M1 eSIM and SIM Card: Full Guides for Travelers to Singapore

Singapore is a fantastic tourist destination. It is one of the few city-states, which gives it a distinct flavor. The modernity of the city-state is well-known. Fantastic attractions, a tropical environment, and a convenient Southeast Asian location.

Singapore maintains its broad visa-free policy, with recent expansions including a 30-day visa exemption for Chinese tourists introduced in February 2024. Most visitors from around the globe can travel visa-free for 30 or 90 days. Some nations need an E-Visa, while others, particularly in Northern Africa and the Middle East, require a standard visa. China leads as Singapore’s largest source market with 2.3 million arrivals in 2025, benefiting from the mutual visa exemption agreement. One of the travelers’ most common concerns is how to stay connected during their visit.

I. About M1

M1 is one of the best mobile operators for travelers in Singapore. M1 has grown to serve over 2 million users, making it Singapore’s third-largest mobile network operator. While smaller than Singtel (over 4 million subscribers) and StarHub, M1 has established itself as a technology leader, becoming Singapore’s first operator to support eSIM on mobile phones in 2018.

In 2025, M1 achieved several significant milestones including launching Southeast Asia’s first commercial 5G RedCap network services for enterprise customers in May 2025. The company has also achieved over 99% 5G coverage across Singapore island-wide, making it an excellent choice for tourists seeking reliable connectivity.

M1 is one of the greatest sim cards for travelers in Singapore. So, let’s find out whatever we can about this mobile operator. M1 has fewer than 2 million users, making it Singapore’s smallest prepaid provider. Although they are the tiniest, they are not always the worst. They are just not as well-known as SingTel (over 4 million subscribers) and StarHub. (a bit more subscribers than M1). 

II. M1 Mobile Operator Services

In Singapore, M1 offers a comprehensive range of services to its customers, including mobile phone and data services, fixed broadband internet, and digital services. M1’s network infrastructure has been significantly upgraded, with the company now offering True 5G Standalone (SA) coverage across the entire island and maritime 5G coverage along Singapore’s southern coast.

Key services include:

• 5G and 4G/LTE networks: M1 provides mobile voice and data services on its advanced networks. According to recent Opensignal reports, M1 wins the 5G Availability award with users having an active 5G connection for 51.4% of the time.
• Fixed broadband internet services: M1 offers high-speed fiber broadband to households and businesses across Singapore with various speed options and data limits.
• Digital services: The company provides music streaming, video streaming, and mobile payment solutions through partnerships with content providers.
• International roaming services: M1 offers roaming services with partnerships across multiple international operators for seamless global connectivity.
• Customer service: M1 maintains a comprehensive customer support system available via phone, email, and live chat, with multilingual support including English.

M1 has also pioneered environmental sustainability initiatives, introducing the True 5G Eco SIM in 2023, which uses 50% less plastic and reduces carbon footprint by 30% compared to traditional SIM cards.

III. M1 Coverage in Singapore

M1’s network coverage in Singapore is extensive and reliable, delivering high-quality mobile services across the nation. With over 99% 5G coverage island-wide, M1 offers one of the most comprehensive 5G networks in Singapore.

According to the latest network performance reports from 2025:

• M1 leads in 5G Availability, with users connected to 5G networks 51.4% of the time
• The network provides strong coverage in all areas, including underground MRT stations, shopping malls, and outdoor attractions
• Maritime 5G coverage extends along Singapore’s southern coast, benefiting the important shipping and maritime industry

M1’s network coverage is supported by an extensive retail presence across Singapore, with multiple shops and service centers allowing customers to access services and support throughout the country.

IV. Top M1 eSIM and SIM Cards for Tourists 

M1 offers several tourist-focused SIM and eSIM plans designed specifically for visitors to Singapore. Current tourist plans available as of September 2025 include various validity periods and features to suit different travel needs.

eSIM ONLY Plan

• Validity: 30 days
• Features: Instant activation with eSIM technology
• Data: Generous local data allowance included
• Extras: International call minutes, local talktime and SMS included
• Purchase: Available online or offline at retailers

Physical SIM Plans:

Plan 1

• Validity: 30 days
• Type: Physical SIM only
• Features: Data, talktime and SMS included

Plan 2

• Validity: 28 days
• Type: Physical SIM only

Plan 3

• Validity: 15 days
• Type: Both Physical SIM & eSIM available
• Features: Comprehensive data and calling package

Plan 4

• Validity: 30 days
• Type: Physical SIM only
• Availability: Exclusively available at M1 retailers

Plan 5

• Validity: 30 days
• Type: Physical SIM only

Plan 6

• Validity: 30 days
• Type: Physical SIM only

Key Features of All M1 Tourist Plans:

• Generous local data allowances for sharing photos, streaming TV, movies, and music
• International call minutes included
• Plenty of local talktime and SMS
• Automatic activation upon successful registration
• International roaming capabilities to neighboring countries including Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macau

International Roaming Coverage includes 25+ countries:
Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Canada, China, Croatia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Russia, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, USA, and Vietnam.

