A1 vs Yettel vs Vivacom: Bulgaria's Networks Compared

What you must show at the counter

Bulgarian law requires every voice SIM to be registered to a named person, under Communications Regulatory Commission decision No. 1085 of 3 September 2009. The Counter-Terrorism Act caps one person at ten prepaid numbers.

For prepaid, a foreign passport is legally sufficient — the rule says foreign nationals present an identity document from their own country. In practice this is where foreigners get stuck: expat reports over the past two years describe A1 and Yettel staff refusing a non-Bulgarian passport and asking for a Bulgarian ID, with outcomes varying by branch and by who is on shift. That is store-level habit, not law. The fix is boring: try a flagship or airport store rather than a mall kiosk.

A contract needs more: an EGN or LNCh personal number, a Bulgarian address and, in most accounts, a residence card, because operators credit-check against that number. No operator publishes this as a formal rule, so treat it as practice, not statute. See residence permits and the lichna karta and LNCh, plus opening a bank account for the direct debit.

Prepaid in 2026

Prepaid runs on recharge tiers: your top-up size decides the bundle. A1's minimum recharge has been €5 since 1 January 2026, except paper vouchers at €6.

A1 publishes those tiers as running to 31 August 2026, so check before topping up. Roughly €6–8 a month covers a heavy user, which is why few foreigners bother with a contract.

Contract plans

All three sell "unlimited" plans on 24-month terms. Unlimited means unlimited gigabytes, not unlimited speed — tiers are sold by speed cap. Only Vivacom's list prices were verifiable in August 2026:

Vivacom adds a one-off €7.90 activation fee, and takes €3 a month off Unlimited 20 and 200, or €5 off MAX, if you also buy fixed internet or TV. Those promotional rates run to 31 August 2026.

A1 and Yettel are harder to pin down, and that is worth saying plainly rather than guessing. A1's most recent readable Unlimited terms are dated 31 October 2025 and their promotional window closed on 31 January 2026: Unlimited S was then €20.96 a month, ULTRA €38.85. Treat those as an order of magnitude — A1 sits roughly where Vivacom sits, about €20 to €40 by tier — not today's price. Yettel's Total Unlimited range is tiered the same way, but no current SIM-only euro price could be confirmed officially. Ask in store.

One clause matters whoever you sign with: A1's Unlimited terms reserve the right to drop you to 64 kbps and review the account for abuse above 100 GB in 24 hours. Compare against the cost of living guide and calculator.

eSIM

All three support eSIM. A1 offers it on every prepaid package as well as contracts, charging €7.62 to convert an existing SIM in store, or €5.99 from the phone's own settings. Vivacom offers eSIM on all subscription and prepaid plans, free for new customers who choose it from the start, with a store fee to swap a physical card.

The genuinely useful one for a new arrival is Yettel's prepaid data-only eSIM, launched March 2026: €10.23 for 25 GB over 30 days, or €40.90 for 100 GB over 60 days, with uncapped data for the first 5 and 20 days respectively. Buy it online by card, receive a QR code by email. Carrying no voice service, it falls outside the identity-registration rule — the clean way to get online on day one, before you have any paperwork. The catch: data only, no number, Yettel's network only.

Roaming and keeping your number

A Bulgarian SIM roams across the EU and EEA at domestic rates under Roam Like at Home, and since 1 January 2026 that zone also includes Moldova and Ukraine. It is not literally unlimited: each plan has a fair-use roaming allowance — the megabyte figures above — beyond which the operator may surcharge, capped by EU rules at €1.10 per gigabyte excluding VAT in 2026, down from €1.30 in 2025 and falling to €1.00 in 2027. The scheme is built for travel, not living abroad; sit in another member state for months and surcharges can start.

Porting your number is free and takes two working days. Apply in person at the operator you are moving to, not the one you are leaving. The switchover happens inside a portability window of at most five hours, on a working day between 09:00 and 14:00. Prepaid numbers port too. Settle any penalty and handset instalments first, or the port is blocked.

The contract trap

Under the Electronic Communications Act a contract runs a maximum of two years, and the operator must also offer a one-year option — ask, because nobody volunteers it. When the term ends the contract cannot roll into another fixed term; any clause saying it does is void, and the contract becomes open-ended, cancellable on one month's written notice. What actually happens is that the price quietly reverts from promotional to standard, and most people never notice. Set a reminder for month 23.

Leaving early costs a penalty capped at three standard monthly fees, plus remaining instalments on any subsidised handset — usually the bigger number. Two escape hatches: you can cancel penalty-free within seven days of signing, and under a November 2025 amendment you may terminate without penalty within two months of being notified of a price or terms change.

Which one should you pick

• Just landed, no Bulgarian ID: Yettel's prepaid data eSIM, then a voice SIM once you have paperwork.
• City-based, want the fastest data: A1.
• Village, off-season coast, or a lot of rural driving: Vivacom.
• You mainly care about calls not dropping: Yettel.
• Already buying home internet or TV: take the mobile line from the same operator for the bundle discount — see internet and mobile plans.

For most new arrivals the honest answer is prepaid, on whichever network covers where you sleep. At €6–8 a month you save little by locking in, and you stay free to switch after your first winter — when you learn what your coverage really is. More in the moving guide.

FAQ

Can I buy a prepaid SIM with just my passport?

Legally yes — foreign nationals register with an identity document from their own country. Practically, some staff refuse and ask for a Bulgarian ID. Try a flagship or airport store, or start with a data-only eSIM, which needs no registration.

Do I need an EGN or LNCh for a contract plan?

Almost always. Operators credit-check against a Bulgarian personal number and usually want a residence card and a local address too. Without them, prepaid is your route.

Where do I buy a SIM at Sofia Airport?

All three have retail points at the airport, including in Terminal 2, where most international flights land. Reported hours differ between sources and kiosks can close early, so buy a data eSIM before you fly if you land late.

Is my Bulgarian number usable across the EU?

Yes, at domestic rates across the EU and EEA, and since January 2026 Moldova and Ukraine, up to your plan's fair-use allowance. Above it the operator may surcharge, capped at €1.10 per GB excluding VAT in 2026.

How long does switching operators take?

Two working days, free, applying in person at the operator you are moving to. Settle any penalty and handset instalments with the old one first.

Sources

• A1 — prepaid recharge offers
• A1 — minimum prepaid recharge
• A1 — eSIM FAQ
• A1 — Unlimited terms, edition effective 31 October 2025
• Vivacom — mobile plans
• Vivacom — Free2Go prepaid
• Vivacom — eSIM
• Vivacom — 5G network
• Yettel — mobile plans
• Yettel 5G reaches 86% of the population, May 2026
• Yettel prepaid data eSIM launch, March 2026
• Opensignal — Bulgaria Mobile Network Experience, January 2026
• CRC — mobile number portability
• Consumer rights under the Electronic Communications Act
• European Commission — EU roaming rules
• Traficom — maximum EU roaming surcharges, 2026
• Council of the EU — roaming extended to Moldova and Ukraine from 2026
• Bulgarian National Bank — dual display of prices

General information, not legal advice. Tariffs change frequently — confirm current prices with the operator before signing.