11 Best SIM Cards in Germany: 2023 Guide
After your arrival to Germany, the first thing you will need to ensure is an internet connection. A local SIM card will do this job. Yet, mobile internet, like the general cost of living, is expensive in Germany. You might easily spend 20-30 EUR on data and calls by the end of the month.
A wise selection of the Germany SIM card provider and tariff is essential in that case. Here are our best Germany SIM card picks in terms of price, amount of data, speed, flexibility, and more.
The best SIM cards in Germany are:
- O2 Prepaid
- ALDI Talk
- Lebara
- WinSim
- Blau Allnet Smart
- Vodafone CallYa Allnet
- O2 Free M
- Airalo and Nomad for visitors and temporary stay
In Germany, all major mobile networks have their own SIM card deals, plans, and bargain bundles, but which one should you pick? Read on, and we will help you find out.
Check out the best SIM cards for students in Germany in this article.
| O2 Prepaid S | Aldi Talk | Lebara | WinSim | Blau Allnet Smart | |
| Monthly price EUR | 9,99 | 7,99 | 9,99 | 8,99 | 7,99 |
| Data | 3,5 GB | 3 GB | 3 GB | 9 GB | 3 GB |
| Network provider | O2 | O2 | Telekom | O2 | O2 |
| Downlod/Upload speed | 50/225 MBit/s | 25/10 MBit/s | 18/2,5 MBit/s | 50/32 MBit/s | 12/25 MBit/s |
Germany’s best sim cards
1. 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. They have some of the best rates on mobile in the country. You can choose between a wide range of SIM card deals, but the Prepaid S has the best value – 9,99 EUR per month and 3,5 GB.
The O2 reception in cities is excellent, whereas, if you spend a lot of time in rural areas, it’s not the best option out there.
Generally, prices vary from 0 EUR per month up to 20 EUR. Prepaid M costs 14,99 EUR and offers 6,5 GB of mobile data. L package is excellent for someone with a need for a large amount of internet. 19,99 EUR per month will get you 12,5 GB. All deals include unlimited calls and SMS.
Highlights of an O2 prepaid SIM card in Germany:
- None or short-term contract for 4 weeks
- Internet LTE 4G + EU roaming
- 25 EUR Bonus
- Free SIM card and shipping
Need a SIM card with the best internet? Check out this comparison.
Best Mobile Network in Germany for Internet
2. ALDI Talk
Price: 7,99 EUR/month (3 GB) to 17,99/month (12 GB)
ALDI Talk has affordable prepaid SIM cards based on the O2 network. The S package offers 3 GB of data for 7,99 EUR, M has 6 GB, and L – 12 GB. The prices for SIM cards respectively: 7,99 EUR, 12,99 EUR, and 17,99 EUR.
ALDI talk SIM cards can be purchased in all ALDI supermarkets, which you will see everywhere in Germany.
- Prepaid SIM card
- 10 EUR starting credit
- Unlimited calls & SMS
- No contract
- 10 EUR basic fee
- No minimum turnover
If you opt for a free ALDI SIM card (no monthly fee), calls and SMS will cost you 0,11 EUR per min/SMS.
3. Airalo
Price: 5 EUR/7 days (1 GB) to 22,5 EUR/month (10 GB)
Pro: You can order your SIM card online and have it installed & activated upon landing in Germany.
Airalo is the best SIM card in Germany for digital nomads and travellers who don’t plan to live in the country but rather will stay for a short period of time. This company offers SIM cards for over 190 countries. In Germany, its SIM cards run on the O2 network.
You can preorder it online before you travel, so it takes away the hustle of trying to order or buy a SIM card when arriving in the country. The SIM card will be activated (the validity period starts) when you land and connect to the network.
With Airalo, you can choose between global coverage or opt only for usage in Germany, or in Europe.
There are four main plans you can choose from in Germany:
- 7 days validity with 1 GB data for 5 EUR
- 30 days validity with 3 GB data for 10 EUR
- 30 days validity with 5 GB data for 15 EUR
- 30 days validity with 10 GB data for 22,5 EUR
Keep in mind that packages include only data for the internet. It doesn’t provide you with a German phone number, but you can easily make calls via apps like Whatsapp.
