You will find them at the cashier counter. MmU0YTZkYmM3YTVjZWU2ZjExNDk3ZjU5OTVmYTg0YWI3MDY5YmQ2OWY2ZmZl Our choice for the best prepaid SIM card in Germany is the offer from Lidl Connect. Some include unlimited calls and/or texts. This means that, in the majority of cases, you do not need to purchase a German SIM card if you already have an EU/EEA SIM card because you can roam without additional costs. Edeka is a reseller of the Telekom network and thus stands in direct competition with Deutsche Telekom, especially since it pretty much offers the same plan, but 5 euros cheaper than Telekom. The biggest plan, Paket L brings 12 GB data for 17,99. Check out mytravel resources pagefor the best companies to use when you travel! This option gives you consistant access to data, texting, and phone all over Germany, which means you can use Google maps, text or call family at home, check museum opening times while out and about, and more. M2FhNmM1YmJjZTU1NDJkNWFiODViMGI3NDE2YThkNWVlMDUyIn0= NzQ4ZjVkZTFiZDc4YWFiYzU2N2IxMGE3N2ZlZGM5NzA0ZmJjOGJhNDQzOGIy You dont need to get a new phone, and can even get unlimited data for the time youre in Germany without a long-term mobile phone contract. The additional benefits include access to Hello Tunes and Wynk Music. You can get a German SIM card in Telekom (formerly T-Mobile), O2 & Vodafone stores. The downside is that you have to sign up for a SIM card when you arrive in Germany. The O2 brand is part of Telefnica, a Spanish telecommunications company active in the Americas (as Altice, Movistar & Vivo) and Europe (as Bouygues Telecom, Movistar & O2). Registration by PostIdent in post offices If your credit/debit card charges you foreign exchange fees, get yourself a Wise Borderless Account and Debit Card. Can I Use A SIM Card From Elsewhere in Europe In Germany? It costs 7,99 euros for 4 weeks. While the postpaid version comes with a one-time connection cost of 39.95 euros, similar to all providers, the starter package of the prepaid version costs 99,95 euros; however, it also brings a balance of 100 euros. Vodafone has two data-featured prepaid plans: CallYa (combo) & Internet-Optionen/Internet Options (data). You can also find other prepaid SIM cards at gas stations, kiosks, and electronic shops. So, do you need a travel SIM card for your Germany trip? Tip No.2: Be sure that you have an unlocked phone to use the SIM card in Germany. The cheapest unlimited data offer is provided by O2 for 39.99 per month. Traveling to Germany soon? Free SIM Cards All Plans Promotions FAQ Support German Prepaid Plans If you are staying in Germany for less than two years or just for vacation, prepaid phone plans are your best choice. The cost structure is very straightforward. And mobile download speeds have been on a steady increase over the year, especially with the introduction of 5G NR. Whether youre coming in from Frankfurt Airport or Berlin Airport or any other airport in Germany, we dont recommend doing this without prior research! -----END REPORT-----. Buy a sim card so you can keep in touch with your family and friends. Again, make sure your phone isunlocked. YTMzMmRiNjBjNDE5OWU1NjIyNDE5YzhlZjI4Mjg2YTVlN2I3OWM2YzNjNWFl Please note: This guide is intended for anyone moving to Germany. SIMon mobile offers a postpaid contract; however, you can cancel it every month, so you still keep your flexibility. Below is Telekom's coverage map produced by Speedtest: You can get a Telekom SIM card, called Magenta Mobil Prepaid (regular) or Data Prepaid (data-only), for 9.95 EUR with 10 EUR credit in Telekom stores and electronic stores, like Mediamarkt. No ID verification necessary! I remember walking in the city center of Hamburg where I had either NO reception or 2G reception embarrassing. To select the best home internet provider for your needs, take a look at your in-depth guide below, where we also introduce you to a provider that offers internet in Germany without a contract. You can also top up and check your balance on the MeinMagenta: Handy & Festnetz (MyMagenta: Mobile Phone & Landline) app (Android/iOS/Huawei AppGallery). Each offers their own prepaid SIM cards. For example, if your