Key facts
- COVERAGE
- Israel
- NETWORKS
- Hot Mobile, Pelephone
- PLAN TYPE
- Data only
- IP ADDRESS LOCATION
- United Kingdom
- 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 Israel, turn on data roaming for the Spidot line.
Visiting more than one country?
Europe
Israel and 35 more countries on one eSIM
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See the Europe planQuestions about the Israel eSIM
Which networks does it use?
Do I get a local phone number?
Can I use it outside Israel?
How do I install it?
Will my phone work with an eSIM?
Does public transport run on Shabbat in Israel?
Should I install the Home Front Command app?
Will I have signal hiking at Ein Gedi or in the Ramon Crater?
Can I use Waze and Moovit without a local number?
Is one eSIM enough for a family?
Can I pay by phone in Israel?
Israel eSIM guide: mobile data for Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, the Dead Sea and the Negev
Israel is a small country, but visitors pack a lot into a trip: the beaches and cafés of Tel Aviv, the Old City of Jerusalem, a morning climb up Masada and a float in the Dead Sea, the hills of the Galilee, the craters of the Negev and the Red Sea at Eilat. Distances are short and the country is easy to cover in a hire car or by train and bus, but nearly every part of the trip runs through a phone, from journey planning and ride-hailing to opening hours and safety alerts.
This guide explains how a Israel eSIM from Spidot compares with roaming and a local SIM, how much data a typical trip uses, what to do on arrival at Ben Gurion Airport, and how coverage varies between the cities, the desert and the north. It also covers Shabbat, transport apps and trips that continue to Jordan or Egypt. For safety and entry requirements, follow your government's current travel advice.
Your options for mobile data in Israel
Visitors generally choose between roaming on their home SIM, buying a local prepaid SIM, or installing a travel eSIM before the trip. All three work; the differences are cost, convenience and whether you need an Israeli number.
Roaming on your home SIM
Roaming needs no setup, but Israel is outside most providers' cheaper roaming zones, so daily fees or per-megabyte rates can be high. EU roaming rules do not apply in Israel. Check your provider's terms before you travel.
A local prepaid SIM
Prepaid SIMs are sold at the airport and in phone shops. An Israeli number can be useful for long stays, for receiving SMS codes from local services, or if you will make many local calls. For a short trip, swapping SIMs means your own number is out of the phone, so codes from your bank or airline may not arrive.
A Spidot eSIM
With a travel eSIM you buy a plan online, receive a QR code by email and install it at home, so you have data as soon as you land. Plans for Israel start from $2.90. Your own SIM stays active for calls and texts. The plans are data-only unless you choose Data + calls; WhatsApp is used very widely in Israel by hotels, guides and restaurants, so data alone covers most contact.
How much data a trip to Israel uses
A typical trip involves daily navigation, transport apps, plenty of photos and messaging. The figures below are rough estimates for planning, not exact measurements.
- Navigation while driving: roughly 5 to 10 MB an hour; Waze and similar apps use a little more for live traffic reports.
- Transport apps and ride-hailing: light, but used often.
- Messaging with photos and voice notes: often 50 to 200 MB a day.
- Social media with video: often 300 MB to 1 GB an hour.
- Video calls home: roughly 500 MB to 1 GB an hour.
- Streaming video in HD: often 1 to 3 GB an hour.
Choosing a plan
For a week of sightseeing with maps, messaging and moderate social media, a mid-sized fixed data plan usually works well. For longer stays, remote work or heavy video use, an unlimited plan priced by the day removes the need to ration; speed may slow after heavy use. Frequent visitors can use a no-expiry plan so unused data carries over. See the prices page for current options.
Install the eSIM before you fly
Install the eSIM at home on Wi-Fi so you can book a taxi or check train times as soon as you land. Make sure your phone supports eSIM and is unlocked; dialling *#06# shows an EID on most eSIM phones. Then follow the install guide for iPhone, Samsung or Pixel.
- Label the new line Israel or Travel.
- Set the Spidot line for mobile data and keep your home SIM for calls and texts.
- Turn off data roaming on your home SIM.
- Download offline maps of the areas you will visit, especially the Negev and the Dead Sea region.
- Download offline Hebrew and Arabic language packs in your translation app.
- Check whether your trip includes Shabbat or a major holiday, and plan transport around it.
Arriving at Ben Gurion Airport
Most international flights land at Ben Gurion Airport, between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Some flights, particularly seasonal ones, use Ramon Airport north of Eilat. The first steps are short.
- Turn off flight mode after landing.
