Best Pay As You Go Sim With Unlimited Internet – Everything you need to know about finding the best and cheapest SIM cards and mobile data plans in Europe.
Can you travel across Europe without super fast mobile data on your smartphone? Probably. But would you want that? Probably not. But mobile data can be very expensive if you use your home country’s international data plan. Fortunately, even visitors have easy access to cheap European data plans, so you can stay connected very affordably. In this guide, I’ll teach you how to buy a SIM card in Europe so you can get cheap fast mobile data on the go.
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UPDATE: This article is about physical SIM cards, but most new phones are eSIM compatible. eSIMs are more convenient than physical SIM cards because you simply purchase the prepaid data plan online, scan a QR code sent to your email to install the digital “card”, and you’re good to go (there are also many other benefits).
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Before I get into how and where to buy SIM cards, I wanted to provide some useful background on mobile data SIM cards so you have a better idea of how things work in Europe.
A law was recently passed in the EU that prohibits mobile carriers from charging roaming charges in the EU – meaning you can take a SIM card you bought in France and use it in Italy without paying any extra charges. This is great for travelers because you can use one plan everywhere.
Some mobile carriers (especially in the US, Australia, and New Zealand) “lock” their phones so that they only work on that carrier’s network – this usually applies if you’re on a plan that includes a free phone with a multi-year contract. You’ll need to contact your carrier and have them “unlock” your phone so that it accepts a third-party SIM card.
In the US, carriers are required to unlock phones when requested by the customer, but this is rarely unlocked by default. That said, some carriers still make customers jump through hoops to unlock their phones, so don’t put this off until the last minute or you might be out of luck.
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Installing a new SIM card will give you a new phone number, so your old number won’t work until you reinstall your original SIM card. So if people need to reach you, tell people your new European number.
Furthermore, many websites and apps use two-factor authentication linked to your telephone number, so that is no longer possible with the new SIM card. And if you use Uber/Lyft, you’ll need to update your new phone number in the app when you install your new SIM card.
European consumer protection laws mean that companies have to fight for customers and that keeps prices down. Many visitors are surprised that they can get 20 GB of prepaid high-speed data for €20/month.
There are a few companies that sell “global” SIM cards that claim to work in most countries in the world. Avoid this one as the service is generally terrible and some just don’t work. So stick to SIM cards that are specific to Europe.
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As long as you don’t stream music/videos or upload a lot of photos, you probably don’t use more than 4-6 GB of mobile data per week. If you spend a lot of time on social media (especially Instagram and TikTok) you can use a little more, but if you only surf the web and use Google Maps, you can only use 1-2 GB per week.
Okay, let’s take a look at the different options you have for buying a European SIM card. You have roughly two options:
Most major European mobile providers have SIM cards with mobile subscriptions aimed at tourists. These plans are sold through third-party resellers who will ship them to your home address. The most famous authorized SIM card seller is SimOptions.com.
These SIM cards are slightly more expensive than if you buy them in Europe, but you have the convenience of not having to look for a SIM card once you are in Europe.
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For reference, you’ll probably spend an extra $15-$25 over the course of a two week trip if you buy ahead versus waiting to buy in Europe – so overall it’s not a huge difference. However, if you are traveling for several weeks, I recommend that you buy a SIM card when you come to Europe, as the savings will be greater.
The Orange Holiday Europe Prepaid SIM card is probably the best all-round option for SIM cards that can be bought abroad, as it offers a lot of data for a good price – and it includes a lot of international calls and texts.
In addition, Orange is one of the largest mobile companies in Europe and they have great coverage in most of Europe (which is not always the case with smaller European carriers).
The Orange Holiday Europe plan is good because it gives you plenty of mobile data for a decent price, but the only possible downside is the 14-day validity period – which doesn’t matter if your trip is less than two weeks. That said, you can purchase an additional 10 GB of credit after the two weeks are up for around $25.
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If you’re a light data user and want to save some money, check out the $30 Orange Holiday data plan, which gets you 15GB of data for 14 days.
Update: The Orange Holiday plans are also available as eSIM, meaning you don’t have to wait for delivery or pay shipping costs (assuming your phone is eSIM compatible). Check out the eSIM data plans on SimOptions for more information on both the Orange Holiday Europe eSIM and Orange Holiday Zen eSIM plans.
Learn more about eSIM data plans and see if your phone accepts eSIM cards in my Guide to prepaid eSIM data plans in Europe.
Three UK is another major European mobile operator and their PAYG AIO15 plan offers good value for people who don’t need the 20GB of the Orange Holiday Europe plan. I like that the plan has a 30-day validity period, so it’s good for longer trips.
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The Bouygues Telecom Vacation Prepaid Plan is very similar to the Orange Holiday Zen, but the Bouygues plan has to be activated in France – so that’s a huge drawback.
Buying a SIM card in Europe is quite a simple and straightforward process as they are sold practically everywhere – including kiosks, airports, vending machines, supermarkets, mobile phone shops and more.
Prices for mobile data plans in Europe vary greatly depending on the country, plan options and the various promotions going on at the time – so it’s hard to predict exactly how much you’ll pay. However, here are some sample prices to give you a better idea of how much you might pay:
Some, but not all, mobile plans charge an activation fee of €5-€10 – which is a bit expensive if you’re only traveling for a week or two.
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Installing a SIM card is easy and takes only a minute – just remove the old SIM card and insert the new one. Most SIM cards come with a small tool that pops out the SIM card tray, but you can use a paperclip or thumbtack.
Activating your European SIM card should be relatively easy and straightforward, but there may be a few quirks here and there. In this section, I’ll cover the general activation process and try to address common issues people have.
First, install the new SIM card in your phone. In many cases, your phone will automatically recognize the new SIM card and the service will start working normally (it may take a few minutes for the service to connect).
For prepaid plans, your service begins as soon as you install the card. If you bought a SIM card without a subscription, follow the instructions to add credit to your subscription.
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In some cases you will be asked to register your SIM card – each country has its own laws. For example, some ask for a local European address (just use a valid local address, such as your hotel or rental apartment). Other countries may ask for a copy of your passport if you buy it in person or you may need to send a scan of your passport (it’s always a good idea to email yourself a scan/photo of your passport when you go to traveling abroad).
If you’re still having issues, you may need to adjust some settings on your phone for the service to work properly. The most common technical problem is the required activation
Another possible problem is that you need to configure your access point name (APN) – this is usually done automatically, but sometimes you have to configure it manually. Each carrier has its own credentials (check their website or search on Google), but here’s an example for Orange:
Once you run out of credit, you’ll need to “top up” your SIM card to add more credit to your account. Most companies let you top up through their website or you can buy credit from kiosks, supermarkets
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