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How to get a Brazil SIM card in 2026: Guide for travelers
A Brazil SIM card costs about $3.35 to $5.90 for 4 GB to 25 GB from Vivo, Claro, and TIM. Compare plans and how to buy one without a CPF.
A Brazil SIM card costs between R$17 and R$30 (~US$3.35 to $5.90) for a prepaid package with 4 GB to 25 GB of data, sold by Vivo, Claro, and TIM. You’ll need your passport, and usually a visit to a carrier store, because Brazilian carriers register prepaid lines against a CPF tax number.
Below, we compare the three main providers, what each package includes, and how to get connected without a CPF, along with Holafly travel eSIM, an international eSIM with unlimited data in Brazil.
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Can foreigners get a SIM card in Brazil?
Yes, you can get a SIM card in Brazil as a foreigner, though you’ll need your passport and, in most cases, a visit to a carrier store. This saves you from roaming charges or renting expensive pocket WiFi for Brazil. Vivo, Claro, and TIM all sell prepaid SIM cards, known locally as chips, with plans that include mobile internet in Brazil, calls, and texts. The main obstacle is the CPF, a Brazilian tax number that carriers normally require for registration, though each carrier has a route for travelers who don’t have one.
Where to buy a Brazil SIM card
There are several options for buying a SIM card in Brazil, both online and in person. Here are the most common:
- Buy in a carrier store: Vivo, Claro, and TIM all have stores in cities and shopping centers. If you don’t have a CPF, this is usually the only place your line can be activated, so bring your passport.
- Buy in shops throughout Brazil: Chips are sold in supermarkets, newsstands, pharmacies, and lottery outlets. These are convenient for top-ups, but activation as a foreigner still has to happen in a carrier store.
- Buy online before you travel: You can order a Brazil SIM card from an online retailer such as SimCorner or OneSimCard. The cards can be delivered to your home, an airport in Brazil, or your hotel.
- Buy an eSIM instead: eSIMs give you a traveler-oriented way to stay connected. You buy your eSIM online, activate within minutes, and skip the store visit and paperwork entirely.
What is the best SIM card for Brazil?
Choosing the best prepaid SIM cards depends on your priorities, whether you need strong coverage, fast data, or a budget-friendly option. Let’s look at the three best SIM card providers.
1. Vivo SIM card for Brazil
Vivo sells prepaid chips under its Vivo Pré offer. A Vivo SIM card for Brazil comes in four packages, each renewing automatically:
- 25 GB for R$30 (~US$5.90), valid 30 days, made up of 15 GB of open data, 5 GB of bonus data, and 5 GB for YouTube
- 9 GB for R$25 (~$4.90), valid 22 days, made up of 6 GB of open data and 3 GB for YouTube
- 5 GB for R$20 (~$3.90), valid 17 days
- 4 GB for R$17 (~$3.35), valid 15 days
All four include calls and SMS to any Brazilian operator. If you’re looking at how to activate a Vivo SIM card in Brazil, a few things to know before you go:
- Your line only becomes active once you make your first recharge, so budget for the chip and a recharge together.
- Packages renew automatically as long as you hold enough balance on the renewal date, and you activate one by sending VIVOPRE by SMS to 1515.
- Data you don’t use carries over. Recharge R$30, or hold a R$30 balance the day after your allowance expires, and Vivo renews your benefits for another 30 days and carries your leftover data into that period.
Vivo Tourist Plan
Vivo also sells a Vivo Tourist Plan, an eSIM for international visitors that includes 25 GB of data, 300 minutes, and 100 SMS for BRL 55 (~US$10.80), valid for 30 days from activation. You buy it online before your trip and receive it by email, so there’s no CPF registration or store visit.
2. Claro SIM card for Brazil
Claro sells prepaid chips, the Brazilian term for a SIM card, under its Prezão offer. A Claro SIM card for Brazil is sold in Claro stores and includes:
- Data set by your recharge amount rather than a fixed package, from R$1 per day and up to 21 GB
- Unlimited WhatsApp with voice and video calls while your allowance lasts
- A Brazilian mobile number
- Coverage across more than 4,500 cities
If you’re wondering how to buy a SIM card in Brazil as a foreigner, this is the part to plan for. A few things to know before you go:
Claro states that foreigners without a CPF can activate a prepaid chip only in a physical Claro store, with a passport or RNE, so buying one at a supermarket or newsstand won’t work. Chips come either as a common chip with no credit, which needs a recharge before it works, or as a Prezão+ chip that arrives with a balance already on it.
Claro Flex Pass
Claro flex pass is Claro’s plan for international visitors, delivered as an eSIM through the Claro Flex app with 20 GB, 30 GB, or 40 GB of data, unlimited calls and SMS within Brazil, and validity of up to 30 days. You activate with your passport number and a temporary address in Brazil, paying in USD by international credit card, and you get a Brazilian mobile number plus English-language support in the app.
3. TIM SIM card for Brazil
TIM sells prepaid chips under its TIM Pré XIP Plus offer. A TIM SIM card for Brazil comes in three recharge options:
- 16 GB for R$30 (~US$5.90), valid 30 days, with 4 GB reserved for social networks during the recharge month
- 8 GB for R$25 (~$4.90), valid 22 days
- 6 GB for R$20 (~$3.90), valid 17 days
If you’re looking at how to buy a TIM SIM card in Brazil, TIM sells the chip and the first recharge together. A few things to know before you go:
- Buying the Chip and Recharge bundle through TIM’s website gets you the 16 GB package for R$30 with benefits valid for 30 days.
