Ireland: 6 Best Prepaid SIM Cards Buying Guide (2023)

Ireland – the land of the Leprechaun, St. Patrick's Day & Guinness Beer.

Just like in the United Kingdom, the pubs are popular in Ireland.

If Irish Pubs are better than the British ones – I cannot tell. I do not drink ;)

The country also has a rich history and loads of nature to explore.

With rugged landscapes, there are beautiful hills to explore.

Arts and culture are also prominent in Ireland.

And, of course, you can drink yourself away in any pub – even in the most remote town you can think of.

Before you post your party pics online, be aware that international roaming can be expensive.

Luckily for you, however, local SIM cards are a thing, and they are often much cheaper than international roaming rates.

So, how expensive are Irish SIM cards?

You can get an Irish SIM card for free from Vodafone, Three, Eir & Lycamobile, but a top-up or plan purchase is required. Both AnPost Mobile and Tesco Mobile sell SIM cards for 15 EUR (15.95 USD – together with a plan). SIM cards are also available from resellers (grocery stores) or Dublin Airport (DUB).

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! 🇺🇦

If only the SIM cards were truly free. Ah well, nothing is free in this world, am I right?

What is cool, though, is that you can get truly unlimited data for as little as 20 EUR in Ireland, which is cheap!

Especially considering that such plans are usually reserved for postpaid customers.

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

Original publication: 13th of September 2021. Last updated: 15th of March 2023.

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Table of Contents

Can You Buy a SIM Card in Ireland?

Anyone living in or visiting Ireland can buy an Irish SIM card from the mobile network operators (Vodafone, Three, Eir, AnPost Mobile, Lycamobile & Tesco Mobile) without restrictions.

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

And your phone should be unlocked (SIM-lock-free).

Where Can You Buy a SIM Card in Ireland?

You can buy an Irish SIM card in the mobile operator stores (Vodafone, Three, Eir, AnPost Mobile & Tesco Mobile) or other retailers (for Lycamobile), including grocery stores, electronic stores & convenience stores. Dublin Airport (DUB) sells SIM cards too.

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

• Vodafone Ireland: free, but top-up or plan purchase required
• Three Ireland: free, but top-up or plan purchase required
• Eir: free, but top-up or plan purchase required
• AnPost Mobile: 15 EUR (together with a plan)
• Lycamobile Ireland: variable
• Tesco Mobile Ireland: 10 EUR or 15 EUR (together with a plan)

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

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Can You Use Your Phone in Ireland?

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

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

Mobile Operators, Networks & Frequencies in Ireland

Ireland has three Main Operators and three Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) offering prepaid services easily accessible to travelers:

• Vodafone Ireland
• Three Ireland
• Eir
• AnPost Mobile (Vodafone Ireland MVNO)
• Lycamobile Ireland (Three Ireland MVNO)
• Tesco Mobile (Three Ireland MVNO)

The following frequencies are used in Ireland:

• 2G: 900 MHz & 1800 MHz
• 3G: 900 MHz & 2100 MHz
• 4G/LTE: 800 MHz (Band 20) & 1800 MHz (Band 3)
• 5G NR: 1800 MHz (n3) & 3500 MHz (n78)

You can learn more about frequencies in the video below.

To check whether your phone will work in Ireland, 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 Ireland

Commercial 5G NR has been available in Ireland since September 2020. It is available on the Vodafone Ireland, Three Ireland & Eir networks. Only Three Ireland offers 5G NR to prepaid customers (for a fee). The MVNOs (AnPost Mobile, Lycamobile Ireland & Tesco Mobile Ireland) do not have access to 5G NR (yet).

Three Ireland charges prepaid customers 5 EUR to use its 5G NR network.

Although that is not a substantial fee, it may not be worth it due to its 5G NR network is still being rolled out and is primarily available in urban areas.

However, it could be worth trying Three Ireland's 5G NR network out already (if you have a 5G NR compatible phone, of course).

It is unknown when Vodafone Ireland and Eir will allow prepaid customers access to their 5G NR networks.

Best SIM Card in Ireland

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Best eSIM in Ireland

Unfortunately, none of the mobile operators offer eSIM to prepaid customers in Ireland (yet).

