Looking for a SIM card to use overseas?
In this buyer’s guide, we’ve looked at the five best SIM deals for international roaming in 2024.
We’ve also outlined the roaming allowances of each major British mobile network, including virtual operators, to help you find the best SIM to use overseas.
Remember, to find the cheapest SIM-only deals on the market, use our comparison engine.
Roaming SIM policy summary
Below, you’ll find a summary of the roaming policies of each major UK mobile network and virtual network operator.
Or, jump to our reviews of the best SIMs for international roaming.
| Provider | Roaming policy details | EU roaming, PAYM | International roaming, PAYM | EU roaming, PAYG | International roaming, PAYG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ID Mobile | Check on iD Mobile | Inclusive in 50 countries/territories, up to a 30GB fair usage limiit. | Inclusive in Azerbaijan, Belarus, Macedonia, Kazakhstan, otherwise pay for usage | Inclusive in 50 countries/territories, up to a 30GB fair usage limiit. | Inclusive in Azerbaijan, Belarus, Macedonia, Kazakhstan, otherwise pay for usage |
| Vodafone | Check on Vodafone | Inclusive in 51 countries on certain Xtra Plans, or £2.42 per day (or £12/8 days or £17/15 days) up to a 25GB fair usage limit | Inclusive in 32 countries on certain Xtra Plans, or £7.39 per day up to a 25GB fair usage limit | Inclusive in Ireland, Norway, Iceland, and the Isle of Man, £9 for 8 days in 47 other countries up to 3GB or £12 if you want calls/texts | £17 for 8 days in 73 countries/territories, up to 2GB, or £27 for 15 days up to 4GB |
| Lebara | Check on Lebara | Inclusive in the EU up to a 30GB fair usage limit, can add-on £5/8 days/1GB or £10/15 days/2.5GB | Inclusive in India and China up to a 30GB fair usage limit, or £10/8 days/1GB or £20/15 days/2.5GB elsewhere | Inclusive in the EU up to a 30GB fair usage limit, can add-on £5/8 days/1GB or £10/15 days/2.5GB | Inclusive in India and China up to a 30GB fair usage limit, or £10/8 days/1GB or £20/15 days/2.5GB elsewhere |
| VOXI | Check on VOXI | Inclusive in Ireland, Norway, Iceland, and the Isle of Man, £2.45/day, £4.50/two days, £12/eight days or £17/15 days up to a 20GB fair usage limit in 47 other countries | £15 for 8 days in 73 countries/territories up to 2GB, or £25 for 15 days up to 4GB | Inclusive in Ireland, Norway, Iceland, and the Isle of Man, £2.45/day, £4.50/two days, £12/eight days or £17/15 days up to a 20GB fair usage limit in 47 other countries | £15 for 8 days in 73 countries/territories up to 2GB, or £25 for 15 days up to 4GB |
| O2 | Check on O2 | Inclusive in 49 countries/territories, up to a 25GB fair usage limit | Inclusive in 27 countries/territories on some plans Otherwise O2 Travel Bolt On, £6 a day, gives you UK allowance, speed limited to 2 Mbps in 63 countries | Inclusive in 49 countries/territories, up to a 25GB fair usage limit | £1.99 per day for the O2 Travel Bolt On, gives you UK allowance, speed limited to 2 Mbps in 63 countries |
| EE | Check on EE | Inclusive in 47 countries/territories if you have a roaming Smart Benefit or Roam Abroad add-on (£15 per month), or £2.47 a day otherwise, up to a 50GB fair usage limit | Inclusive in 5 countries/territories, if you have a roaming Smart Benefit, Max plan, or Roam Abroad add-on (£25 per month), up to a 50GB fair usage limit Other countries: £7.84 a day for 150MB or 500MB, dependent on country | £2.50 a day or £10 for 7 days, up to a 50GB monthly fair usage limit | Pay for usage |
| Three | Check on Three | 56 days included on some plans or £2 per day in 49 countries/territories, up to 12GB fair usage limit | 56 days included on some plans or £5 per day in 22 countries/£7 per day in 65 other countries, up to 12GB fair usage limit | Inclusive in 49 countries/territories, up to a 6-30GB fair usage limit depending on plan | Inclusive in 22 countries/territories, up to a 6-30GB fair usage limit depending on plan |
| giffgaff | Check on giffgaff | Inclusive in 38 countries/territories, up to a 5GB fair usage limit | Not available | Inclusive in 38 countries/territories, up to a 5GB fair usage limit | Not available |
| Tesco Mobile | Check on Tesco Mobile | Inclusive in the EU and other European destinations | Pay for usage | Inclusive in the EU and other European destinations | Pay for usage |
