SIM Cards in Bulgaria: The Best Prepaid Plans | 2024 Guide

Bulgaria – known for its opera singers, folk dances & John Atanasoff (inventor of the first digital computer).

It is also a popular travel destination because it is relatively inexpensive (especially compared to the Nordics).

But Bulgaria also has a lot to offer in terms of sights and attractions.

Sunny Beach is a beach well-known throughout Europe.

Those who love nature always recommend the Seven Rila Lakes.

And those in love with churches head to the Monastery of Saint Ivan of Rila or Saint Alexander Nevsky Patriarch's Cathedral.

You should not be bored in Bulgaria.

While the country may be cheap, international roaming certainly will not be cheap.

That is why you should get a local SIM card to enjoy local rates, like a Bulgarian one.

So, how expensive are Bulgarian SIM cards?

You can get a Bulgarian SIM card for between 6 BGN (3.30 USD) to 50 BGN (27.30 USD) from A1, 7 BGN (3.80 USD) to 20 BGN (10.90 USD) from Vivacom & 8 BGN (4.35 USD) to 40 BGN (21.85 USD) from Yettel (formerly Telenor) in their stores. SIM cards may be sold at Sofia Airport (SOF).

Telenor Bulgaria has been rebranded to Yettel Bulgaria since March 2022. I will make sure this change will be reflected in this guide soon eventually, lol. Just read “Yettel” instead of “Telenor”. The plan selection and prices should still be the same.

All SIM cards include starter perks in terms of credit, data, minutes, and/or SMS, so those starter prices are certainly not bad at all for European standards.

In this guide, I will go over everything you need to know about buying a SIM card in Bulgaria. Let's get started.

Original publication: 6^th of January 2022. Last updated: 2^nd of March 2024.

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Table of Contents

What is the Best SIM Card in Bulgaria?

So, who are all these mobile operators and what options are available for you?

Bulgaria has three mobile operators offering prepaid services easily accessible to tourists:

• A1 Bulgaria (formerly Mtel Bulgaria)
• Yettel Bulgaria (formerly Telenor Bulgaria)
• Vivacom Bulgaria

Anyone 18 or older living in or visiting Bulgaria can buy a Bulgarian SIM card with no real restrictions, but you do have to comply with the Bulgarian SIM card registration regulations.

And if you are younger than 18, you can still get a SIM card if your parents buy one for you (in their name).

Which, in this case, is only showing your passport (or European Union ID if you have one) at the point of sale.

Where Can You Buy a Bulgarian SIM Card (+Costs)?

You can get a Bulgarian SIM card in A1 (formerly Mtel), Yettel (formerly Telenor) & Vivacom stores. Some Bulgarian airports sell (tourist) SIM cards (at inflated prices).

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

• A1 Bulgaria (formerly Mtel): 6 BGN, 15 BGN, 25 BGN & 40/50 BGN (four starter packs)
• Yettel Bulgaria (formerly Telenor): 8 BGN, 10 BGN, 15 BGN, 25 BGN & 40 BGN (five starter packs)
• Vivacom Bulgaria: 12 BGN & 20 BGN (two starter packs)

Note that SIM cards can be more expensive than those listed above when purchased at an airport.

Use the Wise Currency Converter tool (free) for up-to-date BGN (Bulgarian Lev) to your currency (let's say GBP – (British) Pound (Sterling)) exchange rates.

For your convenience, below are some exchange rates between BGN and USD (US Dollars):

• 1 BGN = 0.55 USD
• 10 BGN = 5.45 USD
• 100 BGN = 54.60 USD

But for any other currency, the Wise Currency Converter tool.

(Travel) eSIMs for Bulgaria

In recent years, (travel) eSIMs have become extremely popular.

Especially after Apple made iPhones (14- & 15 series) sold in the United States eSIM-only, forcing its users to use eSIMs – even when abroad.

As a result, the adoption of eSIM technology by mobile operators worldwide rose impressively quickly.

Currently, none of the mobile operators offer eSIMs to prepaid customers.

But if you purchase an eSIM from any of these mobile operators, you must comply with Bulgaria's SIM card registration regulations.

Suppose you do not wish to do so for privacy reasons (for example) or want to be connected immediately without paying for an overpriced SIM card (or eSIM) sold at a Bulgarian airport. In that case, you may consider getting a travel eSIM for Bulgaria.

