Coming home from a holiday to a big phone bill is still very common. Lebara’s own research from July 2026 found that 30% of UK holidaymakers came back to a high bill, with an average surprise cost of £82.37, and 42% said they worry about phone costs abroad.
Since Brexit, most of the big UK networks charge a daily fee to use your phone in Europe. Lebara is one of the networks that does not. In this guide we explain exactly what is included when you travel with a Lebara SIM-only plan, the limits to know about, and a simple checklist before you fly.
See Lebara plans with free roaming
In this guide
Where you can roam at no extra cost
With any Lebara SIM-only plan you can use your UK minutes, texts and data in the EU, the EEA (which adds Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) and India at no extra cost. That means popular holiday spots like Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Greece and Croatia, plus city breaks across Europe, and visits to family in India.
| Destination | Included in your plan? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| EU countries (Spain, France, Italy, Greece…) | Yes | Use your UK allowance |
| EEA (Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein) | Yes | Use your UK allowance |
| India | Yes | Lebara is one of few UK networks to include it |
| Switzerland | No | Not part of the EU or EEA, check the rates |
| Turkey, USA, rest of world | No | Check the Roaming Rate Finder |
Always check your destination with Lebara’s Roaming Rate Finder before you go. Check roaming on the Lebara site.
The limits you need to know
Roaming is not completely unlimited, even on the big plans. Lebara lets you use up to 30GB of data abroad. If your plan is smaller, like the 5GB plan, you can use your full allowance. If you are on the Unlimited plan, you can still use up to 30GB while roaming in the zone.
There is also a fair use policy. Roaming at no extra cost is meant for travel, not for living abroad. If over a 120-day period you use your phone more abroad than in the UK, Lebara can warn you and then add a surcharge, for example £2 per GB of data. For holidays, work trips and family visits this will not affect you.
What about Switzerland and other countries?
Switzerland catches many travellers out. It is in the middle of Europe and in the Schengen area, but it is not in the EU or the EEA, so it is not part of the roam-like-home zone. The same is true for Turkey, the USA and most long-haul destinations. In these countries pay-as-you-go roaming rates apply and you need credit. Look up the price before you travel and use Wi-Fi where you can.
Set up your phone before you fly
A few minutes at home saves a lot of stress at the airport. Lebara’s advice is to activate and use your SIM in the UK first, because a brand new SIM may not work if the very first time it connects is abroad.
- Activate your Lebara SIM and make a call in the UK before you travel.
- Turn on Data Roaming in your phone settings when you land.
- If data does not work, check the APN: uk.lebara.mobi, with username and password wap.
- Turn on Wi-Fi Calling for calls in hotels with weak signal.
- Download maps and playlists on Wi-Fi to save data.
Choosing the right plan for travel
Think about how much data you use on holiday, not at home. Maps, translation apps, booking apps and photo uploads add up quickly. A week abroad with daily maps and social media can easily use 5 to 10GB.
| Trip type | Suggested plan | Price per month |
|---|---|---|
| A short city break, mostly Wi-Fi | 5GB | £5 |
| A one or two week beach holiday | 30GB | £10 |
| Long trip or working on the road | 50GB or 100GB | £15 or £20 |
| Visiting family in India and calling home | 100GB or Unlimited Plus | £20 or £30 |
Because Lebara plans are 30-day rolling, you can move up to a bigger plan for the month of your trip and go back down afterwards. Paying for 12 months up front saves 10% if you travel often.
Calling home and calling locally
When you roam in the zone, calls back to UK numbers come out of your UK minutes, and so do calls to local numbers in the country you are visiting. Calls to other countries from abroad are not part of your international minutes, which are for calls made from the UK. If you need to call several countries while travelling, check the rate first.
Keep an eye on your usage abroad
The MyLebara app shows how much of your allowance you have left, so check it every couple of days on a longer trip. If you are getting close to your limit, you can add more data or move to a bigger plan from the app. Watch out for apps that use a lot of data in the background, such as cloud photo backup and automatic app updates. Set them to work on Wi-Fi only before you leave, and you will have more data left for maps and messaging.
Is Lebara a good travel SIM?
For anyone who regularly visits Europe or India, Lebara is one of the simplest ways to avoid daily roaming fees. Plans start at £5, there is no contract and no credit check, and the network uses Vodafone’s UK coverage at home. Just remember the 30GB cap abroad, the fair use rule and the Switzerland exception. Get a Lebara SIM before your next trip.
FAQ
Does Lebara charge for roaming in Spain?
No. Spain is in the EU, so you can use your UK minutes, texts and data there at no extra cost, up to 30GB of data.
Can I use my Lebara plan in India?
Yes. India is included in Lebara’s roam-like-home zone along with the EU and EEA.
Do I need to do anything before I travel?
Activate your SIM in the UK, then turn on Data Roaming when you arrive. Check your destination on the Roaming Rate Finder first.
