Best Dutch SIM-Only Plans for Expats 2026

This guide covers the SIM-only landscape in the Netherlands for 2026: the three networks, the brands that resell capacity on those networks, and how to pick a plan that doesn’t waste money.

💡 Just arrived in the Netherlands? Check the first year in the Netherlands pillar and the BSN application guide. A postpaid plan is paid by direct debit, so you need a bank account first.

The Three Dutch Mobile Networks

Every SIM card in the Netherlands runs on one of three physical networks:

KPN. The former national operator. KPN calls its network “Het netwerk van Nederland” (kpn.com, read 1 October 2026). Brands such as Simyo, Youfone, Lebara and Lyca Mobile run on the KPN network, according to their own sites.

Odido. The second network. It sells under the Odido brand, Simpel.nl states it uses the “Betrouwbaar Odido netwerk” (simpel.nl, read 1 October 2026) and Ben states “Betrouwbaar Odido netwerk” (ben.nl, read 1 October 2026).

Vodafone. Vodafone says its 5G network can be used in “vrijwel heel Nederland” (vodafone.nl, read 1 October 2026). It sells under Vodafone and hollandsnieuwe, which describes “het stabiele 5G-netwerk van Vodafone” and says it is part of Vodafone Libertel B.V. and Ziggo B.V. (hollandsnieuwe.nl, read 1 October 2026). Vodafone’s Sim Only page also offers a monthly discount if you have Ziggo internet at your address.

MVNO brands (Mobile Virtual Network Operators) lease capacity from these three networks and are often cheaper. Some cap the speed: Simyo lists standard 5G internet up to 300 Mbps, Simpel up to 150 Mbit/s and Lebara up to 75 Mbps with a paid upgrade to 150 Mbps (providers’ own sites, read 1 October 2026).

Major Provider Comparison for 2026

Below is the SIM-only landscape for typical expat use cases. All prices are the providers’ own regular monthly prices on a two-year term, read on their sites on 1 October 2026. Several budget brands give a large discount for the first 6 or 12 months (Simpel, Simyo, Lebara, Lyca and Youfone all did on that date); the table shows the price you pay after that period. Lyca Mobile is the exception: on that date its promotional price, half the regular price, applied for the full 24 months, so the Lyca row shows that promotional price. Calling bundles differ per provider: Simyo adds a separate calling bundle (400 minutes/SMS for €6, included in the table), Youfone’s plans shown include unlimited minutes, and Lebara, Lyca and Simpel’s cheapest options include 150 to 250 minutes, and KPN’s 10 GB and 20 GB bundles come with either unlimited calling or 150 minutes (kpn.com, read 1 October 2026). Odido’s data bundles are 2 GB, 10 GB and 20 GB plus five Unlimited tiers (odido.nl, read 1 October 2026). Vodafone’s are 3 GB, 15 GB and 30 GB, a 50 GB Family bundle and three Unlimited tiers; its one-year term costs €1 a month more.

Prices and promotions change often. The Independer telecom comparison tool shows current offers side by side.

A consumer collective sells sim-only too. UnitedConsumers, which says it makes fixed costs cheaper “door samen groot in te kopen” (by buying in bulk together), is not a network. Its mobile page lists its own sim-only subscriptions with a term of 12 or 24 months and bundles of 5 to 40 GB with unlimited calling and SMS, “vanaf” €9 a month for 5 GB up to €13.50 for 40 GB. On 1 October 2026 it advertised that on a 24-month term you pay €2.50 a month for the first 12 months, and it pays the discount monthly into a “bespaartegoed” (unitedconsumers.com/mobiel, read 1 October 2026). The page does not name the network behind these subscriptions, so check that before you order. The page is in Dutch, which may be a poor fit for the arrival phase much of this guide is about.

Check UnitedConsumers →

Which Plan Fits Which User

The Light User: <10 GB/month

Profile: Home Wi-Fi, work Wi-Fi, occasional maps and messaging on the go. Maybe Spotify on commutes if it’s not too long.

Best pick: Simyo or Youfone, both on the KPN network. Simyo’s 10 GB costs €2 plus €6 for 400 minutes/SMS, so €8 a month; Youfone’s 10 GB with unlimited minutes costs €9 a month after its introductory discount (two-year term, simyo.nl and youfone.nl, read 1 October 2026). Enough data for the use case, without a network-brand price.