- The chip is delivered to your home address after purchase, so this route works if you’re ordering to a Brazilian address rather than on arrival.
- TIM pays R$1 (~$0.20) back by Pix when you activate, but only if you enter your Pix key during activation, or immediately afterwards in My Plan or the My TIM app.
- Top-ups can be received by Pix through the Meu TIM app, WhatsApp, and Meu Plano.
TIM Visitor
TIM Visitor is TIM’s prepaid offer for foreign travelers, activated by dialing *144 with your passport and your temporary address in Brazil, with a web pass costing R$25 (~US$4.90) a week for 1.5 GB at up to 5 Mbps on 4G and 1 Mbps on 3G. When the pass runs out, text WEB to 2500 and then WEBOK to renew for another 1.5 GB over 7 days, keeping at least R$25 in credit, which you can top up by calling *241 with a card or in person at banks, lottery outlets, and pharmacies.
How much does a SIM card cost in Brazil?
A prepaid Brazil SIM card costs between R$17 and R$30 (~US$3.35 to $5.90), depending on the data allowance and how long it stays valid.
Vivo starts at R$17 for 4 GB over 15 days and runs to R$30 for 25 GB over 30 days, while TIM ranges from R$20 for 6 GB to R$30 for 16 GB. Claro prices its prepaid chips by recharge amount instead, from R$1 per day.
The chip itself is sold separately from your first recharge, and the price varies depending on where you buy it. TIM’s visitor chip costs R$50 (~$9.80), which comes back to you as R$50 in credit.
Disclaimer: The data in this article is accurate as of November 10, 2025, and is subject to change.
Tips for buying a SIM card in Brazil
You’ll need to provide your ID or passport when buying a prepaid Brazil SIM card. All local SIMs must be registered under the buyer’s name, and you won’t be able to buy a SIM card without having your passport on hand.
Registration may require a valid Brazilian Cadastro de Pessoas Físicas number (CPF), a tax identification number that’s difficult for tourists to obtain. Travelers can get a prepaid SIM without one, but the route is narrower than it looks. Claro states that foreigners without a CPF can only activate a line inside a Claro store, and TIM registers visitors by phone on *144 using a passport. Plan on a carrier store visit rather than picking up a chip at a newsstand.
Your phone also needs to be unlocked before it will work on a Brazilian network. Carriers here can’t unlock a handset that’s locked to an operator in another country, so check with your provider before you travel.
If you want to avoid all this, you can get an eSIM from an international eSIM provider instead, as it doesn’t require having a passport or any other document. All you need is a mobile phone and an internet connection.
Stay connected in Brazil with Holafly
Don’t want to spend your trip hunting for SIM shops or wrestling with CPF requirements in Brazil? Holafly’s eSIM for Brazil offers unlimited data, 24/7 support, and data sharing: no ID, no registration fees, buy online and you’re connected.
Prices range from $3.21 to $7.90 USD per day, with any duration from 1 to 90 days, so you only pay for the days you need.
Travel often? Holafly Plans is a monthly eSIM subscription covering 170+ destinations from $39.90 to $64.90 per month. No contracts, cancel anytime.
That’s not all. At Holafly, we include 1 GB of Always On backup data with every eSIM purchase, at no additional cost. Keep your Holafly eSIM installed after your Brazil trip ends and you’ll stay connected in 70+ destinations whenever travel gets tricky: a connecting flight, a last-minute ride, or a spontaneous side trip.
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Planning to visit other countries in South America? Take a look at our SIM card blogs for other countries in the region:
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- South America SIM card
FAQ about the SIM card for Brazil
The best SIM card for Brazil depends on your trip. Vivo offers the largest single package at 25 GB for R$30 over 30 days. TIM’s 16 GB for R$30 also runs 30 days and includes data for social networks. Claro sets your allowance by recharge amount rather than a fixed package. Match the validity period to your stay.
A SIM card is called a chip in Brazil. You’ll see the word on carrier websites, in stores, and on packaging, so asking for a chip pré-pago is the clearest way to request a prepaid SIM card. Both terms are understood in shops used to serving travelers.
Activate a Vivo SIM card by making your first recharge, which switches the line on. You then choose a package by sending VIVOPRE by SMS to 1515. Packages renew automatically as long as you hold enough balance on the renewal date. Registration requires ID, so bring your passport.
Yes. Carriers sell chips through their own websites with delivery to a Brazilian address, and online retailers such as SimCorner and OneSimCard ship to your home before you travel. Buying online doesn’t remove the registration step, so a foreigner without a CPF still needs a carrier store to activate.
Yes, a Brazil SIM card gives you a Brazilian mobile number for calls and texts. Vivo, Claro, and TIM all include one with a prepaid chip. The number stays active while your line has valid credit, and carriers block lines that go too long without a recharge.
No, WhatsApp is not blocked in Brazil and it’s the country’s most widely used messaging app. Carriers commonly include unlimited WhatsApp with prepaid packages, and Claro’s Prezão covers voice and video calls while your data allowance lasts.
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A senior SEO writer from Lithuania, combining my passion for writing and travel at Holafly. With years of experience in technical fields, I'm here to answer all of your questions about staying connected. I specialize in turning even the most complicated topics into something everyone can understand.
