Best Prepaid Sim Cards in the Philippines (For Your Trip)
Traveling to the Philippines and you want to get a sim card to use during your stay? That’s certainly a good idea because prepaid sim cards in the Philippines are significantly cheaper than data roaming charges from your local provider.
At A Glance: Our Favorite Prepaid Sim Cards for Philippines
- SIM CARD WITH BEST 5G COVERAGE Globe Telecom
- GREAT VALUE FOR MONEY Smart Communications
- BEST SIM CARD FOR LONGER STAYS GOMO! Sim Card
The best prepaid sim card options, where to buy them, how much they’ll cost, and a few other things you need to know are all included in this guide. Keep reading to learn more about the best sim card providers in the Philippines and find the best option for you!
Globe Telecom
Globe operates the largest mobile network in the Philippines so their prepaid sim cards are a good option if you’re planning to explore the more remote areas of the country and you’re hoping to have coverage everywhere. Globe also has great 5G coverage throughout the country, and you can expect to have a high-speed internet connection in most places in the Philippines.
The provider’s prepaid sim card plans are:
- GOPLUS99: 8 GB / Unlimited Texts / 7 Days / ₱99 ($1.9)
- GOPLUS129: 10 GB / Unlimited Texts / Unlimited Calls / 7 Days / ₱129 ($2.4)
- GOPLUS149: 12 GB / Unlimited Texts / Unlimited Calls / 7 Days / ₱149 ($2.8)
- GOPLUS250: 15 GB / 15 Days / ₱250 ($4.6)
- GOPLUS400: 20 GB / 15 Days / ₱400 ($7.4)
You can purchase Globe prepaid sims at any place where sim cards are sold, so convenience stores, international airports, all Globe physical stores, online, etc.
Smart Communications
Smart Communications is considered to be the best network provider in the Philippines because they’ve got the fastest mobile network. If a fast Internet connection is a must during your stay in the Philippines, consider purchasing one of their prepaid tourist sim cards:
- Prepaid 5G-Ready Sim: up to 21 GB / Unlimited Calls and Texts / 7 Days / ₱40 ($0.75)
- Rocket SIM 699: Unlimited Data / 30 Days / ₱699 ($12.9)
- 5G Magic Sim: up to 24 GB / No Expiry / ₱399 ($7.35)
- Rocket Sim 199: 20 GB / 7 Days / ₱199 ($3.65)
I have to point out that for the Prepaid 5G-Ready Sim, their website states that you can get up to 21 GB of free data, but most other vendors that also sell this sim state that it only includes 1 GB of data. Honestly, that makes a lot more sense than 21 GB for less than $1. You get the 1 GB initially and then you can purchase more data if you run out.
DITO Telecommunity
DITO Telecommunity is a telecommunications company from the Philippines that offers a variety of prepaid sim cards. You can purchase their sim cards on the mobile website, through their app, or in the physical store, so if you want to check them out it’s best to do it on the phone instead of a PC.
To get a DITO sim card, you need to first purchase a DITO starter pack sim that retails for about 40 pesos. It includes up to 22 GB of all-access mobile data, plus you can purchase various level-ups that grant you a generous data allowance.
But there’s a catch; to get the 22 GB of data, you have to complete several steps. This includes purchasing the top-up on the same day as the sim card is activated, otherwise, you won’t be able to claim the majority of the “bonus” data included.
TM Sim Card
TM Sim Cards are widely available in the Philippines and there are many different plans to choose from. All TM Sim Cards access the Internet through the Globe network, and you can use the Globe App to refill any one of their sim cards.
The cheapest sim card plan from TM includes 1 GB of data that’s valid for three days. The catch is that you can only use that data to access one app of your choosing, and can be Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and a few mobile games. That’s certainly not ideal for most tourists in the Philippines, but it is worth mentioning since it’s wild that you can get a sim card for less than $0.2.
