Updated · 4 min read
There are three ways to get mobile internet abroad. None is best for everyone: it depends on where you go, how long you stay and what your home plan includes.
Roaming with your home plan
The easiest option, because nothing changes. Inside zones where your plan includes roaming (for example within the EU for EU plans), it is often the best choice. Outside those zones roaming is frequently charged per day or per megabyte and can get expensive quickly.
Local SIM card
Often cheap for long stays. The downsides: finding a shop after landing, queues, possible passport registration, and your home SIM must come out of single-SIM phones.
Travel eSIM
Bought online in minutes and installed before you fly. The price is fixed up front and your home SIM can stay active for calls and SMS. Most plans are data-only and the phone must support eSIM and be unlocked.
Quick decision guide
- Your plan includes the country: use roaming.
- Short or medium trip outside your roaming zone: a travel eSIM is usually the simplest.
- Long stay and you need a local number: a local SIM can be worth it.
- Several countries on one trip: look at a regional eSIM covering all of them.