Bulgaria SIM Card for Tourists: Prepaid Plans, Prices & Registration

Bulgaria’s prepaid market offers physical SIM cards, local operator eSIMs and packages with very different roaming conditions. Local prepaid service makes sense if you need a voice-enabled Bulgarian line or a large allowance; Roafly offers a data-only alternative you can prepare before traveling.

The key distinction is between the first few promotional days and the allowance available for the rest of your trip. If your existing mobile plan already includes Bulgaria, compare that allowance with the other internet options in Bulgaria before buying another SIM.

Bulgaria prepaid SIM options at a glance

Local prices below are in euros. Compare the initial package, its usable data period and any separate charges before paying.

Prices and terms checked September 16, 2026. Offers may change. Local figures are published package prices; any additional retailer or service charge must be included in your purchase total. Vivacom’s starter totals were not reliably verified, so recharge prices have not been substituted.

These packages serve different needs. Voice minutes, EU roaming and the ability to buy before arrival can matter more than the largest headline data figure.

With an unlocked, compatible phone, a Bulgaria eSIM lets you arrange Roafly mobile data before departure while keeping your usual SIM installed.

Can tourists buy a SIM card in Bulgaria?

Yes. Visitors can buy local prepaid service, but registration and the exact product matter. A1 accepts a valid passport or identity card for registration in its own shops or partner stores, while Yettel’s prepaid registration form also provides a passport option.

Bring your original passport and be ready to supply the personal and address details requested during registration. An in-store purchase gives you a chance to resolve document questions before paying; do not assume an identity check accepts every foreign document.

Ask for a prepaid starter package rather than a monthly subscription. Also specify whether you need ordinary calls: buying a physical SIM does not, by itself, establish that a data-focused package includes voice service.

A1, Vivacom and Yettel: which prepaid option fits?

A1: physical SIM choices for light or regular data use

A1’s Prepaid Internet 15 GB package is a useful starting point for a Bulgaria-only trip. It is available with a physical SIM or eSIM, and its allowance has two stages: the initial unlimited period, followed by a fixed quota for the remaining 27 days.

Its purchase implications are straightforward:

• Included traffic is for the A1 network in Bulgaria.

• Activation occurs when the card starts an internet session or connects to A1’s 4G network.

• Access to 5G may take up to seven days after activation and first network registration.

That final condition matters on a short break: do not choose this starter solely because you expect immediate 5G access.

Holiday Plus is a smaller alternative for light use. Its included minutes apply to selected destinations and networks; they are not a blanket international calling or roaming allowance. The small data allocation also makes it less suitable for regular video use.

Vivacom: separate calls-and-data from data-heavy use

Vivacom’s Free2Go starter is the more relevant option if you want included national calls alongside mobile data. Data2Go is aimed at larger data use, with a substantially higher domestic allowance.

Both have a separate EU data limit. Their Bulgarian headline allowances should therefore not be treated as the amount available throughout a European trip.

Data2Go’s full-speed allowance also differs from its reduced-speed service. After the full-speed data is exhausted, access can continue at 128 Kbps while the required positive balance remains. That is a significant slowdown, so assess it as a limited high-speed package.

Get the initial starter total before choosing either product. An extra bundle bought after activation is a different purchase, and the credit included with a SIM is not its selling price.

Yettel: distinguish its physical starters from the tourist eSIM

Yettel is the current brand name of the network previously known as Telenor Bulgaria. Its physical prepaid range includes Hello products sold through stores and partners, with ordering also available.

Hello 2026 and Hello Plus 2026 include EU roaming allowances, while Hello Ultimate 2026 focuses on domestic use. For a physical card, ask the shop to identify the exact starter, included services and current price.

The separate tourist data eSIM is easier to compare from its published terms. Under the Yettel 25 GB eSIM conditions, the initial unlimited period has a maximum download speed of 50 Mbps, followed by the standard quota for 25 days.

It includes no calls or SMS and works in Bulgaria. Its 30-day validity cannot be extended; continuing afterward requires another package.

