Best Prepaid SIM or eSIM Cards in Germany for Travelers

Prepaid eSIM cards are often the easiest and best SIM card choice when traveling to Germany and the rest of Europe (EU) as tourists or short-term visitors.

The best SIM card options for international travelers to Germany and the European Union are usually installing a prepaid eSIM card before traveling to ensure instant mobile internet access on arrival in Europe. Using an existing domestic phone contract while traveling is the easiest way to access the internet abroad but the extra costs of international roaming may be high or difficult to calculate. Non-residents may buy a prepaid local SIM card in Germany but identification checks and the activation process may be cumbersome. The cheapest option and best value is usually an international SIM card with data only — make phone calls through WhatsApp or similar apps only. 

Best German SIM Card Options for Travelers to Germany

Foreign travelers to Germany have the following basic options for mobile phone coverage:

1. Use your existing foreign SIM card with data roaming — easiest to set up but may be costly depending on the packages and prices offered by your mobile phone contract.
2. Buy an eSIM online — easy to set up, relatively cheap, many options, but usually for data only and no local phone number or phone calls other than through apps such as WhatsApp.
3. Buy a prepaid physical local SIM card in Germany — cheap and gives a German phone number (and calls) but requires an identification check that may be more cumbersome than advertised. 
4. Postpaid plans with German mobile operators are almost impossible to set up without a German bank account and German home address — such mobile contracts are not an option for tourists and short-time visitors to Germany.

Note that European Union (EU) roaming on some German SIM cards excludes Switzerland and the United Kingdom (Great Britain). A few travel eSIM cards offer Germany-only coverage but the savings over full EU data packages are minimal.

Using a Foreign SIM Card with Roaming in Germany

The simplest way to use a foreign mobile phone in Germany is to activate roaming on the existing mobile phone contract. This is likely to be the most expensive option, but it requires almost no changes in phone settings and no need to swap SIM cards. The existing phone number continues to work.

Depending on the packages offered by your phone contract, roaming can be a great option for short visits, or visitors requiring only a minimal amount of data and calls while traveling. Use flight mode to avoid unpleasant surprises when data usage is unclear — prepaid packages without auto-renew are sensible. Free Wifi is ubiquitous in German hotels but in recent years less common in restaurants, cafes, and similar venues due to the generous amount of data most Europeans have on their phone contracts.

Buy a Cheap eSIM Card Online for Mobile Data in Germany

Often the best SIM option for travelers to Germany, Europe, or anywhere abroad is to buy an eSIM card online. 

Advantages of Online eSIM Cards:

• Easy to set up — no actual SIM card is installed in addition to the original existing card. Apps are available in many languages.
• It is easy to buy an eSIM online in advance before traveling and activate it immediately upon arriving in Germany (or Europe).
• No additional ID checks or paperwork are required.
• A wide variety of packages are available offering generous data allowances for a fair price.
• Prepaid means no unpleasant roaming charge surprises while it is very easy to add more data or credit if needed.
• Good coverage with a variety of different plans for Germany-only, EU, Europe (including Switzerland, Britain, and other non-EU members), and even sometimes worldwide. 

Negatives of Online eSIM Cards:

• Usually data-only plans.
• No local phone number, which may be problematic for some services that require a working phone number. Phone calls must be made through data apps such as WhatsApp.
• Calls made or received and SMS messages on the original international number may still incur roaming charges.

Many eSIM card services are available and it is sensible to compare prices as discounts are frequently offered especially on high data deals (e.g. 20 GB Data for 30 days). I personally have used Nomad on several trips (in Germany, Switzerland, France, the UK, and the Netherlands). Other well-known brands such as Airalo and Simoptions also receive good reviews and are easy to use. (I have affiliate links to all these eSIMs, simply type the address if preferred.) Always buy directly from one of the larger service providers and avoid ones that are too cheap — there is no point in saving one euro if the end result is frustratingly slow data or patchy coverage. When comparing cards, keep in mind that eSIMS supporting 5G is not going to hide the speed in small print.

Compare prices at the moment of purchase as prices and discount deals change frequently. Expect to pay around €5 for 1 GB of EU data to be used within 7 days, €10 for 2GB within 15 days (€7 for Germany-only), and €30 for 20GB within a month on a European SIM card.

How to Use an eSIM Card in Germany

Setting up an eSIM card for use on mobile phones in Germany (or anywhere else) is easy. The basics are as follows:

• The original existing physical SIM card remains in the phone at all times and the original number remains valid.
• Check if the phone is able to use an eSIM. Look for the “Add eSIM” option — on iOS: Settings > Mobile Data; on Android: Settings > Connections > SIM Card Manager. Most newer phones are set up for eSIM cards but an unlocked phone is needed if the original phone contract carrier limit changes. Most iPhones bought in China are not compatible with eSIMs.
• Buy the eSIM online — it is mostly in the form of a QR code (or a series of numbers).
• Always install the service provider’s app, even if optional, as it invariably simplifies setup and makes life simpler at no cost.
• The eSIM may be installed and set up abroad (or over wifi in Germany) to be activated immediately on arrival.
• Switch off mobile roaming for the original SIM, or set it up to use only roaming on certain apps such as banking and receiving SMS messages — the eSIM instructions will explain how to do this.
• When leaving Germany (or Europe) deactivate the eSIM (and delete it, or keep it for easier setup on future visits).

