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The Best Prepaid SIM Cards for Portugal in 2023
Published: November 30 2019
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Updated: November 24 2023
Many people associate Portugal just with the very famous soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo, but this beautiful European country has many other things that worth knowing about. Madeira, Oporto, and Lisboa are just 3 of the most famous tourist destinations in Portugal, but of course, there are plenty of different places to visit.
Learn the most important facts about telecommunications in Portugal and buy the best prepaid SIM cards for Portugal.
Looking for an alternative solution? We have eSIMs for Portugal available!
What Are The Best SIM Cards for Portugal?
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Go Roam by Three U.K. lets you use your call, text and data allowance in 71 destinations around the world at no extra cost. Sit back, relax and never worry about roaming charges while traveling in Portugal. Multiple years in a row, Three U.K. has been awarded as the best network for roaming. When are you traveling with Three U.K.? |
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Orange SA is one of the oldest mobile network providers in France. They commit to the best network and recently were awarded as best operator for the eighth time in a row. With the available Travel Prepaid SIM Cards for Europe, you can enjoy a great internet experience through Portugal and Europe. Make international calls or send international text messages from Portugal to worldwide. |
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As one of the biggest network providers in Europe, Three U.K. provides its services to more than 130 million users worldwide. Stay connected to a fast internet network in Portugal and enjoy voice, text & data. |
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Going on vacation or business trip to Portugal? With Orange Holiday Europe you do not have worry about roaming charges anymore. Browse the internet in all European countries with the best networks available, make calls and send SMS from Europe to your home around the world at no extra cost – guaranteed! Orange has been awareded as the number 1 mobile network for the 8th consecutive time. |
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The first SIM Card that truly covers every country in the whole world! Enjoy a great internet experience within Portugal with the ISP Orange. They commit to provide the best service possible and have been awarded as the best internet operator in France many times in the row. |
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With internet from Three U.K. and its Pay as you Go (PAYG) Prepaid SIM Card, stay connected to the internet in Portugal for a whole year. Experience one of the best network connections and never worry about losing connection again. |
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Stay connected to the internet for up to 2 years with the new PAYG Internet data SIM Card by Three U.K.! Enjoy superior international internet roaming service by Three U.K. in Portugal. |
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What is The Best Portugal SIM Card?
SimOptions – The Best Prepaid SIM Cards for Europe
As the most important SIM card marketplace in Europe, SimOptions offers many prepaid SIM cards for more than 200 places around the continent and around the rest of the world. This company works with the best mobile networks in each country to provide mobile, SMS, local and international calls.
One of the best parts about buying your prepaid SIM card though SimOptions is that you do not need to go around many stores looking for the appropriate chip for your trip. You just need to go to their website and buy your Portugal SIM card online. Provide them with your personal information, the places you are going to and the address where you would like to receive your SIM.
SimOptions has prepaid SIM cards for almost every single in the entire world and Portugal is not the exception. Read more about the 4 different Portugal SIM cards offered by SimOptions and pick the one you prefer at the best price:
Holiday Zen | $29.90 - 12GB
- Data: 12GB
- Calls/SMS: Yes
- Credit Validity: 14 days
PAYG AIO15 | $29.90 - 10GB
- Data: 10GB
- Calls/SMS: Yes
- Credit Validity: 30 days
PAYG AIO20 | $39.90 - 12GB
- Data: 12GB
- Calls/SMS: Yes
- Credit Validity: 30 days
Holiday Europe | $49.90 - 30GB
- Data: 30GB
- Calls/SMS: Yes
- Credit Validity: 14 days
PAYG MBB 12GB | $59.90 - 12GB
- Data: 12GB
- Calls/SMS: No
- Credit Validity: 1 Year
PAYG MBB 24GB | $79.90 - 24GB
- Data: 24GB
- Calls/SMS: No
- Credit Validity: 2 Year
Of course, these are not the only prepaid SIMs you will find on SimOptions.
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O2 – International SIM Card for Portugal
Although O2 is not a Portuguese network (it is actually from the United Kingdom), it offers one of the best International SIM Cards for Portugal. This SIM can be activated with 2 different Pay As You Go Plans that include data, calls, and texts. Read more about these plans below:
Pay As You Go Plans
Plan 1 | 100MB ($11,10)
- Data: 100 MB
- SMS: 3000 SMS from O2 to O2
Go Card | $24.90 - 10GB
- Data: 10GB
- Calls/SMS: Yes
- Credit Validity: 30 days
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Mobile Network Operators in Portugal
If you are planning to visit Portugal, you need to know – at least – the most basic facts and information about the Portuguese telecommunications: different options, rates, and of course, about the main mobile network operators in this country.
