SIM only deals become very popular around this time of year as people keep hold of their existing phones after taking advantage of older Black Friday deals. And why not, when monthly costs start well under a fiver? On this page you'll find links to the best SIM only deals currently available in the UK.
SIM only deals are usually the best option for those people who are out of contract but want to wait a while before they upgrade, or for others who have bought a phone outright and want a cheap SIM only deal to use with it. If your plan is up and you don't want or need a new phone, SIM only is your best bet.
Luckily for you, SIM only deals are very competitive at the moment, so there are a lot of great options as the networks compete on price. We'll start with our price comparison chart, where you can find the outright best deals, and underneath that you'll see some of the best SIM only deals that we recommend from multiple networks. Scroll on down to the bottom to find our extensive list of coverage checkers for every network too.
SIM only deal exclusive:
iD | 30-day contract | 1.5GB data | 250 minutes | 5000 texts | £5 per month
If you're looking for a super cheap SIM only deal but don't want to limit yourself too much with data, 1.5GB for £5 is the best option out there right now and it's exclusive for TechRadar readers! You'll still be able to access emails, browse the net and casually check Facebook and stay under the limit. And as it's a 30-day SIM only deal, you can change your mind and cancel at any time.
View this
iD SIM only deal (ShockProof plan)
Alternate offer: For the same price, you can also go for iD's data rollover deal, where any unused data is rolled over into your next month's allowances.
View this
iD SIM only deal (rollover data plan)
The best SIM only deals of the week are:
These are the deals we recommend most highly. We try to pick out a deal for everyone, whether you're after the cheapest possible option or the best balance between allowance and cost over one-month and 12-month SIM only deals.
1. The absolute cheapest SIM only deal out there
iD Mobile | 1 month contract | 250MB data | 250 minutes | 5000 texts | £4 per month
This is the cheapest SIM only deal currently available in the UK. If you just need to keep a phone up and running for occasional use, this is a good option. Clearly 250MB is not much data at all so you'd be advised to either keep mobile data switched off or else be careful what apps are updating in the background. BUT WAIT, CHECK OUT THE NEXT DEAL FIRST!
View this deal: at iD Mobile
2: The best 1.5GB SIM only deal
iD | 30-day contract | 1.5GB data | 250 minutes | 5000 texts | £5 per month
If you're looking for a super cheap SIM only deal but don't want to limit yourself too much with data, 1.5GB for £5 is the best option out there right now. Especially given how freely Wi-Fi is available outside of the home nowadays. You'll still be able to access emails, browse the net and casually check Facebook and stay under the limit. And as it's a 30-day SIM only deal, you can change your mind and cancel at any time.
View this
iD SIM only deal (ShockProof plan)
Alternate offer: For the same price, you can also go for iD's data rollover deal, where any unused data is rolled over into your next month's allowances.
View this
iD SIM only deal (rollover data plan)
3: The best 4GB SIM only deal
iD | 1-month contract | 4GB data | 500 minutes | 5000 texts | £10 per month
iD doesn't just do cheap 1GB SIM only deals. You can also get a generous 4GB for just £10 a month. And because it's a one-month SIM only contract, you can cancel at any time.
View this deal: at iD/Carphone Warehouse
4: The best 12GB SIM only deal
Talk Mobile | 12-month contract | 12GB data | 5000 minutes | 5000 texts | £12 per month
If you're happy to sign up for 12 months you can get an excellent deal at just £12 a month for a whopping 12GB of data. That's quite a leap up in data from Talk Mobile's 30-day deal above for 4GB of data at £10 a month. Happy with your phone? This is excellent value for a 12 month deal.
View this deal:
at Talk Mobile
5: The best best 25GB SIM only deal
Vodafone | 12-month contract | 25GB data | Unlimited calls and texts | 12 months of Sky Sports mobile, Now TV or Spotify | £25 per month
Vodafone's deals have been a bit pricey of late but we think the extras are well worth a look here. In addition to the massive 25GB of data, you get to choose between Sky Sports mobile, Now TV or Spotify for 12 months of free access. There's 4GB of roaming data too!
View this deal: 25GB Vodafone SIM only deal
6: The best unlimited data SIM only deal
Three | 12 month contract | Unlimited data | Unlimited texts | 200 minutes | £24 per month
Sometimes, you've just gotta have all the data. Netflix marathons, epic Pokemon Go quests, constant Spotify tunes, this all you can eat data bundle is ideal for the serious mobile user who never needs to worry about poxy thing like data allowances or Wi-Fi. Shame about the comparatively low minutes offered, but how often do you use your phone as a phone nowadays? At least there's a £30 cashback incentive to claim.
