Compare SIM & eSIM Providers in Austria (2026)

A1 has the largest 5G footprint and best rural and Alpine coverage. Magenta leads urban download speeds in Vienna, Graz, Linz, and Salzburg. Drei has the cheapest 5G access through its discount brand up by Drei. RTR Q2 2025 data shows A1 36.2 percent, Magenta 24.9 percent, Drei 20.4 percent of 13.72 million consumer SIMs; the remaining 18 percent is split across MVNOs (HoT, spusu, yesss, Lidl Connect, up by Drei). The A1 discount brand bob closed in July 2026.

The cheapest mainstream plan in Austria is Lidl Connect Tarif L at €9.50 per 30 days for 100 GB on the Drei network. HoT fix at €9.90 for 70 GB on Magenta and yesss! SIMple M at €9.99 for 100 GB on A1 are the next two. The cheapest unlimited plan without an age limit costs €24.90 per month (up by Drei Unlimited+, or A1 SIMply L for A1 internet customers; €29.90 otherwise), since bob and its €18.90 Flex Unlimited closed in July 2026. The cheapest 5G plan is up Pure at €9.90 per month for 55 GB on Drei, the first sub-EUR-10 5G plan in Austria.

Yes. Every plan compared on this page includes EU roaming under the EU Roam Like At Home regulation. Fair-use limits apply: most MVNOs cap roaming data well below the domestic allowance (e.g. spusu legendär gives 17 GB roaming out of 100 GB domestic, A1 SIMply L gives 48 GB out of unlimited). Check the per-plan EU column in the table above before heavy roaming. Voice calls and SMS to other EU countries are included with no extra fee on every plan.

Yes. Austrian law requires registration of every mobile SIM since January 2019 (Registrierungspflicht). You need a valid passport, EU national ID card, or Austrian residence permit at the point of sale, plus your Austrian address (Meldezettel not strictly required for purchase but useful for postpaid contracts). Online activation through brands like spusu accepts a passport photo. Prepaid SIMs sold at Hofer (HoT), Lidl (Lidl Connect), and Spar still require ID activation before they connect.

1 to 3 business days from when the new operator submits the Rufnummernmitnahme request. RTR sets the operator target at one business day for validation, with cutover scheduled overnight to minimise downtime. Holiday weeks and rejected requests can stretch the process to 5-7 business days. You stay on the old SIM until the cutover happens; the new SIM activates the morning of the switch with an SMS confirmation.

Nothing. RTR rules make Rufnummernmitnahme free by law under the Telekommunikationsgesetz (TKG). The new operator handles the request and bills you for the new plan; the old operator is required to release the number at no charge. Contract early-termination fees still apply if you port before your 24-month minimum term ends, but those are separate from the porting fee, which remains zero.

Yes, but you still owe the remainder of the contract. Porting itself is free and takes 1-3 business days regardless of contract status. Your old contract auto-cancels on the cutover date, but the old operator can bill an Auflösungsentgelt (early-termination fee) equal to the remaining monthly charges through the minimum-term end date. To avoid this, time the port for the last 30 days of your minimum term and request the Freigabe-Code accordingly.

No. Prepaid credit on the old SIM is forfeited at the cutover. Spend down the balance before initiating the port, or accept the loss. The number itself transfers cleanly; only the prepaid Euro balance and any unused data packages stay with the old operator. Contract-billed users have nothing to spend down because billing happens after consumption, not before.

Yes. A1 SIMply Youth gives unlimited data for €15.90 per month if you are under 26, or €12.90 if your household has A1 internet (A1, October 2026). up by Drei's Under27 plan at €14.90 is the Drei alternative. XOXO SMOOCHY at €9.99 per month for 100 GB on A1 is a student-only plan that requires a .ac.at email or active student-ID verification through ID Austria. All three plans drop to standard pricing once you turn 27.

Yes, through online operators that accept video-ident with a passport. spusu, A1, Magenta, and HoT all support this flow: visit the operator website, pick a plan, complete the 5-10 minute video-ident with your passport via webcam, receive the eSIM QR code by email, scan it on your phone. The eSIM activates immediately on connection to any 4G/5G network, including Austrian roaming from abroad. You can be on the right network the minute you land at Vienna Airport.