Three’s Data Reward Pay As You Go SIM card gives you 200MB of free data every month. There’s no need to top-up to get your free allowance.
In the UK, Three’s Data Reward SIM card gives you 200MB of free internet every month on Pay As You Go. Also known as the “internet with legs” tariff, you’ll get free allowances every month without the need to top-up your SIM card.
Outside of the inclusive 200MB per month, you’ll pay Three’s standard rates for Pay As You Go usage (3p/minute, 2p/text and 1p/MB). You can also benefit from inclusive roaming in 42 countries as part of Three’s Feel At Home offer.
In this article, we’ll review Three’s Data Reward SIM card. We’ll start by looking at the free allowances and at the cost of additional usage. We’ll then compare the SIM card to alternatives, look at supported devices and the level of coverage you can expect.
Data Reward SIM
With Data Reward, you’ll get 200MB of free internet every month without the need to top-up.
In the UK, Data Reward is Three’s Pay As You Go mobile broadband tariff. Customers receive 200MB of free internet every month and then pay just 3p/minute, 2p/text and 1p/MB for further usage.
200MB Free Allowance
The unique selling point of Three’s Data Reward SIM Card is the fact you’ll get 200MB of free internet every month. This is available for you to use every month, and there’s no need to top-up your SIM card to get it.
To qualify for the 200MB monthly reward, you’ll need to order a Data Reward SIM card (normal Pay As You Go SIM cards are not eligible). Your SIM card must also be registered online with Three.
Order Data Reward SIM Card »
When ordering a Data Reward SIM card, you’ll need to pay an upfront fee of £10. The SIM card is preloaded with 1GB of data which is valid for up to 30 days. As the 1GB allowance is worth £10, this effectively makes the SIM card itself free.
You can have up to 5 Data Reward SIM cards registered to a household (therefore giving you up to 1GB of free data per month across your multiple devices).
Out-Of-Allowance Charges
Outside of the inclusive 200MB per month, you’ll pay 1p/MB for further usage of the mobile internet. This will come out of your Pay As You Go credit, with the minimum top-up being just £2 each time (Three’s regular Pay As You Go SIM cards have a minimum top-up of £5).
If you’re using the Data Reward SIM card in a device that supports calling and texting (e.g. in a smartphone), you’ll pay Three’s standard rates for Pay As You Go (3p/minute, 2p/text and 1p/MB).
The following table shows a list of out-of-allowance charges on the Data Reward SIM card:
Calling Rates:
Voice Calls
3p/minute (any network, any time)
Calls to Voicemail
3p/minute
Calls to Special Rate Numbers
45p/minute access charge
+ service charge from the company you’re calling
Messaging Rates:
Text Message (SMS)
2p
Picture Message (MMS)
40p
Video Message
40p
Internet Rates:
Mobile Internet
1p/MB
Free Allowance
200MB free data every month (no top-up required)
The prices in this table are stated for UK-to-UK only. If you’re roaming or making international calls, higher charges will normally apply. Source for pricing information: three.co.uk.
Once Pay As You Go credit has been added to your account, it will not expire providing your SIM card remains active. You can keep your SIM card active by using it for a chargeable activity at least once every six months.
Data Bundles
For most people, the best thing to do is to use data on a Pay As You Go basis. When you add credit to your SIM card, you’ll pay 1p/MB (this is equivalent to paying £10 per GB). Your credit will not expire so you can use it over a period of time (for instance, using your £10 of credit over a couple of months).
If you’re a heavy data user, you can save money compared to normal rates by converting your Pay As You Go credit into a 30-day bundle. However, any unused allowances at the end of the 30 days will expire with your bundle:
Data Bundle
Monthly Cost
Effective Cost per MB
2GB (lasts for 30 days)
£15/month
0.75p/MB (25% cheaper)
5GB (lasts for 30 days)
£20/month
0.40p/MB (60% cheaper)
10GB (lasts for 30 days)
£25/month
0.25p/MB (75% cheaper)
The “effective cost per megabyte” assumes you’ll use the entirety of the data allowance within its 30-day validity.
Please note that it isn’t possible to buy an All-in-One bundle if you’re using the Data Reward SIM card. For this reason, customers planning to use the SIM card in a smartphone will often be better off using a standard Pay As You Go SIM (All-in-One bundles start from £10/month with inclusive minutes, texts and mobile internet).
