Planning your trip to Europe and wondering what is the best prepaid sim card? Don't get stuck with high roaming costs or slow overseas data roaming plans!
Whether you need a physical prepaid sim card or an eSIM for Europe this is the ultimate guide for finding the best sim card for your trip to Europe.
Find out where to buy a sim card, up to date prices as per April 2025 and everything else you need to know before buying a sim card for traveling to Europe in 2025.
Traveltomtom also wrote a specific guide for the best Europe eSIMs in 2025.
Table of Contents
All the sim cards listed in this article are European sim cards with data that you can order online before your trip. The international physical prepaid sim cards will be delivered to your home address before your trip and are activated automatically from its first use. eSIMs for Europe obviously are delivered via email.
Some links in this article about the best travel sim cards for Europe are affiliate links. If you buy any of the products after using an affiliate links I earn a small commission. Don't worry this is at absolutely no extra cost to you!
My recommendation
Buying a local prepaid sim card in Europe is in most cases the cheapest way to stay connected when traveling to Europe in 2025. But wouldn't it be easy to be online and have data on your phone as soon as the plane lands?
Don't waste your precious holiday time standing in line at a sim card shop on the airport or finding a local phone store. Order a sim card for Europe online before your trip!
Before giving you my Europe sim card recommendation read the following carefully:
Make sure your phone is unlocked. If not, a sim card for Europe won't work on your phone!
Here are the two best sim cards for Europe in 2025.
Bouygues Telecom Travel Basic - 20 GB for $21.9 USD
- 20 GB data in all of Europe
- 4G/LTE
- Unlimited calling in all of Europe
- Valid for 15 days
- Only around $1 USD per Gigabyte
This Bouygues Telecom sim card is $21.90 USD and available as eSIM via SimOptions as well a physical prepaid sim card.
The Bouygues Telecom sim cards are the best physical prepaid sim cards for Europe. If your phone is not eSIM compatible then Traveltomtom rates this as the best pick sim card for Europe.
Holiday Europe eSIM - 70 GB for $53.5 USD
- 70 GB data in all of Europe
- 5G ready
- Unlimited calling/texting in all of Europe
- 120 international minutes
- 1,000 international sms
- Valid for 28 days
- Only around $0.8 USD per Gigabyte
Are you a heavy data user then this is your sim card, but the Orange Holiday Europe with 70 GB data is only available as eSIM, not as physical prepaid sim card.
This eSIM comes with a phone number from France starting with +33 and is valid in 39 countries in Europe. Unlimited calls and sms within Europe are included as well as 120 international minutes.
You can buy the Orange Holiday Europe eSIM via SimOptions for $55.90 USD or via Sim Local for $53.50 USD.
Traveltomtom readers now get an extra 15% off on all Sim Local eSIMs when using the promo code: TRAVELTOMTOM at check out!
Europe sim card comparison
Being online as soon as the plane lands is so convenient and therefore Traveltomtom recommends ordering an eSIM for traveling in Europe from one of the well-known eSIM providers which have proven to be reliable operators: SimOptions, GigSky, aloSIM, Ubigi, Yesim, Saily, Airalo, Holafly, Nomad, Sim Local, Jetpac, Roamless, Firsty, etc.
The competition is fierce... so before you buy a sim card first read all my tips below.
1. Bouygues Telecom (eSIM & physical sim)
Bouygues Telecom has several sim card plans for Europe travel and all of them are great value. You can choose between data-only sim cards and sim cards with data & voice.
Best thing about the Bouygues Telecom sim cards for Europe is that they are available as physical prepaid sim cards as well as eSIMs.
Here are the Europe eSIM plans for Bouygues Telecom in 2025.
- 15 GB data-only for 15 days = $15.90 USD
- 20 GB data + unlimited calls for 15 days = $21.90 USD
- 30 GB data + unlimited calls for 30 days = $32.90 USD
- 60 GB data + unlimited calls for 30 days = $39.90 USD
If your phone is eSIM compatible you can order an eSIM from Bouygues Telecom via SimOptions.
The physical prepaid sim card versions of these Europe sim cards from Bouygues Telecom are a little more expensive.
- 15 GB data-only for 15 days = $15.90 USD
- 20 GB data + unlimited calls for 15 days = $21.90 USD
- 30 GB data + unlimited calls for 30 days = $44.90 USD
- 60 GB data + unlimited calls for 30 days = $51.90 USD
Click here to order a Bouygues Telecom physical prepaid sim card via SimOptions.