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

Airalo has the Fáilte eSIMs:

You have these six options:

1. Ireland/Fáilte 1 GB eSIM for 7 days
2. Ireland/Fáilte 2 GB eSIM for 15 days (new)
3. Ireland/Fáilte 3 GB eSIM for 30 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
4. Ireland/Fáilte 5 GB eSIM for 30 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
5. Ireland/Fáilte 10 GB eSIM for 30 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
6. Ireland/Fáilte 20 GB eSIM for 30 days (new)

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

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

Or you can get Ireland eSIMs from Nomad.

By the way, the 3 GB Nomad Ireland eSIM for 30 days is the most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers, while the 20 GB for 30 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 Ireland eSIMs (covering pros and cons as well), check out my Ireland eSIMs Compared guide.

• Check out my Nomad reviews

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

• Ireland unlimited data eSIM for 5 days
• Ireland unlimited data eSIM for 10 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
• Ireland unlimited data eSIM for 15 days
• Ireland unlimited data eSIM for 20 days
• Ireland unlimited data eSIM for 30 days
• Ireland unlimited data eSIM for 60 days
• Ireland unlimited data eSIM for 90 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in March based on data up to the 7^th of March.

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

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

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

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

Best International/Travel SIM Card for Ireland

If you want to buy the best international/travel SIM card for Ireland, 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 four options:

1. Europe & UK Travel SIM Card with 10 GB for 30 days
2. Europe & UK Prepaid Travel SIM Card with 12 GB for 30 days (includes calls and SMS within the country you are in)
3. Explorer Prepaid Travel SIM Card with 12 GB for 365 days
4. Europe & UK Prepaid Travel SIM Card with 19 GB for 28 days (includes calls within the country you are in)

SIM Card Registration in Ireland

SIM card registration using your passport information is not needed when buying a SIM card in Ireland.

EU Roaming in Ireland

Ireland 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 Ireland.

This means that, in the majority of cases, you do not need to purchase an Irish 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 Ireland or if restrictions apply.

Roaming in the EU with Irish SIM Cards

Ireland and the Irish 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.

Ireland Mobile Speeds, Mobile Internet Prices & Insights

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Currency in Ireland

Ireland 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 = 10.65 USD
• 100 EUR = 106.30 USD

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

Irish Prepaid SIM Cards

Below, I will guide you through Vodafone Ireland, Three Ireland, Eir, AnPost Mobile, Lycamobile Ireland & Tesco Mobile Ireland, 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 Ireland has to offer to us.

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Vodafone Ireland

Vodafone Ireland, just Vodafone, is the largest mobile operator in Ireland.

It is also the oldest mobile operator in the country when we take Eircell's history into account.

Eircell was founded in 1984. Vodafone bought it in 2001 and managed to become the most dominant player in the market since.

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

Vodafone uses the following frequencies:

• 2G: 900 MHz & 1800 MHz
• 3G: 900 MHz & 2100 MHz
• 4G/LTE: 800 MHz (Band 20) & 1800 MHz (Band 3)
• 5G NR: 3500 MHz (n78) – not for prepaid (yet)

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 Ireland

Vodafone has the best coverage in Ireland.

It has the most extensive 4G/LTE coverage.

This was also confirmed by Opensignal.

Below is Vodafone Ireland's coverage map produced by Speedtest:

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

SIM Card Price – Vodafone Ireland

Vodafone SIM cards are technically free in Vodafone stores. However, you are expected to top up or purchase a plan on the spot. They are also available at Dublin Airport.

Therefore, if you wish to get an eSIM for Ireland without personal detail capturing, you can get Ireland Fáilte eSIMs from Airalo (six options):

• 1 GB/7 days
• 2 GB/15 days (new)
• 3 GB/30 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
• 5 GB/30 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
• 10 GB/30 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
• 20 GB/30 days (new)

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

No idea what or who Airalo is? Check out my Airalo review, where I share my hands-on experience after using its eSIMs in more than 25 countries over four years.

If you plan on visiting other neighboring European nations, consider the Airalo Eurolink eSIM to be used in 39 European countries with six variants:

• 1 GB/7 days
• 3 GB/30 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
• 5 GB/30 days– very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
• 10 GB/30 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
• 50 GB/90 days
• 100 GB/180 days

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

Do you think the map above is nice, but you want a country list instead (because you do not recognize the countries on a map🗿)? You can find it in my Airalo review!

• Be sure to check out my Airalo Eurolink eSIM review for my insights!

