PikoeSIM
Excellent
Bulgaria eSIM
Plans from€0.27
1 GB 7 days
Sofia, Bulgaria
- 4G/5G data
- One prepaid price
- Check compatibility first
- Hotspot included
Choose your plan
Data for 7 days
Data for 15 days
Data for 30 days
Data for 180 days
Tech specs
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Country coverage | Bulgaria only. Crossing into another country needs its own plan; neighbouring destinations aren't covered. |
| Local networks | A1 Bulgaria, Vivacom Bulgaria |
| Network technology | Connects to 4G/5G where the network offers it. |
| Data & validity | Fixed totals from 1 GB to 50 GB across 7-, 15-, 30- and 180-day options. Each card states its exact allowance, validity and features. |
| Calls & SMS | Data only: no local phone number, standard voice calls or SMS. Use internet calling and messaging apps such as WhatsApp instead. |
| Hotspot | The listed networks support hotspot. Any device you connect draws from the same data allowance. |
| Your phone | Compatible phones must support eSIM and be network-unlocked. Confirm the exact model and regional variant before you buy. |
How it works
Pick a plan, add the eSIM to your phone, then connect once you're in Bulgaria.
01Choose your plan
Choose data and validity that cover your trip. Save the setup instructions for offline access.
02Install before you fly
Install over Wi-Fi using your plan's instructions. Check when the plan's validity starts.
03Connect in Bulgaria
On arrival, turn on the eSIM and select it for mobile data. Keep data roaming off on your regular SIM.
Compare ways to get online in Bulgaria
Use prepaid data on the phone you already carry. This is how PikoeSIM compares with a rental router, home-carrier roaming and a physical SIM.
Swipe or scroll to compare all four options
| What matters | PikoeSIMTravel eSIM | Pocket Wi-FiRental router | RoamingYour home carrier | Local SIMPhysical SIM card |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Getting connected | Download the eSIM to your phone, then follow the activation steps that come with your plan. | Book delivery or collect a rental router from the provider. | Turn on roaming and confirm your destination is covered by your home plan. | Buy a SIM card and insert it into a compatible SIM slot on your phone. |
| Extra equipment | None. You use the eSIM-compatible phone you already have. | A separate device to carry, charge and keep within range. | None. You keep using your existing phone and SIM. | A physical SIM card. You might need to remove your usual SIM to fit it. |
| Data & cost | From €0.27 for 1 GB / 7 days. You pick a fixed allowance when you order. | Rental fees and data terms vary by provider. Check delivery, loss and damage fees before booking. | Your carrier's rates apply. Some home plans already include roaming at your destination. | Prepaid prices, data allowances and validity periods differ between local operators. |
| Sharing your data | The listed networks support hotspot. Any device you connect draws from the same data allowance. | Connect phones and other devices to the router. They all need to stay inside its Wi-Fi range. | Tethering depends on your carrier and your roaming plan. | Check that the local plan allows tethering before you rely on it. |
| Calls & SMS | Data only. Make calls and send messages through internet apps. | Internet only. Regular calls and SMS still use your phone's mobile plan. | Calls and SMS are billed under your carrier's roaming terms. | A local number, calls and SMS depend on the specific plan you buy. |
| After your trip | There's nothing to send back when your trip ends. | Return the router and accessories on time. Late or missing returns can trigger extra fees. | No hardware to return afterwards. | You don't need to return any rental device. |
Frequently asked questions.
Answers to common setup and buying questions.
Which Bulgaria data plans give the best value for my holiday?
For a short trip that relies mostly on hotel Wi-Fi, the 1 GB plan valid for 7 days at €0.27 is the cheapest listed option. If your holiday is about 2 weeks (14 days), the 3 GB plan valid for 15 days at €1.68 often gives the best value among the list because it costs the same as the 7-day version but adds 8 more days. The 50 GB cards both cost €25.12, but one lasts 30 days and the other 180; neither refills daily. Heavy YouTube use or video calls will eat through any of these totals quickly. These are practical recommendations, not a guarantee of exact data usage, so compare the full EUR cost against what your days actually include.
Which mobile networks does the Bulgaria eSIM connect to?
Listed networks: A1 Bulgaria, Vivacom Bulgaria. Connects to 4G/5G where the network offers it. Speeds and signal vary with your phone, location and network conditions.
Will my phone work with this eSIM card?
You need an eSIM-capable phone that is unlocked for other networks. Confirm the exact model and where it was sold, then open the compatibility guide for manufacturer steps. On iPhone, Add eSIM lives in Cellular or Mobile Data settings; on Android, look under Network & internet, though the path differs by model. iOS and Android support can vary by regional variant, so check before you buy.
When do I install the eSIM before a trip?
Add the profile over stable Wi-Fi and save the instructions before you fly. Follow your plan's activation steps; installing the profile and the start of its validity can be separate events, and the exact trigger depends on the instructions supplied with your plan. At the destination, enable the travel line and set it for mobile data. A QR code scan still takes a few minutes, so don't treat instant installation as a speed promise.
Can I still use WhatsApp and keep my regular phone number?
