Traveling to the Netherlands soon? Let me help you finding the best way to stay connected! Get yourself a local prepaid sim card for your trip in my country or an e-sim card so that you save on high roaming charges. Don't get fooled by slow overseas data roaming packages, they limit the internet speed abroad. In this guide you will find where to buy a sim card in The Netherlands, up to date prices as per August 2023, all about e-sim cards for the Netherlands, info about buying a sim card at Amsterdam Airport, the best 4G/5G network, my recommendation and info about international sim cards for The Netherlands.
The first thing I do when traveling abroad is finding ways to get connected. Buying a local prepaid sim card is often the cheapest way to get a lot of data on your phone, but e-sim cards for traveling are turning out to be the easiest way to get connected.
Normally I advice to get connected straight away upon arrival if you want to buy a prepaid sim card but prices for Netherlands sim cards at Amsterdam Airport are pretty shocking for tourists. Read more about it in my guide for buying a sim card at Amsterdam Airport Shiphol in 2023.
I was born and raised in The Netherlands and I must say things are very well organized in our small country. However, prepaid sim cards for tourists are pretty expensive compared to other countries in Europe.
As I am on a journey to visit every country in the world I have been to a lot of airports and countries and everywhere I go I write a sim card guide. Therefore on Traveltomtom you can find guides to stay connected from USA to Dubai, from Gabon to Malaysia and from Russia to South Africa. The list is long: Panama, Costa Rica, Hong Kong, Vietnam, South Africa, Egypt, Turkey, Jordan, Pakistan, Oman, Brazil, Peru, Singapore, Bali, Bangkok, Melbourne, etc.
Looking for inspiration where to travel in Holland? Click on the link for my list of the 30 best places to visit in Holland. Including a map on where to find these top sights and tourist attractions.
Why buying a sim card for The Netherlands
There is free WiFi EVERYWHERE in The Netherlands! But a very simple question... do you want to rely on other people and constantly ask for the WiFi password? What if the WiFi is not working or the signal is weak? And did you know that surfing the internet on public WiFi is through an UNSECURED network? Using a VPN in these cases to protect your data and privacy is recommended.
Being connected to the internet has many advantages and it makes traveling so much more convenient. Order a taxi on Uber, look for a cool rooftop bar nearby, get directions and search for nearby gas stations on Google Maps for example, download the train schedule, etc.
There are so many reasons to come up with to stay connected when traveling to Netherlands. Think also about emergencies, your bank and payment apps, etc.
My recommendation
Traveltomtom recommends an e-sim card for the Netherlands. E-sim cards and international sim cards for The Netherlands are much more affordable than the expensive prepaid sim cards you can buy in The Netherlands.
Another advantage is that you can arrange everything online within just a couple clicks and you are online as soon as the plane lands.
If you really want to buy a prepaid sim card in The Netherlands than Traveltomtom recommends a Vodafone sim card. They have a great 5G network and the 'best' prepaid data sim card plans. For €30 Euro you get 10 GB data. For $20 USD you get 10 GB data on an e-sim card, see below.
Traveltomtom also recommends looking into buying an international sim card that covers The Netherlands! Check out the article in the link about the best global sim cards for traveling in 2023 and you will find some great deals for traveling to Europe too.
E-sim cards for The Netherlands
The easiest way to stay connected when traveling to the Netherlands in 2023 is an e-sim card! You can order one right now and you are sorted within a couple minutes. Receive a QR code in your email, instal the e-sim card by following the steps and your are set.
Check out the following e-sim card deals for The Netherlands:
- 1 GB data for 7 days = $4.5 USD
- 2 GB data for 30 days = $7 USD
- 3 GB data for 30 days = $9 USD
- 5 GB data for 30 days = $12 USD
- 10 GB data for 30 days = $20 USD
- 20 GB data for 30 days = $30 USD
Click here to order a Netherlands e-sim card directly online or find more info.
The above HèHè e-sim cards are only valid in The Netherlands and do NOT support phone calls. They operate on the 4G and 5G mobile network of KPN and Vodafone.
There are also international e-sim cards that support calls and texting and are valid in more than 70 countries around the world:
- 10 GB data + $2 calling credit (top-up possible) for 30 days = $24.90 USD
- 8 GB + unlimited calls/text for 14 days = $29.90 USD
- 20 GB + unlimited calls/text for 14 days = $49.90 USD
Click here to order an international e-sim card for traveling to The Netherlands or find more info.
Make sure your phone is unlocked and is e-sim card compatible before ordering an e-sim card for the Netherlands.
