Honduras – meaning depths in Spanish, is known for its natural resources. From fruit, coffee, or minerals, Honduras is rich in it.
Next to the Caribbean Sea on the north and east of the country and the Gulf of Fonseca in the southwest, there are plenty of beaches in Honduras.
Not only that, but it is also full of Reserves, like Río Plátano Biophese, and many rainforests; there are many things to experience when in Honduras.
And you probably want to share your travel experiences online with your friends and family, which you should.
However, before you get too excited, you should know that international roaming can be expensive. Although it is a convenient way to stay connected when abroad, it is the most costly option.
Luckily, local SIM cards, like Honduran ones, are available to travelers too. That way, you can enjoy local rates, which are almost always cheaper than roaming (unless your operator offers free roaming, of course).
But how expensive are SIM cards in Honduras?
You can get a Honduran SIM card for as little as 25 HNL (1 USD) in Tigo or Claro stores. But they are also available at phone stores, grocery stores, or pharmacies. A data plan with 5 GB valid for 7 days will cost you at least 100 HNL (4.15 USD).
Those numbers are fairly low. Perfectly in line with the relatively low cost of living in Honduras.
But there are still some things you should know about SIM cards in Honduras, so…
In this guide, I will go over everything you need to know about buying a SIM card in Honduras. Let's do this.
Original publication: 10th of January 2020. Last updated: 25th of October 2021.
Table of Contents
Can You Buy a SIM Card in Honduras?
Anyone 18 years old or older can buy a Honduran SIM card from Tigo or Claro. However, you may only have 5 active lines on your name.
You should know that your SIM card has to be registered in your name through a SIM card registration process. Moreover, your phone needs to support the frequencies used in the country (even if you plan on roaming in Honduras). Finally, your phone needs to be unlocked (SIM-lock-free) to use local SIM cards
Where Can You Buy a SIM Card in Honduras?
You can get a Honduran SIM card in Tigo's and Claro's official stores or purchase them from resellers, including grocery stores, pharmacies, and kiosks.
It is also possible to buy SIM cards at Toncontín International Airport/Teniente Coronel Hernán Acosta Mejía Airport (Tegucigalpa Toncontin International Airport).
You can expect to pay the following for Honduran SIM cards:
- Tigo Honduras: 50 HNL
- Claro Honduras: 25 HNL
Can You Use Your Phone in Honduras?
Honduras uses GSM technology for mobile communications. CDMA phones will not work in Honduras. However, there is a 99% chance your phone supports GSM (if your phone has a SIM card slot, then it supports GSM).
Besides that, you need to be aware of the ITU regions to determine whether your phone will work in other parts of the world.
Although there are three ITU regions, you only need to know these two terms: American Frequencies and European Frequencies.
Honduras uses American Frequencies, which are used the Americas (North-, Central, and South America + the Caribbean – ITU Region 2). Phones sold in the Americas typically have no issues when using their phone in other ITU Region 2 countries.
In Africa, Asia (including the Middle East), Europe, and Oceania (ITU Regions 1 & 3), they typically use European Frequencies, meaning phones bought in those regions can be used in countries using European Frequencies without issues.
If you purchased your phone in the Americas (ITU Region 2), you should not experience any issues with using your phone in Honduras.
If you bought your phone in Africa, Asia, Europe, or Oceania (ITU regions 1 & 3) 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 Honduras 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 Honduras (to some extent) – also on 4G/LTE.
Mobile Operators, Networks & Frequencies in Honduras
Honduras has three mobile network operators:
- Tigo Honduras
- Claro Honduras
- Honducel
Honducel has poor 3G coverage and has no 4G/LTE at all. As a result, it will not be covered in this guide, and I would discourage you from getting a Honducel SIM card.
The following frequencies are used in Honduras:
- 2G: 850 MHz
- 3G: 850 MHz & 1900 MHz
- 4G/LTE: 850 MHz (Band 5) & 1700/2100 MHz – AWS (Band 4)
You can learn more about frequencies in the video below.
To check whether your phone will work in Honduras, check out this page by Will My Phone Work (may be outdated or inaccurate at times).
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.
5G NR in Honduras
5G is not available in Honduras as of 2021, and the Honduran government has not made any indications of when they will auction 5G licenses.
Best SIM Card in Honduras
If you want to buy the best SIM card in Honduras, I recommend going with Tigo. It has the best coverage and the fastest speeds. Moreover, it is only marginally more expensive than Claro.
