Planning your trip to Albania and looking for the best eSIM to stay connected? This is a complete guide with everything you need to know about using an eSIM when traveling to Albania and a comparison of the best Albania eSIMs in 2025.

Don't waste money on high roaming charges, read my recommendations below and order an eSIM for Albania on the internet and get connected in just a couple minutes. Find up to date prices as per January 2025, my recommendation and all eSIM specifications.

This guide will also show you where and when to order an eSIM for Albania, FAQ about using eSIMs and of course links to directly order your eSIM for traveling to Albania.

Table of Contents

In the past I used to buy a prepaid sim card on arrival in every country, but nowadays I mostly use eSIMs to stay connected when traveling abroad.

Some links in this article about the best eSIMs for Albania are affiliate links. If you buy any product after clicking on an affiliate link I will earn a small commission. Don't worry this is at absolutely no extra cost to you!

My recommendation

Before showing you the two best eSIMs for Albania read the following carefully:

Make sure your phone is unlocked and eSIM compatible. If not, an eSIM won't work on your phone!

1. SimOptions eSIM for Albania - 10 GB for $12.90 USD

  • 10 GB data-only
  • valid in Albania only
  • valid for 30 days
  • 4G/LTE
  • data-only eSIM
  • $1.3 USD per Gigabyte

Click here to order an eSIM for Albania via SimOptions.

Traveltomtom has had uncountable great experiences with SimOptions and they also have the best-buy eSIM for Albania in 2025. SimOptions has 7 different and all great value eSIM plans for Albania.

2. Yesim Albania eSIM - 30 GB for $29.70 USD

  • 30 GB data-only
  • valid in Albania only
  • valid for 30 days
  • data-only eSIM
  • $1 USD per Gigabyte

Click here to order a Yesim for Albania.

Yesim does not provide much info about their eSIM plans, only that it is a data-only eSIM.

Is Albania one of your stops on a trip around the world then you can also look into getting an eSIM for world travelers. There are a bunch of eSIMs that cover multiple countries and some are great for traveling to Europe, Asia and America.

Although Albania is in Europe it is not part of the European Union and therefore European sim cards do not work in Albania.

Albania eSIMs comparison

The mobile internet providers in Albania now also provide eSIMs for tourists as of 2025. You can buy these eSIMs in a Vodafone or One phone store in Albania.

But if you order an eSIM for Albania on the internet via an eSIM provider you are online as soon as the plane lands.

Traveltomtom recommends ordering an eSIM for traveling in Albania from one of the well-known eSIM providers that have proven to be reliable operators: Jetpac, Holafly, SimOptions, Nomad, Airalo, GigSky, Airhub, aloSIM, Saily, Roamless, Firsty, Yesim, Sim Local, Ubigi, etc.

The competition is fierce... so before you buy an eSIM first read my tips below!

SimOptions

SimOptions is a reputed eSIM provider that is very much recommended by Traveltomtom. Ordering your tourist eSIM for Albania through SimOptions is done fast and easy.

Why using SimOptions? Traveltomtom has used SimOptions uncountable times for staying connected when traveling abroad and already since 2018 already! Very reliable, never an issue and often some of the cheapest eSIM deals.

Check out our SimOptions review with all pros and cons.

Here are the SimOptions eSIMs for Albania in 2025:

  • 1 GB data for 7 days = $4.50 USD
  • 3 GB data for 30 days = $5.90 USD
  • 5 GB data for 30 days = $6.90 USD
  • 10 GB data for 30 days = $12.90 USD
  • 20 GB data for 30 days = $24.90 USD
  • 30 GB data for 30 days = $31.90 USD
  • 50 GB data for 60 days = $49.90 USD

Click here to order an SimOptions eSIMs for traveling in Albania.

These SimOptions eSIMs for Albania are data-only. Incoming and outgoing calls/sms are not supported and these eSIMs do not come with a phone number.

