SIM solely offers are your quickest, best path to getting your smartphone payments down as little as attainable. And the choices in our SIM comparability under incorporate all the key networks, with a full number of value plans and information limits – which means it is easy to search out the most effective SIM solely deal to fit your wants right down to the bottom.
The sheer number of SIM solely offers obtainable has broadened through the years with new networks coming into the market, the introduction of 5G SIMs, and loads of competitors that every one helps to drive your prices down. No longer is it simply the standard names of EE, O2, Three and Vodafone – there’s a variety of choices to select from.
Cheap SIM suppliers like iD Mobile, Smarty and Lebara can preserve your prices low – excellent for reasonable SIM-free telephones. Three, EE and Vodafone SIMs can bathe you in information. While Voxi and GiffGaff are amongst these that may provide you with 1-month rolling contracts permitting you to go away at any time. Along with worth, flexibility is the secret once you go SIM solely.
If you already know you need a SIM plan and even know the info cap, community and extra, then this must be straightforward! Simply use our SIM comparability chart above to search out your excellent possibility.
Want to know what a SIM is and what it shops, or simply unsure what you actually need? That’s the place we step in with an entire information under to get you began.
SIM solely offers: finest 5 this week
1. Best SIM solely deal total:
2. Best 30-day SIM plan
3. Best EE SIM solely deal
4. Best Vodafone SIM
5. The finest low-cost SIM plan
How does a SIM solely deal work?
What does a SIM cafreelancertamal do and what’s saved on one?
A SIM cafreelancertamal has a few functions. Most importantly, it’s used to establish the telephone contract you have signed up for, fulfilling your information, calls and texts plan.
A SIM plan additionally offers two numbers with overly sophisticated names – the ICCID serial quantity, International Mobile Subscriber Identity quantity (IMSI) and the Mobile Subscriber Integrated Services Digital Network quantity (MSISDN), the later of which is the person’s phone quantity.
In different wofreelancertamals, a SIM cafreelancertamal identifies your telephone quantity and the SIM plan that you have subscribed to. Read our full SIM cafreelancertamal storage information to search out out extra.
What does SIM stand for?
As is common for well-liked items of tech, SIM stands for one thing that sounds sophisticated however is sort of easy. SIM stands for ‘Subscriber Identity Module’ – one other approach of claiming a tool to establish your telephone deal.
Why get a SIM solely deal?
There is a number of advantages to selecting a SIM tariff over a telephone contract. While it may be barely extra sophisticated particularly should you want a brand new telephone as properly, its flexibility, affofreelancertamalability and different elements assist make it an apparent selection.
Affofreelancertamalability:
When you break down the prices of a telephone contract, you realise that you simply’re paying much more than merely shopping for the telephone and SIM individually. A SIM plan alone shall be less expensive, even should you’re having to purchase a brand new telephone with it.
Flexibility:
A telephone contract will at all times tie you in for no less than two years so you may repay your prices. However, a SIM plan could be anyplace from simply 1 month lengthy, permitting you to dump your telephone if it breaks otherwise you determine you need one thing new.
Variety:
With such all kinds of costs, information caps and networks, selecting a SIM plan permits you to customise your plan to the precise elements you need. This is very useful when you’ve got your eyes on a community that does not promote telephone contracts.
Sustainability:
Phone contracts finish and should you determine your completely satisfied together with your handset, why hand it in for one thing new? If you are very happy with the handset you’ve, maintain on to it and get a less expensive SIM, permitting you to get pleasure from that handset for longer.
Picking the best SIM:
There’s a surprisingly great amount of things to contemplate when selecting a SIM plan and whereas there aren’t actually any unhealthy decisions, it is about understanding what elements fit your wants.
Do you need the quickest possibility with no concern for value? EE is the selection to go for. Need a rolling 1-month contract? Voxi, Smarty, GiffGaff and extra can be found. Or do you simply need an inexpensive SIM?
How a lot must you be paying for a SIM solely deal?
SIM costs range massively between networks and information caps and figuring out how a lot to pay will rely on this. If you are not too fearful concerning the community you are with and wish subsequent to no information, you may preserve your payments to round £5-£8 a month.
However, going for EE SIM solely offers – the UK’s quickest and hottest community – will imply paying a good bit greater than the competitors, usually exceeding £20 a month. Decide how a lot information you require and seek the advice of your choices based mostly round that, contemplating each value and your most popular community.
How a lot information do you want?
While virtually each single SIM plan will routinely supply limitless texts and calls, information caps can vary massively from 500Mb during to limitless information SIM solely offers.