SIM Card Registration in Honduras
SIM card registration, with the use of your passport information, is mandatory in Honduras. This will be done at the point of sale.
Although Honduran SIM cards can be purchased from resellers, I recommend buying your SIM card from an official store because of the registration process.
Locals can use their ID to register their SIM cards online. Unfortunately, this registration process does not accept international IDs, such as passports.
Also, you can only have 5 SIM cards in your name. This applies to anyone, including locals and travelers. And you need to be at least 18 years old to register a SIM card.
Honduras Speeds, Internet Prices & Insights
Mobile data in Latin America is affordable. North America and the Caribbean have rather high mobile data rates.
Luckily, Honduras is in Central America. But does that mean mobile data is cheap here too?
The average price for 1 GB of data in Honduras is 1.56 USD, far below the Central American average of 2.40 USD. The world average is 4.07 USD.
Somehow, the average cost of 1 GB of data went down with exactly 50% from 2020 to 2021.
Let's take a look at the Americas as a whole, including the Caribbean. Honduras is in the 11th place of the American countries with the lowest mobile data rates. The continent's average is 4.61 USD (and 3.84 when excluding the Falkland Islands because it is such an outlier with 44 USD).
So what about speeds? Are mobile speeds decent in Honduras?
Honduras' average mobile download speed is around 25 Mbps, almost half the global average of 53 Mbps.
Sure, there are more than 90 countries with faster average download speeds than Honduras at the time of writing. However, the country is doing well at a regional level.
Costa Rica has the fastest speeds in Central America, averaging 31 Mbps, while Panama has the slowest, averaging 17 Mbps.
In terms of coverage, it is acceptable in urban areas. However, when in rural places, you will probably deal with slow 4G/LTE, 3G, or if unlucky, 2G. Or simply no reception at all. Especially around (rain)forests.
In most cases, you will have a decently fast and somewhat smooth network experience in Honduras.
Currency in Honduras
Honduras uses the Honduran Lempira with the symbol HNL (which will be used throughout this guide). However, prices are often listed as just L. For example, 25 HNL = L25. For reference, below are some exchange rates between HNL and USD (US Dollars):
- 1 HNL = 0.05 USD
- 10 HNL = 0.40 USD
- 100 HNL = 4.15 USD
- 1000 HNL = 41.50 USD
For up-to-date HNL:USD exchange rates, search HNL to USD on Google, or replace USD with the currency you use.
If your credit/debit card charges you foreign exchange fees, get yourself a Wise Borderless Account and Debit Card.
Their fees are MUCH lower than banks, and credit card companies charge you (and Wise is transparent about their fees, unlike banks).
I have saved literal THOUSANDS of Euros, my main currency, when using Wise abroad when traveling compared to my debit and credit cards. Open a Wise account FREE!
Honduran Prepaid SIM Cards
Below, I will guide you through Tigo Honduras & Claro Honduras, 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 Honduras has to offer to us.
Tigo Honduras
Tigo Honduras, just Tigo, is the largest operator in Honduras. It replaced CELTEL – the former national operator. Tigo as a company is active in various countries in Latin America and also in Tanzania.
Tigo uses the following frequencies:
- 2G: 850 MHz
- 3G: 850 MHz
- 4G/LTE: 850 MHz (Band 5) & 1700/2100 MHz – AWS (Band 4)
This is what you will learn about Tigo:
* Coverage
* How to Get a Tigo SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Topping-Up Options & Methods
* Plans & Packages
* APN/Internet Settings
Coverage – Tigo Honduras
Tigo has the best coverage throughout Honduras.
Tigo's 4G/LTE coverage is superior over Claro Honduras'.
Below is Tigo's official 2G coverage map:
Here is its 3G coverage map:
Then we have the 4G coverage map:
Although nice maps, these maps are kind of useless for judging coverage. So here is a coverage map produced by Speedtest:
SIM Card Price – Tigo Honduras
You can buy a Tigo SIM card, called Tigo Chip, for 50 HNL in Tigo stores and other stores, such as newsstands, gas stations, and grocery stores. The SIM card includes 1 GB, unlimited WhatsApp texting, unlimited on-net minutes, and 150 minutes to Canada & the United States – all for 5 days.
You can also buy a Tigo SIM card at kiosks and phone shops at Toncontín International Airport/Teniente Coronel Hernán Acosta Mejía Airport (Tegucigalpa Toncontin International Airport).