Important Registration Requirements:

• SIMs registered with passport are only valid for 30 days including day of registration
• To retain SIM beyond 30 days, visit M1 shops with original passport and valid work permit/pass

Note: Specific pricing details are not publicly displayed on M1’s tourist SIM webpage and must be confirmed directly with M1 or authorized retailers at the time of purchase.

Check out full plans on: https://www.m1.com.sg/mobile/prepaid-plans/tourist-sim

Besides purchasing tourist eSIM directly from M1, travelers can also get M1 eSIM plans through Singapore eSIM providers. SingeSIM is one of the leading providers offering convenient M1-powered tourist eSIM plans with several advantages:

• No passport required for purchase
• Instant delivery via email within 5-15 minutes
• Easy activation before departure
• Competitive pricing with various data options
• 24/7 customer support

V. Calls and SMS Rate of M1 in Singapore

Local Calls / Video Calls:

• 8¢/min (All day on weekends & weekdays, 8 pm-7:59 am)
• 16¢/min (Weekdays 8 am to 7:59 pm)

Local SMS:

• 5¢
• Free 10 local SMS with 5 local SMS sent

International Calls:

• FREE IDD 021 calls to 19 destinations.
• Malaysia IDD 033 Pack available with up to 1,000 minutes to Bangladesh, India, and China

International SMS:

• 5¢/SMS to XL Axiata
• 15¢/SMS to other destinations

VI. M1 Roaming Rate

M1 prepaid customers who purchase qualifying data plans are entitled to free roaming in five countries: Hong Kong, Indonesia, Macau, Malaysia, and Taiwan. This benefit applies to the $30 tourist SIM plan.

M1 also offers two prepaid roaming packs:

$15 SGD 10-day roaming pack:

• 2GB roaming data and 10 minutes calling
• Valid in 12 countries: Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Macau, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States

$28 SGD 10-day roaming bundle:

• 10 minutes and 2GB data
• Valid in additional destinations including Japan, New Zealand, The Philippines, Saudi Arabia, South Korea

Tips: You can choose the specific eSIM and SIM card plans for each country you arrive in to avoid expensive roaming fees. For example, if you’re planning to go to Malaysia, try to find a Malaysia eSIM provider to prepare your local plans in Malaysia.

VII. How to Top up Your M1 SIM

M1 SIM cards can be topped up through multiple convenient channels:

• AXS stations
• DBS/POSB ATMs
• Liquid Pay App
• NETS terminals
• SingPost outlets
• M1 retail stores

There are four M1 all-in-one top-up options available:

OPTION	Daily Data	Max Data	Minutes	Unlimited Incoming Calls	SMS	Validity
11 SGD	1 GB/day	7 GB	100 minutes	Yes	100 SMS	7 days
16 SGD	1 GB/day	14 GB	500 minutes	Yes	500 SMS	14 days
24 SGD	1 GB/day	30 GB	5000 minutes	Yes	5000 SMS	30 days
58 SGD	1 GB/day	90 GB	5000 minutes	Yes	5000 SMS	90 days

If you’re only planning a call abroad, that is. Then, add one of the following recharges to your IDD and/or voice service:

OPTION	Local Minutes & SMS	International Calls & SMS	Unlimited Incoming Calls	Validity
55 SGD	40 SGD	15 SGD credit	10 days	50 days
130 SGD	100 SGD	30 SGD credit	No	50 days

VIII. How to Check M1 Balance – All M1 USSD Codes that You Need to Know

M1 offers M1 Prepaid App or M1 Prepaid Portal for customers to check their credit or data balance. Besides, there’re many USSD codes of M1 that you should know when using M1 eSIMs and SIM cards. 

M1 USSD Code

IX. Where to Buy M1 eSIM and SIM Card?

Physical locations for M1 Tourist SIM cards:

• M1 stores (Various plans available)
• Authorized M1 distributors
• Changi Airport Meet & Greet counters (Terminals 1, 2, 3 & 4)
• Changi Recommends (Terminals 1, 2 & 4)
• Selected 7-Eleven and Cheers stores

Important notes for physical SIM purchase:

• Passport required for registration
• Other acceptable ID includes Work Holiday Pass or Student Pass
• Specify clearly which tourist plan you want to avoid upselling

For eSIM, besides buying from M1 mobile operator, you can purchase one from various Singapore eSIM providers. SingeSIM.com is one of the leading providers offering several eSIM plans for tourists coming to Singapore.