| Smarty | Check on Smarty | Inclusive in 42 countries/territories, up to a 12GB fair usage limit | Buy an add-on and then pay for usage | Inclusive in 42 countries/territories, up to a 12GB fair usage limit | Buy an add-on and then pay for usage |
| Sky Mobile | Check on Sky | Inclusive in the Republic of Ireland, Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, £2 per day in 40 countries | £2 per day in 15 countries | Inclusive in the Republic of Ireland, Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, £2 per day in 40 countries | £2 per day in 15 countries |
| Asda Mobile | Check on Asda Mobile | Inclusive in 46 countries/territories, up to a 5GB fair usage limit | Pay for usage | Inclusive in 46 countries/territories, up to a 5GB fair usage limit | Pay for usage |
| Talkmobile | Check on Talkmobile | Inclusive in 42 countries/territories, up to a 5GB fair usage limit, can buy additional 15GB plan for £2.25/day, £10/8 days, £15/15 days | Pay for usage | Inclusive in 42 countries/territories, up to a 5GB fair usage limit, can buy additional 15GB plan for £2.25/day, £10/8 days, £15/15 days | Pay for usage |
Best roaming SIM-only deals
Let’s begin our reviews.
Below, we’ve looked at five of the best roaming SIM cards you can buy in the UK right now, and explained the differences between each of them.
1. iD Mobile SIM-Only Deals (Best For EU Roaming)
If you want a cheap SIM with inclusive EU roaming, iD Mobile is a great choice.
They offer pay as you go and pay monthly SIM deals for a reasonable price, and don’t charge extra to roam in Europe, unlike many of the major networks.
You can use up to 30GB of your monthly allowance in 50 different countries, mostly in Europe, as well as some less common, non-EU destinations, such as Azerbaijan.
iD Mobile gives you 5G speeds in many of their roaming destinations, and since they use the Three network in the UK, they offer great 5G speeds at home as well.
The only downside to iD Mobile is beyond the 50 included countries, you have to pay for each megabyte of data used – they don’t offer inclusive roaming or any add-ons in countries like the USA, or Australia.
Pros
- Great value.
- Good 5G coverage and speeds in the UK.
- No extra charges for EU roaming.
- Covers quite a large number of countries.
Cons
- Can’t get inclusive roaming in most non-EU nations.
2. Vodafone SIM-Only Deals (Best For Beyond Europe)
Vodafone’s SIM-only deals aren’t cheap. However, if you often travel beyond Europe, and don’t mind paying extra for a SIM that allows you to roam almost anywhere, Vodafone is worth looking at.
If you want to roam on Vodafone, it’s best to get one of their more expensive Xtra plans.
With the right Xtra SIM, you can roam free of charge in 51 different countries up to a 25GB fair usage limit. Beyond Europe, you’ll also be able to roam free of charge in 32 other countries, such as Canada, Türkiye, and the United States.
If Vodafone’s Xtra plans are too expensive, you can unlock these roaming allowances by purchasing them as an add-on. This normally costs £2.42 per day, or you can pay £12 for eight days or £17 for 15 days. These costs are a bit different for pay as you go customers, however.
It’s also worth noting, Vodafone’s free roaming tier is better than on most other networks. Ireland and the Isle of Man are covered, no matter which tariff you’re on, which is similar to what other providers offer. However, you can also roam free of charge in Norway and Iceland, which most other carriers don’t allow you to do.
The issue is, if you don’t buy a Vodafone Xtra plan, you might not be getting good value for money. On many of their more basic SIM-only deals, you have to pay extra for 5G speeds, for example. Vodafone is not one of the cheapest SIM-only providers on the market right now.
Pros
- Huge range of countries covered on certain Xtra plans.
- Can pay a reasonable price to roam if you’re not on an Xtra tariff.
- Comes with inclusive roaming in Norway and Iceland on all plans.
Cons
- Xtra tariffs with inclusive roaming are expensive.
3. Lebara SIM-Only Deals
Lebara is a great choice for roaming in the EU, China, and India.
In Europe, they cover 40 countries, which isn’t as many as most other networks. However, they have a 30GB fair usage limit, which is quite good.
