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Europe is one of the easiest places to country hop.
During a single 2 week trip, you might start in Germany, take the train to France, hop over to England (even if they did leave the EU), then fly to Greece and take the ferry to Italy.
The possibilities are pretty much endless.
Fortunately, you don’t need to buy a new SIM card every time you cross a border. Instead, you can opt for a Europe-wide eSIM that covers dozens of countries with a single plan.
In this guide, I’ll cover some of the Europe eSIMs I personally use and trust, compare them with other well-known providers, and help you figure out which option makes the most sense for your trip. We’ll also cover when a Europe eSIM makes sense—and when it doesn’t.
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Use code BACHELORTRAVEL for 10% off your first Ubigi eSIM plan purchase
How does data connectivity operate in the EU?
In the last few years, those of us living in the European Union have become pretty spoiled.
Thanks to the EU’s “Roam Like At Home” regulations, residents of EU countries can generally use their mobile data, calls, and texts across other EU member states without paying additional roaming charges.
In practice, this means that when I travel from Greece to Italy, Hungary, Denmark, or Spain, I can continue using my Greek phone plan exactly as I would at home.
It’s a fantastic system—if you’re European.
But that’s not what we’re here to discuss.
If you’re visiting Europe from North America, Australia, Asia, or anywhere else outside the EU, the next best thing is a Europe eSIM. Think of it as a continent-wide SIM card that allows you to stay connected easily, cost-effectively, and flexibly across multiple countries without having to constantly switch providers.
When a Europe eSIM makes sense
A Europe eSIM is ideal if:
- You’re visiting two or more countries
- You’re taking an Interrail trip
- You’re backpacking across Europe
- You’re taking a European cruise
- You’re flying into one country and leaving from another
- You’re visiting both EU and non-EU countries
- You want mobile data working the moment you land
When You DON’T Need One
There are a few situations where a Europe-wide eSIM may not be the best option.
Instead, a country-specific eSIM or local SIM card may make more sense if:
- You’re spending two or three months in a single European country
- You already live in the EU and have a plan with EU roaming included
- You need a local phone number for banking, work, or residency purposes
- You’re staying exclusively in one destination and want the absolute cheapest possible data rates
Best eSIMs for Europe-Wide Travel: Quick Comparison
| Provider / Plan | Coverage | Data | Approx Cost | Unlimited Data | Hotspot | Standout Feature | Switzerland/UK or Balkans? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ubigi Standard 🔥 Recommended | 37 countries | 25GB / 30 days | $29 | Yes / Fair Use | Unlimited | Top up directly through the app, even without WiFi. Use discount for 10% off. 🎁 Code: BACHELORTRAVEL | Yes, includes most of the Balkans. |
| Ubigi Europe Extended | 55 countries | 25GB / 30 days | $55 | Yes / Fair Use | Unlimited | Covers Europe, the Balkans, Turkey, the Caucasus and Central Asia | Yep, plus a ton more. |
| Jetpac | 31 countries | 20GB / 30 days | $29.99 50% discount from $65 | Yes / Available | Yes | WhatsApp, Google Maps, Uber and Grab continue working after data runs out 🔥 | Switzerland and the UK are included. |
| Holafly | 33 countries | Unlimited / 15 days | $50.90 | Unlimited plans ONLY | Super limited 1GB per day. 👎 | True “set and forget” option for heavy users 🎁 Code: BACHELOROFTRAVEL | Yes to Switzerland and the UK. No to most of the non EU Balkans. |
| Airalo Europe | 42 countries | 20GB / 30 days | $48 | Yes / Available | Yes (with unlimited data plans) | One of the easiest platforms for first-time eSIM users. | Yes, includes most of the Balkans. |
What Countries Are Usually Included?
You’ll notice that different companies cover a different number of countries under “Europe”.
That is because they differentiate between European Union (EU) countries and countries within the European continent.
That means that places like Switzerland, or much of the Balkans might not appear on all “Europe-wide eSIM plans”.
If you are planning to visit the Balkans, Switzerland, Turkey or the UK, then it’s worth checking the country list more carefully before purchasing.
Use code BACHELORTRAVEL for 10% off your first Ubigi eSIM plan purchase
My Top Pick: Ubigi Europe
If you’re visiting Europe for a typical holiday and need a single recommendation, I’d probably point you towards Ubigi.
I’ve used Ubigi across Europe, Iceland, and Australia over the last few years and it has consistently been one of the easiest eSIM providers to work with.
The standard Europe plan covers 37 countries and includes virtually every destination most travelers are likely to visit, including France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Austria, Hungary, Croatia, and much of the rest of the European Union.
The plan I usually recommend is the 25GB / 30-day package for around $29.
For most travelers, that’s plenty of data. Even when I’m travelling heavily, using Google Maps every day, uploading photos, answering emails, booking accommodation on the go and occasionally working from my laptop, I rarely go above 20–25GB during a two-week trip.
If you plan to stream movies or edit videos etc, then you might need more.
