Best Prepaid SIM Cards in the Netherlands 2026 for Expats

Getting a Dutch number is quick once you know which SIM to buy. The tricky part is that the Netherlands has many prepaid options, and the differences are not obvious from the packaging.

This guide cuts through the noise. Our overall pick for most expats is Lebara (6 GB with unlimited calls for €10 per 30 days, on KPN’s network). Lycamobile has low-cost bundles and a prepaid eSIM. KPN Prepaid is the network owner’s own prepaid SIM. If you want a network owner’s prepaid with short unlimited-data bundles, look at Vodafone Prepaid.

💡 Looking for a complete banking comparison? Read Best banking for expats in the Netherlands 2026 — covers ABN, ING, Bunq, Wise, Revolut & 5 others by expat use case.

Disclosure: this article contains affiliate links, including to Lyca Mobile, Vodafone and Mobiel.nl. If you sign up through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. The price you pay is the same as going direct, and it does not influence what we recommend.

Quick answer: Best prepaid SIM cards in the Netherlands for expats 2026: Lebara, Lycamobile, KPN Prepaid, Vodafone and Simyo compared on price, data and network.

Our overall pick is Lebara: KPN’s 5G network and 6 GB with unlimited calls and SMS for €10 per 30 days. For unlimited data for a day, a week or a month, look at Vodafone Prepaid; for a prepaid eSIM, Lyca Mobile or Simyo. All prices read on the providers’ own sites on 1 October 2026.

Why a Dutch SIM Card Matters More Than You Think

Before getting into the comparison, it is worth understanding why a local Dutch number is useful.

DigiD is the Dutch government’s digital identity system. To apply you need a BSN, a registration address with a Dutch municipality and a mobile phone; the activation code then comes by letter to your registered address. For SMS verification DigiD accepts a Dutch mobile number, a landline or a foreign phone number (digid.nl, read 1 October 2026), so a Dutch number is convenient rather than required here.

Dutch bank accounts and apps often use your phone for verification and two-factor authentication. Check what your bank asks for during onboarding.

Everyday life. Landlords, employers, schools and sellers on second-hand platforms will often contact you by phone or WhatsApp, and a local number avoids international call costs for them and for you.

The Top 5 Prepaid SIM Cards in the Netherlands

1. Lebara — Best Overall for Expats

Price: SIM with €10 calling credit listed at €5; bundles from €5 Network: KPN (5G) Best for: A simple monthly bundle with unlimited calls

Lebara’s prepaid page lists three ways to start: its most chosen bundle with 6 GB and unlimited calls and SMS, valid 30 days, at €10 (discounted from €13); a SIM with €10 of calling credit for data, calls and SMS at €5; and a 1 GB data-only option at €5. The bundle includes calling and data in the whole EU, and Lebara states it runs on KPN’s 5G network (lebara.nl, read 1 October 2026).

For calls abroad, Lebara’s Sim Only plans offer an add-on with unlimited calls and SMS to 44 countries for €5 a month (lebara.nl, read 1 October 2026). If calling home is your main need, check Lebara’s prepaid rates for your country before you buy.

Lebara’s coverage is KPN’s coverage. Its customer service line (0800 404 4 404) is open on weekdays from 09:00 to 17:00 and on Saturdays from 10:00 to 16:00 (lebara.nl, read 1 October 2026), and the MyLebara app shows your usage and costs.

Drawbacks: the site is in Dutch, and outside those service hours you will need to wait or use the app. Lebara describes its eSIM for Sim Only; its prepaid page does not mention an eSIM.

2. Lycamobile — Low-Cost Bundles and eSIM

Price: bundles from €10 per 30 days (Bundle XS, 5 GB) Network: KPN (5G) Best for: Budget-conscious expats and a prepaid eSIM

Lycamobile sells prepaid bundles valid for 30 days, each with unlimited national calls and SMS and unlimited Lyca-to-Lyca calls (lycamobile.nl, read 1 October 2026):

Lyca also sells 3-month, 12-month and international bundles. It states that its prepaid SIMs come without a credit check or long-term contract, and that it uses the KPN network with 5G coverage.

