Updated September 30, 2026 · TariffCue Editorial Team
Astound vs sim.de
Astound vs sim.de: the differences
| Compare |  Astound |  sim.de |
|---|---|---|
| Top download speed (Mbps) | 5,000Higher | 1,000 |
| Upload speed (Mbps) | 5,000Higher | 5.8 to 40 |
| Price from | $19.95 | €6.99 |
| Reference plan prices | 150 Mbps: $19.95/mo, 150 Mbps, no contract; 1 Gig WiFi: $40/mo, 1000 Mbps, no contract; 1.5 Gig WiFi: $60/mo, 1500 Mbps, no contract | 25 GB: 6.99 EUR/month, 25 GB, 1 month; 50 GB: 9.99 EUR/month, 50 GB, 24 months; Unlimited on demand: 19.99 EUR/month, unlimited, 24 months |
| Setup fee | $0 | €49.99 |
| Router | Whole Home WiFi powered by eero included with Gig plans; eero Max 7 with 5 Gig | FRITZ!Box 7510, 7630 or 7690, from 4.99 EUR per month, optional |
| Address checker | https://www.astound.com/check-for-service/ | https://www.sim.de/glasfaser |
| Markets | US | DE |
| Mid-contract price rises | Price for Life rate locked while service kept; other promos valid 12 mos then regular rates | Not confirmed |
| Exit fee terms | No cancellation penalty; change or cancel anytime | Not confirmed |
| Social tariff | Yes | Not confirmed |
| FCC broadband label | https://www.astound.com/labels/ | Not confirmed |
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Key differences
- Astound scores higher overall: 9.5 vs 8.9.
- Top download speed (Mbps) is higher at Astound: 5,000 vs 1,000.
- Upload speed (Mbps) is higher at Astound: 5,000 vs 5.8 to 40.
- Support channels: only sim.de offers Email.
- Technology: only Astound offers Cable.
- Technology: only sim.de offers Fttc.
- Contract length: only sim.de offers 24.
- Markets: only Astound offers US.
- Markets: only sim.de offers DE.
Our verdict on each
Astound
Astound suits US households that want matching download and upload speeds, a low entry price and no contract to be tied into, and the same account can carry mobile lines. Entry pricing starts at $19.95 a month, Gig tiers arrive with Whole Home WiFi included, and the setup fee is $0.
sim.de
sim.de suits people in Germany who want a cheap sim only line with a monthly option and a fixed contract choice on the same tariff sheet. It runs on the 1&1 network, and its entry price of €6.99 sits well under the market median for entry pricing.
Score breakdown
| Area | Astound | sim.de |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.6HigherEntry price of $19.95 a month and a setup fee of $0 put cost near the top of the range. | 9.1Entry at €6.99 and unlimited at €19.99 both sit under the site medians of €9.30 and €23.19. |
| Offer | 9.3HigherNo cancellation penalty; change or cancel anytime, and Whole Home WiFi arrives included with Gig plans. | 9.0Sim only, 5G and Esim are available, with included roaming across 33 countries and terms of 1 and 24. |
| Trust | Not confirmed | 8.4Run by Drillisch Online GmbH since 2014, an mvno on the 1&1 network with support on email, chat and phone. |
Positions in our rankings
| Ranking | Astound | sim.de |
|---|---|---|
| SIM-only deals | 1 of 416 | 24 of 416 |
| Phone plans with eSIM | 15 of 389 | 35 of 389 |
| Broadband providers | 2 of 124 | 7 of 124 |
| Full fibre providers | 2 of 107 | 6 of 107 |
| Broadband without a long contract | 2 of 46 | 4 of 46 |
The numbers side by side
| Fact | Astound | sim.de |
|---|---|---|
| Top download speed (Mbps) | 5,000 | 1,000 |
| Upload speed (Mbps) | 5,000 | 5.8 to 40 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Astound | sim.de |
|---|---|---|
| Technology | Cable, Fttp | Fttc, Fttp |
| Contract length | 1 | 1, 24Covers more |
| Legal entity | Radiate HoldCo, LLC d/b/a Astound Broadband | Drillisch Online GmbH |
| Headquarters | United States | Germany |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 2014 |
| Support channels | Phone, Chat, Help centre | Email, Chat, Phone, Help centreCovers more |
Mobile plans
| Fact | Astound | sim.de |
|---|---|---|
| Seller type | Reseller | Mvno |
| Host network | Not confirmed | 1&1 |
| SIM-only | Yes | Yes |
| Billing | Rolling | Contract, RollingCovers more |
| Unlimited plan price | $30 | €19.99 |
| 5G | Yes | Yes |
| eSIM | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi calling | Yes | Not confirmed |
| EU roaming | Paid | Included |
| Roaming countries | Not confirmed | 33 |
| Data rollover | No | Not confirmed |
| Hotspot sharing | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Credit check required | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Multi-line discount | Yes | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Astound | sim.de | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top download speed (Mbps) | 5,000highest quarter | 1,000at the median | 1,000 |
| Upload speed (Mbps) | 5,000highest quarter | 5.8 to 40lowest quarter | 900 |
Median across 116 listed providers.
