Tigo vs Claro Guatemala 2026: All 55 Plans, Real Prices

The first thing you should do when you land in Guatemala is buy a SIM card. Not tomorrow, not after you settle in — right there at the airport or the nearest convenience store. For Q120 you get a working phone number and a full 30 days of data — 15 GB on Tigo, 17 GB on Claro — plus WhatsApp, which is how Guatemala communicates.

There are only two carriers that matter: Tigo and Claro. A third operator, Movistar, exited the Guatemalan market years ago. Your choice comes down to these two, and the differences between them are more nuanced than most guides suggest.

I have used both extensively. Tigo has been my primary line for years, with a Claro backup SIM for coverage gaps during travel. This guide covers every plan type, real pricing in quetzales and dollars, coverage by region, and the practical details you will not find on their websites.

TL;DR: Tigo and Claro are the only two carriers. Prepaid data starts at Q10 for a one-day pack (1 GB on Tigo, 1.5 GB on Claro). The cheapest 30-day prepaid pack is Q120 — 15 GB on Tigo, 17 GB on Claro. Postpago starts at Q160 for 25 GB on both networks. Tigo has better rural coverage; Claro has limited 5G in Guatemala City. Get a SIM at the airport and use WhatsApp for everything.

Every plan name, price and data allowance below was read off the carriers’ own tariff pages — tigo.com.gt/postpago, tigo.com.gt/prepago and Claro’s planes y precios comparador — verified 2026-09-01. Prices are in quetzales exactly as the carriers publish them; today’s Banguat reference rate is Q7.63 per US$1 (live rate). If you’re paying for a family member’s plan from the US, compare remittance transfer rates to save on each payment.

Correction (1 September 2026): an earlier version of this page listed Tigo prepaid packs called Paquetigo Diario / Semanal / 25GB / 50GB / Ilimitado, Claro packs called Plan Ilimitado Datos, Plan Mega Datos and Plan Ultra Datos, and postpaid tiers called Tigo Postpaid Basic/Plus/Premium and Claro Max Basic/Plus/Premium. None of those plans exist on either carrier’s site, and every price and data allowance attached to them was invented. They came from a hand-curated data file with no scraper behind it. The real postpago floor on both networks is Q160 for 25 GB, and the real 30-day prepaid tier is Q120 for 15-17 GB. Every table on this page is now read directly from the carriers’ published tariff pages by a collector script, and every row carries the URL it came from. See our corrections policy and our methodology.

The Two Carriers: Who Owns What

Before comparing plans, it helps to understand who you are dealing with.

Tigo is owned by Millicom International, a Luxembourg-based telecommunications company focused on Latin America and Africa. In Guatemala, Tigo is the market leader in mobile subscribers and has the widest overall coverage. They also operate the largest fiber and cable home internet network.

Claro is owned by America Movil, the telecommunications empire of Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim. Claro operates across most of Latin America and is the only carrier in Guatemala currently offering 5G service, though it is extremely limited — only small pockets of Zona 10, Zona 14, and Zona 15 in Guatemala City.

Prepaid Plans (Planes Prepago)

Most people in Guatemala — locals and foreigners alike — use prepaid. There is no credit check, no contract, and no commitment. You buy a SIM, activate it, and add credit as needed.

How Prepaid Works in Guatemala

You buy a SIM card (Q25-50, or often free with a Q50+ top-up). You then add credit (“recarga”) and activate data packages (“paquetes”). Without activating a package, raw data charges will drain your balance in minutes. Always activate a package first.

Tigo + Claro Prepaid Data Packages — Side by Side

Below is every prepaid pack both carriers publish — 23 from Tigo, 9 from Claro, 32 in total — with the names exactly as they appear on the carrier’s own page. Tigo runs three prepaid families (Todo incluido, Plus, Tigo Flex) plus data-only Datos packs, roaming packs and ViX content packs; Claro publishes a single Todo Incluido family. Sort by price, data or validity to find the best value at your usage tier.

