What's The Best eSIM For Greece?
I spent three weeks island hopping through Greece last summer and can confidently say that Sim Local has the best eSim for Greece.
As a solo traveler, data coverage is one of my non-negotiables.
Having a phone and internet access weirdly gives me a sense of security, so it's something that I never compromise on.
On top of that, I work remotely so unlimited data and hotspotting are essential for getting my work done and showing up professionally.
So, after careful comparison and through personal experience, Sim Local came out as the best eSIM provider in Greece. Here's a full breakdown of my experience, plus some thoughts on how other carriers compared.
Quick Comparison of eSIMS for Greece
*all prices are in USD
Sim Local Greece Review
So, I have to admit... I didn't use Sim Local for my entire Greece trip...
I actually started with Airalo but then swapped mid-way because of how spotty and slow the coverage was (more details below).
Luckily, Sim Local picked up the slack, and the rest of the trip went smoothly.
Trip Details:
I spent a week each in Athens, Sifnos, and Naxos: starting with a few days in Athens and then island hopping between Sifnos and Naxos before returning to the capital.
This gave me a good feel for how the eSIM performed both in the city and on more remote islands.
My eSIM Needs:
✅ unlimited data
✅ hotspot capabilities
✅ great coverage
As a remote worker (and a mildly anxious traveler), I almost always opt for the unlimited plan.
I hate having to micromanage my data usage and feel like it not only distracts from the trip, but also wastes valuable brain space that I could be using to make more important decisions (like whether or not to get another freddo cappuccino).
Sim Local had just launched their unlimited plans (up to 10 gb of full data per day before throttling!) and a friend mentioned that she had a great experience with them, so I decided to make the switch.
Overview of My Experience:
It was my first time using Sim Local but I would use it again!
Installation: super easy to download and install as a first-time user. One of my pet peeves is when an eSIM company requires you to download a whole separate app in order to use their product and I'm glad that Sim Local gives you multiple installation options including simply scanning a QR code to install.
Coverage: I mostly used Sim Local in Naxos and Athens and the coverage was great! It was strong enough to cover my work needs when my accommodation wifi (or cafe wifi) was too weak.
Data Limits: 10GB per day before slowing down is plenty. I never ran out of data and was able to complete all my work as well as have extra data for leisurely browsing.
Greece eSIM Comparison:
Honestly, I'm a no-frills practical girl.
The most important thing about a travel eSIM is that it's speedy and gives you internet coverage when you need it. Everything else is a bonus.
That said, it's important that you find the right plan for your travel style.
So here's a quick comparison and an explanation of the thought process behind why I ultimately went with the Sim Local Unlimited eSIM plan.
GB Plans - Price/Plan Comparison
*Holafly omitted from comparison because they only offer unlimited plans
GB plans are best for travelers who are budget-conscious and mindful of how much they scroll.
If you're only visiting Greece for a few days and are staying mostly in the city, you can probably get by with 1-5GBs and rely mostly on wifi to get around.
Because I was working remotely, I knew that I wanted the extra security of an unlimited plan and therefore looked more closely at the options below.
Unlimited Plans - Price/Plan Comparison
As it stacks up, the Sim Local unlimited plan offers the best deal with up to 5GB of high speed connection before decreasing to basically unusable speeds.
I ended up going for the 15-day Unlimited Plan to cover the rest of my trip and it was more than enough to cover email, graphic design (think Canva), and web design needs.
However, I appreciate that Sim Local also offers an Unlimited Pro account with up to 10GB of high speed connection per day in case I need to take video calls or upload content for clients.
Coverage Comparison
Sim Local partners with all three local networks for the widest and best coverage in Greece.
If you're only staying in urban centers like Athens or Thessaloniki, then any provider will suffice. However, if you're looking to spend some time on more remote islands, you ideally want to go with a provider that partners with Cosmote, Greece's largest and most reliable mobile carrier.
I went with Sim Local and had coverage about 90-95% of the time. Data was a little spotty in the mountains and on ferry rides, but that was expected, and it didn't take away from the trip.
What Could've Been Better
There was a little bit of spottiness in remote areas, but nothing compared to the terrible experience I had with Airalo. Just make sure to screenshot any tickets and download your maps beforehand.
I do wish that they had more flexible unlimited plan lengths (either shorter or longer than the current 7 and 15-day offerings) but that gap is easily bridged with their GB plans.
