STC Saudi Arabia SIM Cards: What Tourists Should Know Before Buying

Jessica Taylor

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Latest update: August 2026

STC (Saudi Telecom Company) is Saudi Arabia’s largest mobile network operator. For tourists landing in major hubs like Riyadh or Jeddah, STC is often the default choice due to its massive coverage footprint and prominent airport store presence. This article offers everything you need to know about STC Saudi Arabia SIM cards for tourists, including network’s speeds, passport registration rules, current visitor plan prices, and how a Gigago Saudi Arabia eSIM compares.

What Is STC in Saudi Arabia?

STC is Saudi Arabia’s incumbent, state-established mobile operator and market leader, controlling roughly 49% of the country’s mobile market.

Originally created as the country’s national telecom provider in 1998, STC holds about 49% of the market—far ahead of Mobily (~24%) and Zain (~15%). Because it is the largest provider, STC offers the widest coverage across the country, making it the most reliable option for keeping a strong signal in small towns, long highway drives, and pilgrimage routes like Makkah and Madinah.

How Fast and Reliable Is STC’s Network?

STC is Saudi Arabia’s fastest mobile network for raw download and 5G speeds, though Mobily leads in consistency across major cities.

According to independent performance testing data from Opensignal, STC leads nationwide in overall speed, while Mobily edges ahead in connection reliability:

STC offers the fastest mobile data speeds and the broadest reach across regional routes. However, if your entire trip centers strictly on Makkah and Madinah, Mobily leads in 7 out of 9 major cities for overall city-level connection consistency.

Where Can You Buy an STC SIM?

You can buy physical STC SIM cards at official airport counters in Riyadh (RUH) and Jeddah (JED), or at retail stores across major cities.

Official STC kiosks operate alongside Mobily and Zain counters in the arrival halls at both King Khalid International Airport (Riyadh) and King Abdulaziz International Airport (Jeddah).

However, travelers report mixed availability regarding whether airport kiosks sell digital eSIM profiles on the spot or only physical SIMs. If you specifically want an eSIM ready upon landing, purchasing one online before departing is more reliable.

Away from airports, STC stores are located in almost every major shopping mall and city district.

How Much Does an STC Visitor SIM Cost Right Now?

STC Sawa Ziyara (Visitor) prepaid plans range from SAR 40.25 (~$11 USD) to SAR 190 (~$51 USD) depending on validity and data allowance.

The official Sawa Ziyara plan lineup includes:

• Visitor 35: SAR 40.25 for 5GB data + 1 hour of flex minutes (Valid 2 weeks)
• Visitor 52: SAR 60.00 for 20GB data + 2 hours of flex minutes (Valid 2 weeks)
• Visitor 65: SAR 75.00 for 31GB data + 3 hours of flex minutes (Valid 3 weeks)
• Visitor 104: SAR 120.00 for 65GB data + 5 hours of flex minutes (Valid 4 weeks)
• Visitor 130: SAR 150.00 for 75GB data + 6 hours of flex minutes (Valid 4 weeks)
• Visitor 165: SAR 190.00 for 101GB data + 10 hours of flex minutes (Valid 4 weeks)

What Do You Need to Buy an STC SIM?

Tourists need only a valid physical passport to purchase and register an STC SIM card.

Saudi law requires all prepaid SIM cards to be registered directly to a passport number at the point of sale. You do not need a separate visa document, as store staff simply scan your passport.

Registration limits: Reports indicate short-term visitors can register up to two prepaid SIM cards per passport across all Saudi networks combined (useful when buying for a travel companion), though some local sources state a limit of one SIM for tourist visa holders.

Should You Just Buy a Gigago Saudi Arabia eSIM Instead of STC SIM Cards?

Yes, buying a Gigago Saudi Arabia eSIM is the most convenient option because it connects directly to STC’s network while letting you skip passport registration and airport counter queues.

A Gigago travel eSIM gives you the exact same 5G/4G/LTE coverage as a local STC physical SIM across Riyadh, Jeddah, Mecca, AlUla, Yanbu, and beyond, with instant digital delivery to your email after purchase.

You can flexibly choose from 3 plan types, including Daily Data (e.g., 500MB/day to 3GB/day), Fixed Total Data (3GB to 50GB), or Unlimited Data (includes 1GB/day high-speed data, then unlimited data at 5Mbps afterwards). Plans range from 1 to 30 days, priced affordably between $1.90 and $185.90 USD. These plans are data-only (no traditional phone calls or SMS), but mobile tethering/hotspot sharing is fully supported.

Note that local Saudi SIM cards block WhatsApp and Viber Voice/video calls due to national telecom regulations, so using a travel eSIM like Gigago’s helps bypass these local domestic restrictions effortlessly.

Frequently Asked Questions