eSIM data for the length of your trip

How a fixed data plan works in practice

Every fixed data plan has two limits: an amount of data and a validity period. You can use the data at any pace you like within those limits. Use a lot on the first day and less afterwards, or spread it evenly; the plan does not care, as long as you stay within the total and the days.

The plan ends at whichever limit you reach first. If you use all the data before the last day, mobile data on the Spidot line stops. If the days run out and you still have data left, the remaining data is no longer usable. That second case is the one most travellers want to avoid, which is why choosing a sensible size matters more than choosing a large one.

The validity period of each plan is shown before you buy. Read the plan details if you want to know exactly how the days are counted, and keep an eye on the days left in My eSIMs during the trip.

Who fixed data suits

Fixed data is a good default for most single trips with known dates. It tends to fit well if any of these describe you:

• You are going on one trip, such as a holiday, a city break or a business trip, and you know roughly when you leave and return.
• You mostly use your phone for maps, messages, email, social media and looking things up, rather than streaming for hours a day.
• You have Wi-Fi at your hotel, flat or office for the heavy things like large downloads, backups and long video calls.
• You like knowing the total cost before you travel, with nothing that can grow while you are away.
• You travel for a week or more and want to avoid paying for unlimited data you are unlikely to use.

How to estimate how much data you need

The easiest starting point is your own phone. Most phones show how much mobile data you used in the last month or billing period, and some show it per app. Divide that by the number of days to get a daily figure, then adjust for the trip: you may use more for maps and translations, and less for streaming if you have hotel Wi-Fi.

If you have no history to go on, the rough figures below can help. They are approximate and vary a lot with the app, the video quality, the network and your settings, so treat them as a guide rather than a promise.

• Messages and email (text, a few photos): a few megabytes to a few tens of megabytes a day.
• Maps and navigation: often in the region of tens of megabytes per hour of active use; more if you browse satellite views or load large areas.
• Web browsing and social media: roughly 50–200 MB per hour, rising quickly when feeds autoplay videos.
• Music streaming: very roughly 50–150 MB per hour, depending on quality.
• Voice calls over an app: in the region of 0.5–1 MB per minute.
• Video calls: often several hundred megabytes per hour, sometimes more.
• Video streaming: from under 1 GB per hour at standard quality to several GB per hour in high definition.

Matching the days to your trip

Choose a validity period that covers your whole stay, including travel days. It is easy to forget the day you arrive and the day you leave, which are often the days you need data most: finding your way from the airport, checking a booking, ordering a taxi or messaging the person collecting you.

If your trip falls between two validity periods, the longer one is usually the safer choice. Running out of days on your last morning is more inconvenient than having a few spare days at the end.

When you run low or your plans change

Check your balance from time to time in My eSIMs. Your phone's own data counter is only a rough guide; the balance on your eSIM is the one that counts. Our guide on how much data is left explains why the two numbers can differ.

If your balance is lower than you expected halfway through the trip, you have two options: reduce your usage (see the tips below) or top up. Top-ups are added to the eSIM you already have, so there is nothing new to install and no new QR code to scan.

Fixed data compared with the other plan types

Spidot sells four plan types. They solve different problems, so the right choice depends on your trip rather than on which one sounds most generous.

Fixed data compared with roaming and local SIMs

A fixed data eSIM sits between two familiar options. Each has its own trade-offs, and none is right for every traveller.

Getting ready before you travel

A little preparation at home makes the first hour of the trip much easier. You need an internet connection to install an eSIM, so do it while you are still on your home Wi-Fi.

• Check your phone: it must support eSIM and be carrier-unlocked. Dialling *#06# shows an EID on phones that support eSIM.
• Buy your plan and install it from the QR code we email you. There are step-by-step guides for iPhone, Samsung and Pixel.
• Give the new line a clear label, such as Travel, and keep your own SIM as the default for calls and texts.
• Make sure data roaming stays off for your own SIM, so your home operator does not charge you for data.
• Download offline maps and anything else you will need on the journey.

On arrival

When you land, choose the Spidot line for mobile data and turn on data roaming for that line. The data roaming guide shows where the setting is on each type of phone. It can take a minute or two for the phone to find a network, especially straight after switching off flight mode.

If you have signal but no data, check that the Spidot line is selected for mobile data and that roaming is on for it, then restart the phone. Those two settings solve most problems on the first day.

Several countries on one trip

A fixed data plan for one country works in that country. If your trip crosses borders, a regional plan is usually easier than buying a separate plan for each stop. The Europe plan covers many European countries on one eSIM, which suits rail journeys, road trips and cruises with several ports.

For trips to a single country, start from that country's page, for example France, Italy, Spain or the United Kingdom. You can see every destination on the destinations page and compare plan sizes and prices on the prices page.

Sharing your data with other devices

Most phones can share their mobile data with a laptop or tablet through the personal hotspot feature. Anything you share comes out of your plan's data allowance, and laptops often use far more data than phones because they run updates, cloud sync and full-size web pages in the background.

If you expect to tether a laptop regularly, either choose a larger fixed plan or look at whether an unlimited plan suits the length of your trip. Before tethering, pause automatic updates and cloud backups on the laptop, or set your hotspot as a metered connection if your laptop supports it.