Bahrain: 3 Best Prepaid SIM Cards Buying Guide (2023)

Bahrain – known for being a small, oil-rich island nation in the Middle East.

Its beaches are popular for their clear blue waters.

But what can you do in this country?

While the cities are modern nowadays, the country still has many historical sites to visit, such as the Bahrain Forst, the Bahrain National Museum, or the Al Fateh Grand Mosque.

And there are plenty of parks and zoos to visit.

Do note that Bahrain is not the cheapest travel destination out there.

So any way to save some cash is always a good idea.

One way to save money is by getting a Bahraini SIM card instead of roaming internationally. Roaming can be expensive.

However, local SIM cards allow you to enjoy local rates, which are almost always lower than international roaming rates.

So, how expensive are SIM cards in Bahrain?

Bahraini SIM cards are available from 4 BHD (10.60 USD – Batelco), 6.30 BHD (16.70 – Zain) & 7 BHD (18.60 USD – STC) in their stores. However, these starter plans include data, minutes & SMS from the start. SIM cards are also sold at Bahrain International Airport.

I am glad that these prices, or SIM cards, include plans because spending 18.60 USD for just a SIM card would be criminal.

But there are mobile operators globally that do charge these criminal prices. Batelco does this in other countries it operates in – crazy!

In this guide, I will go over everything you need to know about buying a SIM card in Bahrain. Let’s do this.

Original publication: 18th of December 2019. Last updated: 14th of March 2023.

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Table of Contents

Can You Buy a SIM Card in Bahrain?

Anyone 18 years old or older living in or visiting Bahrain can buy a Bahraini SIM card from the mobile network operators (Batelco, STC Bahrain & Zain Bahrain) with some restrictions.

The main restriction is that you can only have ten active SIM cards per mobile operator in your name in Bahrain.

Even for people like me, who like to test out all the mobile operators in a country, this should be more than enough.

But you may have a solid reason for needing 30 SIM cards – you do you.

Besides that restriction, you are free to use Bahraini SIM cards.

You do have to comply with the SIM card registration regulations.

Moreover, you need a phone that supports the frequencies used in the country (preferably all of them to have the most optimal experience while in Bahrain).

Furthermore, you need to have a SIM-lock-free device.

Where Can You Buy a SIM Card in Bahrain?

You can get a Bahraini SIM card in Batelco, STC & Zain stores. It is also possible to get SIM cards at Bahrain International Airport.

You can expect to pay the following for Bahraini SIM cards:

• Batelco: from 4 BHD
• STC Bahrain (formerly VIVA Bahrain): from 6.30 BHD
• Zain Bahrain: from 7 BHD

TIP: Check out my SIM card prices lookup tool for a detailed overview of SIM card starter pack benefits (for Bahraini SIM cards and SIM cards worldwide).

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Can You Use Your Phone in Bahrain?

Bahrain uses GSM technology for mobile communications. CDMA phones will not work in Bahrain. If your phone has a SIM card slot, then it supports GSMA (99% of the phones do support GSM nowadays).

Traditional European frequencies are used in Bahrain, which are mostly used in ITU Regions 1 and 3 (Africa, Asia (including the Middle East), Europe & Oceania).

The Americas (North-, Central– & South America + the Caribbean – ITU Region 2) use American Frequencies, which differ from the European ones.

If you bought your phone in Africa, Asia, Europe, or Oceania (ITU Regions 1 and 3), you should not experience any issues with using your phone in Bahrain.

If you purchased your phone in the Americas (ITU Region 2) and have a low/medium-end device (without Tri-Band or Quad-Band) support, then there is a possibility you cannot use your phone when in Bahrain or can only use slower networks (3G or 2G).

If you have a medium/high-end device with Tri-Band or Quad-Band support, you can use your phone in Bahrain (to some extent) – also on 4G/LTE and 5G NR.

Mobile Operators, Networks & Frequencies in Bahrain

Bahrain has three mobile network operators offering prepaid services easily accessible to travelers:

• Batelco
• STC Bahrain (Formerly VIVA Bahrain)
• Zain Bahrain

The following frequencies are used in Bahrain:

• 2G: 900 MHz & 1800 MHz
• 3G: 2100 MHz
• 4G/LTE: 800 MHz (Band 20), 1800 MHz (Band 3) & 2600 MHz (Band 7)
• 5G NR: 3500 MHz (n78)

You can learn more about frequencies in the video below.

