Getting a Dutch SIM card as an expat: prepaid or SIM-only?

As of 29 September 2026: buy a prepaid SIM when you arrive, and move to a monthly SIM-only plan once you have a Dutch address and a euro bank account. Prepaid needs no contract; supermarkets and phone shops sell them. A SIM-only contract usually asks for a Dutch address and a bank account for direct debit. Simyo's English site, for example, lists 400 minutes/texts from €6 a month on a 24-month contract to €8 on a monthly contract, with data added separately (Simyo). Buying a phone on instalments with more than €250 of device credit leads to a registration with the BKR credit agency (BKR); that is not a negative mark, but lenders see it if you later apply for a mortgage.

Prepaid means you top up credit in advance; SIM-only is a monthly subscription without a phone. Both give you a Dutch 06 number.

For a longer comparison, see prepaid vs SIM-only (in Dutch).

Usually a Dutch address, a bank account, ID and an email address. Odido says its contracts need a residential address in the Netherlands and a Dutch bank account, and that without Dutch ID you can take SIM-only but must pay for a phone upfront (Odido, English page). Simyo asks for a €0.01 test payment to verify your account, and a foreign bank account can be arranged through its customer service (Simyo, DutchNews).

• Bank account: under the SEPA Regulation, a company offering euro direct debit must accept any EU/EEA IBAN (De Nederlandsche Bank). Online forms sometimes don't; contact customer service or report it to DNB.
• BSN: telecom providers are not among the organisations allowed to use it (Rijksoverheid). Make it unreadable on any ID copy.
• Age: you usually need to be 18 to sign a contract.

Setting up home internet at the same time? See how to get internet in the Netherlands.

At supermarkets, phone shops, electronics stores and provider websites. The big networks (KPN, Vodafone, Odido) and budget brands such as Simyo and Lebara all sell prepaid (DutchReview). Many brands also offer an eSIM, which you can activate straight away without waiting for post. Check whether your phone supports eSIM and is not SIM-locked.

Any of the three national networks works well in cities; differences show up mainly in rural areas and indoors. The Netherlands has three mobile networks: KPN, Odido and Vodafone. Budget brands use one of them; Simyo, for example, runs on KPN's network (Simyo). Odido says its 5G reaches about 98 percent of the Dutch population (Odido). Pick a network that works well where you live and work, then the cheapest brand on it.

Compare current deals by data bundle on SIM-only comparison or all SIM-only plans. Travelling a lot? Check which countries are included first: roaming with a Dutch plan.

From about €7 a month for a basic plan to €20 or more for large or unlimited data. As an example, Simyo's English site (29 September 2026) lists 400 minutes/texts for €6 (24 months), €7 (12 months) or €8 (1 month), with data bundles added from €0.50 to €9 depending on size and contract length (Simyo). A longer contract is cheaper per month, but a monthly plan gives you freedom if you are not sure how long you will stay.