Many more travel eSIMs will perform well in Ireland

You can read about them in my Best Ireland eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison.

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Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Vodafone Ireland

Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – Vodafone Ireland

Vodafone has two data-featured prepaid plans: Pay As You Go (combo) & Add-Ons (as the name implies).

Vodafone does not offer 5G NR to prepaid customers (yet).

Pay As You Go – Vodafone Ireland

The Pay As You Go plans are combo bundles with data, minutes & SMS.

Pay As You Go plans can be activated by texting the Activation Code to 50222:

Price	Plan	Data	Speed Restriction	Local/EU Minutes 2	International Minutes 4	Local/EU SMS 2	Validity	Activation Code
20 EUR	Chat Extra 1	10 GB	N/A	“Unlimited”, 5000 minutes	N/A	“Unlimited”, 5000 SMS	28 days	CHAT EXTRA
20 EUR	Vodafone X	Unlimited	@ 10 Mbps	100 minutes/”Unlimited”, 5000 minutes 3	N/A	“Unlimited”, 5000 SMS	28 days	UNLIMITED
30 EUR	Extra Unlimited 5G 1	Unlimited	@ 10 Mbps	Unlimited, 5000 minutes	100 minutes	“Unlimited”, 5000 SMS	28 days	EXULTD

¹ includes data rollover
² for local use and calls/SMS within and to other EU/EEA member states and back to Ireland (NOT from Ireland to other EU/EEA member states)
³ 100 local/EU minutes. Unlimited minutes during the weekend (Friday 15:00 – Sunday 23:59)
⁴ to 94 countries: Albania, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, the Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Bulgaria, the Cayman Islands, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, Montserrat, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Northern Ireland (fixed), Norway, Pakistan, Palestine, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Turks and Caicos Islands, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the United States, the U.S. Virgin Islands & Vietnam

Unlike some of Vodafone's competitors, unlimited data means truly unlimited WITHOUT fair-use limit for the Vodafone X and Extra Unlimited plans.

Unused data from Chat Extra and Smart Extra roll over up to the allowance of the said plan – 10 GB and 20 GB, respectively.

Add-Ons – Vodafone Ireland

The Add-Ons are, as the name implies, add-ons. They cannot be purchased as standalone plans.

Add-Ons can be activated by texting the Activation Code to 50233:

Price	Data	Local/EU Minutes 1	International Minutes 2	Local/EU SMS 1	Validity	Activation Code
5 EUR	5 GB	N/A	N/A	N/A	28 days	5DATA
5 EUR	N/A	100 minutes	N/A	N/A	28 days	5TALK
5 EUR	N/A	N/A	100 minutes	N/A	28 days	5INTER
15 EUR	20 GB	N/A	N/A	N/A	30 days	DATA
15 EUR	N/A	“Unlimited”, 5000 minutes	N/A	N/A	28 days	TALK
15 EUR	N/A	N/A	400 minutes	N/A	28 days	15INTER
15 EUR	N/A	N/A	N/A	“Unlimited”, 5000 SMS	28 days	TEXT

¹ local use and to call/SMS other EU/EEA member states when in other EU/EEA member states and back to Ireland (NOT from Ireland to other EU/EEA member states)
² 94 countries. See list above

EU Roaming – Vodafone Ireland

You can use your 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 (unlimited) allowance without restrictions in other EU/EEA member states.

APN/Internet Settings – Vodafone Ireland

• Name: Vodafone Internet
• APN: live.vodafone.com

Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.

Jump back to the Table of Contents.

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Three Ireland

Three Ireland, just Three and sometimes written as just 3, is the second-largest mobile operator in Ireland.

Three is known for offering free international roaming in many countries worldwide before the EU roaming regulations – just like O2.

Three, as a company, is active in Austria, Denmark, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Macau, Sweden & the United Kingdom.

Three uses the following frequencies:

• 2G: 900 MHz & 1800 MHz
• 3G: 900 MHz & 2100 MHz
• 4G/LTE: 800 MHz (Band 20) & 1800 MHz (Band 3)
• 5G NR: 1800 MHz (n3) & 3500 MHz (n78)

This is what you will learn about Three:

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

Coverage – Three Ireland

Three has extensive coverage throughout Ireland.

It is also the only mobile operator offering 5G NR to prepaid customers.

However, that is at an additional cost.

