eSIM guide · Holiday data for less

Cheap Travel eSIM: Prepaid Data with No Monthly Contract

In short Prepaid = no bill afterwards

A cheap travel eSIM is prepaid mobile data matched to your trip and bought before you leave Ireland. You pay for the data and days you pick, and one regional plan covers several countries. Nothing renews and no bill comes later. It counts most outside the EU roaming zone. Install a HelloRoam plan at home for any of 185+ destinations.

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Plans start at €0.89 · 1GB, 7 days

From the HelloRoam Team Page updated 21 October 2026

Latest changes

Added price per GB on a 30-day plan, the global plan, unlimited plans and how credit back works, and updated how to reach support and install from our app. We rechecked Irish network day passes on 21 October 2026.

Facts checked with 11 sources Our editorial rules

Cheap travel eSIM: key facts From our plans, the EU rules and 2 Irish networks; markers link to sources

Payments for a travel eSIM: One, made when you buy. Nothing renews, and any top-up is a new purchase you choose
How an Irish day pass bills: Per day, charged again on every day of use⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾
Price per GB begins at: €0.56, on 50GB, 30 days. No 30-day plan in our table costs less per GB
An Irish plan inside the EU zone: Home prices, under Roam Like at Home, within fair-use limits⁽³⁾⁽⁴⁾
Regional travel eSIM: One eSIM, good in every country the plan lists
HelloRoam: 185+ destinations, 212+ mobile networks

Three decisions set the price of your holiday data

Your bill abroad depends on the size of plan you buy, the number of borders you cross and whether you are charged once or by the day.

**Figure 1.** A regional plan keeps working when you cross into another country on its list, so the whole route runs on one eSIM.

Buy for the trip you are taking

By ComReg's estimates, an hour of video uses more data than an hour of web browsing.⁽⁴⁾ Estimate your holiday data before you choose a size. Should you run low, top up in the app if your plan allows it, or buy another plan.
- Price per GB
- Top-up
Cross several borders on one regional plan

Each regional plan names the countries it works in. A route through several of them takes one purchase and one install, with nothing to buy at the border. Our North America plan, for one, lists the United States, Canada and Mexico.
- Regional plan
Pay once and be done

There is no monthly contract behind a prepaid plan and no daily fee. The full price is on screen before you pay. Once its days or its data are used, the plan ends and nothing renews. In plain terms it is a pay as you go eSIM: you pay, you use it, it stops.
- Prepaid plan
- Validity

Travel eSIM prices per GB for each destination and region

Choose the smallest plan that covers your trip. Then compare the price per GB of plans you'd use up, to see when a bigger plan costs little more. For each trip length, the table shows the plan that costs least for light use. A light week needs 3.9 GB: our calculator's estimate plus 20% for busy days, rounded up.

Plan types

Country plan: Suits: a holiday in one country. Coverage: Networks in that country. What you get: Pick a plan size, and each one lists its days. Your Irish SIM keeps your number.
Regional plan: Suits: a route through several countries. Coverage: All the countries on the plan's list, with one eSIM. What you get: No second plan to buy at the border.
Global plan: Suits: a trip that spans regions. Coverage: 127 destinations spread over several regions, all named on the plan. What you get: One purchase for a long route. It usually costs more per GB than a country plan, so choose it when your route crosses regions.

**Travel eSIM prices for trips from Ireland, by destination and region.** Prices come from our plan list, in your currency, as of 6 October 2026. No 15-day fixed plan, so this column may show a longer one.

