You can get a 5G SIM Only Deal from £5/month on 10 different networks. Compare the best value 5G SIM only deals in the UK.

In the UK, it’s now possible to get a 5G SIM-only deal from 10 different mobile networks. You can get a 5G SIM card from only £5/month, giving you access to faster 5G speeds on your phone. You’ll also benefit from greater network capacity and reduced latency when using 5G.

In this article, we’ll compare the best value 5G SIM Only Deals that are available in the UK. We’ll start with an overview of all the plans available before looking at the 5G SIM cards on each network in more detail. We’ll also look at the benefits of 5G and where you’re currently able to get 5G coverage in the UK.

5G SIM Only Plans: From £5/month
5G SIM Only Networks:
5G Unlimited Data Plans: From £16/month
5G Coverage:

360 UK towns & cities in total, of which:

Best 5G SIM Only Deals

At present, Three is our recommended network if you’re looking for a 5G SIM-only plan:

Three

If you’re looking for the cheapest 5G SIM-only deal, our current recommendation is to get a 5G SIM card from Three. They offer 5G coverage in 194 UK towns and cities, which you can access on all of their Pay Monthly SIM cards from £5/month.

If you want the ultimate 5G experience, get Three’s £16 unlimited data SIM card. This gives you unlimited data with no fair usage limits or speed restrictions inside the UK.

For a cheaper alternative, you can also consider Three’s £8/month SIM card with 12GB of 5G data.

Get Three SIM with Unlimited Data on 5G →

Compare 5G SIM Only Deals

At the moment, it’s possible to get a 5G SIM-only deal from ten different mobile networks. The following table shows key information about 5G on each network:

Mobile Network 5G SIM Only Deals From 5G Coverage Provider
BT Mobile £5/month Uses EE (in 160 towns & cities)
EE £20/month Uses EE (in 160 towns & cities)
giffgaff £10/month Uses O2 (in 155 towns & cities)
O2 £10/month Uses O2 (in 155 towns & cities)
Sky Mobile £6/month Uses O2 (in 155 towns & cities)
Tesco Mobile £8/month Uses O2 (in 155 towns & cities)
Three £5/month Uses Three (in 194 towns & cities)
Virgin Mobile £6/month Uses Vodafone (in 100 towns & cities)
Vodafone £15/month Uses Vodafone (in 100 towns & cities)
VOXI £12/month Uses Vodafone (in 100 towns & cities)

You can use the following interactive comparison table to find the best value 5G SIM-only deal for you. Simply choose how much data you’d like, the length of contract you’d be happy with and the mobile networks you’d like to consider.

How much data do you want on your plan each month?

How long are you willing to commit for on a contract?

Which networks would you be happy to take a plan from?

