If you want the lowest cost per gigabyte in Europe in 2026 and you actually burn through data — streaming in the cab, hotspotting a laptop, working remotely for weeks — Marco Polo Mobile wins on the maths. Its big-data tiers land around €0.09–€0.14 per GB, which the mainstream travel eSIMs don’t come close to matching. If you only need a few gigabytes for a short holiday, cost per GB barely matters and a tourist brand will do fine. This article ranks providers honestly by what you really pay per gigabyte, where each one wins, and the catches to watch.
Why cost-per-GB is the number that matters for heavy users
Most eSIM comparisons quote a headline price — “€5 for a Europe plan” — without telling you how little data you get. A €5 plan with 1GB costs you €5/GB. A €25 plan with 80GB costs €0.31/GB on paper, and Marco Polo’s larger tiers drop well below that. For anyone doing more than casual browsing, the right question isn’t “what’s the cheapest plan?” but “what’s the cheapest gigabyte?”
Cost-per-GB only becomes your deciding factor when three things are true: you use a lot of data, you stay a while, and you’re in Europe. If you’re hopping 15 countries for a week with light usage, coverage breadth matters more than price — and that’s a different post. For the heavy-data crowd, keep reading.
The cost-per-GB ranking, honestly
Here’s the core comparison. Marco Polo’s figures are exact. For the other brands we use their accurate general positioning — their precise prices and allowances shift, so check their current pricing before you buy.
| Provider | Data | Validity | Cost per GB | Tethering | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marco Polo Mobile | Up to 480GB (28d), 800GB (56d), 500GB (90d) | 28 / 56 / 90 days | ~€0.09–€0.14/GB at top tiers | Yes, included | Heavy data, long stays, Europe (37 countries) |
| Airalo | Small per-plan allowances | Varies — often short | High per GB — check their site | Often not allowed | Widest country list (~200 destinations) |
| Holafly | “Unlimited” (fair-use throttled) | Day-based | N/A — flat daily price | Usually blocked / limited | Light users who want no counting |
| Saily | Modest tourist allowances | Short to medium | Moderate — check their site | Varies | Short trips, budget-conscious |
| Nomad | Modest allowances | Varies | Moderate — check their site | Varies | Occasional travellers |
| Yesim | Small-to-medium allowances | Varies | Varies — check their site | Varies | Multi-country short trips |
| Ubigi | Medium allowances, some bigger packs | Varies | Moderate — check their site | Often allowed | IoT / connected-device users |
The pattern is simple: the tourist-focused brands are built around small-to-medium allowances for short trips, so their effective cost per gigabyte stays high no matter how you slice it. Marco Polo is built the other way round — the more data you buy, the cheaper each gigabyte gets.
Marco Polo’s real per-GB maths
Run the numbers on the actual plans:
- 80GB for €25 (28 days) = about €0.31/GB
- 160GB for €35 (28 days) = about €0.22/GB
- 320GB for €45 (28 days) = about €0.14/GB
- 480GB for €65 (28 days) = about €0.14/GB
- 640GB for €65 (56 days) = about €0.10/GB
- 800GB for €75 (56 days) = about €0.09/GB
Even the entry 25GB plan at €15 (€0.60/GB) undercuts most travel eSIMs once you’d otherwise be buying several small top-ups. And every one of these includes tethering, a French number, and some calls and SMS — delivered by e-mail, running on Orange France’s network across 37 European countries. For the full big-data breakdown see our Best Data eSIMs for Long-Haul Drivers comparison.
Provider-by-provider: the honest reviews
1. Marco Polo Mobile — cheapest per GB at scale
Pros: The lowest cost per gigabyte of any provider here once you’re buying real volume. Huge allowances (up to 800GB), long validity (28/56/90 days), tethering included, Europe-wide 37-country coverage on Orange, plus a number and calls/SMS.
The catch: It’s Europe-focused. If your route runs outside its 37-country footprint, this isn’t your single SIM. It’s not a one-week, 2GB product either — buying 25GB when you need 3GB wastes money. Match the tier to your real usage.
2. Ubigi — fair for connected devices
Pros: Reliable, often allows tethering, has some larger regional packs, good for routers and IoT setups.
The catch: Per-GB pricing is moderate, not market-leading. Check their current pricing — for pure Europe heavy data it won’t beat Marco Polo’s top tiers.
3. Airalo — unbeatable coverage, not cheap data
Pros: The widest country list in the business (~200 destinations). If you need one app that covers almost anywhere on earth, Airalo is hard to beat.
