Having reliable mobile data on your phone is essential when traveling to France. However, many travelers spend a fortune (and get slow/inconsistent service) using their local plan’s international data service – which is why purchasing a prepaid French eSIM data plan is a much cheaper option.
In this buyer’s guide, I’ll cover everything you need to know about finding the best eSIM for France so you can get fast, high-speed mobile data for cheap.
Compare your French prepaid eSIM data plan to your international data plan
In most cases, your current mobile provider will have an international data plan option, but these plans are usually expensive, service is often slow and inconsistent, and have limited data allowances.
For example, many TMobile plans come with free unlimited international data plans, but you’re only guaranteed 2GB data speeds… which will make it hard to load Google Maps or even email.
Or the AT&T International Day Ticket The subscription costs $10 per day. They also have the AT&T Passport plan which is a monthly plan that comes in two options – $70 per month for 2GB of data or $140 per month for 6GB of data. Then they charge a hefty additional fee of $30 per GB. Verizon The daily subscription costs $10, but they downgrade you to 3G speed after 2GB per day.
These are crazy prices.
These “international data plans” cost 5 times more than purchasing a prepaid eSIM data plan from a third-party provider – for example, eSIM data plans from orange or HolaFly It will cost you about $2-4 per day.
For more in-depth information, check out The Savvy Backpacker’s guide on How to use smartphones and data plans in Europe smart backpack Guide to using eSIM data plans in Europe.
Compare the best eSIM data plans for France
There are a few eSIM mobile providers that specialize in data plans for visitors to France.
Every plan is a little different, so it’s important to pay attention to the specific details of each plan. But here are the most important things to keep in mind:
- Data allowance: Most plans give you a set amount of mobile data (i.e. 5GB, 10GB, 30GB, etc.), but other plans give you unlimited data over a set period of time (5 days, 15 days, 30 days, etc.).
- Plan length: eSIM data plans can be valid for anywhere from about 5 days to 90 days. It depends on your plan, so this is something to consider when choosing a plan.
- Mobile hotspot tethering: Most eSIM plans don’t let you use your phone as a mobile hotspot.
- Voice calls and SMS: Most eSIM plans are data-only, meaning the plan doesn’t include voice calls or SMS. This isn’t a big deal since you won’t be calling people anyway, but some plans do come with some voice minutes.
- Note: You can still use iMessage to text between iPhones but you can’t text between iPhones and Android phones. Or you can download WhatsApp to text over data (which most Europeans do).
Orange Holiday Europe eSIM (50GB): $59.90
Update (June 2024): Orange has automatically upgraded the eSIM plan from 50GB to 100GB of data for all activations between June 6 and October 9, 2024.
- price: $59.90 (Check Simulation Options For details)
- Data: 50 GB
- Service speed: 4G/LTE
- Calls: Unlimited within Europe and 120 minutes outside Europe.
- Texts/SMS: Unlimited within Europe and 1000 outside Europe.
- Credit validity: 28 days
- Data binding: Allowed
- It can be used on any device (phones, tablets, hotspots…)
- This eSIM plan comes with a French phone number that can be used anywhere in Europe.
- The service works everywhere in the European Union.
If you need a large amount of mobile data, consider the new version. Orange Holiday Europe 50GB eSIM Data Plan It’s an enhanced version of the Orange Holiday Europe eSIM. It comes with 50GB of data and is valid for 28 days (compared to 14 days with the Orange Holiday Europe plan). This eSIM also comes with a bunch of features you don’t find on other plans—including international voice calls and texting (it gives you a real French phone number that works anywhere in Europe).
The Orange Holiday Europe eSIM plan also lets you use your phone as a mobile hotspot so you can take advantage of that extra data allowance. Orange is also one of the largest mobile phone companies in Europe, so you’ll always get great coverage and fast data speeds.
Orange Holiday Europe ESIM Card: $49.90
- price: $49.90 (Check Simulation Options For details)
- Data: 20GB (sometimes they give you 30GB of data)
- Service speed: 4G/LTE
- Calls: Unlimited within Europe and 120 minutes outside Europe.
- Texts/SMS: Unlimited within Europe and 1000 outside Europe.