All the Bouygues Telecom sim cards come with a phone number from France starting with +33 and they all support incoming calls and sms. Some of them support 5G, other only 4G/LTE.
Cons about the Bouygues Telecom sim cards for Europe is that they are NOT valid in Switzerland.
2. Orange Holiday Europe (eSIM & physical sim)
Another great sim card deal for Europe are the Orange Holiday Europe sim cards. They are also available as eSIMs as well as physical prepaid sim cards, but prices vary.
Especially for heavy data users the Orange Holiday Europe eSIMs are great value and if you also want international calls then this is the perfect prepaid sim card for for tourists traveling to Europe in 2025.
Here are the eSIM plans.
- 30 GB data + unlimited calls/text + 120 minutes international for 14 days = $49.90 USD
- 70 GB data + unlimited calls/text + 120 minutes international for 28 days = $55.90 USD
If your phone is eSIM compatible you can order an eSIM from Orange via SimOptions.
The physical prepaid sim card versions of these Europe sim cards from Bouygues Telecom are a little more expensive.
- 12 GB data + unlimited calls/text + 120 minutes international for 14 days = $29.90 USD
- 30 GB data + unlimited calls/text + 120 minutes international for 14 days = $49.90 USD
Click here to order an Orange physical prepaid sim card via SimOptions.
Traveltomtom rates the Orange Holiday Europe sim cards as one of the best prepaid sim card for Europe in 2025 because of the complete package: lots of data, international calls, unlimited calling and texting in Europe.
Pros about the Orange prepaid sim for Europe is that it is also valid in Switzerland!
3. Jetpac (eSIM only)
Jetpac is a fairly new eSIM provider and is earning its stripes quickly in the eSIM market. Jetpac only offers data-only eSIMs.
It has some incredible eSIM plans for traveling to Europe and also gives travelers extra perks like free VPN subscription, airport lounge passes, etc. Find out more in our review with the pros and cons of Jetpac.
Here are the Jetpac Europe eSIM plans for 2025:
- 1 GB data for 4 days = $1 USD
- 3 GB data for 7 days = $5 USD
- 5 GB data for 30 days = $7 USD
- 10 GB data for 30 days = $13 USD
- 15 GB data for 30 days = $17 USD
- 20 GB data for 30 days = $20 USD
- 30 GB data for 30 days = $28 USD
- 40 GB data for 30 days = $39 USD
Click here for more info or to order the Jetpac Europe eSIM.
The Jetpac eSIMs work in 30 countries in Europe: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom.
Pretty much in all popular tourist destinations in Europe, however not in: Ukraine, Romania, Albania, Cyprus, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
If you are visiting the Balkan on your trip to Europe then Jetpac is not the perfect eSIM for your trip.
Most of the Jetpac eSIMs for Europe have a rate around $1 USD per Gigabyte. That makes the Jetpac Europe eSIMs of the cheapest eSIMs for Europe in 2025.
All Jetpac eSIMs are data-only and incoming and outgoing call or sms are not supported. These eSIMs do not come with a phone number. 5G is supported.
The Jetpac eSIMs are valid 1 year from date of purchase and the validity starts automatically when it connects for the first time to a network in a country where you can use Jetpac.
Jetpac provides free VPN subscription and also free lounge access if your flight is delayed. However, you will have to register your flight before you travel and in case of a delayed or canceled flight a LoungeKey voucher will automatically be provided. This is a complimentary service that no other eSIMs offer. For more info check out the Jetpack website.
4. Eurolink eSIMs from Airalo (eSIM only)
Airalo is the market leader in eSIMs and a trusted eSIM provider that offers eSIMs for pretty much every country in the world.
Traveltomtom has used Airalo over the last 5 years in more than 50 countries, but feels like Airalo is lacking innovation the last years.
The Airalo Europe eSIM plans are much more expensive than other eSIMs for Europe.
Here are the Airalo eSIMs for Europe for 2025:
- 1 GB data for 7 days = $5 USD
- 2 GB data for 15 days = $9.5 USD
- 3 GB data for 30 days = $13 USD
- 5 GB data for 30 days = $20 USD
- 10 GB data for 30 days = $37 USD
- 20 GB data for 30 days = $49 USD
- 50 GB data for 90 days = $100 USD
- 100 GB data for 180 days = $185 USD
Click here for more info or to order an eSIM for Europe from Airalo.
Airalo offers eSIMs with a validity of up to 180 days.
Pros about the Airalo eSIMs is that they support 5G and are valid in all of Europe including Iceland, Norway, UK, Switzerland, Ukraine and even in Turkey!