Feel At Home
The Data Reward SIM card is compatible with Three’s Feel At Home offer. This gives you international roaming in 42 countries at no extra charge, including in most of Europe, the USA, Australia and others.
The Feel At Home offer makes the Data Reward SIM card a great value way of staying in touch with friends and family when you’re travelling abroad. You’ll be able to continue using applications like social media, instant messaging and maps.
To take advantage of the Feel At Home offer, you’ll need to have an inclusive data allowance on your SIM card. Your 200MB of monthly free data can be used when abroad, as can the allowances in a 30-day bundle.
The normal UK out-of-allowance rates (3p/minute, 2p/text and 1p/MB) cannot be used when you’re travelling abroad. Instead, you’ll need to pay the out-of-allowance rates appropriate to that country.
Comparison to Alternatives
Three’s Data Reward SIM Card is fairly unique in that it offers 200MB of free data every month. The most similar offering is FreedomPop which also gives you 200MB of free data per month (along with 200 minutes and 200 texts through the FreedomPop application).
We’d strongly recommend choosing Three’s Data Reward SIM over FreedomPop as the latter has multiple downsides including hidden costs, an aggressive credit expiry policy and internet-based calling. With Three’s Data Reward SIM card, you’ll have a bigger brand name behind the service and you’ll be able to take advantage of features such as Feel At Home and personal hotspot.
If you’re using a smartphone, you can see our in-depth guides here for a full comparison of the best value Pay As You Go deals.
Data Reward vs Standard PAYG
Three’s Data Reward SIM card is offered as an alternative to Three’s standard Pay As You Go SIM. The following table shows a side-by-side comparison of the two:
Data Reward SIM Card
Standard PAYG SIM Card
Devices Supported:
Any device (including smartphones, tablets, dongles, MiFis, etc)
Smartphones only
Free Data:
200MB free every month (no top-up required)
150MB free every time you top-up (minimum top-up of £5)
Usage Charge:
3p/minute, 2p/text, 1p/MB
3p/minute, 2p/text, 1p/MB
30-Day Bundles:
From £15/month for 2GB data
From £10/month for 100 minutes, 3000 texts and 1GB data
Minimum Top-Up:
£2 minimum top-up
£5 minimum top-up
Tethering:
Yes, tethering is permitted
No, tethering is prohibited
For most people who want to use the SIM card in a smartphone, Three’s standard Pay As You Go SIM card will offer better value. This is due to the bundles available (you can also still get 150MB of free data every time you top-up your SIM card).
Order Data Reward SIM Card » Order Standard PAYG SIM Card »
Supported Devices
Three’s Data Reward SIM card is classed as a mobile broadband tariff. For this reason, you can use it in a multitude of different devices including in your tablet, USB dongle and MiFi. You can also use the Data Reward SIM card in a smartphone.
Whilst the Data Reward SIM card can also be placed in a smartphone, many users will find the standard Pay As You Go SIM card better value for long-term usage. This is because the standard Pay As You Go SIM card has better value bundles (e.g. 100 minutes, 3000 texts and 1GB of data for £10/month). On standard Pay As You Go, you’ll also receive 150MB of free data every time you top-up your phone.
Coverage
3G & 4G Coverage
Three offers 97% population coverage across the UK.
Three offers 97% population coverage on 3G and 4G across the UK.
Before joining the Three network, we strongly recommend checking the coverage in your area. You can do this by entering your postcode on Three’s online coverage map.
Check Three Coverage Map (three.co.uk) »
Unfortunately, Three does not provide any 2G coverage. For this reason, it’s not possible to use a 2G-only device with the Data Reward SIM card.
For more information about mobile phone coverage in the UK, please see our in-depth guide on how to compare mobile network coverage.
Tethering & Personal Hotspot
Tethering or personal hotspot refers to the process of sharing your mobile internet connection with other devices (e.g. with your laptop or tablet).
On the Data Reward SIM card, the use of tethering is permitted so you can easily share your mobile internet connection with other devices. This policy is different to on Three’s standard Pay As You Go SIM cards where the use of tethering is not allowed.
For more information, please see our guide to tethering on UK mobile networks.
More Information
For more information, please see Three’s official web page on the Data Reward SIM card.
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