Below is Three Ireland's coverage map produced by Speedtest:

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

SIM Card Price – Three Ireland

Three SIM cards are technically free in Three stores. However, you are expected to top up or purchase a plan on the spot. They are also available at Dublin Airport (terminal 1 only).

If you wish to get an eSIM for Ireland without personal detail capturing, you can get unlimited data eSIMs from Holafly (seven options):

• Unlimited/5 days
• Unlimited/10 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
• Unlimited/15 days
• Unlimited/20 days
• Unlimited/30 days
• Unlimited/60 days
• Unlimited/90 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in March based on data up to the 7^th of March.

The best part is that you can get 5% off using code PHONETRAVELWIZ on each Holafly eSIM purchase!

No idea what or who Holafly is? Check out my Holafly review, where I share my hands-on experience after using its eSIMs in more than ten countries over two years.

If you plan on visiting other neighboring European nations, consider the Holafly Europe eSIM to be used in 32 European countries, also with unlimited data, with seven variants:

• Unlimited/5 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
• Unlimited/10 days
• Unlimited/15 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
• Unlimited/20 days
• Unlimited/30 days
• Unlimited/60 days
• Unlimited/90 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in March based on data up to the 7^th of March.

Do you think the map above is nice, but you want a country list instead (because you do not recognize the countries on a map🗿)? You can find it in my Holafly review!

Remember to use code PHONETRAVELWIZ for 5% off each Holafly purchase!

Many more travel eSIMs will perform well in Ireland

You can read about them in my Best Ireland eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison.

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Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Three Ireland

Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – Three Ireland

Three has three data-featured prepaid plans: Prepay SIM Only (combo) & Boost It (add-ons).

Prepay SIM Only – Three Ireland

The Prepay SIM Only plans are combo bundles with data (with 5G NR access), minutes & SMS.

Prepay SIM Only plans get automatically activated when you reload the corresponding amount.

For example, if you refill 20 EUR, the 20 EUR plan gets activated automatically.

However, you can also use the My3 app to purchase plans:

Price	Plan	Data	EU/EEA Data	On-Net Minutes	Local/EU Minutes 1	International Minutes 2	Local/EU SMS 1	Validity
15 EUR	3 Prepay 15	1 GB	1 GB	Unlimited	N/A	N/A	60 SMS	28 days
20 EUR	3 Prepay 20	Unlimited	19 GB	“Unlimited”, 3000 minutes	60 minutes	N/A	“Unlimited”, 3000 SMS	28 days
30 EUR	3 Prepay 30	Unlimited	28 GB	“Unlimited”, 3000 minutes	“Unlimited”, 10 000 minutes	30 minutes	“Unlimited”, 3000 SMS	28 days

¹ local use and to call/SMS other EU/EEA member states when in other EU/EEA member states and back to Ireland (NOT from Ireland to other EU/EEA member states)
² to 64 countries: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Canary Islands, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, French Guiana, Germany, Greece, Guadeloupe, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Martinique, Mayotte, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Réunion, Romania, Russia, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates (UAE), United Kingdom, United States, Vatican City & Vietnam

Unlike some of Three's competitors, unlimited data means truly unlimited WITHOUT fair-use limit for the 3 Prepay 20 & 3 Prepay 30 plans.

Remember, you can get access to Three's 5G NR network as a prepaid customer by paying an additional 5 EUR on top of your plan's price.

Boost It – Three Ireland

The Boost It plans are add-ons. They cannot be purchased as standalone plans.

Boost It can be activated on the My3 app:

Price	Plan	Data	EU/EEA Roaming Minutes	Local/EU Minutes	International Minutes	Local/EU SMS	Validity
5 EUR	3 Prepay 15	1 GB	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	Until plan expires
5 EUR	3 Prepay 15	N/A	N/A	N/A	100 minutes	N/A	Until plan expires
5 EUR	3 Prepay 15	N/A	N/A	N/A	100 minutes 1	N/A	Until plan expires
5 EUR	3 Prepay 20	N/A	N/A	100 minutes	N/A	N/A	Until plan expires
5 EUR	3 Prepay 20	N/A	N/A	N/A	100 minutes	N/A	Until plan expires
5 EUR	3 Prepay 20	500 MB 1	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	Until plan expires
5 EUR	3 Prepay 20	N/A	N/A	N/A	100 minutes 1	N/A	Until plan expires
5 EUR	3 Prepay 30	N/A	N/A	N/A	100 minutes	N/A	Until plan expires
5 EUR	3 Prepay 30	N/A	N/A	N/A	100 minutes 1	N/A	Until plan expires
5 EUR	3 Prepay 30	500 MB 1	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	Until plan expires
10 EUR	3 Prepay 30	N/A	100 minutes	N/A	N/A	N/A	Until plan expires

^{1 while in US or Canada only}

EU Roaming – Three Ireland

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 – Three Ireland

• Name: 3 Ireland
• APN: 3ireland.ie

Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.