Their EasySurf plans are a much better option for travelers in the Philippines because they include mobile data and unlimited calls and texts. The plans include anywhere from 40 MB for surfing (10 pesos) to 50 GB (2,500 pesos) and the validity is from 1 to 30 days.
Overall, TM Philippines sim cards are not a bad option, but I think you’re much better off with an official globe prepaid sim card.
TNT Sim Card
TNT sim cards provide you with internet access on the Smart network. They all use the Giga Life app for top-ups, and these sim cards are very similar to the standard sim cards from Smart, although they offer a bit better value for money.
For example, you can get a 5G-ready sim card for just 30 pesos, which includes up to 21 GB of data. However, it’s the same deal as with the sim cards from Smart – you can get up to 21 GB of data if you complete certain steps.
First, you need to register the sim card online, and this will get you 5 GB, and some free calls and minutes. Download the GigaLife app and register to get an extra 2 GB, and then you can top-up the card with 200 pesos and you’ll get an extra 14 GB of data. It’s not a bad deal at all, but you have to do quite a few things to claim all that data.
You can also purchase TNT preloaded cards with the amount you pay for them. Then you dial the number on the card (it’s usually just *123#), which will bring up a menu of their current promos and freebies, and you can just use the preloaded money to purchase one of the existing deals.
GOMO! Sim Card
A GOMO sim is a good option for travelers who are staying in the Philippines for a while. The company prides itself on offering sim cards with large data allowances that never expire, so this is a good choice if you need a sim card that will be valid for longer than a month.
GOMO often runs promos that allow you to get a tourist sim card free of charge – you just pay for the data plan, and they usually let you choose between unlimited data or a 30 GB data allowance. The 30 GB sim card that doesn’t expire retails for just 400 pesos, which isn’t a bad deal at all. You can get unlimited data for the same price, but that’s valid only for 30 days.
It’s worth noting that you can opt out of their plan any time you want through the GOMO app. This is especially relevant if you sign up for the unlimited data plan since that has a monthly charge that they will take out of your account when the first 30 days expire.
It’s worth noting that GOMO! Is a digital provider only, and their sim cards are sold only online.
Is A Sim Card Essential When Traveling to the Philippines?
It’s not as essential as a passport, but it can certainly make your life easier when exploring the country. You won’t have access to free WiFi in many places in the Philippines, especially in the more remote areas of the country. So, if you want to have Internet access while you’re in the Philippines, whether it’s to check map directions, social media, or even to work, you will need a prepaid sim card.
A Philippines eSim can also work instead of a physical sim card, but only if your phone supports the technology. The main advantage of physical sim cards is that they usually include a local phone number so you can make calls and send/receive texts, which is rarely the case with embedded sims.
Things to Know Before Buying A Sim Card in the Philippines
Is Your Phone Unlocked?
Your phone must be unlocked if you want to use a sim card from a Philippine provider. If you purchased a phone from a network carrier and you’re tied with a contract, the device is most likely locked to that network.
The easiest way of checking if your phone is unlocked is to buy a sim card (or even eSim) from a different carrier and install it on your phone. You can even just borrow a sim from a family member or friend; if your phone works normally with the new sim, then it’s unlocked and you won’t have any issues getting a Philippine sim card to work.
On the other hand, if you’re struggling to get the new sim to work on your device and you can’t connect to a network at all, that means you won’t be able to use a prepaid sim card in the Philippines.
Are You Using A GSM Phone?
A GSM phone has the capability of connecting to multiple network providers, whereas a CDMA phone is always locked to one network provider and doesn’t allow for sim cards from a different provider.
The quickest way of checking whether your phone is GSM or CDMA is to dial *#06#. This will bring up a list of unique identifying serial numbers for your device; an IMEI number indicates that you have a GSM phone. If instead of IMEI you see a MEID (or ESN) number, it means the phone is CDMA and you won’t be able to use a sim card abroad.
If you see IMEI (MEID) number, it means your phone supports both CDMA and GSM, and it will work with any sim card seamlessly.
