Most eSIMs sold as โEuropeโ stop at the EU border. Of the 50 plans in our catalogue with Europe or EU in the name, 30 cover none of Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia or Kosovo, including Europe 10 GB at $7.54, the cheapest 10 GB Europe plan. For a Schengen trip that adds Serbia, Montenegro or Albania, Europe and USA 12 GB at $11.00 covers the whole route. Bosnia or North Macedonia needs Balkans Special, from $12.80 for 10 GB. For Kosovo, the cheapest option is a second, Kosovo-only eSIM from $5.50.
The six are outside the EU, so a plan built around EU roaming does not have to include them, and many do not. A trip from Dubrovnik to Kotor, or from Zagreb to Sarajevo, crosses that line in a couple of hours. We checked the country list of every Europe-covering plan we sell against the 29 Schengen countries and the six Balkan countries outside the EU, using our catalogue on 6 October 2026.
- 63 plans cover all 29 Schengen countries. Of those, 48 also cover Serbia, 45 Montenegro, 45 Albania, 35 North Macedonia, 30 Bosnia and Herzegovina, and 9 Kosovo.
- Balkans Special is the cheapest plan routed through Europe that covers Schengen, the UK and the five Balkan countries other than Kosovo. Only Half Global, which exits in Hong Kong, costs less.
- Only Ubigi Best World covers all 29 Schengen countries and all six Balkan countries on one eSIM, at $35.84 for 10 GB.
- Two or more Balkan countries: Balkans Special costs less than two single-country plans, except for Montenegro and Albania together, which have their own plan at $9.50.
Schengen and Balkans coverage, plan by plan
The Schengen area has 29 countries: every EU country except Ireland and Cyprus, plus Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. Croatia joined in 2023, and Bulgaria and Romania became full members in January 2025. These EU members are covered by every Europe plan we sell. The gaps are the six countries in the right-hand columns.
| Plan | About 10 GB, 30 days | Schengen (of 29) | UK | Serbia | Bosnia | Montenegro | Albania | N. Macedonia | Kosovo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Europe (eSIMGo) | $7.54 | 29 | โ | โ | โ | โ | โ | โ | โ |
| EUconnect (Airalo) | $9.00 | 25, no Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein | โ | โ | โ | โ | โ | โ | โ |
| Europe (NextLink), 12 GB | $9.80 | 28, no Switzerland | โ | โ | โ | โ | โ | โ | โ |
| Europe Special (Sparks) | $9.90 | 29 | โ | โ | โ | โ | โ | โ | โ |
| Europe and USA (Sparks), 12 GB | $11.00 | 29 | โ | โ | โ | โ | โ | โ | โ |
| Half Global (Three), 12 GB | $11.40 | 29 | โ | โ | โ | โ | โ | โ | โ |
| Balkans Special (Sparks) | $12.80 | 29 | โ | โ | โ | โ | โ | โ | โ |
| Europe Asia and USA (Sparks) | $19.04 | 29 | โ | โ | โ | โ | โ | โ | โ |
| Discover Global (Airalo) | $32.26 | 29 | โ | โ | โ | โ | โ | โ | โ |
| Best World (Ubigi) | $35.84 | 29 | โ | โ | โ | โ | โ | โ | โ |
Two more kinds of Europe plan are worth knowing. The Europe plans with a French number, 50 GB and 100 GB, cover all 29 Schengen countries and the UK but none of the six. Europe Premium Unlimited covers Serbia but no other Balkan country, and not the UK. Sparks Global Special and Three Global also cover the five non-Kosovo countries, at higher prices.
Half Global is cheaper than Balkans Special, but its data exits in Hong Kong, where ChatGPT and Claude are not available. It also starts counting its days when you install it. The Sparks plans exit in the UK.
Which plan for which route
| Your route | Cheapest plan that covers it, about 10 GB, excluding Hong Kong-routed plans | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Schengen only, with or without the UK | Europe 10 GB, 30 days | $7.54 |
| Schengen + Serbia, Montenegro or Albania | Europe and USA 12 GB, 30 days | $11.00 |
| Schengen + Bosnia or North Macedonia | Balkans Special 10 GB, 30 days | $12.80 |
| Schengen + Kosovo, two eSIMs | Balkans Special 10 GB + Kosovo 1 GB, 7 days | $18.30 |
| Schengen + all six, one eSIM | Ubigi Best World 10 GB, 30 days | $35.84 |
Three common routes, priced at about 500 MB a day:
- Croatian coast with a day in Kotor, about a week: Croatia and Montenegro are both on Europe and USA 5 GB for $6.60, or 12 GB for $11.00 for two weeks. The $7.54 Europe plan does not cover Kotor.
- Ljubljana, Zagreb, Sarajevo, Mostar, Kotor and Tirana, two weeks: Balkans Special 10 GB covers all six stops for $12.80 on one eSIM. Splitting it up means three eSIMs and saves nothing: Europe Special 5 GB ($6.00), Bosnia 1 GB ($3.20) and Montenegro and Albania 3 GB ($4.50) come to $13.70 for 9 GB.