Portugal – including the Azores and Madeira Islands – has 3 main carriers: MEO, Vodafone and NOS. The three of them offer different options to stay connected with everybody, update your social media, and many other things while you enjoy the most beautiful places in Portugal.
MEO – The Main Carrier in The Country
MEO was created in 2006 and piloted just in Lisbon for that time. Then, in 2007, the company was officially launched and extended to Porto and Castelo Branco. This company currently has 7.709 million subscribers in the whole nation and it not only offers mobile telecommunication services but also fixed-line services, Internet and television. MEO is the market leader with 40% and it has the best coverage in the country, compared to the other 2 operators.
Today we will focus just on their mobile phone services and the different prepaid SIM cards and plans you will find in MEO Stores around Portugal. The most famous and common prepaid SIM card is called MEO Top 96 and includes the following benefits:
MEO Top 96 SIM Card | 9.99 EUR ($11,05)
- Data: 3 GB
- Credit: 5 EUR ($5,53)
If this data amount is not enough for your trip, do not worry! You can also add any of the following data packages. Take into account that you will have data for 15 or 30 days, depending on the plan you choose:
Data Plan 1 | 5.99 EUR ($6,62)
- Data: 250 MB of data
Data Plan 2 | 6.99 EUR ($7,73)
- Data: 250 MB of data
Data Plan 3 | 9.99 EUR ($11,05)
- Data: 1 GB of data
Data Plan 4 | 14.99 EUR ($16,57)
- Data: 5 GB of data
Activate these data plans by sending the amount of data to 12399. Example: text 250 MB and send it to 12399. That’s it!
Vodafone – The Second Most Important Mobile Operator
Officially called Vodafone Portugal – Comunicações Pessoais, S.A., Vodafone Portugal is the second most important mobile operator in the country and of course, the major competitor of MEO. This company was created in 1992 as Telecel, then it merged with Vodafone Group and the British company took the majority of Telecel. Then, in 2002 they decided to change the company brand name from Telecel to Vodafone, which is still the company name nowadays. Right now Vodafone Portugal has 4.730 million users enjoying their services such as landline service, mobile network and broadband, IPTV and cable television.
Vodafone Portugal offers different prepaid SIM cards, a tourist SIM and a data-only SIM that can be found in each Vodafone store you visit when traveling to Portugal. Let’s see each one of them and learn more about their benefits:
Cartão SIM You | 9.90 EUR ($10,95)
- Data: 3 GB
- Calls: 500 minutes
- SMS: 500 SMS
- Validity: 30 days
- App passes*
Cartão SIM Easy Total | 9.90 EUR ($10,95)
- Credit: 5 EUR ($5,53) included
- Validity: 30 days
Cartão SIM World | 9.90 EUR ($10,95)
- Data: 500 MB
- Extra data: 500 MB for 7.50 EUR ($8,29)
- Credit: 12.50 ($13,82) EUR included
- Validity: 30 days
App Passes for Cartão SIM You:
- Chat Pass: you will get up 10 GB/month for Facetime, iMessage, Message +, Call +, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Skype, Viber, and Hangouts
- Social Pass: it has up to 12.5 GB/month for Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Tumblr, Pinterest, and LinkedIn
- Music Pass: includes 12.4 GB/month for Google Play Music, Apple Music, SoundCloud, and Spotify
- Video Pass: get up to 15 GB/month for YouTube, Netflix, Periscope, TV Vodafone, and Twitch
As we mentioned before, Vodafone Portugal also has a tourist SIM called Vodafone Travellers, see more information below:
Vodafone Travellers | 20 EUR ($22,11)
- Data: 5 GB
- Calls: 500 minutes for local calls / 30 minutes for Angola, Australia, Brazil, Canada, New Zealand, and USA + EU countries
- SMS: 500 SMS for local calls / 30 SMS for Angola, Australia, Brazil, Canada, New Zealand, and USA + EU countries
- Validity: 30 days
Vodafone also has a data-only SIM called Go SIM. This chip does not include calls or SMS, just data so you can have Internet access while you enjoy your trip. Take into account that this SIM can be only used in Portugal and any other of the 28 EU countries. International roaming is not allowed with this data SIM. The Go SIM has 2 different data plans, take a look:
Plan 1 | 10 EUR ($11,06)
- Data: 30 GB
- Validity: 5 days
Plan 2 | 15 EUR ($16,58)
- Data: 30 GB
- Validity: 10 days + 5 days for 5 EUR ($5,53)
Plan 3 | 20 EUR ($22,11)
- Data: 30 GB
- Validity: 15 days + 5 days for 5 EUR ($5,53)
Plan 1 | 10 EUR ($11,06)
- Data: 30 GB
- Validity: 10 hours + 5 hours for 5 EUR ($5,53)
Plan 2 | 15 EUR ($16,58)
- Data: 30 GB
- Validity: 10 hours + 5 hours for 5 EUR ($5,53)
Plan 3 | 20 EUR ($22,11)
- Data: 30 GB
- Validity: 15 hours + 5 hours for 5 EUR ($5,53)
NOS – One of The Best Network Operator in Portugal
With 2.259 million clients, NOS is considered the third most important carrier in the country. This company was previously known as Optimus from 1998 to 2013, when Optimus Comunicações, S.A. merged with ZON Multimédia and then, in May 2014 NOS was created. They offer cable television, fixed-line, mobile services, broadband Internet access, and some other services. As the smallest company, it has good coverage but it does not have such a great performance as MEO and Vodafone Portugal.