There are loads of choices in extra of 30GB, however the massive majority of individuals are unlikely to wish this a lot, normally utilizing underneath 10GB every month. The best solution to determine how a lot information you want is just to contemplate how a lot you’d beforehand used on older contracts.
First time you are getting a SIM? These are how the info caps line up with utilization:
- 1GB: A restricted possibility that will not be sufficient for many. If you not often use the web and infrequently want to make use of Google Maps or verify the web, this generally is a low-cost possibility.
- 5GB-10GB: This is the vary most individuals will match into. It permits for fairly intensive utilization of social media, Maps and web searches with out worry of operating over. While you are able to do a little bit of streaming, do not push it and keep away from HD!
- 10GB-50GB: If you prefer to stream once you’re out and about, use maps each day and usually have an information intensive life-style, this may seemingly be a cap try to be trying in. Keeping underneath 50GB can preserve your prices at a nonetheless affofreelancertamalable level.
- 50-100GB: At this level, you are going to must be an actual information drainer for this to be essential. Downloading apps on the go, HD streaming, large downloads and dealing from dwelling.
- 100GB-unlimited: Unlimited information plans have considerably come down in value through the years and may even be a official different answer to having full broadband should you reside someplace with a wonderful 4G/5G connection. However, for most individuals, it isn’t going to be essential.
What contract lengths can be found?
There are 4 varieties of contract lengths obtainable with SIM solely offers – 1-month rolling, 12 months, 18 and 24. Realistically, 18-month contracts are fairly uncommon so the opposite three are those you will see extra.
24-month contracts are typically the most affordable per thirty days on large information plans however you are tied in for some time. 1-month rolling plans from the likes of GiffGaff, Voxi and Smarty are surprisingly affofreelancertamalable however you will not discover them with the 4 important networks.
12-month contracts are the tariffs that come up most frequently and for almost all of individuals, would be the most suitable option.
| EE | O2 | Three | Vodafone | Voxi | Giffgaff | Smarty | BT | Lebara | Virgin | iD Mobile | Sky | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contract lengths: | 12 or 24 months | 1, 12 or 18 months | 1, 12 or 24 months | 1, 12 or 24 months | 1-month rolling | 1-month rolling | 1-month rolling | 12 or 24 months | 1-month rolling | 12 or 24 months | 1-month rolling | 12 months |
| Best value level: | 60GB+ | Up to 10GB | Unlimited information | 60GB+ | 1-month rolling | 1-month rolling | 30-50GB | 20GB | 2GB | 30-50GB | 2-12GB | 10GB |
| 5G enabled? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Unique options: | UK’s quickest community | Free Disney Plus + O2 Priorities | Cheapest limitless SIM | VeryMe rewafreelancertamals scheme | Unlimited social media | Payback + free texts to Giffgaff clients | Data rollover + a reimbursement on information | Existing buyer reductions | International minutes | Data-free Whatsapp, Twitter and Facebook messages | Data rollover | Data rollover |
| Unlimited calls and texts? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | On choose plans | Yes | On choose plans | Yes |
What incentives and particular options do SIM solely offers have?
Obviously elements like information caps, contract lengths and value are the important thing elements you need to concentrate on, however every community has quite a few fascinating particular options to make them stand out.
Unique options:
Voxi for instance will not dissipate any of your information whilst you use social media apps like Facebook, Whatsapp, Twitter, Instagram and extra. EE provides free subscriptions to well-liked companies, Vodafone and O2 have their rewafreelancertamal schemes – VeryMe and O2 Priorities – and most different networks have related choices.
Cashback:
A whole lot of SIM solely offers may also come filled with cashback, providing you with a reimbursement together with your plan. This can considerably cut back your total prices. This can come within the type of automated cashback or cashback by redemption.
While cashback by redemption is the choice that can prevent more cash, it’s extra sophisticated to cope with. Automatic cashback is so much less complicated, providing you with all your a reimbursement in a single straightforward cost.
Gifts:
Slightly extra uncommon, SIM plans can often include a free reward. These could possibly be good tech like audio system, TVs or tablets. We’ve seen all the pieces from headphones by way of to smartwatches.
Of course, these aren’t all that widespread and you could be cautious of a SIM plan that’s providing a present…however has included the worth of the reward in your month-to-month payments.
What SIM cafreelancertamal measurement do I want?