Best for:
Remote Workers + Slow Travelers: generous unlimited data plans with great speeds
Solo Travelers: three network partners so you almost always have coverage
First-Time eSIM Users: super easy setup (plus great customer service if you need it!)
I think Sim Local is one of the best all-rounder eSIM providers in Greece. They have a wide range of plans that suit all sorts of travel styles, at an affordable price point, and pair with local networks for coverage across the country.
Recommended Plans
I like to calculate my data usage at 1GB/day and then top-off when I need to. If you're taking a short trip and spending most of your time in wifi-accessible areas, 5GB should last you about a week.
For Slow Travelers: 15-Day Unlimited eSIM
This is the plan that I went with and I think it's the best middle-ground option for slow travelers and remote workers with light internet needs. 5GB a day is plenty for casual internet work and regular social media/travel use.
For Remote Professionals: 15-Day Unlimited Pro eSIM
If I were a full-time content creator or someone who had a lot of work meetings, I would definitely go with this option. It gives you 10 GBs of high-speed internet per day and is a fair price at $45.50 for 15 days of coverage.
Other eSIMs for Greece
I already ran a quick comparison of how some popular eSIMs stack up against Sim Local, but wanted to go deeper here (providing a more subjective and personal overview) in case you were curious about the alternatives.
Airalo:
If you care about travel at all, you've definitely heard of (or used) Airalo.
I went with Airalo for the first part of my trip because of familiarity and ease-of-use. I'd used their eSIMS in France and Italy as well as in Thailand, and had pretty decent coverage across those countries.
My Experience
Unfortunately, that service didn't carry through to Greece.
Because they only partner with Nova, coverage was pretty spotty across my travels in Athens and Sifnos.
Depending on the time of day, it would buffer really slowly in crowded areas like Monastiraki Square and would be borderline unusable in the mountains near Delphi and in some areas on Sifnos.
I had no idea that coverage would be so bad so I didn't take screenshots or download my tickets beforehand and was STRESSED about needing to access them last-minute.
Still, I like that they have really specific plans at small denominations so you can top-off whenever you need it.
This provider is (probably) fine if you plan on staying in Athens but is a big gamble if you're going island hopping.
Roamic:
Roamic is by far the cheapest Greek eSIM provider that I could find. With plans starting at $1 for 1GB it's perfect for budget travelers or people who are only transitioning through Greece.
My Experience
To be honest, I personally have not used this provider before, but looking at the reviews online, it looks to be fairly reliable with a 4.7 rating on Trustpilot.
There are some negative reviews regarding dropped coverage and eSIM malfunctions so if you're going to go with this option, I'd recommend also downloading a 1GB backup from a different provider just in case.
Saily:
Saily is one of the most popular eSIM options in Greece.
I don't know if it's because they work with a lot of influencers or because they're developed by the creators of Nord VPN, but I personally have mixed feelings about it.
My Experience
To be fair, their eSIM does work well.
I've always had great internet connection on Saily but I hate that you have to download a separate app in order to install it.
The process is unnecessarily complicated and as a digital minimalist, I despise having another app clutter my phone.
On top of that, their eSIMs are always more expensive than other providers and the quality of service is fairly comparable to something like Sim Local.
Holafly:
Holafly is a pioneer in the unlimited eSIM data space and I used to be a hardcore fan of theirs, but other companies have come out with better products in recent years and I'm not sure if their plans are still worth it...
My Experience
Holafly is fine if you're only using one device and need internet simply for travel logistics but it's simply not enough for my needs at this point.
The 500MB - 1GB daily hotspotting limit has become a huge dealbreaker and I hate the lack of transparency around daily high-speed limits. They don't say when your plan will drop to throttle speeds and I hate getting caught off guard when I'm traveling.
It's also not a cheap provider and at this point, I think other companies simply have better options.
At the end of the day, I'm a practical traveler and Sim Local provided the best range of eSIM options for what I was looking for.
Their unlimited plans are actually reasonably priced, the high-speed limits are generous enough that I never had to think twice about hotspotting or hopping on a call, and the coverage held up both in Athens and across various islands.
But beyond checking every logistical box, what really stood out about the company was was their support team.
They were helpful whenever I had questions and I loved that they even had a physical booth at the Athens airport! My partner was using an iPhone 10 at the time, which meant that he needed a physical SIM card. Having the option right there streamlined our whole experience.
So if you're planning a trip to Greece this year, Sim Local is definitely the best eSIM provider to go with.