5 Best Roaming SIM Cards If You Want To Travel Abroad
A roaming SIM card is a great way to stay connected when traveling abroad. Whether on a short business trip or a long vacation, a roaming SIM card helps you keep in touch with family & friends back home without worrying about expensive roaming charges. It also allows you to access local networks and take advantage of any special offers or discounts you might otherwise miss out on. In this article, you will look at the best roaming SIM card.
Many roaming SIM cards are available on the market, so choosing the best one for your needs takes time. We have compiled a list of the best roaming SIM cards.
Comparison Of Best Roaming SIM Card
Here’s a summary of the best roaming SIM card policies of each major UK mobile network & virtual network operator.
PROVIDER | EU ROAMING, PAYM | INTERNATIONAL ROAMING, PAYM | EU ROAMING, PAYG | INTERNATIONAL ROAMING, PAYG | ROAMING POLICY DETAILS | RATINGS |
EE | If you have a Smart Benefit or Roam Abroad add-on with a £10 monthly fee, or a daily charge of £2, you can access this service in 47 different countries/territories with a maximum of 50GB data usage. | Customers with a Smart Benefit, Max plan, or Roam Abroad add-on (£10 per month) can access up to 50 GB of data while roaming in five different countries/territories, subject to a fair usage policy. Other countries: £6.85 a day for 150MB | £2 for each day of usage in 47 countries/territories, with a maximum of 25GB data allowance. | Pay for usage | CHECK THE PRICE | 4.5 / 5 |
Three | You can spend £2 per day in 49 countries/territories is applicable, with a maximum utilisation of 12 gigabytes. | You can be charged £5 daily in 22 distinct countries or territories, with a maximum data utilisation of 12GB. | This service is available in 49 different nations and regions, with a maximum consumption allowance of 12GB. | You can get up to 12GB of data for just five pounds a day in twenty-two distinct countries or territories. | CHECK THE PRICE | 4.3 / 5 |
VOXI | For £1 a day, you can use up to 20GB of data in 50 nations or territories, with the option of purchasing usage in increments of 1, 2, 8, or 15 days. | For a total of £15, you can access 2GB of data in 73 different countries and territories for eight days, or for £25, you can access 4GB for 15 days. | In fifty countries and territories, you can get up to 20GB of data for a cost of one pound each day, split into 1, 2, 8, or 15-day blocks. | You can pay £15 to access up to 2GB of data in 73 countries/territories over 8 days, or you can pay £25 to access 4GB of data over 15 days. | CHECK THE PRICE | 4.4 / 5 |
GiffGaff | This is available in 37 different nations/areas and has a maximum usage limit of 5GB. | Pay for usage | Accessible in 37 nations/regions, with a maximum of 5GB permissible usage. | Pay for usage | CHECK THE PRICE | 4.6 / 5 |
Tesco Mobile | People in 48 countries/territories can use the service for the next two years free of charge. However, after January 2023, they will need to pay for each megabyte. | Pay for usage | Until January 2023, you can access data services in 48 different nations/areas without additional charges per Megabyte. | Pay for usage | CHECK THE PRICE | 4.7 / 5 |
Sky Mobile | The £2 daily rate applies to 40 countries, including the Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man. | £2 per day in 15 countries | The £2 daily rate applies to 40 countries, including the Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man. | £2 per day in 15 countries | CHECK THE PRICE | 4.3 / 5 |
Asda Mobile | This service is available in 37 different nations/regions and allows for a maximum utilisation of 25GB. | Pay for usage | This service is available in 37 different nations/regions and allows for a maximum utilisation of 25GB. | Pay for usage | CHECK THE PRICE | 4.2 / 5 |
O2 | This offer is available in 49 nations and areas, with a maximum of 25GB of data allowed to be used. | Inclusive in 27 countries/territories People from other countries can purchase the O2 Travel Bolt On for 6 pounds per day, which will entitle them to the same British allowance. | Inclusive in 49 countries/territories | A fee of £1.99 a day provides up to 100 megabytes of data in Monaco, Jersey, Isle of Man, Guernsey, and Switzerland. | CHECK THE PRICE | 4.6 / 5 |
