The best eSIM for Europe is the one that fits your trip: how many days you stay, how much data you use, which countries you visit and whether you need a phone number. This guide compares the prepaid Europe eSIM plans sold on SimOptions side by side, so you can pick in a minute. All the facts below come from the current plan details on our Europe eSIM page.
Short on time? Here are three plans for three typical trips: two weeks with data only, two weeks with a French phone number, and a full month with a number and lots of data.
Europe 20GB (data only, 15 days) · Travel Basic+ (French +33 number, 15 days) · My European eSIM 60GB (French +33 number, 30 days) · See all Europe eSIMs
Quick comparison: best eSIMs for Europe 2026
SimOptions sells two families of prepaid Europe eSIMs. Here is how they compare.
Europe data plans (1 GB to 50 GB)
- Data and days: 1 GB or 3 GB for 3 days, 5 GB or 10 GB for 7 days, 20 GB for 15 days, 50 GB for 30 days.
- Countries: 34, including the UK, Switzerland, Norway, Turkey, Ukraine and Moldova.
- Phone number: no. Data only.
- Speed: 4G/LTE.
- Top-ups: available.
Europe Unlimited (7 or 14 days)
- Data and days: unlimited data for 7 or 14 days.
- Countries: 54, the widest list, including the Western Balkans, Turkey and Iceland.
- Phone number: no. Data only.
- Speed: 4G/LTE.
- Top-ups: available.
Bouygues Telecom plans (15 GB to 120 GB)
- Data and days: Travel Basic 15 GB and Travel Basic+ 20 GB for 15 days, My European eSIM 30 GB, 60 GB or 120 GB for 30 days.
- Countries: 46, including all EU countries, the UK, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and French overseas territories. Turkey, Ukraine and non-EU Balkan countries aren't included.
- Phone number: Travel Basic+ and My European eSIM come with a French +33 number and unlimited calls and SMS within Europe. Travel Basic is data only.
- Speed: 5G where available.
- Top-ups: not available, so pick enough data and days for your trip.
- Where to buy: on the SimOptions website, not in the app.
Every plan is prepaid with no contract. You get your eSIM by email as a QR code, and it activates automatically when you arrive in a covered country.
Best eSIM for Europe by trip type
Start with the length of your trip, then check that your countries are on the plan's list.
Short trip or city break (up to a week): Europe 3GB, 5GB or 10GB
For a weekend or a week, a small data plan covers maps, messaging and browsing. The 3 GB plan lasts 3 days, the 5 GB and 10 GB plans last 7 days. If you only need data for a stopover, there's also a 1 GB plan for 3 days on the Europe eSIM page.
Data-only Europe plans · 3 GB for 3 days, 5 GB or 10 GB for 7 days · 34 countries · See all Europe eSIMs
Two weeks in Europe: Europe 20GB or Travel Basic
For a two-week trip, you have two data-only options with 15 days of validity.
Europe 20GB gives you 20 GB in 34 countries, and you can top it up if you run low. It's a good fit if your trip includes Turkey or Ukraine.
Travel Basic from Bouygues Telecom gives you 15 GB on 5G in 46 countries, including Iceland, Monaco and Andorra. It can't be topped up.
Lots of data on a shorter trip: Europe Unlimited
Streaming, video calls and remote work eat data fast. The unlimited plans last 7 or 14 days and cover 54 countries, so they also work if you go on to the Balkans, like Albania, Montenegro or Serbia.
Data-only unlimited plans · 7 or 14 days · 54 countries · See all Europe eSIMs
A month in Europe: Europe 50GB
For three or four weeks, Europe 50GB gives you 50 GB for 30 days in 34 countries. You can top it up if you need more.
You need a phone number for calls and SMS: Bouygues Telecom
All the plans above are data only. You can still call and text on WhatsApp, FaceTime or iMessage. If you need a real number that hotels, tour guides or restaurants in Europe can call, the Bouygues Telecom plans give you a French +33 number with unlimited calls and SMS within Europe:
- Travel Basic+: 20 GB for 15 days.
- My European eSIM 30GB: 30 GB for 30 days.
- My European eSIM 60GB: 60 GB for 30 days.
- My European eSIM 120GB: 120 GB for 30 days, for heavy data users and remote workers.
The plan details list calls and SMS within Europe only, not to the US, Canada or other countries outside Europe. Our guide to Europe eSIMs with a phone number explains when you really need one and how to keep your home number.
All Bouygues Telecom · French +33 number · calls, SMS and 5G data in 46 countries · See all Europe eSIMs
Need even more data for a month of remote work? The 120 GB plan has the same French number:
Which countries are covered?