Unfortunately SimOptions does not specify on which mobile data network in Albania they operate. 5G is not supported simply because there is barely 5G in Albania yet as of 2025.

The validity of these eSIMs is 1 year and the credit validity starts only when you reach Albania and the eSIM connects the first time to a supported network. For more info check the SimOptions website.

Airalo

Airalo is a very reliable eSIM provider and Traveltomtom has used Airalo uncountable times in more than 50 countries around the world. I can totally recommend using Airalo for ordering an eSIM for Albania.

Why using Airalo? Airalo is the market leader in eSIMs and a rock solid eSIM operator.

airalo esim plans for albania

Here are the Airalo eSIM plans for Albania for 2025:

  • 1 GB data for 7 days = $4.5 USD
  • 2 GB data for 15 days = $8 USD
  • 3 GB data for 30 days = $11 USD
  • 5 GB data for 30 days = $15.5 USD
  • 10 GB data for 30 days = $26 USD
  • 20 GB data for 30 days = $49 USD

Click here to order an eSIM for Albania from Airalo.

The best value Albania eSIM from Airalo gives you 20 GB data for $49 USD, which comes down to $2.5 USD per Gigabyte.

The Airalo eSIMs for Albania are from Hej Telecom operate on the 4G/LTE mobile data network of One.

The Airalo eSIMs are data-only sim cards and are only valid in Albania. They come without a phone number, so any incoming or outgoing phone/sms service is NOT supported.

An Airalo eSIM has to be installed within 1 month and after activation the credit validity starts when it connects the first time to a supported network. For more info check out the Airalo website.

Yesim

It is the first time we are recommending Yesim eSIMs. We recently tested this new eSIM operator from Switzerland. Read more about it in our complete Yesim review.

yesim esim plans for albania

Here are the Jetpac Albania eSIM plans:

  • 500 MB for 3 days = $0.55 USD
  • 10 GB data for 30 days = $19.80 USD
  • 15 GB data for 30 days = $22 USD
  • 20 GB data for 30 days = $24.20 USD
  • 30 GB data for 30 days = $29.70 USD

Click here to order a Yesim eSIM for Albania.

The reason we included Yesim in our Albania comparison is that the big data plans are great value for money and go down to a rate of only $1 USD per Gigabyte.

Yesim is a new eSIM operator but surely they need to improve on some things. There is some essential info missing about the Yesim eSIMs and on the Yesim website there is no info available.

Are these eSIMs 5G ready? On which network do they operate on in Albania? Data-only?

Yesim also offers eSIMs with unlimited data, but there is literally no info about these plans at all. So those are not recommended.

Jetpac

Jetpac has quickly earned its stripes in the eSIM industry by not only offering affordable eSIMs but also focussing on perks for travelers like: airport lounge passes, free VPN subscription and more. Read more about it in our complete Jetpac review.

jetpac esim cards for albania

Jetpac has great eSIMs for Europe but since Albania is not part of the European Union, the Albania eSIMs from Jetpac are part of their world travelers eSIM and are valid in more than 96 countries.

Here are the Jetpac Albania eSIM plans:

  • 1 GB data for 4 days = $1 USD
  • 3 GB data for 7 days = $16 USD
  • 10 GB data for 30 days = $28 USD
  • 15 GB data for 30 days = $35 USD
  • 30 GB data for 30 days = $65 USD
  • 40 GB data for 30 days = $140 USD

Click here for more info or to order the Jetpac Albania eSIM.

The Jetpac Albania eSIMs are data-only and incoming and outgoing calls and sms are not supported. These eSIMs do not come with a phone number and operate on the Vodafone 4G/LTE network in Albania.

You can instal your Jetpac eSIM before your trip to Albania, but it only activates from the moment it connects to a supported network in Albania or one of the other supported countries. That moment your days also start counting. The Jetpac eSIMs have to be installed within 1 year.