In my Bulgaria eSIM buying guide, I analyze various eSIM options of eSIM providers I have tested extensively worldwide.

Surprisingly, travel eSIMs can be cheaper than a Bulgarian SIM card or eSIM in specific scenarios.

Moreover, Europe-wide and global eSIM options are also available at competitive prices (without having to deal with expensive international roaming rates).

In this Bulgaria SIM card buying guide (the one you are reading), I will stick to the local SIM cards and eSIM, but you can read my Bulgaria eSIM buying guide for more information about travel eSIMs covering the country.

But here is a quick overview already + applicable discount codes if you are interested in purchasing a travel eSIM for Bulgaria:

• Airalo: Bultel (Bulgaria only), Eurolink (39 countries in Europe) & Discover+ (125+ countries worldwide + up to 200 worldwide minutes & 200 worldwide SMS)
• Alosim: Bulgaria & Europe (32 countries)
• Holafly: Bulgaria & Europe (32 countries) – all variants in both options include unlimited data + up to 120 Europe-wide calls
• Nomad: Bulgaria, Europe (30 or 35 countries, depending on the variant) & Global (109 or 139 countries, depending on the variant)

Here are some discount codes to sweeten the deal:

• Airalo: APR15 for 15% off (if you have never bought an Airalo eSIM before). Otherwise, APR10 for 10% off (for existing users) – only the first 3000 users can redeem either discount code)
• Alosim: PTW for 5% off (as many times as you wish for as many eSIMs as you want)
• Holafly: PHONETRAVELWIZ for 5% off (as many times as you wish for as many eSIMs as you want)
• Nomad: ADU123 for 3 USD off (on your first-ever Nomad order only)

Once again, check out my Bulgaria eSIM buying guide to learn more about these eSIM options.

The eSIM guide is as comprehensive as this SIM card buying guide, but it solely focuses on travel eSIMs (while the guide you are reading focuses on local SIM cards and eSIMs for prepaid users (where applicable).

Bulgarian Prepaid SIM Cards Explored

Below, I will guide you through A1 Bulgaria (formerly Mtel), Yettel Bulgaria (formerly Telenor) & Vivacom Bulgaria, and go through:

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

With that said, let's see what Bulgaria offers us.

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A1 Bulgaria (А1 България – formerly Mtel Bulgaria/Мтел България)

A1 Bulgaria (А1 България), just A1 and formerly Mtel Bulgaria (Мтел България), is the largest mobile operator in Bulgaria.

It also has the fastest 5G network – double the speed of its competitors.

Unfortunately, 5G NR is not available to prepaid customers (yet) 🥲.

A1, as a company, is from Austria and is active in Belarus, Bulgaria, Croatia, North Macedonia, Serbia & Slovenia.

A1 uses the following frequencies:

• 2G: 900 MHz
• 3G: 900 MHz & 2100 MHz
• 4G/LTE: 900 MHz (Band 8), 1800 MHz (Band 3), 2100 MHz (Band 1) & 2600 MHz (Band 7)
• 5G NR: 3600 MHz (n78)

This is what you will learn about A1:

* Coverage
* How to Get an A1 SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Topping Up Options & Methods + Balance Check
* Plans & Packages
* APN/Internet Settings

Coverage – A1 Bulgaria (formerly Mtel)

A1 has extensive coverage throughout Bulgaria.

While 4G/LTE with A1 is available almost everywhere, it is still (slightly) lacking behind Yettel Bulgaria (formerly Telenor) & Vivacom Bulgaria.

Below is A1's coverage map produced by Speedtest:

SIM Card Price – A1 Bulgaria (formerly Mtel)

You can buy an A1 SIM card, called A1 Holiday Plus, for 6 BGN with 1500 MB and 30 local/international minutes (to select destinations) or data-only SIM cards for 15 BGN (15 GB), 25 BGN (30 GB), or 40/50 BGN (50 GB) in A1 stores. A1 SIM cards may be available at Sofia Airport (SOF).

The local and international minutes to select destinations with the A1 Holiday Plus SIM card are as follows:

Below is an overview of the A1 data-only SIM cards:

Price	SIM Card	Data	Validity
15 BGN	Prepaid Mobile Internet 15 GB	15 GB	30 days
25 BGN	Prepaid Mobile Internet 30 GB	30 GB	30 days
50 BGN 1	Prepaid Mobile Internet 50 GB	50 GB	30 days

¹ since mid-2019, this SIM card has often been sold for 40 BGN instead. It may be the new permanent price

Dial *123# to access the A1 menu.

