Buying guide: Which is the best SIM card for Portugal?
Are you planning a trip to Portugal and wondering which is the best SIM card for your travels? We’ve got you covered! In this buying guide, we will provide an overview of the different prepaid SIM cards available in Portugal so you will be empowered to choose the best one for your trip.
We’ll also share our personal opinion on which is the best SIM card for traveling through Portugal and other European countries.
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If you’re short on time, check the options from our most recommended providers for mobile internet around the world: Airalo and Nomad.
Mobile providers that offer prepaid SIM cards for Portugal
There are 4 local companies offering prepaid SIM cards in Portugal: MEO, Vodafone, NOS, and Lycamobile. Let’s take a look at each of their offers.
MEO Prepaid SIM card options
MEO is the largest mobile operator in Portugal with a market share of over 40%. They offer a prepaid SIM card option called M Móvel Pré-Pago, which includes:
- 5 GB (available also in the EU)
- minutes calls and SMS for Portuguese numbers
- Valid for: 30 days
Price: €9.99
This plan can be upgraded with two additional services, M Móvel Pré-Pago, and MOCHE. The first option will give you free calls and texts from all Portuguese mobile operators. The latter, MOCHE, is an add-on available for people up to 25 years old and gives you free data for apps on top of free calls and texts to Portuguese numbers.
Check MEO’s website for more information.
Vodafone Prepaid SIM card options
Vodafone is the second largest operator in Portugal. Vodafone offers two options of prepaid SIM cards for Portugal, one more suited for people who will be staying only within the country and another more suited for people traveling through Europe. Here are the options available:
Vodafone Travellers
- 10 GB (all available in the EU)
- 500 Minutes/SMS in Portugal, EEA, and UK
- 50 Minutes/SMS from Portugal to EU and UK, USA, Canada, Angola, Brazil, Australia and New Zealand, Cape Verde, Guinea, Morocco, Mozambique, and São Tomé and Príncipe.
- Valid for: 30 days
Price: €25.00
Vodafone Go Total
- Unlimited data (Not available in the EU)
- Valid for: 30 days
Price: €35.00
The plan Vodafone Travellers is a better option for people traveling internationally as you have the data coverage available for use within the EU. However, if you will be staying only in Portugal and data is all you need, the plan Vodafone Go Total can be a good deal. This is especially interesting for remote workers and digital nomads who use mostly data and need fast & good connections.
Read more about Vodafone’s SIM card options.
NOS Prepaid SIM card options
NOS is a local telecom provider and, even though I mostly know them for home internet, they also provide options of prepaid SIM cards that are suitable for tourists. In fact, compared to the other mobile providers, NOS offers quite a few options. Here are the most interesting ones for travelers:
Tarifário Like
- 5 GB (available also in the EU)
- minutes calls and SMS
- Valid for: 4 weeks
Price: €10.00
Tarifário Like de 10 GB
- 10 GB (available also in the EU)
- minutes calls and SMS
- Valid for: 4 weeks
Price: €20.00
For both of these options, you can get a bonus of up to 15 GB with additional recharges. For travelers who need to make international calls, we recommend taking a look at their offer called “Tarifário Mundo”.
NOS only has their website in Portuguese, but you can check their options here.
Lycamobile Prepaid SIM card options
Lycamobile is an international provider, so you may have heard this name before. They also operate in the US and multiple other countries. In Portugal, these are the best options they have for prepaid SIM cards:
Lyca Globe
- 4 GB (2 GB available in the EU)
- 500 minutes for national and international numbers
- 100 texts to Portuguese numbers
- Valid for: 30 days
Price: €12.00
Lyca National M
- 20 + 5 GB (13.6 GB available in the EU)
- 1000 minutes/SMS for national numbers
- Valid for: 30 days
Price: €10.00
Lycamobile’s strongest advantage is that they are an international brand and they can offer good deals for travelers that need those minutes to call abroad. Personally, they are not one of my favorite providers.
Check Lycamobile’s website for more details.
Which is the best prepaid SIM card in Portugal?
Now that you have seen all the options available, it is time for us to give our opinion.
Lycamobile offers the cheapest prepaid SIM card options considering the amount of data and minutes you can get within the plan. The most cost-effective solution is their plan called Lyca National M.
However, we personally think the best prepaid SIM card for traveling through Portugal is MEO. Since they are the biggest provider in the country, they have very good coverage and internet speed. They also have stores everywhere, which comes in very handy. For the combo of accessibility + quality, we usually prefer MEO’s prepaid SIM card when going to Portugal.
Where to buy a prepaid SIM card in Portugal?
You can buy a prepaid SIM card in Portugal online or in person.
In-person:
The best option would be to go to one of the provider’s official stores. They are present in all major cities so it is quite easy to find. Simply choose the SIM card option you like the best and check your nearest store.
Online:
MEO and Vodafone allow you to buy SIM cards online. In fact, MEO is even more advanced as they offer e-SIM options through their website.
Another option for buying your SIM card online is by getting an international SIM card instead. Check the options that Airalo and Nomad have.
Best SIM card for traveling to Portugal and other European countries
If you are planning to travel through several countries in Europe, you need to pay special attention to the data coverage that is available within the EU within your mobile plan. Most local Portuguese providers limit the EU data coverage of each plan, as you have seen above.
If you will be traveling through multiple countries, getting an international SIM card might be the best option for you.
We normally use two providers for buying e-SIMs for our trips: Airalo and Nomad. They both offer options of prepaid SIM cards that can be used in more than 20 European countries and you can request a plan that has coverage on the specific destinations you plan to visit. This way, you don’t have to worry about buying a new SIM card every time you change countries!
Most popular questions about buying a SIM card in Portugal
What is the best SIM card for Portugal and Spain?
The best SIM card for Portugal and Spain is Vodafone, as this company operates in both countries and they offer EU data roaming. Your connection should work normally in both destinations but the fact that they have physical stores in both Portugal and Spain makes it much more comfortable since you know that you can just visit a store if you have any trouble.
That being said, all the SIM card options listed above will work in both Portugal and Spain if they have EU data roaming included (which most of them do). Check all the options available.
What is the best place to buy a SIM card in Lisbon, Portugal?
The best place to buy a SIM card in Lisbon (Portugal) is at one of the major providers’ official stores. The ones we recommend are MEO, Vodafone, and NOS. Each of these companies has multiple stores across the city so you should be able to find one easily!
Can I buy a SIM card at Lisbon International Airport?
Yes, you can buy a SIM card at Lisbon International Airport but the only major provider that has a store inside the airport is Vodafone.
Is data roaming free in Portugal?
Since the EU has had a law for free roaming since 2017, you will be able to access your data free of charge if your mobile plan includes EU data coverage. Most Portuguese SIM card options include a certain amount of EU data coverage, but if you will be using your own SIM card from your home country, make sure you check their conditions beforehand.
For American travelers, data roaming will not be free in Portugal in the majority of cases. The best option for American travelers is to get an international e-SIM.
What documents do I need for buying a SIM card in Portugal?
To buy a SIM card in Portugal, you need to bring a valid ID document, such as your passport. For the prepaid options, you do not have to be residing in Portugal (which is why they are ideal for tourists), but for the long-term plans, you will also be asked for your address in Portugal.
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Choosing the best SIM card for your travels in Portugal can seem like a daunting task at first, but with the right research and information, you’ll be able to find one that works perfectly for your situation.
We hope you are now equipped to decide which SIM card option is a better fit for you. Check some of our other guides if you want to read more about the topic:
Organizing your trip
To help you plan your trip to Portugal, we have put together our favorite planning resources:
- Flights: Get affordable flights to Portugal 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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