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How to get Wifi in Portugal : A Guide for Tourists
17 June 2024
pocket wifi
Joseph Philipson
How to Get WiFi in Portugal for Your Holidays
Whether you’re exploring the historic Belém tower in Lisbon, savoring the city’s famous port wine in Porto, or basking in the sun on the stunning beaches of the Algarve, staying connected is crucial for a smooth and enjoyable trip.
Perhaps you’re using the Internet to upload your holiday photos, navigate, stay connected with family and friends, or just in case of an emergency. In any case, getting an internet connection while traveling is an important decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly.
Whether you’re in a group and looking to rent pocket WiFi in Portugal to keep everybody connected, or you forgot all about it and have had to opt for your mobile carrier’s costliest roaming option, here are the choices for connecting to the Internet while on vacation.
The Best Ways of Getting WiFi in Portugal
When it comes to accessing the Internet in Portugal, you’re spoilt for choice. There are five main options: Pocket WiFi, travel or domestic SIM cards, eSIM cards, international roaming plans from your domestic mobile carrier, and free WiFi in coffee shops, public spaces, etc.
Choosing the right option will certainly depend on your circumstances, as hiking the Rota Vicentina won’t necessarily require the same kind of travel internet connection as in some of Portugal’s more popular urban destinations, such as Lisbon, Porto, or even villages like Sintra, Cascais, or Évora.
For example, groups traveling in more remote areas like Trás-os-Montes, Alentejo, or the Serra da Estrela would do better with pocket WiFi, which provides access to a data connection for multiple devices (typically up to 10) rather than tethering to a single device with a local data SIM card.
Pocket Wifi
Pocket WiFi is a dedicated device that connects to a data connection and provides a secure WiFi connection for several other devices.
Pros
One of the most significant advantages of pocket WiFi is that since the device has a better antenna than you’d typically find in a smartphone, it maintains better connections in remote areas and faster connections in urban areas.
One of the key advantages of pocket WiFi is its convenience. For instance, Hippocketwifi devices allow up to 10 devices to be connected at once. As long as everyone stays within range, they can enjoy a fast and stable internet connection. This means you can share your travel experiences, stay connected with loved ones, or even work remotely, all without worrying about connectivity issues.
Don’t forget that if you’re visiting Portugal’s many beautiful border towns that you can also rent pocket WiFi for all of Europe.
Cons
The downside of pocket WiFi is that you’ll need an extra device. This isn’t ideal if you’re trying to travel light or already have a lot of other things to remember.
Remember that pocket WiFi devices are tiny and not much bigger than a typical smartphone.
Cost
To choose the right provider, you need to look at how much pocket WiFi costs.
Hippocketwifi offers pocket WiFi rental in Portugal from €4.90 per day, making it the best value for money.
PortugalInternet.com offers pocket WiFi rental for between 3 and 360 days. For shorter rentals, it starts at €6 per day and can be as little as €1 per day once you’ve been renting for over a month.
MyWebspot offers a single-country WiFi option in Portugal. With a 14-day rental costing over €140, this is about €10 per day.
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SIM Cards
Travelers in Portugal can also buy a prepaid or pay-as-you-go (PAYG) SIM card. These cards allow you to use your phone for calls, texts, and internet access.
In Portuguese, they’re known as pré pago. They can be picked up from mobile carrier shops, including Lisbon and Porto airports.
The main networks are MEO, Vodafone, NOS, NOWO, Lycamobile, and UZO.
Pros
When it comes to reliability, prepaid SIM cards are a top choice. With these, you can use your phone for calls, texts, and internet access without any unexpected costs. This ensures that you can stay connected throughout your trip, no matter where you are in Portugal.
SIM cards work with most phones. However, some carriers lock handsets to only their network, so check to make sure this isn’t the case before opting for a prepaid travel SIM.
Cons
The downside to travel SIM cards is that since many phones only have one SIM card slot, you have to remove your everyday SIM card and store it somewhere safe (they’re tiny).
While your old SIM isn’t in your phone, you won’t be able to receive calls or texts on your usual number so make sure people either contact you online or using the new number associated with your travel SIM.
