eSIM in Germany: how the SIM without a card works

What an eSIM is, which phones support it, how to get one, two numbers in one phone and what to watch out for when you change phones.

All prices in this guide come from our comparison of 385 German mobile tariffs and are average prices per month over 24 months, one-time costs included. As of 10 Nov 2026.

What an eSIM is

An eSIM is a SIM built into the phone. Instead of inserting a plastic card, you download a profile from your provider, usually with a QR code or straight from the provider’s app. After that everything works as usual: same number, same tariff, same prices. Whether a tariff runs on a plastic card or an eSIM usually makes no difference to its cost.

Does my phone support eSIM?

Most recent smartphones do: iPhones from the XS and XR of 2018, Samsung’s Galaxy S series from the S20, recent Google Pixel models and many current mid-range phones. The quickest check is to dial *#06#: if the phone shows an EID next to the IMEI, it has an eSIM. You can also look in the settings under “Mobile data” or “SIM cards” for an option such as “Add eSIM”.

How to get an eSIM

• New tariff: with most providers you choose eSIM instead of a SIM card when ordering. The QR code arrives by post, by email or in the app.
• Existing tariff: you can usually switch from the plastic card to an eSIM in your customer account or the app. Some providers charge a fee for this; it is in the price sheet.
• ID check: the law requires you to prove your identity for an eSIM too, for example by video call. How that works is explained in the SIM card ID check.

With some supermarket prepaid brands, everything starts with a starter pack from the till; whether and how an eSIM is possible there is on the provider’s site.

Two numbers in one phone

Phones with an eSIM are almost always dual-SIM: a plastic card and an eSIM, or two eSIMs, work at the same time. That is handy if you have a private and a work number, use a cheap data tariff next to your phone tariff, or want to keep your number from home. In the settings you choose which SIM is used for mobile data and which for calls. Turn off data roaming for a foreign SIM, or it can get expensive.

New phone, reset and loss

• When you move to a new phone, many providers let you transfer the eSIM directly; otherwise request a new profile in your customer account.
• Delete the eSIM on the old phone only once it works on the new one. Resetting a phone often deletes the eSIM too.
• If your phone is lost, have the SIM blocked by the provider and a new eSIM profile issued, just as with a plastic card.

An eSIM does not change what a tariff costs. Find the right tariff in the comparisons: 20 GB or more, no contract, data tariffs for a second SIM.