To check whether your phone will work in Bahrain, check out this page by Kimovil or this one by Will My Phone Work (outdated, unfortunately, but extremely user-friendly – useful for phones launched in or before 2019. It does not check for 5G NR compatibility).

Again, make sure your phone is unlocked. Otherwise, you will not be able to use any SIM card except the one from your home operator (meaning you have to roam internationally or buy another unlocked phone that does support the frequencies listed above).

If you want to learn how international roaming works, this guide explains it in-depth. If you wonder why it is often so expensive to roam, this article explains the hidden reason they do not want you to know.

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5G NR in Bahrain

Commercial 5G NR has been available in Bahrain since June 2019. It is available on the STC Bahrain (VIVA Bahrain), Batelco & Zain Bahrain networks. 5G NR is offered to prepaid customers for a fee of 5 BHD (13.25 USD) to 5.25 BHD (14 USD) per month.

Best SIM Card in Bahrain

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Best eSIM in Bahrain

Unfortunately, none of the mobile operators offer eSIM to prepaid customers in Bahrain yet.

Note that the Bahraini mobile operators require your identification (passport) for (future) eSIMs and physical SIM cards (will be discussed later).

Therefore, if you wish to get an eSIM for Bahrain (without personal detail capturing), you can get the Bahrain (Saar Mobile) eSIM from Airalo.

You have these three options:

• Bahrain/Saar Mobile 1 GB eSIM for 7 days
• Bahrain/Saar Mobile 3 GB eSIM for 30 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
• Bahrain/Saar Mobile 5 GB eSIM for 30 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in March based on data up to the 13^th of March (2023 data only)

The Airalo links will automatically get you the Phone Travel Wiz exclusive offers available – a code is unnecessary.

For an in-depth analysis of the Bahrain Saar Mobile eSIMs (covering pros and cons as well), check out my Bahrain eSIMs Compared guide.

You can also get Bahrain eSIMs from SimCorner (6 GB/15 days), which can also be used in neighboring Middle East countries.

Use code PHONETRAVELWIZ for extra savings, although the link above will do the same automatically.

For an in-depth analysis of the SimCorner Bahrain eSIMs (covering pros and cons as well), check out my Bahrain eSIMs Compared guide.

With these eSIMs, you can skip Bahrain's SIM card registration scheme entirely and use it immediately upon arriving in Bahrain!

TIP: check out my Best Bahrain eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison of several eSIMs for Bahrain.

Airalo recently introduced an eSIM for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA): Menalink. The Menalink eSIM follows the popular Eurolink eSIM for 39 European countries, the fairly new Asialink eSIM for 14 Asian countries & the super new Latamlink eSIM for 19 Latin American countries.

The Menalink eSIM comes in three variants: 1 GB/7 days – most popular with PTW readers, 2 GB/15 days & 3 GB/30 days – very popular with PTW readers, to be used in Bahrain and 14 other Middle Eastern and Northern African countries:

TIP: Check out my eSIM lookup tool for an overview of local mobile operators offering eSIMs to prepaid customers and travel eSIMs I use and love (for eSIMs in Bahrain and eSIMs worldwide) and my Best Bahrain eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison of several eSIMs for Bahrain.

Best International/Travel SIM Card for Bahrain

If you want to buy the best international/travel SIM card for Bahrain, I recommend going with SimCorner's Bahrain Travel SIM card with 1 GB of data for 30 days. Consider SimCorner's Asia SIM card with 6 GB of data for 8 days to be used in Bahrain and 20+ countries, including neighboring Jordan, Oman & Qatar.

The SimCorner Asia SIM card can be used in Bahrain and the following other countries:

Instead of spending between 5 USD to 15 USD for SIM cards in each country, get a SimCorner travel SIM card covering numerous countries for just one price!

Use discount code PHONETRAVELWIZ for extra savings!

SIM Card Registration in Bahrain

SIM card registration, with the use of your passport information, is mandatory in Bahrain. This will be done at the point of purchase.

As of 2017, biometrics (fingerprints) will also be taken as part of the SIM card registration process.

Moreover, you can have up to ten active prepaid SIM cards PER mobile operator in Bahrain, allowing you to have up to 30 active prepaid SIM cards in the country.