Especially for people looking for eSIMs for Europe that are valid for 3 or 6 months Airalo is one of the best eSIMs for Europe.
5. Saily (eSIM only)
Saily is a no frills eSIM provider with standard eSIM plans. In most cases Saily offers pretty much the exact same as Airalo but then a dollar or so cheaper.
That said, Saily is a fairly new eSIM provider so I am sure they will enhance their product along the way. Saily also is a NordVPN product, so with its reliability we are sure it will do great.
Check the honest Saily review from the Traveltomtom Team.
Here are the Saily eSIM plans for Europe:
- 1 GB data for 7 days = $4.99 USD
- 3 GB data for 30 days = $12.49 USD
- 5 GB data for 30 days = $29.49 USD
- 10 GB data for 30 days = $35.99 USD
- 50 GB data for 90 days = $95.99 USD
- 100 GB data for 180 days = $179.99 USD
Click here to order an eSIM for Europe from Saily.
The Saily eSIMs are valid in 35 countries only, the Airalo plans for Europe are valid in 42 countries.
Saily does not specify on its website if their eSIMs are 5G ready or not. The Saily eSIMs for Europe are data-only and outgoing and incoming calls and sms are not supported.
6. Nomad (eSIM only)
Nomad has to be named in a list of the best prepaid sim cards for Europe travel. They mostly have good eSIM deals and also plans valid for up to 1 year. Which is pretty unique and no other eSIM provider has these eSIM plans for Europe.
The Traveltomtom Team reported some issues with the costumer service as well as the installing of Nomad eSIMs. Therefore it is not Traveltomtom's first recommended prepaid sim card for traveling to Europe in 2025.
Here are the Nomad eSIM plans for Europe for 2025:
- 1 GB data for 7 days = $5 USD
- 3 GB data for 30 days = $12 USD
- 5 GB data for 30 days = $14 USD
- 10 GB data for 30 days = $16 USD
- 10 GB data for 90 days = $19 USD
- 20 GB data for 30 days = $22 USD
- 20 GB data for 180 days = $33 USD
- 30 GB data for 365 days = $49 USD
- 50 GB data for 30 days = $45 USD
Click here to order an Nomad sim card for Europe.
The Nomad eSIMs are data-only and do not come with a phone number. Incoming and outgoing calls are not supported. The Nomad eSIMs are 5G ready.
Compared to other eSIM providers Nomad Europe eSIMs are more expensive and therefore not rated high in this list of the best prepaid sim cards for Europe travel in 2025.
7. Holafly (eSIM only)
Holafly sells eSIMs for Europe with unlimited data. Traveltomtom is not a fan of eSIMs with 'unlimited' data and I explain you below why.
However, if you want a sim card for Europe with unlimited data then Holafly is your best bid. It is pretty expensive and I recommend you to read the fine print and read about how unlimited your eSIM with unlimited data actually is.
- 1 day 'unlimited' data = $6 USD
- 2 days 'unlimited' data = $10 USD
- 3 days 'unlimited' data = $13 USD
- 4 days 'unlimited' data = $16 USD
- 5 days 'unlimited' data = $21 USD
- 6 days 'unlimited' data = $25 USD
- 7 days 'unlimited' data = $29 USD
- 8 days 'unlimited' data = $31 USD
- 9 days 'unlimited' data = $35 USD
- 10 days 'unlimited' data = $37 USD
- 11 days 'unlimited' data = $40 USD
- 14 days 'unlimited' data = $48 USD
- 20 days 'unlimited' data = $64 USD
- 30 days 'unlimited' data = $75 USD
The Holafly eSIMs for Europe are data-only and incoming and outgoing calls/sms are NOT supported. These eSIMs do also not come with a phone number. The Holafly eSIMs are 5G ready, but not in every country in Europe. The Holafly Europe eSIM has been tested by the Traveltomtom Team with mixed results. Some good, some average reviews.
You can use a hotspot on Holafly Europe eSIMs of up to 500 MB per day.
The Holafly Europe eSIMs are valid in the following 32 countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, United Kingdom, Czech Republic, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, and Ukraine.
Why does Traveltomtom not recommend eSIMs with unlimited data? Because unlimited is only truly unlimited is there is no FUP per day. An FUP means a Fair Use Policy and that means after you used an X amount of data on 1 day they will slow down your data speed. Your eSIM becomes basically useless, only WhatsApp will work until the data speed is restored.
Traveltomtom has had bad experiences with this in the past. Imagine being on a 10 hour bus or train ride and using a lot of data. Then suddenly your data speed is reduced because you used too much data. This can be extremely frustrating on days you need a lot of data, like travel days.