Of course they have different prepaid SIM cards and plans, but here you will find the most common options among NOS clients. Learn more about the benefits offered by this company:
Plan 1 | 12 EUR ($13,27)
- Data: 200 MB
- Calls: 500 minutes
- SMS: 500 SMS
Plan 2 | 17 EUR ($18,80)
- Data: 500 MB
- Calls: 800 minutes
- SMS: 800 SMS
Plan 3 | 18 EUR ($19,90)
- Data: 1 GB
- Calls: 800 minutes
- SMS: 800 SMS
Plan 4 | 19 EUR ($21,01)
- Data: 1 GB
- Calls: 3000 minutes
- SMS: 3000 SMS
Plan 4 | 20 EUR ($22,11)
- Data: 2 GB
- Calls: 3000 minutes
- SMS: 3000 SMS
Plan 5 | 22 EUR ($24,32)
- Data: 3 GB
- Calls: 4000 minutes
- SMS: 4000 SMS
Plan 6 | 25 EUR ($27,64)
- Data: 5 GB
- Calls: 7000 minutes
- SMS: 7000 SMS
Plan 7 | 29 EUR ($32,06)
- Data: 10 GB
- Calls: 10000 minutes
- SMS: 10000 SMS
If you are only interested in having Internet access during your trip to Portugal, a data-only SIM card can be the right option for you. Kanguru Livre is the name of the data SIM offered by NOS. Take into account that this data SIM card can be only used in Portugal and around the EU, but cannot be used for international roaming.
You can buy this SIM for 2.50 EUR ($2,76) and choose one of the two different data plans explained below:
Livre S | 15 EUR ($16,58)
- Data: 3 GB
- Validity: 60 days
Livre XL | 15 EUR ($16,58)
- Data: Unlimited
- Validity: 15 days
In case these data options are not enough, you have 6 different options to top-up and keep updating your social media apps:
Option 1 | 5 EUR ($5,53)
- Data: 500 MB
- Validity: 60 days
Option 2 | 10 EUR ($11,06)
- Data: 1 GB
- Validity: 60 days
Option 3 | 15 EUR ($16,58)
- Data: 3 GB
- Validity: 60 days
Option 4 | 20 EUR ($22,11)
- Data: 5 GB
- Validity: 60 days
Option 5 | 25 EUR ($27,64)
- Data: 7 GB
- Validity: 60 days
Option 6 | 30 EUR ($33,17)
- Data: 9 GB
- Validity: 60 days
Livre XL Add-ons
Option 1 | 5 EUR ($5,53)
- Data: Unlimited
- Validity: 2 days
Option 2 | 10 EUR ($11,06)
- Data: Unlimited
- Validity: 5 days
Option 3 | 15 EUR ($16,58)
- Data: Unlimited
- Validity: 15 days
Option 4 | 20 EUR ($22,11)
- Data: Unlimited
- Validity: 20 days
Option 5 | 25 EUR ($27,64)
- Data: Unlimited
- Validity: 25 days
Option 6 | 30 EUR ($33,17)
- Data: Unlimited
- Validity: 30 days
Visiting Portugal will be a wonderful experience for you. You will return home with new words, new customs and a lot of memories to share with your family and friends. Share this article with them so they can also learn about the best prepaid SIM cards for Portugal.
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