USA plans	€2.48 1GB, 7 days	€8.65 5GB, 30 days	€14.18 10GB, 30 days	€29.78 20GB, 30 days	€0.92 50GB, 30 days
UK plans	€2.45 1GB, 7 days	€8.76 5GB, 30 days	€13.77 10GB, 30 days	€24.62 20GB, 30 days	€0.57 50GB, 30 days
Turkey plans	€3.02 1GB, 7 days	€7.77 5GB, 30 days	€9.24 10GB, 30 days	€16.27 20GB, 30 days	€0.56 50GB, 30 days
Thailand plans	€3.02 1GB, 7 days	€6.04 5GB, 30 days	€8.62 10GB, 30 days	€13.82 20GB, 30 days	€0.69 20GB, 30 days
Australia plans	€3.02 1GB, 7 days	€8.20 5GB, 30 days	€13.82 10GB, 30 days	€24.64 20GB, 30 days	€0.62 50GB, 30 days
UAE plans	€3.45 1GB, 7 days	€12.45 5GB, 30 days	€22.56 10GB, 30 days	€33.71 20GB, 30 days	€1.69 20GB, 30 days
North America regional plan	€4.09 1GB, 7 days	€18.14 5GB, 30 days	€33.70 10GB, 30 days	€39.67 20GB, 30 days	€1.98 20GB, 30 days
Asia regional plan	€5.60 1GB, 7 days	€21.16 5GB, 30 days	€35.78 10GB, 30 days	€62.23 20GB, 30 days	€3.11 20GB, 30 days
The global plan: 127 destinations	€11.82 1GB, 7 days	€46.05 5GB, 30 days	€82.77 10GB, 30 days		€8.28 10GB, 30 days

Plan cards for 5GB lasting 30 days, 1GB lasting 7 days and 3GB lasting 30 days, prices covered over — **Figure 2.** An illustration of plan cards: each one sets out the plan's data and the number of days it lasts. The prices are covered over, as they change. The price table shows them in your currency.

Each destination page lists every plan size with its days and its price.

Pick a destination

Or see what every destination costs.

8 terms to know when you compare holiday data prices

Data-only plan (mobile data, no phone number): Mobile data only: the plan gives you no phone number. Your Irish SIM carries on handling calls and texts.
Prepaid plan (you pay first): Paid for before you use it. It stops once its days or its data are gone.
Regional plan (one plan, many borders): A plan that names a group of countries and works in each, so a border crossing needs no new eSIM.
Price per GB (what each gigabyte costs): The plan price divided by its gigabytes. It's a fair test only between plans you would use up.
Validity (days a plan is valid): The number of days a plan runs. They start when your phone first connects to a network where you land, not when you buy, and the plan ends when they're up, even with data left.
Top-up (extra data via the app): Extra data added in our app to the eSIM you already have, before its days run out. If a plan can't take more, buy another plan.
Day pass (daily roaming charge): A fee your Irish network charges for each day you use the phone outside the EU zone. Three's pass renews after midnight, Irish time, once you use data again.⁽²⁾
Unlimited data plan (priced per day): A plan you buy by the number of days rather than by the gigabyte. Fair-use terms apply.

Outside the EU, a day pass charges by the day and a prepaid eSIM charges once

Outside the EU zone, Vodafone and Three sell roaming by the day.⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾ Vodafone's RED Roaming applies its daily fee only on days you use your phone abroad.⁽¹⁾ A prepaid eSIM is charged a single time, at checkout.

**Figure 3.** Take a five-day trip: a day pass adds a fee on each day you use the phone abroad.⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾ You pay for the prepaid eSIM once, before you leave, and no charge follows.

RED Roaming starts when you make or take a call, send a text or use data abroad, and each fee covers one day, midnight to midnight, Irish time.⁽¹⁾ Three's Roaming Day Pass starts as soon as your phone makes a data connection on the mobile network, then renews after midnight once you connect again.⁽²⁾ So each day you go online abroad brings another fee, even for a quick look at a map.

Inside the EU roaming zone your Irish plan already works at home prices under Roam Like at Home, the European Commission says.⁽³⁾ That is why a travel eSIM matters most on trips outside the zone. Check your own network's terms before you go.

On iPhone, pick the travel eSIM on the Mobile Data screen and keep Allow Mobile Data Switching switched off.⁽⁵⁾ That keeps data off your Irish line, though a call or a text on it abroad can still start a day of RED Roaming.⁽¹⁾

For the EU rules, the UK and each Irish network's pass in more detail, see EU roaming charges against a travel eSIM.

Mobile Data

Primary Home line

Travel Travel eSIM

Allow Mobile Data Switching

Figure 4. The iPhone Mobile Data screen, with the travel eSIM ticked and Allow Mobile Data Switching off.⁽⁵⁾

**Day passes from Irish networks and how each one bills,** as of 21 October 2026
Network	Roaming product	How it bills	Checked
Vodafone	RED Roaming	It starts when you make or take a call, send a text or use data abroad. The daily fee applies only on days you use your phone abroad.⁽¹⁾	21 Oct 2026
Three	Roaming Day Pass	It starts as soon as your phone makes a data connection on the mobile network. It lasts up to 24 hours and renews after midnight, Irish time, once you connect again.⁽²⁾	21 Oct 2026

Each pass is named here without its price. Daily fees change, so look at your network's page for today's rate.

