Key facts
- COVERAGE
- North Macedonia
- NETWORKS
- A1
- 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 North Macedonia, turn on data roaming for the Spidot line.
Questions about the North Macedonia eSIM
Which networks does it use?
Do I get a local phone number?
Can I use it outside North Macedonia?
How do I install it?
Will my phone work with an eSIM?
Does my Greek or other EU SIM roam at home prices in North Macedonia?
Will my phone switch to an Albanian network at Lake Ohrid?
Is there signal in the Matka Canyon?
Can I use the eSIM on the bus from Thessaloniki?
Do I need a local number to book guesthouses in Ohrid?
Can I top up during my trip?
North Macedonia eSIM guide: mobile data for travellers
North Macedonia is a small, mountainous Balkan country with a surprising amount to see. Skopje, the capital, combines an Ottoman-era Old Bazaar and stone bridge with the monuments and statues of its rebuilt centre, and the Matka Canyon lies just outside the city. In the south-west, Lake Ohrid is one of Europe's oldest and deepest lakes, with the old town of Ohrid, its churches and the monastery of Sveti Naum, a UNESCO-listed landscape shared with Albania. Further afield are Lake Prespa, Bitola and the ruins of Heraclea Lyncestis, the Mavrovo and Galičica national parks, Kratovo's volcanic crater town and the wine region of Tikveš.
Distances are short, but buses are infrequent, signs may be in Cyrillic and mountain roads wind through valleys, so data on your phone is genuinely useful. A Spidot eSIM gives you data in North Macedonia without buying a local SIM, while your own SIM stays in the phone for calls and texts. This guide explains your options, plan sizes, setup, coverage and practical tips.
eSIM, roaming or a local SIM in North Macedonia
North Macedonia is a candidate for EU membership but is not a member, which has a direct effect on roaming for many travellers.
Roaming with your home SIM
EU Roam like at Home rules apply within the EU and EEA and do not automatically cover North Macedonia. A Greek, Bulgarian, German or other EU SIM may therefore be charged at roaming rates, depending on your operator. Some operators include Western Balkan countries in their bundles, others do not. For UK, US, Australian and other SIMs, North Macedonia is usually a standard roaming destination. Check your operator's terms for North Macedonia before you go.
A Macedonian prepaid SIM
Prepaid SIMs are sold in operator shops and kiosks, and you will usually need your passport to register one. A local SIM makes sense for long stays. For a short trip it is an extra errand and means removing your home SIM.
A Spidot eSIM for North Macedonia
With Spidot you buy a North Macedonia plan online, receive the QR code by email straight after payment and install it at home. 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 local numbers, for example guesthouses around Lake Ohrid or wineries in Tikveš, see our Data + calls plans.
How much data to plan for
A typical trip combines a few days in Skopje with time at Lake Ohrid and perhaps the mountains. These figures are approximate:
- Maps and navigation: a few megabytes per hour; useful in Skopje's Old Bazaar and on mountain roads.
- Translation: Macedonian uses the Cyrillic alphabet, so camera translation of signs and menus is handy and uses more data than text translation.
- Messaging: light; many guesthouses and drivers use WhatsApp or Viber.
- Social media and photos: moderate to heavy.
- 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 Skopje and Ohrid usually fits a small fixed data plan. A week or more travelling around the country, or a Balkan road trip that also includes Albania, Kosovo, Serbia or Greece, is more comfortable with a mid-sized or larger plan.
Remote workers in Skopje or Ohrid may prefer an unlimited plan, keeping in mind that speed may slow after heavy use. For repeat visits to the Balkans, a no-expiry plan keeps unused data. 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. 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 departure and label it "North Macedonia".
- Keep your home SIM as default for calls and texts and set the Spidot line for mobile data.
- Download offline maps of North Macedonia, especially the mountain areas around Mavrovo, Galičica and Prespa.
- Download an offline Macedonian pack in your translation app.
- Save accommodation details offline, and note your guesthouse's address in Cyrillic if possible.
- Turn off data roaming on your home SIM.
Arriving in North Macedonia
International flights land at Skopje International Airport, about half an hour from the city centre, and at St. Paul the Apostle Airport near Ohrid, which has more flights in summer. When you land, turn off flight mode, choose the Spidot line for mobile data and turn on data roaming for it. Our data roaming guide shows where to find the setting.