voucher code is 123456, you would dial *100*123456#. Should you already have a German mobile phone number and would like to switch to SIMon mobile, you have two options: Additionally, you have two different options to upgrade to have even more data available: You can book both add-ons permanently or for individual months, as you can always cancel them towards the end of each month. MDFmMzc4M2JlNWZiNmJhMWJjMWM3NWYyM2RmMWIxYTM4YTIxOGZlODg1MDQ2 Instead, it only costs 94,95 euros per 4 weeks, and also the one-time connection fee is 94,95 euros and brings 95,50 euros as a balance. Once you activate your card, you can select the data plan you would like to choose on your Lidl online account. YzNjMjdhOTE1NGZmNWRiZGViN2RhNGNmNDA5MmU0NjJhMDdkZGE0M2UxZWYx Airtel Rs 179 plan: This recharge plan comes with a validity of 28 days and offers unlimited voice calling, 300 . Users can surf with LTE (4G) and 5G speed where available with up to 2 Mbit/s download and 1 Mbit/s upload. Visit the official Aldi Talk website for more information. There was no long-term mobile contract and it was cheap. I have saved literal THOUSANDS of Australian Dollars and Euros, my main currencies, when using Wise abroad when traveling compared to my debit and credit cards. We recommend you read the fine print to see if each particular provider has different rates for Switzerland and the UK. OTgwZTYxNjUzZWI1ZTIyYjE5MTAwZmIwMDVlYjY0MjU0NjMxMGM4MDQwOTI0 How To Activate Your Prepaid SIM Card In Germany? As a result, they do have data plans with similar amounts of GB of data as Telekom but at a better rate. TIM (Italian) has a tourist-specific plan called Tim Tourist for 20 (+ 10 for the SIM) that included 15 GB of data in Italy and up to 6 GB in the EU for 30 days. The following (online) top-ups are available: To top up your Telekom SIM card, dial *101*VoucherCode, or call 2200 and follow the instructions. 7 days, 7 emails! However, compared to the other main networks, the prices of the different data plans are a bit higher. Plus, connecting to public WiFi isnt always the safest option. When entering the name of your previous provider on the homepage, you will immediately know which category your current provider falls under. Weve used all 3 options while in Germany and elsewhere in Europe (and the world). Prepaid SIM cards from resellers offer better value compared to sim cards and contracts from the network providers directly. Usually you can pay only for the days you turn off airplane mode. Thats because EU roaming charges add up quickly and can get quite expensive, especially for longer stays. Prepaid from O2 Price: 9,99 EUR/month (3,5 GB) to 19,99/month (12,5 GB) Provider O2 is the second-largest mobile network in Germany. SMS: Unlimited* Credit validity: 14 days PAYG AIO15 | $ 29.90 - 10GB* Data: 10GB* Calls: Unlimited SMS: Unlimited Credit validity: 30 days PAYG AIO20 | $ 39.90 - 12GB Data: 12GB Europe is known for its fascinating history, stunning . MjAxOTAwOGQ3NzkyNTFjOThlMGQxMDBlZGUzY2ExMWFjZGU3NTI5YWM5NmIx Moreover, not every Prepaid Datenpsse can be added to any MagentaMobil Prepaid plan. The O2 reception in cities is excellent, whereas if you spend a lot of time in rural areas, it is not a good choice for you. Data bundles for high-speed internet in Germany. We will show you classic postpaid mobile phone contracts, for which you will need to provide your bank account details and prepaid versions, which you can top up via different payment methods. All German mobile operators offer both services. Germany's median mobile download speed is around 52 Mbps. Well, find out onthe Ernest Adu about page! Buy a virtual sim card (also called eSIM ), which is much easier to use. 19,00 $ USD Trustpilot Features Description Compatibility Technical Specs Enjoy unlimited data throughout Europe Explore more than 32 countries with superfast internet Keep in contact with friends and family over WhatsApp Set up your eSIM in less than five minutes 24/7 customer service in English Forget about roaming and searching for WiFi Many more travel eSIMs will perform well in Germany. If your phone has a SIM card slot, then it supports GSMA (99% of the phones