Vodafone | In Ireland and the Isle of Man, customers may have access to £2 per day or a certain Xtra Airtime Plan that includes a maximum limit of 25GB in 49 different countries | The Unlimited data Xtra Airtime Plans are accessible in 32 nations, and it only costs £6 daily up to a reasonable data limit of 25GB £6 per day in 73 other countries with a 25 GB fair usage limit | Customers in the Ireland and Isle of Man can purchase £5 worth of data valid for 8 days in 49 countries with up to 3GB included. | You can get access to 73 nations/territories for 8 days and receive a maximum of 2GB of data for £8, or you can use 4GB of data over 15 days for £25. | CHECK THE PRICE | 4.5 / 5 |
BT | This service is available in 47 nations or regions and has a maximum data allowance of 50GB. | £6 per day with 500 MB in 12 countries/territories | This service is available in 47 nations or regions and has a maximum data allowance of 50GB. | £6 per day with 500 MB in 12 countries | CHECK THE PRICE | 4.5 / 5 |
ID Mobile | This service is accessible in 50 nations/regions, with a reasonable usage limit per your plan. | Pay for usage | This service is accessible in 50 nations/regions, with a reasonable usage limit per your plan. | Pay for usage | CHECK THE PRICE | 4.3 / 5 |
Lebara | This service is available in 40 nations and regions and offers up to 30GB of usage without restrictions. | In India, usage up to 10GB is allowed with no additional charges, but users must pay for any usage exceeding this amount. | This service is available in 40 nations and regions and offers up to 30GB of usage without restrictions. | In India, usage up to 10GB is allowed with no additional charges, but users must pay for any usage exceeding this amount. | CHECK THE PRICE | 4.4 / 5 |
Smarty | This fair usage limit of up to 12GB is available in 34 nations/regions worldwide. | £2 per day in 15 countries | This fair usage limit of up to 12GB is available in 34 nations/regions worldwide. | £2 per day in 15 countries | CHECK THE PRICE | 4.6 / 5 |
Plusnet | Inclusive in 52 countries/territories | Pay for usage | Inclusive in 52 countries/territories | Pay for usage | CHECK THE PRICE | 4.7 / 5 |
Talkmobile | This service is available in 36 nations and territories, with an upper limit of 15GB for fair usage. | This service is available in five jurisdictions, with a maximum allowance of 15GB | This service is available in 36 nations and territories, with an upper limit of 15GB for fair usage. | This service is available in five jurisdictions, with a maximum allowance of 15GB | CHECK THE PRICE | 4.5 / 5 |
5 Best Roaming SIM Card In 2023
Here are the best roaming SIM card on the market:
- The 25 GB monthly fair usage limit on EU roaming is great
- £6 per day unlock allowance in less common destinations
- Roam for free in 49 European countries
- You can roam in 27 non-European countries, including New Zealand & Mexico (with no fair usage limit)
- Cannot utilise tethering when overseas
O2 provides a comprehensive European roaming package where users can take advantage of their allowance, including data, calls, and texts, without any cost in 49 countries, as long as they don’t exceed a maximum of 25GB of data usage.
O2 is particularly remarkable regarding their roaming service outside of Europe. They provide roaming services in 27 countries with no restrictions on usage. This is much more than what other mobile networks provide.
O2 provides a beneficial “Travel Bolt On” that enables UK data usage in other countries for a daily fee of £6.
Although this is not an inexpensive option, it can be quite helpful if you are only in a foreign country for a brief time, as it allows you to bypass paying for each megabyte of data you use.
O2 has a great advantage, offering inclusive European roaming for pay-as-you-go SIM card users, covering 49 nations. Outside of Europe, customers with a pay-as-you-go plan are uncommon, but they can spend £1.99 for a 100MB allowance when visiting certain European destinations, such as Monaco.
