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

Germany – known for Oktoberfest, its cars & football (real football, which some may call soccer).

The country is also home to many churches, palaces & castles.

So, besides visiting all these historical buildings, what else can you do in Germany? A lot.

The East Side Gallery in Berlin is a must-see while in the city.

If you are into amusement parks, Europa-Park is worth visiting.

And the Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg is probably my favorite attraction in the city.

As you can see, there is no need to be bored in Germany.

What also is not boring is fighting an expensive roaming bill because you forgot to turn data roaming odd.

International roaming can be expensive. Local SIM cards, like German ones, are much cheaper than roaming.

SIM card prices in Germany are average for Western European standards.

You can get a Germany SIM card for 9.95 EUR-10 EUR (10.60 USD-10.65 USD) from Telekom (formerly T-Mobile), O2 & Vodafone in their stores and from resellers, like Mediamarkt. SIM cards are also sold at several international airports, including Frankfurt Airport (FRA).

Special note for those from Ukraine: be sure to ask about special benefits for Ukrainians. Many mobile operators around Europe have waived fees for you or introduced exclusive plans, including free calls back to Ukraine. Слава Україні! 🇺🇦

Not too bad, right?

Yes, I know some neighboring countries have much cheaper SIM cards (like Poland).

But it is better to spend 10 EUR on a SIM card than 1000 EUR on a roaming bill 🤪.

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

Original publication: 30th of January 2022. Last updated: 25th of December 2022.

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Table of Contents

Can You Buy a SIM Card in Germany?

Anyone living in or visiting Germany can buy a German SIM card from Telekom Germany (formerly T-Mobile), O2, Vodafone & many MVNO with no restrictions.

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 Germany).

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

Where Can You Buy a SIM Card in Germany?

You can get a German SIM card in Telekom (formerly T-Mobile), O2 & Vodafone stores. Electronic shops, like Mediamarkt, also sell SIM cards (especially for the MVNOs). They are also available at several airports, including Frankfurt Airport (FRA).

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

• Telekom Germany (formerly T-Mobile Germany): 9.95 EUR (regular & data-only)
• O2 Germany: 10 EUR (regular) or 69.99 EUR (data-only)
• Vodafone Germany: 9.95 EUR
• MVNOs (like Lycamobile Germany): being added later

For up-to-date EUR:your currency (let's say GBP) exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.

Can You Use Your Phone in Germany?

Germany uses GSM technology for mobile communications. CDMA phones will not work in Germany. 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 Germany, 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 Germany.

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 Germany 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 Germany (to some extent) – also on 4G/LTE and 5G NR.

Mobile Operators, Networks & Frequencies in Germany

Germany has three mobile operators and various Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs – being added later) offering prepaid services:

• Telekom Germany (also known as Deutsche Telekom and formerly T-Mobile Germany/Deutschland)
• O2 Germany (O2 Deutschland)
• Vodafone Germany (Vodafone Deutschland)

The following frequencies are used in Germany:

• 2G: 900 MHz & 1800 MHz
• 3G: N/A – shut down for 4G/LTE and 5G NR refarming
• 4G/LTE: 700 MHz (Band 28), 800 MHz (Band 20), 900 MHz (Band 8), 1500 MHz (Band 32), 1800 MHz (Band 3), 2100 MHz (Band 1) & 2600 MHz (Band 7)
• 5G NR: 1800 MHz (n3), 2100 MHz (n1) & 3500 MHz-3600 MHz (n78)

You can learn more about frequencies in the video below.

To check whether your phone will work in Germany, 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.

VoLTE & VoWiFi in Germany

Both VoLTE (Voice over LTE (4G) – also known as HD Voice) and VoWiFi (Voice over WiFi – also known as WiFi calling) are available in Germany. All German mobile operators offer both services.

5G NR in Germany

Commercial 5G NR has been available in Germany since October 2020. It is available on the Telekom, O2 & Vodafone networks. Telekom and Vodafone allow prepaid customers to use 5G NR – O2 does not. MVNOs do not have 5G NR access yet.