Read from tigo.com.gt/prepago and Claro’s planes y precios comparador — verified 2026-09-01. Prices in quetzales; today’s USD/GTQ reference rate is Q7.63 (live rate).

Side-by-side: at the 30-day tier the two carriers land within a few quetzales of each other. Q120 buys 15 GB on Tigo (Todo incluido 15 GB, 30 días) and 17 GB on Claro (Todo Incluido 17Gb, 30 Días de Vigencia) — so Claro gives you 2 GB more for the same money. Tigo answers with Tigo Flex 18 GB (30 días) at Q125, the largest 30-day pack either carrier publishes and the cheapest 30-day pack per GB at roughly Q6.94/GB; its Plus 17 GB at Q150 costs Q30 more than Claro’s 17 GB for the same data. If you want data with no minutes, Tigo’s Datos 8 GB (30 días) is Q75. Claro publishes nothing above 17 GB on prepaid.

On unlimited plans: neither carrier publishes an unlimited prepaid pack — every prepaid pack on both sites carries a stated GB allowance. The only plan either carrier advertises as Ilimitado is Claro’s postpago TODO INCLUIDO Ilimitado at Q775/month, and because its allowance is published as the word Ilimitado rather than a number, our collector deliberately leaves it out of the ranked tables rather than inventing a GB figure for it. Fair-use throttling thresholds are not published on either tariff page; ask in-store before you sign.

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Postpaid Plans (Planes Pospago)

Postpaid plans require a contract (usually 12-24 months), a credit check, and either a DPI or proof of residency. For foreigners, postpaid is harder to get but offers better value if you qualify.

Advantages of Postpaid

• More data per quetzal spent
• Subsidized phones (flagship devices at significant discounts)
• Consistent bill instead of remembering to top up
• Better international roaming packages
• eSIM support (Claro postpaid, Tigo postpaid on newer plans)
• Priority on network during congestion

Requirements for Foreigners

The catch for foreigners: Without a DPI or residency card, getting a postpaid plan is difficult. Some stores will accept a passport with a tourist visa stamp, but this is branch-dependent and inconsistent. If you are here on a tourist visa (90 days), stick with prepaid. If you have a residency permit (our visa guide covers the process), postpaid becomes much easier.

Every Postpago Plan, Both Carriers

Both carriers publish their full postpago catalogue online. Here are all 23 plans, with names, prices and allowances exactly as listed — verified 2026-09-01.

Sources: tigo.com.gt/postpago and Claro’s planes y precios comparador, both read 2026-09-01.

What the entry tier actually is. Both carriers start postpago at Q160 for 25 GB — Tigo’s Plan sin contrato 25 GB and Claro’s Sin Equipo 25GB de Internet. Neither published catalogue contains a Q100 tier or a 5-10 GB tier: 25 GB is the floor on both networks.

What the plan names mean. Tigo splits its catalogue into sin contrato (no lock-in; minutes only to other Tigo numbers; roaming listed as Central America) and con contrato (minutes to every carrier; roaming listed as Canada to Argentina). Claro splits its into Sin Equipo (no handset) and Todo Incluido (with a handset). Every Tigo tier lists “Apps” and “Apps premium” as included; every Claro tier lists unlimited SMS and América Sin Fronteras.

One oddity to know before you walk into a store: Tigo lists three separate 125 GB Plan con contrato tiers, at Q660, Q775 and Q1,015. The published listing does not say what differs between them. Ask before you sign.

One plan is missing on purpose. Claro also lists a postpago TODO INCLUIDO Ilimitado at Q775/month. Its allowance is published as the word Ilimitado rather than a number, so our collector holds it out of the ranked table instead of inventing a GB figure for it.

Data-Only Plans for Tablets and Hotspots

If you need data for a tablet, laptop hotspot, or secondary device, both carriers offer data-only SIM cards.

Mobile Hotspot Options

Read from the carriers’ own tariff pages, verified 2026-09-01. Tigo publishes a genuinely data-only family (Datos). Claro’s comparador does carry modem/internet packs, but it filters them out of its own plan comparison, so they are not in our feed — ask at a Claro store rather than trusting a number you read elsewhere.