This restriction applies to both Bahrani citizens and non-citizens (including migrant workers and tourists).

Even I would not know what to do with so many SIM cards in just one country, but I will not be judging you for having so many ;)

Furthermore, you have to reverify yourself with the mobile operator yearly as part of the mandatory (re)verification scheme.

However, this can be done on the apps of the mobile operators or by texting something to a USSD/shortcode.

VAT in Bahrain

As of January 2019, the Bahraini government introduced a Value Added Tax (VAT) of 5% applicable to most goods and services in Bahrain.

The 5% VAT has been incorporate in (most) prices in Bahrain.

However, unlike Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the 5% VAT has been incorporate in all advertised prices in Bahrain (at least for prepaid related mobile services).

The mobile operators either increased the prices slightly to account for the VAT or discounted some plans so that the eventual price still looks nice – ending in .0 or .5 (unlike Jordan where prices look ridiculous).

Therefore, you do not have to pull out a calculator when paying for mobile prepaid services in Bahrain.

Internet Censorship in Bahrain

There is internet censorship in Bahrain. The government censors various things, such as LGBTQ content, pornography, political criticism & escort services.

However, unlike other countries in the region, internet censorship is not as strong in Bahrain.

That is why I would recommend using a VPN to browse the web in peace. I use both NordVPN and Surfshark.

NordVPN has the most servers of any VPN service out there, which I love.

Surfshark is insanely cheap for the price they charge.

Depending on where I am, I will either use NordVPN or Surfshark.

Neither VPNs have servers in Bahrain (obviously), which makes sense, but connecting to nearby countries will still result in fast browsing speeds.

You can get amazing discounts for both NordVPN and Surfshark when using these links. Stay safe, secure, and private in Bahrain!

(oh, by the way – VPNs are not illegal in Bahrain, but the authorities may not like it. But what are they going to do? You will be private anyway 😉 just do not do anything silly like insulting government officials…)

Bahrain Mobile Speeds, Mobile Internet Prices & Insights

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Currency in Bahrain

Bahrain uses the Bahrani Dinar with the symbol BHD (which will be used throughout this guide).

However, prices are often listed in دينار. For example, 25 BHD = 25 دينار.

For reference, below are some exchange rates between BHD and USD (US Dollars):

• 1 BHD = 2.65 USD
• 10 BHD = 26.55 USD
• 100 BHD = 265.30 USD

For up-to-date BHD:USD exchange rates, search BHD to USD on Google, or replace USD with the currency you use.

Bahraini Prepaid SIM Cards

Below, I will guide you through Batelco, STC Bahrain (formerly VIVA Bahrain) & Zain Bahrain, and go through:

• Background information
• Mobile coverage
• SIM card types, prices, and availability
• Recharge/top-up information
• Combo plans, data plans, and special packs (such as social media packs)

With that being said, let’s see what Bahrain to offer to us.

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Batelco

Batelco, by Bahrain Telecommunication Company (BTC), is the largest mobile operator in Bahrain.

It is the country's oldest mobile operator and held a monopoly until Zain Bahrain (then MTC-Vodafone) entered the market.

Batelco is the fastest mobile operator in the country as well, with the fastest maximum 4G/LTE and 5G NR speeds (133 Mbps and 640.3 Mbps, respectively).

As a company, Batelco is active in Africa, Europe, the Middle East & South America through acquisitions (including Umniah in Jordan, Dhiraagu in the Maldives & Sure in the Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Falkland Islands, Saint Helena, Ascension Island & Diego Garcia).

Batelco uses the following frequencies:

• 2G: N/A – phased out on the 30th of November 2021
• 3G: 2100 MHz
• 4G/LTE: 800 MHz (Band 20), 1800 MHz (Band 3) & 2600 MHz (Band 7)
• 5G NR: 3500 MHz (n78)

This is what you will learn about Batelco:

* Coverage
* How to Get a Batelco SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Topping Up Options & Methods + Balance Check
* Plans & Packages
* APN/Internet Settings

Coverage – Batelco

Batelco has extensive coverage in Bahrain.

Coverage can be found basically anywhere in Bahrain.

Below is Batelco's coverage map produced by Speedtest:

SIM Card Price – Batelco

You can buy a Batelco SIM starting, called SimSim, starting from 4 BHD in Batelco stores. The data-only SIM card, called Batelco Prepaid Monthly Internet, is sold from 7.35. SIM cards are available at Bahrain International Airport as well.

