🇩🇪 eSIM
eSIM for Germany – anonymous, no KYC, from $1.60/GB
Telekom and Vodafone 5G in every major city.
Per GB
$1.60
No daily fees
Networks
Telekom · Vodafone
5G
Hotspot
Included
Tether laptops, tablets, consoles
The simplest eSIM for Germany is one you install before you fly: it connects to Telekom or Vodafone as soon as you land, needs no PostIdent check, and costs $1.60 per GB with no expiry. Germany has the strictest SIM registration in Western Europe, and a local prepaid SIM means verifying your passport through PostIdent or VideoIdent, which can take a day.
This page explains how an eSIM for Germany works: what it costs, which networks you get, ICE trains, ID rules, setup, and how it compares with a local SIM. The same balance also works across the border in Austria and Switzerland.
How much does an eSIM for Germany cost?
$1.60 per GB, billed per MB from a USD balance that never expires; a one-time $5 setup fee applies to a new eSIM.
One rate: $1.60/GB, metered per MB against a prepaid USD balance — this is how our no-KYC eSIM works, and the balance never expires. No daily passes, no expiring bundles, no throttling tiers - unused credit stays on your eSIM forever and works in the next country you visit.
| Top-up | Data in Germany | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|
| $5.00 | ≈ 3.1 GB | $1.60/GB |
| $10.00 | ≈ 6.3 GB | $1.60/GB |
| $20.00 | ≈ 12.5 GB | $1.60/GB |
| $50.00 | ≈ 31.3 GB | $1.60/GB |
A one-time $5 setup fee applies to a brand-new eSIM; top-ups to an existing eSIM carry no fee. Rates are pay-as-you-go, so light days cost cents and heavy days just draw down the balance faster.
What should you look for in an eSIM for Germany?
Check the networks, the price per GB, expiry, hotspot, ID requirements, cross-border coverage and calls.
- Networks. Look for access to Telekom or Vodafone. Anon eSIM uses both, and your phone picks the stronger signal.
- Pricing model. Day-based bundles charge for time; per-GB billing charges for what you use. Anon eSIM is $1.60/GB.
- Expiry. Many bundles expire after 7–30 days. An Anon eSIM balance never expires.
- Hotspot. Some plans limit tethering. Anon eSIM includes it at full speed.
- ID and account. German SIMs need PostIdent, and some eSIMs need an email account. Anon eSIM needs neither.
- Cross-border trips. Check that Austria, Switzerland and your other stops are covered on the same eSIM.
- Calls and texts. Most travel eSIMs, including Anon eSIM, are data-only. Use WhatsApp, Signal or FaceTime for calls.
What is arriving in Germany like?
Airport shops sell SIMs, but the ID check means activation can take hours; a pre-installed eSIM is live by the time you reach the S-Bahn.
Frankfurt, Munich and Berlin Brandenburg have carrier shops, but the identity step means you usually walk away with a SIM that activates hours later. A pre-installed Anon eSIM is on Telekom by the time you reach the S-Bahn; Frankfurt and Munich airport Wi-Fi is free and fast enough to install on arrival.
How much data does a Germany trip use?
Most visitors use 300–500 MB a day, so a five-day trip is about 1.5–3 GB.
Five-day Berlin trip plus a Deutsche Bahn day: BVG app, maps, messaging, photos
5 days · 1.5–3 GB · $ 2.40–$4.80 at $1.60/GB
German city trips run 300–500 MB a day. Five days is 1.5–3 GB, or $2.40–$4.80 at $1.60/GB. ICE trains have onboard Wi-Fi; regional trains do not, and rural gaps between cities mean your phone keeps hunting for signal, which drains battery more than data.
Which networks and speeds do you get in Germany?
Telekom and Vodafone, with 5G in major cities and LTE elsewhere; rural and regional-rail gaps affect every network.
Anon eSIM connects through roaming agreements with Telekom and Vodafone, with 5G typically available to roamers. Your phone picks the strongest partner signal automatically and re-selects as you move - there is nothing to configure.
Great in cities; German rural coverage is famously patchy on every network, so expect occasional dead zones on regional train lines.
Telekom has the best coverage in Germany; Vodafone is close in cities. 5G for roamers in Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, Hamburg and Cologne. German rural coverage is notoriously patchy on every network — expect dead zones on regional rail lines and in the Bavarian Forest, Harz and parts of the former East. Autobahn corridors are well covered.
Germany's third network, O2, isn't one of Anon eSIM's listed partners here, so your phone connects to Telekom or Vodafone.
The APN is provisioned automatically with the eSIM profile. You do not need to enter APN settings manually on iOS or Android - the only switch you must flip is Data Roaming: ON for the Anon eSIM line, because the service is technically a roaming profile everywhere it operates.
Telekom · Vodafone
Partner networks, selected automatically
5G
Typical roaming speeds, hotspot at full speed
200+ countries, one balance
Same eSIM keeps working across borders
Does an eSIM for Germany work on ICE trains?
Yes, on Telekom and Vodafone, with LTE for most routes and some known gaps that affect every network.
Long-distance routes are mostly covered, but stretches such as Kassel–Göttingen and parts of the Rhine valley have gaps on every network, often in tunnels and cuttings.
ICE trains have onboard Wi-Fi, which is a useful fallback for large downloads. Regional trains usually don't, and rural lines are where you'll notice the gaps most.
How do you set up your Germany eSIM?
Before you buy, check that your phone supports eSIM and isn't locked to a carrier on our compatible devices page. For a full walkthrough, see how to use an eSIM for international travel.
