Planning your trip to Morocco and wondering the best way to stay connected? We have compiled a complete guide to choosing and buying a SIM card in Morocco.
And read on below for the best option we found for our travels in Morocco: we found a SIM card for Morocco with unlimited data!
- Update: It’s 2024 and we’ve now visited Morocco twice for a total of nearly 8 months of travel. And spoiler alert; we’ve used the same unlimited data SIM card in Morocco both times and it works a treat!
Mobile providers, networks and frequencies in Morocco
There are three mobile network operators offering prepaid a SIM card in Morocco that is easily accessible to travellers:
- INWI
- Orange Morocco
- Maroc Telecom
It is also possible to buy an eSIM for Morocco through Airalo or Holafly. (I’ll explain more about eSIM options later on; so keep reading to learn more!).
The following frequencies are used in Morocco:
- 2G: 900 MHz
- 3G: 900 MHz & 2100 MHz
- 4G/LTE: 800 MHz (Band 20), 1800 MHz (Band 3) and 2600 MHz (Band 7)
Where to buy a prepaid SIM card in Morocco
You can buy a prepaid SIM card for Morocco in person on arrival at most international airports and at the ferry port (arrivals) in Tangier Med.
SIM cards are also sold all over the country at mobile provider stores (INWI, Orange and Maroc Telecom), convenience stores, and roadside vendors and kiosks.
As with buying a SIM card in any country you can expect higher costs and low data offers at an airport or port terminal so we don’t recommend buying a SIM card at the airport. (That being said it can be a good option if you need data urgently and don’t have maps downloaded or WIFI guaranteed at your first accommodation).
You won’t necessarily find SIM cards in every airport so do keep that in mind. (Some international airports in Morocco are much smaller and more basic than you might be expecting).
For this reason – and if you are travelling for an extended period of time in Morocco – I’d recommend holding out and buying a SIM card directly from a mobile provider store.
Although you won’t have data immediately upon arrival, if you read ahead you will discover options for lower cost and uneven unlimited data.
Now, let’s take a look at the data and data plans offered by INWI, Orange, Maroc Telecom – and Airalo and Holafly.
ORANGE – Buying a SIM Card in Morocco
Orange in Morocco offers a local SIM card for tourists with the following options for 30 days:
- 2 GB for 49 MAD (4.46 EUR)
- 20 GB for 99 MAD (9.01 EUR)
- 30 GB for 149 MAD (13.56 EUR)
- 40 GB for 199 MAD (18.11 EUR)
The Orange SIM card is a good deal if you also want to make phone calls in Morocco as they have calling minutes included in their data packages. Plus, Orange offers the cheapest prepaid SIM card deal. But Orange also has the smallest 4G network in Morocco.
INWI – Buying a SIM Card in Morocco
INWI offers more flexible options for purchasing a tourist SIM card in Morocco; and (read more below) even has an option for unlimited data.
You can purchase an INWI prepaid tourist SIM card with the following options:
- 1 GB, 7 days: 10 MAD (0.91 EUR)
- 3 GB, 14 days: 30 MAD (2.73 EUR)
- 5 GB, 30 days: 50 MAD (4.55 EUR)
- 10 GB, 30 days: 100 MAD (9.10 EUR)
- 20 GB, 30 days: 200 MAD (18.20 EUR)
With a prepaid INWI SIM you basically pay per GB of data with 1GB = 1 EUR. Read more below about buying an INWI package SIM with unlimited data for 30 days.
Maroc Telecom – Buying a SIM Card in Morocco
A prepaid SIM card from Maroc Telecom is free when buying one of the following data-only packages (valid for 30 days):
- 20 GB for 200 MAD (20 EUR)
- 30 GB for 300 MAD (30 EUR)
- 40 GB for 400 MAD (40 EUR)
INWI basically offers the same prepaid SIM card deal as Maroc Telecom.
Buying a prepaid SIM card from a street vendor
It is also possible to get a SIM card for Morocco from a street vendor. But do be aware that there is often no fixed price.
