eSIM Germany: best prepaid eSIM for travellers in 2023

You’ve decided to travel to Germany to absorb Germany’s rich history and culture, and realise that you need to get connected in order to find the best places to enjoy your holiday there. If you’re travelling from the EU, using cellular data will cost you no more than it does at home. However, if you travel to Germany from outside the EU, you’ll find that you either have to face expensive roaming charges, or buy a local SIM card. The problem with buying a local SIM card is that you would have to first find a physical SIM card store or distributor, then have to find the best contract. If only there was a way to pay once to buy cellular data online ahead of time…   

Enter eSIM

Prepaid eSIM (embedded SIM) cards give you the same connectivity you would get from a regular SIM card, without an actual card. All you need to do to start getting connected is order your eSIM, and then scan the QR code that will be sent to your email once you travel to Germany. Now you can enjoy Germany without any contracts or unexpected roaming fees.

Warning: This QR code is meant to be scanned in the settings app (more on activation below), not a regular QR code scanning app

Best Prepaid eSIMs for Germany 2023

Below is a table showing the best prepaid eSIMs for Germany in 2023:

All data collected on 01/2023

1. Orange eSIM Holidays – Best Value for Money in Germany

Unbeatable Price/GB

Judging by the figures from this table, it is easy to recognize why Orange eSIM Holidays has the best eSIM for Germany. This eSIM card provides you with a considerable 25GB of 4G/LTE data for €25, making it have an unmatched Price per Gigabyte (Price/GB) of €1. The Price/GB is so low that it circumvents the fact that it lasts 15 days as opposed to 30, because you can just top up the plan. 

Directly from a carrier

The reason why such Orange eSIM Holidays has such great value for money comes from the first word: Orange. Because Orange is distributing these prepaid eSIMs directly, it allows them to lower their Price/GB, as well as add in extra features that eSIMs from global providers don’t have. 

Full of Features

This eSIM Card includes 100 minutes of phone calls with a Spanish Number (because this eSIM comes from Orange Spain specifically), SMS for additional credit, coverage in the entire European Union, Norway and Liechtenstein, and unlimited data in Spain, in case you are on a larger trip in Europe.

Fast Identity Check

While another result of this being a Spanish data plan is that it requires an identity check to comply with Spanish Law, it is done so quickly and intuitively that it is another non-issue.

 

2. eSIM MEO – Great Price/GB with Multiple installations

Competitive Price/GB on Larger Plan

eSIM MEO provides 2 data plans, both lasting 15 days. With the first, you get 5GB of 4G/LTE data for €15. With the second, you get 15GB for €30. This means that they have Prices/GB of €3 and €2 respectively. €2/GB is a remarkable Price/GB, considering that, with the exception of Orange eSIM Holidays, other brands only match this Price/GB on eSIMs that cost much more. 

Portuguese Carrier adds value for money

This, again, is only possible due to these eSIM cards coming directly from MEO, one of the main carriers in Portugal. Portuguese Law does not require an Identity Check from eSIM users, so the 15GB eSIM has the best value for those who do not want to go through an identity check. 

Coverage in 15 Countries

These eSIMs provide data coverage in a total of 15 countries in Europe: Germany, France, UK, Italy, Spain, Greece, Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Ireland, Croatia, Hungary, Czech Republic, Bulgaria and Portugal.

Multiple installations

Additionally, unlike most eSIM providers, these eSIM cards allow you to install one data plan up to 10 times, meaning that you can move your data plan from one mobile device to another, for example, instead of buying an entirely new one. 

Data-only is not an obstacle

While this plan may be data-only, you can still use apps such as whatsapp to call your loved ones.

3. Airalo – Smaller plans for tighter budgets

Cheap, but expensive Price/GB

Airalo provides 4 4G/LTE plans for Germany, the sizes, prices, and durations of which can be consulted in the table above. The prices are generally cheap, yet the price/GB ends up being higher due to the smaller plans. 

Choose Wisely

Nevertheless, all the plans except for the smallest last for 30 days, meaning that if you buy the 3GB eSIM, you will either have to top-up your card, or ration your data consumption very wisely throughout your stay in Germany. 

Download the Airalo App needed

These eSIMs are data-only, and do not require an Identity check. They do require customers to install their app in order to buy and activate their eSIMs, which adds an extra step to the activation process.

4. WHIZ – Large Plans for Larger Budgets

2 big plans

WHIZ provides 2 4G/LTE data plans to be used over 30 days, one containing 10GB of data for $23.99, the other containing 50GB for $80.99. This means that they have prices/GB of $2.40 and $1.62 respectively. 

Price or Price/GB?

The 10GB has an affordable price, but a more expensive price/GB, whereas the 50GB plan is expensive, but has a lower price/GB. 

WHIZ vs. Orange eSIM Holidays

When compared to Orange eSIM Holidays, both Airalo’s and WHIZ’s 10GB plans come close to the price of an Orange eSIM Holidays eSIM, yet contain less than half the data. Moreover, if you do not mind recharging your plan, the 50GB eSIM is more expensive than 75GB worth of Orange eSIM Holidays cards. 

