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Yes, you need an eSIM for Croatia — even though it seems like everywhere has wifi! From cafes in Split to apartments in the hills of Dubrovnik, it seems like the wifi card is just about everywhere.
But that only gets you so far. You will likely also need data in Croatia when road-tripping along the coast (did I mention that Croatia is one of the best countries in Europe for a road trip?), exploring natural wonders like canyons and lakes, and in city squares when the public wifi happens to be on the fritz.
And believe me — when it comes to Croatia travel, I know what I’m talking about!
I visit Croatia often; have covered all the nation’s corners, from Istria to Slavonia to Dalmatia; and I even threw my 40th birthday party in Croatia, inviting friends from around the world to celebrate on my beloved island of Korčula.
In 2022, I was awarded the Golden Pen Grand Prix, Croatia’s top travel writing award for foreigners, and I received one of my favorite compliments ever — “You understand Croatia like Croatians do.”
And I would never dream of visiting Croatia without an eSIM in my phone. Having internet on my phone makes my Croatia trips easy and so much better. Here’s exactly which one to get, and why.
This post is published in partnership with Holafly. All opinions and stories are most definitely my own!
Table of Contents
Best eSIM for Croatia
- Best eSIM for Croatia Overall: Holafly
- Best Budget eSIM for Croatia: Airalo
- Best eSIM App Experience in Croatia: Saily
- Best eSIM for Calls and Texts in Croatia: SimLocal
- Best eSIM for Short, Simple Trips to Croatia: Breeze
Do you really need an eSIM for Croatia?
If you live in a country outside the EU, you almost certainly need an eSIM for Croatia. (If you live in the UK, double-check that, as some UK phone plans still cover EU roaming — but if you’re from the US, Canada, Australia, etc., you will most likely need one.)
And even relying on wifi alone isn’t enough in Croatia. Here are some things to keep in mind when traveling in Croatia:
Stone walls can block signal. And Croatia has a LOT of stone walls and buildings, from Dubrovnik’s walled Old Town to Diocletian’s Palace in Split to the tangled lanes of Korčula and Hvar Town. These centuries-old limestone buildings were designed to be thick enough to hold off an attack from seafaring marauders. They’re also very good at blocking signal indoors.
Ferries and catamarans are dead-zone roulette. If you’re taking a ferry a short distance, like the 50-minute car ferry from Split to Brač, you’ll usually be fine.
But on longer crossings to further-out islands like Vis, you’ll hit stretches of open water where your signal disappears. Know that if you’re planning to message your apartment host as you pull into the harbor.
National parks are in canyons and forests. Plitvice Lakes National Park is so beautiful because it’s a series of lakes and waterfalls tucked deep in a forested gorge, and that terrain isn’t kind to mobile signal. Same with the rocky national park of Paklenica and parts of Krka.
The drive inland is empty. Driving from Zagreb to the coast through Lika, or crossing the Velebit mountains, you’ll go long stretches with nothing but forest, rock, and the occasional roadside peka (lamb cooked under the bell). Offline maps are your friend here, but a solid eSIM can make a big difference.
Apartment wifi is a gamble. Accommodation in Croatia, like many Balkan countries, is primarily private rented apartments (sobe and apartmani), and wifi quality can vary wildly from host to host. (Don’t ask me about the time in Montenegro when “in-apartment wifi” meant “lean out the window and get on the signal from the restaurant across the street.”)
None of this means eSIMs don’t work in Croatia — they do, and well, in the places tourists actually spend most of their time. It just means the eSIM you pick, and how you use it, matters more here than in a place with uniformly excellent coverage.
Which Croatian Networks Do eSIMs Use?
Croatia is simpler than most countries: there are only three mobile networks. Most eSIM providers connect to one or more of these rather than running their own local network, so which carrier(s) your eSIM uses affects your real-world coverage.
Hrvatski Telekom (HT) is the biggest, owned by Deutsche Telekom, and generally has the widest coverage, including on islands and in rural areas. If you’re heading somewhere remote, you want an eSIM that can use HT.
A1 Croatia is the second-largest network, with coverage that’s close to HT’s in most of the places tourists go.
Telemach is the smallest of the three. It’s solid in cities and along the coast but thinner in remote spots.
Holafly connects across Croatia’s major carrier infrastructure, which is part of why it’s my top pick for the country specifically — you’re not locked to a single network’s blind spots.
