IF you’re no longer tied to a phone contract, switching to one of the best SIM-only deals is a no-brainer if you want to save cash.
These deals are your ticket to serious savings, especially if you love your current phone and feel no urgency to upgrade.
There are tons of options out there and all for way less than you’re probably paying for your phone and SIM bundle.
Switching providers is a breeze, and it could save you a pretty penny.
Before you make the leap, though, double-check that your phone’s unlocked and ready to work with a new SIM.
Ready to snap up a SIM-only deal? Now’s the perfect time to save, with several providers slashing prices left, right, and centre.
If you’re also on the hunt for a new handset, make sure to check out our shopping tech hub.
It’s packed with unbeatable deals on devices from Apple, Samsung, Google, and more.
For now, scroll down to discover the best SIM-only deals from both big-name brands and hidden gems.
Best SIM-only deals UK at a glance
- Best SIM-only deal with roaming: Unlimited Max Xtra Global Roam + Entertainment, £27 per month from Vodafone – buy here
- Best 12-month SIM-only deal: 200GB of data from Vodafone, £16 per month (save £96 cashback) from Mobiles.co.uk- buy here
- Best SIM-only deal unlimited data: Unlimited data, £15 per month from iD Mobile – buy here
- Best 4G SIM-only deal: 100GB of data, £20 per month from EE – buy here
- Best 5G SIM-only deal: 120GB of data from Vodafone, £14 per month (save £78 cashback) from Mobiles.co.uk – buy here
- Best budget SIM-only deal: 70GB of data from Vodafone, £12 per month (save £60 cashback) from Mobiles.co.uk – buy here
Best SIM-only deals UK
Best SIM-only deal with roaming: Unlimited Max Xtra Global Roam + Entertainment, £27 per month
Unlimited Max Xtra Global Roam + Entertainment,
£27 per month from Vodafone
In the market for a SIM that’s strong on the move? Vodafone’s got you covered.
According to the provider, you can ”roam at no extra cost in more destinations than any other network”.
If you want to get the first six months for half the price, the 24-month Unlimited Max Xtra Global Roam deal should be in your sights.
You’ll pay £27 per month, which means you’ll save an impressive £162 overall.
This particular plan includes worldwide roaming in 83 destinations, 500 international minutes, and a choice of Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video, or YouTube Premium for 24 months.
Best Vodafone SIM-only deals
Looking for more SIM-only savings?
All of the deals listed below include unlimited texts and minutes.
- Unlimited Max Xtra Euro Roam, £21.50 per month – buy here
- Unlimited Max Xtra Global Roam, £23 per month – buy here
- Unlimited Max Xtra Euro Roam + Entertainment, £25.50 – buy here
- Unlimited Plus Xtra Global Roam, £43 per month – buy here
Best 12-month SIM-only deal: 200GB of data, £16 per month (save £96 cashback)
200GB of data from Vodafone, £16 per month (save £96 cashback) from Mobiles.co.uk
Mobiles.co.uk is treating shoppers to several impressive cashback deals on Vodafone’s SIM-only plans.
One standout deal is the 200GB plan, which is listed at £16 per month.
Thanks to the provider’s current cashback offer, shoppers can save £96 over the 12-month contract.
This means that your average line rental over the contract period drops to just £8 per month.
Best Mobiles.co.uk SIM-only deals
We’ve spotted several SIM-only offers at Mobiles.co.uk, and they are too good to miss.
Check out more 12-month deals below:
- 30GB of data, unlimited minutes and texts from Vodafone, £10 per month (save £36 cashback) from Mobiles.co.uk – buy here
- 100GB of data, unlimited minutes and texts from Vodafone, £12 per month (save £72 cashback) from Mobiles.co.uk – buy here
Best SIM-only deal unlimited data: Unlimited data, £15 per month
Unlimited data, £15 per month (was £16 p/m) from iD Mobile
iD Mobile is another great go-to for SIM-only deals.
For just £15 a month, you’ll bag unlimited data, minutes, and texts.
This deal is available on a 24-month contract.
Best iD Mobile SIM-only deals
iD Mobile has more offers to explore:
- 80GB of data, unlimited minutes and texts, £10 per month from iD Mobile – buy here
- 150GB of data, unlimited minutes and texts, £12 per month from iD Mobile – buy here
Best 4G SIM-only deal: 100GB of data, £20 per month
100GB of data, £20 per month from EE
Most plans now support 4G and 5G networks, depending on the area you’re in and the device you are using.
4G speeds typically range from 20 Mbps to 100 Mbps for download, which are generally sufficient for everyday activities like browsing and streaming.
EE’s 100GB SIM-only plan offers excellent value for users seeking ample data, unlimited calls and texts, and speeds up to 100Mbps, though users may experience 5G speeds in areas with coverage.
Best EE SIM-only deals
These EE deals should also be on your radar:
- Unlimited Essentials, £23 per month (was £32 p/m) from EE – buy here
- Unlimited Full Works, £29 per month (was £48 p/m), includes Netflix Premium at no extra cost from EE – buy here
Best 5G SIM-only deal: 120GB of data, £14 per month (save £78 cashback)
120GB of data from Vodafone, £14 per month (save £78 cashback) from Mobiles.co.uk
If you want to stick with Mobiles.co.uk, there are plenty of other deals worth considering.
