Germany Tourists SIM Card: Prepaid Prices, ID Rules & Where to Buy

Germany’s main prepaid choices come from Telekom, Vodafone and O2, with usable plans clustered around €10 per four weeks. Identity verification is mandatory before prepaid service can be activated, so tourists should compare the registration process alongside data and price.

Germany prepaid SIM prices at a glance

Three mainstream local plans offer 20GB or more around the €10 mark. Their first-purchase structures differ, which is why the starter cost deserves its own column.

Prices and terms checked on August 31, 2026. Operator tariffs, promotions, retailer pricing and registration procedures can change.

Headline prices alone do not tell the full story. Telekom and O2 charge for starter sets but include enough starting credit to cover the first roughly €10 tariff charge, while Vodafone currently lists the SIM, connection and shipping as free on its direct CallYa offer.

Roafly follows a different model. The Germany packages shown above last 30 days, use the owner-verified O2 and Vodafone network listings, and support hotspot use across the purchased data allowance without a separate tethering quota.

Travelers who prefer to arrange mobile data without buying a local physical SIM can check Germany eSIM plans.

Can tourists buy a prepaid SIM card in Germany?

Yes. Visitors can use German prepaid mobile service, but the SIM cannot simply be purchased anonymously and used immediately.

Germany requires prepaid providers to verify subscriber identity. The Bundesnetzagentur guidance on prepaid identification explains the legal framework governing approved identification procedures.

Telekom, Vodafone and O2 all support valid passports in their current prepaid activation information. Document compatibility can still depend on the identification method, so visitors whose passport is rejected may need to use another verification route offered by the operator.

Two practical points matter most:

• Bring the same valid identity document used during registration.

• Expect activation to depend on successful identity verification rather than the moment you pay for the SIM.

Online ordering may also require a usable delivery address when a physical starter card is involved. Operator shops can therefore be more convenient during a short trip when receiving post is awkward.

Telekom, Vodafone and O2 prepaid SIMs compared

Telekom MagentaMobil Prepaid M

Telekom’s MagentaMobil Prepaid M currently includes 20GB for €9.95 per four weeks. Domestic calls and SMS are included, and Telekom lists EU roaming plus use in Switzerland and the UK under the tariff’s current conditions.

The official Telekom MagentaMobil Prepaid M offer currently shows:

• 20GB high-speed data

• €9.95 every four weeks

• €9.95-time card price

• €10 starting credit at activation

• calls and SMS to German networks included

• EU roaming included

The €9.95 starter card and €9.95 tariff should not be treated as two separate first-day charges. Telekom’s current product information states that new activation includes €10 starting credit, so the starter balance covers the first tariff charge when the plan is activated under those terms.

Passport verification is available through Telekom’s prepaid activation process. Current Telekom guidance also offers digital identification and in-shop identification.

Best fit: visitors who want a mainstream German prepaid plan with local calls and SMS and prefer Telekom’s own sales and activation channels.

Vodafone CallYa Allnet Flat S

Vodafone currently offers the largest standard data allowance among these three roughly €10 benchmarks: 25GB for €9.99 every four weeks.

The official Vodafone CallYa prepaid offer lists:

• 25GB

• €9.99 every four weeks

• domestic call and SMS flat rate

• EU roaming

• free SIM card

• free shipping on the direct offer

• no connection charge on the direct offer

Vodafone’s published direct-order structure is especially simple. The operator lists the SIM, connection and shipping at €0, leaving the €9.99 tariff charge as the relevant upfront amount for the first four-week period when ordered directly under those terms.

Identification options include methods and PostIdent. Vodafone states that a valid passport can be used for supported video and selfie identification procedures.

CallYa renews in four-week cycles when sufficient prepaid balance is available. Anyone staying briefly should keep that renewal pattern in mind when adding credit.

Best fit: tourists prioritizing a larger local data allowance around €10 while still getting German calls and SMS.