These same prepaid packs work in a hotspot device or a tablet with a SIM slot. Buy a cheap 4G pocket hotspot at any electronics store in Guatemala City for Q200-400 (~$26-52) and pair it with a data-only SIM.

For remote workers: A mobile hotspot with a Tigo or Claro SIM is an essential backup if your home internet goes down. Power outages are common in Guatemala, and your home router dies with the power. A charged hotspot keeps you connected during outages. See our best places for remote workers guide for location-specific internet advice, and check coworking spaces with backup generators if you need guaranteed uptime for client calls.

Coverage: Where Each Carrier Works Best

Tigo Coverage

Tigo has the edge in overall geographic coverage, particularly in rural and semi-rural areas. If you are traveling to smaller towns, indigenous communities, or remote highland villages, Tigo is more likely to have a signal.

• Strongest areas: Guatemala City metro, Pacific coast, Quetzaltenango, Huehuetenango, Alta Verapaz towns
• Weak areas: Deep jungle (northern Peten beyond Flores), some remote mountain villages in the western highlands
• Network: 4G LTE in cities and major towns, 3G in rural areas

Claro Coverage

Claro is strong in urban areas and has the only 5G network in the country, though it covers a tiny geographic area. Claro’s 4G LTE is excellent in cities but thins out faster than Tigo in rural zones.

• Strongest areas: Guatemala City (including 5G in Z10, Z14, Z15), Antigua, major highways
• Weak areas: More gaps in remote western highlands and northern Peten compared to Tigo
• Network: 5G in limited Guatemala City zones, 4G LTE in cities, 3G elsewhere

Coverage Comparison by Region

Pro tip: If you are spending time in rural Guatemala or traveling extensively, carry dual SIMs — Tigo as primary, Claro as backup. Most modern phones support dual SIM or eSIM + physical SIM. The cost of a second prepaid SIM is negligible (Q25-50) for the coverage insurance it provides.

eSIM Support

If your phone supports eSIM (iPhone XS and later, most recent Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel), you can potentially avoid the physical SIM card entirely. This is increasingly popular with travelers who want data working the moment they land.

Local Carrier eSIMs

Claro is ahead on eSIM support. They offer eSIM activation for postpaid plans and some prepaid plans. You can set it up at a Claro store or through their website. This is convenient for travelers who want to keep their home SIM in the physical slot and add a Claro eSIM for local data.

Tigo has limited eSIM support, primarily for postpaid customers. Their prepaid eSIM rollout has been slow. As of early 2026, physical SIM is still the most reliable option for Tigo prepaid.

Third-Party eSIM Providers (Buy Before You Land)

If you want data working the second your plane touches down at La Aurora, third-party eSIMs are the way to go. You buy online, scan a QR code, and activate from your phone — no store visit needed.

Those four rows are the ends of each provider’s six-plan ladder, read on their own Guatemala pages on 4 September 2026. The full ladder (3/5/7/10/15/30 days), the price-per-day column and the local-SIM break-even are on the dedicated page: Guatemala eSIM 2026: Airalo vs Holafly. Airalo’s page header also reads “from $5.00 USD” (checked 1 September 2026); the plans we could read on 4 September were all unlimited-data, so check the app before assuming the 3-day plan is the cheapest option. Neither of those two providers’ pages publishes a fair-use cap. Two more sell a Guatemala eSIM and are not in this table: GigSky, which lists unlimited plans below Airalo at every duration and does publish its fair-use ceiling (high speed up to 3.5 GB per day), and Saily, which sells capped plans from $5.99 for 1 GB over 7 days — both read 4 September 2026, both compared in full on the eSIM page. Note too that both Guatemalan carriers now sell their own eSIM, prepaid included — see the carrier eSIM section above.

