If you are shopping for an eSIM for the UK, the cheapest 10 GB plan that works in Britain is not a UK plan. On 21 September 2026 a 34-country Europe plan with 10 GB for 30 days cost $13.99 in our catalog, while the cheapest UK-only 10 GB plan cost $16.99. The same thing happens at 1 GB and 5 GB.
That sounds like an easy call until you look at what the UK-only plans include. Six of the seven come with a +44 UK phone number and a bundle of UK calling minutes, which no Europe plan at those sizes offers. This guide lays out every tier side by side, explains why the UK plan costs more, and shows where it still wins. Plan details change, so treat the live listing on each product page as the source of truth before you buy. The full list sits on our United Kingdom plans page.
How many eSIM plans cover the UK?
Our catalog had 1,674 published plans on 21 September 2026. Of those, 166 list the United Kingdom in their coverage. Half of that number is top-up packages, which refill an eSIM you already installed, so the count that matters for a first purchase is 83.
| Group | Fresh plans | Top-ups | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK only | 7 | 7 | One supplier, one network, UK number on six of the seven |
| UK plus other countries | 76 | 76 | From two-country UK and Ireland packs to world plans covering more than 180 countries |
| Total covering the UK | 83 | 83 | Every plan in our catalog that lists GB |
The multi-country group is not one kind of product. Seven of the 76 cover ten countries or fewer, four cover 11 to 30, 43 cover 31 to 50, and 22 cover more than 50. For a UK trip, the relevant ones are the two-country UK and Ireland packs and the Europe plans covering 34 to 36 countries, because those are the sizes where prices are close to the UK-only plans.
UK-only vs Europe plan prices, tier by tier
This is the comparison the title promises. For each data size and validity where both kinds of plan exist, here is the cheapest UK-only plan against the cheapest plan that bundles the UK with other countries.
| Data and validity | Cheapest UK-only | Cheapest multi-country with UK | Cheaper option |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 GB, 7 days | $5.99 | $3.99 (Europe, 34 countries) | Multi-country |
| 5 GB, 30 days | $11.99 | $8.49 (Europe Special, 35 countries) | Multi-country |
| 10 GB, 30 days | $16.99 | $13.99 (Europe, 34 countries) | Multi-country |
| 20 GB, 30 days | $26.99 | $21.99 (USA and UK) | Multi-country |
| 50 GB, 30 days | $40.99 | $46.99 (UK and Ireland) | UK-only |
At four of the five matching tiers the plan covering more countries is the cheaper one. The gap at 10 GB is $3.00, and at 5 GB it is $3.50. Only at 50 GB does the UK-only plan come out ahead.
The 20 GB row needs a caution. The $21.99 USA and UK plan routes its data out through Hong Kong and, according to its listing, starts counting down when the eSIM is installed rather than when you first use data. If that bothers you, the next cheapest option is a $22.99 Europe 20 GB plan that starts on first data use, which still undercuts the $26.99 UK-only plan.
Some sizes do not line up exactly. The UK-only 2 GB plan runs 14 days for $7.99, while a UK and Ireland 2 GB pack runs 15 days for $5.49. The UK-only range also has a 999 GB tier, covered further down. Multi-country plans fill the gaps between, including a UK and Ireland pack with 7 GB for $10.99 and one with 15 GB for $17.99, both valid for 30 days. If you are staying in Britain and do not need a phone number, one of those two-country packs is often the neatest fit.
Why do UK-only plans cost more?
Because six of the seven include things the Europe plans at these sizes leave out. Every UK-only plan in our catalog comes from one supplier, eSIMGo, and the listings say they are powered by Vodafone. The six sized from 1 GB to 50 GB each come with a UK mobile number and a block of minutes that grows with the plan: 20 minutes on 1 GB, 40 on 2 GB, 100 on 5 GB, 200 on 10 GB, 300 on 20 GB and 450 on 50 GB.
The listing is specific about how those minutes work. They are for calls to UK numbers only, and receiving calls is free. SMS is not listed as included on any of the seven.
Across all 83 plans covering the UK, only eight include any calling at all: those six UK-only plans and two EU packs with 60 GB and 120 GB that include unlimited calls, priced at $51.99 and $65.99. Every other plan is data only, with no phone number.
