Is roaming worth it in 2026?
The answer to the question of whether mobile data roaming is worth using is usually no, even for short trips. Because of how international roaming works, it spikes your phone bill. Take, for example, AT&T’s pay-per-use rates — you’ll pay US$2.05 per megabyte, which means 1 GB of international data roaming will cost you US$2,050. Yes — over two thousand US dollars.
Your mobile carrier might offer a plan that includes multi-country international data roaming, but those plans will be expensive, costing you up to US$100 per month. If you need data abroad for a week or two per year, it’s probably a wiser decision to go with a cheaper mobile plan without roaming data and get a travel eSIM to stay connected while traveling.
Compare that price to the cost of Saily’s Global eSIM plans — 1 GB for seven days is US$8.99, with the plan being valid in 121 destinations. A Saily 20 GB Global eSIM data plan costs US$66.99 and is valid for 365 days. Single-destination eSIM data plans are even cheaper — a 1 GB data plan in Spain is US$3.99, while a 20 GB plan is US$22.99.
Where roaming wins against eSIMs
International roaming still has some advantages. For one, it’s convenient — you don’t have to buy a local SIM card or an eSIM. You can just keep using your mobile provider’s connectivity to call, text, or surf the web.
Second, keeping your normal SIM card active means that you still receive calls and text messages from your friends and family as well as any two-factor authentication-related communications from your bank or other accounts.
That seamless coverage comes at a price. Calls and text messages are cheaper — AT&T’s pay-per-use rates are US$4/minute for roaming calls outside of Canada and Mexico and US$1/SMS.
At the same time, roaming isn’t expensive for everyone. If you’re a European resident with a mobile phone plan from an operator based in the European Economic Area (EEA), you’ll be able to connect to the internet without paying additionally for roaming. That’s one of the benefits of the EU’s roaming rules, which dictate that EU residents shouldn’t pay for international roaming when they travel within the bloc. The same rules apply for residents of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia traveling within the six countries. Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru have a similar roaming agreement.
eSIM vs. roaming: A head-to-head comparison
One of the better alternatives to international data roaming is using an eSIM. Using an eSIM is as easy as using roaming, but it’s cheaper. You also know the mobile data plan’s total cost upfront.
| Saily | Roaming** |
|---|
Mobile data price per megabyte | US$0.0011* | US$2.05 (AT&T), US$1 (T-Mobile***), US$2.05 (Verizon) |
|---|
Coverage | Depends on the country and your location | Depends on the country and your location |
|---|
Voice call minutes | Saily eSIM phone number plans start from US$0.99 per month with an additional US$5.99 for 5 minutes, US$9.99 for 15 minutes, and US$11.99 for 30 minutes | US$2 (Canada and Mexico) or US$4/minute (AT&T); US$0.50/minute (T-Mobile); US$0.99 (Canada and Mexico) US$1.79 (Over 130 destinations), US$2.99/minute (Over 80 destinations, Verizon) |
|---|
Text messages | Plans start from US$0.99 and for with an additional US$5.99 for 5 SMS, US$9.99 for 15 SMS, and US$11.99 for 30 SMS | US$1/SMS (AT&T), Unlimited SMS (T-Mobile), and US$0.50 per sent SMS, US$0.05 per received SMS (Verizon) |
|---|
* The per-megabyte price of the 20 GB mobile data plan for Spain. Prices valid as of November 5, 2026.
** Pay-per-use rates. Cheaper rates with specific carrier plans and daily passes are available.
*** T-Mobile’s pay-per-use rates can differ between destinations. The US$1/MB price is for Spain.
Comparing eSIM vs. roaming pricing
In the travel eSIMs vs. roaming debate, travel eSIM services are cheaper. The comparison includes pay-per-use rates, as well as international day passes. AT&T’s and Verizon’s international roaming day passes are US$12 each, while T-Mobile offers three passes: a one-day pass for US$10 (2 GB of high-speed data), a 10-day pass for US$50 (15 GB of high-speed data), or a 30-day pass for US$75 (30 GB of high-speed data). According to Tom’s Guide (opens in a new tab) estimates, a 30-day Italy plan with 10 GB of data from Saily, which costs US$20.99, is around 80% cheaper than a day pass from either AT&T or Verizon.
Saily’s Global data plans, which provide coverage in 121 destinations, have six different mobile data allocations. The prices for these plans range from US$8.99 to US$129.99.
Which has better coverage, an eSIM or international roaming?
