eSIM for travellers from the UK: where you go and what it costs
UK travellers go to Spain, France and Italy most (ONS, 2024). A 5 GB, 30-day eSIM costs £5.99 for Spain, £6.99 for France and £5.99 for Italy. Delivered by email in seconds.
The top destinations for UK travellers are Spain, France and Italy, according to ONS Travel trends for 2024. A travel eSIM gives you a local data plan for those trips, added before you fly, so you can skip hunting for a SIM at the airport.
Where UK travellers go, and the eSIM for each
| Destination | Plan | Price | Plans |
|---|---|---|---|
1. Spain | 5 GB, 30 days · prices compared | £5.99 | See plans |
2. France | 5 GB, 30 days · prices compared | £6.99 | See plans |
3. Italy | 5 GB, 30 days · prices compared | £5.99 | See plans |
4. Turkey | 5 GB, 30 days · prices compared | £5.99 | See plans |
5. United States | 5 GB, 30 days · prices compared | £8.99 | See plans |
6. Greece | 5 GB, 30 days · prices compared | £5.99 | See plans |
7. Portugal | 5 GB, 30 days · prices compared | £5.99 | See plans |
8. Ireland | 5 GB, 30 days | £5.99 | See plans |
9. Germany | 5 GB, 30 days · prices compared | £5.99 | See plans |
10. Poland | 5 GB, 30 days | £5.99 | See plans |
Ranking: ONS, Travel trends: 2024 (visits abroad by Great Britain residents; published 26 August 2025). ONS's article text names only the top three (Spain 18.2m visits, France 9.1m, Italy 4.9m, current figures). Ranks 4-10 are from Finder UK's table citing ONS (Turkey and USA tied at 4.1m, Greece 3.8m, Portugal 3.7m, Ireland 3.6m, Germany 3.2m, Poland 2.9m), read on https://www.finder.com/uk/credit-cards/outbound-tourism-statistics; its top-three figures are the pre-correction ones (17.8m/9.3m/4.8m). Prices are live, in pounds.
UK networks' roaming charges
What each home network charges a day abroad, zone by zone, beside a travel eSIM for the same trip.
Good to know
- UK residents made an estimated 94.6 million visits abroad in 2024 (ONS). Source
Which eSIM do I need for my trip from the UK?
Each country has its own networks, so pick the plan for where you are going, and if you use a lot of data, look at eSIMology's daily allowances and bigger fixed plans.
- Spain, France and Italy: the Europe bundle covers all three. Spain runs on Movistar and Orange, France on Orange, and Italy on Iliad, TIM and Wind, with 5G where the network offers it.
- Turkey: your eSIM uses Avea/Türk Telekom and Vodafone, with 5G where the network offers it. Turkey is covered by the Middle East and Middle East & North Africa bundles.
- United States: your United States eSIM uses AT&T and Verizon, with 5G where the network offers it. The USA & Canada and Australia, UK & US bundles both cover it.
- Greece, Portugal, Germany and Poland: also among the top destinations, and all covered by the Europe bundle. Greece uses Vodafone and Wind, Portugal NOS and Vodafone, Germany O2 and Vodafone, and Poland Orange and Play, with 5G where the network offers it.
Roaming from the UK: what your network charges
Each UK network sets its own roaming prices, so what you pay depends on your carrier and where you go. Current rates for each carrier, and the date they were read, are on our roaming page.
UK residents made an estimated 94.6 million visits abroad in 2024 (ONS). For many of those trips, the question is how to get data without paying the home network's roaming rate.
Where home roaming costs extra, a travel eSIM gives you data for one price. Your home number stays on for calls and texts, so people still reach you on the number they already have. If WhatsApp is tied to that number, see how to keep it.
eSIMology prices in GBP, EUR or USD. Heavier users can pick our daily allowances or a bigger fixed plan, depending on the trip.
Travelling from the UK: questions
Where do UK travellers go most?
Spain, France, Italy, Turkey, the United States, Greece, Portugal, Ireland, Germany and Poland, in that order, according to ONS, Travel trends: 2024 (visits abroad by Great Britain residents; published 26 August 2025).
Can I keep my UK number with a travel eSIM?
Yes. A travel eSIM from eSIMology is data only: keep your home SIM switched on for calls and texts (your carrier's own rates apply to those), and use WhatsApp, FaceTime or any calling app over the eSIM's data.
Which currency do I pay in?
Pounds, euros or US dollars: pick yours at the top of any page. This guide shows pounds.
Do I need an eSIM for a trip from the UK to Spain?
A travel eSIM gives you mobile data in Spain while your UK SIM stays in your phone. eSIMology's Spain plans run on Movistar and Orange, with 5G where the network offers it. Heavy data users should look at our daily allowances and larger fixed plans.
Which countries does the Europe bundle cover?
The Europe bundle is offered for Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Poland, Greece and Portugal. Turkey and the United States sit in other bundles, so check their pages first. Compare prices and data sizes on each destination page.
Will my eSIM use 5G?
Yes, with 5G where the network offers it. That covers the networks behind our plans for Spain, France, Italy, Turkey, the United States, Greece, Portugal, Germany and Poland.
Land online, wherever you're headed
Pick your destination, install at home in two minutes, and your plan starts when you land.