While A1 does have eSIMs, they are (currently) not offered to prepaid customers.

You can consider getting a travel eSIM for Bulgaria, which can, in specific scenarios, be cheaper than getting a SIM card from A1.

Especially if you get a Europe-wide eSIM (for when you visit at least two or more supported European countries) or a global eSIM (for frequent travelers visiting multiple continents).

In my Bulgaria eSIM buying guide, I analyze various eSIM options of eSIM providers I have tested extensively worldwide.

But I will introduce them here quickly:

• Airalo: Bultel (Bulgaria only), Eurolink (39 countries in Europe) & Discover+ (125+ countries worldwide + up to 200 worldwide minutes & 200 worldwide SMS) – use code APR15 (15% off – first-time users only) or APR10 (10% off)
• Alosim: Bulgaria & Europe (32 countries) – use code PTW (5% off – no limits)
• Holafly: Bulgaria & Europe (32 countries) – all variants in both options include unlimited data + up to 120 Europe-wide calls – use code PHONETRAVELWIZ (5% off – no limits)
• Nomad: Bulgaria, Europe (30 or 35 countries, depending on the variant) & Global (109 or 139 countries, depending on the variant) – use code ADU123 (3 USD off – first-time users only)

Once again, check out my Bulgaria eSIM buying guide to learn more about these eSIM options.

For now, I will continue with A1.

Note that A1 offers VoLTE (Voice over LTE (4G)) if your phone supports it and you have enabled it in the settings.

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Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – A1 Bulgaria (formerly Mtel)

Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – A1 Bulgaria (formerly Mtel)

A1 has five data-featured prepaid plans:

• Additional Packages for A1 Prepaid Mobile Internet Cards (data for data-only SIM cards)
• Top-Ups for Mobile Internet Cards (for data-only SIM cards)
• Combo Add-Ons for Universal (Plus) Tariff Plan
• MB Mobile Internet for Universal (Plus) Tariff Plan (data)
• Add-Ons for Prepaid Pack A1 Holiday Plus

All A1 plans can be activated by texting the Activation Code to 789 or by dialing *123#.

I will list all the prices in BGN (Bulgarian Lev).

To convert BGN to your currency (let's say USD) with up-to-date exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.

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

Additional Packages for A1 Prepaid Mobile Internet Cards – A1 Bulgaria (formerly Mtel)

The Additional Packages for A1 Prepaid Mobile Internet Cards are data plans (without 5G NR access) for the data-only SIM cards.

Dial *123# to activate Additional Packages for A1 Prepaid Mobile Internet Cards:

Price	Plan	Validity	Validity
5.99 BGN	Prepaid Mobile Internet 1000 MB	1000 MB	10 days
9.99 BGN	Prepaid Mobile Internet 2500 MB	2500 MB	20 days
29.99 BGN	Prepaid Mobile Internet 9000 MB	9000 MB	30 days

Top-Ups for Mobile Internet Cards – A1 Bulgaria (formerly Mtel)

The Top-Ups for Mobile Internet Cards are data top-ups/plans (without 5G NR access).

Depending on how much you top-up, a fee will be charged (6 BGN, 10 BGN, or 30 BGN) for data allowances.

If there is still credit left, it can be used for other purposes.

The following Top-Ups for Mobile Internet Cards are available:

Top-Up	Price	Data	Validity
6 BGN – 9 BGN	6 BGN	2000 MB	30 days
10 BGN – 29 BGN	10 BGN	5000 MB	30 days
30 BGN =>	30 BGN	20 000 MB	30 days

Combo Add-Ons for Universal (Plus) Tariff Plan – A1 Bulgaria (formerly Mtel)

The Combo Add-Ons for Universal (Plus) Tariff Plan are, as the name implies, combo add-ons (read: plan) with data (without 5G NR access), minutes & SMS for the Universal (Plus) Tariff Plan(s).

You have to send a text message to 789 to switch to this tariff plan to use these combo plans.