4. Nomad
Price: 6,5 EUR/7 days (1 GB) or 12,5 EUR/month (3 GB)
Pro: You can order your SIM card online and have it installed & activated upon landing in Germany. No valid German address is needed; 100% online, hands-off process.
Nomad is a digital eSIM marketplace for travelers and, as the name might say – digital nomads. You will get affordable data plans anywhere in the world, including Germany. In Germany, Nomad’s SIM cards use the O2 network – the second largest provider in the country.
You can pick from several German plans:
- 30 days validity with 3 GB data for 12,5 EUR
- 7 days validity with 1 GB data for 6,5 EUR
If you need more data, have a look at these packs:
- 30 days validity with 5 GB of data for 18 EUR
- 30 days validity with 10 GB of data for 25 EUR
- 30 days validity with 20 GB of data for 35,5 EUR
Optionally, you can book additional data via the app. For example, 1 GB costs 6,5 EUR, and 3 GB costs 12,5 EUR.
Similarly to Airalo, Nomad gives you only internet data but no calls and SMS. After the validity is over, your plan will expire.
5. Lebara
Price: 9,99 EUR/month (3 GB) to 29,99/month (15 GB)
Currently offering the best prepaid SIM card deal for 2,99 EUR per month and 3 GB data.
Lebara is the only telecommunication provider in Germany that offers an English website and customer service. It uses the Telekom network, which is overall more expensive (and higher quality!). Hence, their physical SIM card is more pricey too.
With Lebara, you can get a starter German SIM card for free or for 9,99 EUR per month, which will give you 3 GB of 5G data.
You can also upgrade to 14,99 EUR per month and enjoy 10 GB of data plus 250 min of calls to 50 countries. The most expensive deal costs 29,99 EUR per month and includes:
- 15 GB of data
- Unlimited calls
- 1000 free minutes to 50 countries
You also don’t need to sign any contracts with this provider. Moreover, based on over 1,6k reviews, Lebara receives a rate of 4.41 out of 5. As a bonus, Lebara has its website and support in English in addition to German.Order Lebara SIM card online, and it will be sent to your valid German address within 48 hours. Get your SIM card here.
6. WinSim
Price: 4,99 EUR/month (2 GB) to 19,99/month (20 GB)
WinSim provides probably the cheapest deals for everyone in Germany. 2 GB data for just 4,99 EUR, I doubt if there are other companies offering these low rates. You can get 9 GB of data for as low as 8,99 EUR per month.
Generally, WinSim deals range from:
- 4,99 EUR – 2 GB
- 8,99 EUR- 9 GB
- 11,11 EUR- 15 GB
- 19,99 EUR – 20 GB
WinSim uses O2 as a network provider. All SIM cards also include EU roaming, so you can surf the internet while traveling for free. A customer has the option to sign a 24-month contract or get a SIM card with no commitment at the same price! Stay connected and flexible in Germany with WinSim.
7. Blau Allnet Smart
Price: 6,99 EUR/month (3 GB) to 14,99/month (15 GB)
Blau Allnet Smart is one of the best prepaid SIM card in Germany hosted by the telecommunication company O2. It’s a good budget option for students: already for 7,99 EUR, you will get 3 GB of internet. The speed for all SIM cards is 25 MBit – download and 11,2 MBit/s – upload.
If you are willing to sign a contract, Blau ensures even lower prices. 6,99 EUR per month, gets you 3 GB, including unlimited calls and SMS.
Blau Allnet M gives you 6 GB of data, unlimited calls & SMS, and EU roaming for only 8,99 EUR per month. And for 9,99 EUR, you will get the entire 10 GB of data!
Lastly, Allnet Plus gets you 15 GB of data for 14,99 EUR per month. It’s a great deal.
