stc Sawa prepaid
Local prepaid- Network
- stc’s own network (MNO)
- Price
- SIM and top-up prices vary; visitor packages from visitor 26 (SAR 26 / 2 weeks)
- Keeping the number
- stc mobile terms (prepaid section): balance from each top-up is valid for 90 days, extended by up to 90 days from the last paid activity (prepaid-to-prepaid transfers excluded); SIM validity is 180 days, extended by up to 180 days from the last paid activity; if the SIM is cancelled or expires, balance and services are cancelled too. Sawa hybrid SIMs are valid for 15 months. Before cancellation, outgoing services are stopped for at least 15 days (incoming calls still work) with at least 5 days’ SMS notice
- ID check
- Fingerprints in person (stc FAQ); visitors need an original passport and valid visa (third-party guides); stc may cancel after a non-citizen’s final departure (stc terms)
- SMS & calls
- A normal Saudi number. Per a search excerpt of stc’s help pages, receiving SMS while roaming abroad is free (the roaming price page itself doesn’t list it)
Pros
- Official terms spell out balance and SIM validity: 90 / 180 days
- Outgoing service is stopped and SMS notice given before cancellation
Watch out
- Needs at least one paid action every 180 days
- May be cancelled after a non-citizen leaves — not for visitors keeping a number
- No official text found on how many SIMs a passport can hold
Where to buy: stc.com.sa
Sources: www.stc.com.sa/content/stc/sa/en/personal/mobile/terms-conditions-mobile.html · www.stc.com.sa/en/personal/support/contact-us/finger-print.html · stc.com.sa/content/stc/sa/en/personal/mobile/packages/sawa-visitor.html · www.cst.gov.sa/en/media-center/news/CITC-announces-the-commencement-of-service-suspension-for-unverified-SIM-cards · simology.io/blog/saudi-arabia-simesim-registration-2026-what-travelers-need-know