With this SIM-only offer, you’ll get 120GB of data from Vodafone, unlimited texts and minutes, and reliable 5G coverage.
Customers can also take advantage of the current cashback offers and enjoy exclusive network perks, including access to Vodafone’s rewards app and a three-month free trial of Secure Net.
Best budget SIM-only deal: 70GB of data, £12 per month (save £60 cashback)
70GB of data from Vodafone, £12 per month (save £60 cashback) from Mobiles.co.uk
If you’re shopping for a budget-friendly option, this plan offers great value at just £12 per month.
As mentioned above, Mobiles.co.uk currently has a range of cashback offers available, so if you’re looking to save, you’ll want to head straight to the website.
Like most plans, you’ll also benefit from unlimited calls and texts.
Best SIM-only deals UK FAQs
- Best family SIM-only deals
- Best SIM-only business deals
- Understanding SIM-only deals
- Monthly vs pay-as-you-go options
- What to consider when buying a SIM-only deal
- Benefits of SIM-only deals
- Drawbacks of SIM-only deals
- How to tell if your phone is unlocked
- Best mobile networks
- Cancelling a SIM-only contract
- Mobile phone networks: Is it easy to switch?
- SIM-only deals with different networks
- How to keep your phone number when you switch networks
- What to do with your old sim
- Impact of SIM-only deals on credit rating
- Credit checks for SIM-only deals
- Best networks for SIM-only deals
- Choosing the right data allowance
- 30-day vs 12-month SIM-only contracts
- Choosing the right SIM card size
- How to change your SIM
What are the best family SIM-only deals?
A family SIM-only deal allows multiple SIM cards to be managed under a single account.
Not only does this make it easier to stay connected and manage your accounts, but you can also save money.
Shoppers can check out O2’s Multisave, which provides you with 20% off the airtime plan of every new eligible pay monthly connection that you add to your account.
EE also offers a multi-line discount, where if you add other family members to your account, you’ll get up to £12 per month on additional SIM and airtime plans, and 10% on connected tablets and laptops.
Tesco Mobile and Three are just a few more providers that offer family SIM-only deals.
What are the best SIM-only business deals?
A business SIM-only deal is a contract that provides a monthly allowance of data, minutes, and texts for a business.
They are a great option if a business already has handsets for its employees, but wants to upgrade their plans.
The cheapest business SIM-only deals can be found on networks like Tesco Mobile, Three, O2, and Vodafone.
For example, one of Tesco Mobile’s best business deals comes with 100GB of data and unlimited minutes and texts for £17.50 per month.
If you have a Clubcard, you’ll pay just £16 a month for the rest of your contract.
What is a SIM-only deal?
SIM-only means you’re purchasing a SIM card without a handset, which can be paired with an unlocked phone.
There are a huge number of cheap SIM-only deals on the market from all of the biggest carriers, and the key is finding the deal that most closely suits your needs.
The best SIM-only deals will match your level of usage in minutes, text messages, and data.
SIM-only plans vary in what they offer, so it’s worth shopping around to find a good deal for your requirements.
Many also offer additional perks and extras to lure new customers in or have exclusive deals for existing customers.
While many SIM-only deals are available on a rolling monthly plan, which you can cancel at any time, others are 12-month or longer contracts, which you are tied to, unless you want to pay cancellation fees to switch.
To help you compare the best SIM-only deals from all major networks, we’ve included a wide variety of price plans and data limits, so it’s simple to see what’s available.
Is it better to pay monthly or pay as you go?
If you are on a budget or not looking to upgrade your current device, then SIM-only and pay-as-you-go (or PAYG) plans are your best option.
Not only are they more cost-effective, but they also don’t tie you into lengthy contracts, meaning you have more control.
A PAYG plan means you only pay for what you use and no more, so if you don’t need much data or use your device infrequently, this is the best bet for you.
You’ll want to opt for a pay monthly plan if you know you need a certain amount of data each month and don’t want to have to top up when you run out.
These plans also vary in length from as little as 30 days to 12 months, and some providers like O2 allow you to change your tariff during your contract.
What should I look out for when buying a SIM-only deal?
The most important things to consider when browsing SIM-only deals are data allowance, monthly cost, and plan duration.
If you can balance these right, then you’ve got the best deal for you.
You want to make sure you aren’t paying over the odds for a small allowance when you could get more for less elsewhere, so be sure to shop around.
You also need to consider how long you want to be tied to a plan.
While they are shorter than a new contract, you don’t want to sign up for a 12-month plan when you only need it for a couple of months.
What are the benefits of SIM-only deals?
The main benefit of getting a SIM-only contract is flexibility.
Instead of being locked into a two-year contract like you are with most phone providers, you can easily snap up a rolling one-month deal that’s easy to walk away from (although longer contracts are available too and often offer a discount).
SIM-only deals are particularly useful if you’re buying second-hand and refurbished phones – the combination of a cheap handset and a good value SIM-only contract means you can pay much less for the same package than you’ll ever be offered in-store.