All these deals are available if you are ready to sign a 24-month-long contract. For someone not willing to commit, the provider has prepaid SIMs:
- Free SIM and pay as you go
- 3 GB for 7,99 EUR
- 6 GB for 12,99 EUR
8. Vodafone CallYa Allnet
Price: 9,99 EUR/month (6 GB) to 20,00/month (18 GB)
Vodafone Germany is one of the biggest network providers in Germany. They have many branches in Germany where you can get personal assistance if needed. With the package CallYa Allnet S you get 6 GB, 200 min of calls, plus sms for 9,99 EUR per month.
A more extensive package CallYa Digital costs 14,99 and 20 EUR per month and offers 8 GB and 18 GB of data plus calls & SMS.
Vodafone deals:
Free Vodafone SIM card – pay as you go
- 9,99 EUR – 3 GB
- 14,99 EUR – 8 GB
- 20 EUR – 18 GB
9. O2 Free M
Price: 29,99 EUR/month (20 GB)
O2 also has SIM cards for someone looking for higher internet speed and more data for an affordable price. For example, you can get 20 GB, with speed up to 225 MBit/s for 29,99 EUR per month; all calls and SMS within Germany are included in the price!
- 20 GB internet
- Unlimited calls and SMS flat to all German networks
- Speed up to 225 Mbit/s with 4G and up to 300 Mbit/s with 5G network
10. Deutsche Telekom
Price: 24,95 EUR/month (5GB)
Telekom is the largest mobile network in Germany, with about 44.657 million users. With more than twenty-five years in the telecommunication industry, Telekom has about ten subsidiaries worldwide. T mobile US is one of their major subsidiaries.
Telekom offers several prepaid options with data packages, calls, and SMS. The Magenta mobile prepaid sim card in Germany includes M, L, and XL plans.
M prepaid SIM card plans go for 9,95 EUR and include 1.5GB of mobile data, 100 min of phone calls, and unlimited SMS with other Telekom users.
L prepaid SIM card plans, which cost 14,95 EUR, come with 2GB mobile data, 200 min of calls, and unlimited SMS.
XL prepaid SIM card packages are the largest with 3GB of mobile data and unlimited calls and SMS. They go for 24,95 EUR.
If these prepaid SIM card data packages aren’t enough for your internet usage, you can activate their prepaid day flat XXL, which comes with 5GB of data that lasts for twenty-four hours. It costs 4,95 EUR.
If you aren’t in need of the Magenta Mobile prepaid SIM card’s unlimited calls and SMS, you could go for the data-only SIM card. These will keep your social media updated as you find your way through this country.
Telekom data-only SIM cards include the S, M, L, and XL plans. S passes come with 500MB data valid for twenty-four hours and cost 2,95 EUR. M plans cost 7,95 EUR and include GB data valid for a week.
An L pass is 14,95 EUR and comes with 2GB of data for thirty days. Although XL passes also last a month, they come with 5GB of data and are worth 24,95 EUR.
11. Edeka Smart
Price: 9,95 EUR/month (4GB)
Edeka smart joined the German telecommunication market as a third-party reseller in 2020. Unlike most german sim card resellers, Edeka offers unlimited data plans, which include local prepaid SIM cards.
Being a Telekom reseller, Edeka smart faces close competition from Deutsche Telekom. Both offer almost similar plans. The only difference is Edeka plans are about five euros cheaper than Telekom.
Below are the charges for the most common Edeka Smart plans.
Source: Edeka Smart
Smart has several SIM card plans, ranging from four-week tariffs to annual packages. The cheapest two to four weeks data tariff goes for 4,95 EUR. This tariff comes with 1 GB data, 50 min of phone calls, and 50 SMS.
The Combi Max unlimited is the most expensive Edeka Smart four to six weeks tariff. It goes for 94,95 EUR. Aside from unlimited data, this plan includes a flat rate to all German networks. This incorporates both calls and SMS.
Edeka Smart offers two annual packages; begin and premium. The ‘begin’ package comes with 12GB worth of data, 1200 min of phone calls, and 1200 SMS. Premium plans include 3GB data per month and a flat rate to all German networks.