Best SIM Card in Germany

Best eSIM in Germany

Telekom Germany (formerly T-Mobile) offers eSIMs to prepaid customers.

However, this process involves a rather time-consuming process, which may not be worth the hassle.

O2 Germany and Vodafone Germany also offer eSIMs, but it is unclear if they are available to prepaid customers too.

I will ask the mobile operators about this when I revisit Germany 🇩🇪😎 (or you could let me know).

Note that the German mobile operators require your identification (ID for EU/EEA travelers and passport for anyone else) for eSIMs and physical SIM cards (will be discussed later).

However, you can get travel eSIMs from Airalo, Holafly & Nomad.

Airalo has the Hallo! Mobil eSIMs:

You have these four options:

1. Germany/Hallo! Mobil 1 GB eSIM for 7 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
2. Germany/Hallo! Mobil 3 GB eSIM for 30 days– very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
3. Germany/Hallo! Mobil 5 GB eSIM for 30 days
4. Germany/Hallo! Mobil 10 GB eSIM for 30 days

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

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

Or you can get Germany eSIMs from Nomad.

By the way, the 10 GB Nomad Germany eSIM for 30 days is the most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers, while the 1 GB for 7 days variant is very popular.

Use code ADU123 for the best deals available when getting Nomad eSIMs (on the site or their apps) and get 3 USD/2.85 EUR/2.45 GBP/4.10 CAD off (even on top of current promotions)!

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

• Check out my Nomad reviews

Finally, you can get Germany eSIMs from Holafly if you prefer unlimited data plans and do not mind paying a bit more for this advantage:

• Germany unlimited data eSIM for 5 days
• Germany unlimited data eSIM for 10 days
• Germany unlimited data eSIM for 15 days
• Germany unlimited data eSIM for 20 days
• Germany unlimited data eSIM for 30 days
• Germany unlimited data eSIM for 60 days
• Germany unlimited data eSIM for 90 days

Use code PHONETRAVELWIZ for exclusive deals when getting Holafly eSIMs, AND get an additional 5% off!

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

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

TIP: check out my Best Germany eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison of several eSIMs for Germany, including ones not mentioned above.

If you plan on visiting other neighboring European nations, consider the Eurolink eSIM (six variants: 1 GB/7 days, 3 GB/30 days – very popular with PTW readers, 5 GB/30 days – most popular with PTW readers, 10 GB/30 days – very popular with PTW readers, 50 GB/90 days & 100 GB/180 days) in Germany and these other countries:

• Check out my Airalo Eurolink eSIM review (tested in Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Hungary, Greece, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia & Spain)

Holafly and Nomad also have eSIMs covering all of the European Union (and more).

But honestly, the Eurolink eSIM is superior (but you can consider the Holafly Europe eSIM if you want unlimited data in 30+ countries – just do not forget about code PHONETRAVELWIZ if you go with Holafly).

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 Germany and eSIMs worldwide) and my Best Germany eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison of several eSIMs for Germany.

Best International/Travel SIM Card for Germany

If you want to buy the best international/travel SIM card for Germany, I recommend going with Simify‘s Europe SIM cards that covers Europe (mainly the European Union) and parts Asia, Central America, Oceania & South America – all in one SIM card.

You have these five options:

1. Europe & UK Prepaid Travel SIM Card with 12 GB for 30 days (includes calls and SMS within the country you are in)
2. Explorer Prepaid Travel SIM Card with 12 GB for 365 days
3. Europe & UK Prepaid Travel SIM Card with 40 GB for 28 days (includes calls within the country you are in)
4. Europe & UK Prepaid Travel SIM Card with 80 GB for 28 days (includes calls within the country you are in)
5. Europe & UK Prepaid Travel SIM Card with 140 GB for 28 days (includes calls within the country you are in)

The Simify Europe SIM cards can be used in Germany and the following other countries:

SIM Card Registration in Germany

SIM card registration with your passport information is required in Germany. It will be done at the point of sale (if purchased from the Big Three).

