UK roaming charges in 2026: EE, O2, Vodafone and Three compared
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UK roaming prices, checked on 25 October 2026
Most UK pay monthly plans no longer include free roaming everywhere. Three, O2 and Vodafone now publish daily charges or passes for many destinations, and the price depends on when you joined and where you are going. Below you'll find what each network charges, what that adds up to over a trip, and how to keep your number while using a travel eSIM for data.
The short answer
Compare the current selected product price in your currency with your carrier’s current roaming terms. Older example prices do not establish the amount available or payable today.
Why This Matters
Roaming charges are easy to miss until the bill arrives. If you know the daily price and where it applies before you fly, you can choose to roam, buy a pass or use a travel eSIM.
What UK networks charge for roaming
We checked these prices on each network's own website on 25 October 2026. Our UK roaming costs page links every price to its source and covers all 21 UK networks we track.
| Network | Option | Price | Charged | Data | Where |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| O2 | Travel Bolt On (Pay Monthly) | £7 | per day (days used) | Plan allowance / not stated | 75 destinations outside Europe Zone (incl. USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico) |
| Talkmobile | Zone B — making calls | £1 | per minute | Plan allowance / not stated | Zone B destinations on Talkmobile page |
| Talkmobile | Zone C — data | £1.20 | per MB | Plan allowance / not stated | Zone C destinations on Talkmobile page |
| Talkmobile | Zone D — data | £7.50 | per MB | Plan allowance / not stated | Zone D destinations on Talkmobile page |
| Three | Daily roaming charge (joined/upgraded 1 Oct 2021–17 Dec 2025) | £7 | per day | Plan allowance / not stated | Go Roam / Go Roam Around the World destinations as listed by Three |
| Three | Daily roaming charge (joined/upgraded on/after 18 Dec 2025) | £8 | per day | Plan allowance / not stated | Go Roam destinations as listed by Three |
| Vodafone | Out-of-allowance data while roaming (published rate) | £3.83 | per GB | Plan allowance / not stated | Vodafone roaming destinations |
| Vodafone | 8-day roaming pass | £16 | per 8-day pass | Plan allowance / not stated | Zone B destinations (per page) |
| Vodafone | 15-day roaming pass | £21 | per 15-day pass | Plan allowance / not stated | Zone B destinations (per page) |
Two things change the price you pay. First, where you are going: networks group countries into lists, and each list has its own price. Second, when you joined: some networks charge customers who joined after a certain date more than older customers.
What a trip costs at those prices
A daily charge looks small until you multiply it by your trip. This table shows what each option costs for 3, 7 and 14 days if you use your phone every day. A pass that lasts longer than the trip is counted once.
| Network | Option | 3 days | 7 days | 14 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vodafone | 8-day roaming pass | £16 | £16 | £32 |
| Vodafone | 15-day roaming pass | £21 | £21 | £21 |
| O2 | Travel Bolt On (Pay Monthly) | £21 | £49 | £98 |
| Three | Daily roaming charge (joined/upgraded 1 Oct 2021–17 Dec 2025) | £21 | £49 | £98 |
| Three | Daily roaming charge (joined/upgraded on/after 18 Dec 2025) | £24 | £56 | £112 |
To compare these totals with a Graba SIM plan for your destination, and choose how much data you need, open any network's page, for example Vodafone roaming costs.
UK networks that don't publish one price
Some networks set roaming prices by plan, so there is no single price to show. You can still see their roaming options and a link to their official page: VOXI, Honest Mobile, Lyca Mobile, EE, giffgaff, SMARTY, 1pMobile, iD Mobile. If we show no price, it means we could not confirm one, not that roaming is free.
How to avoid a roaming bill on a UK SIM
- Check the price for where you are going Open your network's roaming page and find the price for the United States. It can depend on your plan and when you joined.
- Set up a travel eSIM before you leave Buy it and install it at home on Wi-Fi. Leave it switched off until you land.
- Turn off data roaming on your usual SIM In your phone settings, switch Data Roaming off for your usual SIM. You can keep the SIM on for calls and texts.
- Use the eSIM for mobile data When you land, switch the eSIM on, choose it for mobile data and turn its Data Roaming on.
Turning data off doesn't stop every charge
Switching Data Roaming off stops your usual SIM using mobile data. Calls, texts and voicemail can still cost money. If you only need your number for security codes, see if your bank or apps can send them to an authenticator app instead.
A week in New York on a UK contract
Sam has a Three contract from 2024 and flies to New York for seven days. Three publishes a daily roaming charge for its Go Roam destinations, so a week of normal phone use abroad can mean seven daily charges. Sam installs a travel eSIM on Wi-Fi at home, keeps the Three line on for calls with its data roaming off, and uses the eSIM for maps and messages.
How a UK roaming charge starts
- 1 Your usual SIM is on abroad
- 2 You use your phone that day
- 3 Your network adds a daily charge
- 4 Use eSIM data instead
Final Thoughts
The same week abroad can cost very different amounts depending on your UK network and plan. Check your network's page, then compare it with a travel eSIM that has the data you need.
Read next: roaming costs compared worldwide, the roaming settings guide, what triggers a daily roaming pass.
Compare UK roaming with Graba SIM
See what every UK network charges for roaming, and what your trip costs with a prepaid Graba SIM eSIM instead.
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