The capabilities of each simcard form factor are the same, but they each have different dimensions, making them suitable for specific types of devices. 2FF, 3FF and 4FF simcards must be placed in a device, while MFF2 simcards that are vacuum sealed are soldered directly to the printed circuit board. That is why they are also called embedded simcards.
IoT connectivity simcards come in four different forms ranging from 2FF, the largest simcard, to 4FF, or nano simcard, the newest and smallest of the simcards. In addition, there is also a built-in simcard option: the MFF2 (sim chip).
Each generation of simcard is smaller than the previous one. Although they are usually referred to by the generation they originate from (2, 3, 4), they are also referred to as ‘mini simcards’ (2FF), ‘micro simcards’ (3FF), ‘nano simcards’ (4FF) , or called “embedded simcards” (MFF2).
SIM form factor dimensions
2FF (mini): 25mm x 15mm x 0.76mm
3FF (micro): 15mm x 12mm x 0.76mm
4FF (nano): 12.3mm × 8.8mm × 0.67mm
MFF2 (embedded): 5mm x 6mm x 1mm