In this guide
The SIM card question splits into two completely different problems that get answered as if they were one. A visitor staying eleven days needs cheap data and nothing else. Someone who has just signed a rental contract needs a Dutch phone number, because many Dutch services, such as bank verification codes or a landlord confirming a viewing, send texts to a +31 number.
Buy the wrong one and the cost is small but annoying: an overpriced airport bundle you barely use, or a bank onboarding stuck because the SMS never arrives.
This guide sorts the options by how long you are staying rather than by brand. If you already know you are moving here and want the full brand-by-brand breakdown, our best prepaid SIM cards in the Netherlands comparison and the best Dutch sim-only plans guide go deeper on individual providers.
Disclosure: this article contains affiliate links, including to Lyca Mobile, Vodafone, Budget Thuis Mobiel, Independer, Mobiel.nl and NordVPN. If you sign up through them we may earn a commission. See our affiliate disclosure.
Quick answer: Coming from an EU/EEA country for a short trip? Use your own plan — roam-like-at-home covers you at no surcharge within your provider’s fair-use limits. Coming from outside the EU/EEA for under a month? A travel eSIM or a cheap Dutch prepaid SIM is the sensible buy. Moving here? Start on prepaid for the number, then switch to a monthly sim-only plan once you have a BSN and Dutch IBAN — you can compare current sim-only deals at Independer or go straight to a budget provider such as Budget Thuis Mobiel.
Start here: which of the four situations are you in?
| Your situation | What to buy | Why |
|---|---|---|
| EU/EEA plan, trip under a month | Nothing | Roam-like-at-home applies; your domestic bundle works here |
| Non-EU plan (incl. UK), trip under a month | Travel eSIM or Dutch prepaid | Check your home provider’s roaming charges first |
| Staying 1–6 months, no BSN yet | Dutch prepaid SIM | You get a +31 number; check the provider’s conditions |
| Staying longer, BSN and IBAN in hand | Monthly sim-only plan | Compare price per GB with your prepaid bundle |
Everything below is detail on those four rows.
If you are visiting from the EU or EEA: you probably need nothing
The EU roaming regulation — the “roam like at home” rules — lets you use your domestic calls, texts and data allowance in other EU and EEA countries without a surcharge. The Netherlands is covered, and the current regulation runs to 2032.
Two caveats are worth knowing before you assume you are fine.
Fair-use limits exist. The rules are written for periodic travel, not for living abroad on a home-country plan. Providers may apply a fair-use policy to data, and unlimited plans can specify a roaming data cap — Vodafone’s Unlimited Start, for example, includes 75 GB a month in the EU (vodafone.nl, checked 6 October 2026).
The UK is not in the scheme. Since Brexit, UK plans are outside the EU roaming regulation. Whether your UK provider includes EU roaming, charges a daily fee or charges per megabyte depends on your tariff, so check it before you travel.
If you are visiting from outside the EU: eSIM or prepaid
For a trip of a few days to a few weeks, the practical choice is between a travel eSIM bought before departure and a Dutch prepaid SIM bought on arrival.
Travel eSIMs are data-only in most cases. You install an eSIM profile before you fly, and your data runs over the eSIM while you keep your home number on your physical SIM for banking codes. Check the provider’s conditions and whether your phone supports eSIM. We have no partnership with the travel eSIM brands and earn nothing on them.
Dutch prepaid SIMs give you an actual Dutch number. If your trip involves any Dutch admin, such as a viewing, a delivery or a bank appointment, the number can matter more than the data.
One middle route is worth knowing about if you also want to call home on ordinary phone numbers rather than over WhatsApp. Lyca Mobile lists prepaid plans, sim-only deals and an eSIM on the KPN network, with monthly prepaid bundles from €10 for 5 GB (Bundle XS) to €15 for 10+10 GB (Bundle S Plus) and €20 for 20+20 GB (Bundle M), each for 30 days (lycamobile.nl, checked 8 October 2026). Lyca also offers international bundles; check the current bundle price and the included country list for the destination you call, because both change.
See Lyca Mobile prepaid plans →
Vodafone prepaid is the other route if you want a +31 number and data for a fixed period. Vodafone Prepaid runs on Vodafone’s own network and sells unlimited-data bundles: 1 day for €4 (7 GB in the EU), 1 week for €14 (25 GB in the EU) and 30 days for €44 (60 GB in the EU, 2 GB a day), each with unlimited data in the Netherlands. The SIM itself is free, €5 with €5 credit or €10 with 2 GB, and Vodafone also sells a prepaid eSIM. Its prepaid page has an English version, and you can top up from €5 (vodafone.nl, checked 8 October 2026). Without a bundle you pay €0.10 per MB, so switch a bundle on before you start using data.
