Everything you need to know about buying a SIM card in Morocco, from the best operators for coverage in the Sahara to eSIM options and calling home cheaply.
The Three Operators and What They Are Good At
Morocco has three main mobile operators: Maroc Telecom, Orange Maroc, and Inwi. Each has a different strength and the right choice depends entirely on where you are going. Maroc Telecom is the old state operator and it has by far the most extensive infrastructure across rural Morocco — if you are heading to the Sahara, the High Atlas, or any small village, this is the only network that will reliably have signal. Orange Maroc has invested heavily in urban 4G and delivers the fastest data speeds in Casablanca, Rabat, and Marrakech. Inwi is the youngest of the three and competes hard on price, offering some of the most generous data packages per dirham. For a typical trip that includes both cities and the desert, Maroc Telecom is the default sensible choice.
Where to Buy a SIM Card
SIM cards are widely available in Morocco and the process is straightforward. At Mohammed V Airport in Casablanca and Marrakech Menara Airport, there are Maroc Telecom counters in the arrivals hall where you can buy a SIM before you have even collected your luggage. In any Moroccan city you will find the branded shops of all three operators — easily identifiable by their green (Maroc Telecom), orange (Orange Maroc), or teal (Inwi) signage. Tobacconist kiosks, called hanouts, also sell SIM cards in most towns. You will need your passport in all cases, as Moroccan law requires SIM registration. The process takes about five minutes: the shop assistant photographs your passport, registers the SIM, inserts it, and verifies it is working before you leave.
Morocco Mobile Numbers at a Glance
99 MAD
Maroc Telecom Jawal Tourism SIM (100GB data)
0.99 MAD/min
Calls to Europe on MT international pack
5 min
Time to register and activate a SIM
2023
Year Orange Maroc launched eSIM support
I bought the Maroc Telecom tourist SIM at Marrakech airport and had signal the entire way to Merzouga, including in the dunes. The price for 100GB is honestly embarrassing compared to what we pay at home.
The Jawal Tourism SIM and Sahara Coverage
Maroc Telecom's Jawal Tourism SIM is specifically designed for visitors and represents exceptional value: 100GB of data for 99 MAD, available at Mohammed V Airport Casablanca and Marrakech Menara Airport. This is the product to buy if you are arriving at either of those airports and want a simple, no-fuss option. For Sahara travellers, coverage at Merzouga and Erg Chebbi is provided only by Maroc Telecom — Orange and Inwi have no signal in the deep south. Signal in the dunes themselves is intermittent, but from the town of Merzouga you can make calls and use data normally. WhatsApp and video calls function fine on all three operators in areas with signal, and most travellers use WhatsApp as their primary communication method while in country.
Key Things to Know Before You Buy
- Bring your passport — SIM registration is legally required and always enforced
- Airport Maroc Telecom counters are open from early morning to late evening on all major flight days
- Orange Maroc supports eSIM since 2023 — check compatibility with your handset before travelling
- All three operators use standard Nano SIM format on recent handsets
- Top-up credit (recharge) is available at hanout kiosks everywhere, usually in 10, 20, and 50 MAD denominations
- If you want to keep your home number active for incoming calls, set up call forwarding to WhatsApp before departure
Keeping Your Home Number Reachable
Rather than roaming on your home SIM at high cost, activate call forwarding from your home number to WhatsApp before you leave. Anyone calling your UK or US number will reach your WhatsApp, which runs for free on your Moroccan data SIM. This is how most long-term Morocco travellers stay reachable without paying roaming charges.