As a Lebara SIM customer, you can roam in India free of charge, with the same 30GB monthly usage limit. This can be quite helpful if you often visit the country, especially given you get the same 30GB limit as in the EU, which is a decent allowance compared to most other networks.
If 30GB isn’t quite enough usage, you can add on an extra 5GB of data for £10, which is relatively expensive, but still better than paying as you go.
Outside of Europe, China, and India, you have to pay per megabyte of data used, and per minute of calling.
On the plus side though, Lebara’s SIM-only deals are very good value for money. You can commit for 12 months to save some money, but their month-to-month pay as you go deals are also very reasonably priced.
Pros
- Good prices.
- Comes with inclusive roaming in India and China.
- Decent fair usage limit.
Cons
- Have to pay for non-EU usage outside of China and India.
4. VOXI SIM-Only Deals
VOXI is a subsidiary of Vodafone, and as a result, their roaming allowances are very similar.
Ireland, Norway, Iceland, and the Isle of Man are included by default, and you can buy a data plan to roam in Europe, as well as in the 73 countries Vodafone covers outside of the continent.
While you do have to pay to roam with VOXI, since their SIM-only deals are quite cheap, using a VOXI SIM can make sense for a lot of people.
If you get a cheap VOXI SIM, then buy an eight-day or 15-day roaming add-on when you travel, you might be able to save money over the long term, compared to buying a premium Vodafone SIM with inclusive roaming.
Also, when in the UK, you’ll get unlimited data-free social media usage with VOXI, which can be quite helpful, although YouTube and TikTok aren’t covered.
Pros
- Cheap SIM-only deals.
- Good range of roaming plans to choose from, for a reasonable price.
- Comes with data-free social media usage in the UK.
Cons
- Have to pay for roaming.
5. O2 SIM Only Deals
O2 has a bit of everything when it comes to roaming, but they’re best for those who travel around the EU, as well as people who occasionally go further afield.
This network is the only big four carrier that doesn’t charge extra to roam in the EU. You can use up to 25GB of your allowance each month in 49 European countries, which is great.
O2 roaming outside of Europe works similarly to Vodafone. You can get inclusive roaming in 27 different countries on some premium SIM plans with O2 Travel, or you can buy it as a bolt-on, for £6 a day (£1.99 if you’re on a PAYG SIM).
The downside is, you’ll be limited to speeds of 2 Mbps using O2 Travel, which is relatively slow. This is enough speed for maps, browsing, and navigation, but you might run into issues when streaming HD video.
One benefit of O2 SIMs is they are quite flexible- you can build your own plan, by choosing a custom data allowance, and contract length. Plus, you can sometimes get free data included, if you’re an existing Virgin Media Broadband customer.
Pros
- No EU roaming charges.
- 25GB fair usage limit, which is decent.
- Inclusive roaming beyond Europe is available for a decent price, or free on some plans.
Cons
- You will be speed-limited when using O2 Travel.
- Only 27 countries outside of Europe are covered.
What you need to know
In this section, we’ve explained what you need to know when shopping for a roaming SIM card, so that you can find the right SIM for the destinations you’re travelling to.
How does roaming work with a UK SIM?
When you have a UK data SIM and you want to use your allowance overseas, here’s what happens.
- You’ll first need to enable data roaming. This can normally be done by texting “ROAM” to a certain phone number, or by logging into your mobile carrier’s customer portal.
- Once overseas, you’ll be able to use a certain amount of your allowance for free, if your plan comes with inclusive roaming. You’ll also be able to call and text UK numbers, most of the time.
- Sometimes, you may need to buy a data roaming add-on when you land, especially when travelling to less common destinations outside of Europe, such as Vietnam, Argentina, or an African nation.
- If you don’t buy an add-on, and you don’t have inclusive roaming, you’ll be charged per megabyte of data you use, per text you make, and per minute you spend on the phone.
Most mobile networks have a £40-£50 monthly roaming charge limit, helping you to avoid unexpected fees. If you don’t mind paying these extra costs, you’ll need to contact your mobile network to override the monthly limit.
What does “fair usage” mean?
Since Brexit, most UK mobile networks have implemented fair usage policies on their EU roaming allowances, as well as on their global roaming plans.
Basically, these fair usage policies limit the amount of data you can use each month, even if you’re paying extra to roam overseas.
Normally, there is a hard limit on the amount of data you can use internationally, no matter what your regular data allowance is.
For example, if there is a 25GB fair usage policy, you can only use this much data overseas each month, even if your regular allowance is 50GB/month.
