We show a saving only when roaming would genuinely cover your whole trip.
UK → Ireland · roaming vs eSIM
Compare eSIMs for Ireland.
Compare what your UK network charges to roam in Ireland with travel eSIMs sized for your trip. See the hotspot rules, speed caps and fair-use limits before opening checkout.
20 destinations20 with eSIM pricesRoaming priced, never guessedNo account needed
Popular now
Hotspot rules, speed caps and fair-use limits beside every plan.
See where each number came from and when we checked it.
The Ireland guide · updated 10 Sept 2026
Short answer: on most UK networks, you don't need an eSIM for the Republic of Ireland.
EE, Vodafone and Three all include the Republic of Ireland, even though they charge elsewhere in Europe. O2, iD Mobile, giffgaff, SMARTY and Tesco Mobile include it too, and SMARTY lifts its usual 12GB roaming cap there. An eSIM is mainly worth it if your plan's data is small, you're on giffgaff and need more than 5GB, or you're on Sky Mobile or VOXI, whose Ireland terms we couldn't confirm.
- No daily charge
- EE, Vodafone and Three, which charge elsewhere in Europe, all include the Republic of Ireland.
- Caps
- giffgaff 5GB, Three 12GB, O2 25GB and iD Mobile 30GB of your plan's data. SMARTY's 12GB roaming cap doesn't apply in Ireland.
- Local networks
- Vodafone, Three and Eir. Nomad lists Three and Eir, and Airalo lists Three.
- The border
- Near the border your phone can switch between UK and Irish networks. On the networks above, that doesn't change what you pay.
- Emergency calls
- 112 and 999 both work in the Republic of Ireland.
What your UK network charges in Ireland
The Republic of Ireland is in every UK network's Europe zone, and several networks that charge elsewhere in Europe make an exception for it. Every priced row below links to the page that says so.
| Network | How Ireland is charged | Worth knowing | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| EE | Included: the Republic of Ireland uses your UK allowance | EE's roaming terms say calls, texts and data used in the Republic of Ireland come out of your UK allowance, without the daily charge EE applies elsewhere in Europe. | EE roaming plan terms ↗checked 10 Sept 2026 |
| O2 | O2 Europe Zone: included, up to 25GB | Ireland is in O2's Europe Zone, so Pay Monthly plans use their UK allowance there. Past 25GB of data abroad, you need to buy a Bolt On. | O2 Europe Zone roaming ↗checked 10 Sept 2026 |
| Vodafone | Included on every plan | Vodafone says all Pay monthly and Pay as you go plans already include the Republic of Ireland, along with the Isle of Man, Iceland and Norway. | Vodafone roaming Extras ↗checked 10 Sept 2026 |
| Three | Included: no charge to unlock your allowance | Three doesn't charge to use your UK calls, texts and data in the Republic of Ireland. Its Ireland page lists up to 12GB of your plan's data. | Three roaming abroad: Ireland ↗checked 10 Sept 2026 |
| iD Mobile | iD Roam Free: included, up to 30GB | iD's published EU limit is 30GB for customers who joined on or after 21 June 2023. On a smaller plan, your own allowance is the limit. | iD Mobile EU fair-use policy ↗checked 25 Aug 2026 |
| Sky Mobile | Check Sky's destination list for Ireland | Roaming Passport Plus costs £2 on each day you use it in the destinations Sky covers. We couldn't confirm whether Sky charges for the Republic of Ireland. | Sky Roaming Passport Plus ↗checked 25 Aug 2026 |
| giffgaff | Included on eligible plans, up to 5GB | Ireland is on giffgaff's EU roaming list. Beyond 5GB of your plan's data, it's 10p per MB. | giffgaff EU roaming rules ↗checked 10 Sept 2026 |
| SMARTY | Included, with no roaming cap | SMARTY's 12GB roaming limit doesn't apply in the Republic of Ireland, so you can use your full UK allowance. | SMARTY roaming and international ↗checked 10 Sept 2026 |
| VOXI | Check VOXI's roaming terms for Ireland | VOXI sells a European Roaming Pass for EU destinations. We couldn't confirm whether you need one in the Republic of Ireland, so check My VOXI before you use data. | VOXI roaming guidance ↗checked 25 Aug 2026 |
| Tesco Mobile | Home From Home: included | Tesco Mobile lists the Republic of Ireland among its 48 Home From Home destinations, on pay monthly and pay as you go. | Tesco Mobile Home From Home ↗checked 10 Sept 2026 |
Roaming versus an eSIM, priced for a real trip
Everyday use is about 0.8GB a day, so a week needs 6GB and a fortnight 12GB. Roaming figures come from the same published charges the calculator uses; eSIM figures are the cheapest single plan from each provider that covers the trip, live from Nomad. Klook is left out because it shows prices only on its own page.