O2 customers may find a slight disadvantage to roaming abroad – the inability to tether or utilise their device as a hotspot. This issue is not present with EE, Three, or Vodafone services.
- Inclusive roaming in 40 EU countries, including India
- No contracts on SIM plans
- Great value for money SIM plans
- 30GB fair usage limit in Europe
- You need to pay extra for usage when roaming in most non-EU countries
Lebara is an excellent selection for cell phone services while traveling in India and a good option for roaming in the European Union.
You can access roaming in 40 different European Union countries without any cost for up to 30 GB of data. Additionally, you can take advantage of up to 10 GB of your data plan, make calls, and send texts in India without extra charges.
Lebara has a roaming plan for those who use the pay-as-you-go option, making it a great choice for people who often visit India or the European Union and are looking for a SIM-only package.
Lebara is a great option if you’re looking for an affordable SIM-only plan with high-speed 5G and plenty of data. They offer a good value for money in comparison to other providers.
It’s not advisable to use Lebara when traveling abroad; it could be expensive as you will be paying for every megabyte of data used and for each call and message sent.
- High 50 GB monthly fair usage limit
- Utilises the EE mobile network in the UK
- Inclusive EU roaming
- You can roam in other countries
- Only 12 countries are covered beyond Europe, and £6 charge to roam in these destinations
BT is the most suitable option for obtaining a SIM card in Britain and traveling around Europe due to its Roam Like Home program.
This telecom company provides roaming services in 47 countries and regions inside Europe, with no additional fees imposed daily, plus a generous 50 GB data cap. In addition, customers can use their calls and texts allowance the same way as they do in the United Kingdom.
Different mobile networks typically charge a minimum of £2 a day for roaming in the European Union, and in many cases, they limit the amount of data to 20-25 GB. However, BT SIM plans allow you up to 50 GB of data in the EU as long as your SIM plan has a monthly data allowance of at least that amount.
If you travel outside of Europe, BT offers a £6 daily roaming pass that gives you 500 MB of data in 12 popular travel spots, including Australia, India, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States. However, you must pay an additional fee to make calls or send text messages.
Generally speaking, if you mainly take trips within Europe but sometimes venture to other places, BT’s SIM cards are a terrific option when you’re on the go.
An additional benefit of BT is that they utilize the EE mobile infrastructure. This implies that when you are in the UK, you can access the highest quality mobile network in the nation.
- You can roam in 73 other countries with a daily charge
- Inclusive roaming in 49 EU countries, plus 32 other destinations
- 25 GB monthly fair usage limit on data is quite high
- Roaming is only available on expensive pay monthly SIM deals
Vodafone is the best option if you’re looking for a monthly SIM plan that offers roaming outside of Europe.
With an Xtra Airtime SIM, you receive a 25 GB data allowance. You are eligible for inclusive roaming in 49 European countries and 32 other non-European countries – a much more comprehensive coverage than the other major networks offer.
Vodafone enables users to access an impressive number of countries – 81 in total – for a daily fee of £6, with a maximum of 25 GB. Additionally, customers can roam in 73 further countries without worrying about huge additional costs.
A downside to Vodafone’s monthly SIMs is that they are quite costly regarding roaming benefits. It is important to be mindful in selecting the perfect plan, as these roaming benefits are only accessible along with specific Xtra SIM plans. Currently, only the unlimited data plans offer four Xtra benefits, including access to roaming in a wide list of countries.
If you’re a Vodafone pay-as-you-go customer, you won’t get the best deal on roaming. You’ll be charged a fee of 50 pence to one pound per day for a maximum of 4GB of data, billed over a week, except for customers in Ireland and the Isle of Man.
- Use your calls, texts, and data allowance in 47 EU nations, & 5 other countries
- If you don’t have a Smart Benefit, £2 charge per day to roam
- Smart Benefits are quite good in that you can activate them when roaming
- High 50GB fair usage limit
- Smart Benefits are only available with EE’s more expensive pay monthly SIMs
I used to suggest EE as an excellent option for roaming. Still, since they’ve implemented a daily fee for many of their customers, I feel less enthusiastic about it now. Nevertheless, it still could be beneficial in some scenarios.