How to Buy A Sim Card in the Philippines
Buying A Sim Card Before Traveling to the Philippines
While you can theoretically buy a sim card before you travel to the Philippines, there’s genuinely no need. You’d just be paying ludicrous shipping charges to get it shipped to your home address, and there’s really no point in doing that when you can purchase a local sim card before you even exit the airport.
You’ll find sim card vendors at the Philippines international airports, and a plethora of Philippines travel sim cards on sale. These might be slightly overpriced though, so if you’re able to wait to find a convenience store somewhere in town, you can spend even less money on a local sim card.
Also, consider purchasing an eSim for the Philippines if your device supports the technology. You can purchase it from many international providers and have it before the trip, but activate it only after you’ve arrived in the country.
Buying A Sim Card in the Philippines
You can buy a sim card virtually anywhere in the Philippines. They’re available in stores of all network operators, as well as convenience stores such as the 7-11 stores, Family Mart, Mini Stop, and others.
Additionally, you can purchase a prepaid sim card at any international airport in the Philippines. Look for sim card vendors at the arrivals exit in one of the following airports:
- Ninoy Aquino International Airport Naia
- Clark International Airport
- Francisco Bangoy International Airport
- Iloilo International Airport
- Kalibo International Airport
- Mactan International Airport
How Much Does A Sim Card in the Philippines Cost?
On average, you can expect to spend $5-10 for a decent deal on a prepaid sim card. Philippines network providers offer surprisingly cheap prepaid sim cards for tourists, some for as little as 10 pesos. However, the cheapest sim cards often have limits on which apps you can use to access the Internet, and the proper sim cards that grant you mobile data as well as a phone number are slightly more expensive.
In any case, you can get a great prepaid sim card that’s valid for at least two weeks with a budget of just $10. If your budget extends to $15, you’ll be able to purchase a sim card that’s valid for 30 days and which includes unlimited mobile Internet access.
Generally speaking, sim cards in the Philippines can cost 2,500+ pesos (some $50), depending on the amount of data included.
How to Activate & Top Up Your Philippine Sim Card
Activating your Philippine sim card is super easy – just slot it into your phone and connect to the Internet. You might want to go into Sim Manager/Celluar settings and restrict your original sim from mobile data access, so you don’t accidentally use data roaming.
The one thing you will need to set up a sim card is a sim tray ejector tool. If you have a dual-sim phone, you can just slot it in next to your existing sim card. And in case your phone is not dual-sim, you will need to take out your existing sim and place it somewhere safe, where you won’t lose it during the trip. I would recommend keeping it in your wallet.
As for top-ups, you should be able to do it in every place where sim cards are sold. Just put more money on your prepaid sim, and then look at the website of the provider to see what kind of data bundle you can purchase. It’s usually much better value to buy a data bundle than to use mobile data until you run out of money, and if you’re not sure what bundles are available, you can find out in the physical store (or online store) of your tourist sim provider.
Managing Your Mobile Data in the Philippines
No matter which sim card you purchase, you will always be able to check how much mobile data you have left, either by sending a text to a number provided by the network operator, or by accessing their app. If you get a sim card from Globe or Smart, you will have access to an app with information on data usage, so you can always know just how much you have left.
You can also use these apps to top up your data if you run out. Another way to monitor your data usage is through your smartphone’s settings; you can usually check the data usage within the mobile data options on your phone, plus you can set it up so that you get notified when you reach a certain data usage threshold.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest prepaid sim card in the Philippines?
The cheapest prepaid sim card in the Philippines costs just 10 pesos, which is equivalent to $0.2. This sim card includes just 1 GB of mobile data for a single app of your choosing, so even though it’s extremely cheap, it’s not the best option for most tourists in the Philippines.
Can foreigners buy a sim card in the Philippines?
Yes, foreigners can buy a prepaid sim card in the Philippines. You can do so at any airport, convenience store, or physical store of a network provider. Foreigners can only purchase prepaid sim cards and not any postpaid plans.