Pros and cons
Astound
Pros
- Download of 5,000 Mbps matches upload of 5,000 Mbps, so sending a large file is as quick as downloading one.
- The setup fee is $0, and it ranks 1 of 86 on that measure, ahead of every other brand compared.
- Service runs on cable and fttp, so one provider can cover a cable street or a fibre to the home street.
Cons
- EU roaming is paid, so European travel is billed separately.
- Data rollover is no, so unused mobile allowance does not carry into the next cycle.
- A credit check is required on the mobile side, which adds a step before a line is active.
sim.de
Pros
- Entry pricing of €6.99 is below the site median of €9.30
- The Unlimited on demand plan costs €19.99, under the site median unlimited price of €23.19
- Contract terms run 1 and 24, so a plan can sit on a monthly term or a longer one
Cons
- The Unlimited on demand plan is tied to the longer of 1 and 24, so unlimited data is not offered on a monthly term
- Service runs in DE only, so the tariffs are not offered outside that market
- As an mvno, sim.de sells on the 1&1 network rather than owning it, unlike the network operators getesa, yesss! and Lonestar Cell MTN
Who each suits
Astound
Who it suits
- Households in US whose street already has cable or fibre to the home and who want equal download and upload speeds.
- Families adding mobile lines to the same account, where a multi line discount and rolling billing apply.
- Renters and short-stay households, since No cancellation penalty; change or cancel anytime.
Who should look elsewhere
- Buyers who want a fibre to the home provider and nothing else, because cable and fttp includes cable while Abissnet and Kinetic list fibre to the home alone.
- Homes a wired network does not reach, where EarthLink adds fttp, 5G and satellite options.
- Travellers who expect European roaming to come included, since EU roaming is paid.
sim.de
Who it suits
- People in DE who want a data heavy sim only line without paying for a handset
- Travellers from DE who want roaming included and reach across 33 countries
- Households that want one provider offering both a short monthly term and a longer fixed contract
Who should look elsewhere
- Buyers outside DE, since the service is a single market
- People who want a handset bundled with the tariff, as the plans are sim only
- Buyers who want unlimited data on a rolling monthly basis, since the Unlimited on demand plan sits on the longer of 1 and 24
Country by country
| Country | Astound | sim.de |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Yes | No |
Questions about each
Astound
How much does Astound broadband cost a month?+
Plans start at $19.95 a month on the entry tier. The listed lineup then steps up through Gig and multi-Gig WiFi plans, and every plan shown is on no-contract terms, so the monthly figure is the whole commitment. Whole Home WiFi is included with Gig plans rather than sold as an extra.
Is there a setup or installation fee with Astound broadband?+
Setup costs $0 to add, and in this comparison the brand ranks 1 of 86 for setup fee, ahead of every other brand measured on that point. Equipment also counts: Whole Home WiFi is supplied with Gig plans, with the top tier hardware paired to the quickest speeds.
sim.de
How much does a sim.de sim only plan cost to start with?+
The cheapest way in is the entry data plan at €6.99 per month, and it can run on a monthly term rather than a long contract. The larger data plan and the Unlimited on demand plan sit on the longer of 1 and 24 instead.
How much is unlimited data on sim.de?+
The Unlimited on demand plan costs €19.99 per month, and it is tied to the longer of the contract options, 1 and 24. That price sits under the site median unlimited price of €23.19, but the commitment is the part to weigh.
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