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Prepaid SIM card for Germany: Where to Buy in 2024?
Find the best internet options for your time in Germany by our run down of the best international data SIM cards for Germany.
January 1, 2024
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Are you planning to visit one of the most cosmopolitan and culturally rich countries on the European continent? If you travel to Germany, you can’t forget to keep an internet connection. We will explain where you can buy a SIM card for Germany and compare the best products to find the right deal. Never pay for international roaming again and get affordable internet with a data SIM card for Germany.
As an innovative alternative to the traditional SIM card, the embedded SIM card has come into our lives to make things even easier. In this article, we will also talk about the advantages and conditions of the so-called eSIM cards.
Unlimited data eSIM for Germany
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Where can I buy a SIM card for 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. International roaming has existed for a long time, but it is well-known that this service is very expensive. After that, there were alternatives such as pocket WiFi that improved the price of roaming but needed to keep an extra device with you. In this way, the prepaid SIM card has balanced cost and practicality.
We now understand that a SIM card for tourists is the best option. The even better news is that there are many options to buy them. As a tourist in Germany and other destinations around the world, you can find international SIM cards at:
- Online stores where you can buy before arriving in Germany. They offer international SIM cards with deliveries in most of the world.
- In physical stores of the local operators in Germany once you arrive in the country. With this option, you will have to do some registration and processing.
- The digital SIM card or eSIM you can also buy in online stores before your trip and with immediate deliveries worldwide.
>Get to know more about the SIM Card for Luxembourg!<
Buy before you travel
We all like to prepare everything before arriving at a destination we don’t know. For this simple reason, the choice of most tourists traveling to Germany is to buy a prepaid SIM card before arriving. Nowadays, this is not a difficult task because of the great number of stores that we can find on the web. A quick search can give us a wide range of possibilities to choose from. So in order not to get lost in the decision, we will give you some tips to make the best SIM card for Germany.
First of all, check if the store you select offers delivery to your country, how many days it will take to arrive and of course the payment methods they offer. You should have the SIM card at hand before your trip, so if it takes too long, it will not be a solution. The second thing to take into account has to do with how the SIM card for Germany works.
Even when purchased in an international store, the SIM card uses a local network to connect. Therefore you should verify your phone has unlocked bands, and also choose one SIM that uses a local operator with good coverage and speed. With this in mind, you can buy your tourist SIM card for any destination.
Pros of buying a data plan for abroad before traveling
Buying a SIM card or embedded SIM card before your trip to Germany will give you benefits such as:
- Mobile internet for whatever you need
Having your international SIM card for Germany before your arrival will ensure that you always have mobile internet during your trip. Nothing better than having independent communication and not looking for public networks or extra devices.
- Easy to buy
Online stores offer multilingual customer service and services aimed at tourists. It is easier to buy a SIM card through a web store and avoid time-consuming local registration processes in Germany.
- Avoid high bills
When you buy a prepaid SIM card, you know how much data you have at your disposal without any surprises. Roaming services that are charged on a pay-as-you-go basis can surprise you with high costs without you even realizing it.
Buy your tourist SIM card in Germany
If you cannot buy your SIM card from Germany, you can always buy it in a physical store once you arrive in the country. Local phone companies offer tourist data packages, although the options are limited. You should also remember that even if you are a tourist for local schemes, you must register your SIM card. This process can be done at the store where you purchase it, and one of the requirements is to have a valid ID. With this clear, we will talk about the operators with plans available for visitors.
Telekom
Formally known as T-Mobile, this is the company’s division with responsibility in Germany. Within its services, we find prepaid SIM cards for tourists in which you can activate their prepaid Magenta Mobil plans. All packages are valid for 30 days and have data from 500 Mb to 7 GB and even an unlimited version. You will be connected to a 5G network and will have calls and messages to local numbers. Finally, all plans can be renewed as long as you have enough credit.
O2 Germany
Another option for a tourist in Germany is the prepaid packages of O2. This company is known in Europe for its services around the continent. With the O2 for Germany prepaid SIM card, you can opt for packages from 6 GB to 18 GB and with a last version of unlimited data. All options are for use within 30 days with access to monthly renewal as long as you pay before expiry. Data is for use in high-speed 4G LTE browsing, but if you use it up, you can continue to browse at 384 Kbit/s speed. Plans do not include calls or messages but do include roaming at no additional cost to other EU destinations.
