Key facts
- COVERAGE
- Morocco
- NETWORKS
- Orange
- 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 Morocco, turn on data roaming for the Spidot line.
Questions about the Morocco eSIM
Which networks does it use?
Do I get a local phone number?
Can I use it outside Morocco?
How do I install it?
Will my phone work with an eSIM?
Does my Spanish or other EU SIM roam at home prices in Morocco?
Will maps work inside the Fes or Marrakech medina?
Will I have signal at a desert camp near Merzouga?
Can I use the Morocco eSIM on the ferry from Spain?
Can I make WhatsApp calls in Morocco?
Do I need a Moroccan number to book a riad or a tour?
Morocco eSIM guide: mobile data for travellers
Morocco sits just across the Strait of Gibraltar from Spain, yet feels a world away. The medinas of Marrakech and Fes are mazes of souks, riads and workshops; Chefchaouen's blue-washed streets climb the Rif mountains; Essaouira's ramparts face the Atlantic wind; and Casablanca, Rabat and Tangier are busy modern cities with historic cores. Beyond them, the High Atlas rises above Berber villages and the road over the Tizi n'Tichka pass leads to Ouarzazate, Aït Benhaddou, the Dadès and Todra gorges and, eventually, the dunes of Erg Chebbi near Merzouga.
In a medina, a phone with data can be the difference between finding your riad and wandering in circles. On long road trips, it keeps you in touch with drivers and hosts. A Spidot eSIM gives you mobile data in Morocco without buying a local SIM, while your own SIM stays in the phone for calls and texts. This guide covers your options, how much data you need, setup, coverage from the cities to the desert, and local tips.
eSIM, roaming or a local SIM in Morocco
Morocco is a short flight from much of Europe, but in mobile terms it is outside the EU and priced accordingly by many operators.
Roaming with your home SIM
EU Roam like at Home rules do not apply in Morocco, so a Spanish, French or other EU SIM is charged at whatever roaming rate your operator sets. The same goes for UK, US and other SIMs. Some operators offer passes that include Morocco; others charge per megabyte. Check your operator's terms before you travel, and switch off data roaming on your home SIM if you do not plan to use it.
A Moroccan prepaid SIM
Prepaid SIMs are sold at airports, operator shops and many small shops, and buying one usually involves registering with your passport. They can be good value for long stays. For a short trip, it means a queue on arrival, possibly language barriers and removing your home SIM, which you may need for bank codes.
A Spidot eSIM for Morocco
With Spidot you buy a Morocco plan online, receive the QR code by email straight after payment and install it before you fly. Plans start from $5.90. Your home SIM keeps your number for calls and texts, and the Spidot line provides data. Most plans are data-only; if you want to call riads, drivers or tour operators on local numbers, see our Data + calls plans.
How much data to plan for
In Morocco you are likely to use maps and messaging more than at home. These figures are approximate:
- Maps and navigation: a few megabytes per hour; essential in medinas, where GPS can be imprecise among narrow lanes but still helps you get your bearings.
- Messaging: light; WhatsApp is widely used by riads, drivers and guides.
- Translation: text is light; camera and voice translation use more. Arabic and Amazigh (Berber) languages are spoken, and French is widely used.
- Social media and photos: moderate to heavy, especially with video of souks, mountains and the desert.
- Video calls: several hundred megabytes per hour.
- Streaming: heavy, often more than a gigabyte per hour in high definition.
Typical choices
A long weekend in Marrakech, staying in a riad with Wi-Fi, usually fits a small fixed data plan. A one- or two-week circuit from Marrakech over the Atlas to the desert and on to Fes, or a trip that includes Chefchaouen and Tangier, is more comfortable with a mid-sized or larger plan.
Remote workers in Marrakech, Essaouira or Taghazout, or travellers sharing data with a laptop, may prefer an unlimited plan, keeping in mind that speed may slow after heavy use. A no-expiry plan suits frequent visitors. You can check how much data is left and add more data during your trip.
Before you go
Install the eSIM at home on Wi-Fi, because the installation needs an internet connection. First check your phone supports eSIM and is carrier-unlocked, then follow the install guide for iPhone, Samsung or Pixel.
- Install the eSIM one or two days before you travel and label it "Morocco".
- Keep your home SIM as default for calls and texts and set the Spidot line for mobile data.
- Download offline maps for Morocco, including detailed maps of the medinas you will visit.
- Save your riad's exact location as a pin; addresses in medinas can be hard to find, and many riads send a pin or directions in advance.
- Download offline Arabic and French packs in your translation app.
