Best Prepaid SIM Cards in Germany [2024] - Live In Germany

If you have landed on this page then it means you are looking for a Sim Card in Germany which gives you enough internet to last your monthly usages. When it come to Sim cards, mostly countries have two type of packages or you can say tariff: Prepaid and Postpaid. Similarly in Germany, you can go for Postpaid contract which is usually for 24 months and then it renews automatically unless you give the written cancellation letter.

To avoid this hassle, you can also go for Prepaid contract where you can buy the credit from any supermarket and load it in your phone and can use it for a month. This gives you more flexibility on your expenses and you are also not bounded by any contract. Suppose if you are going your home country for few months then you don’t need to add credit to your phone and save money with. In this guide, we have mentioned some of the best prepaid sim cards in Germany. 

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List of Best Prepaid SIM Cards in Germany

For those of you who are short on time and only want the finest prepaid SIM card in Germany, here is an overview of our comparison.

How Many Mobile Network Providers are in Germany?

When we buy a simcard, then we expect that it should have a good network quality, fast internet surfing, downloading and uploading of the data. These some of the must have things that every sim card owner expects from his network provider. In Germany, there are three main network provider. T-Mobile, O₂ and Vodafone. 

Each one of them have their pros and cons. For example, Deutsche Telekom (T-Mobile) is the considered as one of the best mobile network provider in Germany in terms of phone reception and internet, according to the most in-depth assessment across the country done by Connect magazine. In their list, the Vodafone comes Second and then comes the Telefónica (O₂).

Beside these, you will also see some other names in the market like Lebara, Lyca, Aldi Talk and many more. They are acting as a third party sim provider because all of them are either using the network of Telekom,Vodafone or O₂ to give you their packages. Usually these providers give you the cheaper tariffs then the three main network providers.

Which is the Best SIM Card for Internet in Germany?

This highly depends on your place of residence, because it could happens that one sim card works well for somebody in the Berlin and other sim card works well in the outskirts of Berlin. In Germany, almost all the network providers have good network coverage but we would recommend to check first the network coverage in your area. You can use the following network coverage checks to determine which provider is best suited for your area. Your address is all that is required.

If you want the most modern and fastest internet, you should go with Telekom or Vodafone. As of O₂, they have already started to roll out their 5G in the 5 biggest cities in Germany: Berlin, Hamburg Munich, Cologne and Frankfurt. The company promised to have 40% coverage by March 2022. In urban regions, O₂ offers excellent coverage, however in rural areas, there are significant gaps in coverage. If you’re planning on spending a lot of time in Berlin’s subway system, O₂ is the best option because it covers the entire system.

Which Prepaid SIM Cards Are the Best in Germany?

In Germany, prepaid SIM cards are the best option for mobile communication. To provide you with the most information and choices, we’ve selected the best resellers for each mobile network. Some of th Providers, have their website in English but most of them are in Germany, so you can simply use google translator extension in your browser to translate their website. 

Here are our top selections for the finest German prepaid SIM card.

1.Lidl Connect

LIDL Connect is the German supermarket’s prepaid cellphone service. It connects to Vodafone’s LTE network and has a download speed of up to 150Mbps. Lidl has a variety of pricing options. According to famous publications CHIP and Connect, its basic Smart S plan has recently been recognised as the finest Prepaid Tariff.

The Smart S package comes with 3 GB of LTE data and unlimited voice and SMS. For four weeks, it costs a total of 7,99 euros. The Smart XL package offers 12 GB of data for 17.99 euros. The card is only 9,99 euros, but it comes pre-loaded with a 10-euro credit. So, it is not wrong to say that this SIM is totally FREE of COST.  

As soon as you’ve activated your card, go to your Lidl online account and pick a data plan. You can adjust the tariff at any time or buy more data packages if necessary.

Either personally transmit money every four weeks or set up an automatic recharging of, say, 10 euros, from your bank account or PayPal each time your balance falls below that amount are two options available with Lidl.

What you Get with Lidl Connect
✅ Comes with 10€ Starting Credit
✅ Without Contract
✅ Without Base Fee
✅ 0.09€ per minute. / SMS
✅ Best Internet in D-Netz
✅ Low Price Tariffs and Options

2.  Aldi Talk

Although Aldi Talk offers pre-paid mobile phone service, it also competes directly with Lidl in terms of its primary product, the supermarket. Lidl and Aldi both sell relatively identical items, but Aldi operates on Germany’s tiniest mobile network, O₂, rather than Lidl’s much larger one. However, if you live in rural areas, O₂ may not be the best option for you because of its poor reception in cities.

It comes with unlimited calls and texts, as well as 3 GB of LTE internet, on the Paket S plan. For four weeks, it costs a total of 7,99 euros. Paket L, the most expensive plan, offers 12 GB of data for €17.99. Although the card is priced at 9,99 euros, it comes preloaded with 10 euros. As a result, it’s also completely free. 

Contracts with O₂ are always less expensive than similar ones with Vodafone or Telekom. Because of this, Aldi is able to provide the same goods at the same price on a weaker and less expensive network. On your Aldi account, after activating your card, you can select the data package you want to choose from. Online, you can make changes to your plan at any time.