The awesome thing about EE is its flexibility. With a few of their costly pay-as-you-go SIMs, you get an allotted number of “Smart Benefits” that you can switch around as much as you desire. You can select a roaming Smart Benefit when you plan to travel abroad.
If you have an activated roaming Smart Benefit, you can access roaming services in 47 countries in Europe as well as 5 other popular international spots. You can use your calling/texting services and up to 5 0GB of data each month, which is a hefty amount.
Even if you don’t have a Smart Benefit plan, you can still access roaming services for £2 daily. This is an attractive option compared to other networks, which usually require around £5-£6 for the same service.
If you are outside Europe, EE will charge you £6.85 per day for merely 150MB of data coverage, which is not included in the five countries they provide services to.
How To Choose The Best Roaming SIM Card
In this section, I have outlined some essential elements to take into account when selecting the best roaming SIM card to take on an international trip:
Roaming With UK Mobile Networks
When your cell phone links to a cellular service provider in a different nation, it is called roaming.
While traveling, you can utilize the same data and calls/texts allowance in the UK. Alternately, depending upon your network, SIM plan, and destination, you may be charged on a per-megabyte basis for data used and per message and minute of calls.
Even though your network may let you take advantage of your allocated data, it might still limit you in two ways.
- Companies require you to pay an extra fee each day or month if you wish to use your existing data plan when traveling abroad.
- Limiting your data allowance for overseas use by instituting a “fair usage” policy.
When selecting a SIM card before going abroad, it is critical to be mindful.
Roaming Is Changed With Brexit
As of January 2022, following Britain’s exit from the EU, numerous UK mobile service providers have modified their roaming procedures within the European Union.
Previously, you could use your UK data allowance in almost all European countries at no cost. Nevertheless, this is only possible with the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union.
Numerous mobile service providers have begun implementing daily fees for those utilizing their services abroad in Europe, and some have applied strict regulations regarding data usage outside the country.
Even though it is still possible to tour Europe with a UK SIM and make use of your allowance, there is the potential of being charged exorbitant rates for exceeding the allowance.
It is essential to take caution and select the appropriate SIM. Otherwise, you risk paying a daily fee or an overage cap.
Roaming Fair Usage Limits
Most cell phone providers in the United Kingdom put a restriction known as “fair usage” on users who travel abroad.
These restrictions on usage typically serve two functions:
- There is a restriction on the amount of data you can use abroad. If you use a SIM card with a 50 GB monthly data limit in the United Kingdom, you may only be allowed to utilize 25 GB of data per month outside the country. Generally, the international usage limit is consistent among all available SIM plans of a particular provider, despite the amount of data you have. However, some networks vary the limit based on how much data you are allotted each month.
- They limit the days you can remain out of the country. This measure is created to stop you from residing in another nation for an extended time with your British SIM card. For instance, with EE, you must remain in the UK for at least 2 months within a four-month timeframe, or else they will get in touch with you and ask for evidence that you are still connected to the UK in a “stable” manner, as they would put it.
Certain providers may enforce tight limitations on the amount of data used each month while traveling abroad, such as a maximum of 10 GB. Therefore, it is essential to check the fair usage regulations before purchasing a SIM card for international roaming.
4G Or 5G Speeds On Roaming
Generally, when traveling abroad, the data speed will be limited to either 4G or 3G.
Even though O2 does not provide a 5G roaming service, Vodafone does give access to the latest 5G technology in a few selected countries, particularly in Europe.
The speed of your mobile data when traveling abroad can vary depending on your destination. If you’re in a major metropolitan city, you have the potential to receive 5G, but it is less likely if you’re heading to a place like the Canary Islands.
Generally, there is no additional expense when you take advantage of the accelerated rates available with a 5G roaming network.