- Credit validity: 14 days
- Data binding: Allowed
- It can be used on any device (phones, tablets, hotspots…)
- This eSIM plan comes with a French phone number.
- The service works everywhere in the European Union.
the Orange Holiday Europe eSIM Data Plan The Orange Holiday Europe eSIM is the Cadillac of eSIM plans because it comes with a bunch of features you don’t find on other plans—including international voice calls and texting (and it gives you a real French phone number, too). The Orange Holiday Europe eSIM plan also lets you use your phone as a mobile hotspot.
You get 20GB of data with this plan, but they often run specials where they give you an extra 10GB. But even 20GB of data should be enough for most users.
Orange is also one of the largest mobile phone companies in France, so you’ll always get great coverage and fast data speeds.
The potential downside to the Orange Holiday Europe eSIM plan is that it’s only valid for 14 days once activated, so it’s not great for longer visits (but you can always buy a second plan).
I personally used the Orange Holiday Europe plan on a trip to France and it was very successful. Read Orange Holiday Europe Review To hear more.
Bouygues My European eSIM Card: $44.90
Bouygues is another major French telecom company, and they recently launched their own prepaid eSIM data plan to compete with Orange Holiday Europe’s popular eSIM plan. I used a Bouygues prepaid SIM card on a previous trip to Europe, so I’m glad they’re finally offering eSIM.
There’s a lot to like about the Bouygues My European eSIM plan—especially since it comes standard with 30GB of data and unlimited calls/texts within Europe. I also like that the Bouygues eSIM plan is valid for 30 days, so it’s a great option for long trips.
- price: $44.90 (Check Simulation Options For details)
- Data: 30 GB
- Data binding: Allowed
- Service speed: 4G/LTE
- Calls: Unlimited within Europe and international calling credit
- Texts/SMS: Unlimited within Europe and international SMS credit
- Credit validity: 30 days
- Phone number: This eSIM comes with a French phone number.
- CoverageAnywhere within the European Union (except Switzerland)
HOLAFLY ESIM: Starting at $34.00
HolaFly It’s a new data-only eSIM provider that I previously used on a trip to Europe – the service was great and I got very fast data speeds (read Holafly eSIM Review For a more in-depth look). HolaFly Holafly sells country-specific plans in France and Europe-wide data plans. Holafly is not an actual mobile operator but rather leases bandwidth from a local French provider (SFR), so you are likely to get lower priority on the SFR network during peak times.
I also like that Holafly plans come in 5- to 90-day periods — so you don’t have to over- or under-purchase for your own trip.
Holafly does not allow data tethering in most cases, so you won’t be able to use your phone as a mobile hotspot.
- Unlimited Data Rates (Check) HolaFly For details)
- 10 days: $34
- 15 days: $47
- 20 days: $54
- 30 days: $64
- 60 days: $84
- 90 days: $99
- Service speed: 5G/4G/LTE
- Call Coverage: no one
- Short message: no one
- Link: no
- Data service works everywhere in the EU
Orange Holiday Zen Ice Cream: $29.90
- price: $29.90 (Check Simulation Options For details)
- Data: 8GB (sometimes they give you 15GB of data)
- Service speed: 4G/LTE
- Calls: Unlimited within Europe and 30 minutes outside Europe.
- Texts/SMS: Unlimited within Europe and 200 outside Europe.
- Credit validity: 14 days
- Data binding: Allowed
- It can be used on any device (phones, tablets, hotspots…)
- This eSIM plan comes with a French phone number.
- The service works everywhere in the European Union.
the Orange Holiday Zen eSIM Card This is the economy version of the Orange Holiday Europe eSIM plan. It comes with 8GB of data and fewer minutes and SMS, but otherwise it’s the same as the Orange Holiday Europe eSIM plan.
Personally, I probably use more than 8GB of data, but light data users can easily use less than 8GB of data during a typical 10-14 day trip.
Additional tips for traveling to France from The Savvy Backpacker
Here are some of my other favorite articles to help you plan your trip to France (and beyond):
James Vess is the founder of The Savvy Backpacker and author of The Savvy Backpacker’s Guide to Europe on a Budget. He has been blogging about budget travel in Europe since 2010.
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