Jump back to the Table of Contents.

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Eir

Eir is the smallest mobile operator in Ireland.

However, it is a large player in the fixed broadband market.

Eir uses the following frequencies:

• 2G: 900 MHz & 1800 MHz
• 3G: 900 MHz & 2100 MHz
• 4G/LTE: 800 MHz (Band 20) & 1800 MHz (Band 3)
• 5G NR: 1800 MHz (n3) & 3500 MHz (n78) – not for prepaid (yet)

This is what you will learn about Eir:

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

Coverage – Eir

Eir has extensive coverage throughout Ireland.

4G/LTE coverage can be found in many in the country.

Below is Eir's coverage map produced by Speedtest:

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

SIM Card Price – Eir

Eir SIM cards are technically free in Eir stores. However, you are expected to top up or purchase a plan on the spot.

If you wish to get an eSIM for Ireland without personal detail capturing, you can get eSIMs from Ireland (five options):

• 1 GB/7 days
• 3 GB/30 days
• 5 GB/30 days
• 10 GB/30 days
• 20 GB/30 days

The best part is that you can get 3 USD/2.85 EUR/2.45 GBP/4.10 CAD off using code ADU123 on your first Nomad eSIM purchase!

No idea what or who Nomad is? Check out my Nomad review, where I share my hands-on experience after using its eSIMs in more than 25 countries over two years.

If you plan on visiting other neighboring European nations, consider the Nomad Europe eSIM to be used in 25 or 35 European countries, depending on the plan, with eight variants:

• 1 GB/7 days (25 countries – new)
• 1 GB/7 days (35 countries)
• 3 GB/30 days (25 countries – new)
• 3 GB/30 days (35 countries)
• 5 GB/30 days (25 countries – new)
• 5 GB/30 days (35 countries) – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers (that was before the 25 countries options were added)
• 10 GB/30 days (25 countries – new)
• 10 GB/30 days (35 countries) – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers (that was before the 25 countries options were added)

• Be sure to check out my Nomad Europe eSIM review for my insights!

Many more travel eSIMs will perform well in Ireland

You can read about them in my Best Ireland eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison.

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Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Eir

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

To top up your Eir SIM card, text the VoucherCode to 50103 or call 1741 and follow the instructions.

For example, if your voucher code is 123456, you would text 123456 to 50103

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

Text Balance to 50104 or dial *#100# to check your Eir balance.

Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – Eir

Eir offers one data-featured prepaid plan: Prepay Offers (combo). It features data (with 5G NR access), minutes & SMS.

Prepay Offers – Eir

Prepay Offers can be activated by texting the Activation Code to 50104:

Price	Data	EU/EEA Data	Local/EU Minutes 2	Local/EU SMS 2	Validity	Activation Code
10 EUR	N/A	N/A	“Unlimited”, 3000 minutes	N/A	14 days	10 calls
30 EUR	“Unlimited”, 120 GB 1	27.20 GB	“Unlimited”, 3000 minutes	“Unlimited”, 3000 SMS	28 days	30 UNLIMITED

¹120 GB is not a hard cap. However, Eir reserves the right to review your account and terminate it if they feel like it. It is best to stay below 120 GB to avoid any troubles
² local use and to call/SMS other EU/EEA member states when in other EU/EEA member states and back to Ireland (NOT from Ireland to other EU/EEA member states)

EU Roaming – Eir

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 – Eir

• Name: eir Mobile Data
• APN: data.myeirmobile.ie

Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.

Jump back to the Table of Contents.

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AnPost Mobile

AnPost Mobile is a Vodafone Ireland MVNO. It is the mobile brand by the national post office AnPost.

In the past, it used to be known as Postfone.

To learn about AnPost Mobile’s frequencies, jump back to Vodafone Ireland's frequencies.