- Turn on data roaming for the Spidot line; the data roaming guide shows where the setting is.
- Give the phone a minute to find a network, and restart it once if nothing happens.
- Check data works before you leave the terminal.
From the airport
Trains run from the airport station to Tel Aviv and to Jerusalem, and taxis wait outside the terminal. Car hire desks are in the arrivals area. Trains do not run during Shabbat, from Friday afternoon until Saturday evening, so if you land then, plan on a taxi or a pre-booked transfer.
Coverage: cities, desert and the north
Israel has dense mobile networks, and in cities and along main roads you can expect a good signal. Your eSIM uses local partner networks; for this plan they are Hot Mobile and Pelephone. The phone chooses automatically.
Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Haifa
The coastal plain from Tel Aviv to Haifa and the Jerusalem area are well covered. In Jerusalem's Old City, signal can weaken in narrow covered alleys, inside thick stone buildings and in underground sites such as the Western Wall tunnels. The same applies to some museums and basement venues.
The Dead Sea and the Negev
The Dead Sea area, Masada and the road south along the Arava valley to Eilat are generally covered along the main road and at hotels and visitor centres, but signal can drop in canyons and on hiking trails, such as at Ein Gedi and in the wadis of the Negev. Around Mitzpe Ramon and the Ramon Crater, coverage is usually available in town and at viewpoints but not everywhere in the crater. Carry plenty of water, offline maps and a charged phone on desert hikes.
The Galilee and the Golan
Nazareth, Tiberias and the Sea of Galilee, Safed and the towns of the Galilee are generally well connected. In the hills and on trails such as the Jesus Trail and the Israel National Trail, coverage is mostly available but with some gaps in valleys. In the far north, near the borders, follow official guidance about which areas are open to visitors.
Shabbat, holidays and getting around
Shabbat runs from Friday sunset to Saturday evening. In much of the country, trains and most buses stop, many shops and restaurants close, and some hotels operate differently. Tel Aviv, Haifa and Arab towns are generally livelier during Shabbat than Jerusalem. Jewish holidays, especially Yom Kippur, when almost everything stops, have a similar effect.
- Moovit is widely used for buses and trains, with real-time arrivals and journey planning.
- Waze is popular with drivers and shows live traffic and road closures.
- Gett and other taxi apps let you book taxis, which do run on Shabbat.
- The Rav-Kav card is used for public transport; some transport apps also let you pay for journeys with your phone.
- Inter-city trains connect the airport, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, Be'er Sheva and other cities.
Official alerts and safety information
Israel has a national civil defence alert system. The Home Front Command publishes instructions and alerts through its app and website, and many visitors install it while in the country. Keep data and battery available so you can receive alerts and follow instructions from your hotel and the authorities.
- Check your government's travel advice before and during your trip.
- Note the location of shelters or protected rooms at your accommodation.
- Keep a power bank with you and your phone charged.
- The emergency numbers include 100 for police and 101 for ambulance.
Payments, hotspot use and Wi-Fi
Israel is very card-friendly, and contactless card and phone payments are accepted almost everywhere, including at markets and many small cafés. The currency is the new Israeli shekel. Carrying a little cash is useful for small purchases and tips.
You can share your data with a laptop or a companion's phone with Personal Hotspot (iPhone) or Mobile Hotspot (Android). Pause cloud sync and automatic updates while tethered. Free Wi-Fi is common in cafés, hotels and on parts of the public transport network, and Tel Aviv has free public Wi-Fi in many areas. Use mobile data rather than public Wi-Fi for banking and payments, check network names before connecting, and turn off auto-join for open networks.
Combining Israel with Jordan, Egypt or other countries
Many visitors combine Israel with Jordan, particularly to see Petra, crossing at the land borders near Eilat or in the Jordan Valley, and some cross to Egypt at Taba to visit Sinai. A Israel plan is designed for use in Israel. If you plan to visit the West Bank, for example Bethlehem or Jericho, be aware that coverage there may differ and is not guaranteed. For trips to other countries, the simplest approach is one eSIM per country, installed before you leave so you can switch the active data line at the border.
Near borders, especially around Eilat and the Dead Sea, your phone may pick up a signal from a neighbouring country. Keep an eye on which network you are connected to.
Keeping track of your data
You can check how much data is left at any time and add more data to the same eSIM without reinstalling it. To save data, set photo backup to Wi-Fi only and download music and podcasts at the hotel. If data stops working, check that data roaming is on for the Spidot line and restart the phone. For other problems, email support@spidot.com with the email address you used to order.