What are the drawbacks of SIM-only deals?
If you don’t already own a good smartphone, a SIM-only offer could end up being frustrating, as you won’t have a proper device to make the most out of your deal.
In cases like this, you could end up saving some money by getting a phone contract, particularly if you’re in the market for one of the latest devices.
Before getting a SIM-only deal, make sure your phone is unlocked, if it isn’t, you won’t be able to use your new SIM card with it.
How can I tell if my phone is unlocked?
If you have an updated iPhone, it’s easy to check if your device is unlocked.
Simply go to ‘Settings’, then ‘General,’ and finally, tap ‘About.’
You will see a ‘Carrier Lock’ setting there.
If it shows ‘No SIM Restrictions’, your phone is unlocked.
Otherwise, there will be the name of a network service provider, showing that your iPhone is locked to that particular carrier.
With Android phones, the situation is a little trickier, as there’s no way of checking if the device is locked via the settings.
Instead, you can try a SIM card from a different carrier.
If you’re able to make phone calls and access the mobile network after the switch, your phone is unlocked – if you can’t, it is locked.
Which mobile network is best?
According to uSwitch, EE offers the UK’s widest and fastest 4G coverage, with a whopping 99% of the UK covered.
O2 is a close second, with its connection covering 99% of the country, though speeds are generally a little bit slower than EE’s.
Three, Vodafone, and iD Mobile are also valid options, all with coverage rates above 90% nationwide and in many parts of the UK.
Additional mobile networks with solid coverage include Tesco Mobile, GiffGaff, Talkmobile, Sky Mobile, and Smarty.
Can you cancel a SIM-only contract?
Yes, but check what type of contract you have.
On some SIM-only deals, you’re locked in for 12 or 24 months, in which case you may be charged an early termination fee.
As a rule of thumb, the early termination fee amounts to the total monthly fees left on your contract at the time of cancellation.
So, for example, if there are ten months left in your £10-a-month contract and you want to cancel now, you will have to pay £100.
Is it easy to switch mobile phone networks?
Yes, it is! All you have to do is wait until your current contract expires (to avoid paying cancellation fees), then switch providers.
To do that, just go to the website of your chosen provider and complete the registration process.
A SIM card will then be posted to your address, ready to be activated.
I’ve found a SIM-only deal with a different network, what do I do now?
Generally speaking, it is convenient to wait for your current contract to end before starting a new one to avoid cancellation fees.
However, if you find an unmissable deal (or you don’t mind paying the cancellation fee), you can simply start a new contract with them and cancel your current one.
How do I keep my phone number when I switch networks?
If you’re ending your existing contract and want to keep your number while moving onto another network’s SIM-only deal, you can.
You’ll need to contact your existing provider and request a PAC code.
A PAC code will be used by your new network to register your number on their service.
However, if you’re moving to a SIM-only deal on the same network, you may have to change your number unless you do something called double porting, where you switch your number to another provider and then switch back.
What do I do with my old SIM?
If you migrate your old number to a new SIM card, you can destroy the old one, as it will be deactivated the moment the number is transferred.
However, if you start a new contract with a new phone number, your old SIM will stay active for a while.
In that case, you may want to keep your old SIM if you intend to use it again.
Just a heads-up, if you have any credit left on your old SIM card, you may want to use it, as if left unused, it may expire after six or 12 months.
Will a SIM-only deal improve my credit rating?
Potentially, yes.
You could build up your credit rating by keeping up with your monthly SIM-only contract payments.
Will there be a credit check when I apply for a SIM-only deal?
Legally speaking, there’s no minimum credit score needed to get a phone contract, but some companies will run a check anyway.
Different network operators will also score you differently, so if you can’t get a contract with one, you could try checking with others.
For context, 30-day rolling SIM-only contracts do not usually require credit checks since they are extremely low-risk to the company.
However, if you’re signing up for a 12 or 24-month SIM-only contract, it is more likely that they will check your credit score.
Which network has the best SIM-only deals?
Here are several mobile phone networks offering great SIM-only deals:
How much data should I look for in a SIM-only deal?
To find out how much data you use each month, simply log into your account, check how much data you use, and buy a SIM-only plan accordingly.
Some SIM-only providers, such as Voxi, offer unlimited social media data too, which means you might get through a little less data than normal.
Should I get a 30-day or 12-month SIM-only contract?
You’d think companies would try and lure customers in by giving them lower prices on 12-month SIM-only contracts, but that’s not necessarily the case.
The decision to get a short-term or a long-term SIM-only contract should be made on a case-by-case basis.
What size SIM card do I need?
There are three sizes of SIM cards available: standard, micro, and nano.
The size you’ll need depends on your phone and should be made clear in your handset’s instruction manual.
As a rule of thumb, iPhones and Samsung Galaxy devices tend to take nano SIMs, while standard SIM cards have been relegated from the mainstream altogether.
How do I change my SIM card?
Each phone will have a different method for changing the SIM card.
To find out how to change yours, head to the brand’s official website.
You can find instructions on how to change your SIM by visiting retailers such as Apple, Google, Huawei, Nokia, Samsung, and more.
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