We recently took a trip to Spain in large part to test out a lot of the options to get coverage abroad. During the trip, we confirmed something that we knew a long time ago but had kind of forgotten. That is the fact that popular European cities are going to be much more accommodating to travelers than popular American cities.
This means that you’re more likely to have someone that’s trying to sell you something on the street try and speak your language. In American cities you’ll get that effort from foreigners who are selling their goods. You won’t get all that much help from locals as a general rule. Why do we want to talk about this when it comes to an eSIM Spain option? Well, because getting a regular SIM card in Spain is not hard.
Especially if you’re in Madrid or Barcelona. There are going to be a ton of shops near the city centers that sell local SIM cards. Even though this is the case, does it still make sense to get an eSIM before you go to Spain? In fact, would it make sense to buy a regular SIM card and have that delivered to your house before the trip? We’re going to try and answer all of these questions.
One of the things that we’ve also learned through the years is that not every solution will fit everyone perfectly. That’s why it’s great that there are usually many solutions available. The days that you’ll be abroad and where your trip is going to take you are all things to take into account before making a purchase.
The Easiest eSIM Spain Option
Airalo has the easiest way to get an eSIM to travel to Spain. Quite frankly, it happens to be the easiest way to get coverage when you travel to many different countries. What you have to do is download the app and find the country that you’re visiting. Pick the eSIM that grants you the amount of data that you need. Be careful with the credit validity of these eSIM cards.
You may be thinking I’m going to be okay with 6GB of coverage for my 2-week trip. That’s not a bad estimate by most standards. Maybe the eSIM that you’re buying has a credit validity of only 7 days. That means that even if you don’t spend all of the data on the eSIM it’s going to stop working after that week.
Most of the eSIMs that Airalo sells are a little more expensive than what you would find on the street. The difference may be anywhere between 5 and 10 euros for the same amount of coverage from a regular service provider. Is 10 euros a good deal to get coverage without having to speak Spanish to a store clerk? That question can only have a personal answer. In a lot of ways that’s what Airalo sells. The opportunity to get a local SIM card without having to interact with other people in the process.
Getting A SIM Card On The Street
This is going to be the other option available. This is also what we had to do the last time that we found ourselves in Madrid. Cities like Madrid or Barcelona will have a ton of stores that sell local SIM cards. Especially in the areas near the city center. There was a huge issue that we faced because we didn’t get the SIM card ahead of time.
The hotel didn’t give us a room until past 2 in the afternoon, and it was 6 am. There we were in the center of Madrid without the possibility of using our phones to call back home or do anything, frankly. We ended up walking around the city aimlessly. It was an interesting experience to get to know the city quickly. We were able to get on the metro and start exploring. For many people, though, it may have been a nerve-wracking experience. Having to wait until stores open to get coverage is one of the downsides to getting a SIM card on the street.
These store clerks will usually let you know the type of cards they sell. They’ll ask you to pick a network and the amount of data and/or minutes and calls that you’d like. If you show them your phone, they’ll likely be able to provide you with the right SIM card or eSIM for that device. That can solve many compatibility issues that people may be a bit worried about.
Large cities like Madrid and Barcelona will have big Vodafone and Orange shops near the main tourist centers. You could potentially purchase your travel SIM card from these stores directly as well. That can add a layer of “safety” for some people which is always a positive.
Does It Matter What City You Travel To?
If we’re being honest there’s a bit of a yes and no answer here. Spain is still a country that features many rural areas where coverage may not be ideal. That’s something to keep in mind if those small towns that are very picturesque and certainly worth a visit are on your itinerary. Another reason why it may matter where you travel is because, in these small cities, it may not be as easy to get a local SIM card.
In that situation, it could be a good idea to just stick to the eSIM route. You can be surprised how “traditional” things are in certain Spanish cities. We’re talking about the small rural towns. Don’t think that if you head to Seville or Valencia, you will be dealing with this issue. It doesn’t matter where you travel to within the country if you have a local SIM card.
What we mean by that last one is that the Vodafone SIM card that you can buy at the Airport in Madrid will be valid for all of the towns within the country. There are certain sites that want to sell SIM cards for Madrid and SIM cards for Barcelona. If you get a local SIM card that gets you coverage in Spain, you should be set for the entire country. As we mentioned though, the problem is you may not get great coverage in certain rural areas and roads. That’s going to be an issue regardless of the network.
Best Way To Get Coverage For A Trip To Multiple Countries
The easiest way to do this would be to buy a regional SIM card. If you’re going to visit Spain, for example, there’s a good chance that you’ll move to France or Italy as your next stops. A lot of the regional SIM cards for Europe are going to group these countries together. With regional SIM cards you don’t have to worry about changing the SIM card regardless of where your trip takes you. Of course, that’s as long as the countries you visit are included in the card.
There is a downside to the regional SIM cards. That is the fact that you’ll likely not get the best coverage during your journey. A lot of times, what happens with these regional SIM cards is that you’re latching onto coverage from a local network. A little bit in the way that you would be on an international plan. Typically, for example, if the network has 5G coverage for its local user base, you’ll be getting 4G if you’re lucky.
Another way to be able to get decent coverage is to go ahead and buy eSIM cards for the different countries that you’re going to visit. Airalo is one of the best places to get this done. All that you have to do is purchase the different eSIM cards and activate them through their app once you’re in that specific country. Buying multiple eSIM cards can also be a good way to stay on budget. You can be more selective with the amount of coverage that you purchase.
How Much Can You Expect To Pay?
With the Airalo SIM card, you’re looking at around 12 dollars for 5GB of coverage for 30 days. The problem with the Airalo option is that you could get way more data with a local SIM card that you purchase on the streets of Madrid. The 10 Euro option with Vodafone promises 25 GB worth of coverage. It’s not as “easy” to acquire as the Airalo option. You know, because you must head to a store to get the card or eSIM.
If you’ll be in Spain for your entire trip, it may make a ton of sense to get the local SIM card on the street. Even if you have that small time frame where you may not be getting coverage. It depends on how long your trip is going to be as well. If you’re going to be abroad for 15 days, would you really use up the 25GB? The answer is you probably won’t, so it could make more sense to just buy the eSIM online and skip the store.
Final Thoughts on eSIM Spain – What to Look For?
There are plenty of valid ways to be able to get coverage while in Spain. You may want to watch out if your trip includes heading to rural areas. Coverage will not be ideal in those places or on the road for the most part. That really shouldn’t alter your decision as far as what coverage you want to buy. Poor reception in these areas is a theme with any company.
You can get decent coverage for about 10 euros or around 12 dollars. It’s true that the Airalo eSIM option is going to be a bit more expensive. At least when you factor in the amount of coverage that you’re getting for the same price in both instances. Like we talked about in the previous paragraph it all comes down to the amount of time that you spend abroad.
Don’t fall into the trap of having to get an eSIM for every new city that you visit within the same country. It sounds like an obvious thing that you can account for. You’d be surprised though how many people fall for that trick. All because some of these companies that sell SIM cards will sell them for individual cities. If you leave Spain though you’ll need a regional card or a new SIM that has you covered in the next country you visit.