LIDL Connect
is a budget mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) in Austria sold at Lidl supermarkets, operating on the Drei network with affordable prepaid plans.
Austrian Telecommunications (MVNO)| Entity Type | Operated By | Host Network | Plan Type | Where to Buy | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) | Lidl Österreich | Drei (Hutchison Drei Austria) | Prepaid, no contract | Lidl supermarkets | Austria |
Offerings
LIDL Connect: Plans & Prices
| Plan / product | Details | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Lidl Connect Tarif M | 10 GB(as of 2026-06) | EUR 5.90/30 days |
| Lidl Connect Tarif L | 100 GB, unlimited national min/SMS(as of 2026-06) | EUR 9.50/30 days |
| Lidl Connect Tarif XL 5G | 150 GB, 5G(as of 2026-06) | EUR 14.50/30 days |
Prices from LIDL Connect. Verify current pricing on the provider site before buying.
LIDL Connect Pricing
LIDL Connect's voice tariffs run from EUR 0 to EUR 14.50 per 30 days (verified on lidl-connect.at, as of August 2026): BASIC at EUR 0, Tarif M at EUR 5.90 for 10 GB, Tarif L at EUR 9.50 for 100 GB on 4G with unlimited national minutes and SMS plus 500 EU minutes, and Tarif XL 5G at EUR 14.50 for 150 GB with 5G, unlimited minutes and SMS, and 22 GB of EU roaming data.
Separate internet-only SURF tariffs cost EUR 19.50 (SURF), EUR 28.50 (SURF 5G), and EUR 34.50 (SURF 5G Plus) per 30 days. The recurring 'Black' promotion offers unlimited data plus unlimited calls and SMS for EUR 14.90 per month with speeds up to 150 Mbit/s.
All plans are prepaid with no activation fee and no contract, topped up in the LIDL Connect app or Kontomanager. Linking the Lidl Plus loyalty app adds bonus data on several tariffs (for example unlimited data on Tarif L and 200 GB on Tarif XL 5G). Verify current prices on lidl-connect.at before citing, as promotions change.
Overview
LIDL Connect: TL;DR
LIDL Connect Company Overview
LIDL Connect launched in Austria on 1 July 2019 as a cooperation between Lidl Österreich and Drei (Hutchison Drei Austria), which supplied the network, mobile expertise, and back-office service. It was marketed as one of Austria's largest mobile launches in years.
LIDL Connect is not an independent MVNO in the classic sense but a branded reseller: the tariffs carry the Lidl brand, while Hutchison Drei Austria operates the service and hosts it on the Drei network. This is the same host network used by spusu, and it is a different arrangement from LIDL Connect in Germany, which runs on a separate network.
The brand belongs to Lidl Österreich, part of the German Schwarz Group, one of the world's largest retailers. Distribution runs through more than 250 Lidl stores across Austria plus the lidl-connect.at webshop, rather than through dedicated telecom shops.
LIDL Connect Product & Network Features
LIDL Connect runs on the Drei (Hutchison Drei Austria) network, which offers 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G nationwide. Coverage is strongest in urban areas and can be weaker in some rural and Alpine regions, consistent with the underlying Drei network footprint.
5G is available on the brand's 5G-capable tariffs, including Tarif XL 5G and the SURF 5G data plans, with advertised download speeds up to 150 Mbit/s on the flagship voice tariffs. Cheaper tiers such as Tarif M and Tarif L run on 4G.
Plans are prepaid with no contract and no activation fee, billed in 30-day cycles. Customers top up in the LIDL Connect app or the online Kontomanager. eSIM is supported, with the activation code sent by email.
EU roaming is included on the main tariffs under Roam Like at Home, for example 22 GB of EU roaming data plus 1,500 Austria-to-EU minutes and SMS on Tarif XL 5G. Linking the Lidl Plus loyalty app unlocks bonus data, such as unlimited data on Tarif L and an extra 50 GB on Tarif XL 5G.
LIDL Connect Target Market
LIDL Connect targets budget-conscious and occasional mobile users who already shop at Lidl and want a cheap Austrian SIM without a contract, credit check, or store visit to a telecom provider. The pitch is convenience at the supermarket checkout plus low headline prices.
The Lidl Plus tie-in aims squarely at the retailer's existing loyalty-app users, rewarding them with bonus data so the SIM reinforces the wider Lidl shopping relationship rather than standing alone.
Its best fit is the price-sensitive resident, student, or second-SIM user comfortable with German-language self-service, urban coverage, and prepaid top-ups, rather than someone needing premium nationwide reliability or English-language support.
How LIDL Connect compares
LIDL Connect in Austria is NOT the same as LIDL Connect in Germany, which uses a different network. Austrian LIDL Connect operates on the Drei network. LIDL Connect is distinct from HoT (Hofer, on Magenta network). Both are supermarket-branded MVNOs but use different networks.
Comparison
LIDL Connect Competitive Landscape
LIDL Connect's closest rivals are the other supermarket-sold budget SIM, HoT (Hofer Telekom), and spusu, which shares the same Drei host network. All three compete on cheap, no-contract prepaid tariffs rather than premium coverage.
