How Do You Choose a Mobile Plan in Germany? (2026)
The right plan for most people arriving in Germany is a prepaid or monthly-cancellable value-brand SIM: from EUR 8.99 for 25 GB with unlimited calls and SMS, no German address and no German bank account required. Two things decide the real price: the 28-day billing cycle, which costs a 13th payment each year, and the ID check, which is mandatory on every German SIM. Choose a 24-month contract only once you have an address, a SEPA direct debit and a SCHUFA record.
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What Are the Best Mobile Plans by Situation?
Cheapest, and sold everywhere
ALDI TALK Kombi-Paket S: EUR 8.99 for 25 GB on the O2 network, unlimited calls and SMS, at any Aldi checkout. 28-day cycle, so 13 payments a year.
One bill a month, no 13th payment
fraenk: EUR 10 for 25 GB on the Telekom network, calendar-month billing, monthly cancellable, eSIM in minutes, English-friendly app.
Most data
SIMon mobile flex 50 GB: EUR 9.99 for 50 GB on Vodafone, monthly cancellable, and the price never rises after month 24.
Telekom network on prepaid
congstar Prepaid Allnet M: EUR 10 for 30 GB per 28-day cycle on Telekom, with GB+ loyalty adding 1 GB a year and Switzerland data roaming included.
Should You Choose Prepaid or a Contract?
In Germany the split is less about how you pay than about what you have to prove. Prepaid needs identity verification and nothing else: no German address, no German bank account. Contract tariffs run for 24 months and need a German address, a SEPA direct debit and a SCHUFA credit check, which most newcomers cannot pass in their first weeks. The cheapest contract entry from a network operator is O2 Mobile S at EUR 19.99 for 15 GB, against EUR 29.95 for 20 GB at Telekom and EUR 29.99 for 25 GB at Vodafone, and Telekom adds a EUR 39.95 connection fee.
You do not need a 24-month contract to get a monthly bill: fraenk and SIMon mobile are calendar-month subscriptions that can be cancelled monthly.
How Does the 28-Day Billing Cycle Change the Price?
Most German prepaid tariffs renew every 28 days, not on the calendar month. That is 13 payments a year, not 12: EUR 8.99 a cycle is about EUR 9.74 a month, and Telekom MagentaMobil Prepaid M at EUR 9.95 works out near EUR 129 a year. Compare tariffs on the cycle length as well as the headline price.
Every MagentaMobil Prepaid, CallYa Allnet Flat and O2 my Prepaid tier bills on 28 days, as do congstar Prepaid Allnet, ALDI TALK, Lidl Connect and the supermarket brands. fraenk and SIMon mobile are the calendar-month exceptions.
How Important Is the Network?
Every German plan runs on one of three physical networks, so pick the network first and the brand second. 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, and 1&1 is building its own 5G while falling back to Vodafone national roaming.
Value brands ride on the same masts as their parent networks but are often speed-capped: 50 Mbit/s on ALDI TALK and fraenk, 25 Mbit/s on congstar and Lidl Connect, 150 Mbit/s on SIMon mobile, against up to 300 Mbit/s on Telekom and Vodafone network-brand prepaid.
Top Ranked Mobile Plans
fraenk 25 GB
25 GB on Telekom for EUR 10 per calendar month. No German address or bank account needed, but ID verification is.
Get plan25 GB on Telekom. eSIM available. Calendar-month billing, no 13th payment.
Pros
- EUR 10 per month
- eSIM
- No German address needed
Cons
- 50 Mbit/s speed cap
- App-only: no phone hotline, no shops
- ID verification required before activation
Best for Newcomers
ALDI TALK S
25 GB on O2 for EUR 8.99 per 28-day cycle. No German address or bank account needed, but ID verification is.
Get plan25 GB on O2. eSIM available. 28-day cycle, 13 payments a year
Pros
- EUR 8.99 per 28 days
- eSIM
- No German address needed
Cons
- 28-day cycle = 13 payments per year
- 50 Mbit/s cap on the classic tiers
- ID verification required before activation
Best for Newcomers
SIMon mobile flex
50 GB on Vodafone for EUR 9.99 per calendar month. No German address or bank account needed, but ID verification is.
Get plan50 GB on Vodafone. eSIM available. Calendar-month billing, no 13th payment.
Pros
- EUR 9.99 per month
- eSIM
- No German address needed
Cons
- Best price (8.99 EUR) requires porting a number in
- New numbers pay 11.99 EUR for the 25 GB entry
- ID verification required before activation
Best for Newcomers
congstar Prepaid Allnet M
30 GB on Telekom for EUR 10 per 28-day cycle. No German address or bank account needed, but ID verification is.
Get plan30 GB on Telekom. eSIM available. 28-day cycle, 13 payments a year
Pros
- EUR 10 per 28 days
- eSIM
- No German address needed
Cons
- Speed capped at 25 Mbit/s
- 28-day cycle = 13 payments a year
- ID verification required before activation
Best for Newcomers
CallYa Allnet Flat S
25 GB on Vodafone for EUR 9.99 per 28-day cycle. No German address or bank account needed, but ID verification is.
Get plan25 GB on Vodafone. eSIM available. 28-day cycle, 13 payments a year
Pros
- EUR 9.99 per 28 days
- eSIM
- No German address needed
Cons
- 28-day billing adds an effective 13th month
- Lidl Connect sells the same 25 GB for 1 EUR less on the same network
- ID verification required before activation
Best for Newcomers
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest mobile plan in Germany?
The value-brand floor is EUR 8.99 for 25 GB with unlimited calls and SMS. ALDI TALK, Lidl Connect, Penny Mobil, ja! mobil, Kaufland mobil, NettoKOM and ROSSMANN mobil all sell at that price. It bills every 28 days, so the effective cost is about EUR 9.74 a month.
Do I need a contract for a German mobile plan?
No. Prepaid tariffs and monthly-cancellable SIM-only plans like fraenk and SIMon mobile have no minimum term. Only contract tariffs from Telekom, Vodafone, O2 and 1&1 run for 24 months, and those need a German address, a SEPA direct debit and a SCHUFA credit check.
Can I get a German SIM without a local address?
Yes, on prepaid. Prepaid tariffs need no German address and no German bank account. You still have to verify your identity: VideoIdent works with any passport, 24/7, and even vending-machine SIMs need online ID verification.
Why is my German plan billed every 28 days?
Most German prepaid tariffs renew on a 28-day cycle rather than a calendar month, which is 13 payments a year rather than 12. fraenk and SIMon mobile are calendar-month subscriptions, so they have no 13th payment.