If you still don’t know which Guatemala SIM card to buy for your trip, we can help you, because we know how important it is to have internet outside your country and at a low cost.
Paying for roaming can be a headache, but if you use a SIM card it will be a great help when you want to travel around this Central American country. So, here we tell you about the advantages, disadvantages and a price comparison of different providers.
Forget about roaming and make the most of your trip in Guatemala without worrying about expensive bills when you return home.
In times of coronavirus, a digital card or eSIM to travel to Guatemala is the best option (if your phone is compatible). You just need to scan a code and you’re ready to go.
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Which SIM card for Guatemala offers me the most data at the best price?
It is best to look for a card that is easy to use, includes a phone number, covers your travel dates, has a low price, and has good quality service.
You can take a look at Holafly’s Guatemala SIM card. This card offers a good amount of data, a good price, and best of all it also works in countries like Panama, Peru, Chile, Nicaragua, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, and El Salvador.
Where to buy the best prepaid SIM card for Guatemala
There are many ways to buy your prepaid SIM card for Guatemala, either before traveling, through online stores, when you arrive at your destination at the airport, in local operator stores, or supermarkets.
Buying Guatemala SIM card before traveling
The best way to shop in times of coronavirus is to do it before your trip, forget about looking for stores and long waits times in stores. Complete the purchase from your computer and receive your prepaid chip without having to leave home!
Here we show you some options such as features, advantages, and disadvantages of operators with virtual stores that facilitate your purchases.
Holafly Guatemala prepaid SIM card
Holafly has a virtual store that offers two data SIM cards to travel to Guatemala, for 30 days you can choose between 5GB at $39.52 USD (promotional price) or 12GB for $51.15 USD, both at 3G speed. In addition to free shipping, this SIM card works in 8 other countries; such as Panama, Peru, Chile, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, El Salvador, and Brazil.
| Days | Data | Price (USD) | Price / Day |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | 5 GB | 39,52 | 1.3 USD / day |
| 30 | 12 GB | 51,15 | 1.7 USD / day |
Advantages of Holafly:
- Easy to use, place the SIM in your cellphone upon arrival, activate data roaming and that’s it!
- You can receive unlimited calls without roaming charges.
- 24-hour assistance in Spanish, English, German and French.
- It also offers you the Latin America Multi-Country SIM Card, which you can use in other destinations such as Panama, Peru, Chile, Nicaragua, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Uruguay and El Salvador.
- This SIM includes a phone number and you can use this number to receive calls.
- You keep your WhatsApp number.
Disadvantages of Holafly:
- It does not allow sharing data with other devices.
One SIMCard
One SimCard offers a SIM card you can top-up according to the number of days (14 and 30 days) and data (from 500 MB and up). The cost of the card is $29.06 USD and you will have to add the shipping costs and the data price you want.
Advantages:
- It has more than 15 types of data packets.
Disadvantages:
- It charges you up to three fees, for the card (without data), the data package and shipping.
- If you wish to receive the data SIM card for Guatemala with the utmost security and speed, you might end up paying up to $116.25 USD for shipping only.
Cellular Arbroad
The Cellular Arbroad Sim card offers a tourist data package with 5GB for 30 days at 50 euros, additionally, you will have to pay shipping costs that range between 14 euros to 83 euros.
Advantages:
- Includes a telephone number.
- If you need credit, you can top-up additional credit to make calls.
- It works in different countries.
Disadvantages:
- They only have technical support in English
- Shipping costs are quite high
How much does a SIM card for Guatemala cost?
Now that you know the characteristics, advantages, disadvantages, and prices of some operator companies, let us will show you a comparison of the promotional prices (offered in their online advertisements) and final prices, what they will really charge you so that you can choose the one that best suits your needs and above all takes care of your pocket.
| Card cost | Cost data | Shipping price | Amount of data | FINAL PRICE | |
| Holafly | – | 51,15 USD | – | 12 GB | 51,15 USD |
| One SimCard | 29,06 USD | 48,24 USD | 116,25 USD | 500 MB | 193,56 USD |
| Cellular Abroad | 16,27 USD | 57,89 USD | 23,42 USD | 5 GB | 97,59 USD |
As we saw, only “Holafly” charges you what it proposes, while other companies charge you for additional shipping and data costs, even tripling the price!
Buying SIM card in Guatemala
You can buy your cell phone chip for Guatemala at airports (such as La Aurora International Airport), supermarkets, or stores of operators such as Movistar, Claro, or Tigo.
Remember that purchasing a Sim card upon arrival at your destination takes time, while you will be disconnected. In addition, it is recommended that the customer installs the SIM card himself and do not let anyone else handle the cell phone for security reasons in times of coronavirus.
The following are the main mobile operators in Guatemala:
Movistar
Movistar offers 4G/ LTE coverage, although it is often only 3G. You can buy a chip and then top up with data from 40 MB per day or 1GB for night use only.
Advantages:
- You can top up the chip at credit card machines or online.
Disadvantages:
- Try to buy from authorized sites to avoid the chip being blocked.
- You can use the sim card for 24 hours in other Latin American countries.
Claro
Claro is one of the companies with more coverage in Guatemala and the most used by young people. They offer packages from 300 MB for 1 day and 8 GB for 30 days.
Advantages:
- For the purchase of a SIM card, you get 150 MB and 30 SMS nationwide.
Disadvantages:
- Some data packages are only valid per day. In addition, they are not accrue over the entire interval time.
- To activate each plan you have to send a text message to *555#.
Tigo
One of the largest operators in the country, with 2G, 3G, and 4G coverage. Offers data package from 75MB per day up to 1.5GB for 7 days.
Advantages:
- The SIM card you buy comes with 1200 MB and credit for nationwide calls.
Disadvantages:
- To purchase the sim and top up data you must show your passport.
- You can activate each plan by dialing *120#.
SIM card for Guatemala Which one to buy?
After comparing different options, we came to the conclusion that Holafly’s Guatemala SIM Card is the best option. It offers two excellent cards for 30 days of use, from 5 GB for only 39.52 USD and 12 GB for only 51.15 USD. Remember that the connection covers 8 countries such as Panama, Peru, Chile, Nicaragua, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, and El Salvador.
Additionally, you get a phone number to receive free calls, keep your WhatsApp number, get help in Spanish, English, French, and German 24 hours a day by chat and email.
Insert, land, and start surfing the Internet with your Guatemala SIM-card!
Frequently asked questions about Internet and SIM card for Guatemala
There are many options to have Internet in Guatemala, you can buy a SIM card, use roaming with your operator, use the Pocket Wifi. But remember, only you decide if you prefer to pay a low cost, for example with a SIM card for Guatemala or use the expensive roaming.
The price of roaming will depend on the operator. Many of them have prices from 6.97 USD to 17.44 USD per MB consumed.
There are many features to consider when choosing a SIM card. For example, the relationship between the amount of data and price, operator coverage, a phone number to receive calls, ease of technical support, and if you can use it in other Latin American countries.
Buy it before your trip and carry it in your suitcase, this way you will avoid long lines and contagion by the coronavirus. Another not-so-safe option is to do it when you arrive at the airport, you will have to be in contact with other people who will handle your cell phone.
Prices vary according to the days of validity of the data plan, whether it includes shipping costs and whether they provide you with a phone number in Guatemala. As we have already seen, Holafly offers us for $51.15 USD a SIM card with 12GB for 30 days of travel, with free shipping and you can use it in 8 more countries in Latin America!