do support GSM nowadays). Check it out the list of TOP 4 Prepaid Sim cards HERE . O2 is a rapidly growing and improving network that provides competitive data plans. Germany known for Oktoberfest, its cars & football (real football, which some may call soccer). Who is the guy behind Phone Travel Wiz? However, not all passports are supported online. You can use your accommodations address. Their SIM starter card Aldi Talk costs 9.99 with 10 credit. How to get a prepaid SIM card in Germany? She understands the struggle of settling in a new home and is happy to share simple services and tips on how things are done in her home country, to help expats get their German experience started. Lidl Connect is the prepaid mobile offer from the big German supermarket LIDL. All O2 plans can be activated on the Mein o2 app. In countries where local mobile data rates are extremely low (such as in the Baltics and the Nordics), mobile operators may still charge you for roaming in the EU/EEA. Learn more about them, and find the best option for you. The average price for 1 GB of data in Germany is 3.38 USD, around the European average of 2.50 USD. Aldi offers a very similar product as Lidl; however, the most significant difference is that Aldi uses the O2 network, which is the smallest network in Germany. Before mentioning how you can buy your SIM card for Germany, we will quickly tell you that this is the most efficient option to keep mobile internet on a trip. The benefits are that its likely much cheaper than using your home cell service abroad and you wont get stuck without an internet connection or ability to text or make calls on your phone. Remember, Telekom allows prepaid customers to use 5G NR with select plans. Germany has three mobile operators and various Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs being added later) offering prepaid services: The following frequencies are used in Germany: You can learn more about frequencies in the video below. All the other countres have (much) faster speeds than Germany for now. Once you activate the card, the balance is deducted according to the data package that you avail. It is available on the Telekom, O2 & Vodafone networks. Electronic shops, like Mediamarkt, also sell SIM cards (especially for the MVNOs). MTZkZTIyOWI3ZDRlM2ZhY2Y1MjJmYTBiMzE4ZGM4YzBiNzVmNDI2M2ZlNjM3 This comes in handy, whenever you leave Europe to travel. The East Side Gallery in Berlin is a must-see while in the city. To be sure which 4G or even 5G connection is the best where you live, you should check the availability per provider beforehand by entering your address: All three providers listed above offer unlimited data packages. Otherwise, you will not be able to use any SIM card except the one from your home operator (meaning you have to roam internationally or buy another unlocked phone that does support the frequencies listed above). Vodafone Europe & UK Prepaid Travel SIM card 19GB Data Unlimited Talk in Spain. If you are into amusement parks, Europa-Park is worth visiting. And the Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg is probably my favorite attraction in the city. The world average is 4.07 USD. Oh, you can also use VoWiFi (Voice over WiFi). O2 (Telefnica) All of the other third party providers of German SIM cards and call / data plans are renting airtime from one of the above three providers. Well be sharing our current experiences with German SIM cards in our Germany Travel Planning Facebook group so be sure to join the conversation there (its free to join)! NTJhZGViYjkzOTY0MmU1NTcwYzMyMTllMWQ0NGU1M2JkYjBkZjIxNzBkNjA1 Deutsche Telekom's T-Mobile network and Vodafone both run off the network with the best coverage, known as "D-Netz". The Edeka Smart kombi MAX is more or less a copy of the Telekom MagentaMobil Prepaid Max. NjNmODEyMWVjOTg0YzA4MmVmMWU5ZmJjZWFlMTZjMTg4N2Q5NjMzMzYyNzBh If you are short on time and just want an answer, here is an overview of our comparison for the best prepaid SIM card in Germany. Last updated: 2nd of May 2023. 