
SIM card for South America: Pros, cons and best alternatives
You’ve just landed in South America. You’re ready to check your hotel details, call a taxi, let your friends know you’ve arrived — but how will you get online? Roaming fees can be extortionate, so picking up a prepaid SIM card might seem like the smart move. Let’s look at the pros and cons of getting a South American SIM card.

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Advantages of using a SIM card for South America
When you slot a new prepaid SIM into your device, you’ll connect with the card’s network carrier. Depending on the deal you chose, this can get you online and provide cellular service. Prepaid SIM cards have a lot of benefits:
A SIM card will give you pretty reliable access to local networks for both calls and internet data.
Different SIMs come loaded with different amounts of data at a range of prices, so you can pay for a plan that fits your specific needs.
SIM cards are easy to find — at the airport, in stores, and online. You can order one ahead of time or wait until you arrive to buy a SIM over the counter.
SIM cards usually work in both cities and rural areas, so you’re covered wherever you go, as long as the provider has the local infrastructure in place.
Once you’ve inserted a South America SIM card into your device, you can activate it and start using it pretty much immediately.
Downsides of using a SIM card for South America
SIM cards are the traditional way of getting internet data and call coverage, and they’re still the most widely used approach for most travelers. But using a SIM card in South America has some downsides too:
Your mobile phone needs to be unlocked (set up so that it works with different SIM cards). If it’s not, you’ll need to sort that out with your mobile carrier before you leave.
Even with a local SIM, data coverage might not be great in remote areas.
Changing physical SIM cards can be cumbersome. You’ve got to find and buy one, deal with those tiny plastic cards, and activate the SIM before you can use it.
Activation might be tricky if the instructions are in a language you don’t speak. Remember — no internet, no Google translate.
Prepaid plans can run out quickly, which means you might have to purchase more than one SIM during your trip.
Prepaid cards usually come with restrictive usage limits, so if you tend to use more data than the average internet user, you’ll burn through your internet allowance fast.
If you’re hopping between multiple countries, you might need a different SIM for each one, depending on the provider. No SIM card company covers every destination in South America.
Swapping SIM cards can cause problems — you can easily lose or damage a card, and misplacing your original SIM could cause more headaches when you get back home.
Most of the problems with SIM cards can be solved by using an eSIM instead. South America eSIM plans are affordable, reliable, and easy to set up. If you’re considering using a physical SIM, though, picking the right provider is essential.
Best prepaid SIM card providers for South America
When you start researching providers for your South America SIM card, you can easily be overwhelmed by choice. Deciding which one offers the best SIM card for South America will depend largely on what country (or countries) you plan to visit.
Claro
Claro is available in a lot of South American countries, including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, and Peru. The company offers prepaid SIM cards for South America with a range of packages, so you can pick one that fits your budget and needs. That said, if you’re visiting multiple countries during your trip, Claro isn’t great, because most of its plans focus on individual regions.
Movistar
Movistar doesn’t offer an international SIM card for South America, but it’s a decent choice if you’re heading to Peru or Colombia. According to user reviews, its coverage can be pretty poor sometimes, though. Sadly, unreliable coverage will be a bit of a running theme with most SIM card providers in South America.
Entel
Entel is a good candidate if you’re traveling to Bolivia or Chile. The service is known for reasonably reliable coverage, and its prepaid plans range in price. As with most of the options in this list, however, an Entel card will be useful in the specific country you buy it for, but won’t be suitable if you’re visiting several South American nations one after another.
SimCorner
If you want a data-only SIM card that works across multiple locations in South America, a SimCorner package is a strong contender. This company’s South American SIM card covers destinations in both South and Central America, including Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, and Uruguay. That deal is available for less than $30, but customer reviews on service reliability are mixed.
TravSIM
Like SimCorner, TravSIM sells a (reasonably) affordable SIM card that covers locations in Central and South America: Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, and Uruguay. For a 30-day, 12 GB deal, you’re looking at around $50 dollars, but just like SimCorner, many users report patchy coverage and a lack of customer support.
Most of these options come with problems: limited locations, higher prices, unreliable connections. Before committing to any of them, you should look into the roaming options offered by your normal service provider. Roaming is almost always an expensive choice, but it could be simpler and more reliable than a temporary SIM card.
How to buy a SIM Card for South America
Still set on using a prepaid card? Buying a South America SIM is pretty straightforward. If you don’t have time to pick one up at the airport, don’t worry — you’ve got options.
Claro, Movistar, and Entel have official stores in most big cities in South America.
Small convenience stores and local shops often stock prepaid SIM cards, though the selection might be limited.
You can also buy a South America SIM card online from sites like SimOptions — or make life easy for yourself and just use an eSIM app.
An eSIM is typically a more reliable and accessible option for getting internet access, though these companies usually provide online data only, rather than call and SMS coverage.
What do you need to buy a SIM card for South America?
If you decide to get a South America SIM card, here’s what you’ll need:
Your passport. Kiosks and stores may need to see it in person, while online stores could ask for a photo of the document.
A local address, like the hotel you’re staying at. Not every South America SIM provider asks for this, but have this information to hand just in case.
A phone that’s compatible with local networks. Double-check that your phone and its operating system work with the networks in South America.
If the process sounds like too much effort, there’s an easier option — use an eSIM app.
Stay connected when traveling in South America with an eSIM
Even the best international SIM cards for South America rarely cover more than a few destinations, or they focus more on Central America.
That’s why using an eSIM should be at the top of any list of South American travel tips. Apps like Saily make it easy to get connected. No tiny plastic cards, no airport kiosks, no stress.
Here’s how it works. Download the eSIM app, choose the data plan you need, and activate it before your trip. When you arrive, the app automatically links you to local networks in South America. Saily covers 190 destinations around the world, including all 12 South American states.
With an eSIM for South America, you can save yourself the trouble of buying and swapping SIM cards, while still staying connected to the internet throughout your trip.

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FAQ


Malcolm loves food almost as much as he does traveling. From haggis in the hills of Scotland to roadside Kosovan pastries, his taste for adventure keeps him moving. But finding the best dining spot in a new locale is a lot easier when you can get online anywhere, anytime — that’s where his eSIM data plan comes in handy.