An extra advantage of Jetpac eSIMs is that they provide a free VPN as well as free lounge access if your flight is delayed. However, you will have to register your flight before you travel and in case of a delayed or canceled flight a LoungeKey voucher will automatically be provided. This is a complimentary service that no other eSIM provider offers. For more info check the Jetpac website.

Nomad

Lately Traveltomtom started recommending Nomad eSIMs as they sometimes have cheap tourist eSIMs for a lot of countries.

Although Nomad has some good eSIM plans for Albania, the Traveltomtom Team also had some issues with the performance as well as the installing of Nomad eSIMs, so it is not Traveltomtom's first recommended eSIM for traveling to Albania in 2025. But they are not bad.

nomad esim plans for albania

Here are the Nomad eSIM plans for Albania for 2025:

  • 1 GB data for 7 days = $4.5 USD
  • 3 GB data for 30 days = $9.5 USD
  • 5 GB data for 30 days = $13 USD
  • 10 GB data for 30 days = $24 USD
  • 20 GB data for 30 days = $39 USD
  • 50 GB data for 30 days = $69 USD

Click here to order an eSIM for Albania from Nomad.

The Nomad eSIMs are data-only. Incoming and outgoing calls and sms are NOT supported. The eSIMs from Nomad operate on the 4G/LTE network of Vodafone in Albania.

The Nomad Albania eSIMs have to be installed on your phone within 60 days and after installation its validity starts when it connects for the first time to a supported network in Albania or automatically after 60 days. Basically when the plane lands you are online. For more info check the Nomad website.

Holafly

Holafly only sells eSIMs for Albania with unlimited data, but with an FUP. Traveltomtom is not a fan of this and later I will explain why.

Here are the Holafly eSIM plans for Albania in 2025:

  • 3 days 'unlimited' data = $20.90 USD
  • 5 days 'unlimited' data = $29.90 USD
  • 7 days 'unlimited' data = $36.90 USD
  • 10 days 'unlimited' data = $43.90 USD
  • 15 days 'unlimited' data = $59.90 USD
  • 20 days 'unlimited' data = $70.90 USD

The Holafly eSIMs for Albania are data-only and incoming and outgoing calls/sms are NOT supported. These eSIMs do also not come with a phone number. The Holafly eSIMs operate on the 4G/5G network of Vodafone.

Why 'unlimited'? Because there is a Fair Use Policy and Traveltomtom has had bad experiences with FUP's in the past. Suddenly your data speed is slowed down for 24 hours because you apparently used too much data.

Imagine being on a long bus ride and suddenly your eSIM tells you that you used too much data and you have to wait 24 hour until your data speed is restored.

If I hate something then it is slow data speed. Therefore Traveltomtom's is not a fan of eSIMs with 'unlimited' data. More info later in my paragraph about 'Albania eSIMs with unlimited data'.

Vodafone

There are only 2 mobile internet operators in Albania: One and Vodafone. As of 2025 they also provide eSIMs in their store in Albania.

  • 40 GB data + 1,000 minutes for 15 days = 2,300 Lek - $24 USD
  • 100 GB data + unlimited minutes for 21 days = 2,900 Lek - $31 USD

There is no EU data roaming included, but data is valid in all Western Balkan countries: Serbia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo and North Macedonia.

One

One is the other mobile internet provider in Albania.

  • 40 GB data + 1,000 minutes/sms for 15 days = 2,300 Lek - $24 USD
  • 100 GB data + unlimited minutes/sms for 21 days = 2,900 Lek - $31 USD

There is no EU data roaming included, but data is valid in all Estern Balkan countries: Serbia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo and North Macedonia.

For more info check out Traveltomtom's guide for buying a prepaid sim card for Albania in 2025.

What is the cheapest eSIM for Albania?

cheapest esim for albania

No eSIM operator can beat the Jetpac eSIM deal for Albania of just $1 USD. You get 1 GB data for 4 days.