A local SIM, a kiosk, pocket Wi-Fi or hotel Wi-Fi each suit a different trip

A local SIM, an airport kiosk, pocket Wi-Fi or free Wi-Fi may suit your trip better. Compare what each one costs for your days and data, and what each one asks of you. If you're new to this, see how a travel eSIM works.

Plan from a local network

A local plan comes from one country's network, as a SIM card or, with many networks, an eSIM.⁽⁶⁾ A SIM card is one you collect, carry and swap in yourself, or wait for in the post.⁽⁶⁾ The network may ask to see ID, such as your passport.⁽⁶⁾ For a long stay in one country, compare its cost for your data and days with a travel eSIM's. Then see how eSIM and SIM cards differ.
Airport SIM kiosk

You can buy a plan in person at an airport kiosk after you land.⁽⁶⁾ It's a local network's plan for that country. Compare its price for your data and days with a plan you buy before you fly and set up at home.
Pocket Wi-Fi rental

A pocket Wi-Fi is a small battery-powered router that shares one mobile connection with several devices over Wi-Fi. Rented, it is one more thing to carry, charge and return, which works for a group that travels as one.
Free Wi-Fi only

Free Wi-Fi at your hotel or in a café costs you nothing extra. It stops at the door, so taxi apps and live directions won't work on the street. A small data plan covers that gap.

Travel eSIM or pocket Wi-Fi: how they differ

**A travel eSIM beside a rented pocket Wi-Fi,** for one trip abroad
What differs	Travel eSIM	Pocket Wi-Fi rental
Where you get it	Bought online before you go, with no pick-up	Picked up from a rental firm and handed back after the trip
Where it works	Either one country or the full list on a regional plan	The countries covered by the rental you choose
What you carry	No extra kit: the plan lives in your phone	A separate gadget that needs charging and carrying
Sharing with your group	Share the plan from your phone's hotspot with a partner's phone or a laptop. Our plans support hotspot use as long as your phone allows it.	Shares one data plan over Wi-Fi with several phones
Who it suits	Travelling solo, two of you sharing one plan by hotspot, or a route through several countries	A family or group sharing one base

Checkout shows the full price, tax included, and no plan renews

A plan's full price is on screen before you pay, and you pay it once. It finishes when the days or the data are used up and never renews, so no bill follows your trip. HelloRoam sells no free eSIM and has no free trial or free data.

If another provider offers a free eSIM or free data, read how much data you get, and what it costs once the offer stops, before you depend on it.

Buy a small plan first, then add data in the app as you go. A plan that cannot take more data means buying another plan.

Sign in before you buy and every order earns credit back on what you pay, to spend on a later plan. You start at 5%, rising to 10% as your total spend grows. The credit is ready 14 days after the order, and unused credit expires after 12 months with no account activity.

If your trip changes, an unused eSIM can be refunded within 180 days of purchase, even once it's installed. To claim, contact our support team. The refund policy has the full terms.

HelloRoam app gauge showing 1.00 GB remaining of 1 GB, an Oct 7 expiry and a Top Up button — **Figure 5.** The app lists the data a plan has left and its expiry date, with a Top Up button where the plan takes more data.

A few phone settings help a small plan last the trip

Buy only the data you need, then cut what apps use in the background: that is how to save money on mobile data while travelling.⁽⁴⁾

Save your maps over Wi-Fi before you leave

Google Maps can store an area for offline use on your phone, but not in every country or region.⁽⁷⁾ Do it on Wi-Fi first. Offline maps give no walking or public transport directions, so hold back some data for them.⁽⁷⁾
Use your phone's low-data setting

iPhone: in Settings, tap Mobile Data, tap the line you use abroad and switch on Low Data Mode.⁽⁸⁾ Android: with Data Saver on, most apps get background data only over Wi-Fi.⁽⁹⁾
Save video and photo backups for Wi-Fi

