Switzerland is recognized worldwide for its breathtaking and scenic beauty, world-class watches, chocolates, and banking services. But one more thing in which Switzerland is at the top is the expensive cost of living. It is the costliest country in the world according to recent data. Therefore, whether you are a local or a tourist, having a local SIM card is the cheapest option to stay connected with the world. In this article, you will learn about the best mobile prepaid service providers in the country. Switzerland has 3 major wireless carriers named Swisscom, Sunrise Mobile, and Salt Mobile. There is also an MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) called Lycamobile operating in the country, but it’s not as good.
As already mentioned that Switzerland is an expensive country and the SIM cards here are no exception. A Salt Mobile SIM card price starts from 10 CHF/Swiss Franc (about 11 USD) while a SIM card from Swisscom or Sunrise is available for 19.90 CHF (about 21.70 USD). Remember that Switzerland is not a part of the EU and EEA. That’s why if you are from an EU or EEA region, your home network will charge you exorbitant roaming rates in Switzerland. For more details, let’s dig deeper into the top SIM cards in Switzerland from top to bottom one by one.
1. Swisscom
Swisscom is the largest wireless carrier in Switzerland and is considered the best provider of SIM cards across all parameters. It is a state-owned company with 51% of the stakes held by the Swiss government. Swisscom operates on 3G, 4G/LTE, 5G NR, VoLTE, and VoWiFi frequencies. The company provides the best coverage, and it is also the fastest network in the country. A Swisscom SIM card is available for 19.90 CHF 20 CHF default credit and 100 MB of data. Their SIM cards are sold in Swisscom stores and at Zurich Airport.
Swisscom also provides eSIMs but not to its prepaid customers. Embedded SIM cards are offered by Airalo. Remember that a Swisscom SIM card works in Switzerland and Liechtenstein but that doesn’t apply to eSIM. To use them in Liechtenstein, buy Lie Mobile eSIMs. There are other strictly eSIM providers too. Swisscom SIM cards automatically get deactivated after 12 months of inactivity. Swisscom top-ups are available in official stores, convenience and electronics shops, and so on, throughout Liechtenstein and Switzerland. You can also use the My Swisscom app to recharge by using a debit/credit card.
2. Sunrise Switzerland
Sunrise Switzerland is also called Schweiz or simply Sunrise. Though it is the second-largest wireless carrier in Switzerland, its network is not available in Liechtenstein. That means you cannot use roaming for free in Liechtenstein with Sunrise or with any of its MVNOs. Sunrise operates on 2G, 3G, 4G/LTE, 5G NR, VoLTE, and VoWiFi. A Sunrise Mobile SIM card is available for 19.90 CHF with 19.90 CHF credit in it. Sunrise offers eSIMs but not yet to its prepaid customers. The SIM card will get deactivated automatically after no activity for 18 months.
Sunrise Mobile top-up vouchers are available in the official stores, electronic and grocery shops, and so forth, across the country. Top-up vouchers are available for 20 CHF, 30 CHF, 50 CHF, and 100 CHF. You can recharge it online as well using any international debit/credit card. Moreover, its official app called My Sunrise UPC, is available on both Android and iOS operating systems. The bundles it offers are combo, data-only, and add-ons.
3. Salt Mobile Switzerland
Salt Mobile is the smallest mobile network carrier in Switzerland that offers SIM cards. Until 2015, it was known as Orange Switzerland, since it was tied to the French SIM provider, Orange. Like the other two, Salt Mobile also operates on 2G, 3G, 4G/LTE, 5G NR, VoLTE, and VoWiFi frequencies. However, its coverage isn’t as good as Swisscom and Sunrise Mobile. A Salt Mobile SIM card is available for 10 CHF with 10 CHF credit in it.
The SIM card and its top-ups are available everywhere in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Its eSIMs are available but not to prepaid customers. You can also recharge using international debit/credit cards. A Salt Mobile SIM card generally expires after 435 days of inactivity. Salt Mobile offers two data featured plans and both the plans can be activated online. However, remember that you need to activate using your mobile data and not Wi-Fi as you cannot access its page that way.