For eSIM purchase, SingeSIM.com offers several advantages over direct M1 purchase:

• No passport required
• Instant email delivery
• Pre-departure activation possible
• Competitive pricing
• Multiple data plan options
• 24/7 customer support

Tips: For tourists, eSIM is recommended over normal SIM cards. With eSIM, you can install it before departure, and the data plan can be automatically activated right after landing in the destination.

X. M1 Mobile Operator Pros and Cons

Here are some pros and cons of using M1 as your mobile operator in Singapore for you to consider:

1. Pros

• Extensive 5G Coverage: M1 offers over 99% 5G coverage across Singapore, including maritime coverage along the southern coast. The network leads in 5G Availability with users connected to 5G 51.4% of the time.
• Technology Leadership: M1 was Singapore’s first operator to support eSIM on mobile phones and recently launched Southeast Asia’s first commercial 5G RedCap network services.
• Competitive Pricing: M1 tourist plans offer excellent value, with the promotional $12 plan providing 84GB of data for 4 weeks.
• Wide Service Selection: M1 provides comprehensive mobile, broadband, and digital services with various plan options to meet different customer needs.
• Strong Customer Support: M1 offers multilingual customer service through multiple channels including phone, email, and live chat.
• Environmental Responsibility: M1 has introduced eco-friendly SIM cards that reduce plastic use by 50% and carbon footprint by 30%.

2. Cons

• Plan Duration Limitations: Some tourist plans may not suit long-term visitors, though M1 now offers plans with validity up to 90 days.
• Network Performance Variations: While M1 leads in 5G Availability, it may not always have the fastest speeds compared to competitors like Singtel.
• Physical SIM Requirements: For physical SIM cards, passport registration is mandatory, which can be inconvenient for some tourists.
• Limited English Support in Some Locations: While M1 provides English customer service, some physical stores outside tourist areas may have limited English-speaking staff.

For the most convenient experience, tourists should consider purchasing M1 eSIM plans through established providers like SingeSIM, which eliminates the need for passport registration and provides instant activation capabilities.

XI. M1 vs Other Singapore Mobile Operators

According to OpenSignal data from May 2022, M1 ranks #1 among all Mobile Networks in Singapore in 4G coverage experience. Furthermore, it placed second in the Core consistent quality category and third in various other areas such as video experience, games experience, voice app experience, download speed experience, and upload speed experience,…

Compared to other Singapore mobile operators, M1 is the network carrier that can offer stable connection and can bring the tourist a streamlining experience for tourists.

XII. M1 SIM Card Alternatives for Tourists

Other SIM card choices are available for travelers visiting Singapore besides M1 SIM cards. Here are some common alternatives:

• Wi-Fi access points: Tourists may access the internet without obtaining a SIM card using Wi-Fi hotspots. In Singapore, many cafés, restaurants, and public locations have free Wi-Fi, and paid Wi-Fi services are available.
• Singtel: Singtel is one of Singapore’s biggest and oldest network providers. It is not to be overlooked if you seek a sim line with robust and consistent Internet connection speed. Singtel assists you in maintaining a reliable connection while in Singapore, assuring the quality of international calls.
• Starhub: Following Singtel, Starhub is Singapore’s biggest telecommunications firm. With significant infrastructure investment, the Starhub network operator always offers a steady, high-speed connection. Starhub has a lower pricing than Singtel, about equivalent to the M1 sim lines, with a selling price of around 12 SGD. However, as compared to M1 or Singtel, Starhub lacks stability.
• TPG (SIMBA): Simba TPG is one of Singapore’s most popular tourist sim lines today. Travelers who use the Simba TPG sim card may effortlessly access high-speed Internet without incurring extra costly roaming costs.
• eSIM: eSIM is one of the most reasonable alternatives to M1 SIM card. You can head to SingeSIM.com to pick your trip’s most suitable eSIM plans. 

Note: If you choose eSIM as M1 SIM card alternative, you need to check whether your device is eSIM compatible. Check out the full eSIM-compatible device list.

XIII. Final Words

Finally, M1 is one of Singapore’s biggest and most dependable mobile network carriers, providing a variety of services to both individual and business users. M1 has been a popular alternative for mobile phone consumers in Singapore because of its robust countrywide network coverage, cheap price, and numerous packages. 

The company’s dedication to growing its network infrastructure and offering exceptional customer service has helped it retain its market leadership position. Despite certain limits, M1 remains a top choice for individuals searching for a dependable and competitive mobile network provider in Singapore, notably in foreign roaming choices and device selection.

XIV. FAQs