View this deal at: buymobiles.net
The best SIM only deals with free gifts
Looking for an extra incentive to sign up to a 12-month SIM only deal? Well take a look below as we round up the latest and best SIM only contracts that include a free gift. This week there are options including a £50 gift voucher or a pair of Beats by Dre EP headphones (worth around £75) to choose from. We've selected these deals as they strike a good balance for the value per GB and the free gift. If we think you're paying to much per GB despite a free gift, we won't highlight it below.
Vodafone | 12 months | Free Beats EP headphones | 20GB data | Unlimited mins and texts | £20 per month @ Carphone Warehouse
Vodafone | 12 months | Free Beats EP headphones | 25GB data | Unlimited mins and texts | £25 per month @ Carphone Warehouse
O2 | 12 months | Free Beats EP headphones | 20GB data | Unlimited mins and texts | £25 per month @ Carphone Warehouse
Vodafone | 12 months | £50 Currys/PC World gift card | 20GB data | Unlimited mins and texts | £20 per month @ Carphone Warehouse
The best BT SIM only deals
Discounts for BT Broadband members
BT's SIM only deals have vastly improved over the original deals. BT Broadband customers get the best deals, with everyone else paying an extra fiver a month. We're delighted to see the gift cards back in action at BT. Depending on the tariff you choose you could get an Amazon or iTunes voucher worth between £20 and £90.
For existing BT Broadband customers (click the option at the top if the prices are £5 more expensive)
12 month contract | 500MB data | 400 minutes | Unlimited texts | £15 Amazon or iTunes gift card – £5 per month at BT
12 month contract | 3GB data | 500 minutes |Unlimited texts | £30 Amazon or iTunes gift card – £8 per month at BT
12 month contract | 4GB data | 1000 minutes |Unlimited texts | £30 Amazon or iTunes gift card – £10 per month at BT
12 month contract | 6GB data | Unlimited calls and texts | £60 Amazon or iTunes gift card – £15 per month at BT
12 month contract | 15GB data | Unlimited calls and texts | £60 Amazon or iTunes gift card – £20 per month at BT
For non-BT Broadband customers:
12 month contract | 500MB data | 400 minutes | Unlimited texts | £15 Amazon or iTunes gift card - £10 per month at BT
12 month contract | 3GB data | 500 minutes |Unlimited texts | £30 Amazon or iTunes gift card – £13 per month at BT
12 month contract | 4GB data | 1000 minutes |Unlimited texts | £30 Amazon or iTunes gift card - £15 per month at BT
12 month contract | 6GB data | Unlimited calls and texts | £60 Amazon or iTunes gift card - £20 per month at BT
12 month contract | 20GB data | Unlimited calls and texts | £60 Amazon or iTunes gift card - £25 per month at BT
The best SIM only deals by network are:
This is where we go through all the big networks, along with a few up-and-comers, to provide you a wide range of the best SIM only deals.
The best SIM only deals on EE
EE's SIM only deals come with double-speed 4G
If you want a cheap SIM only deal, EE is most certainly not the network to go for. But don't discount it entirely, because if you already own a good smartphone and you want to pair it with the fastest network in the UK with a SIM only deal, you can do that. EE's SIM only deals all come with EE Extra 4G, which means they work with EE's super-fast double-speed 4G network, rather than with its single-speed 4G network. The 12-month EE SIM only deals often come with additional extras like three months of BT Sport or Apple Music for free.
View: 12-month EE SIM only deals
View: 30-day EE SIM only deals
EE | 12-month contract | 10GB data | Unlimited minutes and texts | Free BT Sport | Free Apple Music | £23 per month
This 12-month offer comes with a hefty 10GB of data and unlimited texts and calls. You can also use your data, texts and minutes in the EU on your hols. You also get free access to BT Sport for three months and Apple Music for six months (be sure to add as Extras), making this one of the best EE SIM only deals of the week. Offer expires March 13.
View this 10GB EE SIM only deal
EE | 12-month contract | 30GB data | Unlimited minutes and texts | Free BT Sport | Free Apple Music | £30 per month
This is an enhanced version of the deal above. It comes comes with a huge 30GB of data. You can also use your data, texts and minutes in the EU when on holiday. There's more, as you also get free access to BT Sport for three months and Apple Music for six months (be sure to add as Extras), making this one of the best EE SIM only deals around. Offer expires March 14.
