Traveling to New Zealand and looking for a Prepaid SIM Card? We will tell you how good the coverage in New Zealand is, which providers you can choose from and where you can buy the cheapest SIM card for New Zealand.
We compared the providers and their prepaid SIM cards in New Zealand and show you our recommendations. You can buy them online in advance and you do not have to waste your valuable time in New Zealand comparing and buying a SIM card.
Do not waste your travel budget with the purchase of a SIM card for New Zealand. Using your local home contract can make short conversations via a phone call or sending SMS messages very expensive. Before you experience an extremely high phone bill at home, we will show you the best SIM cards for New Zealand.
What Is The Best SIM Card for New Zealand?
A New Zealand SIM card is not only useful to keep in touch with the most important people at home in Europe or the USA but also for new contacts in New Zealand. If you use your local SIM card in New Zealand, you have to pay roaming fees every time – an avoidable cost. Our quick comparison can help you to find the right SIM card for your stay in New Zealand.
Three - Pay As You Go Sim Card for New Zealand
Founded in Hong Kong, but mostly known for its operations in the United Kingdom, Three has evolved to be one of the major internet service providers around the world. Today, Three provides mobile internet service to more than 130 million customers. With the SIM Cards offered by the Three and the Go Roam program, you can browse through the internet in more than 70 countries worldwide. The full coverage can be found here.
- Data: 10GB (free roaming)
- Calls: not included
- SMS: not included
- Coverage: 71 countries worldwide (including New Zealand)
- Data: Unlimited (free roaming)
- Calls: not included
- SMS: not included
- Coverage: 71 countries worldwide (including New Zealand)
- Data: 24GB (free roaming)
- Calls: not included
- SMS: not included
- Coverage: 71 countries worldwide (including New Zealand)
Mint Mobile - Mobile Internet in New Zealand
Flexibity & Value – That is Mint Mobile. Founded in 2016, this company started with the simple idea deliver affordable, premium wireless internet direct-to-consumer. Today its providing nationwide 4G LTE coverage and unlimited talk and text.
- Data: 3GB in 4G LTE (per month)
- Calls: check details with provider
- SMS: check details with provider
- Coverage: New Zealand
- Validity: 90 Days
Cellhire - International Mobile Sim for New Zealand
Cellhire might be less known than the other companies mentioned here but they are the leading supplier during events (FIFA World Cup, Olympics, Tour de France and many more. With the headquarters in the United Kingdom and many across offices across the glove, Cellhire has itself established as a major internet provider. The New Zealand SIM Cards offered by them provides a great value.
- Data: 4GB Data in 4G Speed
- Calls: not included
- SMS: not included
- Data: 8GB Data in 4G Speed
- Calls: not included
- SMS: not included
OneSimCard - Prepaid SIM Card for New Zealand
When it comes to international SIM Cards, we definitely cannot overlook OneSimCard. This international mobile service providers offered Prepaid SIM Cards for more than 200 countries worldwide. They allow free incoming calls from 162 countries. So if you need to enjoy mobile data service in New Zealand and would like to be able to receive calls, then OneSimCard is the right choice for you!
- Data: as low as $0.01 per MB
- Calls: free incoming calls in over 160 countries
- SMS: free incoming texts from everywhere
- Coverage: 200 countres worldwide
- Phone Number: Europe & USA
- Data: as low as $0.01 per MB
- Calls: free incoming calls in over 160 countries
- SMS: free incoming texts from everywhere
- Coverage: 200 countres worldwide
- Phone Number: Europe & USA
- Credit: $5 included
KeepGo - Roaming SIM Card for New Zealand
You may have not heard about KeepGo before but this company is an official partner of Vodafone, Telefonica and AT&T. The SIM Card provided by KeepGo is valid forever – without any contract! If you need to use internet in New Zealand, you simply upload some credit and off you go. It is the most convenient option available if you are traveling to New Zealand several times per year.
- Data: 1GB (valid for 1 year)
- Calls: not included
- SMS: not included
- Coverage: 105 countries worldwide
Mobal - New Zealand Sim for Calls & Texts
Mobal was founded by an international traveler who became frustrated by the insane roaming costs abroad. Their focus is providing service to American travelers going to Europe. Nonetheless, they offer a wide range of Talk & Text only SIM cards that allow you to connect anywhere you want to go.
- Data: no data
- Calls: check with Mobal for pricing
- SMS: check with Mobal for pricing
- Coverage: 190 countries worldwide
The SIM cards for New Zealand available online are mostly prepaid cards, most of which are intended for the use of the Internet. If you also want to be able to make phone calls and send text messages with your mobile phone, you should pay attention to special offers with available phone credit. For most tourists, however, Data SIM Cards are a good choice, as they can stay connected to their family and friends easily and, above all, cheaper via providers such as Skype or WhatsApp.
FAQ - SIM Card for New Zealand
Should I get a Prepaid SIM Card for New Zealand or a contract?
New Zealand has SIM cards that the users can top-up anytime if they run out of data. Anyone who comes to New Zealand will not regret buying a Prepaid SIM Card. It is ideal for short-term stays. Only if you stay longer than 3 months, then we recommend looking into contracts.
Depending on the data volume, the SIM Cards are valid for 1-3 months and can always be topped up with new credit. The validity of the SIM card will be extended in most cases, too. Check the fine print of the internet provider for more information. The advantages of Prepaid SIM Cards are:
- No registration needed
- Full control over costs
- SIM Card works immediately upon arrival
Sim Card Providers in New Zealand
The most reputable providers of sim cards in New Zealand are
- Spark NZ (formerly Telecom New Zealand)
- Vodafone NZ
- 2degrees
Smaller providers who use the networks of the providers above
- Skinny
- bluesky
- Warehouse Mobile
Internet Coverage in New Zealand
One of the reasons to travel to New Zealand is the deserted, beautiful nature of the country. Tourists who are on the rather sparsely populated South Island can get to areas where there is no internet connection at all.
However, many providers that sell SIM cards for New Zealand ensure very good network coverage by working with multiple providers in New Zealand together and combing their internet coverage. Check the internet coverage of your favorite provider to make sure that you will have mobile internet in your area.
Can I use my phone with a SIM Card for New Zealand?
It is very important to make sure that your smartphone is unlocked. It is often the case that contract phones are locked and do not allow for a different SIM Cards to be inserted. Users should check whether such a SIM lock exists before buying a SIM Card. The format of the SIM card should match the device but many internet providers do sell their SIM Cards in three different sizes already – Nano, Micro & Standard.
If you are planning a round trip and do not only want to travel to New Zealand, you should make sure that the SIM Card is suitable for other countries. Most SIM cards for New Zealand can also be used in Australia, but depending on the provider, many other countries are also included.
Should I buy a SIM Card online or in New Zealand?
The question of whether you should buy your SIM card in New Zealand or in advance online is something that many ask us. We still prefer purchasing our SIM Cards online before we leave for a trip abroad. You will save time and it gives you the option to better compare the available offers. We all know how excited we are once we arrive at our destination or maybe just want to take a quick shower and a nap to start the day. At least you can have your mobile internet organized before.
Internet hotspots in New Zealand
Another limitation in New Zealand are internet hotspots, which are more likely to be found in large cities like Auckland but are rather unusual in the many more rural areas. If you travel in a group and have several internet-enabled devices with you, you can use selected SIM cards to turn one of the devices into a WiFi hotspot thanks to tethering. Other devices can use the internet via the SIM card. However, this is not an option that all providers allow, and the reception is also quite weak.
Which provider did you choose and why? Let us know in the comments.
Last update on 2020-09-23 | Source: Amazon Affiliate