URL: https://esimworld.co.uk/sim-card/greece/
Buy: https://esimworld.co.uk/esim-greece/
Source: eSIM World (esimworld.co.uk)
Author: Nadezhda Semenova, entrepreneur, co-founder of the Trippy travel service, https://esimworld.co.uk/author/
Updated: 26 October 2026
Prices: in pounds (GBP) at the rate of 31 Oct; the site shows the rate of the day.

# Is roaming free in Greece on a UK phone? Islands, ferries and when an eSIM helps

Most UK plans already work in Greece. Ten of the 15 networks include it up to a fair-use limit that starts at 5GB a month. EE, Vodafone, Three, Sky and VOXI charge £2 to £2.75 a day or sell a pass (checked on 24 October 2026). Our Greece plan is £2.99 for 1 GB over 7 days, data only.

This site is not affiliated with any of the networks mentioned here; we sell eSIMs. [How we compare](https://esimworld.co.uk/how-we-compare/)

You may well not need an eSIM in Greece. Before you shop for the best eSIM for Greece, check two places a plan page rarely mentions. On a ferry a phone can join a ship's network; on the coast facing Turkey or Albania, a foreign one.

[See our Greece eSIM](https://esimworld.co.uk/esim-greece/)

## Is roaming free in Greece on my UK network?

Roaming in Greece on UK networks is included on ten, each up to its own limit, and charged on five (checked on 24 October 2026). O2 includes up to 25GB, Lebara up to 30GB, Lyca Mobile 12GB (35GB on its largest plans) and SMARTY 12GB. Tesco Mobile states no cap, and BT puts Greece in Roam Like Home.

Three of the ten have low caps. giffgaff gives 5GB per plan, "not per month or per visit"; Asda Mobile gives 5GB a month. Talkmobile gives 5GB a month if you joined or upgraded on or after 14 March 2023, and 15GB before.

iD Mobile says: "From 1 October 2024 and until further notice, all customers can use their full UK data allowance in Roam Free destinations" (checked on 24 October 2026, [iD Mobile](https://www.idmobile.co.uk/help-and-support/eu-roaming/fair-usage-policy)). That is a promotion. Without it the limit is 30GB a month, then £3 a GB.

On EE, Vodafone, Three, Sky and VOXI you pay for each day you use the phone, or buy a pass. EU roaming included on many UK plans is each network's offer, not a law; every network's conditions are on [EU roaming after Brexit](https://esimworld.co.uk/roaming/europe/).

A Greek summer is when limits bite. Residents of Great Britain made 4.82 million visits to Greece in 2025, the fourth most of any country. Just over half of them (51.6%) fell in July to September ([ONS Travel trends 2025](https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/leisureandtourism/articles/traveltrends/2025)). Two weeks of maps, ferry tickets and photo backups can pass a 5GB cap.

## Island hopping and ferries: what changes at sea

At sea a phone can leave the Greek networks for a ship's own network, priced apart from your Europe allowance. EE charges £16 per 10MB, iD Mobile £9.60 a MB, Three £6 a MB, and giffgaff, SMARTY and Tesco Mobile £5 a MB (checked on 24 October 2026).

Ofcom [warns](https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/saving-money/using-your-mobile-abroad) that on the coast or at sea a phone "may instead connect to a ship's satellite", at charges "higher than normal roaming".

| Network | Data on a ship's network | 10MB at sea (our sum) |
|---|---|---|
| [EE](https://esimworld.co.uk/roaming/ee/) | £16 per 10MB bundle, Maritime (Ships & Ferries) Pass | £16 |
| giffgaff | £5/MB on planes, cruises and ferries | £50 |
| [iD Mobile](https://esimworld.co.uk/roaming/id-mobile/) | £9.60/MB on ships, ferries and cruise liners | £96 |
| [Three](https://esimworld.co.uk/roaming/three/) | £6.00/MB, maritime networks | £60 |
| SMARTY | £5/MB, charged per full MB | £50 |
| Tesco Mobile | £5/MB, Region 4 "Cruise Ships" | £50 |
| Sky Mobile | "Over the sea": "No roaming" | no figure |

