Updated April 2026 · 4 min read

How to get a phone plan in Brazil as a foreigner

Tired of prepaid SIM cards? Here is how to get a proper Brazilian phone plan as a foreigner, and why you need a CPF first.

Prepaid is fine for a week. After that, it is painful.

When you first arrive, you probably picked up a prepaid SIM. It works. But prepaid plans in Brazil are expensive per GB, expire if you forget to recharge, and you get deprioritised on the network when it gets busy.

Brazil's postpaid plans are genuinely great value. For R$55-80/month you get 15-25GB of data with unlimited WhatsApp, which is how the entire country communicates. Everything from your landlord to your dentist to the local restaurant sends you messages on WhatsApp.

The catch: every carrier requires a CPF to sign up for postpaid. No CPF, no proper plan. You stay on prepaid, paying more for less, topping up at the padaria like a tourist.

The main carriers

Vivo has the best coverage nationwide, especially outside major cities. The most reliable choice if you travel around Brazil.

Claro is strong in urban areas and competitive on price. Great for Sao Paulo and Rio.

TIM often has the cheapest plans and solid coverage in cities. Popular with budget-conscious users.

All three require a CPF for postpaid plans. You can sign up online or in-store with your CPF and passport. The whole process takes about 20 minutes.

eSIM makes it even easier

If your phone supports eSIM, Vivo and Claro both offer eSIM activation. You can set up your plan without visiting a store. Download the carrier app, enter your CPF, choose a plan, scan the QR code. Done.

This is one of those moments where having a CPF makes life in Brazil feel effortless. You go from hunting for prepaid recharge vouchers to having unlimited WhatsApp and plenty of data, set up from your couch.