7 days · plan for 6GB
UK roaming
- EEIncluded
- O2Included
- VodafoneIncluded
- ThreeIncluded
- iD MobileIncluded
- giffgaffIncluded
- SMARTYIncluded
- Tesco MobileIncluded
Travel eSIM
- Nomad · 10GB · 30 days≈ £11.68live price, converted from USD · see plan ↗
14 days · plan for 12GB
UK roaming
- EEIncluded
- O2Included
- VodafoneIncluded
- ThreeIncluded
- iD MobileIncluded
- giffgaffIncluded
- SMARTYIncluded
- Tesco MobileIncluded
Travel eSIM
- Nomad · 20GB · 30 days≈ £14.60live price, converted from USD · see plan ↗
Roaming figures assume you roam every day of the trip and the pass or daily fee covers your data need; the calculator above lets you change both. Nomad prices are converted from US dollars at a rounded rate and marked as estimates.
The eSIM providers we compare for Ireland
Four providers appear in the comparison above. Saily and Nomad send us live prices, Airalo's are checked by hand, and Klook shows its prices only on its own page. Links we could earn a commission on are marked as sponsored in the page source.
Saily on local partner networks
Quotes real pounds, so the price you see is the price you pay. Saily says it doesn't restrict hotspot use, though your phone or the local network may.
Watch out: Check when the plan starts counting down before you install it.
Saily Ireland plans ↗We may earn a commission on this link.
Nomad on Three and Eir
Prices in US dollars, which we convert at a rounded Bank of England rate, so your card may charge a little more. Nomad lists Three and Eir for Ireland and says its eSIMs support hotspot use.
Watch out: Nomad plans have to be activated within 60 days of purchase, so don't buy months ahead.
Nomad Ireland plans ↗We may earn a commission on this link.
Airalo on Three
We have no affiliate relationship with Airalo and list it anyway. Its Ireland eSIM lists Three as the main network.
Watch out: If you pick an unlimited plan, check its daily full-speed limit before you buy.
Klook on the network named on Klook's page
Klook's price changes with every combination of days and data, so we don't show one. The link opens Klook's own page for this country.
Watch out: You get a QR code on a voucher. Install it on Wi-Fi before you travel and check when the countdown starts.
Klook Ireland plans ↗We may earn a commission on this link.
Why Ireland is different from the rest of Europe
Most UK networks that brought back roaming charges for Europe made an exception for the Republic of Ireland. EE's roaming terms, Vodafone's roaming page and Three's Ireland page all say you can use your UK allowance there at no extra cost. SMARTY goes further and lifts its usual 12GB roaming cap.
That makes the choice about data, not daily fees. If your UK plan has plenty of data, it will almost certainly cover a trip to Dublin or the west coast without an eSIM.
When an Ireland eSIM still makes sense
giffgaff includes Ireland but only up to 5GB of your plan's data, after which it's 10p per MB. At our everyday estimate of about 0.8GB a day, a week needs around 6GB, so a longer stay can pass that. A small eSIM is cheaper than paying by the megabyte.
We couldn't confirm Sky Mobile's or VOXI's terms for Ireland. If you're on either, check your app before you use data, or use an eSIM and keep your UK line's data roaming off.
Crossing the border from Northern Ireland
Near the border, your phone can switch between UK and Irish networks without you noticing. On the networks that include the Republic of Ireland, that makes no difference to your bill.
Your UK SIM does need data roaming switched on to use an Irish network. If you're on a network whose Ireland terms you're unsure of, check before you turn it on.
Setting up for Ireland
- 01Check your plan's roaming cap
Your network's app shows whether Ireland is included and how much of your data you can use there.
- 02If it's included, turn on data roaming
Your UK SIM needs data roaming switched on to use Irish networks. On the networks that include Ireland, that costs nothing extra.
- 03If you need more data, add an eSIM
Install it at home on Wi-Fi, set it as your data line when you arrive, and turn off data roaming on your UK line so the two don't compete.
Ireland questions, answered
Do UK networks charge for roaming in Ireland?