It is recommended to purchase your German SIM card in Telekom, O2, Vodafone, or Mediamarkt stores for quick and instant registration.

Mediamarkt will always register SIM cards sold in its own stores (for free).

Becareful with Vodafone: they used to, and still may, charge you 10 EUR for registration or force you to top-up up to 50 EUR before they give you your SIM card.

Other retailers will want to charge you too, so I do not recommend getting your SIM card anywhere else besides the stores of the mobile operators or Mediamarkt.

Or post offices – SIM cards are sold there too, and registration there is always free, but you will need to print and fill a document beforehand.

Otherwise, you can register your SIM card online (for free) by video identification (Online ID/Video Ident, or WebID).

If you are from the EU/EEA, you can use your national ID too. Everyone else has to use their passport (but those from the EU/EEA can also use their passport, of course).

Note that identification by video may not activate your SIM card instantly.

In fact, it can take up to 24 hours for your SIM card to work.

So, in short:

• Get your German SIM card in the stores of the mobile operators for instant and free registration
• Mediamarkt sells SIM cards too and will register brands sold in their stores for free, and activation is instant
• SIM cards are also available in post offices, and they will register any German SIM card for free. However, you need to print and fill in a form before heading to the post office
  • Registration may take up to 24 hours
• Other retailers selling SIM cards can register (some) SIM cards, but they often will charge you for it
  • Registration may take up to 24 hours

EU Roaming in Germany

Germany is part of the European Union (EU).

Since June 2017, those with EU/EEA (European Economic Area) SIM cards can roam for free in other EU/EEA nations, including Germany.

This means that, in the majority of cases, you do not need to purchase a German SIM card if you already have an EU/EEA SIM card because you can roam without additional costs.

However, conditions do apply. Mobile operators in some countries may impose a roaming Fair Use Policy (FUP).

In countries where local mobile data rates are extremely low (such as in the Baltics and the Nordics), mobile operators may still charge you for roaming in the EU/EEA.

Be sure to head over to the international roaming page to learn whether your mobile operator offers free roaming while in Germany or if restrictions apply.

Roaming in the EU with German SIM Cards

Germany and the German mobile operators have largely adopted the roam like at home regulations principles early on.

However, some plans have an EU/EEA roaming cap.

Moreover, the standard Fair Use Policy applies where you should not be roaming over 50% of the time over a four-month period.

If you do so, EU roaming rates will apply. You are then better off buying local prepaid SIM cards in other EU nations.

Germany Mobile Speeds, Mobile Internet Prices & Insights

Currency in Germany

Germany uses the Euro with the symbol EUR (which will be used throughout this guide).

However, prices are often listed as just €. For example, 25 EUR = €25.

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

• 1 EUR = 1.05 USD
• 10 EUR = 10.60 USD
• 100 EUR = 106.25 USD

For up-to-date EUR:your currency (let's say GBP – (British) Pound (Sterling)) exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.

German Prepaid SIM Cards

Below, I will guide you through Telekom Germany (formerly T-Mobile), O2 Germany, Vodafone Germany & many MVNOs that will be added later, 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 being said, let’s see what Germany has to offer to us.

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Telekom Germany (formerly T-Mobile)

Telekom Germany (Deutsche Telekom), just Telekom and formerly T-Mobile, is the largest mobile operator in Germany.

It is also the mobile operator with the best overall network performance.

Telekom is active in Europe (as Telekom and T-Mobile) and the United States (as T-Mobile).

Telekom uses the following frequencies:

• 2G: 900 MHz & 1800 MHz
• 3G: N/A – shut down for 4G/LTE and 5G NR refarming
• 4G/LTE: 700 MHz (Band 28), 800 MHz (Band 20), 900 MHz (Band 8), 1500 MHz (Band 32), 1800 MHz (Band 3), 2100 MHz (Band 1) & 2600 MHz (Band 7)
• 5G NR: 2100 MHz (n1) & 3500 MHz (n78)
• VoLTE: Yes
• VoWiFi: Yes

This is what you will learn about Telekom:

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

Coverage – Telekom Germany (formerly T-Mobile)

Telekom has the best coverage in Germany.