Showing 121 of 121 price plans that match your criteria

NetworkMinutesTextsDataMonthly
Cost
Three200Unlimited2GB£5.00
12 months
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimited1GB£5.00
24 months
Three600Unlimited1GB£5.00
12 months
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimited4GB£6.00
12 months
Virgin MobileUnlimitedUnlimited4GB£6.00
12 months
Sky MobileUnlimitedUnlimited2GB£6.00
12 months
Three200Unlimited2GB£6.00
12 months
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimited1GB£6.00
12 months
Virgin MobileUnlimitedUnlimited1GB£7.00
12 months
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimited12GB£8.00
12 months
Virgin MobileUnlimitedUnlimited12GB£8.00
24 months
Virgin MobileUnlimitedUnlimited10GB£8.00
24 months
Virgin MobileUnlimitedUnlimited10GB£8.00
12 months
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimited8GB£8.00
12 months
Virgin MobileUnlimitedUnlimited8GB£8.00
12 months
Tesco Mobile5,0005,0008GB£8.00
12 months
Sky MobileUnlimitedUnlimited7GB£8.00
12 months
Virgin MobileUnlimitedUnlimited3GB£8.00
24 months
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimited4GB£9.00
24 months
Virgin MobileUnlimitedUnlimited2GB£9.00
12 months
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimited30GB£10.00
12 months
Tesco Mobile5,0005,00012GB£10.00
18 months
Sky MobileUnlimitedUnlimited10GB£10.00
12 months
giffgaffUnlimitedUnlimited9GB£10.00
1 month
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimited8GB£10.00
6 months half price
24 months
O2UnlimitedUnlimited5GB£10.00
24 months
Virgin MobileUnlimitedUnlimited5GB£10.00
24 months
Virgin MobileUnlimitedUnlimited4GB£10.00
12 months
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimited4GB£10.00
12 months
BT MobileUnlimitedUnlimited1GB£10.00
24 months
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimited8GB£11.00
12 months
Virgin MobileUnlimitedUnlimited30GB£12.00
24 months
Virgin MobileUnlimitedUnlimited30GB£12.00
12 months
Virgin MobileUnlimitedUnlimited20GB£12.00
12 months
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimited12GB£12.00
24 months
VOXIUnlimitedUnlimited12GB£12.00
1 month
O2UnlimitedUnlimited12GB£12.00
24 months
Virgin Mobile5,000Unlimited8GB£12.00
24 months
O2UnlimitedUnlimited1GB£12.00
12 months
BT MobileUnlimitedUnlimited1GB£12.00
12 months
Tesco Mobile5,0005,00020GB£12.50
18 months
Tesco Mobile5,0005,00015GB£12.50
12 months
Virgin MobileUnlimitedUnlimited60GB£13.00
12 months
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimited12GB£13.00
12 months
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimited30GB£14.00
24 months
Virgin MobileUnlimitedUnlimited8GB£14.00
12 months
BT MobileUnlimitedUnlimited5GB£14.00
12 months
O2UnlimitedUnlimited4GB£14.00
12 months
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimited100GB£15.00
12 months
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimited30GB£15.00
12 months
Tesco Mobile5,0005,00030GB£15.00
18 months
giffgaffUnlimitedUnlimited25GB£15.00
1 month
Sky MobileUnlimitedUnlimited25GB£15.00
12 months
Tesco Mobile5,0005,00025GB£15.00
12 months
VOXIUnlimitedUnlimited15GB£15.00
1 month
BT MobileUnlimitedUnlimited10GB£15.00
24 months
Virgin MobileUnlimitedUnlimited10GB£15.00
12 months
O2UnlimitedUnlimited8GB£15.00
12 months
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimited5GB£15.00
24 months
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£16.00
12 months
Virgin MobileUnlimitedUnlimited50GB£16.00
12 months
O2UnlimitedUnlimited30GB£16.00
24 months
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimited5GB£16.00
12 months
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimited4GB£16.00
1 month
BT MobileUnlimitedUnlimited12GB£17.00
12 months
O2UnlimitedUnlimited60GB£18.00
24 months
Virgin MobileUnlimitedUnlimited30GB£18.00
24 months
Virgin MobileUnlimitedUnlimited20GB£18.00
12 months
O2UnlimitedUnlimited20GB£18.00
12 months
BT MobileUnlimitedUnlimited16GB£19.00
12 months
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimited12GB£19.00
1 month
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£20.00
12 months
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£20.00
6 months half price
24 months
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited
2Mbps max		£20.00
12 months
EEUnlimitedUnlimited160GB£20.00
24 months
O2UnlimitedUnlimited150GB£20.00
24 months
Virgin MobileUnlimitedUnlimited100GB£20.00
24 months
giffgaffUnlimitedUnlimited100GB£20.00
1 month
O2UnlimitedUnlimited100GB£20.00
12 months
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimited100GB£20.00
24 months
BT MobileUnlimitedUnlimited50GB£20.00
12 months
VOXIUnlimitedUnlimited45GB£20.00
1 month
Virgin MobileUnlimitedUnlimited25GB£20.00
12 months
BT MobileUnlimitedUnlimited25GB£20.00
24 months
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimited20GB£21.00
12 months
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited
2Mbps max		£22.00
24 months
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited
10Mbps max		£23.00
12 months
O2UnlimitedUnlimited250GB£23.00
24 months
EEUnlimitedUnlimited200GB£23.00
24 months
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£24.00
1 month
O2UnlimitedUnlimited150GB£24.00
12 months
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimited30GB£24.00
1 month
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£25.00
12 months
O2UnlimitedUnlimited250GB£25.00
24 months
EEUnlimitedUnlimited200GB£25.00
24 months
Virgin MobileUnlimitedUnlimited100GB£25.00
12 months
BT MobileUnlimitedUnlimited100GB£25.00
24 months
BT MobileUnlimitedUnlimited60GB£25.00
12 months
Sky MobileUnlimitedUnlimited50GB£25.00
12 months
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£26.00
1 month
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited
10Mbps max		£26.00
24 months
Virgin MobileUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£27.00
24 months
Virgin MobileUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£28.00
12 months
Tesco Mobile5,0005,000Unlimited£28.00
18 months
O2UnlimitedUnlimited250GB£28.00
12 months
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimited5GB£28.00
1 month
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£30.00
24 months
O2UnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£30.00
24 months
Tesco Mobile5,0005,000Unlimited£30.00
12 months
BT MobileUnlimitedUnlimited100GB£30.00
12 months
Sky MobileUnlimitedUnlimited60GB£30.00
12 months
O2UnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£33.00
12 months
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimited20GB£33.00
1 month
VOXIUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£35.00
1 month
giffgaffUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£35.00
1 month
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited
2Mbps max		£36.00
1 month
EEUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£37.00
24 months
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£37.00
1 month
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited
10Mbps max		£40.00
1 month
EEUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£41.00
24 months
VodafoneUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£45.00
1 month