The math: at the published 30-day rates, local prepaid works out to roughly Q7-Q9 per GB, with the cheapest 30-day pack — Tigo Flex 18 GB at Q125 — landing at Q6.94/GB. (Short packs can beat that per GB, e.g. Claro’s Todo Incluido 9Gb (7 Días) at Q40, but you would buy four a month.) The unlimited third-party eSIMs we priced run about $3.30-$6.63 per day depending on duration (see the eSIM page). You are paying a premium for convenience. For trips under 2 weeks, the convenience is worth it. For anything longer, buy a local SIM on arrival — the savings add up fast.

My recommendation for tourists (under 2 weeks): Get an unlimited-data eSIM before your flight (Airalo from $19.50 for 3 days, read 4 Sep 2026 — compare per day). It gives you maps, WhatsApp, and Uber from the moment you land. If you need a local number, or buy a physical Tigo SIM at any tienda and load Todo incluido 5 GB (7 días) for Q35.

My recommendation for expats and longer stays: Skip the eSIM providers entirely. Buy a physical Tigo or Claro SIM at the airport (10 minutes, Q50-100). The per-GB cost is 10-20x cheaper than third-party eSIMs.

Buying a SIM Card: The Practical Guide

At the Airport

Both Tigo and Claro have kiosks at La Aurora International Airport (GUA) in Guatemala City. Prices are slightly higher than in town, but the convenience is worth it. Expect to pay Q50-100 for a SIM with some initial credit. They will activate it on the spot.

What you need: Your passport. That is it. They scan it, register the SIM to your passport number, and hand you an active line within 10 minutes.

At Any Store

SIM cards are sold at:

• Carrier stores (Tigo and Claro branded stores in malls and shopping centers)
• Electronics stores (any phone shop)
• Convenience stores (tiendas de barrio, the small neighborhood shops found on every block)
• Supermarkets (some La Torre and Walmart locations have a phone counter)

At a tienda de barrio, the SIM might be free if you buy Q50+ of credit at the same time. The shop owner activates it for you. This is how most Guatemalans get their phone service.

Activation

The person selling you the SIM will typically activate it. If you need to self-activate:

• Tigo: Dial *123# to access the menu, or use the Mi Tigo app
• Claro: Dial *611# for the self-service menu, or use the Mi Claro app

Both apps (Mi Tigo and Mi Claro) are available on iOS and Android. They let you check your balance, buy data packages, and manage your line. I recommend downloading both before you arrive if possible.

Top-Up (Recargas): How to Add Credit

Guatemala runs on “recargas” — prepaid top-ups. There are multiple ways to add credit to your phone:

The most common method is walking into any tienda de barrio and saying “una recarga de cien a Tigo” (a Q100 top-up to Tigo) followed by your phone number. They punch it in on their terminal, you pay Q100 cash, and your credit appears within seconds. You can do this at gas stations, pharmacies, supermarkets, and thousands of small shops across the country.

Important: After adding credit, immediately activate a data package. If you use data without an active package, raw per-MB charges will eat your balance in minutes. Always have a package running.

WhatsApp: The Real Communication Network

This deserves its own section because it fundamentally changes how you think about phone plans.

WhatsApp is not just a messaging app in Guatemala. It is the primary communication infrastructure. Businesses list WhatsApp numbers instead of phone numbers. Restaurants take orders via WhatsApp. Doctors send prescriptions through it. Landlords negotiate rent on it. Government offices have WhatsApp lines for customer service.

What this means for your phone plan:

• Voice minutes barely matter. Nobody calls anymore. Voice calls are for emergencies and talking to grandparents who do not use WhatsApp.
• Data is everything. A solid data package covers WhatsApp messages, voice calls, and video calls.
• Both carriers include free WhatsApp data in most packages. Even if your data runs out, WhatsApp often still works on many Tigo and Claro plans.

If you only remember one thing from this article: get a data package and use WhatsApp for everything.

Phone Number Portability

Guatemala supports number portability, meaning you can switch from Tigo to Claro (or vice versa) while keeping your phone number. The process takes 1-3 business days and can be initiated at any carrier store. This is useful if you started with one carrier and found the coverage insufficient for your area.

