What Is the Best Mobile Network in Germany? (2026)
Telekom (D1) is the best-rated German network, according to connect 01/2026 and Ookla Q1-Q2 2026. O2 / Telefónica has the highest measured 5G availability in Germany (Ookla H1 2025), though its rural coverage still trails Telekom and Vodafone. Vodafone (D2) is the third national network, and 1&1 is building a fourth while roaming nationally on Vodafone. Pick the network first, then the cheapest brand that rides on it.
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Which Is the Best Mobile Network in Germany?
Best rated overall
Telekom (D1), the best-rated German network in connect 01/2026 and Ookla Q1-Q2 2026.
Best 5G availability
O2 / Telefónica, with the highest measured 5G availability in Germany (Ookla H1 2025).
Best value
The EUR 8.99 for 25 GB floor, on O2 via ALDI TALK, on Vodafone via Lidl Connect, on Telekom via Penny Mobil, ja! mobil, Kaufland mobil or ROSSMANN mobil.
Outside the cities
Telekom or Vodafone. The catalogue records O2 rural coverage as still trailing both of them.
How Do the Four Networks Compare?
| Network | What the testing says | Brands that ride on it | Cheapest entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Telekom (D1) | Best-rated German network (connect 01/2026, Ookla Q1-Q2 2026) | congstar, fraenk, Penny Mobil, ja! mobil, Kaufland mobil, EDEKA smart, Norma Connect, ROSSMANN mobil | EUR 8.99 for 25 GB per 28-day cycle |
| Vodafone (D2) | Second national network; CallYa prepaid runs up to 300 Mbit/s; the cable arm reaches about 24 million households | SIMon mobile, otelo, Lidl Connect, klarmobil, mobilcom-debitel | EUR 8.99 for 25 GB per 28-day cycle |
| O2 / Telefónica | Highest measured 5G availability in Germany (Ookla H1 2025); rural coverage still trails Telekom and Vodafone | ALDI TALK, Blau, NettoKOM, Fonic, Tchibo mobil, Lyca Mobile, Lebara, Ortel Mobile | EUR 8.99 for 25 GB per 28-day cycle |
| 1&1 | Own 5G, claimed 95% coverage rising to about 100% by end-2026, with Vodafone national roaming as fallback | SIM.de | EUR 6.99 for 25 GB a month (SIM.de, monthly cancellable) |
Sources: connect 01/2026 and Ookla Q1-Q2 2026 for network rating; Ookla H1 2025 for 5G availability. Prices and network assignments from our German telecom catalogue, accessed 20 August 2026.
Why Do Two Plans on the Same Network Feel Different?
Because the value brands buy capped access to the same masts. On the Telekom network, MagentaMobil Prepaid runs at up to 300 Mbit/s, fraenk is capped at 50 Mbit/s and congstar at 25 Mbit/s. On Vodafone, CallYa Allnet Flat S runs at up to 300 Mbit/s, SIMon mobile at 150 Mbit/s and Lidl Connect at 25 Mbit/s. On O2, my Prepaid runs at up to 300 Mbit/s and ALDI TALK is capped at 50 Mbit/s on the classic tiers.
So a cheap SIM on the best-rated network is not the same product as the network brand's own tariff. If the cap matters more than the price to you, buy the network brand.
Which Network Is Best for You?
- Living outside a city: Telekom or Vodafone, since O2 rural coverage still trails both.
- Best-rated network on a budget: Telekom via fraenk at EUR 10 for 25 GB, or congstar at EUR 10 for 30 GB.
- 5G availability above all: O2, cheapest via ALDI TALK at EUR 8.99 for 25 GB.
- Most data per euro: Vodafone via SIMon mobile, EUR 9.99 for 50 GB, monthly cancellable.
- Comfortable buying online only: 1&1, or SIM.de on the 1&1 network at EUR 6.99 for 25 GB.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which mobile network has the best coverage in Germany?
Telekom (D1) is the best-rated German network according to connect 01/2026 and Ookla Q1-Q2 2026. O2 / Telefónica has the highest measured 5G availability in Germany (Ookla H1 2025), but its rural coverage still trails Telekom and Vodafone. Vodafone (D2) is the third national network.
Is O2 a good network in Germany?
O2 / Telefónica has the highest measured 5G availability in Germany (Ookla H1 2025) and its prepaid tariffs run at up to 300 Mbit/s, with a Weitersurf-Garantie that throttles you to 1 Mbit/s instead of cutting you off. The known weakness is rural coverage, which still trails Telekom and Vodafone.
What network does 1&1 use?
1&1 is building its own 5G network, with a claimed 95% coverage rising to about 100% by the end of 2026, and falls back to Vodafone national roaming where its own network is not built. It sells online only, with no retail shops, and it had a migration outage in May 2024.
What is the cheapest way onto each network?
On Telekom, fraenk at EUR 10 for 25 GB on a calendar month, or congstar Prepaid Allnet M at EUR 10 for 30 GB per 28-day cycle. On Vodafone, SIMon mobile at EUR 9.99 for 50 GB, or Lidl Connect Smart S at EUR 8.99 for 25 GB. On O2, ALDI TALK Kombi-Paket S at EUR 8.99 for 25 GB.