Text the Activation Code to 789 to activate Combo Add-Ons for Universal (Plus) Tariff Plan:

Price	Data	On-Net Minutes	Off-Net Minutes	On-Net SMS	Validity	Activation Code
0.99 BGN	N/A	30 minutes	N/A	N/A	15 days	M5
1.99 BGN	N/A	60 minutes	N/A	N/A	7 days	M17
1.99 BGN	N/A	5000 minutes	N/A	N/A	30 days	V1
2.99 BGN	N/A	N/A	20 minutes	N/A	30 days	N2
3.99 BGN	N/A	200 minutes	N/A	N/A	30 days	M3
5.49 BGN	N/A	150 minutes	50 minutes	N/A	30 days	C5
5.99 BGN	N/A	N/A	50 minutes	N/A	30 days	N1
5.99 BGN	200 MB	200 minutes	N/A	200 SMS	30 days	C1
5.99 BGN	200 MB	5000 minutes	N/A	200 SMS	30 days	F1
5.99 BGN	1000 MB	100 minutes	100 minutes	N/A	15 days	C3
6.99 BGN	N/A	500 minutes	N/A	N/A	30 days	M4
14.99 BGN	3000 MB	300 minutes	150 minutes	N/A	30 days	C4

MB Mobile Internet for Universal (Plus) Tariff Plan – A1 Bulgaria (formerly Mtel)

The MB Mobile Internet for Universal (Plus) Tariff Plan are data add-ons (without 5G NR access) for the Universal (Plus) Tariff Plan(s).

You have to send a text message to 789 to switch to this tariff plan to use these combo plans.

Text the Activation Code to 789 to activate Combo Add-Ons for Universal (Plus) Tariff Plan:

Price	Data	Validity	Activation Code
2.99 BGN	300 MB	30 days	D2
9.99 BGN	1500 MB	30 days	D3

Add-Ons for Prepaid Pack A1 Holiday Plus – A1 Bulgaria (formerly Mtel)

The Add-ons for Prepaid Pack A1 Holiday Plus are combo add-ons with data (without 5G NR access) and minutes exclusively for the A1 Holiday SIM card.

Text the Activation Code to 1730 to activate Combo Add-Ons for Universal (Plus) Tariff Plan:

Price	Data	Local/International Minutes	Validity	Activation Code
9.99 BGN	2000 MB	N/A	10 days	DS1
9.99 BGN	N/A	50 minutes	10 days	VS1
24.99 BGN	2000 MB	50 minutes	30 days	CS1
29.99 BGN	5000 MB	N/A	30 days	DS2
29.99 BGN	N/A	150 minutes	30 days	VS2

EU Roaming – A1 Bulgaria (formerly Mtel)

You can use your allowances in the following EU/EEA member states without paying roaming fees:

Be aware that, in some cases, the EU/EEA roaming allowance is lower than the domestic allowances.

APN/Internet Settings – A1 Bulgaria (formerly Mtel)

• Name: A1
• APN: internet.a1.bg

Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.

Jump back to the Table of Contents.

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Yettel Bulgaria (formerly Telenor)

Yettel Bulgaria, just Yettel and formerly Telenor, is the second-largest mobile operator in Bulgaria.

While Yettel is from Norway, it is not run by the Telenor Group.

Instead, it is owned by the PPF Group – a Czech-based investment firm – that also runs Telenor in Hungary, Montenegro & Serbia.

For a while, Yettel Bulgaria was known as Telenor.

Yettel uses the following frequencies:

• 2G: 900 MHz
• 3G: 900 MHz & 2100 MHz
• 4G/LTE: 900 MHz (Band 8), 1800 MHz (Band 3), 2100 MHz (Band 1) & 2600 MHz (Band 7)
• 5G NR: 2600 MHz (n38) & 3600 MHz (n78)

This is what you will learn about Yettel:

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

Coverage – Yettel Bulgaria (formerly Telenor)

Yettel has extensive coverage throughout Bulgaria.

It has the best 4G/LTE coverage experience together with Vivacom Bulgaria.

Below is Yettel's coverage map produced by Speedtest:

SIM Card Price – Yettel Bulgaria (formerly Telenor)

You can buy a Yettel SIM card for 8 BGN or 10 BGN (regular SIM cards), or 15 BGN, 25 BGN or 40 BGN (data-only SIM cards) in Telenor stores. Yettel SIM cards may be available at Sofia Airport (SOF).

