Honduras Tourist SIM Card: Claro vs Tigo, Prices & Registration

Claro and Tigo both publish short-validity prepaid packages suited to visitors. Tigo is easier to assess before arrival because its physical SIM price and foreign-passport activation route are publicly documented.

Claro has competitive prepaid bundles, although its current public information does not clearly explain how a foreign passport holder completes a new SIM activation. That missing detail means Claro should be verified at a staffed store rather than treated as a guaranteed walk-in tourist option.

Honduras Tourist SIM Card Prices

Prices and terms checked September 3, 2026. Operators can change allowances, prices and activation requirements, while retailer-specific charges should be confirmed before payment.

Visitors who prefer to arrange mobile data without replacing their physical SIM can check Roafly Honduras eSIM plans.

Can Tourists Buy a SIM Card in Honduras?

Honduran telecom rules require mobile users to be identified when a SIM is registered. CONATEL's registration rules specifically recognize a passport as an identification document for foreign customers, so holding a Honduran national ID is not the route available.

The practical activation process still depends on the operator. Regulation allowing passport registration does not automatically mean every operator offers the same self-service process to foreigners.

Tigo gives the clearest current answer. Its chip activation system cannot register passports or residence documents, and foreign customers are instructed to take an already purchased Tigo SIM to a Tigo agency. Staff can activate the new prepaid line there without an activation fee.

Claro's public Honduras pages promote prepaid service and chip activation, but they do not currently provide an equally clear passport-specific workflow. Visitors interested in Claro should therefore confirm the process directly with a staffed Claro location before relying on it.

Honduras's official registration framework can be reviewed in CONATEL's SIM registration rules.

Claro Honduras Prepaid SIM

Claro publishes several prepaid Todo Incluido + packages with short validity periods. The current lineup makes the 7- and 15-day options particularly relevant to holiday trips.

Current published examples include:

• L130: 17.5GB, valid for 7 days

• L175: 20.5GB, valid for 10 days

• L255: 40.5GB, valid for 15 days

Claro also lists unlimited calls and messages to Honduran networks with these Todo Incluido + packages, plus a package-dependent allowance of minutes to the United States.

Current package details can be checked on the official Claro Honduras prepaid page.

The missing part of Claro's tourist price

The advertised package price should not be treated as the complete new-line cost.

Claro does not reliably publish a standard physical SIM price, activation charge or complete foreign-tourist starting total on the public pages checked for this guide. L130 therefore tells you what the 7-day package costs, but not necessarily what you will hand over when buying and registering a brand-new physical SIM.

That distinction matters when comparing Claro with Tigo. Tigo publishes its chip price separately, while Claro currently leaves an important part of the upfront calculation unclear.

Claro may still be attractive a store confirms both passport registration and the physical SIM cost. Until then, the safest comparison is between published package prices rather than pretending the complete Claro tourist total is known.

Tigo Honduras Prepaid SIM

Tigo provides more detail about both the prepaid bundles and the cost of getting a physical SIM.

The physical Tigo Chip costs L50 according to Tigo's help center. Standard Super Recarga options currently include:

• L125: 12GB + 1GB, valid for 7 days

• L165: 16GB + 2.5GB, valid for 10 days

• L235: 24GB + 3GB, valid for 15 days

Package benefits also include Tigo calling and selected app allowances, with the exact mix depending on the recharge chosen. Current offers are listed on the official Tigo prepaid page.

What a new Tigo SIM costs

Published components make Tigo easier to budget than Claro.

Choosing the standard L125 seven-day package gives:

• Tigo Chip: L50

• Super Recarga: L125

• Agency activation for a foreign customer: no activation fee

• Published components at purchase: L175

The 15-day L235 package raises those published components to L285 when the L50 chip is included.

Those figures separate the SIM and package rather than hiding both behind the advertised recharge price. Extra retailer-specific charges should still be checked before payment rather than assumed to be zero.

Foreign customers need a Tigo agency

Tigo's standard self-registration portal is designed around Honduran identity documents and currently does not process passports or residence documents.

Foreign visitors who already have a chip are told to visit a Tigo agency, where staff can register the prepaid line. Tigo's foreign-customer activation guidance states that this assisted activation has no charge.

Buying from an ordinary retailer can therefore create an unnecessary second stop. Going directly to an agency is the more practical route when using a passport.

Tigo also sells a seven-day unlimited-data Super Recarga for L160. Its current terms specifically state that hotspot is unavailable with that package, so unlimited phone data should not be mistaken for unlimited tethering.

SIM Registration and Activation in Honduras

Registration is part of obtaining a local mobile line, not an optional step after purchase.

International visitors should plan around four practical points:

1. Carry the original passport. Honduran registration rules recognize passport identification for foreign buyers.

2. Use a staffed location when the document workflow is unclear. Tigo explicitly requires agency assistance for passport holders, while Claro does not publish a clear equivalent tourist process.

3. Ask for every upfront charge separately. The SIM, prepaid package and any service or retailer fee should be identified before payment.

4. Check the activated package before leaving. Confirm the data allowance and validity match what you intended to buy.

Tigo's current chip-registration system also uses facial biometric validation in its normal activation process. Passport holders follow the agency-assisted route instead of the standard workflow, so staff should confirm which validation steps apply to the foreign document presented.