This is what you will learn about AnPost Mobile:

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

Coverage – AnPost Mobile

AnPost Mobile is a Vodafone Ireland MVNO, meaning AnPost Mobile uses the Vodafone Ireland network and does not have its own mobile infrastructure.

To find out what to expect in terms of coverage with AnPost Mobile, jump to the Vodafone Ireland Coverage section.

Tesco Mobile customers do not have access to Vodafone Ireland's 5G NR network.

SIM Card Price – AnPost Mobile

You can buy an AnPost Mobile SIM card for 15 EUR (together with the €15 Unlimited Prepay Plan – 50 GB, 3000 minutes & 3000 SMS) in AnPost post offices

If you wish to get an eSIM for Ireland without personal detail capturing, you can get Ireland Fáilte eSIMs from Airalo (six options):

• 1 GB/7 days
• 2 GB/15 days (new)
• 3 GB/30 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
• 5 GB/30 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
• 10 GB/30 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
• 20 GB/30 days (new)

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

No idea what or who Airalo is? Check out my Airalo review, where I share my hands-on experience after using its eSIMs in more than 25 countries over four years.

If you plan on visiting other countries in Europe and others in other regions or continents, consider the Airalo Discover Global eSIM to be used in 85+ countries worldwide with five variants:

• 1 GB/7 days
• 3 GB/15 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
• 5 GB/30 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
• 10 GB/60 days
• 20 GB/180 days – very 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)

Do you think the map above is nice, but you want a country list instead (because you do not recognize the countries on a map🗿)? You can find it in my Airalo review!

• Be sure to check out my Airalo Discover Global eSIM review for my insights!

Many more travel eSIMs will perform well in Ireland

You can read about them in my Best Ireland eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison.

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Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – AnPost Mobile

AnPost top-up vouchers are sold in AnPost post offices and many other establishments with the Postpoint or Payzone logo, such as Centra, Gala, Londis, Mace & Spar.

To top up your AnPost SIM card, call 1747 and follow the instructions.

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

Dial *200# or call 1747 to check your AnPost Mobile balance.

Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – AnPost Mobile

AnPost Mobile has only one data-featured prepaid plan, which is the €15 Unlimited Prepay Plan.

It cost 15 EUR and featured unlimited data (50 GB), unlimited local minutes (3000 minutes) & unlimited SMS (3000 SMS) – all valid for 28 days.

This plan is activated automatically when you buy your AnPost Mobile SIM card, and it is the only plan available.

When you need to renew your plan, recharge at least 15 EUR in one go.

Price	Data	EU/EEA Data	Local/EU Minutes 1, 2	Local/EU SMS 1, 2	Validity
15 EUR	“Unlimited”, 50 GB	25 GB	“Unlimited”, 3000 minutes	“Unlimited”, 3000 SMS	28 days

¹ local use and to call/SMS other EU/EEA member states when in other EU/EEA member states and back to Ireland (NOT from Ireland to other EU/EEA member states)
² 250 minutes & 250 SMS when roaming in the EU

EU Roaming – AnPost Mobile

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

Be aware that the EU/EEA roaming allowance is lower than the domestic allowances.

APN/Internet Settings – AnPost Mobile

• Name: Postmobile
• APN: isp.postfone.ie

Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.

Jump back to the Table of Contents.

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Lycamobile Ireland

Lycamobile Ireland, just Lycamobile, is a Three Ireland MVNO.

Lycamobile, as a brand, is known for offering low rates for international calls abroad, and it is active in various other European countries.

To learn about Lycamobile’s frequencies, jump back to Three Ireland’s frequencies.

This is what you will learn about Lycamobile:

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

Coverage – Lycamobile Ireland

Lycamobile is a Three Ireland MVNO, meaning Lycamobile uses the Three Ireland network and does not have its own mobile infrastructure.

To find out what to expect in terms of coverage with Lycamobile, jump to the Three Ireland Coverage section.

Lycamobile customers do not have access to Three Ireland's 5G NR network.

SIM Card Price – Lycamobile Ireland

Lycamobile SIM cards are available at variable pricing, from free SIM cards requiring a top-up to SIM cards sold together with a plan, in various stores, such as grocery stores, convenience stores, and electronic shops.

