Traveling to the Netherlands soon? Let me help you finding the best local prepaid sim card for your trip in my country so that you save on high roaming charges. Don't get fooled by slow overseas data roaming packages, they slow down the internet speed abroad. Buying a local sim card for The Netherlands is simple and easy. In this article you will find where to buy a sim card, up to date prices as per July 2022, the best 4G/5G network, info about international and e-sim cards for The Netherlands and more.
The first thing I do when traveling abroad is buying a local prepaid sim card to get me connected. Normally I always buy a sim card at the airport but in Amsterdam Airport it was kind of shocking what they were offering for tourists. Buying a sim cards at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport is expensive and not necessarily recommended.
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.
As I am on a journey to visit every country in the world I have seen a lot of airports and countries and I write a prepaid sim card guide wherever I go. From USA to Dubai and from Gabon to Malaysia. The list is long: Panama, Costa Rica, Hong Kong, Vietnam, South Africa, Egypt, Turkey, Jordan, Pakistan, Oman, etc.
Looking for inspiration where to travel in Holland? Click on the link for the best places to visit in Holland. Including a map on where to find these top sights.
Why buy a sim card for Netherlands
There is free WiFi EVERYWHERE in The Netherlands! But a very simple question... do you want to rely on other people? 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 privacy is recommended.
Being connected to the internet has many advantages and it makes traveling so much more convenient. Order a taxi through a taxi app, 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 abroad. Think also about emergencies, your bank and payment apps, etc.
My recommendation
Traveltomtom recommends a Vodafone sim card for The Netherlands. They have the best 5G network and the best data bundle deals. But be aware prepaid data sim card deals in the Netherlands are expensive.
Traveltomtom does also recommend 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 2022 and you will find some great deals for traveling to Europe too.
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E-sim card for The Netherlands
Make it yourself very easy by ordering an e-sim card for The Netherlands, it is the easiest way to stay connected when traveling abroad in 2022! You can order one right now and you are sorted within a couple minutes. Receive a code in your email, instal the e-sim card in your settings and your are set. Check out the following e-sim card deals for The Netherlands:
- 1 GB data for 7 days = $6
- 3 GB data for 30 days = $12
- 5 GB data for 30 days = $18
- 10 GB data for 30 days = $27
Click here to order a Netherlands e-sim card directly online or find more info.
E-sim cards are data only sim cards so you can't use them to call or text in The Netherlands. In these cases you want to look into buying a physical sim card for Netherlands and great thing is that you can order them online. For $49.90 you get 20 GB data 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 sim cards and FREE data roaming in the EU
Good thing about the sim cards in the Netherlands is that all the prepaid sim cards 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 or even in the UK. Basically in more than 30 countries in Europe at no extra costs.
Unfortunately Netherlands sim cards 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 travelin in Europe. In France you van already get 200 GB data for €9.99 per month. Check out my guide with the best local prepaid sim card per EU country.
If you are traveling onwards to other European countries then I am sure you are going to love the following recently updated article about the best prepaid sim cards for traveling in Europe in 2022.
Mobile internet operators in the Netherlands
In Holland there are a bunch of small mobile internet providers 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.
There are also multiple prepaid sim cards that you can buy in supermarkets like Lyca Mobile, Lebara Mobile, Albert Heijn, etc. I will also highlight these prepaid sim cards for the Netherlands, but I do NOT recommend them for tourists. It gets too complicated buying and activating these sim cards.
Network coverage in The Netherlands in 2022
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 2022 and we want 5G, so let's compare the 4G/5G network in The Netherlands per operator updated per March 2022.
KPN 4G/5G network coverage
T-Mobile 4G/5G network coverage
Vodafone 4G/5G network coverage
From the above network coverage maps for The Netherlands it is very hard to distinguish which operators has the best 4G/5G mobile network in The Netherlands. All operators cover every corner of the country. There is not much difference, especially for tourists as all the best places to visit in The Netherlands are covered.
Prices prepaid sim cards in The Netherlands in 2022
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! I kind of feel happy I am hardly ever in Netherlands. ;)
Vodafone Netherlands prepaid sim card
There are 4 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, see the following packages:
- Vodafone prepaid 2GB = €10
- Vodafone prepaid 4GB = €15
- Vodafone prepaid 6GB = €20
- Vodafone prepaid 10GB = €30
Pretty clear, right? If you like to add cals in Netherlands and the EU you will have to buy an extra package: 100 minutes & sms = $4. The data packages are valid for 30 days in all of the EU. For the latest prepaid offers check the Vodafone NL website.