Tigo SIM cards get deactivated if there has been no activity for 90 days (no top-up for 90 days or no activity for 90 days).
Topping Up & Recharging – Tigo Honduras
Tigo top-up vouchers are sold in Tigo stores and many other stores throughout Honduras, including post offices, kiosks, and grocery stores.
To top up your Tigo SIM card, dial *777*VoucherCode#.
For example, if your voucher code is 123456, you would dial *777*123456#.
You can also recharge online with (international) debit and credit cards.
Dial *123# to check your Tigo balance.
You can also top up and check your balance on the Tigo app (Android/iOS).
Plans, Packages, Bundles & Offers – Tigo Honduras
Tigo has three types of data-featured plans, which are:
- Super Recargas/Super Refills (combo)
- Super Recargas Tigo USA/Super Refills Tigo USA (combo)
- Paquetigos/Packages (combo)
You can activate any Tigo plan by dialing *111#.
Click on the links above to jump to the plan you are interested in.
Super Recargas (Super Refills) – Tigo Honduras
The Super Recargas (Super Refills) are combo plans with data and minutes.
The following Super Recargas are available:
| Price | Credit | Data | WhatsApp Data | Games Data | On-Net Minutes | International Minutes 1 | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 HNL | 75 HNL | 500 MB | Unlimited | N/A | “Unlimited”, 10 minutes per call | N/A | 1 day |
| 50 HNL | 150 HNL | 2 GB | Unlimited | N/A | “Unlimited”, 10 minutes per call | N/A | 3 days |
| 51 HNL | 150 HNL | 2 GB | Unlimited | N/A | “Unlimited”, 10 minutes per call | N/A | 3 days |
| 100 HNL | 300 HNL | 5 GB | Unlimited | N/A | “Unlimited”, 10 minutes per call | N/A | 7 days |
| 102 HNL | 300 HNL | 5 GB | Unlimited | N/A | “Unlimited”, 10 minutes per call | N/A | 7 days |
| 120 HNL | N/A | 8 GB | Unlimited | Unlimited 2 | “Unlimited”, 10 minutes per call | 300 minutes | 7 days |
| 150 HNL | 450 HNL | 13 GB | Unlimited | N/A | “Unlimited”, 10 minutes per call | N/A | 10 days |
| 220 HNL | 600 HNL | 20 GB | Unlimited | N/A | “Unlimited”, 10 minutes per call | N/A | 15 days |
1 to the United States
2 Candy Crush, Clash of Clans, Clash Royale & Free Fire
Super Recargas Tigo USA (Super Refills Tigo USA) – Tigo Honduras
The Super Recargas Tigo USA (Super Refills Tigo USA) are combo plans with data and minutes.
You can get one of the following Super Recargas Tigo USA:
| Price | Credit | Data | WhatsApp Data | Facebook Data | Games Data | On-Net Minutes | Local Minutes | International Minutes | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 USD | 300 HNL | 7 GB | Unlimited | Unlimited | N/A | “Unlimited”, 10 minutes per call | N/A | 100 minutes 1 | 7 days |
| 8 USD | N/A | 8 GB | Unlimited | N/A | Unlimited 3 | “Unlimited”, 10 minutes per call | N/A | 100 minutes 1 | 7 days |
| 10 USD | N/A | 20 GB | Unlimited | Unlimited | N/A | “Unlimited”, 10 minutes per call | 350 minutes | 150 minutes 2 | 10 days |
| 15 USD | N/A | 30 GB | Unlimited | Unlimited | N/A | “Unlimited”, 10 minutes per call | 450 minutes | 250 minutes 2 | 15 days |
| 20 USD | N/A | 40 GB | Unlimited | Unlimited | N/A | “Unlimited”, 10 minutes per call | 600 minutes | 250 minutes 2 | 30 days |
1 to the United States
2 to Canada & the United States
3 Candy Crush, Clash of Clans, Clash Royale & Free Fire
Paquetigos (Packages) – Tigo Honduras
The Paquetigos (Packages) are combo plans with data and minutes.