Note that data-only eSIM cards cannot make or receive standard telephone calls or receive SMS messages. Unless roaming is switched off for the physical SIM card, international call charges may apply for making or receiving calls and SMS.

For example, an American mobile phone user will receive any +1 home country calls as international calls while traveling in European countries with associated international roaming costs charged by your American cell phone provider. (A small data roaming package from your own home carrier may be sensible to receive SMS codes and ensure banking apps work correctly.)

Buy a Local Prepaid Mobile Phone Card in Germany

The cheapest option for mobile phone use in Germany is to buy a local prepaid card once in Germany but the savings over a data-only eSIM are not big enough for me to ever have seriously considered this prepaid option.

The main advantage of a prepaid German SIM card is receiving a German phone number and very cheap phone calls in Germany (and sometimes all of Europe). These packages often include SMS messages, text messages, local calls, and of course mobile internet. For high or unlimited data users, these may be worth the hassle of the activation process. The best prepaid SIM cards are free but sometimes a small activation fee is charged.

A physical local SIM card is also a good option for travelers with older phones incompatible with an eSIM (but the phone must still be unlocked by the original carrier).

​The disadvantages of a local prepaid mobile phone card SIM in Germany:

• A physical card must be bought and installed in the phone. This requires the temporary removal of the original SIM and phone number from the phone — a few offer an eSIM option but only after the physical new SIM card is activated.
• All prepaid cards are only activated after a valid ID (passport) and address check — hotel or temporary addresses are usually accepted. Only buy from a shop where this can be done on the spot — it is supposedly easy to do on a wifi video call but if that is unsuccessful, it is usually necessary to go in person to a post office (closed at night and weekends).
• It is quite a slog to work through all the package deals to find the best option — advertised prices change frequently. The best deals are often only in German.
• Careful with auto-renew — it is easy to miss the date while it is very easy to simply add more credit manually if needed. Top-up vouchers are usually available for travelers not keen on handing over credit card details to the phone company.

Where to Buy a Prepaid SIM Card in Germany

In Germany, it is best to buy prepaid SIM cards from phone stores in the city center, or from other shops where the compulsory ID check may be made immediately and in person. ID checks may also be made for Aldi Talk in any Aldi grocery store.

Avoid buying a travel SIM card inside Frankfurt Airport, Berlin Brandenburg Airport, or inside train stations where usually only the most expensive (or surcharged) tourist SIM card will be on offer. Lebara, Lycamobile, and similar services work well enough and have some advantages too, but personally I rather use any of the other companies mentioned in this article.

Prepaid SIM cards are sold in many kiosks, convenience stores, gas stations, electronics shops, and other venues in Germany but it is usually the best option to buy directly in phone stores where ID checks are possible. The prices for the same service will be the same everywhere. 

Best Prepaid SIM Cards and Mobile Carriers in Germany

The three largest mobile phone companies in Germany with the best network coverage are Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone, and O2. They also charge higher prices but are the most likely to connect to a 5 G network rather than 4G or LTE. Note that Vodafone and O2 usually don’t include Switzerland and the UK in the EU roaming packages. 

I personally would opt for Telekom, which is unlikely to be the cheapest but offers the best 5G network and usually includes both Switzerland and the UK in roaming packages. If my eSIM or roaming package allows, I always manually select Telekom as mobile phone network when traveling in Germany.

If on a tight budget, the cheapest and best available options are one of the discount supermarket mobile phone services but German may be essential to read the deals and operate the apps. Buy Aldi Talk from any Aldi supermarket or Lidl Connect from Lidl stores. Aldi uses the O2 network while Lidl uses Vodafone — both usually exclude Switzerland and the UK from EU roaming packages. SIM card deals as cheap as €10 for 20 GB of data within four weeks and unlimited flat rate calls are sometimes advertised for new customers but these deals come with an awful lot of fine print (in German).

Unlimited data prepaid SIMs are available but are pricy in Germany. Often buying a couple of high-data packages may offer enough data at a far cheaper rate.

Mobile coverage in Germany is generally very good in larger cities and urban areas but may be patchy in some rural areas. Expect to occasionally lose the signal while traveling by train. If heading to a specifically rural area or small town for an extended period, enquire locally which of the big three has the best local coverage before picking a data plan. (Many eSIMs will use the best network available but the cheapest and physical SIM cards may only use one network per country.)