In short: Guatemala has two mobile carriers - Tigo (best rural coverage) and Claro (strong urban + highway). If a guide still lists Movistar, it is out of date: America Movil bought Telefonica’s Guatemala operation in 2019 and migrated the brand to Claro. Tourists can grab a prepaid SIM at La Aurora airport for Q50-Q100. Foreigners moving long-term should start prepaid and switch to postpago after they have a DPI and bank account. Diaspora calling family should just use WhatsApp - it is free and universal here.
Choosing a Phone Plan in Guatemala
Guatemala has two mobile carriers: Tigo (Millicom) and Claro (America Movil). There is also Bi Movil, a small MVNO from Banco Industrial that rides on the Tigo network. Movistar is gone - America Movil acquired Telefonica’s Guatemala unit in a deal that closed in January 2019 and retired the brand later that year, so any Movistar plan you see quoted online is a fossil. All three offer 4G LTE, with 5G rolling out in Guatemala City and Antigua during 2025-2026.
The right plan depends on why you need a Guatemalan number. A two-week traveler, a relocating remote worker, and a diaspora visitor flying in for Christmas all want different things. The sections below break it down by use case.
Carrier Comparison at a Glance
| Carrier | Coverage | Strengths | Weaknesses | Entry Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tigo | Strongest nationwide, best rural reach | Best for travel outside the capital, widest WhatsApp packages, carrier eSIM available | Slightly pricier prepago bonuses | Q10-25 SIM at a tienda; Q25-50 at an airport kiosk with starter credit |
| Claro | Strong in cities and along highways | Reliable in cities, large retail footprint, 5G in Zona 10/14 | Patchier in deep highlands | Q10-25 SIM at a tienda; Q25-50 at an airport kiosk with starter credit |
| Bi Movil | Same as Tigo (MVNO) | Bundled with Banco Industrial accounts, simple flat plans | Requires a Bi account, fewer promo options | Q50 SIM + credit |
Verify current promotional pricing directly with the carrier - the entry SIM + credit bundles change every few months.
Prepago vs Postpago vs Data-Only
Most Guatemalans use prepago (prepaid) - you buy a SIM, load credit, and activate packages as needed. No contract, no credit check, no monthly bill. This is also the only realistic option for tourists, short-term visitors, and anyone without a DPI.
Postpago (contract) plans are billed monthly and bundle unlimited calls, generous data, and often a financed phone. They require a DPI or temporary residency document, proof of address (a utility bill works), and usually a Guatemalan bank account or local credit card. Contracts typically run 12-18 months.
Data-only SIMs (often called internet movil or modem plans) are aimed at tablets, mobile hotspots, and backup internet. They cost less than a voice plan with the same data, but you cannot make traditional calls - just data services like WhatsApp.
For Tourists and Short Visitors
If you are landing for a vacation, a wedding, or a two-week digital nomad trip, here is the playbook.
1. Bring an unlocked phone. Verizon and AT&T phones bought after 2019 in the US are usually unlocked automatically. Most T-Mobile, EE, Rogers, and Telcel phones unlock after the contract is paid. Check with your home carrier before flying.
2. Buy a SIM at La Aurora airport on arrival. Tigo and Claro run booths in the international arrivals hall. A SIM with starter credit runs Q50-Q100 (~$6.50-$13 USD). Same price as in-store - no airport premium on the SIM itself.
3. Or activate an eSIM before you land. If your phone supports eSIM, buy one online and activate the moment you hit airport WiFi. Airalo, Holafly, and similar providers sell Guatemala plans riding on Tigo or Claro - Airalo’s Guatemala page starts at $5.00 USD (checked September 2026), and prices move, so check the provider. Lowest-friction option for short trips - no booth, no Spanish required. Both carriers also sell their own eSIM if you would rather have a local number.
4. Budget Q115-Q165 for a two-week visitor. That is a Q50-Q100 SIM plus one published 15-day pack at Q65 — Tigo Todo incluido 8 GB (15 días) or Claro Todo Incluido 10Gb (15 Días de Vigencia). Covers Maps, WhatsApp, Uber, Instagram, and tethering.