Check Simyo sim-only plans on the KPN network →

If you prefer a network’s own brand, Odido lists 10 GB with 120 calling minutes at €16.50 a month on a two-year term (odido.nl, read 1 October 2026).

The Mid User: 15–30 GB/month

Profile: Heavy maps use, video calls on the train, podcasts, some streaming, light tethering.

Best pick: Simpel.nl 30 GB at €10 a month (two-year term, after the first 12 months at the introductory price), on the Odido network, with 250 minutes and 500 SMS (simpel.nl, read 1 October 2026).

If you prefer the KPN network, Simyo 30 GB with 400 minutes costs €13 a month after its first 12 months (simyo.nl, read 1 October 2026), €3 more than Simpel.

The Heavy User / Tetherer: Unlimited

Profile: Streams Netflix on commutes, tethers laptop multiple days a week, works from cafes, lives partly without home internet.

Best pick: an Odido Unlimited plan. Odido sells unlimited data in five speed tiers on a two-year term: Unlimited Start at €25.00 (up to 20 Mbit/s, 50 GB of EU roaming), Unlimited Basis at €32.50 (up to 400 Mbit/s, 60 GB EU), Unlimited Plus and Unlimited Snelst at €37.50 (700 Mbit/s and 1 Gbit/s, 75 GB and 100 GB including Switzerland, the US and Turkey) and Unlimited Premium at €49.50 (odido.nl, prices read 1 October 2026). Odido says that when a bundle runs out you keep browsing for free, but more slowly: “minder snel (64 Kbit/s)” (odido.nl/mobiel-abonnement/sim-only, read 1 October 2026).

Odido describes Start’s 20 Mbit/s as “standaard app-gebruik” and Basis’s 400 Mbit/s as fast internet with streaming in HD quality (odido.nl, read 1 October 2026), so for heavy tethering Basis is the more realistic choice. On 1 October 2026 Odido advertised “Unlimited vanaf € 20/mnd. Met 2-jarig abonnement i.c.m. Klantvoordeel”. No end date was given on the page.

See Odido’s current Sim Only plans and prices →

The alternative: Vodafone Unlimited. Vodafone sells unlimited data the other way round: it does not tier by speed. Its Sim Only page states that every Unlimited subscription gets unlimited data in the Netherlands at the maximum speed its network offers at your location, up to 1 Gbit/s. The three tiers differ in calling and roaming (vodafone.nl/abonnement/sim-only, read 1 October 2026; two-year prices, excluding temporary promotions):

Vodafone’s EU allowance also applies in countries such as the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Turkey and Albania. The 25 GB on Unlimited Max covers Canada, the Caribbean part of the Kingdom, Morocco, Suriname, the United States and South Africa. With two or more Unlimited subscriptions at one address you get €2.50 a month off, and the one-year term costs €1 a month more than two years. Vodafone lists a one-off connection fee of €25, which was waived in a promotion on 1 October 2026. Compared with Odido: Vodafone Unlimited Start costs more than Odido’s Unlimited Start at €25.00 but is not capped at 20 Mbit/s, which matters if you tether.

See Vodafone’s current Sim Only plans and prices →

KPN tiers by speed too: Unlimited50 (50 Mbit/s, 40 GB in the EU) costs €28, Unlimited400 €33.50, SuperUnlimited (700 Mbit/s) €35.50 and SuperUnlimited+ (1000 Mbit/s, 100 GB in the EU plus 25 GB a month in listed countries outside the EU) €40 a month (kpn.com, read 1 October 2026).

The New Arrival Without a BSN

Profile: Just landed, BSN application in progress, need a Dutch number now.

Best pick: a prepaid SIM from Lebara or Lyca, then switch to SIM-only once you have a bank account for the direct debit. A prepaid SIM needs no credit check or contract; Lyca states this on its prepaid page. Lyca runs on the KPN network and sells prepaid bundles, sim-only plans and an eSIM (lycamobile.nl, read 1 October 2026), so the same brand also offers sim-only plans for later.

