As an international tourist or visitor, you are free to buy a local prepaid SIM card all over the world with only a very few exceptions. The known restrictions are mentioned in the articles and collected on our Blacklist where you won't be able to do so or simply don't get data. In our Greylist some critical countries are shown, where for various reasons you should better think twice before buying a local SIM. For Warzones we can't give verified information. But in most of the more of 200 countries and territories featured below, you are free to buy a local prepaid SIM card with data, although in many of them you now have to show a travel document (like a national ID card, passport or visa) at the point of purchase or later:

International roaming is when you are using your SIM card from your home country in a foreign country. This has proven to be often very expensive, especially for data (mobile internet) . Many cases have been reported where users arrive back home facing a bill with skyrocketed costs. Some users switch off their phone abroad because they are afraid of this. The better solution is often to use a local prepaid SIM card instead. That’s the raison d'être of this wiki and why we started it some years ago. Recently first surcharge-free roaming zones like in parts of Europe and Northern America were established. This Wiki shows where you can use them and when.

This wiki collects information about prepaid (or PAYG) mobile phone plans from all over the world. Not just any plans though, they must include good data rates, perfect for smartphone travellers, as well as tablet or mobile modem users.

Which requirements must my device(s) meet?

it needs to be a GSM-enabled device

it needs to be an unlocked device

it needs to work on the frequencies employed in your destination country

Data on SIM cards

When you have purchased a SIM card, topped it up with value, you may or may not have data right away. If you have, you will be on the standard or default data rate of the operator. This can also be quite expensive. In many cases, data is charged very high unless you purchase a data bundle. Click on the pic with the packages to learn more about default data rates and how to buy data packages.

How to find a good data rate?

First, you should check your home mobile provider, if international roaming at your destination is offered and at what price. This is for orientation mostly, how much you'll end up paying when you use international roaming. Then, you can look around further in your home country, if your provider or others give you a discounted rate for your destination.

International SIM cards in the all countries section can be an option, if you want to travel many countries in a short time. But you won’t save much using them. Our general recommendation to cut your roaming data cost is to buy a local SIM card in every country you visit especially if you want stay for a while or use a lot of data. Only exceptions to this rule are some surcharge-free zones like in Europe. This may sound a bit of a hassle but is easy to do if you are aware of a few catches. In some countries it's possible to keep a SIM card active for a while after having left. If you expect to return, you should check the validity of your plan. Pick your destination in the list above and compare it with the international roaming rates you are offered.