The following five Yettel starter packs are available:

Price	SIM Card	Credit	Data	EU/EEA Data	Local/EU Minutes 1	Validity
8 BGN	Prepaid Starter Pack Telenor 8 BGN	3 BGN (60 days)	6000 MB	2800 MB	300 minutes	14 days
10 BGN	Prepaid Starter Pack Telenor 10 BGN	3 BGN (60 days)	8000 MB	3500 MB	400 minutes	30 days
15 BGN	Prepaid Starter Pack Mobile Internet 15 GB	N/A	15 GB	N/A	N/A	30 days
25 BGN	Prepaid Starter Pack Mobile Internet 30 GB	N/A	30 GB	N/A	N/A	30 days
40 BGN	Prepaid Starter Pack Mobile Internet 50 GB	N/A	50 GB	N/A	N/A	30 days

¹ local use and to call/SMS other EU/EEA member states when in other EU/EEA member states and back to Bulgaria (NOT from Bulgaria to other EU/EEA member states)

Yettel used to have Yettel Tourist SIM card with some data and attractive international call rates.

This offer has been discontinued, or it is only available during summer.

I guess I have to visit Bulgaria once when it is summer instead of winter or spring 🥴.

Dial *123# to access the Yettel menu.

While Yettel does have eSIMs, they are (currently) not offered to prepaid customers.

You can consider getting a travel eSIM for Bulgaria, which can, in specific scenarios, be cheaper than getting a SIM card from Yettel.

Especially if you get a Europe-wide eSIM (for when you visit at least two or more supported European countries) or a global eSIM (for frequent travelers visiting multiple continents).

In my Bulgaria eSIM buying guide, I analyze various eSIM options of eSIM providers I have tested extensively worldwide.

But I will introduce them here quickly:

• Airalo: Bultel (Bulgaria only), Eurolink (39 countries in Europe) & Discover+ (125+ countries worldwide + up to 200 worldwide minutes & 200 worldwide SMS) – use code APR15 (15% off – first-time users only) or APR10 (10% off)
• Alosim: Bulgaria & Europe (32 countries) – use code PTW (5% off – no limits)
• Holafly: Bulgaria & Europe (32 countries) – all variants in both options include unlimited data + up to 120 Europe-wide calls – use code PHONETRAVELWIZ (5% off – no limits)
• Nomad: Bulgaria, Europe (30 or 35 countries, depending on the variant) & Global (109 or 139 countries, depending on the variant) – use code ADU123 (3 USD off – first-time users only)

Once again, check out my Bulgaria eSIM buying guide to learn more about these eSIM options.

For now, I will continue with Yettel.

Note that Yettel offers VoLTE (Voice over LTE (4G)) if your phone supports it and you have enabled it in the settings.

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Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Yettel Bulgaria (formerly Telenor)

Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – Yettel Bulgaria (formerly Telenor)

Yettel has four data-featured prepaid plans:

• From-To Combo Add-Ons
• Top-Up Add-Ons (combo top-ups/plans)
• Mobile Internet Add-Ons (data)
• Mobile Internet Add-On for Mobile Internet SIM Cards (data)

All Yettel plans can be activated by dialing *123#.

I will list all the prices in BGN (Bulgarian Lev).

To convert BGN to your currency (let's say USD) with up-to-date exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.

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

From-To Combo Add-Ons – Yettel Bulgaria (formerly Telenor)

The From-To Combo Add-Ons are combo plans with data (without 5G NR access) and minutes.

Dial the Activation Code to activate From-To Combo Add-Ons:

Price	Local/EU Data	On-Net Minutes	Off-Net/EU Minutes 1	Validity	Activation Code
5.99 BGN	500 MB	250 minutes	25 minutes	7 days	*123*2*2#
9.99 BGN	1000 MB	500 minutes	50 minutes	30 days	*123*2*4#
14.99 BGN	2000 MB	1000 minutes	100 minutes	30 days	*123*2*5#

¹ for calls within and to other EU/EEA member states and back to Bulgaria (NOT from Bulgaria to other EU/EEA member states).

Top-Up Add-Ons – Yettel Bulgaria (formerly GloBul)

The Top-Ups Add-Ons are combo top-ups/plans with data (without 5G NR access) and minutes.

Depending on how much you top-up, a fee will be charged (5 BGN or 7 BGN) for data and call allowances.

If there is still credit left, it can be used for other purposes.

The following Top-Ups Add-Ons are available:

Top-Up	Price	Data	EU/EEA Data	On-Net Minutes	Off-Net/EU Minutes 1	Validity
6 BGN – 7.99 BGN	5 BGN	750 MB	750 MB	100 minutes	50 minutes	14 days
8 BGN – 9.99 BGN	7 BGN	1000 MB	2400 MB	100 minutes	50 minutes	14 days
10 BGN – 14.99 BGN	7 BGN	3500 MB	2400 MB	150 minutes	50 minutes	14 days
15 BGN =>	7 BGN	6000 MB	2400 MB	200 minutes	100 minutes	20 days

¹ for calls within and to other EU/EEA member states and back to Bulgaria (NOT from Bulgaria to other EU/EEA member states).