Tips for Tourists and Short-Term Visitors

If you are visiting Guatemala for a few days to a few weeks:

1. Buy a Tigo prepaid SIM at the airport for immediate connectivity. Q35 buys Todo incluido 5 GB (7 días), Q65 buys Todo incluido 8 GB (15 días), and Q120 buys Todo incluido 15 GB (30 días) — pick the one that matches your trip length.

2. Do not bother with postpaid. The paperwork is not worth it for a short visit.

3. Consider an eSIM if your phone supports it. Claro eSIM or a third-party provider like Airalo lets you activate before landing.

4. Download Mi Tigo or Mi Claro before arriving so you can manage your plan without visiting a store.

5. Top up at any shop. You will never be more than a block from a place that sells recargas.

6. WhatsApp everything. Save your regular phone number’s international roaming charges. Call home through WhatsApp. Before you decide to switch the US line off entirely, check what it would actually cost: will my US phone work in Guatemala? covers T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T and Google Fi.

Tips for Long-Term Expats and Residents

If you are living in Guatemala:

1. Start with prepaid, upgrade to postpaid once you have residency. The DPI/residency requirement for postpaid is easier once you have proper documentation.

2. Carry dual SIMs if you travel outside the capital. Tigo + Claro covers virtually every populated area.

3. Get a local phone number. Many services (delivery apps, bank verification, government registrations) require a Guatemalan number. You will also need one for your NIT tax ID.

4. Use your bank app for recargas. Banco Industrial and BAM both let you top up any Tigo or Claro number directly from their mobile banking apps. See our banking guide for how to open an account.

5. Check promotions weekly. Both carriers run aggressive promotions — double data days, bonus GB for recharging specific amounts, holiday specials. The Mi Tigo and Mi Claro apps push these notifications.

6. Home internet is separate. Your mobile plan is for on-the-go data. For working from home, you need a fixed internet connection. Read our complete internet guide for Tigo, Claro, and Starlink home internet packages starting at Q159/month (~$21).

Best Plan For Your Situation

Everyone’s needs are different. Here is what I recommend based on the most common profiles:

Best Plan for Tourists (1-2 Weeks)

Option A: an unlimited-data eSIM (Airalo from $19.50 / 3 days, $99 / 30 days) — activated before you land, zero hassle. Per-day comparison on the eSIM page.

Option B: Tigo Todo incluido 5 GB (7 días) for Q35 — buy at the airport, a fraction of the eSIM price, but requires a 10-minute store visit. Staying two weeks? Todo incluido 8 GB (15 días) is Q65.

You will mostly use WhatsApp, Google Maps, and Uber. Either option covers this easily. Carry a portable charger — navigating with GPS drains batteries fast on Antigua’s cobblestone streets.

Best Plan for Expats and Long-Term Residents

Tigo Tigo Flex 18 GB (30 días) at Q125/month as your primary line — the largest 30-day prepaid pack either carrier publishes. Add a Claro Todo Incluido 17Gb (30 Días de Vigencia) at Q120 as a backup SIM if you travel outside the capital regularly. Total: Q245/month ~$32 USD for 35 GB across both networks.

Once you have residency, upgrade your primary to Tigo postpaid for better value and phone subsidies. Keep the Claro prepaid as your backup.

Best Plan for Remote Workers

Tigo Tigo Flex 18 GB (Q125) or Claro Todo Incluido 17Gb (Q120) prepaid as mobile backup — those are the largest 30-day prepaid packs published. If you need more than that on mobile you are into postpago territory: Q160 buys 25 GB on either carrier, and Tigo’s Plan sin contrato 45 GB is Q225 with no lock-in. But your real lifeline is home internet. Get Tigo fiber (Q235/month for 150 Mbps) or Claro fiber as your primary. The mobile plan is for when the power goes out or your router dies — and it will happen. See our complete internet guide for home internet packages and speed tests by city.

If you work from Lake Atitlan or rural areas without fiber, Starlink ($45-66/month) plus a Tigo Tigo Flex 18 GB hotspot pack is the most reliable combo.