Why can’t I just use my home phone plan in Croatia?
Please, please, please don’t do this. It’s almost always an expensive mistake.
International roaming — especially on US plans — is often absurdly expensive, and Croatia is no exception. I’ve had friends come home from a week in Europe to a $200+ phone bill because they didn’t think a few social media uploads would cost THAT much.
An eSIM for Croatia typically runs a small fraction of that cost of international roaming, and you can install it from your couch before you ever board the flight.
What Matters When Choosing an eSIM for Croatia
Are you visiting any countries besides Croatia? This is the big one.
Croatia only? Get a Croatia eSIM.
Croatia plus Slovenia or Italy, or maybe somewhere else in the EU, like France or Greece? A Europe eSIM makes sense.
But are you planning to visit Bosnia or Montenegro, too? Most Europe eSIMs do not include these non-EU countries. You may need a different eSIM covering these countries.
(Traveling in several Balkan countries besides Croatia and Slovenia? Holafly has a Balkans eSIM that covers Bosnia, Montenegro, Serbia, North Macedonia, and Albania.)
Now, do you actually need an eSIM if all you’re doing is day-tripping to Mostar or Kotor? Personally, if it’s just one day, I think I’d go without and lean on wifi. But both Mostar and Kotor are much better if you stay overnight, and if you stay for multiple days, definitely get an eSIM.
Are you sailing? Croatia is home to some of the clearest turquoise waters you’ve ever seen, and I highly recommend some time on a boat, whether it’s a day trip to the Blue Cave, a chartered sailboat, or even the Yacht Week.
On a boat, your phone is often your only internet connection, and if you’ve got signal when nobody else does, trust me, EVERYONE will want to hotspot off you. Unlimited data is worth its weight in gold here.
Will you be taking a lot of photos and videos with your phone? I mean, I almost feel dumb asking that, because Croatia is one of the most beautiful countries in Europe, if not the world. You WILL take a ton of photos and videos.
But keep in mind that if your photos automatically sync to the cloud, that will eat up your data SO fast. Once again, it’s wise to get unlimited data for this reason alone.
Will you need to make calls? Most Croatian apartment hosts and tour guides use WhatsApp for communication, so you probably won’t need a local number. But if you’re booking a boat captain in a small harbor or calling a konoba for a table, a plan with voice can come in handy.
Best eSIM for Croatia Overall: Holafly
Holafly is the eSIM I use on every international trip, and it’s what I recommend for Croatia.
Holafly offers unlimited data with no throttling, and connects across Croatia’s major carrier network rather than relying on just one — which matters a lot, given how much coverage varies between Dubrovnik’s old town, the remote island of Vis, and Zagreb’s city center.
The big reason for Holafly is because it offers unlimited data. On a Croatia trip, especially one involving the gorgeous coastline, I don’t want to be rationing gigabytes. I want my photos to back up without it costing me a fortune.
Every Holafly eSIM also includes Always On, a 1GB-per-month backup data allowance. That’s a real safety net if your main plan runs out while you’re stuck at an airport, trying to figure out how to navigate flight delays.
Holafly offers a Croatia-specific eSIM as well as a Europe eSIM, which is handy if you’re combining Croatia with Slovenia, Italy, or anywhere else in the EU.
(Keep in mind that the Europe eSIM does not cover Bosnia or Montenegro, but their Balkans eSIM covers Bosnia, Montenegro, Serbia, North Macedonia, and Albania.)
You can get 5% off your Holafly eSIM with the code HOLAKATE. This code also gives you 10% off subscription plans.
Best Budget eSIM for Croatia: Airalo
If you mainly need maps, WhatsApp, and email in Croatia, without dealing with many photo or video uploads, Airalo is hard to beat on price.
Airalo’s Croatia eSIM connects across multiple Croatian networks and you can find the cheapest plans for prices as low as just a few dollars.
The tradeoff: I would double-check that your photos don’t automatically upload to the cloud, because if they do that, you will need to top up constantly throughout your trip and the low price goes out the window.
Best eSIM App Experience for Croatia: Saily
Saily — the eSIM from NordVPN — bundles in an ad blocker, web protection, and a virtual location tool.
Coverage across Croatia is solid, and entry pricing is competitive, with short plans for just a few dollars.
Just know that even Saily’s “unlimited” plans give you a set amount of high-speed data per day before slowing down, which is worth checking against how heavily you’ll be using data on your journeys.