Both plans are data-only, and do not require an identity check or an application.

5. Ubigi – Wide range of plans

Ubigi provides a large selection of data plans, the sizes of which range from 500MB (0.5GB) to 50GB. The prices/GB of these plans are the highest on this list, due to them being eSIMs that are for the whole of Europe, not just Germany, that don’t come from a local carrier, but a global provider. These data-only plans do not require an identity check, but do require you to install the Ubigi app to buy and activate any of their plans.

Mobile devices compatible with eSIM

iPhone	iPad	Apple Watch (with cellular connection)
iPhone 11 iPhone 11 Pro iPhone 11 Pro Max iPhone 12 iPhone 12 Mini iPhone 12 Pro iPhone 12 Pro Max iPhone 13 IPhone 13 Mini IPhone 13 Pro IPhone 13 Pro Max* Iphone 14* iPhone 14 Pro* IPhone 14 Pro Max* iPhone SE (2020)* iPhone SE (2022)* iPhone XR* iPhone XS* iPhone XS Max*	iPad 7 Generation (2019) iPad 8 Generation (2020) iPad 9 Generation (2021) iPad AIR 3 Generation (2019) iPad AIR 4 Generation (2020) iPad AIR 5 Generation (2022) iPad MINI 5 iPad Mini 6 Generation (2021) iPad Pro 11 iPad Pro 11 2 Generation iPad Pro 11 3 Generation iPad Pro 12.9 3 Generation iPad Pro 12.9 4 Generation iPad Pro 12.9 5 Generation	Apple Watch S3 38* Apple Watch S3 42* Apple Watch S4 40* Apple Watch S4 44* Apple Watch S5 40* Apple Watch S5 44* Apple Watch S6 40* Apple Watch S6 44* Apple Watch S7 40* Apple Watch S7 45* Apple Watch S8 40* Apple Watch S8 45* Apple Watch SE 40* Apple Watch SE 44*
Samsung	Google	Other
Samsung Galaxy Watch5 4G (40mm) (SM-R905F)* Samsung Galaxy Watch5 4G (44mm) (SM-R915F)* Samsung Galaxy Fold (SM-F900F) Samsung Galaxy Note 20 5G (SM-N981B/DS) Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G (SM-N986B/DS) Samsung Galaxy S20 5G (SM-G981B/DS) Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G (SM-G988B/DS) Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G (SM-G986B) Samsung Galaxy S21 5G (SM-G991B/DS) Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G (SM-G998B/DS) Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G (SM-G996B/DS) Samsung Galaxy S22 5G (SM-S901B/DS) Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G (SM-S908B/DS) Samsung Galaxy S22+ 5G (SM-S906B/DS) Samsung Galaxy Watch 42mm (SM-R815F)* Samsung Galaxy Watch 46mm (SM-R805F)* Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 40mm (SM-R835F)* Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 44mm (SM-R825F)* Samsung Galaxy Watch3 41 mm (SM-R855F)* Samsung Galaxy Watch3 45 mm (SM-R845F)* Samsung Galaxy Watch4 40mm (SM-R865F)* Samsung Galaxy Watch4 44mm (SM-R875F)* Samsung Galaxy Watch4 Classic 42mm (SM-R885F)* Samsung Galaxy Watch4 Classic 46mm (SM-R895F)* Samsung Galaxy Watch5 Pro 4G (45mm) (SM-R925F)* Samsung Galaxy Z Flip (SM-F700F) Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G (SM-F707B) Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 5G (SM-F711B/DS) Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 5G (SM-F721B/DS) Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 5G (SM-F926B/DS) Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 5G (SM-F936B/DS) Samsung Gear S2 3G eSIM (SM-735)	Google Pixel 3 Google Pixel 3 XL	FOSSIL Generation 5 Smartwatch (NA99714)* HUAWEI Watch 3 (GLL-AL04) HUAWEI Mate 40 Pro (NOH-N29) HUAWEI P40 Pro 5G (ELS-N29) HUAWEI P40 5G (ANA-N29) HUAWEI Watch 2 eSIM (DLXXE) MONTBLANC Summit 2+ (S2C19) OPPO Find X5 (CPH2307) OPPO Find X5 Pro (CPH2305) OPPO Reno 6 Pro (CPH2247) OPPO Find X3 Pro (CPH2173) OPPO Watch 46mm (OW19W12)* XIAOMI 12T Pro (22081212UG)*

*Not compatible with Orange eSIM Holidays

How to Activate eSIM in Germany

eSIM Activation on Apple devices

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Connect to a stable Wi-Fi Network.
3. Tap on Mobile Data
4. Tap on Add Data Plan
5. Scan the QR Code that was sent to your email inbox.
6. Tap on Add Data Plan
7. Enter the PIN found in that same email when prompted
8. Enjoy Germany!

eSIM Activation on Samsung Mobile Phones

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Connect to a stable Wi-Fi Network.
3. Select Connections
4. Select SIM Card Manager
5. Select Add Mobile Plan
6. Select Add using QR Code
7. Scan the QR Code sent to your email address.
8. Enter the PIN found in the same email when prompted.
9. Enjoy Germany!

Frequently asked questions: