Getting a SIM and Mobile Contract in Munich

A German mobile number is one of the first things you will want, and you can have one within minutes of landing — or tie yourself into a two-year contract you cannot easily escape. The choice between the two routes shapes both your flexibility and what you pay. This guide is about getting set up; for what the plans actually cost, see our internet and mobile costs guide. Here is how to get connected sensibly from day one.

Prepaid versus contract

The first decision is prepaid or contract. A prepaid SIM needs no credit check and no registered address — you simply top it up and use it, cancelling whenever you like. A contract (Vertrag) usually runs 24 months, often costs less per month and bundles more data, but requires an Anmeldung, a German IBAN and a SCHUFA check. For most newcomers the answer is to start prepaid and switch to a contract later once settled.

Why prepaid first

Prepaid wins on speed and simplicity exactly when you need both. Budget brands such as Aldi Talk, Lebara and Congstar sell cheap prepaid SIMs you can activate immediately, giving you a working number for calls, maps and two-factor codes before you have registered anywhere. Because there is no contract or credit check, nothing about your newness to Germany gets in the way — which is why a prepaid SIM is the natural day-one choice.

The networks behind the brands

It helps to know that dozens of brands run on just three physical networks: Telekom (the widest and most reliable coverage, especially outside cities), Vodafone and O2. Budget and prepaid brands rent capacity on one of these, so a cheap SIM can use the same masts as a premium plan. If you travel into rural Bavaria or commute through patchy areas, paying a little more for a Telekom-network SIM can be worth it; in the city, all three perform well.

eSIM and getting connected instantly

Modern phones make day-one connectivity even easier. Most providers offer an eSIM, a digital SIM you can buy and activate online without waiting for a plastic card in the post — useful for having a number the moment you arrive. A data-only SIM also doubles as a stopgap for home internet: paired with a phone hotspot or a small mobile router, it keeps you online while you wait for a fixed line, as our home internet guide explains.

What you need for a contract

When you are ready for a contract, have the paperwork ready. You will typically need your Meldebescheinigung from your Anmeldung, a German IBAN from your bank account, and your passport, and the provider will usually run a SCHUFA credit check. This is exactly why a contract is a second-step purchase: it expects the registration and banking you set up in your first weeks to already be in place.

Porting your number

You do not have to lose a number you have started using. German law gives you the right to Rufnummernmitnahme (number portability), so when you move from prepaid to a contract, or switch providers, you can take your existing German number with you for a small fee. If you expect to settle on a long-term plan, it is worth choosing a first number you are happy to keep, so you only have to share it once.

Choosing and avoiding the traps

Compare plans on a portal rather than in a shop, where you may be steered toward a pricier deal, and match the data allowance to how you actually use your phone. Watch the contract term: a 24-month plan is cancellable monthly only once that term ends, so set a reminder rather than letting it roll on at full price. Beyond that, the cost detail lives in our costs guide; the setup itself is refreshingly quick.

Getting a German number is one of the easier pieces of settling in: grab a prepaid SIM or eSIM on arrival so you are instantly reachable, then move to a contract once your Anmeldung and bank account are sorted if you want more data for less. Keep the number you like via portability, mind the contract term, and you will stay connected throughout your move without overpaying or being locked into anything you cannot leave.