The following Prepaid Monthly Internet Starter Packs (data-only SIM cards) are available:

Price	Data	Speed	5G NR Access?
7.35 BHD	10 GB	Unrestricted	No
10.50 BHD	20 GB	Unrestricted	No
12.50 BHD	200 GB	@10 Mbps	Yes
17.75 BHD	600 GB	Unrestricted	Yes
23 BHD	1 TB	@20 Mbps	Yes
37 BHD	3 TB	Unrestricted	Yes

It is also possible to get a Batelco eSIM for 3.15 BHD.

Note that the Bahraini mobile operators require your identification (passport) for eSIMs and physical SIM cards.

Therefore, if you wish to get an eSIM for Bahrain without personal detail capturing, you can get the Bahrain (Saar Mobile) eSIM from Airalo (1 GB/ 7 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers, 3 GB/ 30 days & 5 GB/ 30 days).

The Airalo links will automatically get you the Phone Travel Wiz exclusive offers available – a code is unnecessary.

You can also get Bahrain eSIMs from SimCorner (6 GB/15 days), which can also be used in neighboring Middle East countries.

Use code PHONETRAVELWIZ for extra savings, although the link above will do the same automatically.

Airalo recently introduced an eSIM for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA): Menalink. The Menalink eSIM follows the popular Eurolink eSIM for 39 European countries, the fairly new Asialink eSIM for 14 Asian countries & the super new Latamlink eSIM for 19 Latin American countries.

The Menalink eSIM comes in three variants: 1 GB/7 days – most popular with PTW readers, 2 GB/15 days & 3 GB/30 days – very popular with PTW readers, to be used in Bahrain and 14 other Middle Eastern and Northern African countries:

TIP: check out my Best Bahrain eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison of several eSIMs for Bahrain.

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Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Batelco

Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – Batelco

Batelco has three data-featured prepaid plans:

• Prepaid Packages (combo)
• Prepaid Mobile Internet Vouchers (data)
• Add-Ons (data)

All Batelco plans are eligible for 5G NR for an additional 5 BHD/month by texting 5G to 88188.

This add-on is valid for 30 days and will auto-renew.

Click on the links above to jump to the plan you are interested in.

Prepaid Packages – Batelco

The Prepaid Packages are combo plans with data and minutes.

Prepaid Packages can be activated by texting the Activation Code to 88188:

Price	Plan	Data	Local Minutes	Validity	Activation Code	Deactivation Code
4 BHD	Weekly Package	1.25 GB	125 minutes	7 days	W2	DW2
7 BHD	Daily Package	0.5 GB/day (14 GB)	20 minutes/day (560 minutes)	28 days	BD7	DBD7
7 BHD	Monthly Package	8 GB	500 minutes	1 month	M7	DM7
8 BHD	Youth Package	10 GB 1	200 minutes	1 month	U8	DU8
10 BHD	Monthly Package+	12 GB	800 minutes 2	1 month	F10	DF10

¹ 10 GB for WhatsApp, + 10 GB for Snapchat on the 3rd month, +10 GB for Instagram on the 6th month & +10 GB for YouTube (23:00 – 7:00) on the 9th month
² +800 local SMS

Prepaid Packages auto-renew. To disable auto-renewal, text the Deactivation Code to 88188.

Prepaid Mobile Internet Vouchers – Batelco

The Data Vouchers are top-up cards that directly transform into data allowances

Data Vouchers can be activated by dialing *125*VoucherCode#:

Price	Data	Validity
1 BHD	1 GB	3 days
2 BHD	2 GB	7 days
3 BHD	3 GB	7 days
4 BHD	4 GB	7 days
5 BHD	8 GB	14 days
6 BHD	10 GB	30 days
7 BHD	14 GB	30 days
10 BHD	20 GB	30 days
20 BHD	40 GB	30 days
30 BHD	60 GB	30 days

Add-Ons – Batelco

The Add-Ons are data-only plans.

Add-Ons can be activated by texting the Activation Code to 88188 or dial *911#:

Price	Data	Validity	Activation Code
1 BHD	1 GB	3 days	UV1
5 BHD	8 GB	30 days	UV5
10 BHD	30 GB	30 days	UV30

APN/Internet Settings – Batelco

• Name: Batelco
• APN: internet.batelco.com

Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.

