Get a SIM card in Germany: Best SIM cards and costs

Compare top SIM card providers in Germany and find out what documents you need to buy a SIM in Germany.

Ivandzhelin

6 minute read

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Updated on 5 Aug 2024

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Living

Getting a German SIM card has to be one of the first items on your relocation checklist to Germany. After all, you'll need the internet or calling minutes when you're new to Germany; to use maps, translate German, or make appointments over calls.

But with so many options, it can be difficult to choose the correct one. Where and how do you buy a SIM card in Germany? Do you choose a prepaid card or a mobile contract? Which is the best network provider in Germany: Telekom, Vodafone or O2? To help you answer these and more questions, here’s a comprehensive guide to the best SIM cards in Germany for students and expats.

Buying a German SIM card will make your life easier if you've got a non-European SIM card. Having a local SIM means you won't have to spend your month's salary on excruciatingly high bills for roaming.

When choosing a German SIM card, there’re 3 main options — prepaid cards, postpaid cards and mobile contracts. The biggest difference between the 3 is flexibility. With prepaid SIM cards and postpaid plans, you have the option to stop the service whenever you want. Whereas, if you want to cancel your mobile contract, you’ll probably have to pay early cancellation fees.

Prepaid SIM

Prepaid SIM cards come pre-loaded with credit that allows you to make calls, send texts, or use data. There's no subscription plan, and you can top up as much as you need, whenever you want.

Prepaid SIM cards are perfect for international students in Germany as they’re cheaper and more flexible. They’re also a great choice for people who know they won’t need a lot of call minutes or data.

Phone contract

Phone contracts in Germany come with a certain amount of mobile data (5G/4G LTE), a flat rate for calls and texts, and some amount of international minutes. Phone contracts usually have a fixed 24-month term or a 12-month plan, meaning you’re locked into the provider the whole time. The costs__ of the plan are paid monthly via direct debit__.

Mobile phone contracts are ideal for expats who want to stay a few years, for example when moving to Germany for work. They’re also a great choice for expats who want to upgrade their phones. The plan costs are paid off in monthly instalments. At the end of the contract, your phone is yours to enjoy.

Postpaid plan

The best of both worlds is postpaid plans. With post-paid plans, you get a flat rate for calls and texts, and an amount of data of your choosing. With postpaid plans, you’ve got the flexibility of prepaid SIM cards because they can be cancelled at the end of each month. But the stability of mobile contracts because if you forget to charge your card, your phone won’t be cut off.

Regardless of your choice, it’s good to know that there’re 3 main network providers in Germany— Telekom, Vodafone and O2. There’re also mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) which rely on the networks of the main ones. Aldi Talk and Lebara use the O2 (Telefonica) network, whereas Lidl Connect uses Vodafone's network. This affects the coverage they have across the country.

All prepaid options come loaded with a €10 credit and come with a flat rate for calls and texts to German numbers. Depending on the option you choose, you can charge it monthly or allow direct debit.

• Telekom’s MagentaMobil Prepaid M is a great option if you’re looking for excellent network coverage.
• If you plan on talking a lot to your family and friends outside of Germany, Vodafone’s CallYa Allnet Flat M prepaid bundle is for you.
• If you’re looking for a cheaper alternative and live in one of the bigger German cities, O2’s Prepaid M current prepaid promotion is for you.

Best SIM Cards in Germany for students

• Aldi Talk and Lidl Connect are the most popular options among students as they offer great bundles for the lowest prices.
• Lebara’s HELLO!S Prepaid provides the most data and is the only network in Germany whose website and customer service are fully in English.

Where to buy prepaid SIM cards in Germany?

You can buy your prepaid card from the stores of the network providers, online or from other retailers such as corner stores.

Once you’ve bought your prepaid SIM card, you have to register and activate it before you can use it. We recommend buying your prepaid SIM from the mobile operators or Mediamarkt as they won’t charge you for activating your card. You can also register your card online by verifying your identity on websites like VideoIdent or WebID.

