Traveling outside the US? International Roaming gives you talk, text, and data abroad, right from the Helium Mobile app.
How It Works
International Roaming is purchased by the gigabyte. Each $15 per GB (taxes and fees apply) includes:
1GB of data
60 minutes of calling
100 text messages
Your roaming balance expires 30 days after purchase or when you run out of data, whichever comes first.
How to Purchase
Open the Helium Mobile app
Tap the “Add-Ons” icon on the home screen
Select the “International Roaming” tab
Choose how much data you’d like (up to 20GB at a time)
Review your order and pay with your payment method on file. You can edit it before purchasing
Once your payment goes through, your talk, text, and data are added instantly
Configure your device so roaming works smoothly
Not sure how much data to get? Start with 1GB. Based on our testing, international usage tends to run lower than at home, and 1GB can last about a week of travel. You can always add more.
Can I buy before my trip? Yes, you can purchase anytime, before or during your travels. Just remember your 30 days start at purchase. If you buy during your trip, you’ll need Wi-Fi to complete it.
Set Up Your Device
To make sure roaming works, confirm your device’s Access Point Name (APN) is set to Helium-Mobile. The H and M must be capitalized.
Android
Go to Settings > Network & Internet > SIMs and select your SIM
Tap Access Point Names, then tap the + in the top right corner
Create a new APN named Helium-Mobile and save it
Select Helium-Mobile as your APN
iOS
Go to Settings > Cellular, select your SIM, then tap Cellular Data Network
In both Cellular Data and LTE Setup (Optional), change the Access Point Name from wholesale to Helium-Mobile. We recommend setting LTE Setup too, since some areas don’t have 5G. You can also set it under Personal Hotspot in the same menu
Restart your phone to help the settings take effect, and you’re good to go. For more help, see Setting Your APN.
A Few Things to Know
Buying more replaces your balance. A new purchase replaces any remaining roaming data, texts, and minutes instead of adding to them. For example, if you have 1GB left and buy 2GB, you’ll have 2GB total. Wait until you’re out or nearly out before buying more.
No refunds on unused roaming. Unused data, texts, and minutes expire after 30 days and aren’t refunded or carried forward. See our International Services Terms and Conditions for details.
Account credits don’t apply. Credits only cover monthly plan charges, so add-ons are billed to your card on file.
Two trips, one balance. If you take two trips within 30 days, any data left from the first is still available for the second.
FAQs
Where can I check my roaming usage?
Go to Add-Ons > International Roaming or your Plans page in the app. Roaming usage can be delayed, so if you don’t see it yet, wait a bit or check your device for real-time usage. You’ll also get app notifications as your data runs down, so make sure notifications are turned on in your device settings.
What happens when I run out of data?
You can purchase more anytime in the app. Remember, new purchases replace your current balance.
Which countries can I use roaming in?
What’s the difference between International Roaming and International Calling?
International Roaming lets you call, text, and use data while you’re outside the US. You can also call friends at home and abroad with it turned on.
International Calling lets you call friends and family outside the US from within the US.
Can I buy International Roaming for someone in my group?
Yes! A Group Admin can buy International Roaming for any group member. Open the Group
Plans icon in the app, select the member, and tap Purchase under International Roaming. The member will have 30 days to use it.