One postpaid route is worth knowing before you default to prepaid. Odido’s own order page states that a foreign passport or European ID card is accepted for a Sim Only subscription (but not for a subscription with a handset), and that “ook met een buitenlandse betaalrekening kan je een Odido abonnement bestellen. Het moet wel een IBAN-betaalrekening zijn.” The catch is in the same FAQ: a foreign payment account can only be used in an Odido Shop, not online or by phone, and you must bring the foreign bank card, valid ID and a BRP extract no older than one week showing you have been registered in the Netherlands for at least six months (odido.nl/service/bestelling/mobiel, read 1 October 2026). That six-month registration requirement means this route helps people who have already been here a while on a foreign account, not week-one arrivals.

For prepaid options specifically, see Best prepaid SIM cards in the Netherlands and the broader SIM card guide for expats.

What Actually Differs Between Providers

Customer service in English. Vodafone publishes an English version of its prepaid page; Vodafone’s chat runs every day from 08:00 to 22:00 (vodafone.nl, read 1 October 2026). Simyo’s website has an English language option (simyo.nl, read 1 October 2026). Many smaller brands’ sites are in Dutch only. If you’re newly arrived and not comfortable doing service calls in Dutch, check the language options before you order.

Apps. KPN (MijnKPN), Odido (Odido App), Simpel (Mijn Simpel), Youfone (MyYoufone), Lebara (MyLebara) and Lyca Mobile all offer an app for checking usage and managing your bundle, according to their own sites (read 1 October 2026).

Family bundles. KPN, Odido and Vodafone offer benefits for several subscriptions in one household. KPN lets you share MB’s with housemates on the same address; Odido gives discounts and extras with Klantvoordeel if you have several subscriptions (kpn.com and odido.nl, read 1 October 2026). Vodafone’s 50 GB Family plan (€30.00 a month on a two-year term) is a group subscription: you add Family Member lines, up to 10 numbers in total, with unlimited calling and one shared data bundle of up to 200 GB (vodafone.nl, read 1 October 2026).

Bundles with home internet. Several providers discount mobile when you also take their home broadband. KPN gives up to €7.50 a month off mobile plus double data with KPN Internet; Odido’s Klantvoordeel gives double data and extra discount; Simyo and Youfone give extra data when combined with KPN or Youfone internet (providers’ own sites, read 1 October 2026). Vodafone calls this One van Vodafone & Ziggo: with Vodafone mobile and Ziggo Internet you get up to €10 a month off mobile and up to €10 off your internet, plus double data in your Vodafone bundle (vodafone.nl, read 1 October 2026). See our broadband guide for the internet side.

Roaming policies. All Dutch plans include EU roaming. Outside the EU (UK, US, Switzerland), policies vary widely. Odido publishes a roaming allowance per plan: 50 GB in the EU on Unlimited Start, 60 GB on Unlimited Basis, and 75–100 GB covering the EU plus Switzerland, the US and Turkey on Unlimited Plus, Snelst and Premium. On the 2/10/20 GB bundles you use your own bundle in the EU, and calling from the Netherlands to an EU country costs €0.23 per minute with SMS at €0.07 (odido.nl, read 1 October 2026). Vodafone publishes the same kind of figures: 50 GB, 75 GB and 100 GB a month in the EU on Unlimited Start, Plus and Max; on the 3 GB and 15 GB plans calling from the Netherlands to EU numbers is outside your bundle, while the 30 GB and 50 GB Family plans include the first 100 minutes (vodafone.nl, read 1 October 2026). Check your own provider’s published figure rather than assuming.

The Contract Length Question

Most Dutch SIM-only plans come in 1-month, 12-month, or 24-month flavors.

1-month plans (often called “maandelijks opzegbaar”) cost more per month but you can cancel at any time. At Simyo the monthly option costs €2 a month more than the two-year term; Lebara says you save at least €2 a month with a two-year term (simyo.nl and lebara.nl, read 1 October 2026). Useful for short-term assignments, trial periods, or if you’re unsure how long you’ll stay in the Netherlands.

12-month plans sit in between. At Simyo the one-year term costs €1 a month more than two years and has a shorter introductory discount (6 instead of 12 months).

24-month plans are the cheapest per month at the providers above and lock you in for two years. Worth it only if you’re settled and confident you won’t move providers. At Vodafone the difference is €1 a month: the one-year version of each Sim Only plan costs €1 more than the two-year price.

