Best eSIM for North Macedonia 2026: 14 Providers Compared

A1 and Makedonski Telekom are North Macedonia's two networks, both with dependable 4G in Skopje, Ohrid and the main towns and 5G on the way, and the country sits outside EU roaming. North Macedonia offers the quirky monuments of Skopje, the UNESCO-listed lakeside town of Ohrid, the Matka Canyon and rugged national parks. Getting around runs on good data for maps and messaging, and an eSIM is the cleanest way to get it: install before you fly, land at Skopje International, and your phone connects the moment it finds a local network. This guide compares the best eSIM options for North Macedonia, explains what A1 and Makedonski Telekom deliver, and helps you pick the right plan.

Makedonski Telekom or A1: buying a SIM in Skopje

North Macedonia has two mobile networks, Makedonski Telekom, part of the Deutsche Telekom group, and A1 Macedonia, both overseen by the Agency for Electronic Communications in Skopje. Both sell prepaid SIMs in their stores in Skopje's city center and malls, and in Ohrid and Bitola; take your passport, since the line is registered to you, and pay in denars.

A Macedonian SIM has a useful extra: since 1 July 2021 the six Western Balkan countries have been a roaming-free zone for their own subscribers, as the EU-funded WeBalkans portal reports, so it keeps working at home prices in Albania, Kosovo, Serbia and Montenegro. For a few days in Skopje and Ohrid, the store visit after landing at Skopje International is the price you pay for it.

EU visitors are not covered by roam like at home here. Under the 2022 EU–Western Balkans declaration, signatory operators committed to price 1 GB of data below €14 in 2026 in at least one roaming product, as the Regional Cooperation Council sets out, so check whether your operator offers it before you rely on your home plan.

Best eSIM plans for North Macedonia

North Macedonia is an affordable data market, so eSIM prices are low and allowances go a long way. Simsima runs on the local networks with transparent pricing. Here is how a light 1 GB pack compares across eSIM providers:

If you would rather not track your usage, North Macedonia also has unlimited-data eSIMs, with speed reduced after a daily high-speed allowance until the next day. Here is how the unlimited plans compare:

Simsima's full North Macedonia lineup runs from small packs up to larger monthly allowances on the local networks. Because data is cheap here, a 3 GB plan comfortably covers most trips, with more for longer stays or remote work.

Ohrid, Matka and Mavrovo: signal on a North Macedonia trip

Skopje, the old bazaar and the Vodno cable car are well covered, as are Ohrid's old town, the lakeside promenade, Struga and Bitola. In Matka Canyon, a half-hour drive from Skopje, the signal is fine at the dam and the restaurant but weakens as the boat heads up the canyon toward Vrelo Cave.

Around Lake Ohrid, keep an eye on the border. Near the monastery of St. Naum, at the southern tip of the lake, your phone may pick up an Albanian network, which a North Macedonia-only plan does not cover. In the mountains of Galičica, Mavrovo and Pelister national parks, coverage thins on the higher trails, so download offline maps before you start walking.

Combining North Macedonia with Albania, Kosovo or Greece

North Macedonia is often one stop on a longer Balkan loop: Ohrid to Tirana or Berat, Skopje to Pristina, or south to Thessaloniki in Greece. Each border means a different network, and a North Macedonia plan only covers North Macedonia.

For one extra country, a second country plan is the simplest option. For a loop through three or more, a regional plan that lists every stop avoids juggling profiles; check the country list carefully, because several Europe plans leave out the non-EU Balkan countries.

Data for a week: Skopje, Matka and Lake Ohrid

A typical week spends two nights in Skopje, a half day at Matka Canyon, then four nights in Ohrid with a boat trip to St. Naum and a drive over Galičica to Lake Prespa. Cafes and guesthouses have Wi-Fi, so mobile data mainly covers maps, bus timetables and messaging.

• A week of maps, messaging and social media: about 2 to 3 GB
• Add video calls or a few hours of laptop hotspot: 5 GB
• A Balkan loop of two weeks or more: a regional plan sized for the whole trip

How to install your North Macedonia eSIM

Installation takes a couple of minutes and is best done at home on Wi-Fi before you fly. The plan activates on its own when it connects to a local network on arrival, so the validity window does not start early.

1. Buy your North Macedonia plan on Simsima and open the confirmation with your QR code
2. On your phone, go to Settings, then Mobile or Cellular Data, and choose Add eSIM
3. Scan the QR code or use the one-tap install link, then label the plan North Macedonia
4. Keep your home line as default for calls and texts, and set the eSIM for data
5. Turn on data roaming for the eSIM line only, then land in Skopje and go online

Downsides of an eSIM in North Macedonia

• No Macedonian number, and none of the free regional roaming a local SIM gets in neighboring Balkan countries
• Border areas such as St. Naum can switch your phone to an Albanian network that a single-country plan does not cover
• Guesthouse hosts and taxi drivers sometimes prefer to call a Macedonian number; WhatsApp is the usual workaround
• Your phone must support eSIM and be carrier-unlocked before you fly to Skopje or Ohrid, and hotspot use depends on the plan

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North Macedonia eSIM plans — Browse and compare all available North Macedonia eSIM plans on Simsima

eSIM-supported devices — Check whether your phone supports eSIM before you buy a North Macedonia plan

How Simsima works — Learn how to buy and install an eSIM in a few minutes, and how it activates on arrival