Where to buy a SIM card in Bulgaria

Official operator stores are the most practical starting point for a physical SIM because you can discuss registration, package choice and setup together. Plan the purchase around the city where you will spend your first day, such as Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna or Burgas.

The available buying routes differ:

• A1: operator shops and partner stores handle prepaid registration.

• Yettel: stores and partners sell prepaid cards; physical orders involve delivery and registration.

• Vivacom: use its store network to request the exact Free2Go or Data2Go starter and total price.

• Online eSIM: Yettel’s tourist data product and Roafly remove the physical delivery step, provided your phone supports eSIM.

Airport availability should be treated separately from city-store availability. Do not base your arrival plan on an assumed staffed SIM counter at Sofia, Varna or Burgas airport; arrange an initial connection beforehand if you need data immediately after landing.

Registration, activation and top-ups

Keep the purchase process simple:

1. Check your phone. It must be unlocked, with a physical SIM slot or eSIM support matching the product.

2. Identify the package. State whether you need data, ordinary calls or use outside Bulgaria.

3. Complete registration. Present the accepted identity document and provide the requested details.

4. Agree the full payment. Separate the starter from optional bundles and any additional service charge.

5. Test before leaving. Open a webpage with Wi-Fi disabled and keep the receipt and SIM packaging.

Package validity and SIM validity are different. A card may remain registered long after its included data expires, so a long card lifespan does not give you months of usable starter data.

Activation timing also varies. Vivacom Data2Go starts at purchase, while the A1 data starter and Yettel tourist eSIM use network or data-session activation rules. Buying a local card well before you need it can therefore reduce its useful allowance period.

Top-up terms deserve attention if you stay longer. Some Vivacom add-ons renew automatically when enough balance remains; Yettel’s specific tourist eSIM has a fixed lifespan instead. Select a top-up or replacement based on the product you actually bought.

Local SIM or Roafly eSIM?

Local prepaid is worth the store visit when you need included calls or a larger allowance. It is also the practical route for a phone with a SIM slot but no eSIM support.

Roafly suits a different priority: arranging data before departure without relying on physical stock or opening hours. Its Bulgaria packages are data-only, support top-ups and allow hotspot use within the purchased allowance, without a separate hotspot quota.

The listed local networks are A1, Vivacom and Telenor; the last name is the legacy label for Yettel. Multiple listed networks do not establish automatic switching or identical performance everywhere.

You can keep your usual SIM installed for your existing number while selecting Roafly for mobile data. Charges on that usual line still depend on your home operator. If you want a broader plan comparison before deciding, compare Bulgaria eSIM options.

Using your Bulgarian SIM across borders

Check the exact product before continuing to another country. EU roaming availability differs even between packages from the same Bulgarian operator.

The A1 data starter and Yettel tourist data eSIM discussed here are for use in Bulgaria. Vivacom’s compared starters have separate EU allowances, while Yettel’s Hello range has its own roaming terms.

If your trip continues into Greece or Romania, compare the included EU quota with your remaining travel days. If your route includes Türkiye, Serbia or North Macedonia, request those destinations’ specific terms rather than assuming an EU allowance covers the whole journey.

Near a border, pay attention to the network name displayed on your phone. Manual network selection can help avoid an unintended connection to a neighboring country’s network.

Which option should you choose?

Match the purchase to the job:

• Physical SIM with regular data: start by comparing A1’s data starter with Vivacom’s quoted starter totals.

• Included national calls: consider Free2Go or a suitable voice-enabled A1 or Yettel prepaid package.

• Large domestic data use: assess Data2Go’s full-speed allowance and expiry date.

• Local operator eSIM: Yettel’s tourist product is a documented Bulgaria-only option.

• Data arranged before travel: Roafly offers fixed allowances, hotspot support and top-ups without a shop visit.

The strongest choice is the package that covers your actual travel period and destinations. Pay particular attention to what remains after an introductory unlimited period, and buy voice service explicitly if calls matter.

Roafly publishes this guide and offers the travel eSIM alternative discussed above.