Buying a Prepaid Vietnam sim Card – which is the best for tourists

The best prepaid Vietnam sim card data plans for travelers to Vietnam. Where you can get a Vietnam sim card as a tourist? How much is a Vietnam sim card cost? Find your answers here.

If you plan a travel to Vietnam and want to avoid expensive roaming fees, buying a prepaid SIM Card for Vietnam is the way to go.

So, you are wondering what the best SIM Card for Vietnam is for your trip. Here’s the guide to what we think are the best prepaid options on the market, how much data should be enough for your trip, and things you need to consider before buying a SIM card for your Vietnam adventure.

Want a quick answer?

• Our choice for the best prepaid Vietnam travel SIM card is a SIM Card of Viettel, followed by Vinaphone, the 2 biggest mobile operators in Vietnam.
• In case you need to contact a lot of persons in Vietnam via phone or SMS, buy a regular SIM, but in case you just want to use data, buy the data-only SIM.
• You can buy a prepaid Vietnam data SIM in form of a physical SIM card or an eSIM which can be bought and delivered to you online.
• In case you have a normal demand for internet connection during your trip which lasts for around 15 days, 3 or 4GB of data is enough. In case you have a higher demand or a long journey (around 30 days), 8 – 9 – 12GB of data should fit.

1. Do I need a Vietnam SIM for my travel?

Yes.

When traveling to Vietnam, you will find that WiFi is everywhere these days, on the hotels you are staying, in the restaurant you are enjoying your dishes, at the café you are relaxing, etc.

But we are sure that you want to be connected on the road as well. Thank about ordering a taxi through an app, like Grab, finding nearby recommended restaurants, using Google Maps for directions and simply stay in touch and check social media apps and email. What happens if you are not connected to the internet then.

Being connected wherever in Vietnam will make your travel much easier, safer and even saves your money. Don’t get stuck somewhere because you don’t have a data connection on your phone.

In addition, buying a prepaid Vietnam sim Card with certain data plans at the local rates are easy now.

>> So, why not a Vietnam sim card for your travel?

2. Types of Vietnam SIM Cards

There are 2 ways to classify your Vietnam sim Cards, consisting:

• Functions,
• Forms, and
• Payment time.

2.1 Types of Vietnam SIM Card by functions

In this regard, we have 02 types of SIM cards, consisting:

• Vietnam Regular SIM card, which serves calls, SMS and data, and
• Vietnam Data SIM card, which serves data, and also possibly limited number of domestic and international calls, depending on the mobile operators.

2.2 Types of Vietnam SIM cards by forms

In this regard, Vietnam SIM cards are divided into Physical SIM cards and eSIM profiles.

Let’s see how they are different

2.3 Types of Vietnam SIM cards by payment time

In this regard, Vietnam SIM cards are divided into:

• Vietnam Prepaid SIM card (which is available for all locals and travelers), and
• Vietnam Postpaid SIM card (which requires certain conditions to be eligible).

As a tourist, we highly recommended you buy a Vietnam prepaid sim.

• If you just need a data connection, a Vietnam data sim card is highly recommended.
• If you have an eSIM-compatible phone, Vietnam eSIM is highly recommended.

3. How much data is enough for your Vietnam trip?

For most short trips, 3GB or 5GB of data will be enough to cover your common internet usage. However, if you are planning on using the internet more or if you are traveling for a month, you might want to consider the 10 – 15GB of data, or much more.

Let’s check the most popular data packages for tourists to Vietnam and how much does it cost:

4. How to buy a Vietnam travel sim Card

Here we suggest you 3 ways, also known as 3 places to buy a Vietnam prepaid data SIM card for your travel.

4.1. Buy Vietnam eSIM card online for your traveling

The most convenient and easiest way to stay connected when traveling to Vietnam is getting a Vietnam e-sim. This way of buying the Vietnam sim gives you a lot of advantages:

• You can easily order them online within less than a minute no matter where you are. You will then receive a QR code via email, you scan it and activate your eSIM data when you land in Vietnam, and get instant connectivity.
• You don’t have to pay for shipping
• You will not be required to queue in any physical store to get your SIM card.
• You are also not required to show the passport for registration.