Other cheap eSIMs for Albania are from Airalo, Nomad or SimOptions as they have an eSIM plan for $4.5 USD with 1 GB data for 7 days.

Why ordering an eSIM for traveling in Albania

eSIMs are the easiest way to stay connected when traveling to Albania in 2025 and you can arrange everything online in just a couple clicks. No more visiting a sim card shop and swapping physical sim cards. Order online, scan the QR code, follow the steps and you are connected in less than 2 minutes.

The most important reason to get an eSIM is because we would like to stay connected on our trip to Albania without wasting money on high roaming costs. Our smartphones are pretty useless without a working data connection. Think about ordering a taxi through an app, finding nearby friends, restaurants and bars. Get directions from Google Maps or simply staying in touch with family back home, check your social media apps on long bus rides or your banking apps when paying contactless.

One of the best things about arriving in Albania with an activated eSIM is that you are online as soon as the plane lands. More about when to instal your eSIM later.

There are so many reasons to stay connected when traveling to Albania, but the most important reason is that it makes your trip to Albania so much more convenient and fun!

At the same time we don't want to waste money on high roaming charges. Many mobile internet operators still charge $3 USD per MB for data roaming, that means just opening the Instagram app will already cost you 20 MB * $3 USD = $60 USD! Not kidding… it still is very common in 2025.

eSIMs are the easiest way to avoid high data roaming charges!

Since 2012 I am already traveling the world full time and throughout the years I turned my passion for traveling into a lifestyle and became a full time nomadic travel blogger. That is why I constantly get to a different country and pretty much every week I need to look for a new sim card to stay connected.

Helping other travelers to save money while traveling the world is one of the reasons I started this travel blog. Providing essential travel tips is what made me start writing sim card guides from every country I visited and now on Traveltomtom you can already find more than 200 sim card guides from all over the world.

Traveltomtom also wrote eSIM guides for: South Korea, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Romania, Morocco, Brazil, Mexico, Singapore, Vietnam, Asia, Europe, USA and many more.

So next time you are planning your adventure abroad come check out Traveltomtom for the latest prepaid sim card and eSIM advice for your holiday destination. Bookmark Traveltomtom and let me help you save money while traveling!

Overseas data roaming plans

So what about overseas data roaming plans? Well, not recommended! Why? Did you read the small letters at what data speed you can use data roaming? Pretty much all mobile internet operators limit the data speed for overseas data roaming plans, which means you end up with 3G data speed. Do you have the patience to handle 3G? It is frustrating when all around you in pretty much all of the amazing tourist destinations in Albania there is at least 4G/LTE available and even a 5G signal.

And price-wise it should be a no brainer since you have seen how affordable the eSIMs for Albania are. Why would you pay $5 to $10 USD per day on an overseas data roaming plan that limits your data speed.

Uncountable times travel friends have asked me: "Tom, can I use your hotspot? My data roaming plan is so slow, it is barely working!". Trust me, invest a couple dollars in an eSIM or an international prepaid sim card for traveling to Albania if you want a physical prepaid sim card.

Stay connected all the time instead of begging for WiFi or a hotspot from friends.

Where to buy an eSIM for Albania?

Online

You can buy an eSIM for Albania through an eSIM provider on the internet. Traveltomtom compared multiple eSIM providers and concluded that the ones mentioned in this guide are the most reliable eSIM providers in 2025.

When buying an eSIM for Albania through one of the eSIM providers you only need your email address and the eSIM is instantly ready to use after installation. There is no ID registration needed.

On arrival in Albania

There are 2 main mobile internet providers in Albania: Vodafone and One. Vodafone offers eSIMs for Albania, but One does not. When buying a prepaid sim card in a Vodafone store in Albania you can opt for a physical prepaid sim card as well as an eSIM.

Traveltomtom researched the best Albania prepaid sim cards for tourists in 2025 and also compared the 4G/5G mobile data networks of the mobile internet operators in Albania, more about it later.

