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🇫🇷 eSIM for France
France works well on a data eSIM: coverage is broad, and most of what a traveller needs — SNCF tickets, museum bookings, maps — is app-first.
France eSIM plans and prices
In short: Num sells 14 prepaid data eSIM plans for France, from $3.28 for 500 MB per day (1 day) up to 50 GB over 180 days at $45.10. The best value per gigabyte is 10 GB total for 31 days at $8.59 ($0.86). It connects to Bouygues, Free Mobile, Orange and SFR with 5G on every plan. Validity starts when the eSIM first connects in France, it installs by QR code on any eSIM-capable iPhone, and your own number keeps working.
Live prices, updated from our provider catalogue · 3G/4G/5G. These are the amounts charged at checkout — nothing is added afterwards.
| Plan | Validity | Total data | Per GB | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500 MB per dayTop-up available | 1 day | 500 MB | $6.72 | $3.28 |
| 2 GB per dayTop-up available | 1 day | 2 GB | $1.64 | $3.28 |
| 3 GB totalTop-up available | 15 days | 3 GB | $1.15 | $3.46 |
| 3 GB per dayTop-up available | 1 day | 3 GB | $1.22 | $3.67 |
| 3 GB totalTop-up available | 30 days | 3 GB | $1.23 | $3.69 |
| 1.5 GB per dayTop-up available | 1 day | 1.5 GB | $3.01 | $4.51 |
| 5 GB per dayTop-up available | 1 day | 5 GB | $0.94 | $4.71 |
| 5 GB totalTop-up available | 30 days | 5 GB | $1.11 | $5.54 |
| 1 GB per dayTop-up available | 1 day | 1 GB | $5.74 | $5.74 |
| 1 GB totalTop-up available | 7 days | 1 GB | $5.95 | $5.95 |
| 10 GB totalTop-up availableBest value | 31 days | 10 GB | $0.86 | $8.59 |
| 10 GB totalTop-up available | 30 days | 10 GB | $0.96 | $9.63 |
| 10 GB per dayTop-up available | 1 day | 10 GB | $1.02 | $10.25 |
| 50 GB totalTop-up available | 180 days | 50 GB | $0.90 | $45.10 |
Prices shown were generated on 2026-10-08 and can change with our provider's catalogue. The app always shows the current price before you pay.
Num vs Airalo, Saily, Nomad, Simpal, Maya: France eSIM prices compared →
Best France eSIM by trip length
Our pick for each trip length: the cheapest plan that lasts the whole stay and carries enough data for maps, messaging and a bit of video. Heavy streamers should go a size up.
| Trip | Our pick | Validity | Total data | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A long weekend France eSIM for 3 days | 3 GB total | 15 days | 3 GB | $3.46 |
| One week France eSIM for 7 days | 3 GB total | 15 days | 3 GB | $3.46 |
| Two weeks France eSIM for 14 days | 5 GB total | 30 days | 5 GB | $5.54 |
| A month France eSIM for 30 days | 10 GB total | 31 days | 10 GB | $8.59 |
Using your eSIM in France
France is straightforward on a data eSIM. Coverage is broad, and the things a visitor needs — SNCF tickets, museum time slots, maps — are app-first, so the plan earns its price on the first train. Bouygues, Free Mobile, Orange and SFR are the operators listed on our France plans; you do not choose between them, the phone does.
Each plan carries 5G in its speed rating, which in practice means 4G most of the time and 5G in the cities that have it. Rural and mountain coverage varies; alpine valleys can be thin, and a ski trip should not assume signal on every lift. In the cities the phone will sit on 4G or 5G without you touching anything.
A practical order of events: install the eSIM at home on wi-fi, set data roaming on for the Num line, turn it off for your home SIM, and do nothing about the APN — it is configured by the profile. Keep some allowance in reserve for travel days, because rail and museum apps expect a live connection to show the QR ticket.
$3.28 buys 500 MB over 1 day; $45.10 buys 50 GB over 180 days. If the trip continues into Spain, Italy or Switzerland, the Europe regional plan is usually better value than a second country plan. Every plan here can be topped up from the app without reinstalling anything. This plan suits a single-country trip: Paris and one region, or a week in the south.
Practical notes for France
- If your trip includes more than one EU country, a regional Europe plan is usually better value than stacking country plans.
- Rural and mountain coverage varies; alpine valleys can be thin.
- Rail and museum apps expect a live connection for QR tickets — keep some data in reserve for travel days.
How to get connected
- Download Num and pick France.
- Choose a plan and pay with Apple Pay.
- Scan the QR code the app gives you — Settings → Cellular → Add eSIM.
- Turn on data roaming for the Num line when you land.
Questions about France
How much does an eSIM for France cost?
Plans start at $3.28. The table on this page shows current prices — 14 options ranging from short trips to month-long stays. These are the prices you pay in the app; there are no separate activation or delivery fees.
Will my phone work with a France eSIM?
Most iPhones from the XR and XS onward support eSIM, and the handset must be carrier-unlocked. Check the compatibility page for the full list before you buy.
When does the plan start counting down?
Validity begins when the eSIM first connects to a network in the coverage area, not when you buy it. You can install it before you travel and it will wait until you land.
Can I keep my normal number while using it?
Yes. The Num eSIM runs alongside your existing SIM, so calls and texts on your usual number keep working while data runs over the travel plan. Turn your normal line's data roaming off to avoid a roaming bill.
Can I add more data if I run out?
Yes — reloadable plans can be topped up from inside the app without buying a new eSIM or reinstalling anything.
Is there an unlimited data eSIM for France?
Num does not sell unlimited plans for France. The closest are the daily-allowance plans, such as 500 MB per day, which give a fixed amount each day for the length of the trip. For most travellers the fixed bundles, from 500 MB to 50 GB, are better value.
Which networks does a Num France eSIM use?
It connects to Bouygues, Free Mobile, Orange and SFR and picks the strongest available network automatically. Every plan on this page supports 5G where the network offers it.
Do I get a France phone number with the eSIM?
No. Num eSIMs are data-only. Your own number stays active on your existing SIM for calls and texts, and WhatsApp, iMessage and other messaging apps keep working over the eSIM's data. If you need a local number, see our guide to eSIMs with a phone number.
What is the best eSIM for France?
It depends on how long you stay and how much you use maps and video. On this page the best value per gigabyte is 10 GB total for 31 days at $8.59 ($0.86); the trip-length picks match a plan to a weekend, a week, two weeks and a month. The comparison page sets Num's prices against Airalo, Saily, Nomad, Simpal, Maya at matched plan sizes, including the sizes where we are not the cheapest.