Comparing the best Bosnian SIM cards for tourists
Having a prepaid SIM card when traveling through Bosnia can be very helpful, especially if you will be doing a road trip and driving around the country. In this blog article, we will be comparing a few options of local prepaid SIM cards available in Bosnia and Herzegovina to help you choose the best one for your trip.
We will be taking a close look at different providers, their plans, and coverage, and we will also share a bit of our personal experience during our trip.
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Bosnian prepaid SIM card options
If you are looking to get a local prepaid SIM card once you arrive in Bosnia and Herzegovina, you will have four companies to choose from BH Telecom, m:tel, HTERONET, and Haloo.
To help you decide which one is the best for you, we have put together a quick summary of the plans each of them offers. Let’s start with BH Telecom, which was the provider we used
BH Telecom prepaid SIM card options
BH Telecom’s prepaid SIM card offers have some of the best value for money compared to the other local Bosnian providers. Here is a summary of their plan options:
| Price | Data coverage |
|---|---|
| € 6.00 | 4 GB |
| € 13.50 | 25 GB |
| € 18.00 | 32 GB |
| € 24.00 | 64 GB |
None of the described data coverage is available for use in EU countries. There are also other options of prepaid SIM cards that you can purchase if you need a combination of data + minutes/SMS. For most tourists, however, data coverage will be more than enough so we will not go into details here (you also get less data for what you pay so they are not worth it).
You can buy BH Telecom’s prepaid SIM cards in person at newsstands and local shops, but also online through their website. Check the options available here.
M:tel prepaid SIM card options
M:tel is one of the largest phone providers in Bosnia, but unfortunately they provide very limited options of prepaid SIM cards for tourists. See the prices below:
| Price | Data coverage | Validity |
|---|---|---|
| € 2.00 | 4 GB | 7 days |
| € 5.00 | 15 GB | 10 days |
The best way to buy a prepaid SIM card from m:tel is to do it in person, either at a local m:tel shop or at local stores like newsstands and gas stations.
The € 5.00 plan can be a very cheap option if you think you will be using less than 15 GB during your trip. Just be careful if you will be traveling abroad because none of the m:tel prepaid plans include data coverage in the EU.
HTERONET prepaid SIM card options
The third local Bosnian company we will be looking into is HTERONET. Check below the price options of prepaid SIM cards available:
| Price | Data coverage | Validity |
|---|---|---|
| € 1.50 | 20 GB | 1 day |
| € 5.00 | 4 GB | 30 day |
| € 10.00 | 12 GB | 30 day |
| € 25.00 | 36 GB | 30 day |
If you will only be in Bosnia for a day or two, HTERONET actually offers a very interesting option that gives you 20 GB per day for only € 1.50.
But if you will be staying in the country for longer, this option is not the most practical as you will need to be activating it every single day. You can buy HTERONET’s prepaid SIM cards physically in gas stations, newsstands, and local shops, which are located only in bigger cities.
The data coverage of all HTERONET SIM card options above is not available for use in the EU.
Haloo prepaid SIM card options
The last Bosnian phone company offering prepaid SIM card options for tourists is Haloo. Take a look at their prices below:
| Price | Data coverage | Validity |
|---|---|---|
| € 0.50 | 2 GB | 1 day |
| € 1.00 | 21 GB | 1 day |
| € 1.50 | 2 GB | 7 day |
| € 3.00 | 10 GB | 7 day |
| € 4.00 | 4 GB | 30 day |
| € 12.50 | 10 GB | 30 day |
Similar to the previous option, Haloo offers good deals for travelers staying for one or two days only. I mean, for only € 1.00 you can get 21 GB… I doubt you will be able to get such good prices elsewhere.
But when it comes to the plans that are valid for more days, you get proportionally less data for your money. You can buy Haloo prepaid SIM cards at their local shops in Bosnia, but you are not able to use the acquired data in any EU country.
Which is the best Bosnian SIM card for tourists?
It really depends on what you will need the SIM card for, but we have personally decided to go for BH Telecom and we were satisfied with it.
We bought our prepaid SIM card at a newsstand in Mostar, it was super fast and simple. We didn’t have to provide any document or ID, only pay for it, activate it, and start using it. We had good coverage in the country, also used it as GPS when driving through Bosnia. Overall, we can recommend it if you want to use a local phone provider.
However, if you will be traveling outside of Bosnia, maybe you would want to consider another option such as the international eSIMs we will show you in the next section.