Best eSIM for Calls and Texts in Croatia: SimLocal
SimLocal is worth a look specifically for people who need to make phone calls.
You may need to call guesthouses, restaurants, or apartment rental hosts who don’t always respond on WhatsApp, especially outside the major cities. A phone number will solve these problems.
SimLocal plans run 7 to 90 days with a no-questions-asked refund policy on unused plans, though pricing isn’t always the cheapest and network quality can vary by region.
Best eSIM for Short, Simple Trips to Croatia: Breeze
Breeze is a good fit for a quick long-weekend trip to Zadar or Dubrovnik or Split — no app required, plans valid for 12 months from purchase. Simple and easy.
Just note their “Unlimited” plans throttle hard after 1GB/day, which is on the low side if you’re going to be uploading video.
How to Install an eSIM for Croatia
If you go with Holafly:
Buy your Holafly eSIM at Holafly.com before you leave — don’t forget code HOLAKATE for 5% off. Choose Croatia (or the Europe eSIM if you’re visiting multiple countries), and select your trip length.
You’ll get install details by email and WhatsApp within about a minute.
Install via QR code, manual entry, or one-tap install if you’re on iOS 17.4+.
Once you land — in Dubrovnik, Split, or wherever — turn on your eSIM and set data to roaming.
(I always do this before I even board the flight, so I land already connected instead of hunting for airport wifi.)
If you run into any issues, Holafly has 24/7 customer support via chat and WhatsApp.
Frequently Asked Questions About eSIMs for Croatia
Do I need an eSIM for Croatia, or is wifi enough?
Wifi alone isn’t enough. You’ll want data for navigating historic centers, catching buses and ferries, translating menus, and booking last-minute reservations, all of which often happen when you’re away from working wifi.
Do Croatian eSIMs work in Bosnia and Montenegro?
Usually Croatian eSIMs do not work in Bosnia and Montenegro, as these countries are outside the EU. But double-check with your eSIM provider.
Do eSIMs work on Croatian buses?
Generally yes, in populated areas, but expect drops on rural stretches between cities and towns. Coverage tends to be strongest in and around major stations.
Do eSIMs work on Croatian ferries and islands like Hvar and Korčula?
For the most part, yes! Coverage is decent near shore and in port towns, but can be spotty on longer ferry crossings to further-out islands like Vis. Many Croatian islands are home to decent-sized cities, and they have good coverage.
Is an eSIM cheaper than a tourist SIM at the airport?
Usually, yes, once you factor in the time saved and the ability to set it up before you even land — plus, you skip the line and the passport paperwork, which to me is always worth it.
Which Croatian network does my eSIM use — Hrvatski Telekom (HT), A1, or Telemach?
It depends on the provider. Holafly connects across Croatia’s major carrier infrastructure; other eSIMs can vary. Check before you buy if you’re headed somewhere rural.
Are eSIMs safe?
Absolutely. They’re held to the same telecom security standards as physical SIM cards, and they can’t be physically removed or stolen the way a plastic SIM can.
Does an eSIM drain my phone’s battery?
No, this is a common misconception. eSIMs don’t drain your battery any more than a regular SIM card.
Can I keep my regular number while using a Croatia eSIM?
In almost all cases, yes — most phones support two active SIMs at once. Just check with your home carrier about text charges while abroad. And turn off data roaming for your home SIM card or eSIM!
What if my phone isn’t eSIM compatible?
If you’ve got an iPhone XS or later, a Samsung Galaxy S20 or later, or a Google Pixel 3 or later, you’re set. Older phones and a lot of budget Android models don’t support eSIM, so double-check your specific model before you buy anything.
If your phone isn’t eSIM compatible, you’ll need to get a physical SIM card on the ground.
Which eSIM Should You Choose for Croatia?
For most Croatia trips, Holafly is still my pick. Unlimited data means I have the freedom to take as many photos and videos as I want, knowing that they’ll be saved to the cloud at no extra cost to me.
I’m not doing math every time I want to upload a video from Zadar or Mljet. That’s no way to spend a vacation.
Airalo is the better call if you’re on a tight budget and traveling light on data. Saily adds security extras. SimLocal is worth it if you need to make phone calls. Breeze is fine for a quick weekend in one or two cities.
Ready to Get Your Croatia eSIM?
Sign up for your Holafly eSIM here and use code HOLAKATE for 5% off eSIMs and 10% off subscription plans.