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Roami was founded to serve as a trusted resource for travelers in need of reliable internet solutions abroad. Our team, comprising avid travelers, provides comprehensive reviews and guidance on data SIM cards, eSIMs, pocket WiFi devices, and free WiFi apps, drawing from firsthand usage during our travels.

We are committed to offering unbiased and thorough recommendations. To support our website, we earn affiliate commissions from links to products on our site. While our reviews are independent and based on our own experiences and detailed product testing, these commissions allow us to cover costs and continue bringing valuable advice to travelers worldwide.

Our reviews and articles are updated regularly to ensure relevance and accuracy. Please note that we may not review every product in the market, but we strive to cover as many as possible to maintain a wide-ranging resource for our readers. Join us at Roami to stay connected wherever your travels may take you.

Travel data SIM card for internet: the cheapest way to stay online

Author: Jimmy Carreño

Updated: April 26, 2023

Advertising Disclosure

Advertising Disclosure

Roami was founded to serve as a trusted resource for travelers in need of reliable internet solutions abroad. Our team, comprising avid travelers, provides comprehensive reviews and guidance on data SIM cards, eSIMs, pocket WiFi devices, and free WiFi apps, drawing from firsthand usage during our travels.

We are committed to offering unbiased and thorough recommendations. To support our website, we earn affiliate commissions from links to products on our site. While our reviews are independent and based on our own experiences and detailed product testing, these commissions allow us to cover costs and continue bringing valuable advice to travelers worldwide.

Our reviews and articles are updated regularly to ensure relevance and accuracy. Please note that we may not review every product in the market, but we strive to cover as many as possible to maintain a wide-ranging resource for our readers. Join us at Roami to stay connected wherever your travels may take you.

travel data sim card to internet abroad

For any reason you’re going abroad, you probably consider you should pack your suitcase and carry the pocket WIFI, the sticker SIM or the most useful and cheapest way to get connections overseas: The travel data SIM card for internet, the traditional SIM card for the travelers with personalized lifestyles.

Are you planning to go abroad, and share the greatest experiences on social media with your loved ones after having enjoyed your best holidays in the country you always had wished to stay? we wonder if you know about the easiest method and usefulness to get the 4G connection overseas without paying to roam. Keep with us and come together because in the next article we’ll show you what it takes to get from and online SIM card store and carry means, without worries at all. 

Don’t worry! Here we are going to tell you which alternative you should choose.

Buy an International eSIM online

Data SIM card internet for travelers

Finally, the most affordable device to get internet: The travel data SIM card. All you have to do is buy a travel data SIM card, either online, in a shop, or even in a vending machine, which you place on your mobile phone when you arrive at your destination and forget about everything. Your mobile phone will already have the Internet for as long as you have ordered it.

Prepaid internet data card tariff

Here are some examples of data SIM card tariffs in different destinations around the world.

Main advantage

You don’t have to pay any penalties in case of loss and theft. Unlike your operator’s roaming service, tourist SIM cards are cheaper and have better coverage.

Main disadvantage

You will only have the internet on your mobile. If you have more mobile devices, you will have to buy more travel data SIM cards. However, some SIM cards let you share the data connections with other phones.

Roaming carriers vs Travel data SIM card

The four main carriers in the world -AT&T, T-Mobile, Vodafone, and Movistar- provide roaming service (data for internet abroad) and charge you according to rates that can be per MB consumed or per day.

Main advantage

You don’t need to install a travel data SIM card or rent an external device to have Internet when traveling outside your country, you just have to contact your carrier and request the service.

Main disadvantage

The roaming rates are usually high, as well as limited since you can only be offered a fixed amount of MB per day.

Pocket WI-FI or WIFI Portables vs Data SIM cards prepaid

Another alternative is Pocket Wifi, or Wifi Portals, which give you internet, almost always unlimited, to 10 or more devices at a time. So if you’re a blogger, YouTuber, Twitter, or just plain techy, this option will suit you better.

Data Pocket WIFI tariff table

Here are some examples of what it would cost you to rent a Wifi Modem, also called Mifi.

Main advantage

You will always have quality Internet coverage. It depends on the country you want to go to, Pocket Wifi uses the technology and coverage of the main local operators in the country.

High-coverage you are getting depends on the country you are going to connect to. As with many devices like pocket Wifi, the data SIM card makes well next to each mobile operator 

Main disadvantage

As most of the Pocket Wifi is rented, you have to return them at the end of their use and you can’t get rid of this procedure because you could pay a fine. In case of loss or theft of the device, you will have to pay up to 300 euros.

Conclusions: the best option is an travel data SIM card

While Pocket Wifi can solve many needs at once, and at a fair price, as a tourist there will always be the fear of losing it or having it stolen and having to pay an average cost penalty.

So we are leaning towards travel data SIM card for internet as the effective, secure and affordable alternative that every tourist should opt for to access good internet coverage. Mobile operators’ data roaming services are out of the question, as their rates make them the worst option. SIM cards like Holafly’s are a must in your suitcase.

SIM card to travel around world

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Jimmy Carreño

It is too early to find what we are looking for, I said to myself, put aside the things you were told you would live for comfortably, for that if it can be late today, it is for me. I'll stay at home for a few days and yet I feel it's getting late. Collaborator for Holafly Spain.

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