5. Top up anywhere. Every tienda, pharmacy, and supermarket sells recargas. Tell the clerk: “una recarga de Q50 para Tigo, numero cinco cinco cinco…” and read your number digit by digit. You can also top up via the carrier apps, online banking, or ATM.
For Foreigners Moving to Guatemala
If you are relocating - on a residency visa, retirement, remote-work move, or an open-ended stay - the path is staged.
Months 1-3: Stay on prepago. You probably do not have a DPI yet and may still be opening your bank account. Pick Tigo for the broadest coverage, load Q150-Q200/month, and add a monthly data package. Use this window to test which carrier works best at your home, coworking space, and regular haunts.
Once you have a DPI + bank account: switch to postpago. Walk into any carrier storefront with your DPI (or temporary residency document), proof of address (utility bill in your name or your landlord’s), and your bank card. Monthly plans run Q160-Q1,015. The entry tier on both carriers is Q160 for 25 GB — Tigo’s Plan sin contrato 25 GB and Claro’s Sin Equipo 25GB de Internet. Neither published catalogue has a Q100 tier or a 5-10 GB tier. Handset-financed bundles (Tigo con contrato, Claro Todo Incluido) start at Q245 and run to Q1,015.
Why switch? Per-GB cost drops sharply, calls go unlimited, and you can finance a new device at 0% over 12-24 months - which often beats paying cash back home. Postpago is also easier to expense.
For broader cost-of-living context, see the cost of living breakdown and the home internet guide.
For Diaspora Calling Family in Guatemala
Short version: use WhatsApp. Long version below.
Guatemalan families - both inside the country and abroad - communicate almost exclusively through WhatsApp voice and video calls. Grandmothers in Huehuetenango have WhatsApp. Cousins in Los Angeles have WhatsApp. Calls are free over any data connection or WiFi, work on every smartphone, and have for nearly a decade.
Practical notes for diaspora:
- You do not need an international calling card in 99% of cases. Save the money.
- Most family calls happen on WiFi anyway, so you do not even burn cellular data.
- Voice messages (the hold-to-record button) are how older Guatemalan relatives prefer to communicate - it sidesteps typing in a second language.
- WhatsApp video works fine on Guatemalan home internet plans of 20-50 Mbps. See the Guatemala internet guide for what your family is likely on.
- If you absolutely need to call a landline (a hospital, a clinic, a government office), use Google Voice or Skype credit - both cost under $0.10/minute to Guatemala.
When you visit, your US/Canada cell carrier will likely charge $10-$15/day in roaming. Skip it. Buy a local SIM or activate an eSIM and use WhatsApp for everything. What each US carrier actually charges in Guatemala — and which plans include it at no extra cost — is set out in will my US phone work in Guatemala?
Prepago (Recargas) Deep Dive
Prepago credit comes in denominations from Q5 to Q200, with bonus credit added at higher amounts (a Q100 recarga often gets you Q150-Q200 of usable credit, depending on the active promo). Bonuses change frequently - check the carrier app or ask at the tienda.
Common monthly packages (published prices, verified 2026-09-01): the 30-day tier is Q120 for 15 GB on Tigo (Todo incluido 15 GB) or 17 GB on Claro (Todo Incluido 17Gb), with Tigo’s Tigo Flex 18 GB at Q125 the largest 30-day pack either carrier lists and Plus 17 GB at Q150 the priciest. Daily and weekly packs start at Q10 (1 GB for a day on Tigo, 1.5 GB on Claro) if you only need data occasionally.
Social packages (WhatsApp + Facebook + Instagram unlimited) usually add Q20-Q50/month on top of a base data plan and are worth it for almost everyone - they let you keep messaging when your regular data is exhausted.