The partner network abroad determines how much coverage a roaming service or an eSIM offers. Network quality can also vary by location — connection speeds in remote areas can be poor but reliable in larger cities.
Saily, for example, recently released a new feature that shows coverage areas on a map in its app. The feature can help you check whether you’ll have reliable data where you’ll be staying.
So when you ask yourself whether your T-Mobile home SIM will work in Europe, the answer will depend on the carrier’s roaming partners in the areas you’re traveling to.
Can you get unlimited data with an eSIM or roaming?
You can get unlimited data with both an eSIM and international roaming. The difference is in the price. Saily has unlimited data plans in dozens of destinations, with the plans being active for up to 30 days. The Saily Ultra plan is another option for unlimited data. The plan includes coverage in 121 destinations. In addition to mobile data, the Saily Ultra plan includes airport lounge access, fast-track service, subscriptions to ClassPass and NordVPN, and 8% back in Saily credits.
International SIM cards with unlimited data exist, but they can be expensive and come with fair usage policy (FUP) limits. AT&T’s Elite 2.0 cellular plan with 20 GB of data in over 210 destinations is US$80 per month, while T-Mobile’s cheapest plan with 5 GB of international high-speed data — Experience More 2.0 — is US$90 per month. However, both mobile providers warn that internet speeds are throttled to 256 Kbps when you use more than 20 GB (AT&T’s Elite 2.0 plan) or 5 GB (T-Mobile’s Experience More 2.0 plan) of data per month. Technically, those plans have unlimited data. Practically, they’re unusable once you cross those data thresholds.
Can you keep your phone number, make calls, and text with roaming turned off or an eSIM?
When you turn data roaming off or use a travel eSIM like Saily, you can still receive calls and send texts via the same number you use back home. The cost to do so will depend on your home carrier.
If your phone is eSIM only, you can still keep your original number when you’re traveling because you can turn off data roaming for an eSIM as well. That is one of the main benefits of an eSIM — and one of the reasons why physical SIM cards are fading out. You can easily switch between eSIM profiles without having to change physical SIMs.
Best roaming alternative for Europe
Planning to travel through several countries in Europe without paying too much for roaming? An alternative is to buy a travel eSIM plan for Europe. Saily offers the Europe regional eSIM plan that covers 35 European destinations starting from US$4.99 for 1 GB that’s valid for seven days. Saily also has an unlimited data plan that can last up to 30 days.
Best roaming alternative for the US
A Saily eSIM plan for the US is a great option for avoiding excessive roaming fees. Saily’s US eSIM plans start from US$3.99.You can also buy an unlimited data plan if you don’t want to worry about running out of data. Saily’s eSIM plans will be cheaper than paying for roaming in the US.
Saily also has phone number plans that provide you with a US-based number. A phone number plan allows you to subscribe to services that require a US number. You can supplement the phone number with additional call minutes and text messages.
Best roaming alternative for Japan
Get a Saily eSIM plan for Japan as an alternative to roaming. The cheapest plan will cost you US$3.99, providing you with 1 GB of data for seven days. In addition to unlimited data plans, Saily’s Japan plans include 10 GB of data for 30 days for US$17.99 and 20 GB of data for 30 days for US$24.99.
If your travel plans include several Asian countries beyond Japan, consider getting the Saily Asia eSIM plan, which starts from US$4.99. The plan provides mobile data in 22 Asian destinations, including Australia and New Zealand, ranging from 1 GB to unlimited data.
Tips on how to switch from roaming to a travel eSIM
Switching from roaming to a travel eSIM is easy, but it pays to get set up before you fly.
Double-check whether your device supports eSIMs. For iPhone owners, your iPhone will support eSIMs if it’s the iPhone XS, the iPhone XS Max, the iPhone XR, or newer. If you have an Android phone, you can check whether your phone is on the list of devices that support eSIMs.
Set up your eSIM before you depart. Before you leave for your trip abroad, set up your eSIM. With Saily, you can configure your eSIM by following the app’s instructions. If you’ve used Saily before, you can just purchase a new eSIM plan and turn on the eSIM once you land.
Turn off data roaming for your primary phone line. Smartphones will default to using your primary phone line, which will rack up roaming fees if you continue browsing the web. You can turn off data roaming in your phone’s settings.
Check how much data you’ve used. After you purchase a data plan in the Saily eSIM app, you can check your data usage using the same app. If you’re close to running out, Saily offers an easy way to top up — open up the app and tap “Add data.”
