Key facts
- COVERAGE
- Croatia
- NETWORKS
- Fixed data: A1, Hrvatski Telekom, Tele2 · Unlimited: Hrvatski Telekom, Tele2
- PLAN TYPE
- Data only
- IP ADDRESS LOCATION
- Fixed data: United Kingdom · Unlimited: Poland
- DELIVERY
- QR code by email
How it works
- 1Choose a plan and pay.
- 2Scan the QR code we email you. You can install it before you fly.
- 3When you land in Croatia, turn on data roaming for the Spidot line.
Visiting more than one country?
Europe
Croatia and 35 more countries on one eSIM
from$5.90
See the Europe planQuestions about the Croatia eSIM
Which networks does it use?
Do I get a local phone number?
Can I use it outside Croatia?
How do I install it?
Will my phone work with an eSIM?
Will I have data when island-hopping by ferry?
Is a small plan enough for a week in Dubrovnik?
Can I use the eSIM on a sailing holiday?
Will my messaging apps still use my normal number?
How do I avoid roaming charges from my home operator?
Can I top up during my holiday?
Croatia eSIM guide: mobile data for travellers
Croatia is a country of coastline and islands. Most visitors come for Dalmatia: the old towns of Dubrovnik, Split, Šibenik and Zadar, and islands such as Hvar, Brač, Korčula, Vis and Mljet. Others head to Istria for Rovinj, Pula and the hill towns, to the northern islands of Krk, Cres and Lošinj, or inland to Zagreb and the waterfalls of Plitvice Lakes and Krka. Island-hopping by ferry and catamaran, driving the coast road and finding a parking space in a busy old town all go more smoothly with data on your phone.
A Spidot eSIM gives you mobile data in Croatia from the moment you arrive. You install it at home, turn it on when you land and keep your normal SIM for calls and texts. This guide covers the options, how much data to plan for, coverage on the coast and islands, and some Croatia-specific points such as the border crossings along the Dalmatian coast.
eSIM, roaming or a local SIM in Croatia
Here is how the main options compare, so you can decide what makes sense for your trip.
Roaming with your home SIM
Croatia is in the EU, so travellers with SIMs from EU and EEA countries can generally use their home allowance under the "Roam like at Home" rules, subject to their operator's fair use policy.
Visitors with SIMs from outside the EU, including the UK, the US, Canada, Australia and many other countries, are usually charged under their own operator's roaming terms. That can add up over a two-week summer holiday, so check before you go.
A Croatian prepaid SIM
Croatian prepaid SIMs are available from operator shops and some kiosks. Buying one means finding a shop on arrival, possibly registering it, and replacing your home SIM unless your phone has a second slot.
A Spidot eSIM
A Spidot eSIM adds a data line alongside your home SIM. You buy it online, receive the QR code by email straight after payment and install it before you travel. Plans start from $2.90. Most plans are data-only without a Croatian number; if you need to call local numbers, for example a boat skipper or apartment host, look at our Data + calls plans.
How much data to plan for
Summer holidays in Croatia tend to involve a lot of photos, video and sharing, which uses more data than a city break. These rough figures can help you estimate:
- Maps and navigation: a few megabytes per hour of walking or driving.
- Messaging and email: light, but holiday photos and videos add up.
- Social media: moderate to heavy, especially if you post and watch video.
- Video calls: typically several hundred megabytes per hour.
- Streaming video: heavy, often over a gigabyte per hour in high definition.
Typical choices
A long weekend in Dubrovnik or Zagreb with hotel Wi-Fi usually suits a small fixed data plan. A two-week holiday moving between Split and the islands, or a road trip along the coast, is more comfortable with a larger plan, as you will check ferry times, navigate and share photos on the move.
If you are sailing, staying in apartments with unreliable Wi-Fi, working remotely or tethering a laptop, an unlimited plan saves you from counting megabytes, though speed may slow after heavy use. If you visit regularly, a no-expiry plan keeps data for future trips. You can check how much data is left and add more data whenever you need it.
Before you travel
Installing an eSIM needs an internet connection, so do it at home on Wi-Fi. First check your phone supports eSIM and is carrier-unlocked.
Then follow the install guide for iPhone, Samsung or Pixel. Label the line "Travel", keep your home SIM for calls and texts, and set the Spidot line for mobile data.
- Install a day or two before departure, not at the gate.
- Keep the QR code email in a safe place.
- Download offline maps for the coast, islands and national parks you plan to visit.
- Save ferry and catamaran bookings and confirmations offline, so they are available even where signal is weak.
Arriving in Croatia
Croatia has several international airports, and many visitors fly straight to the coast: Dubrovnik, Split, Zadar, Pula and Rijeka (on the island of Krk) all receive international flights, especially in summer. Zagreb is the main year-round airport. Others arrive by road from Slovenia, by ferry from Italy, or by train from Ljubljana, Vienna or Budapest to Zagreb.
When you land, choose the Spidot line for mobile data and turn on data roaming for it, as explained in our data roaming guide. Allow a minute or two for the phone to connect; if needed, switch flight mode on and off.
From the airport to town
Airport buses link Dubrovnik, Split and Zadar airports with their city centres and ports, and taxis and ride-hailing apps are also available. With data, you can see where the bus drops you, how far it is to your apartment in the old town, and whether you need to head straight to the ferry port.
