NOS vs Vodafone in Portugal (2026)
The short answer
This is the closest of the Portuguese matchups and neither is the right answer for the interior. Vodafone has the denser 5G layer at 5,449 base stations against 4,886 and placed above NOS in the nPerf barometer. NOS answers with the only prepaid eSIM among the three parent brands and with WTF, which sells 1000 GB to under-25s for EUR 10. Both sell 100 GB for EUR 5 through their low-cost brands.
NOS
NOS SGPS
NOS is a network owner in its own right. WOO and WTF are its low-cost and under-25 brands on the same network, and NOWO is now part of DIGI, not NOS.
Cheapest entry: WOO, EUR 5 per month for 100 GB
Vodafone
Vodafone Portugal
Vodafone Portugal owns its network. Amigo and Yorn are its low-cost and youth brands, and Lycamobile is an independent MVNO that also rides this network.
Cheapest entry: Amigo, EUR 5 per month for 100 GB
Row by row
Fees verified August 2026 against each provider's published data
| Criterion | NOS | Vodafone |
|---|---|---|
| 4G population coverageWhether you have signal at all, anywhere | ~99%Tie | ~99%Tie |
| 5G base stationsHow dense the 5G layer is, not just whether it exists | 4,886 | 5,449Wins |
| Rural and interior reachThe one place the three networks genuinely differ | Weaker in Trás-os-Montes and the Serra da Estrela neither is the answer inland: that is MEO | Strong on the coast, patchy in the deep AlentejoWins |
| Independent benchmark rankMeasured speed and reliability, not marketing | 3rd on nPerf 2024/2025 | 2nd on nPerf 2024/2025Wins |
| Cheapest way onto the networkNobody should pay the parent-brand price | WOO, EUR 5 for 100 GBTie | Amigo, EUR 5 for 100 GBTie |
| Prepaid eSIMWhether you can be connected before you land | Yes, NOS Like 55 GB at EUR 10Wins | Amigo has no eSIM at all |
| Youth brandAn age gate can halve the price under 25 | WTF, under 25, 1000 GB at EUR 10Wins | Yorn, under 35, 201 GB at EUR 10 |
| Home fibre reachWhether one provider can cover both | Wide, strongest in citiesTie | Wide, strongest on the coastTie |
| Parent-brand contractWhat it costs to change your mind | 24 monthsTie | 24 monthsTie |
So which one
Pick NOS if
- You want a prepaid eSIM with a Portuguese number
- You are under 25 and want WTF's 1000 GB for EUR 10
- You want NOS Kids for a child's first phone
- You are in Lisbon, Porto or the urban Algarve
Pick Vodafone if
- You want the densest 5G layer in the country
- You need upload speed for calls or streaming
- You are landing late and want a shop at Lisbon arrivals
- You want a youth plan and are between 25 and 35
Other comparisons
3 more pairsHow we compared these two
The criteria are fixed
Every comparison on this site uses the same 9 rows in the same order, so two pages can be read against each other. We do not add a row because one side happens to win it.
A win is a stated threshold
A row is won on the published number or capability, not on judgement. Ties are declared rather than broken. Figures come from provider price lists and official sources.
How we get paid
Both links earn a commission at the same rate, so the winner of a row is never the higher-paying one. Fees come from each provider's own published price list, not a comparison feed.
Sources: provider price lists and official data, accessed August 2026. Next review: November 2026.