Bulgaria SIM cards are a must-have for tourists visiting the country, providing an affordable and convenient way to stay connected while exploring this beautiful Eastern European destination.
This blog post is for tourists heading to Bulgaria. It’s designed to help you pick the right SIM card easily. You’ll explore the top Bulgaria SIM cards for visitors, including their costs, where to get them, and how to use them. This way, you turn your trip into a new height!
In this article
You can find 4 ways to buy a tourist SIM card for Bulgaria:
Now, let’s discover which is the best way based on the comparison:
| Way of Buying | How to Do It | Where to Buy | Pros | Cons |
| Online before departure | Search online, choose a plan, pay online, and have SIM shipped | Websites of Bulgaria mobile carriers like Vivacom, A1, Telenor | Ready before trip, wide plan options, can research plans easily | Extra time for shipping, not ready for immediate use |
| At Bulgaria airports | Purchase SIM at kiosks in airports upon arrival | Sofia Airport, Varna Airport, Burgas Airport | Convenient pick up at airport, ready for immediate use | Limited plan options, higher prices |
| In the cities | Visit mobile carrier stores in cities | Stores in Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna etc. | Wider choice of plans compared to airports, SIM is ready | Take time to locate stores |
| Buying an eSIM | Order online, activation done digitally through the app | Websites of carriers supporting eSIM | Convenient activation, no physical SIM needed | Only work with the latest devices. |
► Recommendation: For tourists, getting an eSIM is best because it’s eco-friendly, and saves time and money.
Bulgarian prepaid SIM card prices are affordable, thanks to EU rules that limit roaming fees. Here are the basic offers from the 3 main providers: A1, Vivacom, and Telenor.
| Price | Data | Validity |
| 15 BGN (~$8.25) | 15 GB | 30 days |
| 25 BGN (~$13.75) | 30 GB | 30 days |
| 40 BGN (~$22) | 50 GB | 30 days |
| Price | SIM Card | Credit | Data | EU/EEA Data | Local Minutes | Validity |
| 12 BGN (~$6.6) | FREE2GO | 2 BGN | 12 000 MB | 5800 MB | 800 minutes | 60 days |
| 20 BGN (~$11) | DATA2GO | N/A | 25 000 MB | 9600 MB | N/A | 60 days |
| Price | SIM Card | Credit | Data | EU/EEA Data | Local/EU Minutes | Validity |
| 8 BGN (~$4.4) | Prepaid Starter Pack Telenor 8 BGN | 3 BGN (60 days) | 6000 MB | 2800 MB | 300 minutes | 14 days |
| 10 BGN (~$5.5) | Prepaid Starter Pack Telenor 10 BGN | 3 BGN (60 days) | 8000 MB | 3500 MB | 400 minutes | 30 days |
| 15 BGN (~$8.25) | Prepaid Starter Pack Mobile Internet 15 GB | N/A | 15 GB | N/A | N/A | 30 days |
| 25 BGN (~$13.75) | Prepaid Starter Pack Mobile Internet 30 GB | N/A | 30 GB | N/A | N/A | 30 days |
| 40 BGN (~$22) | Prepaid Starter Pack Mobile Internet 50 GB | N/A | 50 GB | N/A | N/A | 30 days |
Note: Price might change over time. Check it carefully before deciding to buy.
Yes, getting a SIM card in Bulgaria is a good idea because:
Tips:
To buy a prepaid SIM card in Bulgaria, prepare the following:
If you find the process of purchasing and registering a physical prepaid SIM card in Bulgaria to be complicated or cumbersome, you can opt for using an eSIM, provided that your phone supports this technology.
To know which one is the best, let’s explore the key features of each.
| SIM Card | eSIM |
| Pros: Available for all devices, can switch phones easily | Pros: Convenient digital delivery, no need to insert physical SIM |
| Cons: Require inserting physical SIM, possible to lose | Cons: Only compatible with eSIM-enabled phones, limited device options |
► Recommendation: Tourists should use an eSIM for convenience if their phone works with it, and pick the data-only option if they don’t need regular calls. Check if your device can use an eSIM first.
Traveling to Bulgaria has never been easier thanks to the introduction of eSIM technology. Gigago, a top company for digital SIM services, has a variety of prepaid eSIM plans that can really improve your experience in Bulgaria.
Using a Gigago eSIM in Bulgaria is easy and cheap. No roaming fees or physical SIM card hassles. With Gigago, tracking data and staying connected is simple.
For Bulgaria, Gigago offers multiple data plan options, starting from 1GB/day for 3 days with $3.00 . What is great about Gigago’s Bulgaria eSIM is that its plans’ costs are diversifying, varying between $3.00 – $95.90 .
Thus, it does not matter how many Internet users you are and how long your trip is in Bulgaria, there is always an option for you with Gigago.
The duration of a tourist SIM card in Bulgaria can vary depending on the carrier and the specific plan you choose. Here are some typical options from the major carriers:
In summary, most tourist SIM cards in Bulgaria are valid for periods ranging from 7 to 30 days, depending on the carrier and the specific plan you select.
Setting up your new Bulgarian SIM card/eSIM on your smartphone is very simple.
For traveling, a prepaid SIM is good because you only pay for what you use and avoid long contracts.
Yes, using your home SIM abroad can lead to high roaming charges. Buying a local Bulgarian SIM for data can save money.
Yes, you have to show your passport to get a prepaid SIM because it’s the rule there.
Yes, it’s easy to top up your prepaid SIM balance at retailers, online, or via ATMs using cash or cards with additional credit as needed.
Contacts are stored in VCF (vCard) format, which works well for sharing contacts.
If traveling to Bulgaria, getting Bulgaria SIM cards or eSIMs can make your trip more convenient than usual. It’s cheaper for calls, texts, and data than paying roaming fees. Hope you have a great trip to Bulgaria!
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