Updated September 30, 2026 · TariffCue Editorial Team
EarthLink vs sim.de
What sets them apart
| Compare |  EarthLink |  sim.de |
|---|---|---|
| Top download speed (Mbps) | 5,000Higher | 1,000 |
| Upload speed (Mbps) | 5,000Higher | 5.8 to 40 |
| Price from | $24.95 | €6.99 |
| Reference plan prices | Fiber 100 Mbps: $24.95/mo, 100 Mbps, month-to-month / Fiber 1 Gig: price by address, 1000 Mbps, month-to-month / Fiber 5 Gigs: price by address, 5000 Mbps, month-to-month | 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 |
| Router | Leased router $15.00 per month | FRITZ!Box 7510, 7630 or 7690, from 4.99 EUR per month, optional |
| Address checker | https://earthlink.net/internet-near-me/ | https://www.sim.de/glasfaser |
| Markets | US | DE |
| Setup fee | Not confirmed | €49.99 |
| Mid-contract price rises | 12 months consistent rates then full-price plan | Not confirmed |
| Exit fee terms | Early Termination Fee up to $400 if Term Plan ended early | Not confirmed |
| Data cap (GB) | 15 to 300 | Not confirmed |
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Key differences
- EarthLink scores higher overall: 9.5 vs 8.9.
- Top download speed (Mbps) is higher at EarthLink: 5,000 vs 1,000.
- Upload speed (Mbps) is higher at EarthLink: 5,000 vs 5.8 to 40.
- Support channels: only sim.de offers Email.
- Technology: only EarthLink offers 5G, Satellite.
- Technology: only sim.de offers Fttc.
- Contract length: only sim.de offers 24.
- Markets: only EarthLink offers US.
- Markets: only sim.de offers DE.
Our verdict on each
EarthLink
EarthLink suits US households that want symmetrical fibre with no long minimum term, with upload speeds of 5,000 Mbps and plans listed at 1 month. The catch is what sits around the plan: Leased router $15.00 per month, plus data caps of 15 to 300 GB on the satellite tiers.
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 | EarthLink | sim.de |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.6HigherEntry tier at $24.95 on 1 month terms keeps commitment low, though intro pricing gives way to the full-price plan. | 9.1Entry at €6.99 and unlimited at €19.99 both sit under the site medians of €9.30 and €23.19. |
| Offer | 9.4HigherSpeeds of 5,000 Mbps down and 5,000 Mbps up across fttp, 5G and satellite, with satellite data caps of 15 to 300 GB. | 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. |
How they place
| Ranking | EarthLink | sim.de |
|---|---|---|
| Broadband providers | 27 of 124 | 7 of 124 |
| Full fibre providers | 14 of 107 | 6 of 107 |
| Broadband without a long contract | 7 of 46 | 4 of 46 |
If neither fits
Odido Thuis has upload speed (mbps) at 8,000, against 5,000 for EarthLink and 5.8 to 40 for sim.de.
Odido Thuis reviewSources behind this comparison
EarthLink
- earthlink.net: 15 facts, checked September 30, 2026
sim.de
- sim.de: 14 facts, checked September 30, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | EarthLink | sim.de |
|---|---|---|
| Technology | Fttp, 5G, Satellite | Fttc, Fttp |
| Contract length | 1 | 1, 24Covers more |
| Legal entity | EarthLink, LLC | Drillisch Online GmbH |
| Headquarters | United States | Germany |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 2014 |
| Support channels | Chat, Phone, Help centre | Email, Chat, Phone, Help centreCovers more |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | EarthLink | 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 |
| Setup fee | Not confirmed | €49.99above the median | €27 |
| Data cap (GB) | 15 to 300at the median | Not confirmed | 15 |
Median across 116 listed providers.
Pros and cons
EarthLink
Pros
- Upload of 5,000 Mbps matches download of 5,000 Mbps, and that pairing ranks 7 out of 46 compared brands.
- Rolling terms at 1 month mean little to serve out if you move home, unlike a fixed minimum term.
- The entry fibre tier sits at $24.95 a month on month-to-month terms, with the gigabit tiers priced by address.
Cons
- Hardware is a recurring extra: Leased router $15.00 per month sits on top of the plan price every month.
- The entry rate is introductory only: 12 months consistent rates then full-price plan.
- Satellite tiers are metered, with data limits of 15 to 300 GB for heavier users to watch.
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
EarthLink
Who it suits
- Households in US on fibre who send large files, back up to the cloud or run video calls upstream.
- People who prefer short commitments, with plans listed at 1 month.
- Remote workers and creators who judge a connection on upload, since 5,000 Mbps upstream matches the download figure.
Who should look elsewhere
- Astound, if cable alongside fibre matters, since Astound lists cable and fttp while EarthLink's list is fttp, 5G and satellite.
- Kinetic, if you want a straightforward fibre-only supplier, since Kinetic lists fttp.
- Abissnet, if a single-technology provider suits you better, since Abissnet lists fttp and EarthLink carries a wider fttp, 5G and satellite range.
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 | EarthLink | sim.de |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Yes | No |
Questions about each
EarthLink
How much does EarthLink broadband cost at the entry price?+
The entry fibre tier is $24.95 a month on month-to-month terms. The gigabit and multi-gigabit tiers above it are priced by address, so what you actually pay depends on the fibre available at your street. Get a quote for your address before putting it against other offers.
Does the entry price stay the same after the introductory period?+
Not necessarily. The published rate is introductory: 12 months consistent rates then full-price plan. The figure you sign up on is therefore not the figure you keep, and the full-price plan rate takes over once the consistent-rate period ends. Budget for a higher monthly amount beyond that point.
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.
Other options to compare
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