Here is an overview of the Paquetigos:
| Price | Data | WhatsApp Data | Facebook Data | Minutes | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 HNL | N/A | Unlimited | N/A | N/A | 1 day |
| 17 HNL | N/A | N/A | Unlimited | N/A | 1 day |
| 18 HNL | 25 MB | N/A | N/A | 15 minutes 1 | 2 days |
| 25 HNL | N/A | N/A | N/A | 5 minutes 2 | 1 day |
| 28 HNL | 30 MB | N/A | N/A | 35 minutes 1 | 2 days |
| 30 HNL | 200 MB | Unlimited | N/A | N/A | 1 day |
| 45 HNL | N/A | N/A | N/A | 60 minutes 1 | 3 days |
| 45 HNL | 100 MB | Unlimited | Unlimited | N/A | 1 day |
| 55 HNL | 4 GB | N/A | N/A | N/A | 1 day |
| 600 HNL | 5.5 GB | N/A | N/A | N/A | 30 days |
1 local minutes and international minutes to Canada & the United States
2 international minutes to Central America, Mexico & Spain
APN/Internet Settings – Tigo Honduras
- Name: Tigo Internet
- APN: internet.tigo.hn
- Password: 9201
Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.
Jump back to the Table of Contents.
Claro Honduras
Claro Honduras, just Claro, is the other operator in Honduras. It competes by being the cheaper operator. Claro is active in various countries in Central America.
Claro uses the following frequencies:
- 2G: 850 MHz
- 3G: 850 MHz & 1900 MHz
- 4G/LTE: 850 MHz (Band 5) & 1700/2100 MHz – AWS (Band 4)
This is what you will learn about Claro:
* Coverage
* How to Get a Claro SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Topping-Up Options & Methods
* Plans & Packages
* APN/Internet Settings
Coverage – Claro Honduras
Claro has great coverage throughout Honduras.
However, its 4G/LTE coverage is lacking behind compared to Tigo Honduras'. As a result, speeds with Claro will be significantly slower than with Tigo Honduras.
Below is Claro's coverage map:
SIM Card Price – Claro Honduras
You can buy a Claro SIM card, called Chip, for 25 HNL with 200 MB and 75 local minutes for 7 days in Claro stores and other stores, such as kiosks, phone stores, and supermarkets.
You can also buy a Claro SIM card at kiosks and phone shops at Toncontín International Airport/Teniente Coronel Hernán Acosta Mejía Airport (Tegucigalpa Toncontin International Airport).
Claro SIM cards get deactivated if there has been no activity for 7 months (no top-up for 7 months or no activity for 7 months).
Dial *129# to check your Claro phone number.
Topping Up & Recharging – Claro Honduras
Claro top-up vouchers are sold in Claro stores and many other stores throughout Honduras, including post offices, newsstands, and grocery stores.
The following top-up options are available:
| Top-Up | Validity |
|---|---|
| 5 HNL | 90 days |
| 10 HNL | 90 days |
| 15 HNL | 90 days |
| 25 HNL | 90 days |
| 35 HNL | 90 days |
| 50 HNL | 90 days |
| 75 HNL | 90 days |
| 100 HNL | 90 days |
| 150 HNL | 90 days |
| 200 HNL | 90 days |
| 250 HNL | 90 days |
| 300 HNL | 90 days |
To top up your Claro SIM card, dial *100#, enter the Voucher Code, and end with the # key.
You can also recharge online with (international) debit and credit cards.
Dial *120# or *5 to check your Claro balance. This can, however, only be done 10 times a day.
Plans, Packages, Bundles & Offers – Claro Honduras
Claro has three types of data-featured plans, which are:
- Todo Incluido/All Inclusive (combo)
- Paquetes de Internet Ilimitado/Unlimited Internet Packages (combo)
- Redes Sociales/Social Media
You can activate any Claro plan by dialing *777#.
Click on the links above to jump to the plan you are interested in.
Todo Incluido (All Inclusive) – Claro Honduras
The Todo Incluido (All Inclusive) are combo plans with data, minutes, and SMS.