This was also confirmed by Opensignal.

Below is Telekom's coverage map produced by Speedtest:

SIM Card Price – Telekom Germany (formerly T-Mobile)

You can get a Telekom SIM card, called Magenta Mobil Prepaid (regular) or Data Prepaid (data-only), for 9.95 EUR with 10 EUR credit in Telekom stores and electronic stores, like Mediamarkt. Telekom SIM cards are not sold at the top five international airports (Berlin, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, or Munich).

It is also possible to get a Telekom eSIM for the same price as a regular SIM card.

However, this process involves a rather time-consuming process, which may not be worth the hassle.

As mentioned in the eSIM section earlier in this guide, I recommend getting a travel eSIM (or travel SIM card if your phone does not support eSIM) because it will be (much) cheaper and faster than anything Telekom will offer!

Therefore, if you wish to use an eSIM, you can go with the Germany (Hallo! Mobil) eSIM from Airalo (1 GB/7 days – most popular with PTW readers, 3 GB/30 days – very popular with PTW readers, 5 GB/30 days & 10 GB/30 days).

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

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

• Check out my Airalo eSIM reviews

Or get the Germany eSIMs from Nomad (from 1 GB/7 days to 20 GB/30 days).

The 10 GB Nomad Germany eSIM for 30 days is the most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers, while the 1 GB for 7 days variant is very popular.

Use code ADU123 for the best deals available when getting Nomad eSIMs (on the site or their apps) and get 3 USD/2.85 EUR/2.45 GBP/4.10 CAD off (even on top of current promotions)!

• Check out my Nomad eSIM reviews

If you prefer unlimited data plans instead, get one of the Germany eSIMs from Holafly (unlimited/5 days, unlimited/10 days, unlimited/15 days, unlimited/20 days, unlimited/30 days, unlimited/60 days & unlimited/90 days).

Use code PHONETRAVELWIZ for exclusive deals when getting Holafly eSIMs, AND get an additional 5% off!

• Check out my Holafly eSIM reviews

Or get the Eurolink eSIMs covering Germany and 35+ other European countries (1 GB/7 days, 3 GB/30 days – very popular with PTW readers, 5 GB/30 days – most popular with PTW readers, 10 GB/30 days– very popular with PTW readers, 50 GB/90 days & 100 GB/180 days – read my Eurolink review too).

TIP: check out my Best Germany eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison of several eSIMs for Germany (including ones not mentioned above).

Note that Telekom 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).

Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Telekom Germany (formerly T-Mobile)

Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – Telekom Germany (formerly T-Mobile)

Telekom has four data-featured prepaid plans:

• MagentaMobil Prepaid (combo)
• MagentaMobil Prepaid 5G-Jahrestarif (combo)
• Datenpässe (data for data-only SIM card)
• Prepaid Datenpässe (data add-ons)

All Telekom plans can be activated on the MeinMagenta: Handy & Festnetz app.

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

MagentaMobil Prepaid Plans – Telekom Germany (formerly T-Mobile)

The MagentaMobil Prepaid plans are combo bundles with data (with 5G NR access), minutes & SMS.

MagentaMobil Prepaid for Data Prepaid can be activated on the MeinMagenta: Handy & Festnetz app:

Price	Plan	Data	On-Net Minutes	Off-Net Minutes 1	On-Net SMS	Off-Net SMS 1	Validity
9.95 EUR	MagentaMobil Prepaid M	2 GB	Unlimited	200 minutes	Unlimited	N/A	28 days
14.95 EUR	MagentaMobil Prepaid L	3 GB	Unlimited	300 minutes	Unlimited	N/A	28 days
24.95 EUR	MagentaMobil Prepaid XL	5 GB	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	28 days
99.95 EUR	MagentaMobil Prepaid Max	Unlimited 2, 3	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	1 year

¹ for calls/SMS within and to other EU/EEA member states and back to Germany (NOT from Germany to other EU/EEA member states)
² 5G NR access for free for 12 weeks. Then 3 EUR per 4 weeks
³ 68 GB in the EU/EEA

MagentaMobil Prepaid 5G-Jahrestarif – Telekom Germany (formerly T-Mobile)

The MagentaMobil Prepaid 5G-Jahrestarif is a combo plan with 2 GB per month (with 5G NR access), unlimited on-net minutes, 200 off-net minutes & unlimited on-net SMS for 12 months, costing 99.95 EUR.

