Germany · Handyvertrag

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Get a SIM or phone contract in Germany

A German mobile number makes everything in Germany easier — two-factor logins, delivery notices, bank verification. Prepaid SIMs activate the same day with no credit check, while monthly contracts are cheaper long-term but usually run a SCHUFA check and tie you in for 24 months.

Prepaid: ~€10–20/month, no commitment. Contracts: ~€20–40/month, 24-month term.

Good to know — wherever you live

  • Every SIM must be registered to your passport or ID by law — buy from a shop or a reputable online seller, never an unregistered card.
  • Prepaid is the smart first move: a German number without needing an address or German bank account yet.
  • Check coverage by network, not just price — Telekom (D1) has the widest reach, especially on trains and outside cities.
  • Contracts auto-renew; note the cancellation window (now max 1 month after the first term) so you're not locked in another year.

Now pick your city

The office, booking portal and local quirks differ from city to city — your city's guide has the exact steps, documents and booking link.

BerlinMunichHamburgFrankfurtCologneDüsseldorfStuttgartLeipzigDortmundEssenBremenDresdenHannoverNurembergBonnMannheimKarlsruheMünsterAachenMainzAugsburgWiesbadenBielefeldBochumWuppertalFreiburgHeidelbergDarmstadtRegensburgWürzburgKielLübeckPotsdamSaarbrückenRostockErfurtJenaHalle (Saale)MagdeburgChemnitzBraunschweigOsnabrückKasselKoblenz

TiG Desk — free iPhone app

The letters that come with Get a SIM or phone contract, read for you

Photograph an official letter and TiG Desk tells you who sent it, what you have to do and by when — then keeps the document on your phone and reminds you before the deadline. Free, and it works without an account.

Download on the App Store →SIM, bank, electricity →

Doing this one online instead? TiG Pilot explains each field of the authority's own form while you fill it.