Packages, ESIM, Local SIM … How to avoid unpleasant surprises on your mobile bill abroad
As the summer holidays are approaching and the perspective (for those who can) go to distant horizons, the most connected tirelessly questions the best options to keep access to “mobile data” in 4G or 5G abroad. To do this, various options are available to them for what is called access to homelessness.
Let us first remember that theroaming in Europe is now free. Since June 2017, all operators have had the obligation to let their subscribers access a part of the data envelope included in their package in the EU countries and certain nearby countries (Iceland, United Kingdom). Watch out for the Swiss case: if Orange and SFR include the country of the Helvetians in their Europe area, this is not the case Freenor Bouygues. And as the conditions of use often vary over time, we can only encourage you to check your destination before the day of departure.
ESIM: the comparison is essential
The dematerialized SIMs, alias Esim, are now common by the adoption of technology in an increasing number of smartphones. All iPhone is compatible, as well as the virtual integrality of high-end terminals under Android (Samsung, Pixel, Honor or Xiaomi). More and more more affordable mobiles are also filled (Samsung Galaxy A56 and even Galaxy A36,, Motorola Edge 50 Neo,, Honor Magic 7 Lite…), As long as they are recent. The advantage is that you can compare the offers of the different ESIM suppliers operating in your resort and install the one you have retained before departure.
If ESIM tempts you, you are not alone: a supplier such asAiralo To date claims some 20 million users worldwide. The service is one of the most popular, but does not lack competitors (see our comparator). Holafly, Bytesim, Saily, Gomoworld (offered by a company from Xavier Niel), and even since May 2025 Bouygues Telecom… to you of compare the offers Depending on the price and quantity of data which will seem relevant to you.
Take the case of Japan, a very popular destination in 2025. If you want to get 10 GB of data for your stay, you will have to count € 19.99 with Gomoworld, $ 33.90 with International Sim by Bouygues, € 17 with Airalo or $ 17.99 with Saily. All offer valid formulas for 30 days.
Holafly costs a little more, but allows you to obtain an unlimited connection for a number of days you define yourself. Bytesim, for its part, allows you to choose the amount of data allocated (from 500 MB to 10 GB/day, for example) and to associate it with a personalized validity period. Count for example € 10.50 for 1 GB/day for 15 days. The classification of the most accessible formulas for the Empire of the rising sun is only valid for this destination and the most advantageous offers will vary according to the country considered.
Do not underestimate the options of operators
You have previously spent 40 € for a quantity of derisory data and you receive an SMS from your operator at destination, indicating that you could have benefited from a much more advantageous offer? It happened to us and led us to look into the case of operators’ options. Before getting into this comparison, we probably suffered from the same prejudices as many consumers, probably because in a few years, pricing policies have changed a lot. And today, depending on your destination, there are sometimes advantageous options.
- Orange & Sosh: The “Travel 1” account 35 GB of data, 30 min calls and 50 SMS for € 29.99 (valid 31 days, see the List of destinationspage 25 of the operator’s conditions of sale).
- Bouygues Telecom & B & You: 10 GB of Internet valid in more than 30 countries, € 35 (list of countries on the operator’s site).
- SFR & Red: options listed on the operator’s sitebilled between 30 and 35 €, the amount of data allocated (between 5 and 15 GB) varying according to the geographic area chosen.
According to your operator, your destination and the number of gigabytes relevant in the context of your wanderings, but also if you plan to make some calls (ESIMs are often associated solely with data), it therefore seems relevant to assess the travel options to which your usual package gives you access. Their asset: you have nothing to do, except to activate homelessness on your mobile.
Local sim cards: an often advantageous option
Buying a local SIM card on arrival in your destination country often represents a practical and inexpensive option, easily accessible at international airports. However, she asks travelers a little organization. Thus, the sales counters must be opened at the time of arrival, which is not systematic in the event of landing very early in the morning or very late in the evening. Ditto, some kiosks only accept species and you must have removed currencies from the distributor often close to adjust the purchase. Finally, some countries require passport photocopies and other somewhat long formalities that can put off the hurried traveler.
Difficult to give you a standard rate for this type of purchases, but think that an Ouzbeke sim containing 80 GB of data costs only € 5 for purchase at Tashkent airport. Unbeatable!
On the other hand, this option has some limits: current double-Sim smartphones, like the Google Pixelcount a port for nano-sim and an ESIM port. If your usual card is physical, you are forced to abandon your number of the holidays. It is up to you to see if you can afford to be unreachable for a week or two … Travelers going to the Middle Kingdom must also note that the SIM bought in continental China are subject to firewall who will deprive them of access to Google or Meta applications. International ESIMs and French SIMs associated with a “travel” option do not suffer from this restriction.
Special packages
A final option is available to you before departure, which consists in taking out a mobile package specifically suited to trips. Or rather, migrate to one of them …
Among operators with a storefront, there are currently two subscriptions designed for travelers: one at Free Mobile at € 19.99 (35 GB/month accessible in 110 countries), the other (or rather the others) at SFR Red. The operator offers travel options on its low -cost packages (+5 € on a € 6.99 package for 20 GB of data that can be used in Switzerland, Andorra, USA and Canada), and a special travel formula including 350 GB of data, including 35 GB accessible from 124 international destinations. You can of course subscribe to it constantly, if you travel frequently or need a lot of data on a daily basis.
A tip is available to you if you have subscribed to Red: change your package just before your trip. The operator makes it possible to switch to the travel offer before returning to your usual offer the following month, without migration costs. Just remember to make the change before your date of package renewal! We tried the operation and it was enough for us to change the formula before the 10th of the month, date of our invoicing, to go from a formula at € 6.99 monthly to a travel package. When we returned to travel, we went back to our initial formula, at nochy.
At Free, the rules are different from the fact that the operator offers very few formulas: you can go from its package to 2 € to its formula at 19.99 €, but according to strict rules. If the passage from the subscription to € 2 to a package at € 19.99 is free (it occurs on the usual billing date), the reverse path is billed € 10 and requires keeping the subscription to € 19.99 a minimum of three months. Not very interesting, therefore, for temporary use, and it is better to turn to an ESIM or a local SIM.
Limit data consumption
You have a plethora of choice to stay connected even to the end of the world. This does not prevent you from playing the economy, especially since the quality of the network you will access will depend on the operators (s) used by your option or ESIM. Rather than running after the WiFi networks of hotels or cafes, and to siphon your mobile formula at the slightest download, remember to fill up on videos (Netflix, Amazon, free Arte type apps …) before departure, but also to download your musical playlists before the journey. To simplify your GPS navigation, also remember to download Google Maps cards To access it even in plane mode.
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