Best iPhone SIM card in 2021
Without an iPhone SIM Card, your iPhone simply wouldn't work. iPhone SIM cards are used to store billing information, phone numbers and, other phone company information for iPhone users.
SIM stands for Subscriber Identity Module and is a way of identifying wireless customer billing information.
There are three different types of SIM cards used in iPhones to date.
If you're wondering what a SIM card actually does and which different types are used in which iPhones, read on for more information.
iPhone SIM card plans comparison
Carrier | Network Coverage | Data | Price |
---|---|---|---|
Tello | Sprint | 1GB | $10 |
Reach Mobile | Verizon | 3GB | $15** $15 Off for 3 Months |
Pure Talk | AT&T | 4GB | $18.75** 25% Off for 3 Months |
Ting | T-Mobile | 5GB | $25 |
Twigby | Verizon | 3GB | $10** 50% Off for 6 Months |
Best AT&T iPhone SIM card

AT&T vs Pure Talk Plan Comparison
Keep your AT&T phone, number & coverage: Save $562 per year
Carrier | Network Coverage | 4G LTE Data | Price | Annual Cost |
---|---|---|---|---|
AT&T | AT&T 4G LTE | Unltd* | $75/mo | $900/yr |
Pure Talk | AT&T 4G LTE | 6GB | $30/mo | $338/yr |
*Don't waste money on unlimited data - Avg. data usage is only 3-5GB | Savings | $45/mo | $562/yr |
Best Verizon iPhone SIM card

Verizon vs Reach Mobile Plan Comparison
Keep your Verizon phone, number & coverage: Save $465 per year
Carrier | Network Coverage | 4G LTE Data | Price | Annual Cost |
---|---|---|---|---|
Verizon | Verizon 4G LTE | Unltd* | $80/mo | $960/yr |
Reach Mobile | Verizon 4G LTE | 8GB | $45/mo | $495/yr |
*Don't waste money on unlimited data - Avg. data usage is only 3-5GB | Savings | $35/mo | $465/yr |
Best T-Mobile iPhone SIM card
T-Mobile vs Mint Mobile Plan Comparison
Keep your T-Mobile phone, number & coverage: Save $660 per year
Carrier | Network Coverage | 4G LTE Data | Price | Annual Cost |
---|---|---|---|---|
T-Mobile | T-Mobile 4G LTE | Unltd* | $70/mo | $840/yr |
Mint Mobile | T-Mobile 4G LTE | 3GB | $15/mo | $180/yr |
*Don't waste money on unlimited data - Avg. data usage is only 3-5GB | Savings | $55/mo | $660/yr |
Best Sprint iPhone SIM card
Sprint vs Tello Plan Comparison
Keep your Sprint phone, number & coverage: Save $492 per year
Carrier | Network Coverage | 4G LTE Data | Price | Annual Cost |
---|---|---|---|---|
Sprint | Sprint 4G LTE | Unltd* | $60/mo | $720/yr |
Tello | Sprint 4G LTE | 4GB | $19/mo | $228/yr |
*Don't waste money on unlimited data - Avg. data usage is only 3-5GB | Savings | $41/mo | $492/yr |
Best cheap prepaid iPhone SIM card
iPhone SIM Card Sizes
SIM Cards are only necessary when you have an Apple iPhone or device that is connected to a cellular network. The older iPhone Touch with no cellular data, for example, does not require a SIM Card to operate.
There are three different SIM card sizes in the various Apple iPhone models. Each has an adapter in case you want to switch to a phone with an incompatible SIM Card slot.
1. Standard SIM Card - The original SIM Card size is similar to any card in your wallet. However, if you want to transfer your data to a new phone, you can take out a small portion of the SIM card to insert into another iPhone. The original iPhone along with the older iPhone 3G and 3GS all use the original SIM Card, according to Apple.
2. Micro SIM Card - Micro SIM Cards were introduced with the iPhone 4 in 2010. The Micro SIM is also used in the iPhone 4s. The Micro SIM Card size is small compared to the original SIM card but not quite as small as the Nano SIM card.
3. Nano SIM Card - Nano SIM Cards are the smallest SIM cards that came out in the iPhone 5 in 2013. The cards have been in every iPhone since, all the way up to the iPhone 7 Plus.
Apple iPhone SIM card sizes
DEVICE | SIM CARD SIZE |
Apple iPhone SE | Nano SIM |
iPhone 6 | Nano SIM |
iPhone 6 Plus | Nano SIM |
iPhone 6S | Nano SIM |
iPhone 6S Plus | Nano SIM |
iPhone 7 | Nano SIM |
iPhone 7 Plus | Nano SIM |
iPhone 8 | Nano SIM |
iPhone 8 Plus | Nano SIM |
iPhone X | Nano SIM |
iPhone XR | Nano SIM |
iPhone XS | Nano SIM |
iPhone XS Max | Nano SIM |
iPhone 11 | Nano SIM |
iPhone 11 Pro | Nano SIM |
Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max | Nano SIM |
Switching SIM Cards
If you have any iPhone model from the iPhone 4 to the iPhone 7 Plus, you can find your sim card tray in the same general spot on the right side of your phone.
If you have an original iPhone or the iPhone 3G or 3GS, the SIM Card tray will be located at the top of your iPhone. Once you find the tray, here's how to remove your SIM Card, according to Apple.
How to Remove Your SIM Card
- Turn off your iPhone.
- Unbend a paperclip or use an SIM-eject tool.
- Insert the SIM-eject tool or paperclip into the hole beside the SIM Card slot to remove the card.
- Push the paperclip or SIM-eject tool into the hole until the SIM Card pops out.
iPhone Compatibility
If you're on a contract phone plan, your cell phone company may put a lock on your SIM Card so you cannot use it with another carrier before your contract is up. This means you'll have to talk to your phone company to unlock your phone before you can switch to a new carrier.
Usually, you'll need to pay off the phone completely and your contract must be up for you to be able to get it unlocked. Some companies, however, do not lock their phones. Check with your customer service representative if you're not sure.
Can you transfer SIM Cards from an Android to an Apple phone?
You can also switch your SIM from iPhone to Android phone (or vice versa) once your phone is unlocked. For example, if you have an iPhone that uses a Nano SIM Card, you can switch it to an Android phone like the Samsung Galaxy that uses a Nano SIM Card. As long as the phone uses the same SIM, you should be able to switch it.
SIM Pin Codes
A SIM Pin is a code you can set so that no one else can access your SIM Card's plan and other information when it is transferred to another phone. It will help make sure no one else can use your plan or access your billing information if you ever lose it.
A SIM Pin is essentially an extra layer of security for your SIM Card. Some cell phone carriers, like Verizon, let you set a SIM Pin when you sign up for service. If you're interested in extra security, make sure to ask your wireless carrier about setting up a pin.
Recap
Overall, SIM Cards are much smaller and less complicated these days than they used to be. Before you buy a phone, it's a good idea to check to see which kind of SIM Card it has in case you ever want to switch to another phone. If you have questions about a SIM Card for a phone other than the iPhone, check out our articles on Samsung SIM Cards and Android SIM Cards.
You should also look into how to pick the right cell phone plan and the best iPhone deals to find the ultimate plan and iPhone at an affordable price.