Buying a prepaid SIM card in Bulgaria: best local options
When traveling to Bulgaria, one of the smartest things you can do is to buy a prepaid SIM card. This way, you’ll be able to stay connected with family and friends, as well as have access to important information like maps and restaurant reviews. So, if you’re planning a trip to Bulgaria, we will help you pick the best prepaid SIM card for your trip.
RECOMMENDED
Need an eSIM?
If you’re short on time, check the options from our most recommended providers for mobile internet around the world: Airalo and Nomad.
Prepaid SIM card options in Bulgaria
When traveling to Bulgaria, you will have three main options of local SIM card providers to choose from: A1 Bulgaria, Yettel, and Vivacom.
Below we will walk you through the options offered by each provider and also show you a bonus alternative which is our preferred option for traveling through multiple countries in Europe called Airalo (more on that later).
A1 Bulgaria prepaid SIM card options
See below a quick comparison of the different prepaid SIM card plans offered by A1 Bulgaria.
| Price | Data coverage | Validity |
|---|---|---|
| 15 BGN (€ 7,67) | 15 GB | 30 days |
| 25 BGN (€ 12,78) | 30 GB | 30 days |
| 40 BGN (€ 20,45) | 50 GB | 30 days |
You can purchase these prepaid SIM cards from A1 Bulgaria physical stores or any partner store in the country. A1 is a reputable network that is present in several European countries and they have a very solid network in Bulgaria. I have actually used A1 as my personal phone provider for years in Slovenia.
However, there is one big downside of their offer for tourist SIM cards in Bulgaria, which is that the data is not available for use in other EU countries. This means that if you travel to other destinations, you will have to get another SIM card in the next country.
Yettel Bulgaria prepaid SIM card options
Here are the options offered by Yettel Bulgaria for prepaid SIM cards applicable for tourists:
| Name | Price | Data coverage | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yettel 8 | 8 BGN (€ 4,09) | 6 GB | 14 days |
| Yettel 10 | 10 BGN (€ 5,11) | 8 GB | 30 days |
All of the options of Yettel prepaid SIM cards can be bought in Yettel stores in Bulgaria. Every larger city has multiple stores and you should have no trouble finding them. To help you out, they provide a store locator tool on their website.
Yettel’s network coverage in Bulgaria is quite extensive and both of their prepaid plans offer a percentage of data coverage for use in other EU countries. The Yettel 8 offers 2,8 GB and the Yettel 10, 3,5 GB to be used in the EU.
Vivacom Bulgaria prepaid SIM card options:
Vivacom offers one option of prepaid SIM card for tourists coming to Bulgaria, and it is called Data2go. This is what’s included in it:
- Price: 20 BGN (€ 10,23)
- Data coverage: 25 GB
- Validity: 28 days
Vivacom SIM cards can be bought in any Vivacom store in Bulgaria or in any of their partner stores.
Vivacom is the Bulgarian SIM card provider that offers the most extensive data coverage in the EU, with 8,6 GB available with the Data2go plan. For only € 10, this is quite an affordable deal.
Which is the best prepaid SIM card for Bulgaria?
Now that you know all the options available, here is our personal opinion. If you want to get a prepaid SIM card from a local Bulgarian phone provider, we would recommend Vivacom because they have a great network and the best deal on the market.
For only € 10, you get 25 GB and over 8 GB within the EU, which is quite a sweet deal.
The biggest downside in our opinion is that you have to land in Bulgaria, make your way to the center, and buy the prepaid SIM card in one of the local stores in person. This means that you will not have data for this first period of time, which can be a bit annoying.
If you want to get connected the moment you land in Bulgaria, then we recommend using Airalo’s eSIM cards instead. Read more about it below.
The best SIM card for traveling to multiple countries
As you have seen, Bulgarian phone providers offer quite cheap prices for prepaid SIM cards but they are not great when it comes to data coverage in the EU.
Since 2017, data roaming fees have been canceled within the EU. However, the providers are still able to cut or limit their plan availability in other countries, which is exactly what happens here.
If you want to have internet across multiple European countries, we recommend using eSIM cards from Airalo. They have very flexible plans that you can adjust based on your destinations. Also, you can buy everything online and turn it on the moment your plane lands.
Read also: What are eSIMs and how do they work
We have used Airalo for several trips within the EU and the signal was always great. Plus, it is super easy to install and you don’t have to worry about losing your own SIM card when exchanging it.
Want to avoid the hassle of having to buy a SIM card after arriving in Bulgaria? Buy an eSIM online and have it all set up before your plane lands! We use Airalo for most of our trips, check their options for SIM cards in Bulgaria.
Read also:
- Best SIM card for traveling through the Balkans
- Best things to see in Sofia
- Day trip to Plovdiv
- Driving in Bulgaria – a complete guide
- Comparing Sofia to Belgrade
Popular questions about buying a SIM card in Bulgaria
Travelers using EU SIM cards that have data coverage available in other countries of the European Union will be able to use their phones when traveling to Bulgaria.
American travelers will not be able to use their home providers without paying roaming fees (which are quite expensive).
The best way to avoid roaming fees is to buy a prepaid SIM card when traveling to Bulgaria. You can choose between buying a tourist SIM card from a local Bulgarian provider (we recommend Vivacom) or buying an eSIM from a provider such as Airalo or Nomad.
Most stores and brands require that you are at least 18 years old to buy a prepaid SIM card in Bulgaria. You will be required to show an ID document in most stores.
Another rule is that every person can only have a maximum of 10 active SIM cards in their name in Bulgaria. However, for most travelers, that is not an issue you need to worry about.
It depends on which airport you land at. Most travelers come through the Sofia International Airport (SOF) and they do have a small Relay shop in the lobby. However, the offers you may find at this store have a high chance of being different from the ones at the official stores of the mobile providers located in the center of Sofia.
We recommend not buying the SIM card at the airport, but making your way to the center and buying from the official providers to get the best options available.
Read also:
Organizing your trip
To help you plan your trip to Bulgaria, we have put together our favorite planning resources:
- Flights: Get affordable flights to Bulgaria 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.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. This means that we get a small commission from any purchase you make, at no additional cost to you!