But you should be able to do that through hotel WiFi instead in my opinion.
What I particularly like about Ubigi are the small quality-of-life features.
Why I Like Ubigi
- Backed by Transatel, one of the largest telecommunications companies in the travel eSIM space
- Top up directly through the app, even if you’ve completely run out of data
- Install the eSIM once and simply purchase new plans for future destinations
- Unlimited hotspot sharing
- Clean and easy-to-use app
- Competitive pricing for larger data packages
- 5G connectivity for 35/37 destinations for the standard EU plan.
The top-up feature deserves a special mention though.
It sounds like a tiny thing until you actually run out of data while travelling.
I’ve personally had situations where I was nowhere near WiFi and needed more data immediately. With Ubigi, you can purchase additional data directly through the app without first finding an internet connection.
Since I also have a local data plan from Greece, I’ve been able to test it on the ground, and compare the connection of Ubigi vs Greece Vodafone contract, with identical results each time.
Best for Balkans, Turkey & Extended Travel: Ubigi Europe Extended
The Europe Extended plan is where things start getting really interesting.
The plan covers 55 destinations, including every EU country, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, much of the Balkans, Turkey, the Caucasus and even parts of Central Asia.
Alongside countries like France, Germany, Italy, Greece and Spain, you’ll also find:
- Turkey
- Georgia
- Azerbaijan
- Serbia
- Albania
- Montenegro
- North Macedonia
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Israel
- Kyrgyzstan
- Uzbekistan
For many travelers this will be overkill.
If you’re simply visiting Paris, Rome and Athens, save your money and stick with the standard Europe package.
However, if your route looks something like:
Germany → Croatia → Montenegro → Albania → Greece → Turkey
or
Italy → Slovenia → Serbia → North Macedonia → Greece
then Europe Extended starts making a lot of sense.
You’ll save a bit of time and hassle juggling multiple eSIMS and figuring out where your package stops working.
It’s one of the most comprehensive regional eSIM packages I’ve found and is particularly attractive for backpackers, digital nomads, overlanders and anyone spending months moving across borders.
Other Good Europe eSIM Options
Jetpac: Best for Travel Perks
Jetpac is probably the most feature-heavy option on this list.
I’ll be honest: their website isn’t my favorite.
Every time I use it, I find myself clicking around for a minute trying to figure out exactly which plan covers which countries. It’s not terrible, but it isn’t as straightforward as Ubigi or Airalo.
Once you get past that though, Jetpac offers some genuinely useful travel-focused extras.
Why People Like Jetpac
- WhatsApp continues working after your data runs out
- Google Maps continues working after your data runs out
- Uber and Grab continue working after your data runs out
- Optional voice calling add-ons starting from $1.99 for 5 minutes of calling
- SmartDelay airport lounge benefits
- Frequent discounts and promotions
The free-app feature is actually pretty clever and a differentiation across most other companies.
If you’re the type of traveler who likes having a few extra safety nets built into your eSIM, Jetpac is worth considering.
Holafly
Holafly has a completely different philosophy.
They aren’t trying to be the cheapest provider.
They’re trying to eliminate data anxiety altogether.
Almost every Holafly purchase revolves around unlimited data plans, which makes them popular with people who:
- Stream videos regularly
- Upload lots of content
- Work remotely while travelling
- Never want to think about data usage
The downside is price.
Holafly is usually one of the most expensive options on the market and hotspot sharing is heavily restricted compared to competitors.
Still, if your priority is buying one plan and never worrying about data again, Holafly remains one of the best options available.
If I’m being honest, I would still go for an unlimited data plan with Ubigi here, since the price is actually pretty similar, but you don’t get the limitations on hotspotting.
Use code BACHELOROFTRAVEL for 5% off your Holafly purchase.
Airalo
Airalo was one of the companies that helped make eSIMs mainstream and remains one of the easiest platforms to use.
Their app is polished, setup is simple, and country coverage is excellent.
Personally, I think Airalo shines more with country-specific plans than with regional Europe plans, but plenty of travelers still use them successfully for multi-country trips.
If you’re completely new to eSIMs and simply want a recognizable brand with a straightforward setup process, Airalo remains a solid choice.
FAQ for Europe eSIM
⭐ Will My Europe eSIM Work on Trains or Cruises?
No signal – no data.
⭐ What Happens If I Run Out of Data?
This depends entirely on the provider.
- Ubigi – you can top up without WiFi
- Jetpac – you can top up and core apps keep working after data runs out (WhatsApp, Google Maps, Uber)
- Airalo. you can top up or purchase new plan
⭐ Can I Keep My Normal Phone Number?
- Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Greece and Slovenia.
My Final Recommendation
If you’re visiting Europe for two to four weeks and want the simplest recommendation possible, buy the standard Ubigi Europe plan.
If you’re planning a bigger adventure through the Balkans, Turkey, Georgia or other destinations that often fall outside traditional Europe packages, buy Europe Extended.