When to order/activate an eSIM for Albania?

You can order an eSIM for Albania pretty much any time you want. Most eSIMs have to be installed on a phone within 1 or 2 months after purchasing, sometimes even within 1 year, so you have time.

More important therefore is when do you instal/activate the eSIM. The validity of some eSIMs start straight after the installation, other eSIMs only start their validity when they connect the first time to a supported network.

Traveltomtom advices to instal your eSIM on the day of departure to Albania or a day before. You will need a stable internet connection to instal your eSIM. The airport in Tirana does have WiFi, but it was barely working when I was visiting Albania, so it is not recommended to install your eSIM on arrival in Tirana.

Very important is to make sure you have a stable internet connection or you might run into issues with your eSIM. Therefore just to make sure Traveltomtom advices you to install/activate your eSIM in your home country.

My personal advice is to instal your tourist eSIM for Albania before you get into the plane, because then as soon as the plane lands in Albania you will be connected to the internet and you can enjoy data on your phone instantly.

How do I know all this info about eSIMs? Traveltomtom uses on average more than 30 eSIMs per year because of my nomadic lifestyle of constantly traveling the world, 365 days a year, since 2012.

How to activate an eSIM

Installing and activating an eSIM is made as simple as possible. Everyone can activate an eSIM and the instructions on how to are very detailed and will be send to you instantly by email after you ordered your eSIM.

But wait, forget about the instructions, it gets even easier. Just scan the QR code!

When you order an eSIM plan for Albania you instantly receive a summary of your order including a QR-code after the payment is processed.

You will see a summary of your eSIM order including a QR code on your screen and at the same time you will also receive an email with the same QR code. The email contains instructions on how to instal and activate your Albania eSIM. Regardless where you order your eSIM, all eSIM providers send you detailed instructions.

But installing an activating an eSIM is as easy as scanning the QR code with the same phone where you want to activate the eSIM on. The QR code contains all the information about your Albania eSIM.

Once you scan the QR code you will be guided through a couple simple steps and within less than 1 minute your eSIM is successfully installed.

Very important is that you are connected to the internet when installing your eSIM otherwise you will get an error and issues can occur.

Tip: if you order an eSIM with the same phone where you want to instal the eSIM on then ask a friend or someone nearby to take a photo of the QR code and then you scan the QR code from his/her phone and start the installation.

Things to know before ordering an eSIM for Albania

Here are some general tips and answers to FAQ for using eSIMs when traveling abroad. These tips do not only apply for Albania eSIMs, but are things you have to know before buying an eSIM in general.

Make sure your phone is unlocked

To make sure you didn't miss this, let me say this again: eSIMs only work in UNLOCKED phones. If your phone is unlocked then you can use any eSIM without any problems.

If your phone is locked then ask your mobile internet provider from your home country to unlock your phone before your trip to Albania. It is likely that your mobile internet provider will charge you a fee for unlocking your smartphone.

If you are unable to unlock your phone you can look into getting a portable WiFi for staying connected when traveling to Albania or better… bring a second unlocked phone on your trip to Albania and use it as a portable WiFi device.

Which smartphones support eSIMs?

Another very important thing you have to check before buying an eSIM is if your smartphone supports eSIMs. If you have any of the latest smartphones then there is no need to worry, all new smartphones of the well known brands support eSIMs.

The fastest way to find out if your phone is eSIM compatible is by asking Google the question: is my (your phone model) eSIM compatible? Simple as that!

If your phone is NOT eSIM compatible then there is no other solution and you can NOT use an eSIM for traveling to Albania.

However, you can still order a sim card for Albania on the internet before your trip. Find out everything you need to know about international sim cards for traveling abroad in 2025.

Can I trust these eSIM providers?

All the eSIM providers for Albania recommended above are reputable eSIM providers reviewed and tested by Traveltomtom. All of them are licensed third party companies and resellers that partner or work directly with the mobile internet providers in Albania.

