SIM card format and size comparison

Products > High-Tech > Phones
7
2020-07-02 19:08:59

Compare the different SIM format described in the specifications: Full-size vs Mini-SIM vs Micro-SIM vs Nano-SIM vs Embedded-SIM.

Thanks to Apple and it's iPhone versions, there is now several SIM sizes used in our smartphones or tablets. The iPhone 4 made the microSIM size widely used, several other manufacturer adopted this format. Now the iPhone 5 introduced the NanoSIM size, which is even smaller.

The iPhone XS and iPhone XR introduced the eSIM format along a NanoSIM to support dual SIM.

To have a visual size comparison of the SIM formats, don't forget to click on the chart icon in the top left corner of the table.

Full-sizeMini-SIMMicro-SIMNano-SIMEmbedded-SIM
Front view
Same contact as full sizeYesYesYesYesNo soldered
Form factor1FF2FF3FF4FF
Standard referenceISO/IEC 7810:2003, ID-1ISO/IEC 7810:2003, ID-000ETSI TS 102 221 V9.0.0, Mini-UICCETSI TS 102 221 V11.0.0JEDEC Design Guide 4.8, SON-8
Devices using it(credit card size)Early mobile phonesiPhone 4iPhone 5iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR
Dimensions
Height85.6 mm25 mm15 mm12.3 mm6 mm
Width53.98 mm15 mm12 mm8.8 mm5 mm
Depth0.76 mm0.76 mm0.76 mm0.67 mm1 mm less than
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Comments

  • voted for this Comparison (Like)
    Posted 2019-07-08 12:14:59 by Netopilou
  • @dave5x
    The ORBITEL 901 was one of the first "mobile" phone to use sim cards:
    https://www.imei.info/phonedatabase/16095-orbitel-901/
    But this website says it use the mini-SIM formats.
    The full-size format is the default smart card dimensions. It might not have been used inside a real phone.
    Posted 2018-12-13 21:42:16 by Alexis
  • Beautiful. The full-size one reminds me of the 8" floppy disks of yore. I'd like to see sample pictures of a few devices that used the full-size SIM card.
    Posted 2018-12-13 20:50:08 by dave5x
  • voted for this Comparison (Like)
    Posted 2015-05-05 12:03:32 by Hendrik Eggers
  • voted for this Comparison (Like)
    Posted 2014-09-06 19:13:53 by nimportekoi
  • voted for this Comparison (Like)
    Posted 2013-06-26 19:17:49 by Robert Nahapetyan
  • voted for this Comparison (Like)
    Posted 2012-09-19 09:52:33 by Alexis
  • voted for this Comparison (Like)
    Posted 2012-08-17 00:28:41 by Seralo

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