Check what happens at the end of the fixed term. Vodafone, for example, states that at the end of the contract period your subscription renews every month by 30 days and can then be cancelled monthly; cancel before the end date and you pay the remaining months in one go (vodafone.nl, read 1 October 2026). Also check the price after the term: introductory discounts end after the stated months, and the regular price then applies. When your term ends, compare the current offers and switch or renegotiate if a cheaper plan fits.

EU Roaming and Travel

All Dutch SIM-only plans include EU roaming under “Roam Like at Home.” Your data, calls, and SMS work across the EU plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway at no extra cost.

Watch outs:

• Fair-use limits. On unlimited plans, EU roaming has a monthly cap: at Vodafone 50, 75 or 100 GB depending on the Unlimited tier, at Odido 50 to 100 GB, at KPN 40 to 100 GB. Above that, providers charge out-of-bundle rates.
• UK is not in the EU. Whether the UK is included depends on the provider; Vodafone includes the United Kingdom in its EU rate (vodafone.nl country list, read 1 October 2026), and Simyo includes it in its EU zone (simyo.nl, read 1 October 2026). For countries outside its EU rate Vodafone sells voordeelbundels, with 4G in 186 countries and territories.
• Switzerland is not in the EU. Often charged separately; check your plan terms before traveling. Vodafone includes the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Turkey and Albania in its EU rate, and Simyo includes Switzerland in its EU zone.
• Permanent roaming. Roam Like at Home is meant for travel, not for living abroad on a Dutch SIM. Vodafone’s Fair Use Policy, for instance, looks at a four-month period: if you used your subscription more in the Netherlands than abroad, you can keep using it in the EU, and in case of doubt Vodafone may ask you to show a lasting link with the Netherlands, which exists if you live, work or study here; you can show it with, for example, residence documents and postal or billing addresses.

For frequent travellers outside Europe, compare the card fees on Wise’s own fee page before you go.

How to Switch Providers

Switching is easier than most people think. The steps:

1. Pick your new provider and plan. Sign up online; Simpel, for example, says “Binnen 5 minuten geregeld” (simpel.nl, read 1 October 2026).
2. Request number portability. During signup, choose to keep your number. Your new provider arranges it with your old one, which may not refuse (ACM ConsuWijzer).
3. Provide your ID and IBAN. The provider checks your details and your bank account; Vodafone, for example, verifies your IBAN with a €0.01 iDEAL | Wero payment.
4. Wait for the SIM card to arrive in the post, or choose an eSIM. Simyo and Simpel say “binnen 2 werkdagen”, Odido delivers within 1 working day if you order before 19:30 (providers’ own sites, read 1 October 2026).
5. Activate at the time the new provider specifies. Your old SIM stops working when the number moves.

If your current contract still has months to run on a fixed term, you still owe the old provider the remaining contract costs (ACM ConsuWijzer). Vodafone, for example, charges the remaining months in one go when you cancel early.

Where Independer’s Comparison Tool Saves You Time

Provider sign-up pages often lead with an introductory price that applies only for the first months. The Independer telecom tool lets you input your data needs and compare plans across Dutch providers.

Picks for 2026 by Situation

Most expats: Simpel.nl 30 GB at €10 a month after the introductory period (two-year term). Odido network, generous data, low price.

New arrivals or short stays: a Lebara or Lyca prepaid SIM for the first weeks, then switch.

Heavy commuters or tetherers: Odido Unlimited Basis at €32.50/month on a two-year term (odido.nl, read 1 October 2026), or Vodafone Unlimited Start at €27.50/month if you want your network’s full speed (up to 1 Gbit/s) on the entry tier (vodafone.nl, read 1 October 2026).

Prefer the KPN network on a budget: Simyo, Youfone or Lebara.

Family of 3+: a network brand (KPN, Odido or Vodafone) with its multi-subscription benefits, plus a broadband bundle if you also have home internet.

If you’ve just landed and haven’t sorted home internet yet, see the Dutch utilities guide. And if you’re still working through the broader expat-essentials list (banking, BSN, healthcare), the first year pillar covers everything in order.

For comparison shoppers, the Independer telecom tool is a quick way to check Dutch SIM-only pricing before signing anything.

eSIM vs Physical SIM in 2026

Many recent phones support eSIM; check your phone’s settings or the manufacturer’s list. Vodafone states eSIM is available on all its subscriptions, and Odido lists eSIM among its mobile options. Among the budget brands, Simyo (free eSIM), Simpel, Youfone, Lebara and Lyca Mobile offer eSIM (providers’ own sites, read 1 October 2026).

