Does roaming cost money in Spain for UK users?
In general, roaming in Spain will cost money for UK users. Before Brexit, Brits were able to take advantage of the EU’s “Roam Like at Home” policy, which states that mobile providers must include free EU roaming in their plans. However, when the UK left the EU in 2020, this legal mandate no longer applied, and many UK mobile carriers have stopped offering free EU roaming in their basic plans.
While data roaming is the easiest way to get internet in Spain, it’s also one of the most expensive! Every text, call, and unit of data comes with a premium price, and your phone bill could add up quickly.
UK mobile roaming charges in Spain by network in 2026
Every UK mobile network has their own roaming policies for Spain, so we’re going to walk you through six top carriers (EE, Vodafone, O2, Three, Giffgaff, and Tesco Mobile) to help you prepare for your trip.
EE
EE’s Spain roaming policies vary depending on your plan details. The All-Rounder, Full Work, and Essential Plus plans include roaming in the EU, and frequent travellers can also order a roaming inclusive extra.
For other customers, your roaming charges will depend on your plan’s start date. Pay monthly users whose plans started before 7 July 2021 still have EU roaming included. However, if your monthly plan started after that, you’ll be charged £2.72 (US$3.64) per day in Spain. EE offers the ability to set a “spend cap” for international roaming so that you don’t accidentally go over budget.
If your monthly plan doesn’t include roaming in Spain, EE does offer two travel passes that are slightly cheaper than the day rates:
EE pay-as-you-go customers have to order a roaming pass to get data roaming in Spain. You have two options: a 24-hour pass for £2.50 (US$3.34) or a 7-day pass for £10.00 (US$13.38).
O2
O2 still provides their customers with EU roaming at no extra cost for both pay monthly and pay-as-you-go plans. Spain is included in O2’s Europe Zone, so you’ll have free EU roaming up to 25 GB during your holiday, depending on your UK data allowance.
Vodafone UK
Similar to EE, Vodafone UK’s EU roaming charges will be different depending on your plan. If your pay monthly plan started before 11 August 2021, roaming in Spain is still included at no extra charge, up to 25 GB. If your plan started after 11 August 2021, you’ll be charged £2.75 (US$3.68) per day to roam in Spain, unless you have the Unlimited Max Global Roam or Unlimited Max Euro Roam plans, which include roaming in Spain.
If you have a pay-as-you-go plan with Vodafone UK, you’ll need to get an Extra to roam in Spain:
8-day Europe Minutes Extra: £5.30 (US$7.09) for 100 minutes
8-day Europe Text Extra: £4.25 (US$5.69) for 200 texts
8-day Europe Data Extra: £9.60 (US$12.84) for 3 GB of data
8-day Europe Extra: £12.75 (US$17.06) for 3 GB of data, 100 minutes, and 200 texts
These Extras are also available for pay monthly customers who want to save money on their roaming fees.
Three
If you have a Your Way plan with Three, roaming in Spain is already included. Older plans, started before 1 October 2021, also allow you to use your data allowance in the EU. However, if you don’t meet either of those qualifications, you’ll incur a daily roaming fee through Three’s Go Roam in Europe policy: £2 (US$2.68) for customers whose plan began before 18 December 2025 and £2.75 (US$3.68) if your plan began after 18 December 2025.
If you have a pay-as-you-go plan with Three, you can get a data pack for your Spanish holiday:
£10 (US$13.38) for 6 GB
£15 (US$20.07) for 12 GB
£20 (US$26.76) for 18 GB
£25 (US$33.45) for 24 GB
£35 (US$46.83) for 30 GB
Giffgaff
Giffgaff’s monthly and pay-as-you-go plans both include roaming in the EU (including Spain) at no extra cost. However, Giffgaff’s data cap is fairly low (5 GB) with a 10p charge for every MB you go over. If you’ll need more data for your trip, you can get an EU travel data add-on in the app: £4 (US$5.35) for 1 GB, £8 (US$10.70) for 5 GB, and £12 (US$16.06) for 10 GB.
Tesco Mobile
Tesco Mobile has continued its “Home from Home” roaming policy into 2026, which means that no roaming charges apply in Spain or 48 other destinations. You simply use your standard monthly data allowance during your vacation.