Begin packages cost 59,95 EUR, while the premium goes for 94,95 EUR.
All Edeka Smart cards are e-SIM cards; you don’t have to wait in line at gas stations and supermarkets that sell SIM cards.
Edeka Smart is huge on green energy. 1,00 EUR of every starter set sold goes to the forest protection program, WWF. So, you will not only get great mobile network tariffs but also help conserve the environment.
Edeka Smart sim cards make calls and surf via the D1 network, delivering the best network connection.
The only downside with the Edeka Smart SIM cards is that, like most of the Germ phone contracts, proving your identity via call or visiting a physical post office is mandatory.
Cheapest SIM card for Germany
What company has the cheapest SIM card in Germany? You can buy the most affordable prepaid SIM card at WinSim. It costs 4,99 EUR per month and gives you 2 GB.
If you come as a tourist to Germany, Airalo has the best and less expensive option. You pay 5 EUR for a 7-day SIM card and get 1 GB of data.
What is a prepaid SIM card?
Prepaid SIM cards are widely known, used, and favored in Germany. They are simple to use, don’t require a contract, and give your control over the expenses.
With a prepaid deal, you only pay a fixed price per month and have a limited amount of data to use. Most Germans pay about 9,99 EUR per month for a prepaid SIM card.
Pre-paid SIM cards are especially popular among young people and school students.
Prepaid is also a good choice for foreigners who stay less than 2 years in Germany, since with a regular mobile deal, you will sign a contract that lasts 12-24 months.
You can either order it online or purchase it in one of the physical stores in Germany (grocery stores, cell phone stores, petrol stations, supermarkets, etc.) Unlike the standard mobile deal, there is no requirement for the contract; you only need to have a valid German address.
It’s even possible to buy and use it with no German bank account. Prepaid SIM cards can be recharged at all gas stations.
Another benefit of the prepaid SIM card is that the charges don’t occur if you don’t load any credit onto your account. No money – no charges. Simply put some money on your German phone number and book a monthly package when you need it.
Nowadays, most German discounters and supermarkets offer prepaid SIM cards, which you can pick at the checkout, e.g., ALDI, LIDL, Edeka, REWE.
Free prepaid SIM cards
Besides taking a standard prepaid SIM with a fixed monthly price, you can get a free SIM card and pay as you go! The biggest benefit of free SIM cards is that if you don’t use the card, there are no costs.
These SIM cards allow you to stay flexible and don’t pay unnecessary monthly fees for unused data. Providers such as O2 and Vodafone Germany offer free SIM card deals. Usually, it’s 100% free, but some companies might charge an initial fee. However, this fee will be on your card as a balance right after activating it.
Calls and SMS are charged separately depending on your consumption. A minute of call or one SMS can range from 8 to 15 cents.
Internet data is billed between 8 to 15 cents per MB or as a package, e.g., 250 MB.
O2 Free card
Mobile network company O2 also offers free prepaid SIM cards in addition to regular ones. Here, you don’t need to sign any contract. The SIM is 100% free, and you pay as you use data, call or send SMS.
As a bonus, O2 offers 500 MB of data per month for free!
- 100% free prepaid SIM
- No contract
- No basic fee
- No minimum turnover
- 1 EUR starting credit
- 9 Cent per min/SMS
O2 provides the best free SIM cards on the German market.
Vodafone CallYa
- High-speed internet – 50 Mbit/s
- 9 Cent per min/SMS
- 3 cent/MB
- 100% free prepaid SIM
- No contract
- No basic fee
Blau Basic
- Free SIM card
- 10 EUR initial fee, which will be also your starting balance
- 9 Cent per min/SMS
- No contract
Best SIM Cards in Germany for Students
Compare SIM card deals on Verivox
You can also compare all existing SIM cards, providers, and rates in Germany via the platform Verivox.de. The search engine will give you information on the following:
- The monthly price of the SIM card
- Mobile data
- Internet speed
- Cost per call & SMS
To find a prepaid deal, you need to select Handy on top of the page, then prepaid and “jetzt Prepaidtarife vergleichen”. To see all SIM cards select Handytarife. The platform will refer you to the provider to buy a SIM card.