If you wish to get an eSIM for Ireland without personal detail capturing, you can get unlimited data eSIMs from Holafly (seven options):

• Unlimited/5 days
• Unlimited/10 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
• Unlimited/15 days
• Unlimited/20 days
• Unlimited/30 days
• Unlimited/60 days
• Unlimited/90 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in March based on data up to the 7^th of March.

The best part is that you can get 5% off using code PHONETRAVELWIZ on each Holafly eSIM purchase!

No idea what or who Holafly is? Check out my Holafly review, where I share my hands-on experience after using its eSIMs in more than ten countries over two years.

If you plan on visiting other countries in Europe and others in other regions or continents, consider the Nomad Global eSIM to be used in 110 countries worldwide with three variants:

• 1 GB/7 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
• 3 GB/30 days
• 5 GB/30 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in February based on data up to the 7^th of February.

Do you think the map above is nice, but you want a country list instead (because you do not recognize the countries on a map🗿)? You can find it in my Nomad review!

Remember to use code ADU123 for 3 USD/2.85 EUR/2.45 GBP/4.10 CAD off your first Nomad purchase!

Many more travel eSIMs will perform well in Ireland

You can read about them in my Best Ireland eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison.

Dial *132# to see your Lycamobile phone number.

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Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Lycamobile Ireland

Lycamobile top-up vouchers are sold in various stores, including grocery stores, kiosks & gas stations throughout Ireland.

To top up your Lycamobile SIM card, dial *131*VoucherCode# or call 1747 and follow the instructions.

For example, if your voucher code is 123456, you would dial *131*123456#.

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

Dial *131# or call 1747 to check your Lycamobile balance.

Although Lycamobile has apps (Android/iOS), they have performance issues.

Personally, its Android app has worked well for me, but many other users have problems with it to this day.

Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – Lycamobile Ireland

Lycamobile has two data-featured prepaid plans: National Bundles (combo) and Data Bundles (as the name implies).

National Bundles – Lycamobile Ireland

The National Bundles are combo plans with data, minutes & SMS.

Although the name suggests that these bundles can only be used in Ireland, they can also be used in other EU/EEA member states without being charged roaming rates.

The following National Bundles are available:

Price	Plan	Data	EU/EEA Data	On-Net Minutes	Local Miutes	International Minutes	On-Net SMS	Local SMS	Validity	Activation Code
9 EUR	National S	1 GB	1 GB	Unlimited	300 minutes	N/A	Unlimited	300 SMS	30 days	*139*2001#
15 EUR	Ireland Plus	25 GB 1	13.60 GB	Unlimited 2	Unlimited	N/A	Unlimited 2	Unlimited	30 days	*139*2015#
20 EUR	Go Unlimited	Unlimited	18.10 GB	N/A	Unlimited	100 minutes 3	Unlimited 2	Unlimited	30 days	*139*9020#

¹ +5GB extra data
² also to Lycamobile Poland and Lycamobile Romania
³ to 34 countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark ,Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Ireland, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal ,Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom & United States

Data Bundles – Lycamobile Ireland

The Data Bundles are data-only plans.

The following Data Bundles are available:

Price	Plan	Data	EU/EEA Data	Validity	Activation Code
4.99 EUR	Data XS	3 GB	3 GB	30 days	*139*90350#
6.99 EUR	Data S	5 GB	5 GB	30 days	*139*90500#
9.99 EUR	Data M	10 GB	9.05 GB	30 days	*139*91000#
13 EUR	Data L	20 GB	11.75 GB	30 days	*139*95000#

EU Roaming – Lycamobile Ireland

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 – Lycamobile Ireland

• Name: lycamobile
• APN:data.lycamobile.ie
• Username: lmie
• Password: plus

Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.

Jump back to the Table of Contents.

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Tesco Mobile Ireland

Tesco Mobile Ireland, just Tesco Mobile, is a Three Ireland MVNO. It is the mobile brand by the grocery chain Tesco.

To learn about Tesco Mobile’s frequencies, jump back to Three Ireland’s frequencies.

This is what you will learn about Tesco Mobile:

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

Coverage – Tesco Mobile Ireland

Tesco Mobile is a Three Ireland MVNO, meaning Tesco Mobile uses the Three Ireland network and does not have its own mobile infrastructure.

To find out what to expect in terms of coverage with Tesco Mobile, jump to the Three Ireland Coverage section.

Tesco Mobile customers do not have access to Three Ireland's 5G NR network.