So the real question is whether a UK number is worth about $3 on a 10 GB plan. It is if you expect to ring a restaurant, a guesthouse or a local tour operator, or to be rung back by one. It is not a fix for bank verification codes, since text messages are not part of the package. We cover that problem separately in Is a Data-Only eSIM Enough?, and the short version is to keep your home SIM active for texts.
The 999 GB plan that undercuts the 50 GB one
One UK-only plan breaks the pricing ladder. The UK 999 GB plan cost $31.99 for 30 days on 21 September 2026. The UK 50 GB plan cost $40.99, and the 20 GB plan cost $26.99.
That makes 999 GB cheaper than 50 GB, and only $5.00 more than 20 GB. Its listing states full data speeds with no daily limits and no throttling, and allows hotspot sharing. The trade-off is that it is the one UK-only plan with no phone number and no minutes, which is probably why it is priced the way it is.
For anyone who works on a laptop through a phone hotspot, streams on the train, or shares a line with a travel partner, this is the plan to look at first. Per gigabyte the rest of the UK-only range runs from $5.99 on the 1 GB plan down to $0.82 on the 50 GB plan, and the 999 GB plan sits outside that curve entirely.
Do Europe plans really cover the UK after Brexit?
The ones in our catalog do, because each plan lists its countries, and GB is on them. The confusion comes from a different product: the phone plan you already have at home.
The European Union’s “roam like at home” rules no longer apply in the UK. Ireland’s telecoms regulator, ComReg, puts it plainly: since Brexit the UK is not covered, and networks are not obliged to include it. The EU’s own Your Europe page, last updated 7 January 2026, lists the EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Moldova and Ukraine as the places where the regime applies. The UK is not among them. Whether your home contract roams free in London is now a decision your operator makes, so check its roaming page before you assume.
A travel eSIM sidesteps that question because the country list is part of the product. Among the 76 multi-country plans that include the UK:
| Also covers | Plans | Share |
|---|---|---|
| All 27 EU member states | 69 | 91% |
| Ireland | 74 | 97% |
| Norway | 65 | 86% |
| Iceland | 65 | 86% |
| Turkey | 63 | 83% |
| Switzerland | 58 | 76% |
| United States | 40 | 53% |
Switzerland is the one to check if your route runs through Zurich or Geneva, since roughly a quarter of the plans leave it out. We worked out where a regional plan starts to pay for itself in Regional vs Single-Country eSIM: The Price Break-Even, and the UK is a good example of the pattern described there: when the regional plan is cheaper even for one country, the break-even is zero.
Which country’s IP will a UK eSIM show?
All seven UK-only plans route their data out in the United Kingdom, so websites see a UK connection. The multi-country plans are more mixed.
| Exit country declared | Plans (of 76) |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 46 |
| Hong Kong | 10 |
| Western Europe (unspecified) | 7 |
| France | 2 |
| Not declared | 11 |
The Europe plans that win the 1 GB, 5 GB and 10 GB rows above all exit in the UK, so for a UK trip they behave like a local connection on this point too. The ten that exit in Hong Kong all come from a single supplier, all start their clock when the eSIM is installed, and include the $21.99 USA and UK plan mentioned above. A blank field means unknown, not local. We explain how exit points work, and why they differ from where you are standing, in Which Country’s IP Will Your Travel eSIM Show?.
UK coverage, 5G and the end of 3G
Mobile coverage in Britain is good in towns and patchy in the hills. Ofcom’s Connected Nations 2025 report, published in November 2025, found 5G available outside buildings from at least one network at 94% to 97%, and its figures put good outdoor 4G from at least one network across about 96% of the UK’s land area. The remaining gaps are concentrated in rural Scotland and Wales, which matches what walkers in the Highlands and Snowdonia tend to report. Ofcom’s Map Your Mobile checker shows coverage by postcode if you have a specific cottage in mind.
Two details matter more for visitors than the headline figures.
First, 3G is essentially gone. EE switched off its 3G network in January and February 2024. Three completed its shutdown on the morning of 27 November 2025. O2 says most of its 3G network is already off, with some areas keeping a signal into early 2026. A phone that can only use 3G will not get data on any UK network.
Second, trains are the weak spot. In a measurement study reported on 5 June 2026, Ofcom tested 24 rail segments and found about 83% of tests fell short of its “good performance” bar of 5 Mbit/s down, 1.5 Mbit/s up and 50 ms latency. EE met it on fewer than half of journeys, and the other three networks on 17% to 21%. If you plan to work on the train from London to Edinburgh, download what you need before you board.