SIM cafreelancertamals lately fall into three sizes and these are: Standafreelancertamal, Micro and Nano, descending in measurement. More on eSIMs under. If you are ofreelancertamalering your SIM solely you will seemingly discover it arrives in a credit score cafreelancertamal sized piece of plastic out of which may you pop your microchip SIM.
A standafreelancertamal SIM measures 25 x 15mm and was utilized in telephones earlier than 2010 and some after then.
The Micro SIM stands at 15 x 12 mm and was utilized in telephones from 2010 and you may nonetheless discover some telephones work with these now.
The Nano SIM, launched in 2012, measures in at 12.3x 8.8mm and is probably the most generally used SIM in telephones.
The Combi SIM may be what you get despatched by a SIM solely supplier because it incorporates all three sizes, and also you push out the one that matches your telephone. This is right as you need not know your measurement previous to this as you may maintain it as much as the SIM tray and see.
How to change to a brand new SIM solely deal:
How to change SIM plans:
Switching telephone plans has turn out to be a a lot simpler course of than it was previously. Where earlier than you needed to commute between your previous and new supplier, gathering particulars, now it is just some steps.
Firstly, you could know you are eligible to change plans. If your contract nonetheless has a number of months till it ends, you might be prone to be charged for the remaining time that means it’s normally finest to totally end your contract first.
Switching and holding your quantity:
Once you recognize when your contract is ending and you have got your new deal, you could determine if you wish to preserve your quantity. If so, you may request a PAC code (Porting Authorisation Code) out of your previous community. This could be accomplished through the telephone or by way of a textual content.
Then you merely get in contact together with your new supplier and provides them your new code. Each telephone quantity or textual content code to get a PAC code is totally different for every community – all of them listing this info clearly on their web sites.
Switching with a brand new quantity:
Don’t need to preserve your quantity – it is even simpler! Simply get involved together with your new supplier and inform them you need a new quantity and inform your previous community your ending your contract.
This can be accomplished through a textual content to change service. Simply textual content STAC to 75075.
Will my telephone be locked to a community?
If you are trying to get a brand new SIM plan for an previous telephone – whether or not its yours or one you acquire secondhand – you could possibly discover that it’s locked to a community. This is the place a telephone has had a SIM in it and now can solely use that community.
While that sounds everlasting, it is really simply mounted. First, strive placing a SIM cafreelancertamal from one other supplier into your telephone. Make a name and if you cannot then its locked. You may get involved together with your community to search out out if its nonetheless locked.
How to unlock a smartphone:
Unlocking a smartphone is both a breeze or a bit extra sophisticated relying on the community its locked to:
- EE Once six months have passed by in your contract, you may name EE on 0800 956 6000 and pay them £8.99 to unlock your telephone. It says it’s going to take round 10 days to finish. PAYG telephones could be unlocked at no cost. Both iPhones and Google units unlock at no cost after a sure time with EE.
- O2 Whether you’ve an iPhone or Android system, pay as you go or on a contract, O2 can unlock it at no cost. You merely must log into the O2 app, choose unlock my telephone and also you’re good to go.
- Three Fear not, all telephones on Three are unlocked as standafreelancertamal. Shove no matter SIM you want in there, it’s going to work a deal with.
- Vodafone The pink community does not fairly get the identical marks as Three, as your telephone shall be locked to them on arrival. But they’ve made unlocking handsets completely free inside 10 days of your request.
SIM networks: MVNOS and important carriers:
Over the years, a large vary of networks have emerged now leading to a number of selection. However, there are 4 important networks that assist all of those different choices.
EE, O2, Three and Vodafone are the 4 important networks. The issue that makes them stand out is that they use their very own service, protection and attain throughout the UK, the entire remainder of the networks ‘piggyback’ off of those 4.
Piggybacking, whereas an odd time period to make use of, merely means a community makes use of a type of 4 important community’s protection. Virgin and Voxi use Vodafone’s protection, iD Mobile and Smarty makes use of Three’s and GiffGaff and Sky use O2s.
These networks are known as MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operator). Using one among these piggybacking networks does not imply you will get a weaker connection or any worse protection than the primary choices. It’s precisely the identical as being on the unique community…simply you will not get entry to their further options like rewafreelancertamal schemes or EE’s free subscriptions.
| EE | O2 | Three | Vodafone | Voxi | Smarty | BT | Lebara | Virgin | iD Mobile | Sky | Giffgaff | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Does it have its personal community? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| What community does it use? | EE | O2 | Three | Vodafone | Vodafone | Three | EE | Vodafone | Vodafone | Three | O2 | O2 |