Also the connection and the network strength on Holafly eSIMs has been pretty disappointing. Inside buildings the Traveltomtom Team has reported that there was often with just 1 bar phone signal as well as slow data speed on peak hours.
If I hate something then it is slow data speed. Therefore Traveltomtom's is not a fan of eSIMs with 'unlimited' data. Holafly does NOT specify what is the exact data speed, but the Traveltomtom Team found out that this is sometimes at 2 GB data per day and in some countries 3 GB data per day.
For this reason Holafly eSIMs are not ranked high in this list of the best sim cards for traveling to Europe in 2025. After you reach the FUP per day you will have to deal with data speed as fast as an E signal. Trust me, not fun and therefore not recommended.
8. O2 Unlimited data eSIM from Airhub
Airhub is a marketplace for eSIMs and they offer several eSIMs for Europe including data & voice eSIMs. However, be careful and read the fine print first because most of these eSIMs only allow calling in the UK.
There is one exception and that is the O2 UK eSIM for Europe.
This eSIM allows unlimited call in the UK & Europe:
- unlimited data & voice in all of Europe for 30 days = $45.5 USD
Click here to order the O2 eSIM via Airhub.
Cons: sms is not included and validity starts immediately after purchase.
This is a major bummer, meaning that you can only buy this eSIM on the day of departure basically. Therefore this eSIM is also not ranked that high in this list of the best prepaid sim cards for Europe in 2025.
9. Amazon
Of course you can also order sim cards for traveling to Europe on Amazon. When searching for 'Sim Card for Europe' on Amazon you will get a long list of available physical prepaid sim cards as well as eSIMs. Good list finding one that will suit your trip to Europe, it is a jungle and personally I would not recommend it.
Here are some examples:
- Orange: 16 GB data (not in UK, Switzerland) + 800 minutes for 28 day = $28 USD + tax
- Three: 10 GB data + unlimited calls/sms for 30 days = $19 USD + tax
- Sim2Roam: 3 GB data for 30 days = $16 USD + tax
- Vodafone: 12 GB data for 14 days = $17 USD + tax
I listed Amazon as a last option because Traveltomtom does not directly recommend it. The offers vary, the availability is not guaranteed and you will have to activate the sim card yourself with a proper guideline once the sim card will be delivered to your home address
On top of that Amazon has delivery fees and taxes which makes buying a sim card from Amazon sometimes really expensive.
EU data roaming on European sim cards
The European Union came in 2017 finally with the genius idea to let go of roaming charges within the EU countries. Therefore in 2017 people can use their sim card from Spain in Italy and their Germany sim card in Sweden without any extra charges. For people looking for a sim card for Europe travel this was the best news ever of course.
Therefore upon arrival in Europe you can potentially buy a local prepaid sim card for tourists and be connected to the internet in all other countries you visit in Europe. However, there are a lot of exceptions, so keep reading…
The biggest exceptions are: UK, Switzerland, Iceland and Norway. As you might know these are countries in Europe, but they are not all part of the European Union, which means roaming costs can apply for these countries.
Brexit threw the UK out of the European Union and one of the major problems is the free EU roaming on UK prepaid sim cards. Most of the prepaid and eSIMs you buy in the UK do not include free EU roaming anymore. For more info see my guide for buying a sim card in the UK in 2025.
Why buying a sim card for Europe
A very simple question... Do you need a prepaid sim card when visiting Europe? First of all you want to avoid high roaming costs. Always turn off data roaming on your sim card from home. Data roaming without a plan can be ridiculously expensive. Charges of up to $3 USD per MEGABYTE are very common. That means opening the Instagram app only will cost you $100 USD.
To avoid roaming costs you can also opt for an international plan from your home provider. These plans are alway more expensive than prepaid sim cards for Europe. Don't pay $5 - $10 USD per day to have internet on your phone in Europe!
Although there is WiFi everywhere in Europe, just don't rely on it. Definitely when traveling on busses, trains and road trips make sure you have internet on your phone.
First of all public WiFi can not be trusted in speed, signal and security. What if the signal in your hotel room is weak and you can't change rooms? Or the WiFi is too slow to upload an Instagram story. Having a working data connection on your phone makes traveling so much easier and also much more fun!
Also another reminder that surfing the internet on public WiFi is through an UNSECURED network. The use of a VPN is recommended in these cases to protect your privacy.
Think about ordering a cab on the streets through a taxi app, or getting directions from Google Maps and finding a nearby restaurants with good reviews or finding out the train schedule to get back to your hotel. So many reasons Traveltomtom recommends getting a sim card for your trip to Europe.