Check out our amazing e-sim card deals for Vietnam:

After your checkout, you will receive the eSIM data QR code and the users’ instructions via email.

Note: Make sure that you have an eSIM-supported device.

4.2. Buy Vietnam sim at the international airport on arrival

Like many other countries around the world, it is EASY to find sim card shops or resellers at Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, or Da Nang airport.

Buying the SIM at Vietnam airports is considered the best if you don’t have an eSIM, as the staff here can speak English and guide you through the steps.

Buying a Vietnam prepaid sim card at the airport will give you certain advantages as follows:

• The staff here will help you insert your SIM, register with the mobile operator, and activate it, so you are hassle-free, just wait for them to complete. They can speak English, so you will get through easily.
• They are happy to take a credit card payment for your new Vietnamese SIM card, so you don’t even need to worry about going to the ATM first.
• Their Vietnamese SIM card and prepaid data packages are fixed by the mobile carrier, so the prices offered by them should all be roughly the same as the carrier’s offer (VND 150,000-350,000 (US $6.50-$15) depending on how long you’re going to be staying in Vietnam and how much mobile data you want).
• You can immediately connect to your internet, and book a Grab to your destination, which will save you money and hassle.

4.3 Buying Vietnam sim cards in official retail stores of mobile network operators

A great place to buy a sim card in Vietnam (you are in Vietnam) is at an official retail store, as you will never be overcharged. In case you are welcome by English-speaking staff, you will be well advised on what you need and everything will be set up quickly, and within minutes you will walk out of the store with a working data connection on your phone.

However, there must be a challenge if you meet a staff who cannot speak English or your language.

The best way to find the nearest shop is to go to Google Maps and type in, for example: Viettel. Google Maps suggest the list of nearby Viettel stores, or Vietnam Store (Search Nearby). Click on it and find the nearest store.

Or you can also visit their official websites to find their official store addresses:

• For Viettel offices for SIM cards in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, or other provinces/cities: check https://vietteltelecom.vn/cua-hang
• For Vinaphone offices for SIM cards in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, or other provinces/cities offices, check https://vinaphone.com.vn/ho-tro/diem-giao-dich
• For MobiFone offices for SIM cards in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, or other provinces/cities, check https://www.mobifone.vn/ho-tro-khach-hang/vi-tri-cua-hang

>>Remember to bring your passport with you as they will need it to register your new SIM card.

4.4 Buying Vietnam sim card at a street vendor

Yes, it is possible to buy Vietnam sim cards at street vendor. However, don’t expect the staff to know anything about the prepaid Vietnam data sim, they just give you what you ask for, even if they can’t speak English. Not recommended!

5. Best SIM card to get in Vietnam for tourists

There are now 4 main network operators in Vietnam, offering prepaid SIM card: Viettel, Vinaphone, Mobifone, and Vietnamobile.

Here is a quick summary of those 4 SIM card providers in Vietnam:

Item	Viettel	Vinaphone	Mobifone	Vietnamobile
Coverage	Best	Great	Good	Weak
Speed	Fast	Fast	Fast	Low
Price	Very cheap	Very cheap	Very cheap	Very cheap

The short version summary shows that:

• Viettel and Vinaphone are the 2 biggest mobile operators in Vietnam, it’s almost the same in terms of network coverage and speeds, but Viettel has better coverage in rural areas. These two providers are what we’d suggest you stick with.
• Mobifone has patchy coverage in rural areas, and Vietnamobile’s mobile internet is unusable if you leave major city centers, so we don’t suggest these two.

To prove our suggestions above, let’s look at the Vietnam Mobile Experience Awards recently published by OpenSignal:

We can see that:

• Vinaphone users experienced the fastest download and upload speeds
• Viettel Mobile is top for Voice App and Games Experience
• Viettel Mobile leads in 4G Availability and 4G Coverage Experience
• Vinaphone wins Excellent Consistent Quality outright and shares the Availability and Core Consistent Quality awards with MobiFone.