Traveltomtom has used Airalo and SimOptions sim cards for more than 5 years and never really faced a major issue.

Check out the pros and cons of SimOptions in our review.

Jetpac is a fairly new eSIM provider, but Traveltomtom has tested and reviewed Jetpac now in more than 15 countries and is very happy with the performance and the extra perks like airport lounge access, etc.

Sim Local has more than 100 sim card shops and kiosks in international airports around the world and has been selling sim cards for tourists for more than 5 years. Read Traveltomtom's honest review about Sim Local eSIM provider.

The Traveltomtom Team has extensively tested and reviewed Nomad and they have proven to be a reliable eSIM provider. However, some mixed reviews have come back from the Traveltomtom Team about connectivity and activation.

Since Traveltomtom is not a fan of eSIMs with unlimited data and an FUP I hardly use Holafly, but when I did I was not happy. So now I let the Traveltomtom Team randomly test Holafly and just like myself, mixed reviews have come back. Some positive, some negative.

But there are many more eSIM providers. Traveltomtom has tested and wrote dedicated reviews for the following eSIM providers: GigSky, aloSIM, Ubigi, Airhub, Saily, Yesim, etc.

On top of that there is also Roamless, an eSIM provider with no data expiration. And Firsty, which offers free data in exchange for watching ads. Truly two game changers!

Traveltomtom does NOT sell Albania eSIMs, Traveltomtom only compares and recommends you to use eSIMs for traveling to Albania.

All eSIM providers have their own Helpdesk which you can contact may you encounter any problems or in case you want to claim a refund.

Can I keep my phone number from home with an Albania eSIM?

Yes, you can and this is for many people a reason to order an eSIM to stay connected when traveling to Albania. An eSIM can be used next to your physical or eSIM from your home country at the same time. You do not need a dual-sim phone for using an eSIM.

So you can have multiple eSIMs installed on your phone? Yes, no problem at all!

For example: you can turn off the mobile data from your sim card from home but still use it for texting and calling. Your new Albania eSIM you can be used at the same time just for data to ensure you are not wasting money on high roaming costs.

This is also the trick to keep receiving sms for example for OTP (one time password) sms to login to applications.

Switching between physical and eSIMs is a matter of turning them on/off in the settings. Just always make sure your sim card from home is switched off for data roaming.

Can I make phone calls with an Albania eSIM?

No, unfortunately all the tourist eSIMs for Albania available on the internet are data-only and do NOT include calling and texting.

If you buy a local prepaid sim card for tourists on arrival in Albania you can get a sim card with calling and texting included.

But pretty much all hotels, restaurants, guides and tour companies in Albania have WhatsApp services, so you can easily give them a call through WhatsApp. There is no direct need for local calling minutes.

Does an Albania eSIM come with a phone number?

No, all the Albania eSIMs are data-only and do not come with a phone number. Which means you can not receive any phone calls or sms.

If you buy a Vodafone or One sim card in a phone store in Albania you get an eSIM that comes with a phone number from Albania starting with +355.

Can I use 5G on an Albania eSIM?

Don't worry about 5G when traveling to Albania. As of January 2025 there is barely any 5G available in Albania. This means all the eSIMs for Albania only support 4G/LTE.

Are there eSIMs for Albania with unlimited data?

Yes, the Holafly eSIMs for Albania include unlimited data.

Holafly is an eSIM provider that sells eSIMs with unlimited data, but it is not really unlimited as there is a so called Fair Use Policy (FUP). Holafly does not specify what is the FUP for its Albania eSIMs.

If you order an eSIM with unlimited data then always make sure the unlimited data is on max data speed. Mostly the data speed is capped after you used X amount of Gigabytes. this is what is called the Fair Use Policy.

Traveltomtom does not directly recommend Albania eSIMs with unlimited data plans, because of the restrictions and data speed reduction.