To benefit from 5G speeds, you’ll need a 5G-ready phone and will need to be in a 5G coverage area. If you aren’t able to access 5G where you are, you’ll still be able to access older types of coverage like 3G and 4G.

5G SIM Cards: By Network

In the following section, we’ll look at the 5G SIM-only deals on each mobile network in more detail.

BT Mobile

On BT Mobile, it’s possible to get a 5G SIM-only deal from only £5/month if you’re a BT Broadband customer. Otherwise, BT’s 5G plans start from £10/month if you’re not a BT Broadband customer.

The BT SIM card will give you coverage from EE’s 5G network in 160 UK towns and cities. In addition, if you choose a plan costing £15/month or more (or £20/month or more if you’re not a BT Broadband customer), you’ll get access to the BT Sport mobile application included with your SIM card.

The following table shows BT Mobile’s 5G SIM-only deals:

NetworkMinutesTextsDataMonthly
Cost
BT MobileUnlimitedUnlimited1GB£5.00
24 months
BT MobileUnlimitedUnlimited5GB£9.00
12 months
BT MobileUnlimitedUnlimited10GB£10.00
24 months
BT MobileUnlimitedUnlimited12GB£12.00
12 months
BT MobileUnlimitedUnlimited16GB£14.00
12 months
BT MobileUnlimitedUnlimited50GB£15.00
12 months
BT MobileUnlimitedUnlimited100GB£20.00
24 months

On BT Mobile, you can choose between a 12-month contract and a 24-month contract for your 5G SIM-only deal.

If you’re a BT Broadband customer with BT Halo, you’ll get double data on all BT Mobile plans. In addition, you’ll have access to an exclusive £20/month BT Mobile unlimited data plan.

The following table shows the key things to know about 5G SIM-only deals on BT Mobile:

Price From Data Plans Contract Length 5G Coverage

£5/month
1GB to 100GB
(unlimited with BT Halo)
12 or 24 months
160 towns & cities
(powered by EE)
£5 monthly discount is available for BT Broadband customers, plus double data for BT Halo customers.
Includes access to the BT Sport mobile app on SIM cards from £20 (£15 for BT Broadband customers).

For more information, see our guide to 5G coverage on BT Mobile.

Tariff Information: BT Mobile Website

EE

EE was the UK’s first mobile network to launch a 5G service in May 2019. Since then, they’ve expanded their 5G coverage to cover 160 UK locations.