Postpago Deep Dive
Monthly plans bundle unlimited calls, generous data, social packages, and optionally a financed phone. Typical ranges:
| Tier | Monthly (GTQ) | Data | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry | Q160 | 25 GB | Tigo Plan sin contrato 25 GB / Claro Sin Equipo 25GB de Internet - no handset |
| No-handset, rest of the range | Q185-Q285 | Tigo 30-55 GB, Claro 30-40 GB | Tigo sin contrato / Claro Sin Equipo |
| With handset or contract | Q245-Q1,015 | Tigo 40-125 GB (Q295-Q1,015), Claro 25-135 GB (Q245-Q660) | Tigo con contrato / Claro Todo Incluido |
Every figure above is read from tigo.com.gt/postpago and Claro’s planes y precios comparador, verified 2026-09-01. The full 23-plan table is on our Tigo vs Claro comparison.
Roaming is stated on the plan itself, not sold separately: every Tigo sin contrato tier lists Central America roaming and every con contrato tier lists Canada-to-Argentina; every Claro tier lists America Sin Fronteras. Confirm the terms with the carrier before you travel. Most postpago plans bill in GTQ via direct debit from a Guatemalan bank account.
Data-Only Plans
Data-only SIMs are aimed at tablets, mobile hotspots, and as a backup to home internet. Tigo publishes a genuine data-only family: Datos 850 MB (1 día) Q8, Datos 1.7 GB (2 días) Q13, Datos 3 GB (1 día) Q15, Datos 8 GB (30 días) Q75. Claro’s comparador does carry modem/internet packs but filters them out of its own plan comparison, so we do not publish prices for them — ask at a Claro store. Useful if you want a second SIM in a portable hotspot for travel days, or as a failover for power outages.
eSIM Availability
Both Tigo and Claro sell eSIM, prepaid included, and both publish it themselves: Claro runs a dedicated eSIM page with its own compatibility list and step-by-step iOS/Android activation, and Tigo keeps an eSIM category in its help centre covering prepaid eSIM activation (both checked September 2026). Compatibility is per handset and the carriers publish the current lists — check yours there rather than against a generic “iPhone XS and later” rule. In a storefront you present ID and they email you a QR code.
For tourists, international eSIMs (Airalo, Holafly, Saily) are still the lowest-friction path - activate before flying, no booth, no Spanish required. Airalo’s Guatemala page starts at $5.00 USD (checked September 2026); every provider moves its prices, so read the current one on the provider site. An international eSIM gives you data but no local +502 number.
Coverage Reality Check
- Guatemala City, Antigua, Xela, Coban: All three carriers work fine. Pick on price.
- Lake Atitlan, Semuc Champey, the highlands: Tigo wins. Claro is okay near the main towns and thins out fast beyond them.
- Peten, Atlantic coast, Pacific coast: Tigo and Claro both work along the main highways. Off-road, only Tigo is reliable.
- Inside cinder-block houses, basements, or dense colonial buildings: Signal degrades for everyone. Plan to use WiFi calling when indoors.
Money-Saving Tips
- WhatsApp is the default for messages and calls. Almost every plan includes WhatsApp in its social bundle.
- Monthly packs beat daily packs on a per-GB basis - buy a Q100 monthly instead of Q15 dailies.
- WiFi is everywhere in cafes, restaurants, and coworking spaces - you need less mobile data than you think.
- Carrier apps (Mi Tigo, Mi Claro) often have app-only promos worth Q20-Q50/month.
- For home broadband to pair with your mobile, see the internet guide. For today’s GTQ/USD rate, check the exchange rate tracker.
Every plan price and data allowance on this page is read from the carriers’ own tariff pages - tigo.com.gt/postpago, tigo.com.gt/prepago and Claro’s planes y precios comparador - and verified 2026-09-01; the machine-readable feed is at /data/phone-plans/data.json. Correction (1 September 2026): an earlier version of this page described a postpago entry tier that neither carrier publishes, at a price and data allowance taken from a hand-curated file with no scraper behind it. The published floor on both carriers is Q160 for 25 GB. See our corrections policy. SIM prices and in-store process are field-checked, not scraped. (movistar.com.gt no longer resolves - the carrier left Guatemala in 2019.)