Jump back to the Table of Contents.

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STC Bahrain (Formerly VIVA Bahrain)

STC Bahrain, just STC and formerly known as VIVA Bahrain, is the second-largest mobile operator in Bahrain.

It has been the largest player in the country some quarters and is in a neck-to-neck race with Batelco to take and keep that position.

STC stands for Saudi Telecom Company and is, of course, from Saudi Arabia.

The mobile operator was known as VIVA Bahrain until late December 2019.

However, that brand name is still ingrained in many, even after two years after rebranding.

STC uses the following frequencies:

• 2G: 900 MHz & 1800 MHz
• 3G: 2100 MHz
• 4G/LTE: 800 MHz (Band 20), 1800 MHz (Band 3) & 2600 MHz (Band 7)
• 5G NR: 3500 MHz (n78)

This is what you will learn about STC:

* Coverage
* How to Get an STC SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Topping Up Options & Methods + Balance Check
* Plans & Packages
* APN/Internet Settings

Coverage – STC Bahrain (Formerly VIVA Bahrain)

STC has the best coverage in Bahrain.

Coverage can be found basically anywhere in Bahrain.

Below is STC's coverage map produced by Speedtest:

SIM Card Price – STC Bahrain (Formerly VIVA Bahrain)

You can buy an STC SIM starting from 7 BHD in STC stores. The data-only SIM card, called Prepaid Broadband Internet, is sold for 10.50 BHD. SIM cards are available at Bahrain International Airport as well.

It is also possible to get an STC eSIM for the same price as a regular SIM card. Upgrading from a standard SIM card to an eSIM will cost you 9 BHD.

Note that the Bahraini mobile operators require your identification (passport) for eSIMs and physical SIM cards.

Therefore, if you wish to get an eSIM for Bahrain without personal detail capturing, you can get the Bahrain (Saar Mobile) eSIM from Airalo (1 GB/ 7 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers, 3 GB/ 30 days & 5 GB/ 30 days).

The Airalo links will automatically get you the Phone Travel Wiz exclusive offers available – a code is unnecessary.

You can also get Bahrain eSIMs from SimCorner (6 GB/15 days), which can also be used in neighboring Middle East countries.

Use code PHONETRAVELWIZ for extra savings, although the link above will do the same automatically.

Airalo recently introduced an eSIM for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA): Menalink. The Menalink eSIM follows the popular Eurolink eSIM for 39 European countries, the fairly new Asialink eSIM for 14 Asian countries & the super new Latamlink eSIM for 19 Latin American countries.

The Menalink eSIM comes in three variants: 1 GB/7 days – most popular with PTW readers, 2 GB/15 days & 3 GB/30 days – very popular with PTW readers, to be used in Bahrain and 14 other Middle Eastern and Northern African countries:

TIP: check out my Best Bahrain eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison of several eSIMs for Bahrain.

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Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – STC Bahrain (Formerly VIVA Bahrain)

Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – STC Bahrain (Formerly VIVA Bahrain)

STC has four data-featured prepaid plans:

• Prepaid Plans (combo)
• 5G Add-On For Prepaid Mobile Plans (as the name implies)
• Mobile Data Addons (as the name suggests)
• YouTube Addon (as the name indicates)

All STC plans are eligible for 5G NR for an additional 5.25 BHD/month by buying a 3 GB 5G NR add-on.

Click on the links above to jump to the plan you are interested in.

Prepaid Plans – STC Bahrain (Formerly VIVA Bahrain)

The Prepaid Plans are combo plans with data and minutes.

These Prepaid Plans are available:

Price	Plan	Data	Social Media Data	On-Net Minutes	Local/Off-Net Minutes	International Minutes	Validity	Activation Code
7 BHD	STC Prepaid Data & Minutes Monthly 8 GB	8 GB	N/A	N/A	500 minutes	N/A	1 month	*222*71#
7 BHD	STC Prepaid Daily Benefits 28 GB	1 GB/day (28 GB)	N/A	N/A	25 minutes/day (700 minutes)	N/A	28 days	*222*13#
7.5 BHD	STC Prepaid Data & Minutes Monthly	10 GB/22 GB 5	Unlimited 1	Unlimited	200 minutes	Various 2	1 month	*222*56#
8 BHD	STC Prepaid Data & Minutes Youth 10 GB 3	10 GB	4 GB 4	Unlimited	200 minutes	N/A	1 month	*222*72#
10 BHD	STC Prepaid Data & Minutes Monthly 15 GB	15 GB	N/A	Unlimited	500 minutes	N/A	1 month	*222*61#

