There’s never been a better time to switch to one of the best SIM only deals, as the price of mobile contracts are expected to spiral in the coming months. Getting your smartphone bill down as cheap as possible has become more important than ever.
A SIM only deal is the best way to keep your monthly bill low, and you don’t need to compromise on your available minutes, calls or mobile data either. In fact, the best SIM only deals can often be specifically tailored to match your requirements.
There is a huge variety of SIM only options available. The biggest players in the mobile market such as EE, O2, Vodafone and Three all offer SIM only contracts, but there are also excellent deals available from the likes of Lebara, Voxi and GiffGaff.
With so many options across multiple different carriers, finding the best SIM only deals for your specific needs can be tricky. That’s why we’ve rounded up our picks of the best SIM only offers in one spot. From contracts that cost less than £10 a month, to ones with unlimited data, here’s the best SIM only deals you can score right now.
Today's SIM only deals
SIM only deals under £9
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(opens in new tab)SIM only deals under £19
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(opens in new tab)Best SIM only deals over £20
(opens in new tab) (opens in new tab)Why get a SIM only deal?
There are a lot of benefits to getting a SIM only mobile contract. While saving money usually takes all the headlines, it’s certainly not the only advantage.
- Cost: With a SIM only deal your contract won’t include a new handset like the iPhone 13 or Samsung Galaxy S22, but you’ll have a monthly bill that is usually a fraction of the price. Plus, when you break down the costs it can actually be cheaper to buy a new smartphone separately and score one of the best SIM only deals.
- Flexible: A mobile contract that includes a new phone will practically always be at least two years long. However, with a SIM only plan you can get rolling contracts that can be cancelled with just a month's notice. Which gives you a strong degree of flexibility to switch things up if a better deal comes along.
- Options: SIM only deals often give you a wide variety of options to customise your contract. Without the need for a phone, the power is in your hands as you can look to get a package with the exact amount of minutes, calls and data you need. Plus, you can shop around networks and find the best price for your budget.
How much data should you get?
Many people find themselves wondering just how much data they need when shopping for a mobile phone contract. The general rule of thumb with mobile data is you don’t need as much as you think. A 2022 poll (opens in new tab) by MoneySavingExpert found that 76% of respondents used less than 3GB of data a month, and only 8% used more than 10GB a month.
While lots of SIM only contracts will try to tempt you with offers of 100GB+ of data, or even unlimited data in the most expensive cases, think carefully about whether you actually need that much before committing. Most people fit into the 5GB-10GB range as that’s enough to use social media, maps and internet searches without fear of hitting your limit.
If you do a lot of HD streaming, online gaming or want to use your mobile phone as a data hotspot for other devices then you might want to consider a contract with double-digits of data, but be warned that data is the main factor that typically determines the monthly cost of a contract. If you don’t need lots of data, don’t pay for it.
What contract lengths are available?
Your mileage may slightly vary but generally there are four main contact lengths: 1 month rolling, 12 months, 18 months and 24 months. 18 months are becoming increasingly uncommon, so it’s likely the other three that you’ll have to choose Between.
Typically, 24 months will work out the cheapest as you’re committing to sticking with a network over a significant period of time. However, this does mean you’re locked into a fixed contract for a while. Some networks do allow you to break a contract early, but only if you’re switching to a different, usually more expensive package, with the same provider.
1 month rolling plans offer the most flexibility, but the big four carriers (EE, O2, Vodafone and Three) rarely offer these. The smaller networks like GiffGaff, Voxi and Lebara are your best bet if you want a rolling contract.
The most common contract length is 12 months, and for the majority of people it’s the best choice as it balances both a degree of flexibility with a long enough commitment that you can still get a good price.