Arriving overland
Many travellers arrive by bus or car from Greece, Albania, Kosovo, Serbia or Bulgaria, including the popular route from Thessaloniki. Near borders, and around Lake Ohrid and Lake Prespa where the Albanian and Greek shores are close, your phone may connect to a foreign network. If you have plans for neighbouring countries installed, check which line is set for mobile data after you cross, and keep data roaming off on your home SIM.
Coverage in Skopje, around the lakes and in the mountains
North Macedonia's coverage is generally good in towns and along main roads, with gaps in steep mountain areas. Your Spidot plan connects through A1.
Cities and towns
Skopje, Ohrid, Bitola, Struga, Tetovo, Prilep, Kumanovo and other towns are generally well covered.
Lakes
Around Lake Ohrid, coverage is usually reasonable in and near Ohrid town and Struga and along the shore road to Sveti Naum. Lake Prespa is quieter, with more variable signal. Near the shared shorelines, keep an eye on which network you are connected to.
Canyons, mountains and national parks
In the Matka Canyon, in Mavrovo National Park and on hikes in Galičica, Pelister or the Šar Mountains, signal can be weak or absent, especially in valleys and on high ridges. Download offline maps and tell someone your plans before setting out.
Data on buses, trains and road trips
Buses connect Skopje with Ohrid, Bitola and other towns, though timetables can be hard to find online and are often clearest at the bus station itself. Rail services are limited. In Skopje, city buses and taxis are cheap, and taxi apps and phone-booking services are used locally.
Driving
Renting a car is the easiest way to reach monasteries, mountain villages and wineries. Main roads are generally fine; mountain roads are slower and winding. Road signs are in Cyrillic and often Latin script too. Set your route before you leave and use offline maps where signal fades.
Using data day to day in Skopje and Ohrid
In Skopje, most of what visitors want to see is walkable: Macedonia Square, the Stone Bridge, the Old Bazaar with its mosques, hans and craft shops, and the Kale fortress above it. A map helps in the bazaar's lanes, and data makes it easy to check opening times for museums and churches, look up restaurant reviews or order a taxi back to your hotel after dinner. A trip up Vodno mountain by cable car to the Millennium Cross offers a view over the city, and coverage is usually available at the top.
Ohrid works differently. The old town climbs a hill above the lake to the Church of St John at Kaneo, Samuel's Fortress and the ancient theatre, and many visitors spend their days on the water or at beaches along the shore. Boat trips to Sveti Naum and the springs of the Black Drim are often booked through kiosks on the waterfront or by message. Keep your phone in a waterproof pouch on boats and kayaks, and download the location of your guesthouse, since the old town's stepped lanes can be confusing at night.
Sharing data with a hotspot
You can usually share Spidot data with a laptop or another phone through your phone's personal hotspot. It is handy in guesthouses where Wi-Fi is basic, or on a road trip. All devices use the same allowance, so pause automatic updates and backups on laptops first.
Using public Wi-Fi safely
Cafés, restaurants, hotels and some public spaces offer Wi-Fi. Use it with care:
- Use mobile data for banking and payments.
- Confirm the network name with staff before connecting.
- Avoid entering passwords on sites without a padlock.
- Turn off automatic connection to open networks.
- Keep your phone's software up to date.
Practical tips for North Macedonia
A few practical points:
- Money: the currency is the Macedonian denar. Cards are accepted in many hotels, restaurants and shops in Skopje and Ohrid, but carry cash for buses, markets and villages.
- Language: Macedonian is the main language, written in Cyrillic, and Albanian is widely spoken too, especially in the west. English is common among younger people.
- Summer at Ohrid: July and August are busy, especially on weekends. Book accommodation and boat trips in advance.
- Wine: Tikveš wineries often welcome visitors by appointment; book online or by message.
- Battery: summer heat and winter cold both drain batteries; carry a power bank.
North Macedonia on a multi-country trip
North Macedonia is often part of a Balkan route with Albania, Greece, Kosovo, Serbia or Bulgaria. If your trip includes EU countries such as Greece and Bulgaria, check whether North Macedonia is on the Europe plan's country list; if it is not, use a separate North Macedonia plan alongside it. Most eSIM phones can store several eSIMs, and you switch the mobile data line at the border.
See our plans for Albania, Greece, Kosovo, Serbia and Bulgaria.