¹ TikTok only
² 30 minutes to Bangladesh, 30 minutes to India, 30 minutes to Nepal, 30 minutes to Pakistan & 10 minutes to Sri Lanka
³ for those between 16 and 24 years old only
⁴ Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, WhatsApp & YouTube
⁵ STC is not clear with the data allowance. One page says 10 GB, while another page says 22 GB

5G Add-On For Prepaid Mobile Plans – STC Bahrain (Formerly VIVA Bahrain)

The 5G Add-On For Prepaid Mobile Plans is, as the name implies, a 5G NR data add-on.

It costs 5.25 BHD and gives you 3G over 5G NR for 1 month. You can activate it by dialing *98037#.

Price	Data	Validity	Activation Code
5.25 BHD	3 GB	1 month	*98037#

Mobile Data Addons – STC Bahrain (Formerly VIVA Bahrain)

The Mobile Data Addons are, as the name implies, data-only add-ons. They cannot be purchased as standalone plans.

Mobile Data Addons can be purchased by dialing *124#.

Price	Data	Validity
1 BHD	1 GB	Until plan expires
3 BHD	3 GB	Until plan expires
5 BHD	8 GB	Until plan expires

YouTube Addon – STC Bahrain (Formerly VIVA Bahrain)

The YouTube Addon is, as the name indicated, a data-only add-on for YouTube.

For 4.20 BHD, you get 2 GB/day (60 GB) for 30 days to be used for YouTube streaming. It can be activated by dialing *222*31#.

Price	YouTube Data	Validity	Activation Code
4.20 BHD	2 GB/day (60 GB)	30 days	*222*31#

APN/Internet Settings – STC Bahrain (Formerly VIVA Bahrain)

• Name: STC
• APN: viva.bh

Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.

Jump back to the Table of Contents.

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Zain Bahrain

Zain Bahrain, just Zain, is the smallest mobile operator in Bahrain.

Although it was the first mobile operator to end Batelco's monopoly, it quickly fell behind STC Bahrain when STC from Saudi Arabia entered the Bahraini telecom market.

Now, it holds a steady market share of slightly below 30%.

Zain, as a company, is active in Africa (Sudan & South Sudan) & the Middle East.

Zain uses the following frequencies:

• 2G: 900 MHz & 1800 MHz
• 3G: 2100 MHz
• 4G/LTE: 800 MHz (Band 20), 1800 MHz (Band 3) & 2600 MHz (Band 7)
• 5G NR: 3500 MHz (n78)

This is what you will learn about Zain:

* Coverage
* How to Get a Zain SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Topping Up Options & Methods + Balance Check
* Plans & Packages
* APN/Internet Settings

Coverage – Zain Bahrain

Zain has extensive coverage in Bahrain.

Coverage can be found basically anywhere in Bahrain.

Below is Zain's coverage map produced by Speedtest:

SIM Card Price – Zain Bahrain

You can buy a Zain SIM card, called eeZee Prepaid, starting from 6.30 BHD in Zain stores. The data-only SIM card, called Zain Prepaid Mobile Broadband, is available from 7.35 BHD. SIM cards are sold at Bahrain International Airport as well.

Dial *111# to see your Zain phone number.

Zain has no eSIMs.

Note that the Bahraini mobile operators require your identification (passport) for (future) eSIMs and physical SIM cards.

Therefore, if you wish to get an eSIM for Bahrain (without personal detail capturing), you can get the Bahrain (Saar Mobile) eSIM from Airalo (1 GB/ 7 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers, 3 GB/ 30 days & 5 GB/ 30 days).

The Airalo links will automatically get you the Phone Travel Wiz exclusive offers available – a code is unnecessary.

You can also get Bahrain eSIMs from SimCorner (6 GB/15 days), which can also be used in neighboring Middle East countries.

Use code PHONETRAVELWIZ for extra savings, although the link above will do the same automatically.

Airalo recently introduced an eSIM for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA): Menalink. The Menalink eSIM follows the popular Eurolink eSIM for 39 European countries, the fairly new Asialink eSIM for 14 Asian countries & the super new Latamlink eSIM for 19 Latin American countries.

