The moment you use your phone in the EU, one thing matters most: how much data your plan includes abroad. Without included EU roaming, even a weekend gets expensive fast.
Roaming is not about the network
In Switzerland the budget brands use the same antennas as the big operators. For roaming that doesn't matter. What counts is only how much EU data the plan includes, and that is where the offers differ widely.
How much EU data do you actually need?
Match the amount to your trips instead of grabbing the largest package by default:
- A few trips a year: a few GB of EU data is usually plenty. Maps, messaging, a little browsing, you rarely need more on the move.
- Often in the EU: here a plan with unlimited EU roaming pays off, and budget brands often already offer it.
Watch out for Switzerland-only plans
Some very cheap plans work only in Switzerland and include no EU data at all. Abroad you then pay per megabyte, which can end badly. For a traveller that plan is not a bargain, it's a trap.
EU is not worldwide
Some pricier plans advertise worldwide roaming including the USA and Canada. That's handy if you go there, but needlessly expensive if you only travel in Europe. Don't pay for countries you never visit.
The promo-price trap applies here too
Many travel-friendly plans are promotions that get more expensive later. Budget for the price after the promo. Switching is always possible and costs nothing.
billfox asks how much you travel and shows only plans that actually cover your EU roaming, across all three networks and with honest post-promo prices.