Lyca sells a Prepaid eSIM next to its plastic SIM: you order online, receive the eSIM details by email right after payment and activate by scanning a QR code (lycamobile.nl/nl/esim, read 1 October 2026). You register a new SIM online with its SIM details and an identity check.

See Lyca Mobile prepaid bundles →

3. KPN Prepaid — The Network Owner’s Own Prepaid

Price: SIM €4.99 with €10 credit included; bundles from €4 Network: KPN (own network; KPN’s prepaid page names its 4G network) Best for: Expats who want KPN itself and credit that does not expire

KPN runs its own network. Its prepaid SIM costs €4.99 and comes with €10 of credit as a gift. You top up online, via the KPN Prepaid app or automatically, and KPN says credit you top up online is valid indefinitely. Bundles come as internet bundles, call/SMS bundles and all-in-one bundles, from €4 (kpn.com/prepaid, read 1 October 2026).

KPN’s prepaid page mentions its “betrouwbare 4G-netwerk”, while its Sim Only plans advertise 4G and 5G. If 5G matters to you on prepaid, Lebara, Lyca and Simyo all advertise 5G on the KPN network.

Drawbacks: no eSIM: KPN’s eSIM page states “Het is niet mogelijk bij prepaid” (kpn.com/mobiel-abonnement/esim, read 1 October 2026). International calling is at standard rates; if you call home often, compare Lyca’s or Lebara’s rates, or use WhatsApp or FaceTime over data.

4. Vodafone Prepaid — Network Owner, Short Unlimited Bundles

Price: free SIM, SIM with €5 credit (€5) or SIM with 2 GB (€10) Network: Vodafone (4G/5G, own network) Best for: Expats who want a network owner’s prepaid, unlimited data for a week or a month, or an eSIM

Vodafone Prepaid runs on Vodafone’s own network, one of the three physical networks in the Netherlands. Vodafone describes it as “nergens aan vast”: no contract, you pay for what you use, and top-ups start at €5. Its prepaid page has an English version, which helps in your first weeks. Everything below is from vodafone.nl, read 1 October 2026.

Starting. Vodafone sells a free prepaid SIM, a SIM with €5 credit for €5 and a SIM with 2 GB for €10, as a plastic SIM or as a prepaid eSIM. You order online or buy in a Vodafone store. According to Vodafone the card works as soon as it is in your phone and on the network; if it does not activate straight away, you call 1200 for free.

Standard rates without a bundle: €0.20 per calling minute, €0.15 per SMS and €0.10 per MB. That per-MB rate is why a bundle matters.

Bundles you buy with your credit:

Each bundle card states when it ends: the 1-week bundle, for example, stops automatically at 23:59 on the seventh day after activation, and the monthly bundles stop after one calendar month. You activate bundles in My Vodafone, in the Vodafone & Ziggo app, or by SMS to 4000. Credit stays valid indefinitely as long as you use the SIM at least once every six months; the credit that comes on a new SIM is valid for six months from first use. You can top up online with iDEAL | Wero or a credit card, and Vodafone adds €5 gift credit to your first top-up after you register in My Vodafone.

Keeping your number. Moving a Dutch number to Vodafone Prepaid is possible; Vodafone notes that number porting only works for Dutch numbers.

Drawbacks: the unlimited bundles are priced per period rather than per GB, so a light user pays more than on a small monthly bundle from a budget brand. If you call one country outside the EU a lot, compare Vodafone’s prepaid buitenland rates with Lebara’s and Lycamobile’s.

