add only if you need it. Here’s what you get either way.
What a standard Saily plan gives you
A regular Saily plan is mobile data for your destination. It has no phone number, so no regular calls or SMS. You can still:
- use WhatsApp, which needs your number only once to verify and then runs on data (see how to use Saily eSIM for WhatsApp)
- use iMessage with your Apple ID email
- keep your home SIM on for calls, if your phone runs a SIM and an eSIM at the same time
What the Saily phone number add-on is
Saily’s phone number is an optional add-on that gives you a real, US-based wireless number alongside your data eSIM. With it you can make and receive calls and send SMS.
- Calls use a minute package. Minutes go on calls you make and calls you receive, and billing starts only when the call is answered.
- Local calls only. No international calls. The Global plan lets you call in any supported country you visit.
- SMS: up to 160 characters per message in standard Latin characters, or 70 with special or non-Latin characters, where one SMS may use 2 to 3 credits.
- Not supported: MMS, premium-rate short numbers, and call forwarding.
To get one, tap Get number on your eSIM screen in the Saily app. You’ll need to pass an identity check (KYC) before Saily activates the number. Prices are shown in the app.
Watch out for these
MMS isn’t supported. Your phone may turn a text into MMS if you add a photo, write a very long message, text a group, add a subject line or send a contact card. Stick to plain text.
Some services see the number as VoIP. Saily says most services send codes without issue, but some banks, payment apps and strict platforms don’t accept VoIP numbers. Apps commonly reported as working for codes include WhatsApp, Signal, Viber and Airbnb, and for 2FA PayPal, Wise and Revolut (calls only).
Because it’s a US number, callers using a local carrier elsewhere may be charged their carrier’s rate for calls to the US.
After a phone number plan ends, the number stays reserved for 30 days. Buy the plan again on the same eSIM within that time to keep it; after that it’s released for good.
Do you need the number?
For most trips, no. Data plus WhatsApp covers chats and calls with people who use the app. The number makes sense if you need to call or text regular phones in supported countries, such as hotels or local services. See how to make calls with Saily eSIM for each option.
FAQ
Does Saily give you a phone number?
Not with a standard data plan. You can add an optional Saily phone number, a US-based number for calls and SMS, in the app.
Is the Saily phone number a local number?
No. It’s a US-based (+1) number, wherever you travel.
Can I use the Saily number for verification codes?
Often, yes. Saily says most services send codes to it, but some banks and payment apps don’t accept VoIP numbers.
Can I send photos by text with the Saily number?
No. MMS isn’t supported, so use plain-text SMS or a messaging app.
The Global plan starts at $8.99 for 121 countries. Prices checked on saily.com on 24 Oct 2026.