Sources: [EE price guide, 31 March 2026 (PDF)](https://ee.co.uk/content/dam/help/terms-and-conditions/price-plans/mobile/sim-only-price-plans/_ee-pay-monthly-standard-and-non-standard-price-guide-31st_March_2026_1.1.pdf), [giffgaff roaming](https://www.giffgaff.com/roaming), [iD Mobile roaming](https://www.idmobile.co.uk/help-and-support/roaming), [Three roaming destinations](https://www.three.co.uk/support/roaming-and-calling-abroad/roaming-abroad/roaming-destinations), [SMARTY maritime networks](https://smarty.co.uk/roaming/international/maritime-networks), [Tesco Mobile roaming](https://www.tescomobile.com/roaming), [Sky Mobile tariff guide](https://www.sky.com/help/articles/sky-mobile-tariff-guide). The networks that publish no ship rate are listed on [using your phone on a cruise](https://esimworld.co.uk/cruise/).

A travel eSIM does not help on board: it joins land networks, so it works in Piraeus, Heraklion or Corfu port, not at sea. Put the phone in aeroplane mode as the ferry leaves and use the ship's Wi-Fi. Data roaming off alone still lets calls and texts go over the ship's network at maritime rates.

## Near Corfu and Rhodes: when your phone joins a foreign network

Near a border your phone "might accidentally roam" when the signal "is stronger from the country across the border", Ofcom [says](https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/saving-money/using-your-mobile-abroad), and it names Turkey and Greece. Turkey is outside the Europe zone on all 15 UK networks (checked on 24 October 2026).

Albania, across the strait from Corfu, is in no UK network's Europe zone either. On Sky both countries sit on the same £2 Roaming Passport Plus list as Greece. Elsewhere, unless your plan includes Turkey ([Vodafone](https://esimworld.co.uk/roaming/vodafone/)'s Global Roam plans do), a Turkish network off Rhodes or Kos is billed at that network's Turkey rate:

| Network | If your phone joins a Turkish network | 10MB (our sum) |
|---|---|---|
| iD Mobile | £1.50/MB without a Roam Beyond add-on | £15 |
| giffgaff | 20p/MB, Zone A | £2 |
| SMARTY | 10p/MB, Roaming 1 | £1 |
| Tesco Mobile | £5/MB, Region 2 | £50 |
| EE | no data without a Rest of World Zone 1 pass, £5.50 for 24 hours | £5.50 for the pass |
| O2 | no data without a bolt-on; O2 Travel is £7 per 24 hours, pay monthly | £7 for the bolt-on |
| Three | Around the World Extra, £8 a day on Lite and Lite+ plans joined or upgraded from 18 December 2025 | £8 for the day |
| Sky Mobile | Roaming Passport Plus, £2 a day | £2 for the day |

Sources: [iD Mobile roaming](https://www.idmobile.co.uk/help-and-support/roaming), [giffgaff roaming](https://www.giffgaff.com/roaming), [SMARTY price guide (PDF)](https://cdn.smarty.co.uk/files/SMARTY-Price-Guide.pdf), [Tesco Mobile roaming](https://www.tescomobile.com/roaming), [EE price guide (PDF)](https://ee.co.uk/content/dam/help/terms-and-conditions/price-plans/mobile/sim-only-price-plans/_ee-pay-monthly-standard-and-non-standard-price-guide-31st_March_2026_1.1.pdf), [O2 Travel](https://www.o2.co.uk/international/o2-travel), [Three Go Roam](https://www.three.co.uk/support/roaming-and-calling-abroad/roaming-abroad/go-roam), [Sky roaming](https://www.sky.com/shop/mobile/roaming).

One person's experience, posted on the MoneySavingExpert forum on 28 June 2024: on Corfu their "phone picked up an Albanian mobile network".

EE's advice for Greece and Cyprus is "To activate EU Roaming, text EUROAM to 150", so the phone connects only to EU networks (checked on 24 October 2026, [EE](https://ee.co.uk/help/mobile/roaming/get-ready-to-roam)). On other networks, turn off automatic network selection and pick a Greek network by hand; [the steps are in our no-signal guide](https://esimworld.co.uk/help/esim-no-signal/).