Most don't. EE, Vodafone and Three include the Republic of Ireland even though they charge elsewhere in Europe, and O2, iD Mobile, giffgaff, SMARTY and Tesco Mobile include it as part of their Europe roaming. We couldn't confirm Sky Mobile or VOXI.
Does EE charge for roaming in the Republic of Ireland?
No. EE's roaming terms say calls, texts and data used in the Republic of Ireland come out of your UK allowance, unlike the daily charge it applies elsewhere in its Europe zone.
Is there a data cap on roaming in Ireland?
It depends on the network: 5GB on giffgaff, 12GB on Three, 25GB on O2 and 30GB on iD Mobile. SMARTY's 12GB cap doesn't apply in Ireland, and Tesco Mobile sets no separate cap.
Do I need to change anything on my phone in Ireland?
Turn on data roaming for your UK SIM, because it connects to Irish networks. On the networks that include Ireland, that doesn't cost extra.
What's the emergency number in Ireland?
112 and 999 both work in the Republic of Ireland.
Where the numbers come from
How we work this out.
On EE we price roaming for all 20 destinations. Across the other nine networks we price 116 more network-and-destination combinations from published charges; everywhere else we send you to your network's own checker instead of guessing. Saily and Nomad send us their prices directly, covering 20 destinations. Airalo prices are checked by hand for 5 of them and stop being ranked a week after we last looked. Klook never shows a price here — we send you to their own page instead of guessing one.
UK roaming rules 25 Aug 2026 · review overdueHand-checked prices & calls/texts labels 25 Aug 2026 · review overdueExchange rates (rounded) 25 Aug 2026 · review overduePrice refresh rule 7 days, then removed from rankingLive prices from Saily and Nomad working · 20 destinations
Setting up before you fly
Keep your UK number. Turn off its data.
- 01Install at home
Buy before departure, install on Wi-Fi and keep the new line switched off until arrival.
- 02Choose the data line
Set the travel eSIM as Mobile Data and disable data switching so your UK SIM cannot take over.
- 03Keep texts available
Leave the UK line on for banking texts if needed, but turn off its data roaming and avoid chargeable calls.
Common questions
Things worth checking first.
Do you work out what my own network would charge?
On EE, for all 20 destinations. Across the other nine networks, for 116 more network-and-destination combinations. Everywhere else we send you to your network’s own checker rather than invent a number — usually because the network has stopped publishing a rate, or prices it against your individual account. Pick the tariff that applies to you and we work out the daily fees, the cheapest combination of passes, or the per-megabyte rate from your network’s published charges. We only claim a saving when roaming would actually cover your whole trip and everything else you asked for.
Are these prices live?
Saily’s and Nomad’s are — they come from each provider’s own feed and are marked “Live price”. Saily quotes real pounds; Nomad quotes US dollars, which we convert. Airalo prices are checked by hand, show the date we checked, and drop out of the ranking after seven days. They are already in pounds, so they need no conversion. Klook never shows a price here, because we cannot read one reliably; that link takes you to their own page.
Why does one provider show several plans?
Because more than one can fit your trip — a bigger allowance, a longer run before it expires, or unlimited data. We show each provider’s best few for your trip and tuck the rest — including any that cost more without giving you more — behind one “show more” button. Pin up to three to compare side by side.
Where do I find hotspot and speed limits?
Open “Hotspot, speed & other limits” on any plan. It covers whether you can use the phone as a hotspot, what happens when you hit a speed cap, what the fair-use rules are, when the plan starts counting down, and which local network you will be on. If it says “check plan”, the provider’s own wording was not clear enough for us to promise you either way.
Can I make normal calls on these?
Usually not. Most travel eSIMs give you data only — WhatsApp and FaceTime work, but your phone number does not. If you need real calls and texts, answer “Yes” in the form and we will only recommend a plan that we have confirmed includes them.
Will an eSIM work on my phone?
Search for your exact model and we will check it against manufacturer guidance. Two things we cannot check for you: whether your phone is locked to a UK network, and which regional version you own — some models sold in certain countries have no eSIM at all. Confirm both before buying.
How many destinations do you cover?
20 destinations — Turkey, United States, Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Portugal, Germany, Netherlands, Ireland, Cyprus, United Arab Emirates, Thailand, Japan, Australia, Canada, Mexico, Morocco, Egypt, Indonesia — and all 10 UK networks. Saily and Nomad price every destination live; 5 of them also carry hand-checked Airalo prices.