The Menalink eSIM comes in three variants: 1 GB/7 days – most popular with PTW readers, 2 GB/15 days & 3 GB/30 days – very popular with PTW readers, to be used in Bahrain and 14 other Middle Eastern and Northern African countries:

TIP: check out my Best Bahrain eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison of several eSIMs for Bahrain.

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Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Zain Bahrain

Zain top-up vouchers are sold in Zain stores and many other establishments, such as kiosks, gas stations, and grocery stores.

Top-Up	Validity	eTop-Up Validity
0.50 BHD	1 day	1 day
1 BHD	2 day	3 days
1.5 BHD	3 days	4 days
2 BHD	7 days	9 days
4 BHD	17 days	21 days
5 BHD	21 days	26 days
6 BHD	30 days	35 days
6.50 BHD	31 days	37 days
7 BHD	40 days	47 days
8 BHD	42 days	49 days
10 BHD	45 days	60 days
20 BHD	60 days	120 days
25 BHD	60 days	120 days
30 BHD	100 days	210 days

If you recharge online or use eTop-Up, the credit validity will be longer than topping up with regular refill cards.

To top up your Zain SIM card, dial *141*VoucherCode# and follow the instructions.

For example, if your voucher code is 123456, you would dial *141*123456#.

You can also tell the salesperson how much credit you want, your phone number, pay, and they will top up your SIM card with the POS system.

You can also recharge online with (international) debit and credit cards.

Dial *142# to check your Zain balance.

You can also top up and check your balance on the ZAIN Bahrain app (Android/iOS).

Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – Zain Bahrain

Zain has eight data-featured prepaid plans:

• eeZee Starter Packs (combo – act as starter SIM cards as well)
• Local Weekly & Monthly Social Media Packages (combo)
• Data Pass (as the name implies)
• Unlimited Data Pass (as the name suggests)
• Prepaid Mobile Broadband (data for data-only SIM card)
• Data Vouchers (data for Prepaid Mobile Broadband SIM card)
• Streaming Passes (as the name implies)
• Youtube & Netflix Top-Ups (as the name suggests)

All Zain plans are eligible for 5G NR for an additional 5.25 BHD/month called the 5G pass.

However, Zain often has promotions that allow you to use 5G NR for free (such as when I am updating this guide in 2021).

Click on the links above to jump to the plan you are interested in.

eeZee Starter Packs – Zain Bahrain

The eeZee Starter Packs are combo plans with data, minutes & SMS.

These plans also act as starter packages for new Zain eeZee SIM cards.

These eeZee Starter Packs are available:

Price	Plan	Data	Social Media Data	On-Net Minutes	Local Minutes	Validity	Activation Code
3.15 BHD 4	eeZee Prepaid Weekly	1.25 GB	N/A	N/A	100 minutes	7 days	*123*1#
4 BHD 4	eeZee Weekly	1.5 GB	N/A	N/A	125 minutes	7 days	*123*4#
6.30 BHD	eeZee Monthly	7 GB	N/A	N/A	500 minutes	30 days	*123*2#
7 BHD	eeZee Daily Benefits	1 GB/day (28 GB)	N/A	N/A	25 minutes/day (700 minutes)	28 days	*123*77#
7 BHD	eeZee Monthly	9 GB	N/A	N/A	500 minutes	30 days	*123*7#
8 BHD	Youth eeZee Monthly 5	11 GB	4 GB 1	Unlimited	200 minutes	30 days	*123*40#
8 BHD	Super eeZee Monthly	13 GB	Unlimited 2	Unlimited	200 minutes 3	30 days	*123*8#

¹ Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, WhatsApp & YouTube
² for TikTok
³ +30 minutes to Bangladesh, 30 minutes to India, 30 minutes to Nepal, 30 minutes to Pakistan & 10 minutes to Sri Lanka
⁴ only for Zain lines sold before the 15th of December 2020
⁵ for those between 16 and 24 only

Local Weekly & Monthly Social Media Packages – Zain Bahrain

The Local Weekly & Monthly Social Media Packages are combo plans with data and minutes focusing on unlimited data for select social media apps (Facebook, Instagram, Line, LinkedIn, Skype, Snapchat, Twitter, Viber, WhatsApp & YouTube).

