Sawa Recharge Code KSA: How to Recharge Your STC SIM
The Sawa recharge code is *155*RechargeCode#, dialled from the phone you want to top up. STC, the Saudi Telecom Company, also accepts the code by SMS to 900, or through the mystc app. The credited balance always equals the card’s face value, not the amount charged at checkout.
Do This Next:
- Dial *155*RechargeCode# from your Sawa line
- Confirm the new balance with *166#
- Save the receipt until the SMS confirmation arrives
How to Recharge Your Sawa Card?
STC operates Sawa (سوا), Arabic for “together”, as its prepaid mobile brand in Saudi Arabia. The Sawa recharge code adds balance to a prepaid line through a short USSD command, no internet connection required.
Three manual methods work identically for any recharge card or e-voucher.
| Method | How | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| USSD dial | Dial *155*RechargeCode# and press call | Fastest, works with zero balance |
| SMS | Text “RechargeCode 155” to 900 | Same result, useful if dialling fails |
| Call center | Call 1500, select recharge, enter the code | Voice menu, available in Arabic and English |
Source: stc official prepaid packages page | Verified: July 2026
Replace RechargeCode with the digits printed on your card or e-voucher. A misdialled digit fails the recharge rather than crediting a partial amount, so re-check before pressing call.
Recharging Through the App, Banks, and Other Channels
A physical card is only one option, not the only one. STC supports several digital routes for the same top-up.
- mystc app or website: log in, select the line, tap recharge, then pay by card or enter a voucher code
- Bank apps and ATMs: most Saudi banks list “STC prepaid recharge” under service payments, accepting Mada or SADAD
- stc pay: open the wallet, choose Sawa recharge, enter the number and amount
The app route is the only one that shows your balance and active package on one screen right after paying.
What Your Recharge Card Denomination Actually Means?
This is where most guides get the numbers backwards, so it is worth stating plainly.
A Sawa card is named after the balance it credits, not the price you pay at checkout. ZATCA, the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, requires 15% VAT to be added on top of that balance figure.
| Card (Balance) | You Pay (Inc. VAT) |
|---|---|
| Sawa 20 | SAR 23 |
| Sawa 25 | SAR 28.75 |
| Sawa 30 | SAR 34.5 |
| Sawa 50 | SAR 57.5 |
| Sawa 100 | SAR 115 |
| Sawa 200 | SAR 230 |
| Sawa 300 | SAR 345 |
Source: stc official prepaid packages page | Verified: July 2026
So a “Sawa 100” card credits exactly SAR 100 to your line, and costs SAR 115 at the till. Several recharge guides invert this. They list the checkout price as the card’s name, making the same card look like two different products.
Pro Tip: If a retailer or app quotes a number, ask whether it is the balance or the price. The two are always 15% apart, and only one of them is what lands on your line.
How to Check Your Balance After Recharging?
STC uses different codes depending on what you are checking. Mixing them up is the most common source of confusion.
| What You Want | Code | Channel |
|---|---|---|
| Main Sawa balance | *166# | USSD, instant on-screen |
| Main balance by SMS | Send “166” | To 900 |
| Internet data balance | *8885# | USSD, instant on-screen |
| Data balance by SMS | Send “2220” | To 900 |
Source: stc official prepaid business page | Verified: July 2026
Dial *166# straight after recharging to confirm the balance landed before you rely on it for a call. The mystc app shows both balances on one screen if you would rather skip the codes entirely.
Sending Balance to Another Sawa Line
STC’s Top Me Up service lets one Sawa user request balance from another, without either party visiting a store.
- Send 170 SenderNumber Amount to 900
- The recipient gets a request SMS
- They reply YES to accept, YES [amount] to counter, or NO to decline
A Sawa user can request up to SAR 20 per transaction this way, per STC’s Top Me Up page. Postpaid limits run higher, up to SAR 500 a month.
Recharging someone else’s line directly, rather than requesting a transfer, is also supported from both postpaid and prepaid lines. The exact SMS format varies by line type. Confirm it in the mystc app or by calling 900 before sending a payment blind.
Balance and SIM Validity Rules
A Sawa line does not stay active forever without paid activity, and the two clocks run separately.
- Balance validity: 90 days from your last paid activity (recharge, call, SMS, or package purchase)
- SIM validity: 180 days from your last paid activity
If 90 days pass with no paid activity, STC deducts the remaining credit from your balance. If 180 days pass, the line itself is cancelled.
Recharging resets both clocks. That alone is a reason to top up a rarely used line occasionally, even without needing the balance.
Emergency Balance: The KMMEL Service
STC’s advance credit feature is officially called KMMEL, a name most guides get wrong. It solves one specific problem: a Sawa line stuck at zero balance with no recharge on hand.
| Action | Code |
|---|---|
| Activate KMMEL | Send 1055 to 900 |
| Check advance status | Dial *166# |
| Deactivate KMMEL | Send 1056 to 900 |
Source: stc official KMMEL page | Verified: July 2026
Once active, KMMEL credits SAR 5.50 to your line the moment your balance reaches zero. STC deducts that amount from your very next recharge before crediting the rest.
For example, a balance of negative SAR 3 followed by a SAR 10 recharge leaves SAR 7 available. The advance covers calls and most Sawa services, but not subscription packages or the credit transfer service itself.
Recharge Code or Package Code: They Are Not the Same Thing
A Sawa recharge code does not activate a data or call package by itself. It only adds spendable balance to the line.
Buying a specific bundle, say a weekly data package, needs its own activation code sent to 900. Recharging first and activating a package second is the standard order. The mystc app can do both in one session.
For the current package codes and prices, the STC call packages guide covers the full Sawa lineup.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Sawa recharge code?
The main code is *155*RechargeCode#, dialled from the line you want to top up. STC also accepts the same code by SMS to 900 or through the mystc app.
Why is my balance lower than the price I paid?
Sawa cards are named after the balance they credit, and VAT adds 15% on top at checkout. A Sawa 100 card credits SAR 100 but costs SAR 115 to buy.
Why did my recharge code fail?
The most common cause is a mistyped digit in the code, which blocks the top-up rather than crediting it partially. Re-check the code carefully against your card or voucher and try again.
Final Thoughts
STC’s own prepaid packages page lists 27 September 2026 as the current pricing expiry. Codes tend to outlast the numbers attached to them.
The *155# recharge format itself has stayed stable for years. That is the detail worth memorising, more than any specific price.
Managing more than one Sawa line, a partner’s or a spare eSIM? Set up KMMEL and Top Me Up once. That beats solving it from scratch mid emergency.
Last verified: July 2026
Reviewed by: KSA Content Team
Source: stc official prepaid packages page; stc official KMMEL and Top Me Up pages
Note: recharge card denominations and package prices are subject to change. Verify the current rate directly through stc before purchasing a card or e-voucher.