By our data usage calculator's rates, an hour of HD video uses about 1.4 GB and an hour of maps about 10 MB. Let video, photo backups and big uploads wait for the hotel Wi-Fi.
Keep app updates for Wi-Fi

Android's Google Play has an option to auto-update apps over Wi-Fi only.⁽¹⁰⁾ Low Data Mode on iPhone also stops automatic App Store updates.⁽⁸⁾

Before you buy

Confirm the phone takes eSIM and isn't locked
Work out the data your trip needs
Choose a regional plan if you cross borders
Install it on Wi-Fi before you leave

First, check that your phone supports eSIM and is unlocked. Our eSIM phone guide covers both on iPhone and Android. On iPhone, Settings > General > About shows No SIM Restrictions next to Network Provider Lock when the phone is unlocked.⁽⁶⁾ Then set up the eSIM before you fly, so it's ready when you land.

Questions about paying less for travel data

Is there a free SIM or eSIM for holidays abroad?

HelloRoam does not offer a free eSIM, a free trial or free data. Our plans are prepaid, with the total shown at checkout. If another provider advertises a free SIM or eSIM, read how much data it holds and what the next top-up costs before you count on it abroad.

Which travel eSIM costs the least for my holiday?

The lowest price in our table is €2.45, for 1GB in United Kingdom over 7 days. For your own trip, pick the smallest plan that lasts your days and holds your data. Compare price per GB only between plans you'd use up. Fair-use terms apply to unlimited plans.

How much does an eSIM for a holiday cost?

A light week in United States costs €8.65 on our plans, for 5GB that lasts 30 days. What you pay depends on where you go, how much data you need and for how many days. Unlimited plans charge by the day. Fair-use terms apply.

Does a local SIM ever cost less than an eSIM on holiday?

Sometimes, on a long stay in one country. Compare what each costs for the same days and data. Many local plans include a local number, and the network may ask for ID, such as your passport, when you buy.⁽⁶⁾ A travel eSIM suits a short break or a route through several countries, and you buy it before you go.

Where the facts in this guide were checked

We cite Irish network pages, the European Commission, ComReg, Apple and Google, and never other travel eSIM sellers.

We read all 11 sources on 21 October 2026.

1
Vodafone Ireland: Travelling Abroad
2
Three Ireland: Roaming FAQs
3
European Commission: Roaming, connected anywhere in the EU at no extra charge
4
ComReg: Roaming
5
Apple Support: Using Dual SIM with an eSIM
6
Apple Support: Use eSIM while traveling internationally with your iPhone
7
Google Maps Help: Download areas & navigate offline in Google Maps
8
Apple Support: Use Low Data Mode on your iPhone and iPad
9
Pixel Phone Help: Use less mobile data with Data Saver
10
Google Play Help: How to update apps on Android
11
Apple Support: Set up eSIM on iPhone

Spot a mistake? How we write, check and correct our guides

Why you can rely on this guide

Who wrote this guide: The HelloRoam Team, who sell travel eSIMs and answer setup questions every day.
How we fact-check: The numbered markers point to the 11 sources below: Irish networks, the European Commission, ComReg, Apple and Google. What we say about our own plans carries no marker, because it comes from the plan details we publish and our help guides.
Where prices come from: Prices load from our live plan list, so none is typed into this guide.
When things change: Prices, rules and phone lists change. If you spot something wrong, email help@helloroam.com and we'll check it and put it right. The date at the top changes only when we edit the page.
Straight from our support team: Patterns from our 24/7 support conversations shaped these tips. Two come up again and again: a plan bought for the wrong destination, and installing an eSIM mixed up with switching it on.

Buy for the trip you are taking

Cross several borders on one regional plan

Pay once and be done

8 terms to know when you compare holiday data prices

Plan from a local network

Airport SIM kiosk

Pocket Wi-Fi rental

Free Wi-Fi only

Travel eSIM or pocket Wi-Fi: how they differ

Save your maps over Wi-Fi before you leave

Use your phone's low-data setting

Save video and photo backups for Wi-Fi

Keep app updates for Wi-Fi

Is there a free SIM or eSIM for holidays abroad?

Which travel eSIM costs the least for my holiday?

How much does an eSIM for a holiday cost?

Does a local SIM ever cost less than an eSIM on holiday?

Arrive connected on your next trip