Choosing the best eSIM for Morocco, what to check before you buy

As a rough weekly guide:

• Light use, 1–2 GB a week: maps, WhatsApp, email and the odd photo. Enough if your riad or hotel has reasonable Wi-Fi and you only use data out and about.
• Moderate use, 3–5 GB a week: social media, short video calls home and frequent use of a translation app.
• Heavy use, 7–10 GB or more a week: video, sharing your connection with a laptop or travel companions, or remote work.

Bear in mind that in many riads the Wi-Fi is strong in the courtyard and weak in the rooms, and desert camps may have no Wi-Fi at all. Travellers in Morocco often end up relying on mobile data more than they expected. If in doubt, go for a mid-sized plan and top up if needed; most plans can be topped up from your customer area.

Total-data plans give you a fixed amount of data for a set number of days; for Morocco we offer 0.5–50 GB. You use it at your own pace, and anything you don't use one day is still there the next. Daily plans give you a high-speed allowance each day; once it's used up you stay connected at reduced speed until it resets the following day. That reduced speed is fine for messaging, not for video.

On a classic circuit through the imperial cities, the Atlas and the desert, where every day looks different, total data tends to fit better. If you're spending a week in Marrakech and using your phone heavily every day, a daily plan is the easy choice.

Startia's Morocco plans connect to Orange Maroc, one of the country's three mobile operators, with 4G across cities and main routes and 5G where it has been rolled out (you'll need a compatible phone). Coverage is good in Marrakech, Fes, Casablanca, Rabat, Tangier, Chefchaouen, Essaouira and Agadir. Inside the medinas, signal can vary from one narrow alley to the next and GPS loses accuracy, so download your map in advance and note landmark gates and squares.

Outside the cities, adjust your expectations. In the High Atlas, in valleys such as Imlil and on mountain passes, there are stretches without signal. In the Sahara, around the dunes of Merzouga or Zagora, coverage reaches the villages and some camps, but deep in the dunes it can disappear. On a multi-day trek, let people at home know you'll be offline at times.

A technical note: on these plans traffic reaches the internet through a hub in Europe, so your IP address will appear European. For normal browsing you won't notice.

• Cash: in the souks, in petits taxis, for tips and in many small shops you'll pay in dirhams, in cash. Data helps you find cash machines and convert prices, but don't expect to pay by phone everywhere.
• The Strait of Gibraltar: in southern Spain, around Tarifa and Algeciras, a European SIM can latch onto a Moroccan network and run up roaming charges. On the ferry your phone may connect to the ship's own network, which is billed separately. Turn off data roaming on your home SIM before you cross.
• Ceuta and Melilla are part of Spain, so EU roaming rules apply there as normal.
• Calls: the eSIM is data-only. WhatsApp is the usual way to reach riads and guides in Morocco anyway.

• Price per GB: our Morocco catalogue starts at €1.42/GB.
• Validity: it should cover the whole trip and start when you connect in Morocco.
• Network: which local operator the plan uses and whether 5G is available.
• Hotspot: if you want to share data with a laptop or another person, check the offer allows it.
• Top-ups without switching eSIM.
• Support language: ours answers in English and Spanish.
• Refunds if you don't travel.

Startia eSIM is the travel eSIM brand of Startia Operadora, a Spanish telecoms operator. Our Morocco plans start from €4.99, with total-data plans valid for 1–30 days as well as daily plans. For a weekend in Marrakech, the 5 GB plan is usually enough; for a one- or two-week circuit including the desert, the 10 GB plan is a good base. All plans and current prices are on our Morocco eSIM page.

If your trip combines Morocco with several European countries, say Spain and Portugal before or after, look at the Europe 40+ & Morocco plan, which includes Morocco on the same eSIM, in that case on Orange Maroc's 4G network.

Install the eSIM at home, by QR code or, on iPhone with iOS 17.4 or later, with the one-tap install button. Validity starts on your first connection to a network in Morocco. When you arrive, set the eSIM as your data line, turn on data roaming for it and turn it off on your home SIM.

If you'd like to compare with other brands, we publish a comparison of their public prices, always with the date and source: Startia vs Airalo and Startia vs Holafly. Compare price per GB, validity and conditions, and choose what suits your route.

Does my EU mobile plan work in Morocco?

Morocco is outside the EU, so "roam like at home" doesn't apply. Each operator sets its own rates for Morocco, so check them before using data on your usual SIM.

Is there coverage in the desert?

In the villages near the dunes and at some camps, yes. Deep in the dunes and in remote areas there may be no signal.

Which network does the Startia eSIM use in Morocco?

Orange Maroc, with 4G in cities and on main routes and 5G where available.

Can I install it before I leave home?

Yes, and it's the best way to do it. Validity doesn't start until you connect to a network in Morocco.

Will the same plan work if I travel through Europe first?

Not the Morocco plan. If you're combining several European countries with Morocco, the Europe 40+ & Morocco plan covers them on one eSIM.