See Vodafone Prepaid SIMs, eSIM and bundles →
Buying at Schiphol
Schiphol’s arrivals halls have phone shops selling prepaid SIMs. Prices and bundles differ per shop and change often, so check the offer at the counter rather than relying on any figure you read online, including ours. Shop opening hours may not cover a late-night arrival.
If you would rather not rely on a shop being open, you can activate a travel eSIM before you fly and buy a local SIM later in the week if you decide you need a number.
If you are moving here: prepaid first, always
New arrivals often run into this: a Dutch bank may ask for a Dutch mobile number for verification, while a monthly phone contract may require a BSN and a Dutch IBAN. Check each provider’s conditions.
Prepaid can break that deadlock. Dutch prepaid SIMs, including from international-calling specialists such as Lyca Mobile are sold in shops and online and give you a +31 number. Providers set their own conditions, so check whether the one you choose asks for ID or a Dutch address. Vodafone, for example, sells a free SIM card and Lyca’s bundles start at €10 for 30 days (see above).
On ID and registration: providers and retailers apply their own checks, and some online activation flows or shops may ask for a passport. Carry your passport when you go to buy a SIM.
The first 30 days in the Netherlands checklist sets the SIM card in the right order against BSN registration, municipality appointments and bank onboarding. The SIM is one of the first things to arrange, because other steps may need a Dutch number.
When to leave prepaid behind
Prepaid is the right entry point and the wrong long-term answer. Compare the price per gigabyte: Lyca’s prepaid bundles are 5 GB for €10 or 10+10 GB for €15 per 30 days (lycamobile.nl, checked 8 October 2026), while Budget Thuis lists 10 GB for €4.25 per month for the first 8 months on a two-year term, and Vodafone’s Unlimited Start is €27.50 per month on a two-year term with 75 GB in the EU (budgetthuis.nl and vodafone.nl, checked 8 and 6 October 2026). Introductory prices and contract terms differ, so read the full conditions.
The switch requires two things you will not have on arrival:
- A BSN, which postpaid providers may ask for as part of a credit check; check the provider’s conditions. Our BSN application guide covers the appointment and timing.
- A Dutch IBAN, which many providers use for the monthly direct debit (automatische incasso). See the step-by-step Dutch bank account guide.
Number portability (nummerbehoud) lets you keep your number when you switch provider (ACM; Budget Thuis and Vodafone both describe how to arrange it when you order).
Budget brands that use the big networks are another option. Budget Thuis Mobiel, for instance, runs on the KPN network and lists an unlimited data, calls and SMS plan at €10 per month for the first 8 months on a two-year term, with up to 25 Mbit/s download and 31 GB per month in the EU (budgetthuis.nl, checked 8 October 2026). Smaller bundles are listed from €3.75 per month for the first 8 months. Introductory pricing ends, so read the price after the first 8 months before you sign.
If you would rather see several providers side by side before committing, Independer’s telecom comparison lists Dutch sim-only plans with current pricing in one table.
If you also need a phone at that point — a common situation when a handset locked to a home-country carrier turns out to be a problem — Mobiel.nl sells handsets and plans, so you can compare a handset-plus-plan bundle with buying the phone and taking sim-only separately. A financed purchase above €250 is registered at BKR (bkr.nl).
Networks, coverage and what actually differs
The Netherlands has three mobile networks: KPN, Odido (formerly T-Mobile) and Vodafone. Many other brands use one of them; for example, Budget Thuis and Lyca both list the KPN network.
Check each network’s coverage map for the area where you will live or travel.
What does differ, and what you should check before buying:
- Speed caps on “unlimited” plans. Budget Thuis, for example, lists its unlimited plan with speeds up to 25 Mbit/s download, while its 3 to 30 GB plans list up to 100 Mbit/s.
- EU roaming allowance. Unlimited in the Netherlands does not mean unlimited in the EU: Vodafone’s Unlimited Start includes 75 GB a month in the EU and Budget Thuis’s unlimited plan 31 GB.
- Language of support. Check whether the provider’s app and support are available in English.
We cover the domestic comparison in more depth in the mobile phone plans for expats guide.
