Holiday Nerd

Do I Get Free Roaming Overseas?

Using your phone overseas can be expensive. Although horror stories of £1,000+ roaming charges are largely a thing of the past, a few minutes of preparation can still save you a decent amount of money.

Whilst it used to be commonplace to get free EU roaming — and sometimes further afield too — Brexit and changing provider policies mean that inclusive overseas allowances are now much rarer. Of the major UK networks, O2 remains the only one still offering free EU roaming as standard.

That said, several smaller and virtual network operators (MVNOs) still include free or discounted roaming within Europe (and sometimes beyond). These include:

• Lebara Mobile – free EU roaming (up to 30GB depending on plan)
• Giffgaff – EU roaming included up to 5GB
• Smarty – EU roaming up to 12GB included
• iD Mobile – free roaming in 50 destinations
• Lyca Mobile – EU roaming on most plans

Double check your contract before you travel

So, it’s always worth checking before you travel — both which countries are covered and what your data limits are.

Tip: Always double-check the fair-use limits and which countries count as “Europe” — they can vary.

Using Your Provider Abroad

For carriers that don’t include free roaming, or for destinations outside the EU, many now offer daily roaming passes that let you use your UK allowance abroad for a flat fee — typically around £2–£6 per day.

While convenient for short trips, these can add up quickly on longer holidays. For example, a two-week trip could easily cost £50–£80 just in roaming fees. As a result, these daily passes rarely offer the best value if you’ll be away for more than a few days.

eSIMs – The Smarter Option

If your phone supports eSIMs (every iPhone from the XS/XR and newer, and most recent Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel models), then using an eSIM is often the easiest and most cost-effective way to get data abroad.

An eSIM can be installed in minutes, even before you leave home, and works alongside your existing SIM — so you can still receive calls or texts on your usual number if needed.

If you’re visiting multiple countries, regional eSIMs (for example, covering all of Europe or Southeast Asia) can offer even better value. For shorter trips, individual country eSIMs may be cheaper — so it’s worth comparing the two.

Best eSIM Providers

Some of the most popular and reliable eSIM providers include are listed below. As these are app based you will need to download their respective apps onto your phone to use.