No reliable current evidence supports assuming an identical activation procedure across both operators.

Where to Buy a SIM Card in Honduras

Official operator locations are the safest starting point when passport registration is involved.

Buying Tigo

Tigo says its physical SIMs are available through company stores and authorized sales points, including convenience stores, pharmacies and supermarkets.

Passport holders have a stronger reason to use a Tigo agency directly. Buying the chip elsewhere does not remove the need to visit an agency when the registration portal cannot process the foreign document.

Buying Claro

Claro operates customer-service locations around Honduras and sells prepaid mobile service through its retail network.

Current public information does not guarantee SIM stock at every branch or publish standard tourist starting price. Checking the physical SIM charge and passport-registration procedure before paying keeps the comparison grounded in what the store can actually provide.

Airport availability should be treated separately from nationwide availability. Seller presence, stock, opening times and any airport-specific pricing can change by location, so this guide does not assume that either operator will always be available immediately after landing.

Broader choices such as roaming, Wi-Fi and other connectivity methods are covered in ways to get internet in Honduras.

Local SIM or Roafly eSIM?

Local prepaid service and a Roafly eSIM solve slightly different problems.

Claro or Tigo makes more sense when local prepaid calling benefits matter, when a visitor wants of the operators' large short-duration allowances, or when using a physical SIM is preferred.

Roafly removes the need to shop for and register a local physical SIM after arrival. Setup can be prepared before travel, the existing physical SIM does not need to be removed, and hotspot/tethering is supported across the purchased data allowance.

Owner-verified Honduras packages currently include 5GB for $12.50, 10GB for $21.00 and 20GB for $38.00, all valid for 30 days. Roafly lists Claro as the local network for Honduras.

Roafly Honduras plans should be treated as data-only because calls, SMS and a local phone number have not been verified as included. Those limits make a local prepaid line the better fit when voice service is central to the trip.

Readers whose decision is specifically about travel-eSIM providers rather than Honduran physical SIMs can use the best eSIM options for Honduras.

Which Option Fits Your Trip?

Trip length alone does not determine the best choice. Registration effort and the complete starting cost can matter just as much as gigabytes.

• Seven-day trip with a local SIM: Tigo provides the clearest pre-trip budget. The L50 chip plus L125 package gives L175 in published upfront components, and passport holders have a documented agency route.

• High data use over seven days: Claro publishes 17.5GB for L130, but its physical SIM cost and current foreign-passport activation procedure need confirmation before purchase.

• Around two weeks: Claro lists 40.5GB for L255 over 15 days, while Tigo lists 24GB + 3GB for L235 over the same validity. Tigo's L50 chip brings its published starting components to L285.

• Minimal arrival-day errands: Roafly avoids the local physical-SIM purchase and store-registration step.

• Local prepaid calling benefits: Claro or Tigo is the more suitable category because Roafly's verified Honduras product information is data-only.

• Heavy tethering: Check the exact local package. Tigo's L160 unlimited seven-day option specifically blocks hotspot, while Roafly supports tethering across the purchased allowance.

Tigo currently provides the more transparent tourist buying path. Claro may offer an attractive package its store confirms that a foreign passport can be processed and states the full cost of the new SIM.

Honduras Tourist SIM FAQ

Do foreigners need a Honduran ID to register a SIM?

No. Honduras's registration rules recognize a passport for foreign customers.

Operator procedures still differ. Tigo's activation portal does not accept passports, so foreigners are directed to an agency.

Which Honduras SIM is easiest for a tourist to budget?

Tigo currently provides the clearest published breakdown. Its physical chip costs L50, and standard seven-day and 15-day Super Recargas cost L125 and L235 respectively.

Claro publishes its package prices but not a reliable complete new-SIM tourist total.

Can tourists activate a Tigo SIM?

Not with a passport under Tigo's current process. The self-registration portal does not process passports or residence documents, and Tigo directs foreign customers to an agency.

Is Claro definitely available to tourists with a passport?

Current Honduran regulations recognize passports for foreign SIM registration, but Claro's public website does not clearly document its present passport-specific activation workflow.

Visiting a staffed Claro location and confirming eligibility before paying is the safer approach.

Should I buy a SIM at the airport?

Airport sales should not be assumed. Availability, stock and operating hours vary by location, and the presence of a seller at airport does not establish nationwide availability.

Visitors who want connectivity without depending on airport or city-store stock may prefer to arrange an eSIM before travel.

Final Recommendation

Tigo is currently the easiest Honduran physical SIM to research before arrival because the operator publishes its L50 chip price and gives clear instructions for foreign passport holders. The standard L125 seven-day package brings published starting components to L175, while the L235 15-day package brings them to L285.

Claro has competitive prepaid data packages, but the decision requires extra check. Its website does not reliably publish the physical SIM cost or a current foreign-passport activation workflow, so store confirmation should come before treating Claro as the better tourist deal.

Roafly suits visitors who prioritize pre-travel setup, keeping their primary SIM in place and avoiding the local registration stop. Local prepaid service remains the stronger choice when its calling benefits or larger short-term allowances are more important.

Roafly publishes this guide and offers the travel-eSIM alternative discussed above. Roafly provides travel connectivity across 200+ destinations.