These sellers offer SIM cards from Orange, INWI and Maroc Telecom and will likely have a stack (literally) of SIM cards in their hand. (On arrival at the port in Tangier Med the only SIM cards on offer were from INWI). And they might be standing (again, literally) on the side of the road wearing a t-shirt or cap from one of these mobile providers.
In Casablanca (despite already having a SIM card after a month of travel in Morocco) these guys offered us a sim card for 20 EUR with 40 GB data from Orange. When we declined (we both had SIMs) they started to lower their price and ask us to choose a price.
It is also worth noting you may not be able to read the activation and confirmation text messages in Arabic (and on some occasions they have been known to delete the message before you even have a chance to translate it).
However, our purchase of an initial INWI prepaid SIM card at the Tangier Port from street vendors was straightforward, friendly and activated immediately with the amount of data described.
How much does it cost to recharge data for your prepaid SIM card in Morocco?
For INWI and Maroc Telecom the cost to recharge your SIM is similar.
It basically costs 10 MAD (around 1 EUR) per GB of data.
Getting an unlimted data SIM card for Morocco with Inwi (the best part)
By far the best deal we found for a SIM card in Morocco was an unlimited data SIM card through mobile provider INWI.
Albeit we did buy a prepaid SIM card first at the arrival port in Tangier Med but upon learning about the unlimited data SIM from INWI we headed to the next INWI store and each bought a new SIM.
The unlimited data SIM card for Morocco with INWI costs 200DH (20 EUR) per month. And you do need to pay an additional 200Dh in advance to set up the prepay account.
You need to take your passport to the INWI store and they will register a SIM card to your name.
It will take 30 minutes and be up and running). And the unlimited data is valid from your date of purchase for 30 days.
In order to recharge and receive unlimited data for the next month you need to either visit an INWI store before 30 days; OR you can prepay the next month’s fee online (it works with Google translate if you aren’t fluent in French or Arabic).
The second month costs 243.94 MAD (22.12 EUR).
This is by far the best value for money mobile plan (including D-A-T-A) we found for a SIM card in Morocco.
Where and how do you top-up your prepaid SIM card in Morocco?
It’s easy to recharge your prepaid SIM card in Morocco at any small kiosk or convenience store. Just look out for the INWI, Orange or Maroc Telecom logo above the store and ask them to recharge ‘data’ (if that is what you want).
It is important to specify ‘data’ if you only need that as the standard top up includes less data and more local calling minutes.
And note that if you are travelling Morocco by motorhome, some campgrounds (especially in the North of Morocco) will be able to assist you and recharge your phone directly via the providers app on their phone.
How to buy an eSIM for Morocco
It is possible to get an eSIM for Morocco in which you don’t even need to buy or find a SIM card to put in your phone on arrival in Morocco. This is easy to download and via the app (with Airalo) it is easy to top-up by credit card and ensure you always have access to data in Morocco.
However, eSIM cards in Morocco are not widely tested and travelled YET. This means they are a pricey (pricier?) way of getting data in Morocco (and that’s saying something; as they aren’t particularly cheap in Europe yet either).
But there are options with either Airalo or Holafly to get an eSIM (which you can download before you arrive) and activate it as soon as you arrive.
Getting an eSIM for Morocco with Airalo
The provider Airalo has an eSIM option for Morocco (Choukran):
- 1GB eSIM for 7 days: $9.50
Getting an eSIM for Morocco from Holafly
You can also get Morocco eSIM’s from Holafly:
- 2GB eSIM for 7 days: $31 USD
- 3GB eSIM for 10 days: $41 USD
- 5GB eSIM for 30 days: $45 USD
Finding data and staying connected with a SIM card in Morocco
So there you have it. There are many options for a SIM card in Morocco. They aren’t all too different but by far the best suited (and best value) SIM card for us was the unlimited data INWI SIM.
Bon voyages en Maroc!
3 thoughts on “Buying a SIM Card in Morocco: And how to get unlimited data!”
so I took your advice on the unlimited but they actually charge you 200 for the initiation process which is like a month’s worth of service. so this can be quite pricey for someone here short term. what you think you’re paying for? the second month is actually the first month post-pay
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Hi! How were you able to cancel your unlimited data sim with inwi? i tried to cancel mine but theyre still charging me on the app. thank you!