Why roaming bills happen
Your home carrier charges for using its service abroad. Depending on your plan, that's per MB, per day, or a daily pass that starts automatically the moment your phone uses data.
The trouble is that your phone uses data without you doing anything: app updates, photo backups, email. A few minutes after landing can be enough to start a daily charge.
Before you fly
- Check your plan's roaming terms. Which countries are included, what a day costs, and whether a pass starts on its own.
- Buy a travel eSIM and install it at home on Wi-Fi. See our guides for iPhone and Android.
- Ask your carrier to block roaming charges if you want to be sure. Many can do this on request or in their app.
The settings that matter
Turn off data roaming on your home line.
- iPhone: Settings › Cellular, tap your home line, turn off Data Roaming.
- Android: Settings › Network (or Connections) › Mobile networks, pick your home SIM and turn off Data roaming.
Make the travel eSIM your data line, with roaming turned on for that line only.
On iPhone, turn off Allow Cellular Data Switching (under Settings › Cellular › Cellular Data). Otherwise iPhone may fall back to your home line when the travel signal is weak.
Keep getting texts and bank codes
You can leave your home line switched on with data roaming off. Your phone still receives texts, including one-time codes from your bank. Receiving texts abroad is free with many carriers, but not all, and answering calls usually costs money. Check your carrier's roaming rates.
iMessage, FaceTime and WhatsApp keep working on your usual number over the travel eSIM's data.
Calls without roaming
Use WhatsApp, FaceTime, Signal or another calling app over your travel data or Wi-Fi. Some carriers also offer Wi-Fi calling abroad, often billed like a call from home. Check before you rely on it.
Checklist
- Travel eSIM installed at home.
- Data roaming off on your home line.
- Travel eSIM set as the data line, with roaming on.
- Cellular data switching off (iPhone).
- Automatic updates and photo backup set to Wi-Fi only.
Find a plan for your trip: compare travel eSIMs by destination.