- 1
Buy credit
Pick an amount ($5 minimum) and pay by card, Apple Pay / Google Pay, or crypto (BTC, Lightning, USDT). No account, no email, no ID.
- 2
Install the eSIM
Scan the QR code from another screen, or tap “Install on this iPhone” for a one-tap LPA install. Works on iOS 12.1+ and Android 10+ with eSIM support.
- 3
Turn on Data Roaming
Enable Data Roaming for the Anon eSIM line only. Your primary SIM's settings are untouched. APN configures itself - no manual settings.
- 4
Land in Germany and connect
Your phone attaches to Telekom (or Vodafone) within a minute of leaving airplane mode.
- 5
Top up whenever
Balance running low? Add credit from the account page in under a minute. Same eSIM, same ICCID, no new QR - and no setup fee ever again.
Do you need ID or PostIdent for an eSIM in Germany?
Not for a roaming eSIM: German law requires ID checks for German SIMs, but a visitor's foreign profile isn't a German carrier's subscriber.
Telekommunikationsgesetz §172 (formerly §111) requires carriers to verify identity for every SIM, including prepaid, and since 2017 that verification must be done against an ID document through PostIdent, VideoIdent or an eID check. There is no anonymous German SIM. A visitor roaming on a foreign profile is not a German carrier's subscriber, so Telekom or Vodafone simply see an inbound roamer and no German identity record is created.
That's what makes Anon eSIM an anonymous eSIM in Germany: no PostIdent, no account and no ID at checkout. Your payment provider and the networks you connect to still see their own data, such as payment details and your device's identifiers.
On arrival: FRA, MUC, and BER have carrier kiosks but the PostIdent step is slow. An installed eSIM works on Telekom or Vodafone the moment you take airplane mode off.
Typical speeds: 40-150 Mbps on 4G; 200-600 Mbps on 5G in Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt. Prices from the live rates data: $1.60/GB, metered per MB against a prepaid USD balance.
Registration status
Passport required for local SIMs
Anon eSIM sidesteps this entirely - the eSIM is issued from an ID-free jurisdiction and you use it as a visitor's roaming SIM in Germany. No local paperwork.
How does Anon eSIM compare with a local German SIM or a bundle eSIM?
A local SIM can be cheaper per GB on a long stay but needs PostIdent; bundles expire; Anon eSIM is per-GB with no ID check and no expiry.
| Option | Typical price | ID check | Data expiry | Austria and Switzerland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anon eSIM | $1.60/GB ($8 for 5 GB) | None | Never | Same eSIM and balance |
| Telekom MagentaMobil Prepaid | €10–15 for 5–10 GB* | PostIdent or VideoIdent | Plan period | Depends on the plan's roaming terms |
| Bundle eSIM (e.g. Airalo) | About $11 for 5 GB / 30 days* | Email account | 30 days | Varies by plan |
*Competitor prices as quoted on 19 September 2026. Check current prices before you buy.
For a long stay with heavy data use, a local prepaid plan can work out cheaper once you've done the ID check. For short trips, multi-country routes, or if you'd rather not register your passport, the eSIM is simpler.
Compare providers on price, expiry and KYC in the no-KYC eSIM comparison.
Can one eSIM cover Germany, Austria and Switzerland?
Yes. The same eSIM and balance keep working when you cross into Austria or Switzerland; only the per-GB rate changes.
Switzerland is $4.80/GB because it sits outside the EU roaming framework, so it's fine for maps and messages but expensive for video. Check the current Austria rate on the rates page before you go.
The eSIM re-attaches to a local network automatically as you cross the border. There's no new QR code and no new plan.
Travel profiles for Germany
Trip-specific breakdowns of what to expect, how much data, and what it costs.
Popular cities in Germany
Germany eSIM FAQ
Does Anon eSIM work on ICE trains?
+
Yes on Telekom and Vodafone, with LTE for most of the route and known gaps on some stretches (Kassel–Göttingen, parts of the Rhine valley) that affect every network. ICE onboard Wi-Fi is a useful fallback.
Do I need to do PostIdent or VideoIdent?
+
No. Those are the German carrier requirements for a German SIM. Anon eSIM is issued abroad and needs no identity check at all.
Is 5G available to roamers in Germany?
+
Yes. On Telekom and Vodafone, an eSIM for Germany gets 5G in the major cities and LTE elsewhere at 40–150 Mbps.
Will it work in Austria and Switzerland on the same trip?
+
Yes. Switzerland is $4.80/GB because it sits outside the EU roaming framework — fine for maps and messages, expensive for video. Austria is billed at its own rate, listed on the rates page.
Can I pay by SEPA or Giropay?
+
Not currently. Card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Bitcoin Lightning and USDT are the options. Lightning is the most private and settles in seconds.
Can I get a German phone number with an eSIM?
+
Not with Anon eSIM. It's data-only, so use WhatsApp, Signal or FaceTime for calls, and keep your home SIM active for texts and two-factor codes.
The bottom line
The easiest eSIM for Germany is one you install at home: no PostIdent, $1.60/GB on Telekom or Vodafone, and a balance that carries over to your next trip.
If you're travelling further, the one eSIM for all of Europe page lists every country's rate, and the rates page covers the rest of the world.
Other europe destinations
Works the moment you land
Phone connects to a local network in Germany automatically.
Installed in 60 seconds
QR or one-tap install. APN configures itself.
One eSIM for the whole region
Cross borders and the same eSIM picks the local network.