Valentine Billod
About Lyca Mobile in France
€4.99
Starting price · no contract
6.5M+
Customers worldwide (Lyca group)
≈29 GB/€
Data per euro on its 350 GB plan, the best in our comparator
Bouygues
Network used in France
51
Countries with unlimited calls on select plans
Lyca Mobile is a UK-founded MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) that launched in France in 2007, built its reputation on low-cost calls to dozens of countries. In France it operates on the Bouygues Telecom network, giving it nationwide 4G and 5G reach without owning any physical infrastructure of its own.
The lineup covers both no-contract monthly plans and traditional prepaid top-up SIMs, aimed squarely at budget-conscious users and anyone who regularly calls friends or family outside France. Lyca Mobile has no retail stores of its own, but its SIM and eSIM are sold through thousands of partner outlets (tobacconists, newsagents) and can also be ordered online.
For expats, the appeal is straightforward: sign up online, activate an eSIM the same day, and get calling minutes to a long list of countries bundled into many plans rather than billed separately.
Lyca Mobile plans and prices in France
All Lyca Mobile plans are contract-free: monthly SIM-only plans and prepaid top-up SIMs alike can be cancelled or replaced at any time, with no notice period. Data allowances range from a small entry-level bundle up to several hundred gigabytes on the 5G plans, and most tiers include a set number of minutes to France plus a list of international destinations. No credit check is required to subscribe.
Run the numbers on the current catalogue and Lyca Mobile's largest plan works out at close to 29 GB of data for every euro spent, the best data-per-euro ratio in our comparator. The value sits at the top of the range, though: the big 5G tiers land between 19 and 29 GB per euro, while the small prepaid bundles hover around 1 GB per euro. If maximum data per euro is what you are after, the largest tier is the one to look at, not the entry plans.
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Lyca Mobile network coverage in France
Lyca Mobile plans run on the Bouygues Telecom network across mainland France, giving access to the same 4G masts and, on compatible plans, the same 5G rollout as Bouygues' own subscribers. Coverage is strong in cities and along major transport routes; as with any MVNO, actual speeds can be shaped lower than Bouygues' own retail plans at busy times, since virtual operators typically sit behind the host network in priority.
EU roaming: Roam like at Home applies
Calls, texts and data used inside the EU count against your French allowance at no extra cost, under the same Roam like at Home rules that apply to every French mobile provider. The EU data allowance is usually capped below your full French envelope, so check the specific plan before a long trip.
| Coverage type |
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4G Network | ||||
| Area coverage | 96,74 % | 95,86 % | 95,89 % | 91,78 % |
| Population coverage | 99,91 % | 99,92 % | 99,91 % | 99,57 % |
| Population covered | 65 444 254 | 65 448 622 | 65 439 889 | 65 220 966 |
| 5G Network | ||||
| Area coverage | 42,90 % | 27,47 % | 39,49 % | 60,90 % |
| Population coverage | 85,00 % | 79,00 % | 84,74 % | 94,29 % |
| Population covered | 55 677 886 | 51 747 843 | 55 506 621 | 61 764 184 |
Source: ARCEP data — T4 2025.
Getting a Lyca Mobile SIM or eSIM in France
A Lyca Mobile SIM is free to order online at lycamobile.fr for delivery to a French address, or to pick up in person from one of the operator's many partner outlets, mostly tobacconists and newsagents, since Lyca Mobile has no dedicated shops of its own. An eSIM is also free on compatible plans, letting you activate a French number digitally the moment you land, without waiting for a card to arrive. Both SIM and eSIM are designed for immediate activation once registered.
How to get a Lyca Mobile SIM or eSIM in France
Order a SIM or choose eSIM
Order for free at lycamobile.fr, pick one up from a partner tobacconist or newsagent, or select the eSIM option at checkout on a compatible plan.
Register and activate
Activate online or in the Lycamobile app, no bank account (RIB) or contract required for prepaid options.