KPN Netherlands prepaid sim card
A KPN sim card cost €9,99, but comes with €10 credit and 1 GB data. To add data to your prepaid sim card you will need to buy a bundle per day: 1 GB data per day costs €1.99 and is valid all over Europe.
Don't be fooled by the KPN prepaid sim card for €10 with unlimited data, the internet speed is 128Kbit/s, that is slower than 3G! For the latest offers check the KPN Netherlands website.
T Mobile Netherlands prepaid sim cards
Buying a prepaid sim card from T-Mobile Netherlands also costs €10 and comes with €10 credit and 1 GB data. T-Mobile offers unlimited high-speed internet for €2.95 per day, 50% more expensive than KPN Netherlands. Their most popular data package are the combi bundles:
- €10 = 1 GB data + 10 minutes/sms
- €15 = 2 GB data + 15 minutes/sms
- €22,50 = 4 GB data + 20 minutes/sms
Still much much more expensive than Vodafone Netherlands. For more info check the latest prepaid offers from T-Mobile on their website.
Prepaid sim card Albert Heijn
Just out of curiosity I also looked at the prepaid sim card for the Netherlands Albert Heijn is offering. AH is the biggest and most well-known supermarket in Holland that can be found anywhere around Amsterdam and the rest of the country. This is their best prepaid sim card offer:
They also sell Dutch prepaid sim cards:
- 5 GB = €30
- Network KPN
- 75 minutes calling = €4
- valid for 31 days
You can buy credit yourself in any bigger AH supermarket, but everything is in Dutch and you have to activate it yourself as well through the app. Surely someone will help you, but buying an Albert Heijn sim card is not recommend for tourists.
Mobile Internet Speed The Netherlands
According to Wikipedia Netherlands holds the 3th place in the world behind Canada and South Korea when it comes to mobile internet speed. See the complete ranking on Wikipedia. The average download speed in The Netherlands is 54.8 Mbit/s. Double as fast almost as Germany, which only holds the 23th place with 28.7 Mbit/s.
Where to buy a sim card in Amsterdam?
The easiest way to find the nearest mobile internet provider shop is to go to Google Maps and type in the by you preferred shop. Surely there is a place within a couple hundred meters to buy your Netherlands sim card. Amsterdam has plenty of the above mentioned brands and may you happen to be close to a Media Markt, here they sell all the different prepaid sim cards with data for Netherlands.
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.
Best prepaid sim card for Netherlands in 2022
Comparing all the available prepaid sim cards for tourists in The Netherlands I came to the conclusion that first of all value for money buying a sim card in Netherlands is NOT GOOD!
Vodafone is the best prepaid sim card in The Netherlands in 2022!
They have the best 5G network and the cheapest prices. For €34 you get 10 GB data and 100 minutes/calls valid for 1 month all over Europe.
Buy a sim card for The Netherlands online
Prices for sim cards in Netherlands are way higher compared to other countries in Europe. Therefore checking my article about the best prepaid sim cards for traveling in Europe in 2022 is worth it. But you can also make it very easy for yourself and order an international sim card online that covers The Netherlands. Check the travel sim card deals below:
1. Orange Holiday ZEN - $29.90
- 8 GB data
- Unlimited calls/sms in Europe
- 30 minutes worldwide
- 200 sms worldwide
- Valid 14 days
2. Three PAYG AIO15 - $29.90
- 10 GB data
- Unlimited calls/sms in Europe
- Valid 30 days
3. Three PAYG AIO20 - $39.90
- 12 GB data
- Unlimited calls/sms in Europe
- Valid 30 days
4. Orange Holiday Europe - $49.90
- 20 GB data
- Unlimited calls/sms in Europe
- 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 last two available options: Three or Orange. Also another reminder that you can order an e-sim card for The Netherlands directly through this link.
I hope the above tips for buying a prepaid Netherlands sim card 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 also for Netherlands travel tips.
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 July 2022 I have visited more than 135 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 no extra cost to you.