If your allowance is 20GB/month, you can use your entire allowance when travelling internationally.
Most mobile networks also specify that you cannot spend too much time overseas as a part of their fair usage policy – you must be on holiday, visiting friends, or on a business trip.
If you spend too long overseas in a given period, you might receive a warning from your carrier, before eventually facing extra charges.
What’s the best SIM to use in the EU?
In our opinion, iD Mobile is the best mobile network for EU roaming.
They have a relatively high fair usage limit compared to most other providers, and their SIM-only deals come with a low monthly cost. You can also get a pay monthly phone plan for a reasonable price.
Also, iD Mobile covers 50 different nations, including major countries such as Spain, France, Portugal, and Italy, as well as less common destinations like Azerbaijan, Monaco, Macedonia, and Malta.
The best thing about iD Mobile though is they don’t charge you extra to roam in the EU. Three for example, the network iD Mobile uses, charges you £2 per day to roam in European countries.
What’s the best SIM to use in Asia, America, and other non-European countries?
Roaming in further-afield destinations using a UK SIM can be quite expensive.
In the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Africa, and Asia, most carriers have high roaming charges.
The best choice for these destinations, on balance, is Vodafone.
They give you inclusive roaming in many of these nations on their premium SIM plans. Plus, they offer eight-day and 15-day roaming packs you can choose to buy, helping to avoid the need to pay a daily roaming charge in these non-EU destinations.
However, if you often travel to India or China, Lebara is a much better choice. They are one of the only networks to offer inclusive roaming in these two countries, up to a 30GB fair usage limit.
Will I be able to use 5G data overseas?
Depending on your carrier, and the country you’re visiting, you might be able to get 5G speeds when travelling overseas.
5G roaming is more commonly available in EU countries, as well as major destinations like the United States. It’s also more likely to be available if you choose a big four carrier like Vodafone, rather than a mobile virtual network operator like VOXI.
Most of the time, you will be limited to 4G download and upload speeds when travelling overseas. Also, some networks, like O2, have speed limits when roaming in certain countries.
Can I make calls and send texts to UK numbers from overseas?
Most of the time, if you have inclusive roaming, or have bought a roaming add-on, you’ll be able to call and send texts to UK numbers when in a foreign country.
However, there are exceptions to this. Some roaming plans only come with data usage, so it’s important to check.
Remember, even without roaming enabled, you should still be able to receive texts and calls without facing additional charges.
Can you do tethering when international roaming?
This depends on the mobile network you’re with.
Most of the time, using tethering or your mobile hotspot with a roaming SIM is permitted, however, some networks don’t allow you to do this.
Should I buy a foreign SIM or an E-SIM instead?
Given how expensive and restrictive roaming often is, especially outside the EU, you might be tempted to buy a second SIM, or use an E-SIM.
Many new smartphones have dual SIM slots, allowing you to use two SIM cards at the same time. And most phones can use an E-SIM – a virtual SIM card you download and install – which works just like having a second physical SIM.
If you have a dual-SIM or an E-SIM compatible phone, it’s worth looking at the prices of foreign SIM cards, and comparing these costs to what you’d pay when roaming with a UK SIM.
If you’re just going on holiday to Thailand for example, you can often buy and install a Thai or Asian E-SIM before leaving, and then activate it once you land, avoiding the hassle of having to worry about roaming charges, or fair use limits.
However, keep in mind that E-SIMs do have usage limits, and can sometimes be expensive. Also, buying a physical SIM when you land can be a bit of a hassle.
Is roaming inclusive in Ireland, and on the Isle of Man?
Most mobile networks give all customers free roaming in Ireland, on the Isle of Man, and sometimes in Jersey and Guernsey as well. Normally, you can use your entire allowance in these areas, but some providers will have a fair usage limit.
Also, some carriers include other countries in their free roaming tier. For example, on Vodafone, you can roam completely free of charge in Norway and Iceland, as well as in Ireland and on the Isle of Man.
Conclusion
You’ve reached the end of our roaming SIM buyer’s guide.
The most important thing to consider when choosing a data SIM for international roaming in our opinion is how often you’ll be going overseas. If you won’t be leaving the UK very often, it makes more sense to buy a cheap SIM that you can add on roaming to. However, if you’re a regular international traveler, it makes more sense to buy a more expensive SIM card with inclusive roaming in non-EU destinations.
Still not sure which roaming SIM card to choose? Leave a comment below, and we’ll help out.