See Vodafone Prepaid SIMs and bundles →

5. Simyo — Prepaid on KPN, With eSIM

Price: €7.50 calling credit for €5 (introductory offer); internet bundles from €5 Network: KPN (5G, max. 300 Mbps) Best for: Light users who want KPN’s network and a prepaid eSIM

Simyo runs on KPN’s network. On 1 October 2026 its prepaid page offered €7.50 of credit for €5, €22.50 for €15 and €35 for €25. Standard rates are €0.10 per minute, €0.10 per SMS and €0.15 per MB. Simyo sells five prepaid internet bundles, each valid 30 days: 150 MB for €5, 500 MB for €7.50, 1000 MB for €10, 2000 MB for €12.50, and unlimited MB at low speed for €10 (simyo.nl/prepaid, read 1 October 2026).

Those bundles are small, so Simyo itself points heavier users to Sim Only: if you spend more than about €7 a month on credit, its Sim Only plan with 6 GB and 400 minutes starts at €7.50 a month for the first 12 months of a two-year term.

Simyo offers eSIM for prepaid as well as Sim Only, at no extra cost (simyo.nl/esim, read 1 October 2026). Its website has an English language option.

Drawbacks: it is primarily an online purchase, and a physical SIM is delivered by post (“binnen 2 werkdagen in huis”, according to Simyo). The data bundles are small unless you choose the slow unlimited option.

See Simyo prepaid bundles →

Prepaid SIM Comparison Table

All prices read on the providers’ own sites on 1 October 2026.

Prepaid vs Postpaid: When to Switch

Prepaid is a practical choice for your first weeks in the Netherlands. You pay in advance, so you do not need a Dutch bank account or a fixed contract, and you can start as soon as the SIM is active.

But prepaid has real limitations:

Data costs more per GB on small bundles. Lyca’s 5 GB costs €10 per 30 days and Simyo’s 2000 MB €12.50, while unlimited SIM-only plans at the three networks start at €25 (Odido), €27.50 (Vodafone) and €28 (KPN) a month on a two-year term (providers’ own sites, read 1 October 2026). Once you are using a phone heavily for maps, streaming, video calls and work email, compare what you spend on bundles with a SIM-only plan.

No device financing. Postpaid contracts can bundle a handset. If you need both, compare the cash handset price with the total instalment-plan cost. A phone paid off through your subscription is a loan: BKR registers it only if the handset costs more than €250 (mijnkredietregistratie.nl, read 1 October 2026). See our current Dutch mobile-plan guide and check the provider’s credit terms before signing.

The right time to switch to postpaid is typically when you have:

• A bank account for the direct debit (an IBAN)
• A fixed address in the Netherlands
• A clear idea of how long you are staying, so the contract term fits

A good comparison of postpaid providers and internet plans for your home setup can be found in the best internet providers Netherlands 2026 guide. For SIM-only plans, see Best Dutch SIM-only plans for expats.

Where to Buy a Prepaid SIM Card in the Netherlands

Online: every provider in this guide sells its prepaid SIM online and delivers it by post; Simyo, for example, says “binnen 2 werkdagen in huis”. Ordering online also gives you a clearer view of current bundle pricing than the back of a packet in a shop.

Vodafone stores sell Vodafone’s prepaid SIM; Vodafone says its prepaid SIM is sold online and in its own stores. Useful if you want a staff member to help you get started.

Shops: prepaid SIMs are also sold in retail shops. Buy from shops with a physical address and receipts, and check the provider’s site for its own sales points.

Before you fly: if you have an eSIM-capable phone, a prepaid eSIM from Vodafone, Lyca or Simyo can be ordered online, so you do not have to buy a SIM on arrival.

Activation and Registration: What to Expect

What you need depends on the provider. Lyca, for example, has you register a SIM online in three steps: SIM details (PUK code or ICCID), identity verification and confirmation (lycamobile.nl, read 1 October 2026). Vodafone says its card works as soon as it is in your phone and on the network; if it does not activate straight away, you call 1200 for free (vodafone.nl, read 1 October 2026).

Have ready:

• A valid passport or national identity card
• An email address
• An address for delivery, if you order a physical SIM online

Check the provider’s own registration page before you buy if you have not yet registered at a Dutch address.

eSIM Options for the Netherlands

eSIM for prepaid is available at some Dutch providers, not all.