SIM Card Price – Tesco Mobile Ireland

You can buy a Tesco Mobile SIM card for 10 EUR or 15 EUR in Tesco stores. It includes the Prepay SIM Only plan, worth 15 EUR, with 15 GB, 10 000 local minutes & 3000 on-net SMS – all valid for 28 days.

If you wish to get an eSIM for Ireland without personal detail capturing, you can get eSIMs from Ireland (five options):

• 1 GB/7 days
• 3 GB/30 days
• 5 GB/30 days
• 10 GB/30 days
• 20 GB/30 days

The best part is that you can get 3 USD/2.85 EUR/2.45 GBP/4.10 CAD off using code ADU123 on your first Nomad eSIM purchase!

No idea what or who Nomad is? Check out my Nomad review, where I share my hands-on experience after using its eSIMs in more than 25 countries over two years.

If you plan on visiting other neighboring European nations, consider the Airalo Eurolink eSIM to be used in 39 European countries with six variants:

• 1 GB/7 days
• 3 GB/30 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
• 5 GB/30 days– very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
• 10 GB/30 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
• 50 GB/90 days
• 100 GB/180 days

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

Do you think the map above is nice, but you want a country list instead (because you do not recognize the countries on a map🗿)? You can find it in my Airalo review!

• Be sure to check out my Airalo Eurolink eSIM review for my insights!

Many more travel eSIMs will perform well in Ireland

You can read about them in my Best Ireland eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison.

Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Tesco Mobile Ireland

Tesco Mobile top-up vouchers are sold in Tesco stores and many other establishments with the Postpoint or Payzone logo, such as Centra, Gala, Londis, Mace & Spar.

To top up your Tesco Mobile SIM card, call 1747 and follow the instructions.

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

Dial *100# to check your Tesco Mobile balance.

You can also top up and check your balance on the My Tesco Mobile app (Android/iOS).

Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – Tesco Mobile Ireland

Tesco Mobile has two data-featured prepaid plans: Prepay SIM Only Plan (combo) & Add-Ons (as the name implies).

Prepay Data Plus Plan – Tesco Mobile Ireland

The Prepay Data Plus Plan is a 15 EUR combo bundle with unlimited 100 GB of data, 500 local minutes, unlimited on-net minutes (3000 minutes) & unlimited on-net SMS (3000 SMS) – all valid for 28 days.

This plan is activated automatically when you buy your Tesco Mobile SIM card, and it is the only plan available.

When you need to renew your plan, recharge at least 15 EUR in one go.

Price	Plans	Data	EU/EEA Roaming Data	Local Minutes	On-Net Minutes	On-Net SMS	Local SMS	Validity
15 EUR	Prepay Data Plus	“Unlimited”, 100 GB	13.554 GB	500 minutes	“Unlimited”, 3000 minutes	“Unlimited”, 3000 SMS	500 SMS	28 days

Add-Ons – Tesco Mobile Ireland

The Add-Ons are, as the name suggests, add-ons. They cannot be purchased as standalone plans.

Add-Ons can be activated by texting the Activation Code to the corresponding service number:

Price	Data	EU/EEA Data	Local/EU SMS 1	Validity	Auto-Renews?	Activation Code
0.79 EUR	50 MB	50 MB	N/A	24 hours	N/A	Data to 174209
2.99 EUR	350 MB	350 MB	N/A	7 days	N/A	Data to 174210
5 EUR	1 GB	1 GB	N/A	28 days	N/A	Data to 174211
5 EUR	1 GB	1 GB	N/A	28 days	Yes	OptIn DATA to 1744
5 EUR	N/A	N/A	100 SMS	28 days	N/A	Texts to 174208
10 EUR	5 GB	4.6 GB	N/A	28 days	N/A	Data to 174212
10 EUR	5 GB	4.6 GB	N/A	28 days	Yes	OptIn DATA5 to 1744
10 EUR	N/A	N/A	“Unlimited”, 5000 SMS	28 days	Yes	OptIn TEXT to 1744

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

EU Roaming – Tesco Mobile Ireland

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 – Tesco Mobile Ireland

• Name: Tesco Mobile
• APN: tescomobile.liffeytelecom.com

Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.

Jump back to the Table of Contents.

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The Preferred Way to Stay Connected When Traveling in Ireland

Getting a SIM card from Vodafone or Three would do you well when considering an Irish SIM card.