Cost
The Vodafone Travellers SIM card costs €20 (usually €25) for 20GB of data (usually 10GB). This also includes 500 minutes of SMS in Portugal and 50 international minutes of SMS. There’s also a 30-day €34.99 “all data included” option called “Vodafone Go Total 30 Days”.
You can pick up a MEO SIM card from a MEO store or Phone House or Worten stores. The €9.99 “M Movél Prépago” SIM includes 5GB and 10GB for messaging. You can buy one online, too, but you must ship it to a Portuguese address.
eSIM
An eSIM is a more modern technology whereby rather than replacing a physical SIM card, certain smartphones are equipped with a configurable eSIM that can be updated to work with different providers.
With this solution, you pay for the eSIM from the provider and are then given either a QR code or instructions for setting up and configuring it.
Pros
For compatible phones, eSIM solutions are incredibly convenient. You won’t need anything else, and they offer the same benefits of international data roaming without the often-excessive cost.
Cons
Since an eSIM uses your smartphone for a data connection, the connection is usually slower and less stable than those provided by pocket WiFi devices, which tend to work better in remote areas.
For business travelers or those wanting to use a computer or laptop with an internet connection, tethering a connection from an eSIM isn’t usually very good and it’ll use a lot of your device’s battery.
Cost
The local provider MEO also offers an eSIM solution with 30GB of data for $19 for 15 days.
You can find 5G eSIM options from SimOptions for as little as $4.50 for 1GB of data for 7 days. While this probably won’t suffice for most standard usage, bigger bundles like 3GB and 5GB of data are available for $9.50 and $14.90, respectively.
Airlo offers a range of packages called Fofo Mobil, which range from 1GB to 20GB, with prices ranging from $4.50 to $32.
Data Roaming International Plan
International data roaming uses your current network provider for data, calls, and messaging in another country.
Pros
The main and only advantage of an international data roaming plan is convenience. You can either set up data roaming with your provider before you go or have it automatically provided when you land (often at an obscene cost; not recommended!).
Cons
Since international data roaming uses partner networks, the connections could be better. Furthermore, you’ll typically pay a lot for a reasonably substandard service. Stick with the local providers to get Internet that’s at least as good as what locals enjoy.
Cost
The cost will depend on your network provider. Some users may enjoy a reasonable price, but this is usually for those on an already-expensive contract.
International data roaming is famous for its obnoxious prices. You’ve been warned. These other solutions, like pocket WiFi, travel SIMs, and eSIM solutions, wouldn’t exist if the default option was excellent and affordable.
Use Free WiFi
There is free WiFi available in many businesses, shopping centers, public spaces, bars, cafés, and even airports in Portugal.
You could use these to access the Internet without any other internet access.
Pros
The one and only advantage of free WiFi is that it’s free. However, as you’ll see, there are quite a few downsides.
Cons
Free WiFi networks may have slow connections, especially if many people are using the network at the same time.
You also need to be careful when sharing sensitive information across these networks, as you can’t guarantee that the network is secure.
Beware of scams, too! In very popular destinations like Lisbon and Porto, scammers may set up fake WiFi networks in the hope that tourists connect to them and share sensitive information, which they then steal.
Cost
As the name indicates, this option will cost you nothing, but some places may ask you to sign up for a mailing list to use their network—a common tactic with shopping centers!
How to Choose the Best WiFi Option for Your Portugal
Since every traveler and trip is different (Portugal’s definitely worth visiting more than once!), choosing the right travel internet option depends on a few factors.
Think carefully about these before you decide.
Rental Duration
While SIM cards and eSIM options are suitable for shorter trips, there are better longer options with pocket WiFi, which offers more flexibility regarding your rental period.
Connectivity
Portugal’s mobile internet use, at just over 80%, is slightly lower than some other European countries.
In this case, connectivity will be important when visiting Portugal, especially in remote areas. Look for internet solutions that provide fast and stable connections.
Data Limit
Every user is different. Look at your phone’s settings to see how much data you typically use. If you use your mobile or travel data often, you’ll want to look to solutions with more lenient data limits.
Usage
How important is your internet usage? Business travelers may need high-speed 5G connections for video calls. At the same time, casual users may be happier with a cheaper 4G connection.
If you don’t use the Internet often, you won’t need to pay for a faster connection, but you may still want a reliable and quick connection.
For most everyday uses, 4G is usually more than enough.