Imagine being on a long bus or train ride and after a while you get a message from your eSIM provider saying your data speed is slowed down because you used too much data and will only be restored 24 hours later.

Traveltomtom personally once experienced a reduce in data speed after using more than 2 GB per day. When I contacted support they explained me that I had to wait for 24 hours until my data speed was restored to normal.

Those 24 hours were a nightmare as my data speed was barely enough to use WhatsApp. Social media apps were not loading!

Again, Traveltomtom does NOT recommend eSIMs for Albania with unlimited data. But if you think you will never use more than 2 GB per day, then this might be your favorite eSIM.

However, you should ask yourself: what is the point of an eSIM with unlimited data if you can only use 2 GB per day!?

An eSIM for Albania with 10 GB data is for most travelers more than enough for their trip to Albania and there is no need for unlimited data anyway as the WiFi in hotels, bars and restaurants are pretty on point.

SimOptions sells 10 GB data eSIMs for $19.90 USD, Airalo for $26 USD and Jetpac for $25 USD.

Are eSIMs the best way to stay connected when traveling to Albania?

eSIMs are the easiest and fastest way to get data on your phone when traveling to Albania, but what is the best way?

There are 3 ways to stay connected when traveling to Albania:

  • Local prepaid sim cards
  • International prepaid sim cards
  • eSIMs

Let's compare eSIMs, local prepaid sim cards and international prepaid sim cards, for you to find out what is your preferred way of staying connected.

Local prepaid sim cards

In general if you use a lot of data local prepaid sim cards are a cheaper way to stay connected, depending on the length of your trip.

The local prepaid sim cards from Vodafone and One, which you can buy in phone stores in Albania have better rates per Gigabyte than the sim cards you can order online.

When buying a local prepaid sim card in Albania you can choose to get a physical prepaid sim card or an eSIM for tourists. But only Vodafone provides eSIMs for tourists. One only has physical prepaid sim cards available.

Downside is that you can only get these local prepaid sim cards on arrival in Albania in a phone store or at a sim card shop at the airport. Traveltomtom also wrote specific guides for buying a sim card at Tirana Airport.

International prepaid sim cards

If your smartphone is not eSIM compatible you can order an international prepaid sim card for traveling to Albania. These are physical prepaid sim cards you order on the internet and will be delivered to your home address.

Some of these are great for visiting Albania and are valid in up to 124 countries around the world and you can easily order them online.

If after visiting Albania you are traveling onwards in America, Africa, Asia or in Europe then check Traveltomtom's list of the best sim cards for traveling internationally in 2025.

As I mentioned before SimOptions is the only sim card provider that also sells physical prepaid sim cards for traveling internationally.

international prepaid sim card for albania

A pre-activated physical sim card will be delivered to your door step before your trip to Albania. You put this physical sim card in your phone and as soon as the plane touches the ground in Albania and the sim card connects to a supported network you are online. Plug and play!

If you look at the international prepaid sim card above you see that the physical sim card version of the Orange Holiday World is also a good option for traveling to Albania.

A physical prepaid sim card with 10 GB data only costs $49.90 USD, which is $4.99 USD per Gigabyte.

Click here to order a physical prepaid sim card for Albania via SimOptions.

eSIMs

As explained throughout the article there are two different eSIMs for traveling in Albania:

  • eSIMs that you buy on the internet through a third party
  • eSIMs that you buy in Albania in a mobile internet provider store

As of 2025 the mobile internet providers in Albania also sell eSIMs for tourists. In official phone stores of One and Vodafone when buying a local prepaid sim for tourists you can choose to get a physical prepaid sim card or an eSIM.

eSIMs vs. local prepaid sim cards

Getting an eSIM on the internet is the easiest way to stay connected when traveling to Albania, no doubt! You arrange everything online within just a couple clicks. Right here, right now and you are all set for your trip to Albania.

