Note: Carrier plans, prices, and availability change regularly. The information here reflects my personal experience — always check the carrier’s current website for up-to-date plan details before buying.
Landing in Germany and needing a new SIM card is one of those first-week tasks that feels simple — until you realise how many options there are, and how easy it is to get caught out if you’re not careful. Here’s everything I learned from going through it myself, including a mistake I made that I’d rather you avoid.
If you’ve only just landed, there’s an even earlier surprise waiting at the airport — I’ve written about why the luggage trolleys are chained up and which coins release them.
Which Carriers to Consider
Germany has plenty of carriers, but two budget options are especially popular with expats:
- Lebara and Lyca — both offer strong prepaid plans for data and calls, including call packages to South Asian countries like India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh. Worth knowing: these aren’t independent networks — they’re budget brands that run on Germany’s major networks (Telekom and Vodafone), so you’re still getting solid coverage underneath a cheaper plan.
- Telekom and Vodafone — Germany’s two largest network operators. They also offer prepaid plans directly, but typically at a higher price than Lebara or Lyca.
Between Lebara and Lyca, I’ve used both — Lebara has been slightly better for me in terms of network coverage, but both are solid budget choices.
Buying Online vs. In-Shop
You have two main ways to get a SIM:
Online: Order a SIM to your registered German address, then verify your identity online using your visa and passport. This is straightforward — most carriers walk you through it step by step, and you can reach customer support if you get stuck.
In-shop: SIM shops are common, especially near Hauptbahnhof (main train station) areas, or findable with a quick Google search. This is faster if you need a SIM immediately, but it comes with a risk worth knowing about.
A Scam to Watch Out For
I once bought a SIM in-store that turned out to be a used one — already registered under someone else’s name. I only found out when I called customer service about an unrelated issue, and they couldn’t help because the SIM wasn’t registered to me.
A few people have told me this is a known trick in some shops: SIMs are sold using your documents but not properly registered in your name in the carrier’s system. To protect yourself:
- Ask for a sealed SIM packet and verify the registration status yourself after activation.
- If a shopkeeper offers to handle registration directly with the carrier using your documents, it is safer to decline and complete the registration yourself online instead.
- When in doubt, ordering online avoids this risk entirely — you control the verification step.
Prepaid vs. Contract
Going prepaid is the better choice when you’ve just arrived. A few reasons:
- Flexibility — you’re not locked in if your plans change.
- No long-term commitment — German phone contracts are often one to two years, similar to rental contracts, and breaking them early can be a hassle.
- No Schufa or credit check required — unlike many postpaid contracts, prepaid plans don’t typically require a credit history check, which is useful if you’re new to the country and don’t have one yet.
A Few Other Things to Know
- You’ll need a registered German address to receive a SIM by mail — the same address you use for your Anmeldung and other registrations. If you haven’t done your Anmeldung yet, see my guide on renting an apartment in Germany which covers this step.
- eSIM options are increasingly available if you’d rather skip a physical SIM entirely — worth checking with your chosen carrier before ordering.
- Activation usually takes anywhere from a few hours to a day or two after verification, so plan accordingly if you need to be reachable immediately.
Activating Your Lebara SIM — A Non-Obvious Step
If you ordered a Lebara SIM online, activation is done through the Lebara SIM activation app on the Play Store. This sounds simple, but there is a catch if you’ve just moved from another country: the app may not be visible or downloadable if your Play Store account is still set to your home country.
To fix this, you need to change your Play Store country to Germany first. Once the country is updated and the change is approved by Google (this can take a short while), search for the Lebara activation app again and download it.
The activation process itself involves:
- Entering the SIM details from your welcome letter — including the SIM number and PUK code
- Uploading a copy of your passport and visa as identity proof
- Taking a selfie for verification
Once the app approves your documents, your SIM will be activated and your German phone number will arrive via SMS.
Tip: Do this as soon as your SIM arrives rather than waiting until you urgently need it — the Play Store country change and document review can take some time, and you don’t want to be without a working number when you need one.
My Recommendation
If you want simplicity and don’t need a SIM the same day, order online directly from Lebara or Lyca — it’s safer and just as easy. If you do buy in a shop, ask for a sealed packet and register it yourself.
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Have you used a different carrier that’s cheaper or better? Share your experience in the comments.
Note: The links above are referral links. If you sign up using them, you may receive a benefit, and I may receive a small reward. My recommendations are based on my own personal experience — I have used both Lebara and Lyca myself.
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