The following Todo Incluido are available:
| Price | Plan | Data | Social Media data | On-Net Minutes | Local/International Minutes | On-Net SMS | Local SMS | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 HNL | Todo Incluido 300 MB | 300 MB | N/A | 60 minutes | 10 minutes 3 | N/A | 60 SMS | 1 day |
| 25 HNL | Superpack Todo Incluido 2 GB | 2 GB | Unlimited 1 | “Unlimited”, 5 minutes/call | 15 minutes | Unlimited | N/A | 1 day |
| 50 HNL | Superpack Todo Incluido 5GB | 5 GB | Unlimited 1 | “Unlimited”, 5 minutes/call | 30 minutes | Unlimited | N/A | 3 days |
| 100 HNL | Superpack Todo Incluido 10 GB | 10 GB | Unlimited 2 | “Unlimited”, 5 minutes/call | 60 minutes | Unlimited | N/A | 7 days |
| 150 HNL | Superpack Todo Incluido 15 GB | 15 GB | Unlimited 2 | “Unlimited”, 5 minutes/call | 100 minutes | Unlimited | N/A | 10 days |
| 220 HNL | Superpack Todo Incluido 25 GB | 25 GB | Unlimited 2 | “Unlimited”, 5 minutes/call | 100 minutes | Unlimited | N/A | 15 days |
1 Facebook, Facebook Messenger & WhatsApp
2 Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, Twitter & WhatsApp
3 local minutes only
Paquetes de Internet Ilimitado (Unlimited Internet Packages) – Claro Honduras
The Paquetes de Internet Ilimitado (Unlimited Internet Packages) are combo plans with data and minutes.
Below is an overview of Paquetes de Internet Ilimitado:
| Price | Plan | Data | On-Net Minutes | Local Minutes | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 HNL | Internet Ilimitado 3 Horas | Unlimited | “Unlimited”, 5 minutes/call | N/A | 3 hours |
| 50 HNL | Internet Ilimitado 2 Días | Unlimited | “Unlimited”, 5 minutes/call | 20 minutes | 2 days |
| 80 HNL | Internet Ilimitado 4 Días | Unlimited | “Unlimited”, 5 minutes/call | 40 minutes | 4 days |
| 150 HNL | Internet Ilimitado 7 Días | Unlimited | “Unlimited”, 5 minutes/call | 75 minutes | 7 days |
The Redes Sociales (Social Media) is an unlimited WhatsApp data add-on.
Below are the details:
| Price | Plan | WhatsApp Data | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 HNL | Whatsapp Chat Ilimitado | Unlimited | 1 day |
APN/Internet Settings – Claro Honduras
- Name: Internet Claro
- APN: internet.ideasclaro
Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.
Jump back to the Table of Contents.
Other Ways to Stay Connected When Traveling in Honduras
I would highly encourage anyone visiting Honduras to get themselves a Honduran SIM card – you will be saving a lot of money when you do so.
However, for some, getting a Honduran SIM card is not an option. For example, your device may be SIM-locked, meaning that you cannot use any SIM card other than the SIM card provided by your operator.
There are other ways to stay online while in Honduras, but they may not be cheap.
However, these methods may be more expensive than getting a SIM card from the two local operators.
International Roaming
International roaming is the most convenient way to stay connected when traveling in other countries because you do not have to buy a new SIM card, have to deal with SIM card registration regulations, nor have multiple phone numbers to deal with.
However, international roaming has proven to be expensive in many cases, especially compared to buying local SIM cards. That is why many travelers are not fond of international roaming.
International roaming has its pros and cons. However, it is important to know how it works. This in-depth guide explains it all.
Find out whether your mobile operator has attractive roaming rates for Honduras here.
Using an International SIM Card or Travel SIM Card
International SIM cards are SIM cards made for the traveler in mind. Using them is often cheaper than international roaming. However, they are almost always more expensive than using a local SIM card.
There are many other advantages and disadvantages of getting international SIM cards, which you can learn about here.
Using a Mobile Hotspot (Pocket WIFI)
Mobile hotspots, or pocket WIFI, are small devices that connect to the local operators of the country you are visiting. Mobile hotspots are ideal for families or those traveling in a large group, as they allow you to connect multiple devices to one hotspot without the need of each traveler having to buy a SIM card.
You can either buy a mobile hotspot or rent one.
Using Free WIFI Networks
Using free WIFI connections is the cheapest way to stay connected because they are free. The major downside of trying to use WIFI hotspots is that you will have to locate them, and they are not available on every corner in Honduras.
Make sure to protect your internet traffic with a VPN so that hackers cannot steal your personal data.
The Preferred Way to Stay Connected When Traveling in Honduras
Getting a SIM card from Tigo would do you well when considering a Honduran SIM card.
Local Prepaid SIM Cards in Other Central American Countries
Visiting other countries in Central America? Check out my Central America SIM card buying guide, covering other Central American nations, such as:
Next Steps to Enhance Your Travel Experiences
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