Additionally, Aldi allows you to manually transfer money to your account every four weeks, or you may activate an automatic 10-euro recharge whenever your balance falls below 10 euros. A top-up balance card can be purchased at an Aldi shop once again. There is a cashier counter where they are located.

What you Get with Aldi Talk
✅ Comes with 10€ Starting Credit 
✅ Without Contract
✅ Without Base Fee
✅ 0.03€ per minute. / SMS. with other Aldi Talk Users
✅ 0.11€ per minute. / SMS. with other networks
✅ 25€ Bonus if you port your current number to Aldi Network

3.  Lebara

German telecommunications company Lebara is the only one to have an English website and customer support. Prepaid and postpaid SIM cards and plans are both available from Lebara, and both include free international calls to 50 different countries! Because Lebara uses Telekom’s network lines, it has the best coverage, but at a somewhat higher cost.

In addition to unlimited calls and 5 GB of LTE internet, the Prepaid Komplett M plan comes with 250 minutes for international calls to 50 destinations. Four weeks of this program will set you back €19,99. 

Komplet XL, Lebara’s largest prepaid package, comes with 12 GB of LTE data, unlimited calls, and 1000 free minutes to call 50 destinations outside the European Union. For four weeks, you’ll pay €29,99. There is no charge for a SIM card.

Not only can you manage and top up your credits using an English app, but you also get free phone minutes to call your family and friends back home, all without the need for an internet connection thanks to Lebara.

What you Get with Lebara
✅ Comes with 3€ Starting Credit 
✅ Without Contract
✅ Without Base Fee
✅ 25€ Bonus if you port your current number to Aldi Network

4. O2 Prepaid

As mentioned O₂ is one of the main network provider they also have range of prepaid and postpaid packages. If you are looking for the cheapest option then can also go for the O₂ Prepaid 9.cent. As it name indicates, it is a 9 cent Sim Card so each minute and sms cost only 9 cent to any German network. Internet surfing cost 99 cents per day. 

Beside this O₂ also have other packages like in 9.99€, you can get 3.5GB LTE internet and allnet flat. If you use their app, you can get App Bonus 500MB per month with each prepaid package of O₂.

What you Get with O₂ 9 cent. SimCard
✅ 100% free of charge SimCard
✅ O₂ prepaid card for 0 €
✅ Without any monthly base fee
✅ Without contract
✅ 1 EUR Starting credit
✅ 0.09€ per minute. / SMS

5. Vodafone CallYa

Vodafone is famous for its coverage so if you want to get a Vodafone then you can also check out Vodafone’s Callya Tariffs. Like O₂ 9. cent sim card, they also have a CallYa Classic where each minute and SMS costs only 9 cents to any German network. For the internet, you pay 3 cents per MB. 

If you are looking for a monthly data package then you can also go for CallYa Allnet Flat S which comes with 3 GB 4GLTE MAX and 5G for only 9.99€ for 4 weeks. If you are into surfing then we suggest CallYa Digital where you get 15GB of high-speed internet for just 20€ for 4 weeks.

What you Get with Vodafone CallYa
✅ Prepaid Card for 0€ 
✅ Without Contract
✅ Without Base Fee
✅ 0.09€ per minute. / SMS to all Network
✅ 500 Mbit/s LTE Internet

How Can I Get a Prepaid SIM Card in Germany?

In Germany, you can buy a pre-paid SIM card in two ways:

1. The Online Purchase of a Prepaid SIM Card

To purchase a SIM card online, go to the websites of one of the four aforementioned resellers (Lidl Connect, Aldi Talk, Lebara, or SIMon mobile). You’ll need to provide your postal address, and the card should arrive within a few days.

2. In-Store Purchase of a Prepaid SIM Card

At their respective stores, customers can purchase Lidl Connect and Aldi Talk devices. The prepaid SIM cards can also be found in petrol stations, kiosks, and electronic shops.

How To Activate Your Germany Prepaid SIM Card?

You must activate your card as soon as you have it in your hands. Prepaid SIM cards must be registered in person or by VideoID as of July 2017 in order to avoid theft and unauthorized use.

Your official ID card or passport, as well as a German address, are required for registration. Online is the quickest and easiest way to do it. The problem is that not all passports can be purchased online. To prove your identity online if your nationality isn’t recognized, head to your local post office. It is possible to select a tariff and top-up method in your online account after activating the card.

Where Can I Get The Prepaid Sim Credit in Germany?

In Germany, you can easily buy the Prepaid credit from the supermarket. Usually, just next to the cashier you will see such small cards for each sim card. You can simply take it and give it to the cashier. The cashier will then give you a receipt with the number and instructions on how to load the balance to your sim card. It is really easy. If you don’t want to go to the supermarket then you can also load using the app of the network provider. If you have a Deutsche Bank account, then you can also buy it from the Online Account of Deutsche Bank. 

If you ever need a Prepaid credit on the weekend then you can also go to the Gas Stations.

Conclusion

When compared to purchasing a sim card or contract straight from a network provider, prepaid SIM cards from resellers are more affordable. Due to its D-network, low pricing, and ease of use, Lidl Connect is our top pick for the best prepaid SIM card in Germany. O2 and Vodafone are also a great option.

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