Price	Plan	Data	On-Net Minutes	Off-Net Minutes	On-Net SMS	Validity
99.95 EUR	MagentaMobil Prepaid 5G-Jahrestarif	2 GB/month (24 GB) 1	Unlimited	200 minutes	Unlimited	12 months

¹ 5G NR access

Datenpässe for Data Prepaid – Telekom Germany (formerly T-Mobile)

The Datenpässe for Data Prepaid are data plans (with 5G NR access) for the data-only SIM card.

Datenpässe for Data Prepaid can be activated on the MeinMagenta: Handy & Festnetz app:

Price	Plan	Data	Validity
4.95 EUR	Data Prepaid S	1 GB	24 hours
9.95 EUR	Data Prepaid M	2 GB	28 days
9.95 EUR	DayFlat Unlimited	Unlimited	24 hours
14.95 EUR	Data Prepaid L	4 GB	28 days
29.95 EUR	Data Prepaid XL	12 GB	90 days

Prepaid Datenpässe Add-Ons – Telekom Germany (formerly T-Mobile)

Prepaid Datenpässe are data add-ons for MagentaMobil Prepaid. They cannot be purchased as standalone plans.

Moreover, not every Prepaid Datenpässe can be added to any MagentaMobil Prepaid plan.

The eligibility column will tell you which Prepaid Datenpässe can be added to which MagentaMobil Prepaid plan.

Prepaid Datenpässe can be activated on the MeinMagenta: Handy & Festnetz app:

Price	Plan	Data	Eligibility	Validity
3.49 EUR	SpeedOn S (Ermäßigt)	500 MB	Prepaid S	7 days
4.49 EUR	DayFlat Unlimited (Ermäßigt)	Unlimited	Prepaid S	24 hours
4.95 EUR	SpeedOn S	500 MB	Prepaid M/L/XL/5G-Jahrestarif	7 days
5.95 EUR	DayFlat Unlimited	Unlimited	Prepaid M/L/XL/5G-Jahrestarif	24 hours
6.49 EUR	SpeedOn M (Ermäßigt)	500 MB	Prepaid S	28 days
7.95 EUR	SpeedOn M	500 MB	Prepaid M/L/XL/5G-Jahrestarif	28 days
14.95 EUR	SpeedOn L	1.5 GB	Prepaid M/L/XL/5G-Jahrestarif	28 days
19.95 EUR	SpeedOn XL	2.5 GB	Prepaid M/L/XL/5G-Jahrestarif	28 days

EU Roaming – Telekom Germany (formerly T-Mobile)

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

As Telekom does not have dedicated EU/EEA roaming allowances (for most plans), you can use your full allowance without restrictions in other EU/EEA member states.

APN/Internet Settings – Telekom Germany (formerly T-Mobile)

• Name: Telekom Internet OR Telekom Internet IPv6
• APN: internet.telekom OR internet.v6.telekom
• Username: t-mobile OR telekom
• Password: tm

Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.

Jump back to the Table of Contents.

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O2 Germany (Deutschland)

O2 Germany (O2 Deutschland), just O2 but officially O₂, is the second-largest mobile operator in Germany.

The O2 brand is part of Telefónica, a Spanish telecommunications company active in the Americas (as Altice, Movistar & Vivo) and Europe (as Bouygues Telecom, Movistar & O2).