O2 Prepaid S

O2 Prepaid S provides 20GB for €9.99 per four weeks, with domestic calls and SMS included.

The official O2 prepaid tariff page currently lists 20GB, €10 starting credit and a separate direct-debit data bonus. O2’s product information sheet also gives the starter-set list price as €9.99.

That creates a much clearer first-purchase picture than the tariff price alone suggests:

• O2 Prepaid S: €9.99 per four weeks

• Starter-set list price: €9.99

• Starting credit: €10

• Domestic calls and SMS: included

• EU roaming: included

• Optional direct-debit bonus: extra data when the qualifying payment method is used

The direct-debit bonus is not counted in the main comparison. Tourists should not assume they will want or be able to set up the required bank-payment arrangement just to unlock extra data.

O2 offers three free identity-check routes on its current activation information: app identification, VideoIdent and PostIdent. Valid passports, ID cards and residence permits are listed among the supported document categories.

Best fit: visitors who want a straightforward 20GB local plan and can complete O2’s identification process without difficulty.

What do you really pay upfront?

German prepaid offers become easier to compare starter charges and included credit are separated from the recurring tariff.

Telekom

• Four-week tariff: €9.95

• Starter-card price: €9.95

• Starting credit: €10

• Published first purchase: €9.95

• First tariff charge can be covered by the included starting balance

Vodafone

• Four-week tariff: €9.99

• SIM card on the direct offer: €0

• Connection charge on the direct offer: €0

• Shipping on the direct offer: €0

• Published direct first cost: €9.99

O2

• Four-week tariff: €9.99

• Starter-set list price: €9.99

• Starting credit: €10

• Published starter purchase: €9.99

• First tariff charge can be covered by the included starting balance

Prices and terms checked on August 31, 2026. Promotions and retailer-specific starter packs may differ from the operator-direct terms above.

Number-porting bonuses, bundled-customer benefits and payment-method bonuses are deliberately excluded from the base comparison. Those offers depend on conditions that should not be assumed for someone visiting Germany temporarily.

Where to buy a SIM card in Germany

Official operator channels give tourists the clearest route to current pricing and registration support.

Practical choices include:

• Telekom shops

• Vodafone shops

• O2 shops

• direct ordering from each operator

• selected retailers carrying prepaid starter packs

Shop purchases can reduce the hassle of arranging postal delivery during a short stay. Staff may also be able to point you toward the relevant registration process, although successful activation still depends on completing the required identity check.

Direct orders suit trips where a reliable delivery address is available. Check delivery requirements before ordering to a hotel or temporary accommodation.

Airport stock should not be treated as guaranteed. Seller availability, prices and opening hours vary by airport and terminal, so a nationwide “airport price” would be misleading.

SIM registration and activation in Germany

Prepaid registration is a legal requirement rather than an optional operator policy. Service begins after the subscriber’s identity has been successfully checked.

The usual sequence is:

1. Buy or order the prepaid SIM.

2. Enter the SIM and subscriber details requested by the operator.

3. Choose of the available identification methods.

4. Verify your identity with an accepted document.

5. Confirm activation before relying on the line for mobile data.

6. Check that the intended prepaid tariff is active.

7. Add further credit when you want to fund another renewal.

Telekom currently accepts a German ID card, passport or residence permit through its prepaid app activation flow and says successful verification can be followed by activation within minutes.

Vodafone supports methods including video identification, selfie identification, eID for compatible documents and PostIdent. Its prepaid help information says CallYa can take up to 24 hours to become usable after registration.

O2 lists app identification, VideoIdent and PostIdent as free options. Its current activation guidance accepts valid ID cards, passports and residence permits.

Exact processing time should never be treated as guaranteed. Travel plans that depend on connectivity immediately after landing leave less room for registration problems, document incompatibility or shop queues.

Local SIM or Roafly eSIM?

Local prepaid wins on raw allowance around the €10 mark and gives you domestic calling and SMS with the three plans compared here. That combination can be valuable during a longer stay or when you specifically need German voice service.