- Turn off data roaming on your home SIM.
Arriving in Morocco
Most visitors arrive at Marrakech Menara Airport or Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport, with many flights also serving Fes, Agadir, Tangier, Rabat and Essaouira. When you land, turn off flight mode, select the Spidot line for mobile data and turn on data roaming for it. Our data roaming guide shows where to find the setting.
From the airport to your riad
Cars cannot drive into most of the old medinas, so taxis drop you at the nearest gate, where your riad may send someone to meet you. With data, you can message your host, share your location and follow the map on foot. Agree taxi fares before you set off, or arrange a transfer through your accommodation.
Arriving by ferry from Spain
Ferries cross the Strait of Gibraltar from Tarifa and Algeciras to Tangier and Tanger Med. During the crossing your phone may switch between Spanish and Moroccan networks or lose signal mid-strait. Before you board, set the Spidot Morocco line as your mobile data line, or switch to it as soon as you arrive. If you have a Spain or Europe plan installed too, remember which one is active.
Coverage in cities, mountains and the desert
Coverage in Morocco is generally good in cities and along main roads, and patchier in the mountains and deep desert. Your Spidot plan connects through Orange.
Cities and medinas
Casablanca, Rabat, Marrakech, Fes, Tangier, Agadir and other cities are well covered. Inside medinas, high walls and narrow lanes can weaken signal and confuse GPS, so your blue dot may drift. Use landmarks such as gates, mosques and squares to orient yourself, and keep your riad's pin saved offline.
The Atlas mountains
On main routes such as the Tizi n'Tichka road, signal is usually available around towns but drops in places. In Imlil, the Ourika valley and on trekking routes towards Toubkal, expect gaps, especially higher up and in valleys. Trek with a guide, download maps and tell someone your plans.
The Sahara
Around Merzouga and M'Hamid there is often coverage near the villages, and some desert camps sit within range. Deeper in the dunes, signal can fade. Treat a night in the desert as an opportunity to disconnect, and charge your phone before heading out.
Data on trains, buses and road trips
Morocco's ONCF railway connects Tangier, Rabat, Casablanca, Marrakech, Fes and Meknes, and the Al Boraq high-speed line runs between Tangier and Casablanca. Long-distance coaches link the rest of the country, including desert and coastal towns. Data helps you check timetables, buy tickets and stay in touch on long journeys, though signal may dip between towns.
Taxis and ride-hailing
In cities, small "petit taxis" operate within town and larger "grand taxis" run between towns. Ride-hailing apps operate in some cities, but availability and rules vary. Agreeing a price or insisting on the meter is still common practice.
Driving
Self-drive is popular for the Atlas and the desert. Mountain roads are winding and slow, and long stretches in the south have few services. Download offline maps, set your route before you leave a town, and do not rely on finding signal between settlements.
Sharing data with a hotspot
You can usually share Spidot data with a laptop or another phone via your phone's personal hotspot. Riad Wi-Fi can be weak in thick-walled rooms, so a hotspot is a handy backup for work calls or uploading photos. All devices use the same allowance, so pause automatic updates and backups on laptops first.
Using public Wi-Fi safely
Riads, hotels, cafés and airports commonly offer Wi-Fi. Use it with care:
- Use mobile data rather than shared Wi-Fi for banking and payments.
- Ask staff for the exact network name before connecting.
- Avoid entering passwords on sites without a padlock.
- Turn off automatic connection to open networks.
- Be cautious about letting strangers use your phone to "help with directions" in busy areas.
Practical tips for Morocco
A few habits make travel smoother:
- Money: the currency is the Moroccan dirham. Cards work in many hotels and larger restaurants, but cash is king in souks, taxis and small towns.
- Directions in medinas: people may offer to guide you, sometimes expecting payment. A map on your phone helps you decline politely and find your own way.
- Ramadan: during the holy month, opening hours change and many restaurants close during the day. Check opening times online.
- Photography: ask before photographing people, especially in markets and villages.
- Battery: long days in the heat and constant navigation drain batteries, so carry a power bank.
Morocco on a multi-country trip
Morocco is often combined with southern Spain, Gibraltar or Portugal. Spidot does not sell a regional plan that covers Africa, so use a Morocco plan for your time in Morocco and a separate plan for Europe. Most eSIM phones can store several eSIMs, and you switch the mobile data line when you cross.
For the European part of your trip, see our plans for Spain, Portugal and Gibraltar, or the Europe plan if you are visiting several European countries. For North Africa, see our Tunisia and Egypt plans.