On the plan side, all seven UK-only plans list 5G. Only 37 of the 76 multi-country plans do, so if 5G matters to you, it is one more reason to read the listing before choosing a Europe plan on price alone.
Before you land: entry permit, install timing and top-ups
Most visitors now need an Electronic Travel Authorisation before flying to Britain. The Home Office factsheet from April 2026 puts the fee at £20, valid for two years or until the passport expires, with British and Irish citizens exempt. You apply through the UK ETA app or GOV.UK, so sort it out while you still have home Wi-Fi.
For the eSIM itself, three product details decide how smoothly the first day goes:
- Activation. All seven UK-only plans start their clock on first data use, and the listings say an unused eSIM expires two months after purchase. You can install it a week before departure without losing days. The mechanics are in When Does a Travel eSIM’s Validity Clock Actually Start?.
- Top-ups. All seven UK-only plans can be topped up, as can 74 of the 76 multi-country plans. Running low does not mean installing a new eSIM.
- Hotspot. Every one of the 83 plans covering the UK allows hotspot sharing.
Getting around London does not need a phone number. Transport for London lets you tap in and out with a contactless card or a phone wallet, with daily and weekly fare caps, so the data plan only needs to handle maps and messages. If you are unsure how much that adds up to, our data calculator estimates it from trip length and habits.
FAQ
What is the cheapest eSIM for the UK?
On 21 September 2026 the cheapest plan covering the UK was $3.99 for 1 GB, sold as a 34-country Europe plan valid for 7 days. The cheapest UK-only plan was $5.99 for 1 GB over 7 days, which includes a UK number and 20 minutes of UK calls. For 10 GB over 30 days, the cheapest plan covering the UK cost $13.99 and the cheapest UK-only plan cost $16.99.
Does a UK eSIM come with a phone number?
Six of the seven UK-only plans in our catalog do. They include a +44 number and UK calling minutes, from 20 minutes on the 1 GB plan to 450 on the 50 GB plan, and receiving calls is free. SMS is not listed as included. The 999 GB plan and every Europe plan under 60 GB are data only.
Is a Europe eSIM or a UK eSIM better for London?
For data alone, the Europe plan is usually cheaper, by $3.00 at 10 GB over 30 days on the day we checked, and the cheapest Europe plans at the common sizes exit in the UK. Choose the UK-only plan if you want a local number for calls, or the 999 GB plan if you use a lot of data.
Do EU phone plans work in the UK for free?
Not by law any more. The EU’s roam-like-at-home rules stopped covering the UK after Brexit, and Ireland’s regulator notes that networks are not obliged to include it. Some operators still do by choice, so check your own operator’s roaming page before you travel.
Will I get signal on the London Underground and on trains?
Underground coverage is being rolled out line by line, so expect some stations and tunnels to have signal and others not. On mainline trains Ofcom found about 83% of tests fell short of its good-performance threshold in a study reported in June 2026, so download maps, tickets and entertainment before a long journey.
Conclusion: pick the UK plan for a number, the Europe plan for price
For most UK trips the arithmetic is simple. If you only need data, a Europe plan was cheaper than the UK-only plan at 1 GB, 5 GB and 10 GB on the day we counted, it exits in the UK, and it keeps working if you add Paris or Dublin. If you want a UK number to call and be called on, the UK-only plans are the only affordable way to get one, for about $3 more at 10 GB. And if you use a lot of data, the UK 999 GB plan at $31.99 is cheaper than the 50 GB plan and in a different league from everything else.
Before you buy, confirm
- The coverage list names every country you are going to, including Switzerland if your route passes through it;
- You know whether you need a UK phone number, and that SMS is not included even on the plans that have one;
- The plan starts its clock on first data use, not on installation;
- The exit country is one you are comfortable with, and a blank field means unknown;
- Your phone supports 4G or 5G, since UK 3G networks have been switched off;
- You have checked the tier above the one you wanted, because 999 GB cost less than 50 GB on the day we checked.
Soft next step
Open the full catalog to compare coverage, exit country and phone numbers side by side, or read our Europe eSIM guide if the UK is one stop of several. Plan details change, so treat the live listing on each product page as the source of truth before you buy.