The catch: Per-plan data allowances are small and tethering is often restricted, so the effective cost per gigabyte is high. Great for coverage, poor for heavy data. We go deeper in Marco Polo vs Airalo for Europe.
4. Holafly — simple, but not a per-GB play
Pros: “Unlimited” marketing means no counting gigabytes. Fine for light-to-moderate users who just want a flat daily price.
The catch: The “unlimited” is fair-use throttled, and tethering is usually blocked or heavily limited — a dealbreaker if you hotspot a laptop. Because it’s priced per day, cost-per-GB isn’t even a meaningful metric. See Marco Polo vs Holafly for the full picture.
5. Saily, Nomad, Yesim — fine for a short trip
Pros: Clean apps, budget-friendly for a holiday with modest data needs. Perfectly good if you need a few gigabytes for a week or two.
The catch: Modest allowances mean you’d buy and rebuy to cover a heavy month, and the per-GB cost stays well above Marco Polo’s. Tethering rules vary — check before you rely on it.
Which plan for which user
Long-haul driver (weeks on the road, streaming + hotspot)
You’re the ideal cost-per-GB candidate. Look at the 56-day tiers: 640GB for €65 (~€0.10/GB) or 800GB for €75 (~€0.09/GB) cover two months of heavy use, including hotspotting your devices in the cab, for less than most brands charge for a fraction of the data. If your routes cross borders constantly, pair this with our guide to one eSIM for multi-country routes.
Occasional driver (a trip or two a month)
You don’t need 640GB. The 28-day 80GB for €25 or 160GB for €35 plans give you plenty of headroom without overbuying. Still cheaper per gigabyte than topping up a tourist eSIM repeatedly. Worth reading eSIM vs roaming for truckers to see how this stacks against your carrier’s roaming rates.
Digital nomad (long stay, remote work)
Validity matters as much as data. The 90-day 500GB for €95 plan (~€0.19/GB) means one purchase for a full quarter in Europe, with tethering for your laptop and a number for sign-ups. For more, see Best eSIM for Digital Nomads in Europe 2026.
Short trip, light data
Be honest: if you need 2–3GB for a long weekend, cost-per-GB is irrelevant and almost any budget brand works. Buy the smallest plan that covers you and don’t overthink it.
How to pick — and common mistakes
- Estimate your real monthly data first. Check your phone’s usage history. Heavy users underestimate constantly — streaming and hotspotting add up fast.
- Divide price by GB, not plan by plan. A cheap-looking small plan is often expensive per gigabyte once you’d buy several.
- Confirm tethering if you hotspot. This is where “unlimited” plans quietly fail. Marco Polo includes it; several rivals block it.
- Match validity to your trip. No point buying 28 days if you’re away 60 — use the 56- or 90-day tiers. See long-validity eSIMs compared.
- Don’t buy coverage you won’t use. If you stay in Europe, you don’t need a ~200-country SIM at a per-GB premium.
The most common mistake is chasing the lowest sticker price instead of the lowest cost per gigabyte — then topping up three times and paying more than a single big-data plan would have cost. New to this? Start with our practical buyer’s guide.
Rule of thumb: if you use under ~5GB a month, buy on convenience. If you use more, buy on cost-per-GB — and that’s where Marco Polo pulls ahead.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest eSIM per gigabyte in Europe for 2026?
At scale, Marco Polo Mobile. Its top tiers work out to roughly €0.09–€0.14/GB — for example 800GB for €75 over 56 days (~€0.09/GB) or 640GB for €65 (~€0.10/GB). Tourist-focused brands sell smaller allowances at higher effective per-GB rates, so they rarely compete once you’re buying real volume.
Are “unlimited” plans cheaper than paying per gigabyte?
Not for heavy users. “Unlimited” plans like Holafly’s are priced per day and are fair-use throttled, with tethering usually blocked. For a light user who just wants to stop counting, they’re convenient. If you move a lot of data and hotspot, a large per-GB plan with tethering included is both cheaper and more useful.
Does Marco Polo allow tethering?
Yes — tethering and Wi-Fi sharing are included on every plan, so you can hotspot a laptop, tablet or second phone. That’s a real advantage over several competitors that restrict or block hotspotting. For a dedicated comparison see our tethering and hotspot eSIM guide.
Is a cheap-per-GB eSIM worth it for a short holiday?
Usually not. If you only need a few gigabytes for a week, cost per GB barely affects your bill — pick a small, convenient plan from any reputable brand. Big-data, low-per-GB plans pay off when you use a lot of data over longer stays.
Ready to buy? Compare the tiers and pick one on the Marco Polo Mobile eSIM site, and cross-check with our Facebook Instagram