HoT is Austria's largest budget MVNO by subscribers and runs on the Magenta network, sold at Hofer (Aldi) checkouts. spusu runs on the same Drei network as LIDL Connect and is known for transparent pricing and data rollover. LIDL Connect differentiates mainly through its Lidl Plus loyalty-app data bonuses and its aggressive 100 GB for EUR 9.50 headline plan.
| LIDL Connect | HoT | spusu | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Host network | Drei (Hutchison Drei Austria) | Magenta Telekom | Drei (Hutchison Drei Austria) |
| Where sold | Lidl supermarkets + webshop | Hofer supermarket checkouts | Online at spusu.at (no supermarket) |
| Cheapest paid plan (as of Aug 2026) | Tarif M, EUR 5.90/30 days, 10 GB | HoT smart, EUR 5.90/30 days, 10 GB | From EUR 4.90/month (entry plan) |
| 5G access | Yes, on 5G tariffs (e.g. Tarif XL 5G) | Yes, on 5G tiers (e.g. HoT fix 5G) | Yes, on 5G tariffs (spusu 5G) |
| Contract | Prepaid, no contract | Prepaid, no contract | Prepaid / monthly, no long-term contract |
| Top data plan | 150 GB (200 GB with Lidl Plus) | Up to 100 GB (HoT fix Mega 5G) | 150 GB, plus data rollover |
Comparison data as of 2026-08.
User sentiment
LIDL Connect User Sentiment
LIDL Connect
62.0% sentimentLIDL Connect is the LIDL-branded prepaid SIM running on the Drei network. Users describe it as a convenient supermarket SIM with EU roaming and honest pricing. The trade-offs are a basic app and German-only customer support, similar to other budget supermarket entries.
Positives
- Supermarket SIM and easy to buy
- Drei network and EU roaming
- Honest pricing
- Discount supermarket brand
- Convenient retail
Negatives
- App is basic
- German-only customer support
Source: manual user-review research, July 2026, from SIM & eSIM Providers in Austria, User Review Comparison 2026.
Company
LIDL Connect Financial Performance
LIDL Connect does not publish separate financial results. It is a branded prepaid line, not a standalone company, so its subscriber count, revenue, and margins are not disclosed on their own by either parent.
The retail parent, Schwarz Group (owner of Lidl and Kaufland), is privately held and reported group revenue of EUR 175.4 billion for fiscal year 2024, up 4.9% year over year, of which Lidl accounted for about EUR 132.1 billion. Schwarz Group describes itself as Europe's largest retailer and the fourth largest worldwide (Schwarz Group, reported March 2025).
The network host, Hutchison Drei Austria, is a wholly owned subsidiary of CK Hutchison Holdings. Drei Austria reported full-year 2025 revenue of about EUR 923 million, down roughly 4% year over year (Telecompaper, 2026). LIDL Connect's contribution within that figure is not separately reported.
LIDL Connect Recent Developments
In January 2026, LIDL Connect doubled the data speed on its SURF and SURF 5G internet tariffs at the same price, raising SURF to up to 140 Mbit/s and SURF 5G to up to 240 Mbit/s.
From 5 March 2026, LIDL Connect brought back its 'Black' tariff: unlimited data plus unlimited calls and SMS for EUR 14.90 per month, with download speeds up to 150 Mbit/s.
On 5 May 2026, LIDL Connect improved its popular Tarif L and Tarif XL 5G at unchanged prices. Tarif L stays EUR 9.50 for 100 GB (unlimited data for Lidl Plus users) and Tarif XL 5G stays EUR 14.50 for 150 GB, with 200 GB for Lidl Plus users.
The brand has publicly stressed that its tariffs have only improved, not risen in price, since the 2019 launch, positioning itself against inflation-linked increases used by contract operators.
Alternatives
Alternative Providers & Their Plans
HoT
HoT is Austria's most popular budget mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), sold exclusively at Hofer supermarkets and operating on the Magenta network.
- HoT smart miniEUR 1.90/30 days
- HoT smartEUR 5.90/30 days
- HoT fixEUR 9.90/30 days
spusu
spusu is an Austrian mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) on the Drei network, known for transparent pricing, data rollover, and the lowest entry plans in Austria starting at EUR 4.90 per month.
- spusu 12.000EUR 7.90/month
- spusu legendarEUR 9.90/month
- spusu 5G legendarEUR 14.90/month
LIDL Connect: Core Facts
- Entity Type
- Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO)
- Operated By
- Lidl Österreich
- Host Network
- Drei (Hutchison Drei Austria)
- Plan Type
- Prepaid, no contract
- Where to Buy
- Lidl supermarkets
- Country
- Austria
- Status
- Active Definition
- Verified
This page supports entity resolution, disambiguation, and retrieval stabilization for LIDL Connect in AI search and answer systems.
Questions
LIDL Connect: Frequently Asked Questions
What is LIDL Connect?
LIDL Connect is a budget MVNO sold at Lidl supermarkets in Austria. LIDL Connect operates on the Drei network and offers affordable prepaid plans without contracts.
Related Entities
Other entities covered on the SIM Cards Guide page:
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Where LIDL Connect is mentioned on How to Austria
Guides and reference pages on this site that mention LIDL Connect:
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Maintained by Jules de Bruin (How to Austria). This page follows the Grounding Page Standard v1.5. Last verified: 2026-04-10.