O2 uses the following frequencies:

• 2G: 900 MHz & 1800 MHz
• 3G: N/A – shut down for 4G/LTE and 5G NR refarming
• 4G/LTE: 700 MHz (Band 28), 800 MHz (Band 20), 900 MHz (Band 8), 1800 MHz (Band 3), 2100 MHz (Band 1) & 2600 MHz (Band 7)
• 5G NR: 3500 MHz (n78) – not for prepaid customers (yet)
• VoLTE: Yes
• VoWiFi: Yes

This is what you will learn about O2:

* Coverage
* How to Get an O2 SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Topping Up Options & Methods + Balance Check
* Plans & Packages
* APN/Internet Settings

Coverage – O2 Germany

O2 has extensive coverage throughout Germany.

4G/LTE is available almost anywhere.

Below is an O2 coverage map produced by Speedtest:

However, click here to see O2 coverage's official coverage map.

SIM Card Price – O2 Germany

You can get an O2 SIM card, called O2 My Prepaid, for 10 EUR with 9.99 EUR credit or the data-only SIM card, O2 My Prepaid Smartphone Jahrespaket, for 69.99 EUR with 12 GB for 365 days, in O2 stores and electronic shops, like Mediamarkt. O2 SIM cards are also sold at Frankfurt Airport (FRA).

It is recommended to purchase your O2 SIM card in O2 or Mediamarkt stores for quick and instant registration.

Mediamarkt will always register SIM cards sold in its own stores (for free – also for O2).

Other retailers will want to charge you too, so I do not recommend getting your SIM card anywhere else besides O2 stores or Mediamarkt.

Or post offices – some sell O2 SIM cards too, and registration there is always free, but you will need to print and fill a document beforehand.

Otherwise, you can register your O2 SIM card online (for free) by video identification (Online ID/Video Ident, or WebID).

If you are from the EU/EEA, you can use your national ID too. Everyone else has to use their passport (but those from the EU/EEA can also use their passport, of course).

Note that identification by video may not activate your SIM card instantly.

In fact, it can take up to 24 hours for your SIM card to work.

It is also possible to get an O2 eSIM for the same price as a regular SIM card.

However, it is unclear if eSIMs are available for prepaid customers too.

I will ask O2 about this when I revisit Germany 🇩🇪😎 (or you can let me know).

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

Therefore, if you wish to use an eSIM, you can go with the Germany (Hallo! Mobil) eSIM from Airalo (1 GB/7 days – most popular with PTW readers, 3 GB/30 days – very popular with PTW readers, 5 GB/30 days & 10 GB/30 days).

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

• Check out my Airalo eSIM reviews

Or get the Germany eSIMs from Nomad (from 1 GB/7 days to 20 GB/30 days).

The 10 GB Nomad Germany eSIM for 30 days is the most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers, while the 1 GB for 7 days variant is very popular.

Use code ADU123 for the best deals available when getting Nomad eSIMs (on the site or their apps) and get 3 USD/2.85 EUR/2.45 GBP/4.10 CAD off (even on top of current promotions)!

• Check out my Nomad eSIM reviews

If you prefer unlimited data plans instead, get one of the Germany eSIMs from Holafly (unlimited/5 days, unlimited/10 days, unlimited/15 days, unlimited/20 days, unlimited/30 days, unlimited/60 days & unlimited/90 days).

Use code PHONETRAVELWIZ for exclusive deals when getting Holafly eSIMs, AND get an additional 5% off!

• Check out my Holafly eSIM reviews

Or get the Eurolink eSIMs covering Germany and 35+ other European countries (1 GB/7 days, 3 GB/30 days – very popular with PTW readers, 5 GB/30 days – most popular with PTW readers, 10 GB/30 days– very popular with PTW readers, 50 GB/90 days & 100 GB/180 days – read my Eurolink review too).

TIP: check out my Best Germany eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison of several eSIMs for Germany (including ones not mentioned above).

Note that O2 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).

Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – O2 Germany

Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – O2 Germany

O2 has two data-featured prepaid plans: My Prepaid (combo) & Zusatz-Datenvolumen (data add-ons).

All O2 plans can be activated on the Mein o2 app.

My Prepaid Plans – O2 Germany

The My Prepaid plans are combo bundles with data (without 5G NR access), minutes & SMS.