3. If you dont want to keep your current number, you can select the 11,99 euros per month option and you will get a new number as well. Okay, now it is time to know which mobile operator is the fastest in Germany. Komplet XL, Lebara's largest prepaid package, comes with 12 GB of LTE data, unlimited calls, and 1000 free minutes to call 50 destinations outside the European Union. Note: do not use just internet as a prepaid customer. Vodafone top-up vouchers, called CallNows, are sold in Vodafone stores, grocery stores, corner shops & electronics shops throughout Germany. NWM2Y2QwMmQ0Mjg5NmQ1ODMwYjkwMzMyMDY5YzI4ZDFmOGIyZmYyNTI4Njhl best mobile contract providers in Germany, Best Mobile Network In Germany [English Guide], Quick Overview Of The Best Prepaid SIM Card In Germany. Disclaimer: Paypal or credit cards are not possible for payment. Heres a list of Telekoms prepaid plans: All of the listed plans have a validity of 4 weeks. Dial *100# to check your Telekom balance. That is enough for gaming, as well as to stream in High Definition (HD) and hold video phone calls. It depends. YjZkYTViMjg3MDhlZGRhYWUyYTU5ZGJiMGVjZTcxM2Y2MTI0ZDI2ODdlNjVh Or post offices some sell O2 SIM cards too, and registration there is always free, but you will need to print and fill a document beforehand. If you prefer to have a postpaid flexible contract with even better value, SIMon mobile from Vodafone is a fantastic option. No idea what or who Nomad is? Germany uses the Euro with the symbol EUR (which will be used throughout this guide). Mobile data used to be quite expensive in Germany especially for the lousy service you used to get. Prepaid is very flexible, as you only buy credit for your SIM card whenever you need it. Free shipping on many items . Will you get crazy fast speeds in Germany? Basically, you cannot go wrong with Telekom. This is what you will learn about Telekom: * Coverage* How to Get a Telekom SIM Card & SIM Card Price* Topping Up Options & Methods + Balance Check* Plans & Packages* APN/Internet Settings. That APN is reserved for postpaid customers. If you plan to visit Germany as a tourist, it is best to get a SIM card directly from a shop of one of the three network providers below, once you arrive in Germany. Aldi Talk 3. The mobile operator with the best 5G NR speeds is Telekom, with a median download speed of 187.99 Mbps. Just kidding, it will stay like that for a while. It does not check for 5G NR compatibility). 1. Germany has over 56.000 free WiFi hotspots that you can access in exchange for your e-mail and other data. Vodafone, as a company, is active in Africa (mostly as Vodacom), Asia, Europe, the Middle East & Oceania. For example, if your voucher code is 123456, you would dial *103*123456# or call 5667, select option 1, and enter 123456#. Lets face it, in todays world, it is near too impossible to live without the internet anymore. Having a Germany SIM card while visiting is a helpful pro tip that most people overlook. I changed to this provider in 2021 and love the value for a low price and especially the simplicity of it. Click on the link to directly buy them online or see the below comparison of the best sim cards for Europe first. ZjA0OGNhMThlYTkyNDUzM2NlYmI5ZTQ4NGNlYTcwNjA0MWM1OGIzZTBhNWJl The plan offers unlimited calling, 300 SMS and 1GB of total data. Posted on Published: 29 May 2023- Last updated: 30 May 2023, Peru: 4 Best Prepaid SIM Cards Buying Guide (2023), Chile: 8 Best eSIMs Compared + Discounts (2023). You need to leave your home several times a month, and should you consume too much data from the same spot or your home address, the providers are at liberty to cancel your contract or connection. When I travel solo I often just use WiFi because Im super prepared and organized before going abroad and find I can get by with offline maps, prepared notes on my phone or in a notebook, and connecting to WiFi here and there when Im away from my hotel or apartment. Buying a prepaid SIM card online 2. Get ourFREEguide with 7 actionable hacks to save money while living in Germany. This flexibility costs 5 euros extra for each plan. As mentioned in the eSIM section earlier in this guide, I recommend getting a travel eSIM (or travel SIM card if your phone does not support eSIM) because it will be (much) cheaper