This article provides an overview of internet in the Canary Islands, mobile operators, rates and package prices, where to buy a SIM card, and whether you need one at all, along with coverage details. It aims to cover everything you need to know about internet access on the islands, including free Wi-Fi, and offers tips and recommendations to help you save time and possibly money, but that’s not guaranteed.

Internet in the Canary Islands: General Information

Key points:

  • The Canary Islands are part of Spain, which is part of Europe. That pretty much sums it up.
  • Great coverage even in the mountains on any island.
  • Rarely drops below 3G; most of the time, you’ll have 4G. In major cities like Santa Cruz in Tenerife, they’ve had 5G for a couple of years. The same goes for Las Palmas and other popular resorts. If interested, check out more about Canary resorts and major cities through the provided link.
  • Three main European operators work in the Canary Islands: Vodafone, Orange, T-mobile. Vodafone and Orange together cover over 85% of the market. They offer similar quality, coverage, and almost identical packages. You can choose either.
internet in the canary price
Here’s how the stores of the two main operators look like in the Canary Islands. You’ll need your passport to get a SIM card! You can pick either; both have good coverage.

Tourists can only get prepaid packages. This means you can’t go into debt. Once your balance hits zero or your data runs out, the internet stops. But you can just toss the SIM card without worries.

Good to know:

Internet in the Canaries is often needed while traveling. English isn’t widely spoken here, so you’ll need it to translate menus, check opening hours, navigate with Google Maps, etc. Whether you use roaming from your home operator or buy a local SIM card is up to you. Check out about language barriers and minimal vocabulary for tourists in the Canaries.
sim card tenerife
One example of why internet in the Canaries is essential : on a hiking trail in the mountains of La Gomera, you’ll find these posts. Scan the QR code, and you’ll get an audio guide about that place. Such posts are common. Without mobile internet, you’ll miss out on the best parts.

Since it’s Europe, internet isn’t very expensive here, so it won’t hit your budget hard. Learn about travel budgeting and how much money to bring to the Canaries.

Packages and Prices for Local SIM Cards

An important note: the number of telecom offices and stores decreases every year. Today, you’ll only find them in city centers and major shopping malls. You can only buy a SIM card upon arrival at the airport or major resorts. Either way, you’ll need to spend time looking for a store. So, buy from the first one you find.

  • Vodafone’s official website: https://www.vodafone.es/. Look for PREPAGO packages (prepaid packages)
    • Prices: 60GB for 10 euros for 28 days. 240GB for 15 euros, and so on. You can share the internet (hotspot), meaning you can buy one SIM card for several people.
internet packages canaries
Internet in the Canary Islands from Vodafone. Prices and data.
  • Orange’s official website: https://www.orange.es/tiendas/orange
    • Price: there’s a 100GB package for a month for 15 euros. But honestly, my wife and I are fine with 30GB for 2-3 weeks, even with unlimited YouTube, Instagram, and video calls.
  • These links lead to Spanish websites where you can find maps of stores and current tariffs for tourists.

Free Wi-Fi

If your vacation plan involves lounging on the beach without much traveling around, and you only need to check your email once a day for work, then you might not need a local SIM card. Free Wi-Fi is available:

  • Almost in all hotels and apartments, 99% of the time. Only in rare cases, if your accommodation is far away in the boonies, Wi-Fi might not be available. However, mobile internet will still work.
  • Wi-Fi is available in restaurants, but you may need to ask for it if it’s important to you. The era when free Wi-Fi in restaurants was a perk and attracted more tourists has passed. Nowadays, everyone has mobile internet. I often encounter situations where even the restaurant staff don’t know the Wi-Fi password because nobody asks for it anymore.
  • Available at all airports on the islands and on ferries between the islands. Learn about public transportation in the Canaries, what options are available, where to check schedules, and prices.

Tourist SIM Cards and eSIM in Canaries

There are several options here.

The first is my favorite: Airalo eSIM.

Important:

Not all phones support eSIM technology yet. All iPhones and top smartphones on other operating systems definitely do.
internet tenerife
Internet in the Canary Islands: packages and prices for eSIM. Find more package options through the link below.

Advantages:

  • Coverage is the same as Vodafone and Orange, as it operates through them.
  • You can buy and activate the SIM card at any time. The QR code is sent to your email. Your phone will work in dual SIM mode. You don’t need to swap out your home SIM card.
  • You’ll have internet in the Canary Islands as soon as you land. You can call a taxi, message home, check bus schedules—all while still on the plane. This is very convenient and saves a lot of time searching for a mobile operator’s office.
  • Tariffs and current prices are available on the official Airalo website (link was above). Important: you need to buy eSIM specifically for the Canary Islands; eSIMs for Spain only work on the mainland.

The downside: the prices are higher than those of local operators, but cheaper than roaming. But not many tourists need a minimum of 50-100GB for a 10-day vacation. Most people are fine with 3-5GB, and the prices for such tariffs are reasonable.

The second option is the international tourist SIM card Drimsim.

  • You can also buy an eSIM at any time. Or you can order a regular plastic SIM card, but then you’ll have to wait for it to be delivered.
  • The eSIM or SIM card itself costs 10 euros, and it’s valid indefinitely. Just buy it for 10 euros, top up another 10 euros, and you’ll have them stored on your account for life.
  • Each country has its own rates using this SIM card. In Spain and the Canary Islands, it’s 0.01 euros per megabyte (billing is per kilobyte). That’s 10.74 euros per GB.
  • It’s a bit pricey, but the undeniable advantage of this SIM card is that it works in ANY country in the world, only following the rates of that country. You don’t need to buy a new SIM card and switch it out in each new country.
  • If you frequently take short trips to different countries and don’t need to use a lot of mobile internet, then Drimsim is an excellent option.

In Conclusion: Internet in the Canary Islands is accessible to everyone today, with excellent coverage and reasonable rates. The most challenging part is finding a communication store, as they are becoming fewer and fewer, but options exist. Whether you activate roaming with your home operator, buy a local SIM, or eSIM—it’s up to you. But having internet access while traveling in the Canaries is a necessity today, not a luxury.

Useful links to help you plan your dream trip to Canary Islands:

  • Car Rental: LocalRent or DiscoverCars – the most popular car rental platforms.

  • Accommodation:
    • Trip.com – the largest accommodation booking platform.

    • or TripAdvisor – to compare prices among other platforms and choose the best one.

  • Budget-friendly vacation packages to Spain and Canary Islands: CheapOair.

  • Tours and activities: GetYourGuide or Viator – hundreds of offers, whales and dolphins, entrance tickets with discounts.

  • eSIM and internet: Airalo.

  • Flights: WayAway compares prices among dozens of companies.

  • Travel Insurance: EKTA.