Roafly focuses on travel data instead. Setup can be arranged before the trip, there is no physical SIM swap, and your primary SIM can remain in the phone on a compatible dual-SIM device.

Roafly’s Germany packages are data-only. The listed O2 and Vodafone networks should not be interpreted as a promise of automatic network switching, identical coverage everywhere, guaranteed speeds or a particular radio technology.

Hotspot use is supported across the purchased data allowance, which can be useful when a laptop or second device needs occasional connectivity.

Trip priorities usually make the decision straightforward:

• German calls or SMS matter: choose a local prepaid SIM.

• Large allowance at a low local tariff matters: compare Vodafone, Telekom and O2.

• Avoiding shop visits and physical SIM handling matters: Roafly has the convenience advantage.

• Longer stay with repeated heavy use: local prepaid deserves serious consideration.

• Keeping your home SIM in place matters: an eSIM setup is usually cleaner on compatible phones.

Broader provider comparisons belong in Germany eSIM provider comparison, while roaming, Wi-Fi and other connectivity choices are covered in internet options for Germany.

Which option fits your trip?

Short city break

Three or four days in Germany rarely leave much room for SIM shopping and identity troubleshooting. Roafly can remove those arrival tasks when mobile data is all you need.

Local prepaid still works, particularly when a shop is convenient and German calling features are useful.

One to four weeks

Vodafone currently leads this comparison on standard included data with 25GB at €9.99 per four weeks. Telekom and O2 each provide 20GB at almost the same tariff price.

Starter credit makes Telekom and O2 more competitive than a simple “starter fee plus tariff fee” calculation would suggest.

Need a German voice number

Local prepaid is the better category to explore. Telekom, Vodafone and O2 include domestic calls and SMS in the plans compared here, whereas Roafly’s Germany packages are data-only.

Longer stay

Repeated four-week use shifts the decision toward local prepaid, especially when large allowances or domestic calls matter.

Remember that four weeks means 28 days rather than calendar month. Renewal dates therefore move relative to monthly travel or accommodation schedules.

Germany prepaid SIM FAQ

Do tourists need ID for a German prepaid SIM?

Yes. German prepaid service requires subscriber identification before activation.

Telekom, Vodafone and O2 all list passports among their accepted document categories, although support for a particular passport can depend on the verification route.

Can a German prepaid SIM be activated without identification?

No. Successful identity verification is required before prepaid mobile service can be activated.

Buying the starter pack does not bypass that step.

Which local plan has the most data around €10?

Vodafone CallYa Allnet Flat S currently has 25GB for €9.99 every four weeks. Telekom MagentaMobil Prepaid M and O2 Prepaid S each have 20GB at €9.95 and €9.99 respectively.

Those standard offers were checked on August 31, 2026.

Do the compared German SIMs include calls and SMS?

Yes. The Telekom, Vodafone and O2 plans compared here include domestic calls and SMS.

International calling is a separate question, so domestic flat-rate benefits should not be read as unrestricted worldwide calling.

Can these prepaid plans be used elsewhere in the EU?

The three local plans compared here currently include EU roaming under their respective published conditions.

Telekom also lists Switzerland and the UK within the roaming treatment of MagentaMobil Prepaid M. Check the latest operator terms before using the SIM outside its included destinations.

Is buying a SIM at a German airport better?

Convenience depends on the airport, terminal, seller and time of arrival. No single airport buying rule applies across Germany.

Operator shops elsewhere in the country provide a more predictable reference point for published tariffs, but they should not automatically be assumed to be cheaper than every airport seller.

Final recommendation

Germany’s local prepaid market is attractive when you want plenty of data plus domestic calls and SMS for roughly €10 per four weeks. Vodafone currently offers the largest standard allowance in this comparison, while Telekom and O2 remain close on price and include starter credit with their published starter-card costs.

Roafly makes more sense when travel data, pre-trip setup and avoiding a physical SIM purchase matter more than getting a German voice plan.

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