Mobile Internet Add-Ons – Yettel Bulgaria (formerly Telenor)

The Mobile Internet Add-Ons are data plans (without 5G NR access).

Dial the Activation Code to activate Mobile Internet Add-Ons:

Price	Data	EU/EEA Data	Validity	Activation Code
2.99 BGN	300 MB	Shared with local data allowance	1 day	*123*3*1#
4.99 BGN	1500 MB	Shared with local data allowance	7 days	*123*3*8#
9.99 BGN	3500 MB	Shared with local data allowance	30 days	*123*3*3#
14.99 BGN	10 000 MB	5200 MB	30 days	*123*3*4#
19.99 BGN	20 000 MB	6900 MB	30 days	*123*3*7#

Mobile Internet Add-On for Mobile Internet SIM Cards – Yettel Bulgaria (formerly Telenor)

The Mobile Internet Add-On for Mobile Internet SIM Cards is, as the name implies, a data add-on (without 5G NR access) for the data-only SIM cards.

For 5 BGN, you get 1000 MB for 14 days. Text LS1 to 123 to activate it.

Price	Data	Validity	Activation Code
5 BGN	1000 MB	14 days	Text LS1 to 123

APN/Internet Settings – Telenor Bulgaria (formerly GloBul)

• Name: Telenor Internet
• APN: telenorbg

Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.

Jump back to the Table of Contents.

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Vivacom Bulgaria (Виваком България)

Vivacom Bulgaria, just Vivacom and officially Виваком България, is the third-largest mobile operator in Bulgaria.

It was the first mobile operator to offer 5G NR in all 27 district centers of Bulgaria.

It also won the Speedtest Europe's Fastest Mobile Network of 2020 award twice (Q1 – Q2 (83.64 Speed Score) and Q3 – Q4 (92.55 Speed Score)).

Vivacom uses the following frequencies:

• 2G: 900 MHz & 1800 MHz
• 3G: 900 MHz & 2100 MHz
• 4G/LTE: 900 MHz (Band 8), 1800 MHz (Band 3) & 2100 MHz (Band 1)
• 5G NR: 1800 MHz (n3), 2100 MHz (n1) & 3600 MHz (n78) – not for prepaid (yet)

This is what you will learn about Vivacom:

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

Coverage – Vivacom Bulgaria

Vivacom has extensive coverage throughout Bulgaria.

It has the best 4G/LTE availability.

It has the best 4G/LTE coverage experience together with Telenor Bulgaria.

Below is Vivacom's coverage map produced by Speedtest:

SIM Card Price – Vivacom Bulgaria

You can buy a Vivacom SIM card for 12 BGN (FREE2GO), or 20 BGN (DATA2GO) in Vivacom stores. Vivacom SIM cards may be available at Sofia Airport (SOF).

The following two Vivacom starter packs are available:

Price	SIM Card	Credit	Data	EU/EEA Data	Local Minutes	Validity
12 BGN	FREE2GO	2 BGN	12 000 MB	5800 MB	800 minutes	60 days
20 BGN	DATA2GO 1	N/A	25 000 MB	9600 MB	N/A	60 days

¹ this is a data-only SIM card

Dial *123# to access the Vivacom menu.

While Vivacom does have eSIMs, they are (currently) not offered to prepaid customers.

You should consider getting a travel eSIM for Bulgaria because they can sometimes be cheaper than getting a SIM card from Vivacom.

Especially if you get a Europe-wide eSIM or a global eSIM.

I discuss various eSIM options of eSIM providers for Bulgaria in my Bulgaria eSIM buying guide, which are:

• Airalo: Bultel (Bulgaria only), Eurolink (39 countries in Europe) & Discover+ (125+ countries worldwide + minutes and SMS) – use code APR15 (15% off – first-time users only) or APR10 (10% off)
• Alosim: Bulgaria & Europe (32 countries) – use code PTW (5% off – no limits)
• Holafly: Bulgaria & Europe (32 countries) – unlimited data eSIMs which allow for (limited) calls – use code PHONETRAVELWIZ (5% off – no limits)
• Nomad: Bulgaria, Europe (up to 35 countries) & Global (up to 139 countries) – use code ADU123 (3 USD off – first-time users only)

As I said, check out my Bulgaria eSIM buying guide for more information, as I have to continue with Vivacom for now.