Best Plan for Locals and Guatemalan Families

Claro Todo Incluido 17Gb (30 Días de Vigencia) at Q120/month — 17 GB with national and US calling, and the most data Claro publishes on prepaid. Tigo’s pack at the same Q120 is Todo incluido 15 GB (30 días), so Claro gives 2 GB more for the same money. For lighter users, Tigo’s Todo incluido 5 GB (7 días) at Q35 covers a week — though four of those cost Q140, more than either 30-day pack.

For families, Tigo’s postpaid family plans offer shared data pools that work out cheaper per line than individual prepaid. Visit a Tigo store for current family plan promotions.

International Calling Rates

If you need to call outside Guatemala (beyond WhatsApp calls), both carriers offer international packages and per-minute rates.

Per-Minute Rates (Without Package)

These rates drain prepaid balance fast. For regular international calls, use WhatsApp calling (free over data) or buy an international calling package.

International Calling Packages

Both carriers offer promotional packs — typically Q25–50 for 30–60 minutes to the US/Canada, valid for 7–15 days. Check the Mi Tigo or Mi Claro app under “paquetes internacionales” for current promotions. These rotate frequently.

Best option for regular US calls: Use WhatsApp or keep a Google Voice number (free calls to US/Canada over WiFi or data). Most expats never use carrier minutes for international calls.

Family and Multi-Line Plans

If you have a family or need multiple lines, postpaid family plans offer better value than individual prepaid.

What the Carriers Actually Publish for Multiple Lines

Neither carrier publishes a shared-data family plan on its public tariff pages. Tigo’s postpago catalogue and Claro’s comparador both list single-line plans only. Any multi-line pricing quoted online — including an earlier version of this page, which listed Tigo shared-data “family” tiers that neither carrier publishes — is not coming from the carriers’ own published rates.

What you can price yourself, straight from the published catalogue:

If a store offers you a family or shared-data bundle, ask for it in writing: it is not on either carrier’s published tariff page, so we cannot verify the price here. Bring every family member’s passport or DPI to set the lines up in one visit.

Quick Verdict: Tigo or Claro?

For most people, the honest answer is: it does not matter much. Both carriers are competent, both cover the areas where most foreigners live (Guatemala City, Antigua, Atitlan, Quetzaltenango), and both cost roughly the same. Pick Tigo if you travel rural, Claro if you want 5G or eSIM, and stop overthinking it.

The total cost? Q120-Q125/month ~$16 USD for the largest 30-day prepaid pack either carrier publishes, or Q160/month for a 25 GB postpago line. That is less than most people spend on a single dinner out. Guatemala’s mobile costs are among the lowest in the Americas – just one reason the cost of living here is so appealing. Having a local number also helps with safety – ride-hailing apps like Uber and InDriver require a Guatemalan number, and they are the safest way to get around. You will also need a local number for mobile banking and paying utility bills through your bank’s app.

Keep Reading

• Home Internet Guide: 5 ISPs Compared – Tigo fiber, Claro fiber, and Starlink packages with speed tests and real pricing. This covers the fixed connection you will need alongside your phone plan.
• Internet Speed by City – Which cities have fiber, which are stuck on DSL, and where Starlink is your only option.
• Coworking Spaces, Speed-Tested – 15 cafes and coworking spots in Antigua, Guatemala City, and Lake Atitlan with WiFi speeds and day-pass prices.
• Cost of Living in Guatemala – See how phone and internet costs fit into the full monthly budget across five cities.
• Banking Guide: Open an Account – You need a local number for mobile banking. This guide covers which banks accept foreigners and how to set up bill payments through your phone.
• Safety Guide – A local SIM is essential for safety. Uber, InDriver, and emergency calls all require a Guatemalan number.

Sources: every plan name, price and data allowance on this page comes from tigo.com.gt/postpago, tigo.com.gt/prepago and Claro’s planes y precios comparador, read by our collector and verified 2026-09-01; the machine-readable feed is at /data/phone-plans/data.json. Coverage, eSIM and in-store process notes come from Superintendencia de Telecomunicaciones (SIT) filings, GSMA Intelligence, and personal experience using both carriers across Guatemala.