You arrive prepared and there is no need to visit a sim card shop on arrival in Albania. As soon as the plane lands, you are online!

But what is cheaper? An eSIM or a local prepaid sim card for tourists?

When we compare the prices for Albania eSIMs with the prices for local prepaid sim cards in Albania Traveltomtom comes to the conclusion that local prepaid sim cards cost the same but give you more Gigabyte.

If you buy a prepaid sim card on arrival in Albania from Vodafone you get a sim card for around $25 USD with a total of 40 GB data and 1,000 minutes.

Local prepaid sim cards can only be bought in Albania on arrival in a phone store or at the airport.

The best value eSIM for Albania you order on the internet is an eSIM from SimOptions with 10 GB data for just $12.90 USD.

However, if you just need 1 GB data for your trip to Albania, then ordering an eSIM on the internet is cheaper as you can order an Airalo eSIM for $5 USD only.

As you can see on local prepaid sim cards you get more Gigabytes for the same price as on Albania eSIMs.

But buying a local prepaid sim card in Albania takes time and can be a hassle. After a long flight you just want to get to your hotel and it is often a big task to find a sim card shop where you can buy a local prepaid sim card. With an eSIM that you order on the internet you are connected as soon as the plane lands.

An eSIM for Albania can be bought in just 2 minutes on the internet at any time of day without any form of identification and as soon as the plane touches the ground you enjoy a data connection on your phone.

Simply because of this convenience Traveltomtom recommends ordering an eSIMs for Albania.

There are many reasons why a lot of travelers simply get an eSIM for visiting Albania: faster, easier, less stress and even cheaper depending on how much data you need.

Data speed

Another difference between a local prepaid sim card and an eSIM is that eSIMs are in general through a third party, a so called MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator). These MVNO's operate on the network of one of the main mobile internet operators and basically buy bandwidth.

This may sound a little bit too technical, but what it means is that eSIMs through an MVNO are the last ones in line when the line is busy. Especially during peak times, the performance of an eSIMs could be less compared to a local prepaid sim card from a mobile internet operator you bought in Albania.

Bottomline: the data speed of eSIMs can be less compared to a local prepaid Albania sim card.

In reality you won't really notice the difference much because yes it may occur that your data speed is a little slower for a couple minutes, but it is still fast enough to roam the internet without any problems.

Best 4G/5G network in Albania

Traveltomtom researched the 4G/5G network of all the mobile internet providers in Albania and compared the mobile internet coverage maps of Vodafone and One.

vodafone 4g 5g network coverage map albania 2025

Although the above mobile data network coverage map is updated for 2025 it is not 100% accurate. However, is it a great reference to compare the 4G/5G networks of the mobile internet providers in Albania in 2025.

Traveltomtom came to the conclusion that Vodafone has the best 4G/5G mobile data network in Albania in 2025. For more information check out Traveltomtom's article about the best prepaid sim card for Albania in 2025, including a comparison of the network coverage maps of One and Vodafone.

The Nomad, Holafly and Jetpac eSIMs for Albania operate on the 4G/LTE network of Vodafone. The Airalo eSIMs for Albania operate on the 4G/LTE of the network of One. Unfortunately Yesim and SimOptions do not specify on which network they operate in Albania.

I am sure some of the above tips for finding the best eSIM for your trip to Albania were helpful. I hope that after reading through my eSIM comparison and all my tips and tricks it was easier to make a decision and order your preferred eSIM for Albania.

If you have any questions about eSIMs then please leave me a comment below and I am more than happy to help you out.

Curious what the life of a full time nomadic traveler looks like? Go check out my 680K Instagram account or 1.4 Million TikTok account both called @traveltomtom. Follow along with daily updates from around the world about the good, the bad and the ugly about traveling.

Traveltomtom is on the road to 197, meaning I would like to travel to every country in the world. As of January 2025 I have visited more than 155 countries, still about 40 to go, but no rush.

Enjoy your trip to Albania!