Your existing messaging accounts run on the travel eSIM's internet, including WhatsApp. The plan provides no local phone number and no ordinary calls or SMS. Bank verification texts still depend on your regular SIM, carrier and bank, so check home-carrier charges if you keep that line active.
Does the eSIM support a data hotspot for my laptop?
The listed networks support hotspot. Any device you connect draws from the same data allowance. Every connected device pulls from the same allowance. Pause cloud backups and large software downloads while tethering, since a data hotspot shared with a laptop drains the total quickly.
Is the data allowance renewed daily or monthly?
No. Each eSIM card holds one fixed total for its stated validity. It isn't unlimited and doesn't renew daily, and hotspot use comes from that same total.
Will this eSIM work in other countries?
No. These offers cover Bulgaria only. A border crossing or an onward journey needs a plan that names the next country. Don't assume a local operator name extends the service beyond Bulgaria.
Can I top up my data before my holiday ends?
Size the allowance and validity to the whole trip before you buy. A second purchase doesn't automatically extend the first or move unused data, so follow its own setup steps. Use only the top up or profile-reuse options that come with your order; specific top-up amounts and payment methods are not confirmed here. These are one-off cards, not a monthly subscription, and 30 days is not always the same as one month.
What do I do if I cannot connect to the internet?
Confirm you're in Bulgaria, the travel line is on and selected for mobile data, and the plan still has data and validity left. Apply the supplied roaming and APN instructions, then briefly toggle airplane mode or restart the phone. Move somewhere with better signal if needed, and keep the profile installed while you seek help.
How do I stop my primary SIM from using data?
Switch off automatic mobile-data switching and leave data roaming disabled on your home SIM. Any roaming setting the travel eSIM needs applies only to that line. Calls and texts on the home line can still trigger your carrier's charges.
What do I need for support or a refund request?
Have the order reference, device model and install details ready when you contact support. Refund eligibility depends on the purchase conditions plus activation or usage, so read them before you buy. Keep the profile installed while a connection problem is looked into. The words "no contract" appear in searches, but that's a search phrase and not confirmed as a policy; check the purchase terms instead.
Using your eSIM in Bulgaria
A Bulgaria eSIM matched to your itinerary
Landing at Sofia airport or checking into a guesthouse in Plovdiv, mobile data lets a tourist pull up a reservation, translate an address and settle where to meet. An eSIM works as a virtual sim card added to a compatible phone, and it leaves your regular SIM free for the services you still want.
Light users who lean on hotel Wi-Fi can start with 1 GB for 7 days, €0.27, the cheapest listed plan and an affordable entry point. Three GB keeps the same price whether you pick 7, 15 or 30 days, shown as €1.68, so for a holiday of about 14 days (two weeks) the 15-day version often offers the best value among the listed options because it costs the same as the 7-day version. Both 50 GB cards list €25.12, but one runs 30 days and the other 180; each is a fixed total, not a daily allowance. There is no 1 day card, so even a stay of one day begins with the 7-day option. These are practical recommendations, not a promise of how long any allowance will last. Compare pricing on total EUR cost, since the best price for you depends on trip length and data use.
From Sofia streets to the Rila valley
Listed networks: A1 Bulgaria, Vivacom Bulgaria. Connects to 4G/5G where the network offers it. Speeds and signal vary with your phone, location and network conditions. Signal quality varies between city streets and mountain roads, so no single network can offer best coverage everywhere; save key maps and bookings offline before leaving town.
Already on the map.Sofia, Bulgaria
Sofia: pin your airport terminal and metro stop.
Sofia's metro operator places the airport station beside Terminal 2. Check which terminal your flight uses, then rely on current airport information if you have to move between terminals before reaching the station.
Save the metro stop nearest your stay and the route to it. Message your host an arrival time and an entrance pin if you're meeting outside; a hotel name alone is less useful than the actual doorway.
Keep the station name on your phone for the underground ride. The plan loads online maps and information, but it can't send a regular SMS, so sort tickets and messages before you go down.
Save before you goArrival terminal, destination station and the entrance to your accommodation.
Plovdiv: share a map pin, not just a café name.
Plovdiv's tourism office calls Kapana the city's creative district. Pin one café or street corner when meeting friends there, then save the walking route toward the Old Town.
Ask your accommodation which entrance to use and where a vehicle can stop before you arrive with luggage. Share the written address with the map pin so a driver or host confirms the same place.
Choose your stops ahead of time and save the return departure separately. Upload photos a few at a time; automatic gallery backup can drain far more of the allowance than directions ever will.
Save before you goAccess instructions for your stay, your chosen stops and the departure point for your next journey.
Rila Monastery: fix the pickup and return details early.
Check the monastery's own visitor pages for the areas you intend to see. Settle arrangements with your tour or driver before departure, and don't treat a saved map pin as a transport booking.
Agree an exact pickup point and return time with everyone in your group. Store the booking and the driver's contact on your phone; a number only helps if you also have a way to call or message it.
Reception can drop along the mountain road. The plan works only where a supported network reaches, so download directions in advance instead of counting on a live connection to find your ride back.
Save before you goBooking, meeting point, return time and the driver or organiser's contact.
Choose your Bulgaria plan
Compare data amounts and durations to find the plan that fits your trip.
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