Best Data SIM Card for Portugal (2026)
Want a physical data SIM for your trip to Portugal? Portugal Internet offers a plug-and-play SIM with truly unlimited data on the native Vodafone Portugal network — ideal if your phone takes a physical SIM. The popular global brands are eSIM-only, so we include them as alternatives if your phone supports eSIM.
Our verdict
For a physical data SIM, Portugal Internet is our pick — plug-and-play, truly unlimited full-speed data on the native Vodafone Portugal network, delivered to your hotel or airport. If your phone supports eSIM, Holafly/Airalo/Saily/Nomad are convenient alternatives, but all of them are eSIM-only and their "unlimited" plans cap daily high-speed data then throttle.
How we evaluated
- •Physical, plug-and-play data SIM available
- •Truly unlimited data — no daily cap and no fair-usage throttling
- •Hotspot / tethering policy
- •Portuguese network used (native vs roaming)
- •Delivery options (hotel, airport, pickup point)
- •Multilingual customer support
Quick comparison
| Provider | Pocket WiFi | Truly unlimited | Hotspot | Network in Portugal | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portugal Internet ★ | ✓ | ✓ | Full — up to 10 devices on pocket WiFi; tethering on SIM/eSIM | Native Vodafone Portugal | eSIM €9 · SIM €15 · pocket WiFi €18 (per 3 days) |
| Holafly | ✗ | ✗ | Capped — about 1GB/day via hotspot | MEO / NOS / Vodafone PT (roaming) | ~$11.70 / 3 days (USD) |
| Airalo | ✗ | ✗ | Allowed | NOS (+ others), roaming marketplace | €10.50 / 3 days |
| Saily | ✗ | ✗ | Allowed, not throttled | MEO / Vodafone PT / NOS | $3.99 (1GB/7d); unlimited from ~$34.99 (USD) |
| Nomad | ✗ | ✗ | Allowed | MEO / NOS (roaming) | €3.89 (1GB/7d); unlimited 2GB/day from €21.63 |
In detail
1. Portugal Internet — our pick
since 2015 · Maia, Portugal- Truly unlimited?
- Truly unlimited — no daily cap, no fair-usage throttling, full speed all trip
- Hotspot:
- Full — up to 10 devices on pocket WiFi; tethering on SIM/eSIM
- Network in Portugal:
- Native Vodafone Portugal
- From:
- eSIM €9 · SIM €15 · pocket WiFi €18 (per 3 days)
Pros
- Genuinely unlimited data at full speed — no daily cap and no fair-usage throttling
- The only option here that rents a physical pocket WiFi (share with up to 10 devices)
- Runs on the native Vodafone Portugal network, not a roaming profile
- Portugal-based operator since 2015 — 27,000+ travellers served, 2,000+ five-star reviews
- Delivery to hotel, airport or pickup point; eSIM instant by QR
Cons
- Portugal-only — not a multi-country/global plan
- eSIM entry price is slightly above the cheapest capped-tier marketplaces
2. Holafly
since 2017 · Spain- Truly unlimited?
- "Unlimited" but throttled after heavy use (~90GB/mo); strong brand in Iberia
- Hotspot:
- Capped — about 1GB/day via hotspot
- Network in Portugal:
- MEO / NOS / Vodafone PT (roaming)
- From:
- ~$11.70 / 3 days (USD)
Pros
- Strong, well-known brand for Iberia
- Support in ~19 languages
- Simple single "unlimited" plan
Cons
- Hotspot/tethering capped to ~1GB/day
- Speed throttled after a fair-use threshold
- No pocket WiFi device
- Roaming profile, not native PT; priced in USD
3. Airalo
since 2019 · USA / Singapore- Truly unlimited?
- "Unlimited" = 3GB/day at full speed, then throttled to ~1 Mbps (also capped GB tiers)
- Hotspot:
- Allowed
- Network in Portugal:
- NOS (+ others), roaming marketplace
- From:
- €10.50 / 3 days
Pros
- Cheapest entry tiers if you only need a few GB
- Huge global brand
- Tethering allowed
Cons
- "Unlimited" is really 3GB/day then ~1 Mbps throttle
- No truly uncapped full-speed data
- No pocket WiFi device; roaming marketplace, not native PT
4. Saily
since 2023 · Nord Security (Lithuania)- Truly unlimited?
- Capped GB tiers + "Unlimited" = 5GB/day full speed, then ~1 Mbps
- Hotspot:
- Allowed, not throttled
- Network in Portugal:
- MEO / Vodafone PT / NOS
- From:
- $3.99 (1GB/7d); unlimited from ~$34.99 (USD)
Pros
- Highest daily high-speed allowance of the eSIMs (5GB/day)
- Tethering not throttled
- Backed by Nord Security (NordVPN)
Cons
- "Unlimited" still caps at 5GB/day then ~1 Mbps
- No pocket WiFi device
- Priced in USD; newer brand
5. Nomad
since 2020 · USA (LotusFlare)- Truly unlimited?
- Capped GB tiers + "Unlimited" = 2GB/day full speed, then heavily throttled (~0.5–1 Mbps)
- Hotspot:
- Allowed
- Network in Portugal:
- MEO / NOS (roaming)
- From:
- €3.89 (1GB/7d); unlimited 2GB/day from €21.63
Pros
- Cheap small GB tiers
- Tethering allowed
- Long-validity options
Cons
- Lowest "unlimited" daily allowance (2GB/day) then heavy throttle
- No pocket WiFi device
- Roaming profile, not native PT; support mainly English
We publish this comparison to help travelers choose. We rank Portugal Internet #1 for a physical data SIM: plug-and-play, truly unlimited full-speed data on the native Vodafone Portugal network. The eSIM brands are honest alternatives for eSIM-capable phones; their details come from their public Portugal plan pages (2026) and may change.