These Local Weekly & Monthly Social Media Packages are available:

Price	Data	Social Media Data 1	On-Net Minutes	Local Minutes	International Minutes	Validity	Activation Code
1.05 BHD	3 GB	N/A	Unlimited	115 minutes	2 minutes 2/3 minutes 3	7 days	Unknown
1.575 BHD	2.5 GB	Unlimted	Unlimited	115 minutes	5 minutes 2/7 minutes 3	7 days	*777*78#
4.20 BHD	12 GB	N/A	Unlimited	500 minutes	12 minutes 2/15 minutes 3	1 month	Unknown
6.30 BHD	10 GB	Unlimted	Unlimited	500 minutes	25 minutes 2/30 minutes 3	1 month	*777*76#

¹ Facebook, Instagram, Line, LinkedIn, Skype, Snapchat, Twitter, Viber, WhatsApp & YouTube
² to United Kingdom & United States
³ to the GCC (Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia & United Arab Emirates), Egypt & Yemen

Data Pass – Zain Bahrain

The Data Pass are data-only plans.

Data Pass can be activated by dialing *882#:

Price	Data Pass	Validity
1.05 BHD	1 GB	3 days
3.15 BHD	4 GB	7 days
5.25 BHD	8 GB	15 days
10.50 BHD	20 GB	30 days
15.75 BHD	Unlimited	30 days

Unlimited Data Pass – Zain Bahrain

The Unlimited Data Pass are data-only plans. However, your can still browse the web at reduced speeds after exhausting your data allowance.

Unlimited Data Pass can be activated by dialing *882#:

Price	Data	Validity
1 BHD	1 GB	3 days
5 BHD	8 GB	30 days
10 BHD	30 GB	30 days
15.75 BHD	Unlimited	30 days

Prepaid Mobile Broadband – Zain Bahrain

The Prepaid Mobile Broadband plans are data-only bundles for the Zain data SIM card.

Prepaid Mobile Broadband plans can be activated on the ZAIN Bahrain app:

Price	Data	Validity
7.35 BHD	10 GB	30 days
8.40 BHD	12 GB	30 days
10.50 BHD	20 GB	30 days

Data Vouchers (Prepaid Mobile Broadband) – Zain Bahrain

The Data Vouchers are top-up cards that directly transform into data allowances exclusively for the Mobile Broadband SIM card.

Data Vouchers can be activated by dialing *125*VoucherCode#:

Top-Up	Data	Validity
1 BHD	1 GB	3 days
1.5 BHD	1.5 GB	3 days
2 BHD	2 GB	7 days
4 BHD	4 GB	7 days
5 BHD	8 GB	14 days
6 BHD	10 GB	30 days
6.50 BHD	12 GB	30 days
7 BHD	13 GB	30 days
8 BHD	14.5 GB	30 days
10 BHD	20 GB	30 days
20 BHD	40 GB	30 days
25 BHD	50 GB	30 days
30 BHD	60 GB	30 days

Streaming Passes – Zain Bahrain

The Streaming Passes are data-only plans for select streaming apps (Anghami, Netflix, Shadid, Spotify, TikTok & YouTube).

Streaming Passes can be activated by dialing *440#:

Price	Plan	Data	App(s)	Validity
3 BHD	Shadid Pass	Unlimited	Shadid	30 days
3.15 BHD	Streaming Pass	20 GB	Anghami, Netflix, Shadid, Spotify, TikTok & YouTube	30 days
5 BHD	Netflix Pass	Unlimited	Netflix	30 days
5 BHD	YouTube Pass	Unlimited	YouTube	30 days

YouTube & Netflix Top-Ups – Zain Bahrain

The YouTube & Netflix Top-Ups are data-only bundles for Netflix and YouTube.

These YouTube & Netflix Top-Ups are available:

Price	Plan	Data	Validity	Activation Code
4.20 BHD	Netflix Bundle	2 GB/day (60 GB)	30 days	*606*1#
4.20 BHD	YouTube Bundle	2 GB/day (60 GB)	30 days	*606*2#

APN/Internet Settings – Zain Bahrain

• Name: Zain Internet
• APN: internet
• Username: internet
• Password: internet

Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.

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The Preferred Way to Stay Connected When Traveling in Bahrain

Getting a SIM card from STC (VIVA) or Zain would do you well when considering a Bahraini SIM card.