My Prepaid can be activated on the Mein o2 app:

Price	Plan	Data	Local/EU Minutes 1	Local/EU SMS 1	Validity
1.99 EUR	O2 My Prepaid Basic	150 MB	N/A	N/A	28 days
9.99 EUR	O2 My Prepaid S	3.5 GB	Unlimited	Unlimited	28 days
14.99 EUR	O2 My Prepaid M	6.5 GB	Unlimited	Unlimited	28 days
19.99 EUR	O2 My Prepaid L	12.5 GB	Unlimited	Unlimited	28 days
69.99 EUR	O2 My Prepaid XL	999 GB	Unlimited	Unlimited	28 days

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

Zusatz-Datenvolumen Add-Ons – O2 Germany

The Zusatz-Datenvolumen are data add-ons. They cannot be purchased as standalone plans.

Zusatz-Datenvolumen can be activated on the Mein o2 app:

Price	Plan	Data	Validity
2.99 EUR	Data Pack S	400 MB	28 days
5.99 EUR	Data Pack M	1.5 GB	28 days
9.99 EUR	Data Pack L	4 GB	28 days
19.99 EUR	Data Pack XL	13 GB	28 days

EU Roaming – O2 Germany

You can use your O2 allowances in the following EU/EEA member states without paying roaming fees:

As O2 does not have dedicated EU/EEA roaming allowances, you can use your full allowance without restrictions in other EU/EEA member states.

APN/Internet Settings – O2 Germany

• Name: o2 Internet
• APN: pinternet.interkom.de

Note: do not use just “internet” as a prepaid customer. That APN is reserved for postpaid customers. leave anything not mentioned above untouched.

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Vodafone Germany (Deutschland)

Vodafone Germany (Vodafone Deutschland), just Vodafone, is the smallest mobile operator in Germany.

Vodafone, as a company, is active in Africa (mostly as Vodacom), Asia, Europe, the Middle East & Oceania.

Vodafone uses the following frequencies:

• 2G: 900 MHz
• 3G: N/A – shut down for 4G/LTE and 5G NR refarming
• 4G/LTE: 700 MHz (Band 28), 800 MHz (Band 20), 900 MHz (Band 8), 1800 MHz (Band 3), 2100 MHz (Band 1) & 2600 MHz (Band 7)
• 5G NR: 3600 MHz (n78)
• VoLTE: Yes
• VoWiFi: Yes

This is what you will learn about Vodafone:

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

Coverage – Vodafone Germany

Vodafone has extensive coverage throughout Germany.

4G/LTE is available almost anywhere.

Below is Vodafone's coverage map produced by Speedtest:

SIM Card Price – Vodafone Germany

You can get a Vodafone SIM card, called CallYa, for 9.95 EUR with 10 EUR credit in Vodafone stores and electronic shops, like Mediamarkt. Vodafone cards are not sold at the top five international airports (Berlin, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, or Munich).

It is recommended to purchase your Vodafone SIM card in Vodafone or Mediamarkt for quick and instant registration.

Mediamarkt will always register SIM cards sold in its own stores (for free – also for Vodafone).

Some (shady) Vodafone stores may want to charge you up to 10 EUR for verification or require you to top-up at least 20 EUR to 50 EUR, depending on the store.

Other retailers will want to charge you too, so I do not recommend getting your SIM card anywhere else besides Vodafone stores or Mediamarkt.

Or post offices – some sell Vodafone SIM cards too, and registration there is always free, but you will need to print and fill a document beforehand.

Otherwise, you can register your Vodafone SIM card online (for free) by video identification (Online ID/Video Ident, or WebID).

If you are from the EU/EEA, you can use your national ID too. Everyone else has to use their passport (but those from the EU/EEA can also use their passport, of course).

Note that identification by video may not activate your SIM card instantly.

In fact, it can take up to 24 hours for your SIM card to work.

