Updated September 30, 2026 · TariffCue Editorial Team
Lyca Mobile vs sim.de
Where Lyca Mobile and sim.de differ
| Compare |  Lyca Mobile |  sim.de |
|---|---|---|
| Host network | KPN | 1&1 |
| Price from | €2Lower | €6.99 |
| Reference plan prices | Bundle XS: 10 EUR per 30 days, 5 GB, prepaid; Bundle M: 20 EUR per 30 days, 20+20 GB, prepaid; Bundle Unlimited: 39.99 EUR per 30 days, unlimited data, prepaid | 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 |
| Unlimited plan price | €39.99 | €19.99Lower |
| Markets | NL | DE |
| Roaming countries | Not confirmed | 33 |
| Hotspot sharing | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Credit check required | No | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Seller type (Mvno), SIM-only (Yes), 5G (Yes), eSIM (Yes), EU roaming (Included).
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings.
Key differences
- Price from is lower at Lyca Mobile: €2 vs €6.99.
- Unlimited plan price is lower at sim.de: €19.99 vs €39.99.
- Support channels: only sim.de offers Email, Chat.
- Billing: only Lyca Mobile offers Prepaid.
- Contract length: only Lyca Mobile offers 12.
- Markets: only Lyca Mobile offers NL.
- Markets: only sim.de offers DE.
Our verdict on each
Lyca Mobile
Lyca Mobile is a Dutch virtual operator for readers who want a sim only plan they can start without a credit check and use abroad. Entry pricing sits at €2, the plan runs on the KPN network, and eSIM, hotspot sharing and 5G are part of the deal.
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 | Lyca Mobile | sim.de |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.0Entry at €2 with a 9 cost part, against an unlimited bundle at €39.99. | 9.1HigherEntry at €6.99 and unlimited at €19.99 both sit under the site medians of €9.30 and €23.19. |
| Offer | 8.8Sim only, eSIM, hotspot sharing and 5G, plus contract, rolling and prepaid billing, scoring 8.8 on offer. | 9.0HigherSim 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. |
Availability and regulation
| Country | Lyca Mobile | sim.de |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | Not confirmed | Germany |
By the numbers
| Fact | Lyca Mobile | sim.de |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | €2 | €6.99 |
| Unlimited plan price | €39.99 | €19.99 |
Also worth a look
Simbye has price from at €1.95, against €2 for Lyca Mobile and €6.99 for sim.de.
Simbye reviewHow they place
| Ranking | Lyca Mobile | sim.de |
|---|---|---|
| SIM-only deals | 23 of 416 | 24 of 416 |
| Cheap cell phone plans (MVNOs) | 13 of 137 | 14 of 137 |
| Phone plans with eSIM | 34 of 389 | 35 of 389 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Lyca Mobile | sim.de |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | Contract, Rolling, PrepaidCovers more | Contract, Rolling |
| Contract length | 1, 12, 24Covers more | 1, 24 |
| Legal entity | Not confirmed | Drillisch Online GmbH |
| Headquarters | Not confirmed | Germany |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 2014 |
| Support channels | Phone, Help centre | Email, Chat, Phone, Help centreCovers more |
Broadband
| Fact | Lyca Mobile | sim.de |
|---|---|---|
| Technology | Not confirmed | Fttc, Fttp |
| Top download speed (Mbps) | Not confirmed | 1,000 |
| Upload speed (Mbps) | Not confirmed | 5.8 to 40 |
| Setup fee | Not confirmed | €49.99 |
| Router | Not confirmed | FRITZ!Box 7510, 7630 or 7690, from 4.99 EUR per month, optional |
| Address checker | Not confirmed | https://www.sim.de/glasfaser |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Lyca Mobile | sim.de | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price from | €2lowest quarter | €6.99above the median | €5 |
| Unlimited plan price | €39.99highest quarter | €19.99at the median | €19.99 |
| Roaming countries | Not confirmed | 33lowest quarter | 100 |
Median across 176 listed providers.
Pros and cons
Lyca Mobile
Pros
- Entry pricing of €2 puts a sim only plan at the cheap end, and the brand ranks 36 of 258 on price from.
- No credit check is required, so a line can start without one.
- Runs on the KPN network with EU roaming included, so the bundle holds up on trips abroad.
Cons
- Bundle Unlimited is priced at €39.99 and the brand ranks 145 of 173 on unlimited price, so the unlimited end is the weaker side of the range.
- Coverage depends on the KPN network as an mvno, while GETESA, Lonestar Cell MTN and yesss! are each listed as a network seller.
- Plans are listed for NL only, so this is a Netherlands option rather than a multi-market one.
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
Lyca Mobile
Who it suits
- People bringing their own handset, since sim only is the only format sold and terms run at 1, 12 and 24 months.
- Travellers who want data abroad kept inside the bundle, with EU roaming included on a plan listed for NL.
- Anyone who cannot or does not want a credit check run, since no credit check is required.
Who should look elsewhere
- Support seekers who want chat or email, since support runs on phone and help centre only.
- Readers who want a network seller rather than a virtual operator should weigh GETESA, Lonestar Cell MTN and yesss!, each listed as a network rather than an mvno.
- Budgets built around unlimited data, since Bundle Unlimited at €39.99 ranks 145 of 173 on unlimited price.
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 | Lyca Mobile | sim.de |
|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | Yes | No |
Questions about each
Lyca Mobile
How much does Lyca Mobile cost at the cheapest end?+
Lyca Mobile's entry price is €2. Reference prices also set out prepaid bundles by name, with Bundle XS at the small end, Bundle M carrying a larger allowance plus extra data, and Bundle Unlimited for unlimited data. The unlimited bundle is priced at €39.99, so the top of the range sits well above the entry price.
Do I need to pass a credit check to sign up?+
No credit check is required. That makes Lyca Mobile approachable for readers who want a sim only line sorted without a credit check standing in the way. You still bring your own handset, since sim only is the only format sold, and contract, rolling and prepaid gives you prepaid or contract terms to choose between.
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
Other matchups
- Lyca Mobile vs TalkMobile
- Lyca Mobile vs SMARTY
- Lyca Mobile vs O2 CZ Datamanie
- Lyca Mobile vs Blau.de
- Lyca Mobile vs Cricket Wireless
- Lyca Mobile vs TextNow
- Lyca Mobile vs UKLG DirectSave
- sim.de vs RED by SFR
- sim.de vs hollandsnieuwe
- sim.de vs Abissnet
- sim.de vs EarthLink
- sim.de vs Kinetic
- sim.de vs Odido Thuis
- sim.de vs toob
- sim.de vs Frontier Communications
- sim.de vs OiSTER
- sim.de vs Optimum
- sim.de vs YouFibre
- sim.de vs Astound
- Lyca Mobile vs MobileX
- Lyca Mobile vs yallo
- Lyca Mobile vs Lycamobile
- Lyca Mobile vs nju Mobile
- Lyca Mobile vs Budget Thuis Internet
- Lyca Mobile vs ho. Mobile
- Lyca Mobile vs Twigby Mobile
- Lyca Mobile vs 1pMobile
- Lyca Mobile vs Budget Energie
- sim.de vs Eni Plenitude
- sim.de vs Singtel
- sim.de vs EE Store
- sim.de vs beeline
- sim.de vs Vectra