Prepaid SIM cards from Lidl, Aldi and Lebara can be registered via your personal account on the provider’s website. To do so, you’ll need:

• proof of German address
• a valid ID/passport.

Foreigners coming from EU countries can use their ID cards, but non-EU expats have to use their passports. Keep in mind that not all passports can be used for online registration. If that’s the case, you need to go to the nearest post office to activate your card.

Prepaid cards can be registered at the German post office via their PostIdent service, but only if you use your foreign passport.

Once your card is activated, you have the option to choose which bundle is most convenient for you and top up your card through your account. You have the option to pay via direct debit or manually charge your card every month.

• Telekom’s plans are pricier, but the quality of their mobile network is the best. Telekom relies on the D1-Netz network, which used to be state-owned. This is why it has such good coverage of the country. All Telekom’s plans include 5G mobile internet, unlimited data, and free roaming within the EU, UK and Switzerland. For expats under the age of 28, Telekom offers discounted tariffs starting at €19.99.

• Vodafone is the second-largest network in Germany and it uses the D2-Netz network. It offers excellent data speed and good area coverage. It has an app and partial customer service in English. Vodafone also allows you to pick your most used apps and use them without data limitations. Typical Vodafone plans include features such as 5G data and no roaming charge within the EU and the UK. Like Telekom, Vodafone offers discounted tariffs for their customers under 28 years. The deals start at €24.99.

• O2 is the third-largest mobile service in Germany and has the lowest tariffs and highest data volume. It relies on the E-Netz network and is an excellent choice if you live in one of the bigger cities; its rural network coverage is not complete. Its plans include 5G data, unlimited data, a flexible contract (12 or 24 months), and free EU and UK roaming. Unlike the other 2, O2 offers discounted prices to its customers under the age of 29. Prices start at €19.99.

All 3 networks offer discounts on internet and TV if you include them in your contract. Learn more about Utilities in Germany to manage your bills.

What do you need to get a mobile plan?

• Proof of identity (ID/passport)
• Proof of address in Germany (Meldebescheinigung)
• German bank account details for the direct debit payment

How to cancel a mobile phone contract?

There are 2 types of mobile contract cancellations in Germany– ordinary cancellation (cancelling after the fixed term) or extraordinary cancellation (ending the contract before the agreed-upon period). In the latter case, you either have to provide a valid reason for cancelling (e.g. moving to another country) or have to pay basic fees for another 3 months after the termination is confirmed.

Mobile contract cancellations are only valid if submitted in writing. If you have a verbal agreement, the cancellation is not valid.

If you have an unlimited contract, it’ll be easier to cancel your contract as you need to give a 2-6 weeks' notice. But if you have a limited contract (fixed-term), the chances of free cancellation are slim if you don’t have an extraordinary request.

In 2021, Germany passed a law prohibiting network and internet providers to auto-renew your contract. Currently, after the fixed term of your contract ends, you can cancel it every month, like a prepaid SIM card.

In terms of postpaid options, your best approach would be to choose one from MVNOs. Here’re the 3 best options to choose from:

• WinSim is a great option if you’re looking for flexibility and low prices, as it has one of the cheapest tariffs on the market. It uses the O2 network, so this is a plan for you if you live in bigger cities.
• SIMon Mobile’s postpaid plan comes with 10GB of data for €8.99. You’ve got the option of choosing to add 5GB of data to your plan and keeping your German phone number. It has better coverage as it uses Vodafone’s network and has no one-time fee.
• HELLO! Flex is the postpaid plan of Lebara starting at €9.99. It has a large range of data options you can choose from. It has good coverage mostly in bigger cities because it uses the O2 network. The fee varies according to your data bundle.

Phones on both GSM and CDMA networks will work in Germany. The only scenario where you may face an issue is if your phone is under a carrier lock. This is likely if you've bought your phone on a subscription plan from the US, Canada, South Korea, or Japan.

If this is the case, go to the store of your mobile service provider before you move to Germany and ask them to unlock it.

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