and faster than anything Telekom will offer! Yes, really! If you plan on visiting other neighboring European nations, consider the Holafly Europe eSIM to be used in 33 European countries, also with unlimited data, with seven variants: Do you think the map above is nice, but you want a country list instead (because you do not recognize the countries on a map)? MTc1NmJhN2NhOTcxMWNjZGUyZTRiZTI2Y2Q2ZTY3ZDQ4NzUzNmVlZjMwZTFl Instead, you can cancel per month. So, besides visiting all these historical buildings, what else can you do in Germany? leave anything not mentioned above untouched. Click on the links above to jump to the plan you are interested in. Inmy starting an online business guide, I tell you which tools, services & products I have for this site and my YouTube channel. It is recommended to purchase your German SIM card in Telekom, O2, Vodafone, or Mediamarkt stores for quick and instant registration. Should your phone be locked, you can also purchase a new phone from the provider or any other shop. Second, using a SIM card is much more reliable! But its also the only network that covers 4G/LTE for all tunnels and stations of the U-bahn in Berlin. Telekom and Vodafone allow prepaid customers to use 5G NR O2 does not. There are also smaller mobile providers that use one of the main networks instead of having their own. You can find it in my Airalo review! As always, Telekom justifies having the best mobile network by charging higher prices, 84,95 euros to be exact for the 24-month postpaid contract. Visiting other countries in Europe? Generally speaking, you have three options for mobile connectivity in Germany: We talk about the latter at the end of this guide, which is our favorite option. But if youll find yourself traveling or staying frequently in more rural areas of Germany, then the Telekom network is the best option and the most reliable. Consider buying a prepaid SIM card for your trip! If you buy from other retailers, they might charge you a 10 registration fee. Be sure to head over to the international roaming page to learn whether your mobile operator offers free roaming while in Germany or if restrictions apply. Germany uses GSM technology for mobile communications. Get updates related to the newest guides, videos & recommended products and services. However, you can also get a travel eSIM from various eSIM providers. Keep in mind that these plans only offer 4G/LTE Max. But you do get good value out of your moment with Telekom, so it can be worth the investment. By the way, you get free 5G NR access in 22 of the 39 supported countries! Check out my Holafly review, where I share my hands-on experience after using its eSIMs in more than ten countries over two years. Easy to Use Data Only SIM ORDER DATA SIM CARD Choose the Unlimited Data Plan that is right for you & insert the SIM in your device to activate! To top up your O2 SIM card, dial *103*VoucherCode# or call 5667, select option 1, enter the VoucherCode, and end with the # sign. Their fees are MUCH lower than banks and credit card companies charge you (and Wise is transparent about their fees, unlike banks). E-sim cards for Europe are offered by Airalo and by SimOptions. In this article we show you how to buy a prepaid SIM card in Germany and will break down the different options available. Check out my Nomad review, where I share my hands-on experience after using its eSIMs in more than 25 countries over two years. How to Plan a Family Trip to Germany in 2023 - My Germany Vacation, [] service doesnt work in Germany, get a couple pre-paid SIM cards when you arrive. The tests conducted yearly byConnect Magazine, illustrate that Deutsche Telekom still offers the best mobile internet reception; however, Telefnica and Vodafone are catching up. To check whether your phone will work in Germany, check out this page by Kimovil or this one by Will My Phone Work (outdated, unfortunately, but extremely user-friendly useful for phones launched in or before 2019. YTA0MzJjZjQwZjkwOTU5M2U2OGY0ZGEwM2RjYmQwZjRkMjcwODYxZGZhOTVi All the sim cards listed in this article are European sim cards with data that you can order online before your trip.