Compare providers and rates of various insurances including car insurance, sim cards, credits & loans, internet, electricity, and much more. With this fair comparison, you will find the perfect deal for your situation. Check out some of the largest German platforms Verivox.de and Tarifcheck.de. You can purchase a favorable deal directly on the website.
Mobile contact vs prepaid in Germany
Before you get a German mobile number, it’s good to consider which option is more suitable: a mobile contract or a prepaid SIM card.
A prepaid SIM card must be topped up regularly, and with a signed mobile contract, you pay a fixed monthly fee each time.
| Mobile contract | Prepaid SIM card |
| 1. Great for long-term stay (>1year) 2. Include fast internet, unlimited call, text 3. Has a long cancellation notice 4. Requires German address and German bank account (IBAN) | 1. Best for a short-term stay 2. Best for low budget 3. No contract and no cancelation period 4. Slow & expensive internet |
Ultimately, in most cases, you will get more internet for a lower price with a contract.
The unbeatable advantage of prepaid SIM is its flexibility – you can switch providers at any time or just stop using the card.
Pros and cons of prepaid SIM cards
Pros
Prepaid SIM cards indeed have many great things. Some of them are:
- No contract commitment: prepaid SIM can be canceled or paused at any time.
- Control of expenses: You recharge your balance manually instead of through automated renewals.
- Low cost: Prepaid rates are usually very affordable, hence, preferred by students and apprentices.
- Flexibility: You can book various packages every month and don’t have to stick to one tariff.
- Free SIM card: Prepaid SIM cards are free, and if the initial price was charged it will be deposited as a starting balance onto your number.
Cons
Yet, prepaid deals have their negatives too:
- Slow internet: Prepaid SIM cards are known to have very slow internet with limited speed.
- Expensive internet: In addition to the slow speed, the internet can be quite expensive too.
Canceling a SIM card in Germany
If you want to cancel your SIM card or mobile contract in Germany, read this detailed guide.
Generally, prepaid SIM cards can be canceled at any time, with a period of 14-30 days to the end of the month. When you cancel, you can also decide whether you want to keep the number or not.
Some companies mentioned in this article don’t require you to sign any contract, for example, WinSim. Generally, most of the prepaid offers are easily terminable.
Moreover, some providers have mobile apps where you can quit your package, but others might require you to visit the nearest office or at least call or email them.
Most German sim card contracts have a minimum duration of twenty four months. For a successful cancellation, you should terminate the contract before the end of the minimum period. Otherwise, the contract renews itself automatically for another twelve months.
Additionally, the network provider must receive your written termination letter before the end of the minimum termination period to process the cancellation.
However, with many prepaid deals, you don’t even have to terminate officially, you could just stop recharging it, and nothing will happen. But the best practice is, of course, to write an official termination if you no longer use it.
Can I replace my home internet with an unlimited SIM card in Germany?
Mobile phone plans keep getting biggger and bigger with time. Whatsmore, unlimited SIM cards are cheaper than purchasing data, wifi, or home internet.
If your mobile SIM card speed works in your home, you may be easily tempted to replace your home or apartment internet connection with this service.
Although setting up your phone’s hotspot for your laptop or TV is easy, some mobile network provider’s terms and conditions prohibit full-time home usage.
The provider may block your mobile network contract and connection in case you consume excess data from your home address or one spot.
However, you can get away with this if you leave your home often and restrict your SIM card use to only when you’re around.
The network provider is also at liberty of terminating your contract if you use your SIM card with a wifi or LTE router.
Although with a plan you can use your SIM card at home, it may not be a very reliable internet source. Unlimited SIM card plans have speed caps, meaning their interent speeds dwindle to about 1.5MB per second after reaching a specific limit.
Such internet speed makes it impossible to stream movies, use at home, or even browse the internet.
Read more about cancelling mobile contracts in Germany in this article.
How To Cancel A Mobile Phone Contract in Germany