Coverage on the coast, the islands and inland
In Zagreb, Split, Rijeka, Zadar, Dubrovnik, Pula and other cities and coastal towns, mobile data generally works well. Main roads and the motorways linking Zagreb with the coast are usually well covered.
The geography of Croatia, with its long, mountainous coastline and more than a thousand islands, means coverage can vary in places:
- Inhabited islands: popular islands such as Hvar, Brač, Korčula, Krk and Pag are generally well covered in towns and harbours. Coverage can be weaker in remote bays, on the far side of hills and in small coves reachable only by boat.
- At sea: on ferries and catamarans signal usually holds near the coast but may drop on longer open-water crossings, such as to Vis or Lastovo. Out on a sailing boat, coverage depends on how close you are to land.
- National parks: Plitvice Lakes, Krka, Paklenica and Mljet are popular, but parts of their gorges, forests and canyon trails can have weaker signal.
- The coastal mountains: the Velebit range and Biokovo above Makarska rise steeply from the sea. Hiking trails and mountain roads can have gaps.
- Inland Lika and Gorski Kotar: the forested, sparsely populated areas between Zagreb and the coast have smaller towns and longer stretches between them.
Neum and the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina
One point is specific to Croatia. Near Dubrovnik, the coast road passes close to, and in one place through, the short strip of coastline belonging to Bosnia and Herzegovina at Neum. The Pelješac Bridge now lets drivers bypass that strip, but buses and some drivers still pass through Neum. Bosnia and Herzegovina is not in the EU, and your phone may connect to a Bosnian network there or anywhere close to the border. Check the network name if your data stops working, and remember that a Croatia plan is for use in Croatia.
Similar care is worth taking near Montenegro, south of Dubrovnik around Cavtat and the Konavle valley, and along the inland borders with Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Hungary and Slovenia.
Data on ferries, buses and road trips
Ferries and fast catamarans are the main way to reach the islands. Jadrolinija, the national ferry operator, runs car ferries and catamarans on many routes, and several private companies run catamarans in summer. Popular routes connect Split with Hvar, Brač, Vis and Korčula, Dubrovnik with Mljet and Korčula, and Zadar and Rijeka with the northern islands. Booking online and checking departure times on your phone is much easier than queueing at the port in high season.
On the mainland, long-distance buses are the most common public transport along the coast. There is no railway to Dubrovnik, and the rail line to Split runs inland from Zagreb, so most travellers rely on buses for coastal journeys. Having data lets you check the bus station, platforms and live delays.
Driving in Croatia
Croatian motorways are tolled, with payment generally made at toll booths or by electronic toll systems; check how tolls work for your car. The old coast road, the Adriatic Highway, is scenic but slow and winding. Old towns are often pedestrian-only, so finding parking can take time; a parking app or map search helps. Download offline maps for the islands and mountains, and keep your phone mounted and hands-free while driving.
Hotspot for laptops and travel companions
Personal hotspot lets you share your eSIM data with a laptop, tablet or the phone of a travel companion. It uses whichever line is set for mobile data, so make sure that is the Spidot line. This is especially handy on sailing trips, in holiday apartments where Wi-Fi struggles, and on long bus rides.
Laptops and tablets download a lot in the background. Pause cloud sync, automatic updates and photo backups before connecting. If several people will share your connection, a larger or unlimited plan makes sense.
Staying safe on public Wi-Fi
Free Wi-Fi is widely offered in Croatian cafés, beach bars, hotels and apartments, and some towns run public networks in their centres. It is convenient but not always secure.
- Use your eSIM data for banking, payments and logins.
- Check the network name with staff before connecting.
- Turn off automatic connection to open networks.
- Keep your phone's software up to date before you travel.
Practical tips for Croatia
Some local knowledge that makes a data connection more useful:
- Currency: Croatia uses the euro. Cards and contactless payments, including Apple Pay and Google Pay, are widely accepted, but carry some cash for small island shops, markets and beach bars.
- Ferry bookings: in July and August, popular catamaran and car ferry routes can sell out. Book ahead online and arrive at the port early. Keep your tickets saved offline.
- Ride-hailing: Uber and Bolt operate in Zagreb, Split, Dubrovnik and other large towns, and are commonly used for airport transfers.
- City transport: Zagreb has an extensive tram network, and coastal cities rely on buses. Check how tickets are sold before boarding.
- Heat and battery: summer heat on the coast drains phone batteries and can cause phones to overheat. Keep your phone out of direct sunlight and carry a power bank on long days out.
- Language: English is widely spoken in tourist areas. A translation app with Croatian downloaded for offline use helps in smaller places.
Combining Croatia with other countries
Croatia sits on many multi-country routes. Popular combinations include Zagreb with Ljubljana in Slovenia, Dubrovnik with Kotor in Montenegro or Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Istria with Trieste and Venice in Italy, and Zagreb with Budapest in Hungary or Vienna in Austria. Ferries also cross the Adriatic between Croatia and Italy.
For a trip through several countries, a Europe plan is usually more convenient than separate eSIMs. Check the list of countries on the Europe plan page to confirm your route is covered, particularly for non-EU neighbours such as Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro. For a holiday in Croatia only, a Croatia plan keeps things simple.