All plans cover the usual trips: France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Greece, the Netherlands, Austria, Ireland, Switzerland and the UK. The differences are at the edges of Europe.
- Turkey and Ukraine: covered by the SimOptions data plans and the Unlimited plans. Not covered by Bouygues Telecom.
- Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia): covered by the Unlimited plans only.
- Iceland, Monaco and Andorra: covered by Bouygues Telecom and the Unlimited plans, not by the 1 GB to 50 GB data plans.
- French overseas territories like Guadeloupe, Martinique and Reunion: covered by Bouygues Telecom only.
Check the full country list of each plan on the Europe eSIM page before you buy. Going further, outside Europe? Find your destination.
How much data do you need?
It depends on how you use your phone. Wi-Fi at your hotel or rental also helps a lot.
- Light use: maps, messages, email and some browsing. A few GB a week is usually enough.
- Medium use: social media, photos and a few video calls. A 15 to 20 GB plan is a comfortable choice for two weeks.
- Heavy use: streaming, frequent video calls or remote work. Go for 50 GB or more, or an unlimited plan.
Not sure? Pick a SimOptions data plan, since you can top it up during your trip. You can track what you use in your phone settings, see how to check your data usage on iPhone.
Is your phone compatible?
Your phone must support eSIM and be unlocked. Dial *#06#: if you see an EID number, your phone supports eSIM. On iPhone, eSIM works on the iPhone XS, XS Max, XR and later (Apple: About eSIM on iPhone). For Android phones, check our guide to checking eSIM compatibility.
If you bought your phone from a carrier, it may be locked to that carrier. Ask your carrier to unlock it before you travel.
How to set up your Europe eSIM
- Buy your plan on the Europe eSIM page. Your QR code comes by email.
- Install it at home on Wi-Fi before you fly. On iPhone, go to Settings > Cellular (or Mobile Data), tap Add eSIM or Add Cellular Plan and scan the QR code. Step-by-step guides: iPhone and Android.
- Label the line "Europe" so you can tell it apart from your home line.
- When you land, the eSIM activates automatically. Choose it as your line for cellular data and turn on data roaming for it.
- Turn off data roaming on your home line so it can't use data abroad. More in our guide to the correct roaming settings for an eSIM.
If you don't use your eSIM within a year of buying it, it expires.
Travelling from Canada, the US, the UK or Australia
The EU's "roam like at home" rules only apply to plans from the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, and since 2026 also Ukraine and Moldova (European Commission: Roaming). They don't cover the UK, and they don't cover plans from Canada, the US or Australia. Your home carrier sets its own roaming prices in Europe, so check them before you go.
A Europe eSIM gives you local data at a fixed prepaid price, while your home SIM stays on your phone. You can keep receiving texts and security codes on your usual number. For calls home, apps like WhatsApp or FaceTime work over the eSIM's data. See how to make phone calls with a data-only eSIM.
FAQs
What is the best eSIM for Europe?
It depends on your trip. For two weeks with data only, Europe 20GB or Travel Basic. For a month, Europe 50GB or My European eSIM 60GB. For lots of data on a short trip, Europe Unlimited. If you need a phone number, Travel Basic+ or My European eSIM from Bouygues Telecom.
What is the cheapest eSIM for Europe?
The smallest plan is Europe 1GB for 3 days. For a longer trip, compare the price per day and per GB on the Europe eSIM page, since a bigger plan often works out better.
Is there one eSIM for all of Western Europe?
Yes. Every plan in this guide covers the main Western European countries, including the UK and Switzerland, with one eSIM and one prepaid price. You don't need a new eSIM when you cross a border.
Where can I buy a European eSIM with instant delivery?
On SimOptions, you get your eSIM by email as a QR code after you buy. You can install it right away and it activates when you arrive in Europe.
Which Europe eSIM has 5G?
The Bouygues Telecom plans support 5G where the network is available. The SimOptions data and Unlimited plans run on 4G/LTE. Your phone must also support 5G.
Does a Europe eSIM work in the UK and Switzerland?
Yes. The UK and Switzerland are covered by all the Europe plans in this guide.
Does a Europe eSIM work in Turkey?
The SimOptions data plans and the Unlimited plans include Turkey. The Bouygues Telecom plans don't. If you're only going to Turkey, see our Turkey eSIMs.
Can I top up my Europe eSIM?
The SimOptions data and Unlimited plans can be topped up. The Bouygues Telecom plans can't, so choose enough data and days before you go.
Can I keep my own number and WhatsApp?
Yes. On a dual SIM phone, your home line stays on next to the travel eSIM. WhatsApp keeps your usual number and works over any data connection.
Can I buy the Bouygues Telecom plans in the SimOptions app?
No. The Bouygues Telecom plans are sold on the SimOptions website only.