On Traveltomtom you can find specific guides for buying a local prepaid sim cards in Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Greece, Ireland, Portugal, Germany, Poland, France, Sweden, UK, Hungary, Croatia, Austria, Finland, Norway, Netherlands, Belgium, Bulgaria and every other European country.
Sim cards for Europe with unlimited data
Traveltomtom does not recommend sim cards for Europe with unlimited data. With most of these sim cards you will end up frustrated! Always double check at what speed you get unlimited data, because in reality 'unlimited' is mostly not really unlimited.
There is pretty much always a FUP (Fair Use Policy) on these Europe sim cards with unlimited data.
For example Holafly sells eSIMs with unlimited data for Europe, but in the small letters you will find this: the eSIM includes unlimited data for the contracted time. However, please note that the carrier may reserve the right to apply a Fair Usage Policy.
This literally means that if the operator thinks you are using too much data on a day, they reduce your data speed. Holafly does not specify what the FUP is. From my own experience I can tell you that this already applies sometimes after using 2 GB data per day.
When this happens your data speed is reduced to something like 512 Kbps which means you can barely send a photo through WhatsApp and your social media apps won't work for a full 24 hours.
To avoid all this hassle, Traveltomtom does not recommend sim cards for Europe with unlimited data, unless the Fair Use Policy is clearly mentioned and it is per month rather than per day. An FUP per day can be really frustrating!
Local prepaid sim cards vs. European sim cards
All sim cards mentioned in this article are sim cards including FREE EU data roaming intended for those that visit several countries in Europe. However, if you only visit one countries in Europe you might be better off buying a local sim card on arrival.
Local sim cards are mostly valid in 1 country only. Especially for a trip to Eastern Europe I would recommend buying a local sim card, rather than a European sim card if you want to save money.
For a complete overview of all sim card prices per country have a look at my guide for how to buy a local prepaid sim card in Europe in 2025.
I love traveling in Europe off the beaten path, have a look at my 12 secret places to visit. I bet some of them you have never even heard of.
Getting connected is the first thing I do when I get to a new country. Depending on the length of my trip that means either buying a local prepaid sim card on arrival or ordering an eSIM online. Must say that the last years on all my trips to Europe I bought an eSIM since it is just much easier and less hassle.
Buying a local sim card on arrival in Europe
Sometimes the best European sim card deals you get on arrival in Europe. In France for example you get 150 GB data for €20 EUR ($22 USD) and data bundles in Italy are also very affordable with lots of data. Most countries in Eastern Europe offer amazing local prepaid sim card deals with sometimes more than 50 GB data for less than $10 USD but these local prepaid sim cards often do NOT offer free EU data roaming or very limited.
Therefore I recommend you to check my complete guide for buying a local sim card in Europe in 2025, with a specific list of every country in Europe and what prices to expect on arrival before buying a sim card for Europe.
Traveltomtom also wrote sim card guides for all major airports in Europe: Zurich, London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Paris, Frankfurt, Dublin, Madrid, Manchester, Lisbon, Rome, Milan, Venice, Vienna, Oslo, Athens, Barcelona, Berlin, Budapest, Geneva, Bucharest, Tirana, Budapest, Prague, Brussels and many more.
I hope all the above tips for finding the best sim card for your trip to Europe in 2025 were helpful. If you still have questions please don't hesitate to leave me a comment below.
Looking for off the beaten path destinations in Europe then click on the link and I bet most of those places you have never even heard of. Let me fuel you with some more wanderlust.
Because Traveltomtom would also like to visit every country in the world you can already find more than 200 sim card guides on Traveltomtom from all around the world: USA, Canada, Mexico, Colombia, South Africa, Asia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Brazil, Philippines, Egypt, China, Australia, New Zealand and many more!
So next time you plan your adventure abroad come check out Traveltomtom for the latest prepaid sim card and eSIM advice for your next holiday destination. Bookmark me!
Traveltomtom's favorite sim card providers are Airalo and SimOptions. Why? Traveltomtom has personally used Airalo and SimOptions sim cards for more than 5 years and never faced an issue. But are they still the best and cheapest?
There is nowadays also Nomad, Sim Local, Holafly, Jetpac, Roamless, Sim Local and even Amazon sells sim cards for Europe.
If interested check out my Instagram profile @traveltomtom to see more of my journey to visit every country in the world. As of April 2025 I have traveled to more than 155 countries, but no rush to reach 197.
Enjoy your trip to Europe!