Guide
Going home this summer: staying online in Albania and the Balkans without roaming bills
Every summer, hundreds of thousands of people drive or fly home to Albania and the rest of the Balkans from Germany, Switzerland, Italy and beyond. And every summer, some of them come back to a roaming bill bigger than the ferry ticket.
The reason is simple. Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia are not in the EU, so the EU's free roaming rules don't apply there. Many German, Swiss and Italian phone plans charge per megabyte or sell expensive day passes in these countries. An eSIM bought before you leave costs a few euros and works the moment you cross the border.
Albania plan or Balkans plan?
If you are staying in Albania, take the Albania plan. It is cheaper for the same data and connects to One Albania and Vodafone Albania.
If you are driving down through several countries, take the Balkans plan. One eSIM covers Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia, so you stay online on the road and at every stop.
| Data, 30 days | Albania only | Balkans (7 countries) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 GB | €3.99 | €8.95 |
| 5 GB | €5.45 | €13.99 |
| 10 GB | €9.79 | €28.49 |
Prices when we last updated this guide (October 2026). The live prices are at the end of this article.
A good trick for a road trip: buy the Balkans plan with a small amount of data for the drive, and an Albania plan for the weeks you spend at home. Your phone can hold both eSIMs, and you switch between them in the settings.
How much data do you need for a month at home?
At home you probably have Wi-Fi at the family house, so you need less than you think. Maps, WhatsApp calls with friends and some social media add up to 3 to 5 GB for a month. If you share your data with the family, stream football, or work from your laptop, go for 10 or 20 GB.
Sharing with the family
Hotspot is allowed on our plans, with no daily limit. One parent can buy a bigger plan and share it with the children's phones or tablets in the car. Keep an eye on the data, because video on a tablet uses a lot.
Before you leave
Install the eSIM at home, on Wi-Fi, a few days before the trip. It only starts counting days when it first connects in a covered country, so installing early costs you nothing. When you cross the border, turn the eSIM on for mobile data and switch on data roaming for it.
Keep your home SIM in the phone for calls and texts if you want people to reach you on your usual number. Just make sure mobile data uses the eSIM, not your home SIM.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Balkans plan work in Greece too?
Yes. Greece is one of the seven countries in the Balkans plan, along with Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia.
Can I keep using my home number on WhatsApp?
Yes. WhatsApp stays tied to your number, not to the SIM that gives you data. Your chats and calls work as usual over the eSIM.
What if I run out of data?
Top up the same eSIM in the Blue eSIM app. There is nothing new to install.