Check your internet settings
If mobile data or MMS doesn't work right away, enter the APN by hand using the table below.
This is the single most common complaint in Lyca Mobile's public reviews, and it costs people their line: an unregistered SIM gets deactivated within days, and a top-up already taken can keep being charged afterwards. One reviewer topped up in mid-July, had the number cut three days later for lack of registration, and was still charged a month later. Register the SIM the day you activate it. Also check, if you buy a card from a reseller, that it is not already assigned to someone else: reviewers report a 5 to 10 day email procedure to get the assignment transferred.
Lyca Mobile APN settings for mobile data and MMS in France
Once your SIM or eSIM is active, most recent phones pick up the right mobile internet settings on their own. If calls work but mobile data or MMS stays dead, the fix is almost always to enter the APN (Access Point Name) by hand:
| Setting | What to enter |
|---|---|
| APN | data.lycamobile.fr |
| Where to enter it on Android | Settings → Network & internet → SIMs → Access Point Names → add a new APN |
| Where to enter it on iPhone | Settings → Mobile Data → Mobile Data Network → APN |
| Then | Save, switch flight mode on and off, or restart the phone |
APN published by Lyca Mobile on its official APN help page, checked 14 August 2026.
Username, password and the MMS fields vary by handset and change over time. Read them on Lyca Mobile's own APN page rather than from a third-party APN directory, where outdated values are common and will simply leave you without data.
Lyca Mobile top-up, balance check and account management
Day-to-day account management runs through the Lycamobile app or the online customer area at lycamobile.fr, both usable in French only. From there you can check your remaining data and minutes, top up a prepaid balance, or renew a monthly plan.
How to top up a Lyca Mobile SIM in France
Open the Lycamobile app or your online account
Choose a top-up amount or renew your plan
Pay by card
Credit applies almost immediately once the payment goes through.
Prefer to pay in cash?
Top up in person at any partner tobacconist or newsagent carrying Lyca Mobile top-up vouchers.
How to check your Lyca Mobile balance and remaining data
Your remaining credit, data and minutes all sit in the same two places as top-ups: the Lycamobile app and your online account. Both show the balance on the home screen, along with the renewal date of a monthly plan or the expiry date of prepaid credit.
Checking before you travel is worth the ten seconds it takes: EU roaming draws on a smaller allowance than your full French data envelope, so the figure that matters abroad is not the one you see at home.
Lyca Mobile international calling: how it works
International calling is what Lyca Mobile is built around, not an afterthought bolted onto a standard French plan. Several current plans bundle unlimited calls to 51 countries directly into the monthly price, covering many of the destinations expats in France call most often. Where a specific country isn't on the included list, top-up credit on prepaid SIMs can still be used to call it at Lyca Mobile's standard international rates.
The exact list of the 51 included countries can change between plans and over time, so check the current offer details on the plan you're considering rather than assuming every destination is covered.
Lyca Mobile customer service and contact details
Lyca Mobile customer service in France is available by phone, online chat and social media. There is no confirmed English-language support line: assistance runs in French, through the app, website chat, or by phone.
Phone
From a Lyca Mobile SIM: 322 (free)
From another line or from abroad: +33 1 77 72 23 22
Mon-Sat 9am-6pm
Online chat & app
Via lycamobile.fr or the Lycamobile app
Head office
107 Boulevard Pereire, 75017 Paris
Registered address only, not a retail counter
Social media
X: @lycamobilefr
Facebook: Lyca Mobile France
Lyca Mobile has no walk-in shops of its own. For anything that needs a face-to-face conversation, a partner tobacconist selling Lyca Mobile top-ups can help with a SIM swap or top-up, but not with account or billing questions: those go through the app, chat or phone line above. If support genuinely isn't working for you, switching mobile provider in France is simpler than it sounds, since Lyca Mobile's no-contract plans carry no exit fees.
