Mobile data in Malta: no land borders, one thing to watch at sea
Malta is in the EU and it is an island, which makes it one of the simplest countries in Europe for roaming: there is no land border, so there is no chance of your phone drifting onto a network from somewhere outside the rule. The only edge case is water.
See eSIMs for MaltaIs roaming free in Malta?
- Plans from the EU and the EEA: yes, roam like at home applies, within your operator’s fair use limit.
- UK plans: it depends on your operator since Brexit.
- Plans from outside Europe: usually international roaming or a daily pass.
The EU roaming calculator works out the minimum your plan has to give you abroad.
eSIM for Malta
Data on your phone the moment you land in Malta. No account, no app, no shop.
Choose your data
For one to two weeks of maps, messaging and the odd video.
Buy up to 180 days before you fly: the plan only starts when the eSIM connects at your destination.
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Will it work on my phone?
On iPhone: Settings → General → About, and scroll to EID. If there is an EID, your phone takes eSIMs. Every iPhone from the XS (2018) onwards does.
On Android: Settings → About phone → Status, and look for EID. If there is an EID, your phone takes eSIMs. Most Galaxy S20, Pixel 3 and later do.
It also has to be carrier-unlocked. If you bought it outright or your contract is over, it almost certainly is.
And if it turns out yours cannot use it, write to us and you get every cent back.
Discount code
How it works
- 1Choose and payCard, Apple Pay or Google Pay. No account.
- 2Install it at homeThe QR arrives by email. Scan it on wifi in a minute.
- 3Connect when you landTurn on data roaming for the eSIM and you are online.
No land borders, no border traps — only the sea
- Where the EU rule applies and where it does not: map of roaming in Europe.
In most of Europe the thing that catches people is a mast on the other side of a border charging a different tariff. Malta cannot do that to you: the nearest country is across open sea. Whatever network your phone finds on the islands is a Maltese network, inside the EU, at home prices. That is one whole category of unexpected bill you do not have to think about here.
The ferries are the only nuance. The crossing to Gozo is short and stays in sight of land, so the phone holds a local network the whole way and nothing changes. The catamaran to Sicily is a different matter: it crosses open sea, and out there the phone can attach to a maritime or satellite network on board or offshore. Those sit outside the EU roaming rule and charge their own rates, which are not small. Flight mode once the coast is gone, back on when you dock.
Which eSIM works in Malta?
A Malta eSIM runs on the local networks, Vodafone (5G), GO (5G). There are two of them and both carry 5G. Data only: your usual number stays on your own SIM. English is an official language here, so buying a physical SIM in a shop is easy if you prefer that — just be aware it changes nothing about the roaming rules, only about who you talk to at the counter.
Coverage: Valletta, Sliema, Gozo and Comino
Valletta, Sliema, St Julian’s and the airport corridor are well covered with 5G, and the islands are small enough that there is very little empty space. Gozo is fine in the towns and along the roads. Comino is a rock with a beach on it, and the signal there depends on which mast reaches across the channel; in the caves and on the cliff paths it drops, as it would anywhere.
How much data for a trip to Malta?
- 3 GB: a long weekend in Valletta.
- 5 GB: a week with maps, messages and photos.
- 10 GB: two weeks, or a diving trip with video calls.
- 20 GB: a month, or sharing data with a laptop.
The data calculator gives an estimate in five questions.
Prices for Malta
Malta data eSIMs: 3 GB for 4,49 €, 5 GB for 6,29 €, 10 GB for 11,49 € and 20 GB for 16,99 €. The plan starts on the first connection in Malta.
Is roaming free in Malta with an EU plan?
Yes. Malta is in the EU, so roam like at home applies, possibly with a fair use data limit.
Do I have signal on the ferry to Gozo?
Yes. It is a short crossing and the phone stays on the local networks the whole way.
And on the ferry to Sicily?
That one crosses open sea, where a maritime or satellite network can take over. Those are outside the EU rule and charge their own rates, so use flight mode.
Does English being official make roaming easier?
It makes shops and support easier to deal with. The roaming rules are exactly the same as anywhere else in the EU.
Get your eSIM before you fly: the QR arrives by email in minutes and the plan only starts when you connect at your destination.
See eSIMs for Malta