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

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

Therefore, if you wish to use an eSIM, you can go with the Germany (Hallo! Mobil) eSIM from Airalo (1 GB/7 days – most popular with PTW readers, 3 GB/30 days – very popular with PTW readers, 5 GB/30 days & 10 GB/30 days).

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

• Check out my Airalo eSIM reviews

Or get the Germany eSIMs from Nomad (from 1 GB/7 days to 20 GB/30 days).

The 10 GB Nomad Germany eSIM for 30 days is the most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers, while the 1 GB for 7 days variant is very popular.

Use code ADU123 for the best deals available when getting Nomad eSIMs (on the site or their apps) and get 3 USD/2.85 EUR/2.45 GBP/4.10 CAD off (even on top of current promotions)!

• Check out my Nomad eSIM reviews

If you prefer unlimited data plans instead, get one of the Germany eSIMs from Holafly (unlimited/5 days, unlimited/10 days, unlimited/15 days, unlimited/20 days, unlimited/30 days, unlimited/60 days & unlimited/90 days).

Use code PHONETRAVELWIZ for exclusive deals when getting Holafly eSIMs, AND get an additional 5% off!

• Check out my Holafly eSIM reviews

Or get the Eurolink eSIMs covering Germany and 35+ other European countries (1 GB/7 days, 3 GB/30 days – very popular with PTW readers, 5 GB/30 days – most popular with PTW readers, 10 GB/30 days– very popular with PTW readers, 50 GB/90 days & 100 GB/180 days – read my Eurolink review too).

TIP: check out my Best Germany eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison of several eSIMs for Germany (including ones not mentioned above).

Call 22922, select option 3, select option 5, and select option 2 to change the Vodafone system language to English.

Note that Vodafone 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).

Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Vodafone Germany

Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – Vodafone Germany

Vodafone has two data-featured prepaid plans: CallYa (combo) & Internet-Optionen/Internet Options (data).

CallYa Plans – Vodafone Germany

The CallYa plans are combo plans with data (with 5G NR access), minutes & SMS).

CallYa plans can be activated on the MeinVodafone app:

Price	Plan	Data	On-Net Minutes	Off-Net/EU Minutes 1	International (EU) Minutes	On-Net SMS	Off-Net/EU SMS 1	International (EU) SMS	Validity
4.99 EUR	CallYa Start	1 GB	Unlimited	50 minutes	Shared with off-net call allowance	Unlimited	Shared with off-net call allowance	Shared with off-net call allowance	28 days
9.99 EUR	CallYa Allnet Flat S	3 GB	Unlimited	Unlimited	200 minutes	Unlimited	Unlimited	Shared with off-net call allowance	28 days
14.99 EUR	CallYa Allnet Flat M	5 GB	Unlimited	500 minutes	Shared with off-net call allowance	Unlimited	Shared with off-net call allowance	Shared with off-net call allowance	28 days
15 EUR	CallYa Digital Light	7.5 GB	Unlimited	Unlimited	N/A	Unlimited	Unlimited	N/A	28 days
20 EUR	CallYa Digital	15 GB 2	Unlimited	Unlimited	N/A	Unlimited	Unlimited	N/A	28 days

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

Internet-Optionen (Internet Options) – Vodafone Germany

The Internet-Optionen (Internet Options) are data add-ons. They cannot be purchased as standalone plans.

Text the Activation Code to 80808 to activate Internet-Optionen:

Price	Data	Validity	Activation Code
4.99 EUR	10 GB	24 hours	Day100
5.99 EUR	800 MB	Until plan expires	800 MB
9.99 EUR	2 GB	Until plan expires	2 GB
19.99 EUR	5 GB	Until plan expires	5 GB

EU Roaming – Vodafone Germany

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

As Vodafone does not have dedicated EU/EEA roaming allowances, you can use your full allowance without restrictions in other EU/EEA member states.

APN/Internet Settings – Vodafone Germany

• Name: Vodafone DE
• APN: web.vodafone.de

Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.

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The Preferred Way to Stay Connected When Traveling in Germany

Getting a SIM card from Telekom or Vodafone would do you well when considering a German SIM card.