Is your phone not e-sim card compatible or you simply want a physical e-sim card then you can also order an international prepaid sim card for traveling in The Netherlands online. For $49.90 USD you get 20 GB data in Europe including unlimited texting and calling all over Europe. Click here to order this Netherlands sim card directly online or find more info in the link.
Netherlands prepaid sim cards and EU data roaming
Good thing about the prepaid sim cards you buy in the Netherlands is that they all come with FREE data roaming in Europe. That means when you buy a sim card in Amsterdam you can use the data, calling and texting credit also in Italy, France and every other country in the EU at no extra costs.
However, prepaid sim cards in The Netherlands are pretty expensive and the value for money is not good compared to other European countries. Therefore Traveltomtom does NOT recommend Netherlands sim cards for traveling in Europe. In France you can already get 200 GB data for €9.99 per month.
For more info on free EU data roaming check out my guide Check out my guide for buying a local prepaid sim card on arrival in Europe.
If you are traveling to The Netherlands and then onwards to other European countries then I am sure you are going to love the following list with the best prepaid sim cards for traveling in Europe in 2023. In my comparison you will find prepaid and e-sim cards that work all over the EU and the UK.
Where to buy a sim card in The Netherlands
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
The most convenient place to buy a prepaid sim card for The Netherlands is on arrival at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam. Unfortunately there are only resellers and prices for tourist sim cards at Amsterdam Airport are pretty steep. Read more about it in my complete guide for buying a sim card at Amsterdam Airport in 2023.
City center
Did you miss the opportunity at Amsterdam International Airport or you want to get the best prepaid sim card deals for The Netherlands then go to any of the mobile internet provider stores in the city center. You will find them in any bigger city: Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Utrecht, Eindhoven, The Hague.
The easiest way to find the nearest mobile internet provider store is to go to Google Maps and type in your preferred phone store. Surely there is a place within a couple hundred meters that sells prepaid sim cards for tourists.
You can also find Netherlands sim card deals at Amsterdam Airport, click on the link to find out more about it. But be aware those deals are much more expensive than in stores around Amsterdam and anywhere else in The Netherlands. It does not matter where you buy a sim card in Amsterdam or anywhere else in Holland. Almost everyone will speak good English and is happy to help you.
Online
There is no easier way than ordering a sim card for traveling in The Netherlands on the internet. You will find many different international prepaid sim cards for The Netherlands online. These sim cards will be shipped to your home address before your trip, but even easier is an e-sim card for The Netherlands.
Mobile internet operators in The Netherlands
In Holland there are a bunch of small MVNO's but looking at the bigger picture there are 3 main mobile internet providers: Vodafone, KPN and T-Mobile. They all sell prepaid sim cards for tourists.
All the MVNO's (Virtual Mobile Network Operators) sim cards you can buy in supermarkets: Lycamobile, Lebara Mobile, Albert Heijn, etc. I will explain a little about these sim cards as well, but it is not directly recommended for foreign tourists. It gets a little complicated buying and activating these sim cards as packages are in Dutch.
Best 4G/5G network in The Netherlands in 2023
The Netherlands has some of the most extensive mobile networks in the world and literally every corner of the country is covered with a 4G+ signal. But we are in 2023 and we want 5G, so let's compare the 4G/5G network in The Netherlands per operator updated for 2023.
KPN 4G/5G network coverage
T-Mobile 4G/5G network coverage
Vodafone 4G/5G network coverage
From the above 4G/5G network coverage maps for The Netherlands it is very easy to conclude that all the best places to visit in The Netherlands are covered with a 5G signal. Mobile internet in the Netherlands is very advanced even off the beaten path. There is not much difference but based on the network coverage maps KPN has the best 4G/5G network in The Netherlands in 2023.
Prices Netherlands prepaid sim cards in 2023
Holland is a very laid back country and I am proud being Dutch but not all that glitters is gold! Prices for prepaid data sim cards in The Netherlands are expensive and therefore I have already mentioned more often that an e-sim card for The Netherlands is the best way to stay connected.
The below prices and info are updated per August 2023 and prices are in Euros: $1 USD = €0.91 EUR and €1 EUR = $1.10 USD.
Vodafone prepaid sim card
There are 3 data packages available when you buy a Vodafone Netherlands sim card. There are no activation costs and the sim card is free. Clear, simple and easy. The data plans are valid for 1 month in all of Europe:
- 2 GB data = €10
- 4 GB data = €15
- 10 GB data = €30
For calls in Netherlands and the EU you will have to buy an extra package: 100 minutes & sms = €4. For more info check the Vodafone website.