View this 30GB EE SIM only deal
The best SIM only deals on Three
Three's SIM only deals with unlimited data
Three is still the only network that offers all-you-can-eat / unlimited data as an option. That's not as impressive as you might think because other networks offer large allowances too. But if you want the absolute security of knowing you can never be charged if you go over your data allowance, these deals are brilliant and they offer good value too – particularly if you're a heavy data user. The all-you-can-eat data plans come with in a few different guises – with the price changing according to how many minutes you require. There are some Three deals without unlimited data that you may want to consider too.
View all 3 mobile SIM only deals
The best SIM only deals on iD
Cheap SIM only deals all on one-month contracts
iD is a good option if bargain basement prices are what you covet. This is a network run and owned by Carphone Warehouse – it piggybacks on the Three network and offers many of the benefits that entails, including European roaming etc. It's an excellent option if you want great value with perks.
View all iD SIM only deals
iD | 1 month contract | 250MB data | 250 minutes | 5000 texts | £4 per month
This is the cheapest SIM only deal currently available in the UK. If you just need to keep a phone up and running for occasional use, this is a good option. Clearly 250MB is not much data at all so you'd be advised to either keep mobile data switched off or else be careful what apps are updating in the background.
View this deal: at iD/Carphone Warehouse
Alternative option: You could also pay £1 more to get the same deal with 1GB data which seems like much better value to us!
iD | 30-day contract | 1.5GB data | 250 minutes | 5000 texts | £5 per month
If you're looking for a super cheap SIM only deal but don't want to limit yourself too much with data, 1.5GB for £5 is the best option out there right now. Especially given how freely Wi-Fi is available outside of the home nowadays. You'll still be able to access emails, browse the net and casually check Facebook and stay under the limit. And as it's a 30-day SIM only deal, you can change your mind and cancel at any time.
View this
iD SIM only deal (ShockProof plan)
Alternate offer: For the same price, you can also go for iD's data rollover deal, where any unused data is rolled over into your next month's allowances.
View this
iD SIM only deal (rollover data plan)
iD | 1 month contract | 2GB data | 250 minutes | 5000 texts | £7.50 per month
The iD/Carphone Warehouse team is really cleaning up with these cheap SIM only deals and has been the go-to store for the cheapest low data deals for a while. If you’re prone to viewing a few YouTube videos away from Wi-Fi, this 2GB option may suit you better than the aforementioned 1GB deal. Not bad at all for an extra £2.50 a month.
View this deal: at iD/Carphone Warehouse
iD | 1 month contract | 4GB data | 500 minutes | 5000 texts | £10 per month
iD doesn't just do cheap 1GB SIM only deals. You can also get a generous 4GB for just £10 a month. And because it's a one-month SIM only contract, you can cancel at any time. This frankly embarrasses most 12-month SIM only deals.
View this deal: at iD/Carphone Warehouse
The best SIM only deals on O2
A reliable network with great coverage
We've browsed all of the SIM only deals available on the O2 network, and they're not great compared to the competition for bundles including the usual 1-16 GB of data. The O2 SIM only deals this months have marginally improved as the monthly costs have been cut in half for the first six months of the 12 month deals.
They're still expensive though compared to other deals on this page.The only upside we can see to the current deals is that you'll be able to sign up to the O2 Priority program for regular freebies and discounts.
View all O2 SIM only deals
The best SIM only deals on Talk Mobile
Has been known to double the data on some of their deals in Sales
The lack of a high street presence has allowed them to invest in some super cheap deals for SIM only customers on monthly or 12 month contracts.
View all Talk Mobile SIM only deals
Talk Mobile | 30 day contract | 4GB data | 1500 minutes | 5000 texts | £10 per month
4GB of data for just £10 a month on a rolling 30 day contract is an essential purchase for middle tier data who find themselves between handset contracts.
View this deal: at Talk Mobile (click the 30 day tab once you click through)
Talk Mobile | 12-month contract | 12GB data | 5000 minutes | 5000 texts | £12 per month
If you're happy to sign up for 12 months you can get an excellent deal at just £12 a month for a whopping 12GB of data. That's quite a leap up in data from Talk Mobile's 30-day deal above for 4GB of data at £10 a month. Happy with your phone? This is excellent value for a 12 month deal.