Vodafone Germany
The European carrier also has a market presence in Germany and offers prepaid SIM cards for tourists. These data packages range from 2 GB to 20 GB, which are renewed every 30 days as long as you pay before they expire. You will be connected to a 4G LTE network and will be able to make calls or send SMS to local numbers at a flat rate. You can link your local SIM card payments to your credit card if convenient. With this service, you can also use data roaming to other destinations in Europe to check which destinations you can go to the Vodafone website.
How much does a prepaid SIM card for internet in Germany cost?
A local SIM card for Germany can cost between 10$ and 100$, being the cheapest SIM card without a data plan and the most expensive SIM card with unlimited data. Note that the only restriction as a visitor in Germany is that you must complete your SIM card registration. There is no limit to the number of chips you can buy as a tourist as there is in other destinations around the world.
In Germany, there are not many local operators as in other destinations worldwide. However, despite this, there are a good number of plans to choose from. It is worth mentioning that all the options have a 30 days usage period, so if your stay is shorter, you should use other alternatives.
Holafly eSIM for Germany: a great alternative.
It is time to know what an embedded SIM card or eSIM is and why it is the best solution to have mobile internet abroad. An eSIM, as its name suggests, is embedded in your phone, so it does not need a physical installation. The activation is done thanks to a QR code you will receive after purchasing. You need internet for the whole process, and after receiving the email with the information, you can activate your service anytime, anywhere.
If you want to make the task of always being connected even easier, we recommend you consider the virtual SIM cards that Holafly has for your trip to Germany. In their webshop, you can find offers for more than 160 destinations, and these eSIM cards are delivered within minutes after your purchase. In addition, Holafly embedded SIM cards use the best networks worldwide, something you can verify yourself in their technical data.
Advantages and disadvantages of Virtual SIM cards
Advantages
- Purchase and activate at any time
Whether you decide to buy it before your trip or once you are in Germany, you can do it anytime with Holafly’s digital SIM cards. Just go to their store, choose a destination and plan you are interested in buying and receive the QR code immediately, with which you’ll be able to set it up on your phone easily.
- Unlimited data at a low cost.
You will see in the Holafly online store that all data packages for Germany include unlimited data. You can purchase options from 5 to 90 days of usage, so you will always have a plan that fits your stay.
- 60 minutes talk-time included
As a brand-new feature that was only recently launched, Holafly now includes 60 minutes to make calls and 60 minutes to receive calls for a total of 120 minutes of talk time. This is a great advantage in case you need to contact a local number.
- Multi-Country eSIM plans.
There is also an opportunity for the more adventurous. If your trip goes beyond Germany and you decide to travel through Europe, Holalfy offers a Europe eSIM card with coverage on the continent. This is convenient to avoid activating a different eSIM every time you change the country.
- You can renew with a top-up.
All Holafly digital SIM cards have the option to purchase a day extension for the same destination. These top-ups are done just like a regular purchase with the ease of not having to activate a new eSIM. It will be available immediately on your current service.
Disadvantages
- Compatibility with the latest phones.
Embedded SIM cards are a growing technology and are rapidly replacing physical SIM cards. However, not all phones are compatible with them, so you should check if yours is. For this, Holafly has a list of compatible devices you can use.
How much does a tourist eSIM for Germany cost?
Let’s take a look at the deals offered by Holafly for German eSIM.
| Length of plan | Amount of data | Price (USD) |
| 5 days | Unlimited data with calls | $19 |
| 7 days | Unlimited data with calls | $27 |
| 10 days | Unlimited data with calls | $34 |
| 15 days | Unlimited data with calls | $47 |
| 20 days | Unlimited data with calls | $54 |
| 30 days | Unlimited data with calls | $64 |
| 60 days | Unlimited data with calls | $87 |
| 90 days | Unlimited data | $99 |
Frequently asked questions
You can activate data roaming and use data provided by your current provider. But be aware that this will be very expensive. If you plan on using this option, you can expect a hefty phone bill when you get back home. Alternatively, you could buy Pocket Wi-Fi (a portable device that generates a WiFi connection for your phone). This option is also expensive, and you’ll have to carry the device everywhere. A physical or virtual SIM card for Germany is the cheapest and most convenient way of connecting to the internet.
You could expect to be charged $7-$15 per MB. So if you watched a movie on Netflix, that could mean paying hundreds. That’s why we recommend buying a SIM card instead.
You can check if your phone is compatible.
If you buy your virtual SIM card from Holafly, you can contact their customer support team 24/7. All SIM cards come with clear and comprehensive set-up instructions.