KPN prepaid sim card
A KPN prepaid sim card cost €4.99 and comes with €10 credit. To add data to your prepaid sim card you will need to buy an internet bundle.
- 3 GB data = €16
- 5 GB data = €22
There is also a daily data plan, which is valid for 24 hours: 1 GB data in the EU for €1.99 EUR.
Don't be fooled by the KPN Netherlands prepaid sim card with unlimited data for €10, the internet speed is only 128Kbit/s, that is slower than 3G! For more info check out the KPN website.
T Mobile prepaid sim cards
Buying a prepaid sim card from T-Mobile Netherlands also costs €10 and comes with €10 credit. If you would top up the first time you get 1 GB data for free. T-Mobile offers unlimited high-speed internet for €2.95 per day and €5 in the weekend. They also have combination plans:
- 1 GB data + 10 minutes/sms = €10
- 2 GB data + 15 minutes/sms = €15
- 4 GB data + 20 minutes/sms = €22.50
Still much much more expensive than Vodafone Netherlands. For more info check the T-Mobile website.
Prepaid sim card Albert Heijn
Just out of curiosity I also looked at the prepaid sim card for the Netherlands that Albert Heijn is offering. AH is the biggest and most well-known supermarket in Holland that can be found anywhere around Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and the rest of the country.
This is the best AH prepaid sim card plan:
- 5 GB = €30
- Network KPN
- 75 minutes calling = €4
- valid for 31 days
You can buy the sim card and credit in any bigger AH supermarket, but everything is in Dutch and you have to activate it yourself as well through the AH app. Surely someone will help you, but buying an Albert Heijn sim card is not recommend for tourists as it is just too complicated and the prepaid sim card plan is not even better than any other tourist sim card.
Mobile Internet speed in The Netherlands
According to Wikipedia Netherlands has the 7th fastest mobile data download speed in the world with an average download median of 109 Mbps. It makes sense when you see that almost all of the Netherlands is covered with a 5G signal.
Best prepaid sim card for Netherlands in 2023
Comparing all the available prepaid sim cards, international and e-sim cards for tourists in The Netherlands in 2023 I came to the conclusion that buying a sim card for The Netherlands online is cheaper than buying a prepaid sim card in The Netherlands on arrival. Prepaid sim cards in Netherlands are expensive!
However, based on my comparison Vodafone is the best prepaid sim card in Netherlands in 2023. For €30 you get 10 GB data and for €4 extra you get 100 minutes for calls valid for 1 month all over Europe. The best prepaid sim card deal in The Netherlands you can find!
Order a sim card for The Netherlands online
Prices for prepaid sim cards in Netherlands are way higher compared to other European countries. Therefore my article about the best prepaid sim cards for traveling in Europe in 2023 is totally worth it. But above you can already see some international sim card deals for the Netherlands.
These travel sim cards are pre-activated and will be send to your home address before your trip to The Netherlands. Make it very easy for yourself and order an international sim card on the internet and be online as soon as the plane lands.
Three data pack 10 GB - $24.90
- 10 GB data in all of Europe and UK
- Unlimited calls/sms within Europe and UK
- Valid 30 days
O2 Go Card - $24.90
- 10 GB data in all of Europe and UK
- $2 calling credit
- Valid 30 days
Orange Holiday Europe - $49.90
- 20 GB data in Europe and in the UK
- Unlimited calls/sms in Europe and the UK
- 120 minutes worldwide
- 1,000 sms worldwide
- Valid 14 days
Click here to order one of the above sim card deals for The Netherlands directly online or find more info.
Personally Traveltomtom recommends the Orange sim card with 20 GB data. I have used it myself a lot and it worked perfectly.
But as mentioned many times before when traveling to Europe or The Netherlands I always use an e-sim card nowadays. Ordering a data-only sim card for The Netherlands from Airalo is the cheapest, but I mostly order an international e-sim card from SimOptions including calls.
I hope the above tips for buying a sim card for The Netherlands were helpful for your upcoming trip to Holland. In case you have any questions don't hesitate to leave me a comment or question below. I am more than happy to help you out and as I am born and raised in in this country I am also happy to help you with all my travel tips for The Netherlands.
If you are interested what it looks like traveling to every country in the world then check out my Instagram profile @traveltomtom for some serious wanderlust. As of August 2023 I have visited more than 155 countries around the world.
Enjoy your trip to The Netherlands!
Some links in this article about the best way to stay connected in The Netherlands are affiliate links. If you buy any of the products after using an affiliate link I will earn a small commission. Don’t worry this is at absolutely no extra cost to you.