Why eSIM matters for expats:

• Faster activation. No waiting for a physical SIM in the post; Lyca, for example, activates its eSIM with a QR code.
• Multi-line on one phone. Hold your home-country SIM and your Dutch SIM on the same device (especially useful in transition periods).
• Easier switching. No physical SIM swap when changing providers.

If your phone supports eSIM, the providers above let you choose it at checkout. If your phone is older, a physical SIM works just as well; allow for postal delivery.

Phone-Plus-Plan vs. SIM-Only

Dutch carriers also offer “phone with plan” bundles: a contract where you pay off a new phone in monthly instalments together with the service.

Whether that costs more than buying the phone outright (cash, financing, or a manufacturer’s own plan) and pairing it with a SIM-only plan depends on the device and the offer. Run the numbers before signing, including any promotional handset discount.

Buying the phone separately keeps you free to switch SIM-only plans when a better deal comes along.

Compare the cash handset price with the total instalment-plan cost and the SIM-only total over the same term. 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). Our current Dutch mobile-plan guide explains the decision points. Check the provider’s current credit terms before signing.

Compare handsets and SIM-only plans at Mobiel.nl →

Staying Connected During the BSN Wait

1. First days: Get a prepaid SIM. Lebara’s prepaid bundle with 6 GB and unlimited calls costs €10 for 30 days (discounted from €13), and Lyca’s Bundle XS gives 5 GB for €10 per 30 days (lebara.nl and lycamobile.nl, read 1 October 2026).
2. Next weeks: Register with the gemeente, get your BSN, open a bank account (N26 vs Bunq vs Revolut for options).
3. Once your bank account is active: move your number to a SIM-only plan via Independer or directly with the provider.

This sequence keeps you reachable on a Dutch number for banking, government portals and two-factor authentication during the BSN gap.

Roaming Outside the EU: A Cheat Sheet

Most expats travel beyond the EU at some point. Without preparation, data roaming can be expensive: Simyo, for example, charges €5 per MB outside its EU zone (simyo.nl, read 1 October 2026). Approach options:

Provider travel bundles. Simyo sells Buitenlandbundels for the ten most popular destinations outside the EU, and Vodafone sells voordeelbundels for countries outside its EU rate (providers’ own sites, read 1 October 2026). Useful for short trips where convenience trumps cost.

eSIM travel data SIMs. Compare the price per day of a travel eSIM with your provider’s bundle before you go.

Local SIMs. Another option if you will be in one country for a week or more; compare the price with the other routes.

Free Wi-Fi only. Hotel and cafe Wi-Fi can cover some needs. If you use public networks, consider NordVPN for added security.

For trip planning, check the conversion fee of the card you use abroad, for example on Wise’s fee page.

Family Plans and Multi-Line Discounts

For families, household economics shift. The network brands reward several subscriptions in one household:

• KPN: share MB’s with housemates on the same address, and up to €7.50 a month off mobile with KPN Internet
• Odido: Klantvoordeel with discounts and extras for several subscriptions; an extra Unlimited subscription from €20 a month (excluding €9.50 connection fee)
• Vodafone: €2.50 a month off with two or more Unlimited subscriptions at one address, or the 50 GB Family group plan

(kpn.com, odido.nl and vodafone.nl, read 1 October 2026.)

Plus an internet bundle benefit if you’re on the same provider for home broadband; see our broadband providers guide. Beware the lock-in: two-year contracts on bundles are harder to unwind if you move providers later.

Budget brands mostly compete on the price per line, with extra data rather than multi-line discounts as their combination benefit (Simyo Compleet and Youfone Compleet with home internet). So families are mostly choosing between “a budget line each” (cheaper per line) and “network-brand household benefits” (more per line, but bundle and unified billing).

Annual Renewal Discipline

A common mistake in Dutch telecom is signing a contract and forgetting it. Introductory discounts end after the stated months, and after the fixed term the regular price keeps running.

A simple reminder routine:

• 11 months after signup: check current promotional rates on Independer.
• If a cheaper plan fits your use, either negotiate with your current provider or switch.
• Either way, repeat annually.

External source: ACM ConsuWijzer: Telefoonnummer meenemen (in Dutch): the regulator’s consumer page on number portability.