Vodafone Prepaid offers eSIM: Vodafone states that eSIM is available for Vodafone Prepaid and sells a prepaid eSIM next to the plastic SIM. Existing prepaid customers can swap a plastic SIM for an eSIM through Vodafone’s SIM-swap page (the eSIM voucher comes by post) or in a Vodafone store, and then activate it in the Vodafone & Ziggo app (vodafone.nl, read 1 October 2026).

Lyca Mobile sells a Prepaid eSIM as well as a Sim Only eSIM. You choose eSIM at checkout, receive the eSIM details by email after payment and activate by scanning the QR code (lycamobile.nl, read 1 October 2026). Lyca notes that most recent Android and iPhone models support eSIM.

Simyo offers eSIM for prepaid, Sim Only and phone subscriptions, at no extra cost (simyo.nl/esim, read 1 October 2026).

KPN Prepaid does not offer eSIM: KPN’s eSIM page says it is not possible with prepaid. Lebara describes its eSIM for Sim Only plans. eSIM options keep changing, so verify on the provider’s own eSIM page rather than trusting any comparison table, including this one.

If you want a Dutch number without waiting for a physical SIM, order a prepaid eSIM from Vodafone, Lyca or Simyo and activate it when you arrive.

Protecting Your Data While Getting Set Up

While you are spending your first weeks in cafes, libraries, co-working spaces and on public Wi-Fi, before your home internet is connected, your traffic on open networks is easier to intercept.

More on managing finances securely is covered in the cost of living Netherlands 2026 guide.

What to Do After You Have Your SIM

Once your Dutch number is active, there are a few immediate next steps.

Apply for DigiD once you have your BSN and a registered address. DigiD asks for a mobile phone when you apply and sends the activation code by letter to your registered address; the site has an English version (digid.nl, read 1 October 2026). With DigiD you arrange matters online with the government, educational institutions, healthcare and your pension.

Open a Dutch bank account. Bunq lets you start without a BSN and provide it within 90 days (bunq.com, read 1 October 2026). More on employer requirements and payroll in the average salary Netherlands 2026 guide.

Get your driving licence sorted if you will be driving. The Dutch driving licence CBR guide 2026 covers the exchange process for foreign licences and new applications.

Check the interactive tools on the tools page: they cover tax calculations, salary comparison and cost-of-living estimates that are useful in those first weeks.

Pricing Context: What Does Mobile Cost in the Netherlands?

To give you a sense of where prepaid fits into your overall budget, here are the prices the providers themselves listed on 1 October 2026:

• Prepaid SIM (starter): free (Vodafone) to €4.99 (KPN, with €10 credit)
• Prepaid 30-day bundles with data: €10 for 5 or 6 GB (Lyca, Lebara) up to €39.99 for unlimited data (Lyca)
• SIM-only (two-year term, regular price): from €7 for 5 GB (Lebara) to €25–€28 for unlimited data at the three networks
• Unlimited prepaid for short periods: Vodafone €14 for a week, €44 for 30 days

This sits within the broader cost-of-living picture covered in the cost of living Netherlands 2026 guide.

Summary: Which Prepaid SIM Should You Get?

For most expats arriving in the Netherlands, the decision is simple: order a prepaid SIM or eSIM, register it with your ID, and use it until you have a bank account, your BSN and your address sorted. Then decide whether a postpaid SIM-only plan fits better.

The SIM card itself is rarely the bottleneck in settling in the Netherlands, but not having a Dutch number can slow other steps down. Sort it out early.

All prices were read on the providers’ own websites on 1 October 2026. Bundle pricing and promotions change regularly; always check the provider’s website for current offers before purchasing.

External source: ACM ConsuWijzer: Telefoonnummer meenemen (in Dutch): the regulator’s consumer page on keeping your mobile number, on prepaid or a subscription.