Dual SIM: the setup most new arrivals should use
Many recent phones support one physical SIM plus one eSIM. Check whether your phone does; if so, you can keep your home number and add a Dutch one.
The standard arrangement: home SIM stays in the phone, kept alive for two-factor codes from your home bank and calls from family; Dutch SIM or eSIM handles data and everything local. Set the Dutch line as the default for outgoing calls and mobile data, and turn data roaming off on the home line so you never accidentally burn through home-country charges.
If your phone is single-SIM only, the sequence is: keep your home SIM in for the first few days, buy a Dutch prepaid SIM, then move the home SIM out once you have transferred your important accounts’ two-factor settings to the Dutch number or to an authenticator app.
A note on public Wi-Fi in your first weeks
Before home internet is connected, many new arrivals work from cafés, libraries or co-working spaces, while handling sensitive material such as bank onboarding, DigiD activation and scans of a passport.
A VPN such as NordVPN encrypts your traffic on networks you do not control. Our VPN comparison for the Netherlands covers the alternatives, including free options and their limits.
Once your own connection is in, the broadband provider comparison and the week-one utilities checklist handle the rest of the home setup.
Common mistakes worth avoiding
Buying a large bundle for a short trip. With hotel and café Wi-Fi you may need far less data than you think. Buy small, top up if needed.
Assuming an airport SIM is a bad deal by definition. Compare the price with the same SIM elsewhere; if buying at the airport saves you an evening of hunting for a shop, it can be worth it.
Signing a two-year contract in week one. The prices above are for two-year terms (Budget Thuis and Vodafone). If you may move again, check the contract length and whether a plan you can cancel monthly suits you better.
Forgetting the post-promotion price. Budget Thuis’s prices above apply to the first 8 months of a two-year term. Check what you pay afterwards.
Treating the number as disposable. Once your bank, employer, insurer and doctor have your Dutch number, changing it is a hassle. Port it when you switch providers (nummerbehoud).
The short version
If you are here for a holiday and your plan is European, do nothing. If you are here for a holiday from further away, a travel eSIM before departure avoids the queue, and a Schiphol shop is a fallback.
If you are moving here, the priority is a +31 number early on, because other steps such as bank onboarding may need it. Start on prepaid, find out how much data you actually use, then switch to a sim-only plan and port the number across.
Prices and bundles cited reflect the providers’ own pages on the dates given and change frequently, particularly promotional pricing. Always check current pricing on the provider’s own site before ordering.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a Dutch SIM card as a tourist in the Netherlands?
Often not. If your plan comes from an EU or EEA country, the EU's roam-like-at-home rules mean your normal domestic allowance works in the Netherlands at no surcharge, subject to your provider's fair-use limits. A Dutch SIM or a travel eSIM becomes worthwhile if you are coming from outside the EU/EEA, including the UK, since UK plans are outside the EU roaming regulation, or if you are staying long enough that roaming stops being periodic travel.
Where can I buy a SIM card at Schiphol Airport?
Schiphol has phone shops in the arrivals halls selling prepaid SIMs. Prices and bundles differ per shop and change often, so check the offer at the counter. If you want to skip the queue, you can activate a travel eSIM before you land.
Do I need a passport or a BSN to buy a prepaid SIM in the Netherlands?
Prepaid providers set their own conditions. Check the conditions of the provider you choose, and bring your passport in case the shop or the online activation asks for identification. A BSN is not something you will have on arrival, so check before you buy that the provider does not ask for one.
How much data does a two-week trip actually need?
It depends on how you use your phone. Maps, messaging and email use little data; video streaming on the move uses a lot. With Wi-Fi in hotels and cafes you can start with a small bundle and top up if needed, so avoid buying a large bundle upfront.
Is a travel eSIM better than a Dutch prepaid SIM?
They solve different problems. A travel eSIM is usually data-only, can be set up before you land and suits a short trip. A Dutch prepaid SIM gives you a +31 number, which is useful when a Dutch bank, a marketplace or a landlord needs to text you. Visitors want data; people who are moving here want a number.
When should a new arrival stop using prepaid and switch to a monthly plan?
When you are confident you are staying beyond a few months and meet the provider's conditions for a monthly plan (for example a Dutch bank account for direct debit). Compare the price per gigabyte of your prepaid bundle with sim-only plans, and read the price after any introductory period.
Can I keep my home number and use a Dutch number at the same time?
Yes, on a dual-SIM phone, most commonly one physical SIM plus one eSIM. Keep your home number active for banking codes and family, and use the Dutch number for everything local.