Carrier | Is Spain included? | Daily charges | Travel passes | Fair use data cap |
|---|
EE | For All-Rounder, Full Work, and Essential Plus plans, as well as plans that began before 7 July 2021 | £2.72 (US$3.64) | £16.50 (US$22.08) for 7 days; £27.50 (US$36.80) for 12 days | 50 GB |
|---|
O2 | Yes | N/A | N/A | 25 GB |
|---|
Vodafone UK | For Unlimited Max Global Roam and Unlimited Max Euro Roam, as well as plans that began before 11 August 2021 | £2.75 (US$3.68) | £12.75 (US$17.06) for 8 days | 25 GB |
|---|
Three | For Your Way Plan and plans that began before 1 October 2021 | £2–£2.75 (US$2.68–US$3.68) | £10 (US$13.38) for 6 GB; £15 (US$20.07) for 12 GB; £20 (US$26.76) for 18 GB; £25 (US$33.45) for 24 GB; £35 (US$46.83) for 30 GB | 12 GB |
|---|
Giffgaff | Yes | N/A | £4 (US$5.35) for 1 GB; £8 (US$10.70) for 5 GB; £12 (US$16.06) for 10 GB | 5 GB |
|---|
Tesco Mobile | Yes | N/A | N/A | Varies depending on your plan |
|---|
Note: Prices correct as of June 2026. Always check with your carrier for the latest rates before traveling.
Fair use policy: What does it mean for your trip to Spain?
Even if roaming in Spain is included in your plan, there’s another factor that could affect your phone bill: the fair use policy. A fair usage policy (FUP) is a policy that ensures mobile providers can provide consistent, reliable service for all of their customers.
You likely won’t hit your FUP policy limits at home, but most UK mobile carriers have separate fair use data caps when you’re roaming. That means you might go through your data allowance more quickly during your holiday. If you exceed the FUP, your phone will work in Spain, but you could be on the hook for extra charges, or your data speeds could slow down dramatically.
EE has the highest fair use data limit (50 GB), and both O2 and Vodafone UK cap off at 25 GB. If you have any of these three providers, you probably won’t exceed the FUP during a standard holiday unless you are a very heavy data user. However, Three’s 12 GB and GiffGaff’s 5 GB are easier to reach, and you may need to get extra data add-ons during your trip.
How to avoid roaming charges in Spain
Roaming charges in Spain can get very expensive very quickly, so are here some tips to manage your data and control your holiday spending.
Limit your data usage
Limiting your data usage can help keep roaming charges under control. Try these tips:
Disable data roaming on your phone so you don’t use data if you don’t want to. You can always toggle it back on if you need it.
Limit background app usage so that apps aren’t blowing through data when you’re not actively using them
Instead of live navigating with data, pre-download maps to your device.
Avoid high-data activities, like video streaming or downloading large files.
Use Wi-Fi calling and free hotspots
When you’re connected to Wi-Fi, your phone isn’t using data. So, you can still use the internet to post to social media, send messages via Whatsapp or iMessage, or even make a phone call because most UK carriers support Wi-Fi calling.
Free Wi-Fi is widely available in Spanish hotels, cafes, and tourist destinations. However, public Wi-Fi networks are often slow, and it can be difficult to find a network when you need it. Plus, any unprotected network or free hotspot has cybersecurity risks because they’re easy for hackers to exploit.
Buy a local SIM card in Spain
A local SIM card for Spain can help you access data without roaming charges. Physical SIM cards are widely available at Spanish airports like Madrid-Barajas Airport, and you can also pick one up at a mobile provider’s retail location or a convenience store like Carrefour, Suma, or Condis.
A SIM card for Spain lets you connect to local networks like Movistar, Vodafone, or Orange at affordable rates, without using data roaming. However, not all SIM cards are compatible with all phones, and some newer smartphones don’t even have an accessible SIM card slot. Plus, physically switching out SIMs can lead to one or both of your cards getting lost, damaged, or stolen.
If you decide to use a physical SIM card for Spain, do your research ahead of time to make sure that you pick the right SIM for your device and have a plan for getting the card once you arrive in Spain.
Use an eSIM for Spain (best option for most travellers)
For most travellers, an eSIM for Spain is going to be the best option. An eSIM is a virtual alternative to physical SIM cards, using preinstalled technology in your smartphone to connect to Spanish mobile providers.
The benefits of an eSIM include:
Cost-effective, flexible data plans that are much cheaper than data roaming.
Automatic activation as soon as you arrive in Spain.
Reliable data coverage, even in remote areas like Grazalema Natural Park or Orbaneja del Castillo.
Increased security and no risk of the SIM being lost, stolen, or damaged.
No need to physically swap SIM cards.
If your holiday is going to take you to multiple countries, you can even get an eSIM for Europe from Saily. Download an eSIM today so that you can spend your Spanish holiday swimming in the Balearic Sea and eating paella instead of worrying about your phone bill!
