Three ways to get online in Morocco
No single option suits every traveller. The right choice depends on how long you are staying, what your usual plan includes and whether you need a Moroccan phone number.
Roaming with your own provider
This is the easiest option: nothing to set up, and you keep your number. Morocco is not in the European Union, so EU ‘Roam like at home’ rules do not apply there, and the terms are entirely up to your provider. Before you travel, check whether Morocco is included in your plan and what you will be charged beyond that.
A local SIM card
A SIM bought from a Moroccan operator gives you a local number, which is handy for calling businesses or receiving texts. On the other hand, you have to find a shop when you land, usually show ID and insert the card, sometimes in place of your own if your phone only has one slot.
A data eSIM
An eSIM is installed before you leave and gives you mobile data as soon as you arrive, with no shop to find and no card to insert. Your usual SIM stays in place for calls and texts. An Alizeoo eSIM comes with no phone number and no standard calls, but apps that work over the internet, such as WhatsApp or FaceTime, run on the data. For a full comparison, see eSIM, local SIM or roaming.
Networks and coverage in Morocco
The country's three main mobile operators are Maroc Telecom, Orange and inwi. Morocco has both 4G and 5G networks. With an eSIM, 5G is only used if the plan, the partner network and your phone all support it; otherwise you connect over 4G. The partner networks for each Alizeoo plan are listed on its page, as they can change.
- Cities: coverage is generally good in Casablanca, Rabat, Marrakech, Fes, Tangier and the other large cities. In the narrow lanes of the medinas, though, signal can vary from one street to the next.
- Mountains and desert: in the Atlas, in desert areas and on some remote roads, signal can be weak or missing altogether.
- Road and coach journeys: between towns, the connection may drop now and then. Plan your routes in advance.
The eSIM runs on the partner operators' networks: where those networks have no signal, there is no connection, whatever SIM you use. If you are going on a desert trip or a trek, download your maps and travel documents before you leave town.
Wi-Fi in riads, hotels and cafés
Most hotels, riads and cafés offer free Wi-Fi, though its quality varies with the venue and how many people are using it. It is fine for messages and browsing, but it will not follow you on journeys, sightseeing and day trips: that is where mobile data takes over.
As anywhere, be careful on open networks: avoid typing in passwords or card details, and use your mobile data for payments and for signing in to your accounts.
Useful apps for your trip
- Maps: a maps app such as Google Maps or Apple Maps helps you find your way around town. Download offline maps of the cities you are visiting, which also helps in the medinas where signal drops.
- Messaging: WhatsApp is widely used to keep in touch with accommodation, guides and drivers. It works on your eSIM data, including voice calls over the internet.
- Translation: a translation app such as Google Translate can help with simple conversations; download the languages you need so you can use it offline.
- Bookings: keep your tickets, bookings and confirmations in an app or as screenshots so you can reach them without signal.
Some apps send a verification code by text. That text goes to your usual number, so keep your usual SIM active to receive it, as explained in keep your main number.
Installing and activating your eSIM for Morocco
You need a phone that supports eSIM and is unlocked. If you are not sure, read is my phone eSIM compatible? before you buy.
- Pick one of the plans for Morocco: the duration, data allowance, partner networks and hotspot use are shown on each plan's page. Prices include tax and are shown in US dollars.
- Before you leave, install the eSIM over Wi-Fi by scanning the QR code or using the installation link. It uses nothing until you start using it in the country.
- When you arrive, turn on the Alizeoo line, set it as your mobile data line and turn on data roaming for that line only.
- Turn off mobile data and roaming on your usual SIM to avoid charges from your provider, while keeping it for calls and texts.
The plan's validity usually starts when you first connect in the country, not when you buy it. Step-by-step guides: install an eSIM on iPhone and install an eSIM on Android. If you cannot connect, follow my eSIM has no signal.
How much data will you need?
It all depends on how you use your phone. Messaging, maps and a few searches use very little. Video calls, sharing photos and videos on social media, and streaming use a great deal more. If you plan to share your connection with a laptop, check that the plan allows it.
For a rough figure tailored to your trip, use the estimator on the Morocco page: it takes into account how long you are staying and what you use your phone for. If Morocco is one stop among several countries, the trip planner helps you find a suitable plan.
Our tips before you go
- Check that your phone is compatible and unlocked a few days before you leave.
- Install the eSIM at home, over Wi-Fi, and do not delete it: a deleted eSIM usually cannot be reinstalled with the same QR code.
- Download offline maps of the cities and regions you are travelling through, especially for the desert and the mountains.
- Remember that an eSIM only works on one device: each traveller needs their own.
- Keep your tickets and bookings available offline.
With an eSIM installed before you leave, you are online as soon as you land, without hunting for an operator's counter at the airport. Just remember to turn on data roaming on the Alizeoo line when you arrive.