Note that Vivacom offers VoLTE (Voice over LTE (4G)) if your phone supports it and you have enabled it in the settings.

Oh, you can also use VoWiFi (Voice over WiFi).

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Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Vivacom Bulgaria

Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – Vivacom Bulgaria

Vivacom has three data-featured prepaid plans:

• Additional Packages (combo)
• Combo/Mix Add-Ons
• Internet/Data Add-Ons

All Vivacom plans can be activated by texting the Activation Code to 1236 or by dialing *123#.

I will list all the prices in BGN (Bulgarian Lev).

To convert BGN to your currency (let's say USD) with up-to-date exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.

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

Additional Packages – Vivacom Bulgaria

The Additional Packages are combo plans with data (without 5G NR access), minutes & SMS. Unlike the name suggests, they can be purchased as standalone plans.

The following Additional Packages are available, which can be activated by texting the Activation Code to 1236:

Price	Plan	Data	On-Net Minutes	Off-Net Minutes	On-Net SMS	Validity	Activation Code
3.99 BGN	+ Talk	200 MB	900 minutes	20 minutes	N/A	7 days	M2
3.99 BGN	+ Net	400 MB	450 minutes	10 minutes	N/A	7 days	D1
6.99 BGN 2	+ Talk Super	1000 MB	1500 minutes	50 minutes	25 SMS	25 days	M3
6.99 BGN	+ Net Super	1500 MB	900 minutes	20 minutes	25 SMS	25 days	D2

Combo/Mix Add-Ons – Vivacom Bulgaria

The Combo/Mix Add-Ons are combo plans with data (without 5G NR access), minutes & SMS. Unlike the name suggests, they can be purchased as standalone plans.

The following Combo/Mix Add-Ons are available, which can be activated by texting the Activation Code to 1236:

Price	Plan	Data	EU/EEA Roaming Data	Local/EU Minutes	Local/EU SMS	Validity	Activation Code
7.99 BGN	Mix M	800 MB	800 MB	300 minutes	25 SMS	14 days	X1
8.99 BGN 1	Mix M+	1000 MB	4300 MB	600 minutes	50 SMS	21 days	X2
10.99 BGN	Mix L	3000 MB	3000 MB	600 minutes	25 SMS	14 days	X3
11.99 BGN 1	Mix L+	15 000 MB	5800 MB	800 minutes	50 SMS	21 days	X4

¹ auto-renews

Some Combo/Mix Add-Ons auto-renew. To disable auto-renewal, text STOP_X2 (Mix M+) or STOP_X4 (Mix L+) to 1236.

Internet/Data Add-Ons – Vivacom Bulgaria

The Internet/Data Add-Ons are data plans (without 5G NR access). Unlike the name suggests, they can be purchased as standalone plans.

The following Internet/Data Add-Ons are available, which can be activated by texting the Activation Code to 1236:

Price	Plan	Data	EU/EEA Roaming Data	Validity	Activation Code
4.99 BGN	Data XS	1500 MB	1500 MB	1 day	T1
6.99 BGN	Data S	1500 MB	1500 MB	7 days	T2
7.99 BGN	Data M	1500 MB	1500 MB	14 days	T3
8.99 BGN 1	Data M+	3000 MB	4300 MB	21 days	P1
10.99 BGN	Data L	4000 MB	4000 MB	14 days	T4
11.99 BGN 1	Data L+	20 000 MB	5800 MB	21 days	P2

¹ auto-renews

Some Internet/Data Add-Ons auto-renew. To disable auto-renewal, text STOP_P1 (Data M+) or STOP_P2 (Data L+) to 1236.

EU Roaming – Vivacom Bulgaria

You can use your allowances in the following EU/EEA member states without paying roaming fees:

Be aware that, in some cases, the EU/EEA roaming allowance is lower than the domestic allowances.

APN/Internet Settings – Vivacom Bulgaria

• Name: VIVACOM INTERNET GPRS
• APN: internet.vivacom.bg

Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.

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The Preferred Way to Stay Connected When Traveling in Bulgaria

Getting a SIM card from A1 or Vivacom would do you well when considering a Bulgarian SIM card.