The reason why I say this is from personal experience. We bought the prepaid SIM cards from BH Telecom because we were told the data coverage would be available also in other Balkan countries such as Serbia and Montenegro. We especially needed it for Serbia, which was the next country on our road trip. The sad part is that as soon as we crossed the Serbian border, the data stopped working and we had to figure something else out to get connected there.
Best SIM card if you will be traveling to multiple countries
Since none of the local Bosnian SIM card options offer data coverage that will give you access in EU countries and we had a bad experience with the so-called Balkan plan, our recommendation, if you will be traveling through multiple countries, is to consider purchasing an eSIM.
Don’t know what an eSIM is? Here we explain everything about how eSIMs work.
In short, eSIMs are digital SIM cards. All you have to do to get connected is choose and purchase a plan and activate it on your phone. It is very simple and you can get connected as soon as you land, saving you the hassle of looking around for the physical SIM cards.
We personally use the eSIMs from Airalo because we found them to be the most practical option. You can choose the plan that serves you best based on which countries you will visit, and for how long.
Read also: Best SIM card for traveling the Balkans
The most popular questions about buying SIM cards for traveling to Montenegro
Can I buy prepaid SIM cards at Sarajevo Airport?
Yes, it is possible to buy a prepaid SIM card at Sarajevo Airport. You can find them at the newsstand or you can go to the shop of BH Telecom located on the ground floor of the car building of Terminal B.
Keep in mind that the demand can sometimes be quite high from tourists coming into the city so the newsstand may not have all options of Bosnian SIM cards available at all times.
If you don’t find what you are looking for, you can always buy it at the center of Sarajevo, where you will find plenty of places selling it.
Where to buy a prepaid SIM card in Bosnia?
The best places to buy a prepaid SIM card in Bosnia are newsstands and gas stations. You can easily find them in every corner and every village.
If you will be staying in one of the bigger cities of Bosnia, you can also choose to buy a SIM card directly at the store of the phone provider of your choice.
How can I buy a prepaid SIM card in Bosnia? Do I need any documents?
You don’t need to sign any paperwork or present any documents when buying a prepaid SIM card from most newsstands or gas stations. When buying it from the official stores of the phone providers, you may be asked to provide an official document or ID.
In all cases, you don’t need to worry about having to sign any sort of contract or paperwork. Buying a prepaid SIM card is the perfect option for tourists because it is super easy and fast.
Can I use the same prepaid SIM card in Bosnia, Serbia, and Montenegro?
Technically, yes. The roaming fees were abolished in the Western Balkan in recent years, so you are technically able to use the same prepaid SIM card for Bosnia and other Balkan countries.
If this is what you are looking for, just make sure you pay attention to the small letters when choosing your phone plan. Most local phone providers offer prepaid SIM card options that have coverage available throughout the Balkan region. However, it did not work for us and we were left without connection once we crossed the border.
To avoid any headache like this, we recommend using an international eSIM provider like Airalo when going on a multi-country trip.
Read also: Best Montenegro prepaid SIM cards and Best Prepaid Serbia SIM Cards for Tourists.
Do Croatian SIM cards work in Bosnia?
Croatian SIM cards will work in Bosnia but since you will be going abroad, you will be charged roaming fees.
Croatia is part of the European Union so most Croatian SIM cards have data coverage that is also available in other EU countries, but not abroad, like in Bosnia. The same happens the other way around – the data from Bosnian prepaid SIM cards cannot be used in Croatia.
If you want to stay connected in both countries, we recommend looking into the options offered by international SIM companies like Airalo.
Will I pay roaming fees for using my American SIM card in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
Yes. Using your local American SIM card abroad during your trip to Bosnia and Herzegovina will come with hefty roaming fees unless you pay for a package that gives you access to data abroad.
These phone packages are usually quite pricey, especially if compared to the prices of local Bosnian SIM cards such as the ones we presented in this post. You can buy the SIM card once you arrive in Bosnia at a physical store or order one online via Airalo
Other Bosnia travel guides
Organizing your trip
To help you plan your trip to Bosnia, we have put together our favorite planning resources:
- Flights: Get affordable flights to Bosnia on Skyscanner.com.
- Travel insurance: Make sure you are protected during your trip. We use SafetyWing whenever we are traveling abroad.
- Renting a car: We always use Discover Cars to get the best car deals.
- Accommodation: Find the best hotels and apartments on Booking.com.
- Activities: Get fun ideas of what to do and buy unique activities with Get Your Guide.
- SIM Card: Stay connected during your trip with Airalo.
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