Data Tethering Or Hotspot On Roaming
You can determine the capability of internet access through a cellular network overseas, such as tethering or utilizing a mobile hotspot by the mobile service provider you are utilizing.
EE, Three, Vodafone, and O2 all allow you to use tethering abroad. However, smaller virtual network operators (MVNOs) such as GiffGaff and iD Mobile may differ, so it’s best to double-check their policies before taking an international trip.
Calls & Texts On Roaming
Generally, if you’re in a roaming zone supported by your mobile provider, you can use your typical amount of minutes and text messages as if you were in your home country.
You can make calls and send messages to numbers in the United Kingdom and the country you travel to. But, it’s advisable to confirm this information since the details vary among different telecom companies according to the nation.
If you are not in a zone with inclusive roaming, you will be charged for every minute you spend on the phone and for every text you send. These costs can add up quickly, so you must check your network’s roaming guidelines before you go abroad and make calls or send messages.
What’s The Best Roaming SIM Card For EU travel?
As of now, BT is the most suitable SIM card provider for trips to the European Union due to the following factors:
- They have an exceptionally generous 50 GB data allowance when using their service internationally.
- The mobile phone service encompasses 47 different nations and territories within Europe.
- You don’t need to pay any extra fees daily, provided you don’t surpass the allocated quota or the 50 GB data roaming threshold.
What’s The Best Roaming SIM Card For Travelling Beyond Europe?
Vodafone is an excellent option for traveling to countries in Asia, the United States, and Oceania, though it requires customers to enter into a monthly subscription contract.
The service allows you to explore 32 countries not in Europe, such as Canada, Barbados, Jamaica, Mexico, and the USA, with an adequate 25 GB limitation. Nevertheless, if you want to take advantage of their inclusive international roaming privileges, you must purchase their priciest unlimited data SIM plan.
O2 is an excellent alternative, as it provides the advantage of free roaming in 27 nations apart from Europe without any restrictions on data usage.
Lebara is an excellent choice for those traveling in India due to the large amount of data they provide each month. Ten gigabytes of monthly data can be accessed for an incredibly low cost.
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Summary: Best Roaming SIM Card
When travelling abroad, you will typically use a local mobile network and SIM card in the country you are visiting, and having a suitable mobile roaming SIM card to use while overseas is essential.
You can use your hybrid or unlocked mobile device to travel with a SIM card that complies with local mobile standards. If you want to take advantage of over 60 countries across the globe, then you need to pick the best roaming SIM card.
You need to consider several factors before choosing a roaming SIM card. These include the cost and availability of the service provider in the country you are visiting, the types of phones that they offer, and their network coverage. The best option will depend on your own needs.
I hope this article on the best roaming SIM card sounds helpful!
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) On Best Roaming SIM Card:
1. Which SIM card is best for international roaming?
Here is the best SIM card for international roaming:
– Orange Holiday Europe
– Three Mobile Pay
– Keepgo Lifetime Prepaid Data Sim Card
– GigSky 4G LTE/3G Data SIM Card
– OneSimCard Travel
– Ultra Mobile Trial Kit
– KnowRoaming Global Sim Card
2. Which UK SIM is best for roaming?
Here are the best UK SIM for roaming:
– Vodafone
– EE
– iD Mobile
– TalkTalk
– Giffgaff
– SMARTY
– Three
– O2
– Virgin Media
– Sky Mobile
– BT Mobile
– Tesco Mobile
3. Which SIM card is best for Europe travel?
Here is the best SIM card for Europe travel:
– Three Prepaid SIM with 12GB Data
– LycaMobile Prepaid SIM Card with 6GB Data
– Cellhire Prepaid SIM Card with 12GB Data
– Orange Holiday Europe SIM with 20GB Data
– Orange Holiday Zen with 8GB Data
– Giffgaff Prepaid SIM with 20GB Data
Mark is a tech-obsessed serial entrepreneur who also enjoys reading and writing. He has a strong urge to keep learning and talking about technology, which led him to become an author. Mark has co-founded two successful startups, one of which was acquired in 2018.