Lyca Mobile vs other MVNOs in France
Lyca Mobile is one of several budget MVNOs in France with an international-calling angle. Here's how it stacks up against two other expat-oriented options:
 Lyca Mobile MVNO · Bouygues network from €4.99 /mo |  Lebara Mobile MVNO · SFR network from €3 /mo |  La Poste Mobile MVNO · Bouygues network from €4.99 /mo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Network | Bouygues (4G/5G) | SFR (4G/5G) | Bouygues (4G/5G) |
| No commitment | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| International calls included | ✓ Up to 51 countries on select plans | ✓ Included in many plans | ✗ Limited |
| eSIM | ✓ Available | ✓ Available | ✗ No |
| English-language support | ✗ Not confirmed | ✓ Phone & chat | ✗ No |
| See Lyca Mobile → | See Lebara → | See La Poste → |
← Swipe to see all 3 plans →
If your main criterion is calling abroad often and cheaply, Lyca Mobile's 51-country coverage is hard to match at this price. If you'd rather manage your line in English day-to-day, Lebara Mobile is the better fit, with confirmed English-language support and a stronger review track record.
Lyca Mobile: Selectra review and verdict
Customer reviews of French MVNOs skew negative online, since dissatisfied users are more likely to post publicly. Here's an honest read of where Lyca Mobile stands out and where it falls short. If a problem isn't resolved through the channels below, our guide on how to complain about a French internet or mobile provider covers the formal escalation steps.
Customer reviews by platform
| Plateforme | Note | Avis |
|---|---|---|
| / |
Notes collectees sur les principales plateformes d'avis. Mise a jour automatique.
Selectra Score
6 plans analysed
Lyca Mobile: among the best data-per-euro ratios of any French MVNO, plus strong international calling value
Lyca Mobile's catalogue leans heavily toward generous 5G data at low prices, with several current plans scoring our top A grade. Its largest plan delivers close to 29 GB of data per euro spent, the best data-per-euro ratio in our comparator, and its other real differentiator is bundled international calling to a long list of destinations, a genuine advantage for anyone in regular contact with family or friends abroad. The trade-off is a customer service reputation that varies sharply by review platform, and no confirmed English-language support.
What we love
- Best data-per-euro ratio in our comparator: close to 29 GB per euro on the largest plan.
- Bundled unlimited calls to 51 countries on several current plans.
- Free SIM and eSIM, designed for immediate activation on arrival in France.
- No-contract pricing from under €5/month, with 5G plans up to 350 GB.
- Bouygues Telecom network coverage, without owning any infrastructure.
Keep in mind
- No confirmed English-language customer service, unlike some expat-focused MVNOs.
- No physical shops of its own, only partner tobacconists and newsagents.
- Sharply polarised reviews: on Trustpilot, 54% rate it 5 stars and 30% rate it 1 star.
- An unregistered SIM is deactivated within days, and billing can continue after it is.
What customers actually say
Reviewers split into two opposite camps instead of settling in the middle. A lukewarm experience is the rare one:
Trustpilot star split, August 2026
👍 Praised most
👎 Criticised most
“I don't need to keep swapping SIMs, because I'm in Africa very often. Topping up lets me keep my number active.”
Dheins · 4/5 · 4 Aug 2026
“Customer service is decent, but getting a SIM is a hassle: most are already assigned to another user, so it takes an email procedure and a 5 to 10 day wait.”
Hélène · 13 Aug 2026
Lyca Mobile solicits reviews and pays for a Trustpilot subscription, which inflates the count of one-line 5-star entries. It answers 99% of negative reviews within a day, but almost always by moving the conversation to a Facebook private message, so whether anything got solved never shows on the platform. Trustpilot ranks it 11th out of 11 in its telecom category.
Star split and quotes read on Lyca Mobile's Trustpilot profile on 14 August 2026, translated from French. Scores in the table above are pulled live and may already differ.
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Frequently asked questions about Lyca Mobile in France
Is Lyca Mobile a good option for expats in France? Read more Close
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How do I configure APN settings for Lyca Mobile internet in France? Read more Close
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