Best Mobile Network For SIM Only Data

Customers looking for a new SIM only contract often look at the data allowance of a contract when comparing plans. Most SIM plans have unlimited calls and texts so getting a large data allowance can sometimes be the key to finding a good-value deal.

What is difficult is comparing the many, many different plans out there, given this we decided to take a snapshot of the market (25th June 2019) and compare the networks in what we hope is a fair way.

For each network we took the total GB across all of their SIM plans and the total cost to come up with a Cost-Per-GB figure (Not including Unlimited Plans). We've put everything in the table below for comparison and have put them in order from cheapest to most expensive

*Notes:

• We have used 12 month SIM contracts where possible. The above is a reflection of what is available. Some networks only provide 1 month SIMs.
• We have included only prices for 4G data since not all networks have 5G capabilities at present.
• Virgin Mobile's Unlimited plan is only available to existing TV or broadband customers.
• BT and Plusnet provide significant price reductions for existing broadband or phone customers, we have included both sets of pricing for clarity.
• giffgaff's "Always On" data is not technically Unlimited, data speeds are capped after a certain amount. Nevertheless we have included it here for clarity.
• Our price for Three includes an affiliate exclusive 100GB contract not available on the Three Mobile website

As you can see above, there is a huge range of prices across all of the UK's major SIM networks. Some networks such as Three have chosen to focus on affordable data in order to attract customers hence the incredibly low average data price and with the UK's most-popular Unlimited data plan they are by far the cheapest.

The table also shows the obvious price-saving when choosing a 12 month SIM over Voxi, Smarty and giffgaff who provide only rolling 1 month plans. For some it can mean a large saving but on closer inspection the major networks charge a higher price for lower-allowance plans. For example 1 GB from Smarty costs £6.25 while the same 1GB from Vodafone costs £13.

When choosing a SIM contract it's therefore important to properly compare plans and know how much data you need for your regular use. In some cases it could mean £50-£100 difference per year.