View this deal:
at Talk Mobile
The best SIM only deals on Vodafone
A solid network with some decent deals
As with O2 above, Vodafone doesn't offer the best SIM only deals. It would rather sell you a phone. That said, we are seeing the red network go through a sort of resurgence lately as their SIM only deals are becoming increasingly competitive.
View all Vodafone SIM only deals
Vodafone | 12-month contract | 25GB data | Unlimited calls and texts | 12 months of Sky Sports mobile, Now TV or Spotify | £25 per month
Vodafone's deals have been a bit pricey of late but we think the extras are well worth a look here. In addition to the massive 25GB of data, you get to choose between Sky Sports mobile, Now TV or Spotify for 12 months of free access. There's 4GB of roaming data too!
View this deal: 25GB Vodafone SIM only deal
The best SIM only deals on TalkTalk
Often has half-price deals once you click through!
TalkTalk is a telecoms company that also offers home phone, broadband and TV packages, so the best deals can be had if you sign up for more than one service. However, at the time of writing the cheapest deal is £6.50 per month for 1GB of data. Better yet, foir just £7.75 you can get 2.1GB.
View all TalkTalk SIM only deals
Plusnet SIM only deals
Plusnet might be more well known for its broadband deals, but it's also keen to push some very cheap 30-day SIM only deals. You don't have to be a Plusnet customer, although you could get double the data on some of these SIM only deals if you are. You don't have to worry about signal either as Plusnet uses EE's network that covers 99% of the UK. Plusnet's latest cheap SIM only deals start at just £5 a month, check them out via the link below.
View all Plusnet SIM only deals
Mobiles.co.uk SIM only deals
Often the place with the best bargains
It's always worth checking out Mobiles.co.uk – its aggressive price cuts are often unmatched by anyone else.
View: SIM only deals at Mobiles.co.uk
Carphone Warehouse SIM only deals
Supports a wide range of network SIM only deals with extras
Carphone Warehouse doesn't just sell handset contracts. It also has a wide range of SIM only deals for Vodafone, O2, EE and ID.
The current SIM only deals also include additional incentives such as half price fees for six months, free Beats by Dre headphones or Currys vouchers.
View all Carphone Warehouse SIM only deals
giffgaff SIM only deals
One of the cheapest SIM only deals in the UK
GiffGaff is very hard to beat on price if you want to grab a cheap SIM card deal, this could be your best option. You can't argue with £5 a month. The cheap deals don't give you much of an allowance to play with, but if you just want to keep your phone going and available to use for calls and texts with the occasional bit of internet use outside of your home WiFi, GiffGaff is a strong offering.
View all giffgaff SIM only deals
Freedom Pop SIM only deals
Putting the 'Free' in Freedom
Freedom Pop is trying something new – offering contracts for FREE. The catch being that you only pay if you do over the allowances of your bundle or opt for a larger deal. The prices for doing so vary, so be sure to take a look at the small print. It seems that they feature a different offer each week, but seeing as you can cancel at any time, they may be worth a look.
View all Freedom Pop SIM only deals
Virgin mobile SIM only deals
An oldie but a goodie, offering one-month deals galore
Virgin Mobile has been going for a long time, and some of its SIM only deals are particularly attractive. They're all one-month rolling contracts, so you can stop paying at any time if you so wish, giving you flexibility if you want to change your plan or go for a phone-inclusive deal down the line. Prices start from as little as £5.
View all Virgin Mobile SIM only deals
All the SIM only deals on this page are checked every day to make sure they're still available and up to date!
Are there mobile coverage checkers for these networks?
Yes and the mobile coverage or signal strength in your area is a very important factor to consider before signing up to one of these cheap SIM only deals. All of these networks have signal coverage checkers so you can see how good the reception would be via entering your postcode or town. Most rate the signal for 2G (calls, texts and email), 3G (the basics plus picture messaging and faster web browsing) and 4G (all the powers of 3G, plus faster downloads, online gaming and media streaming).
We've provided links below to all the available coverage checkers on multiple networks. We'd advise not only checking coverage in your home, but also work, school, uni, favourite pubs and so on. Anywhere where you spend time on a regular basis really.
EE coverage checker
Vodafone coverage checker
O2 coverage checker
3 mobile coverage checker
iD coverage checker
BT mobile coverage checker
GiffGaff coverage checker
TalkTalk coverage checker
Tesco mobile coverage checker
Talk Mobile coverage checker
Plusnet coverage checker
Virgin mobile coverage checker
Freedom Pop coverage checker
via Click on the link for the full article
The post The best SIM only deals in March 2017 appeared first on iBlog.