A day trip from Rhodes or Kos to Turkey is a separate case. **Turkey:** buy and install your eSIM before you travel. eSIM shops, including ours, may not open on Turkish networks. Albania has its own guide: [SIM card for Albania](https://esimworld.co.uk/sim-card/albania/).

## How we compared eSIMs for Greece (checked on the date shown)

On 24 October 2026, sellers' 5GB, 30-day Greece plans ranged from £7.99 to £10.99 on their UK pages, against £7.99 for ours. Every figure is a data-only eSIM plan with exactly the GB and days shown.

The best eSIM for Greece is the one whose data, days and network fit your trip. Four sellers sit in every range below; we name none, and it is not a ranking. We left out promotions and prices shown in dollars to a UK visitor, who does not see pounds.

| Basket | Sellers' range, 24 October 2026 | Our Greece plan |
|---|---|---|
| 1GB, 7 days | £2.99 to £3.50 | £2.99 |
| 3GB, 30 days | £6.73 to £7.49 | £4.99 |
| 5GB, 30 days | £7.99 to £10.99 | £7.99 |
| 10GB, 30 days | £12.99 to £17.49 | £9.99 |
| 20GB, 30 days | £15.70 to £28.00 | £14.99 |

Network and speed differ by plan, so the figures are not like for like. On 4G/5G coverage we go by our plan listing (checked on 24 October 2026). It names two Greek networks, Nova with 5G and Vodafone Greece with 4G; Cosmote is not one of them.

The listing names Crete, Rhodes, Corfu, Kos, Santorini and Mykonos among the islands covered. Zante is not named, so ask us first. If the eSIM shows no service, choose Nova or Vodafone by hand. Our [Europe plan](https://esimworld.co.uk/sim-card/europe/) covers Greece too, on the same two networks.

The Greece SIM card vs eSIM choice is mostly timing: a Greek SIM waits until you land, a Greece eSIM from the UK goes on before you fly. Ours can be installed up to 365 days ahead on Wi-Fi at home ([install guide](https://esimworld.co.uk/how-to-install-esim/)). It starts on first connection to a network in Greece.

Install before you travel; it needs an unlocked, eSIM-compatible phone. On a dual SIM phone your UK number keeps calls and texts while the eSIM carries data ([keep your UK number](https://esimworld.co.uk/help/keep-your-uk-number/)). The listing says nothing on hotspot and tethering, so ask us before you count on it. [Roaming or eSIM](https://esimworld.co.uk/roaming-or-esim/) walks through the decision.

## Frequently asked questions

### Does iD Mobile have free roaming in Greece?

Yes. At the moment iD lets you use your full UK data allowance in Greece and its other Roam Free destinations, on a promotion "until further notice" (checked on 24 October 2026). When it ends, the usual limit of 30GB a month returns, with £3 a GB above it. A Turkish network off Rhodes or Kos is outside Roam Free, at £1.50 a MB; more on [iD Mobile roaming](https://esimworld.co.uk/roaming/id-mobile/).

### How much does mobile internet cost in Greece?

Nothing extra on the ten UK networks that include Greece, up to each one's limit. EE, Vodafone, Three, Sky and VOXI charge £2 to £2.75 a day or sell a pass (checked on 24 October 2026). A data-only Greece eSIM of 5GB over 30 days is £7.99.

*Sources are linked in the text; reviewed by Nadezhda Semenova. For the terms of your own contract, check with your network.*

## Sources

- [GOV.UK: Greece travel advice](https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/greece)
- [Ofcom: using your mobile abroad](https://www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/saving-money/using-your-mobile-abroad)
- [ONS: Travel trends 2025](https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/leisureandtourism/articles/traveltrends/2025)
- [EE: get ready to roam](https://ee.co.uk/help/mobile/roaming/get-ready-to-roam)
- [iD Mobile: fair usage policy](https://www.idmobile.co.uk/help-and-support/eu-roaming/fair-usage-policy)