- Belgrade, Pristina and Skopje: Balkans Special covers Serbia and North Macedonia. Add a Kosovo eSIM for Pristina and Prizren: 1 GB for 7 days at $5.50 or 3 GB for 30 days at $11.40.
Staying longer than a month? Our long-term Europe eSIM guide prices six-week to three-month trips, including a split between Western European and Balkans plans.
Single-country plans for the six
| Country | 1 GB, 7 days | 10 GB, 30 days | 20 GB, 30 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serbia | $3.00 | $11.00 | $19.71 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | $3.20 | $11.40 | $19.71 |
| Montenegro | $3.00 | $9.50 | $15.50 |
| Albania | $3.00 | $9.50 | $15.50 |
| Montenegro and Albania together | $3.00 | $9.50 | $15.50 |
| North Macedonia | $3.20 | $11.40 | $19.71 |
| Kosovo | $5.50 | $29.57 | Not sold; 5 GB is $18.00 |
For one country, a single-country plan is the cheapest choice. For two, Balkans Special at $12.80 for 10 GB costs less than any pair of Serbia, Bosnia and North Macedonia plans, which run $22.40 to $22.80. Montenegro and Albania are the exception: their joint plan costs $9.50, the same as either country alone.
All of these plans can be topped up. On the single-country and Montenegro-and-Albania plans, a top-up is another plan for the same coverage added to the same eSIM from your My eSIMs page: no new QR code, and it starts automatically when the current plan runs out. Balkans Special and the Kosovo plans can be topped up as well.
Which networks you will be on
| Country | Balkans Special | Ubigi Best World |
|---|---|---|
| Serbia | Yettel | Yettel |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | BH Mobile | BH Mobile, HT-ERONET |
| Montenegro | m:tel, T-Mobile | m:tel, One |
| Albania | Vodafone, Telekom.al | One Albania |
| North Macedonia | A1 (VIP), Makedonski Telekom | A1 (VIP) |
Network names are as each plan lists them; Telekom Albania now trades as One Albania. The Kosovo-only plans use IPKO and Vala, and Airalo Discover Global uses IPKO. In Bosnia, Balkans Special lists only one network, BH Mobile, while Ubigi lists two.
How to check a plan before you buy
- Write down every country on the route, including day trips: Mostar from Dubrovnik is in Bosnia, Kotor is in Montenegro.
- Open the planโs country list and search for each one. โEuropeโ on the label tells you nothing about the six countries above.
- Check Bosnia and Kosovo first. They are the two that drop off plans that otherwise cover the Balkans.
- Compare one eSIM with two. A cheap Europe plan plus a single-country plan for the Balkan leg can beat a wider plan, and the reverse is true once you visit two or more Balkan countries.
Our Switzerland and UK coverage check does the same exercise for the two Western European countries that most often fall off Europe plans.
Frequently asked questions
Does a Europe eSIM work in the Balkans?
In Croatia, Slovenia, Greece and Bulgaria, yes: every Europe plan we sell covers them. In Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia and Kosovo, often not. On 6 October 2026, 30 of the 50 Europe plans in our catalogue covered none of those six, including Europe 10 GB at $7.54, the cheapest 10 GB Europe plan.
Which eSIM covers both the Schengen area and the Balkans?
Balkans Special covers all 29 Schengen countries, the UK, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania and North Macedonia: 40 countries, from $12.80 for 10 GB for 30 days. It does not cover Kosovo. Ubigi Best World covers all of them including Kosovo, at $35.84 for 10 GB.
Is there an eSIM that covers Kosovo?
Yes. Kosovo-only plans start at $5.50 for 1 GB for 7 days, or $11.40 for 3 GB for 30 days, on IPKO and Vala. Among multi-country plans, only Ubigi Best World and Airalo Discover Global list Kosovo, and Discover Global leaves out Bosnia and Herzegovina.
What is the cheapest eSIM for Montenegro and Albania?
The joint Montenegro and Albania plan: $9.50 for 10 GB or $15.50 for 20 GB for 30 days, the same price as either country alone. If the trip also includes Schengen countries, Europe and USA 12 GB at $11.00 covers Montenegro, Albania, Serbia and all 29 Schengen countries.
Does a Europe eSIM cover Croatia?
Yes. Croatia is in the EU and joined the Schengen area in 2023, and every Europe plan we sell covers it. Day trips from Croatia are where coverage breaks: Kotor in Montenegro is covered by Europe and USA plans, and Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina needs Balkans Special or a Bosnia plan.
Is Balkans Special worth it for a single Balkan country?
Not for one country alone: a 10 GB single-country plan costs $9.50 to $11.40 against $12.80 for Balkans Special. It is worth it when the trip covers two or more of the six, or mixes them with Schengen countries, because it covers the whole route on one eSIM.
For a Schengen trip that crosses into the Balkans, read the planโs country list before you look at the price. The cheapest Europe plan covers 34 countries, none of which is Serbia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia or Kosovo.
Last reviewed 6 October 2026. Coverage lists, networks, prices and validity come from our own catalogue and product pages on that date and change often; product pages are authoritative. Schengen membership as of that date. Airalo, eSIMGo, Sparks, NextLink, Ubigi, Three and Orange are trademarks of their owners, as are the network names listed; this article is independent of them.