You land, turn on your phone, and the usual dilemma begins: how to get mobile data abroad without the bill ruining your trip. Between operator roaming, buying a local SIM, renting a pocket WiFi, relying on hotel WiFi, or installing a travel eSIM, there are many ways to connect, and almost all of them have a catch. In this guide, we review all of them, with real 2026 prices, their pros and cons, and tell you when each is convenient so you can choose wisely.
The problem of connecting away from home
The problem is not the lack of options, but that each one solves a different scenario and mixing them is expensive. Within the European Union, the situation is comfortable: your plan works the same as in Spain thanks to the "roam like at home" regulation, so for a trip to Lisbon or Berlin, you don't need to do anything. The real headache comes when you cross a border outside the EU: the United States, Japan, Thailand, Morocco, Mexico, or the United Kingdom after Brexit. There, agreements between operators evaporate, and prices skyrocket.
Added to this is the pressure of wanting everything at once: maps so you don't get lost, a translator to understand the menu, messaging to let people know you've arrived, photos to the cloud, and, if you work, email always on hand. All of that consumes data. The key is to decide before you leave how you're going to cover that need, because improvising at your destination almost always means paying more or being isolated while looking for a phone store with limited language skills. Let's go option by option so you arrive with your decision made.
Option 1: your operator's roaming
This is the default and most convenient option: you don't have to do anything, your usual number remains active, and upon landing, your phone automatically connects to a local network. The problem is the price outside the EU. Many Spanish operators charge for roaming consumption between 6 and 18 euros per MB if you don't activate a bonus, which practically means a single gigabyte can cost you hundreds of euros. To avoid this, almost all offer daily travel bonuses ranging from 5 to 15 euros per day with limited data, or plans up to 25-30 euros per day for unlimited consumption.
Let's do the math: two weeks in Japan with a 10 euro per day bonus is 140 euros just for data, and often with reduced speed after a certain consumption. Roaming wins in only one thing, absolute convenience, but you pay a very high price for it.
Practical rule: within the EU, your operator's roaming is perfect and free; outside the EU, it's almost always the most expensive option. If you're going beyond Europe, look for an alternative before you leave.
When it's convenient: short trips within the EU, or occasional emergencies outside it. If you want to understand well how it works and when it activates, we explain it in what is roaming.
Option 2: buying a local SIM
Buying a prepaid card from the country you are visiting is the cheapest option per gigabyte if you stay a long time in one destination. A tourist SIM usually costs between 7 and 20 euros for a week or two with generous data, and the speed is the native local network speed, usually excellent. For a long stay of one to three months in a single country, no other option beats it in price per data.
The disadvantages are logistics and time. You have to locate a reliable point of sale as soon as you arrive, often at the airport where it's more expensive, identify yourself with a passport (many countries require registration), manually configure the APN, and, most importantly, physically change your number: you temporarily lose your Spanish line for calls and SMS, precisely when most banks and apps send you verification codes. And if you take a multi-country trip, a local SIM from one country does not travel well when crossing the next border.
When it's convenient: long stays in a single country, backpackers for several weeks, or those who consume a lot of data and don't mind the hassle.
Option 3: renting a pocket WiFi
A pocket WiFi (or MiFi) is a small portable router with its own data SIM that creates a network for several devices at once. Its great advantage is that a single connection can be shared by phones, tablets, and laptops for the entire group, so if four or five people are traveling, the cost per person drops significantly. Rental usually ranges from 4 to 8 euros per day with unlimited data, and offers are available from 3.95 euros daily.
The price doesn't tell the whole story. You have to pick up the device before the trip and return it at the end (prepaid envelope or airport counter), pay a deposit that can be up to 50% of the equipment's value, and charge another battery that runs out in half a day of intense use. If you lose or damage it without optional insurance, the penalty is around 80 to 150 euros. It's also another gadget to carry, and if the group splits up, whoever is left without the router is left without internet.
When it's convenient: families or groups of four or more people who travel together and consume a lot. For a single person, it almost never pays off.
Option 4: relying on public WiFi
The "free" option: hotel, airport, cafe, or shopping center WiFi. For light and occasional tasks, it can get you out of a bind, but as a main solution, it has two serious flaws. The first is coverage: you only have internet when you are physically within the network, so on the street, on public transport, looking for an address, or calling a taxi, you are out of communication precisely when you need it most.
The second is security, and it's serious. Public networks are often unencrypted, making them easy ground for "man-in-the-middle" attacks, where an attacker positions themselves between you and the access point and captures what you send: emails, passwords, or bank details. There are also a proliferation of fake networks with names that imitate those of the hotel or airport. The data is frightening: it is estimated that 25% of travelers experience an incident using public WiFi abroad and 78% do not use a VPN when connecting. Airports and hotels are hackers' preferred targets.
Public WiFi is a useful complement, never your only travel connection. If you use it, always do so with an active VPN and avoid online banking.
When it's convenient: as occasional support for large downloads at the hotel, always with a VPN. Never as a main plan.
Option 5: the travel eSIM
The travel eSIM is a digital card that is installed on your mobile with nothing physical: you buy a plan online, scan a QR code and, upon arrival, you have data instantly. It gathers almost all the advantages of the previous options without their drawbacks. You don't change your Spanish number, so you continue to receive calls, SMS and verification codes while using data from the international plan; there is no device to pick up, return or charge; and prices are a fraction of what classic roaming costs, with typical savings of 30% to 70%.
It also works in multiple countries: the same regional plan covers you when crossing borders, something impossible with a local SIM. That's why, for the vast majority of travelers, the eSIM best balances cost, convenience, and speed. In the case of PuraSim, we cover 218 destinations with plans starting from $0.85, QR installation in 1 minute, hotspot function to share data, and 24/7 Spanish support, all without surcharges or surprises on your bill.
When it's convenient: almost always. Solo travelers, couples, short or multi-week trips, one country or several. If you're in doubt, this is your safest bet. We delve into how it works in what is an eSIM and why many people are already traveling this way in internet without roaming: how to get it.
Comparison table and verdict
We summarize the five options in what really matters when you're looking for data: the cost, how convenient it is, and the speed it offers. This is a guide with real 2026 figures; exact prices depend on your destination and operator.
| Option | Cost (outside the EU) | Convenience | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operator roaming | Very high (5-30 €/day or more) | Maximum: zero management | Good, sometimes capped |
| Local SIM | Very low per GB | Low: buy, register, change number | Excellent (native network) |
| Pocket WiFi | Medium (4-8 €/day + deposit) | Medium: pick up, charge, return | Good |
| Public WiFi | Free | Low: only within the network | Variable and insecure |
| Travel eSIM | Low (from $0.85) | High: QR in 1 minute | Excellent |
The verdict, except for very specific cases, is clear: the eSIM wins in the balance between the three variables. Roaming only pays off within the EU; a local SIM only makes sense for long stays in one country; pocket WiFi makes sense for large groups; and public WiFi is a risky backup, never a plan. For everything else, which is most trips, a travel eSIM offers the best balance of price, convenience, and speed, without changing your number or carrying devices.
With PuraSim you get 218 destinations, plans from $0.85, QR activation in 1 minute, hotspot, and 24/7 Spanish support. Choose your eSIM and travel connected from the moment you land. And if you're traveling within the European Union, always review the EU roaming rules to know exactly what your plan covers.