Now, let’s look at them one by one.

5.1 Viettel Vietnam Sim Cards

Viettel is the mobile market leader in Vietnam with about 40% of all customers on its network.

In addition to great coverage in urban areas, Viettel offers the best coverage in remote areas, even on 3G. Here are some of its fast facts:

• Best coverage in Vietnam (3G/4G/LTE)
• Best regional coverage in rural areas
• Reasonably priced

>>If you are wondering about the best sim card to get in Vietnam, Viettel is your perfect choice.

For Viettel Vietnam tourist sim, you can find both regular packages and data plans.

• In case you use a regular Viettel SIM Card, you will need to pay the SIM cost (which is around VND 50,000 – 60,000 ~ US $2.5 – 2.8), and then top it up for data plan registration (which costs you VND 5,000 to 70,000, ~ US $0.22 to 3.2) and calls and SMS.
• If you buy a tourist sim card, you only need to pay for the data plan, but it cannot be topped up.

5.2 VinaPhone SIM Cards

Vinaphone is the second operator in Vietnam, occupying 30% of the market share. It gives good coverage and speed throughout the country.

Here are some fast facts about Vinaphone Vietnam tourist sim cards:

• Great coverage in Vietnam (3G/4G/LTE)
• Great regional coverage in rural areas
• Reasonably priced

If you cannot find a Viettel tourist SIM in your place, a Vinaphone SIM card is your choice.

Like Viettel, Vinaphone offers both regular packages and data plans.

• In case you use a regular Vinaphone SIM Card, you will need to pay the SIM cost (which is around VND 50,000 – 60,000 ~ US $2.5 – 2.8), and then top it up for data plan registration (which costs you VND 5,000 to 70,000, ~ US $0.22 to 3.2) and calls and SMS.
• If you buy a tourist sim card, you only need to pay for the data plan, but it cannot be topped up.

5.3 MobiFone SIM cards

Mobifone holds around 20% market share of the country and is currently in the process of becoming privatized. Its data speeds and coverage may be good in the centers and around the coast, but can be patchy in the mountains.

Here are some fast facts about Vietnam tourist sims provided by Mobifone:

• Good coverage in Vietnam (3G)
• Reasonably priced
• 4G/LTE network needs some work
• Patchy regional coverage

Mobifone also offers both regular SIM Cards and tourist data sim Cards, but as the locals, it’s not our suggestion for you.

4.4 Vietnamobile SIM Cards

Vietnamobile is the smallest of the 4 mobile network operators in Vietnam with a market share of around 10%.

In 2011 they started with 3G services in Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang and Hanoi, but since then 3G coverage has been expanded to Ba Ria-Vung Tau, An Giang, Khanh Hoa, Binh Thuan, Dong Thap, Long An, Dong Nai, Thai Nguyen, and Binh Duong. In 2017 it covers 90% of the population in all 63 cities and provinces by 3G, but coverage is still lower than others. They have been awarded a 4G/LTE license, but it’s still much more restricted than the others.

Generally, we don’t suggest its data use to you at this time. 

6. Vietnam SIM card price

The Vietnam sim card cost may vary depending on the sim form, data, validity, and mobile carrier.

• For a data eSIM, it costs you US $9 to 15;
• For a physical SIM card: its costs are as follows:

>> For regular SIM Cards:

>> For data-only SIM Cards

* “Unlimited” data means max. 2 GB per day at high speed before throttling to 3G speeds.

• If you are using our eSIM, please text TRACUU D20 (if your plan is 4GB) or TRACUU D50 (if your plan is 12GB) to 8968.
• If you are using a physical data-only SIM, or a data-only eSIM of other providers, just visit your phone settings to check.
• If you are using a physical regular SIM Card with a certain data plan:
  • For Viettel Mobile: Text KTTK to 191
  • For Vinaphone: text DATA to 888
  • For MobiFone: Text KT [YOUR_DATA] to 999 (VND 200/sms).
  • For Vietnamobile: Text KT DATA to 345

7. FAQs