At present, EE only offers 5G coverage on a selection of their SIM cards. Some of their cheaper plans are restricted to 4G.

The following EE SIM cards start from £20/month and give you access to 5G coverage on EE’s network:

TariffMinutesTextsDataMonthly
Cost
SIMUnlimitedUnlimited160GB£20.00
24 months
SIMUnlimitedUnlimited200GB£23.00
24 months
SmartUnlimitedUnlimited200GB£25.00
24 months
SmartUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£37.00
24 months
Full WorksUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£41.00
24 months

If you choose an EE Smart or EE Full Works plan, you’ll get Smart Benefits included with it (e.g. an inclusive subscription to Apple Music, BT Sport Ultimate or Amazon Prime Video). You’ll also get Reserve Data for when your allowance runs out, allowing you to stay connected at speeds of up to 2Mbps.

The average download speed on EE’s 5G network is around 135Mbps. According to EE, this makes them the UK’s number one network for 5G. EE also offers a 5G unlimited data plan with a fair usage limit of 600GB per month.

Price From Data Plans Contract Length 5G Coverage

£20/month
20GB to Unlimited
24 months
160 towns & cities
Inclusive Smart Benefit on EE Smart and Full Works plans (e.g. Apple Music, Prime Video or BT Sport).

For more information, see our guide to EE’s 5G coverage and network.

Tariff Information: EE Website

giffgaff

On giffgaff, you can access 5G coverage from O2 without the need to sign a contract or to undergo a credit check. To access 5G, you’ll simply need to choose a golden goodybag plan from £10/month:

TariffMinutesTextsDataMonthly
Cost
£10 Golden GoodybagUnlimitedUnlimited9GB£10.00
1 month
£15 Golden GoodybagUnlimitedUnlimited25GB£15.00
1 month
£20 Golden GoodybagUnlimitedUnlimited100GB£20.00
1 month
£35 Golden GoodybagUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£35.00
1 month

To qualify for a golden goodybag, you’ll need to have the “recurring goodybag” setting switched on in your giffgaff account. This means a new golden goodybag will be purchased automatically every month, though you do have the option of stopping this at any time.

giffgaff currently offers 5G coverage in 155 UK towns & cities. A fair usage limit of 650GB per month applies to their £35 golden goodybag with unlimited 5G data.

Price From Data Plans Contract Length 5G Coverage

£10/month
9GB to Unlimited
No contract
155 towns & cities
(powered by O2)
5G is available with no contract and no credit check on giffgaff golden goodybags.

For more information, see our guide to giffgaff’s golden goodybags. Alternatively, you can order a free SIM card from giffgaff’s website.

Tariff Information: giffgaff Website

O2

It’s now possible to access 5G at no extra cost on all of O2’s SIM-only deals. At present, 5G SIM-only deals start from £10/month. There’s also a 5G unlimited data plan for £30/month (subject to a 650GB per month fair use limit).

All of O2’s 5G SIM-only deals include 6 months of free Disney+. Alternatively, you can trade this for another O2 Extra such as an inclusive subscription to Amazon Prime Video for the first 3-6 months.

NetworkMinutesTextsDataMonthly
Cost
O2UnlimitedUnlimited5GB£10.00
24 months
O2UnlimitedUnlimited12GB£12.00
24 months
O2UnlimitedUnlimited30GB£16.00
24 months
O2UnlimitedUnlimited60GB£18.00
24 months
O2UnlimitedUnlimited150GB£20.00
24 months
O2UnlimitedUnlimited250GB£23.00
24 months
O2UnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£30.00
24 months

The following table shows the key things to know about 5G on O2:

Price From Data Plans Contract Length 5G Coverage

£10/month
2GB to Unlimited
1, 18 or 24 months
155 towns & cities
All O2 5G plans includes 6 months of free Disney+ (or a different O2 Extra such as Prime Video).

For more information, see our guide to O2’s 5G network and coverage. There’s also further information on the official O2 website.

Tariff Information: O2 Website

Sky Mobile

On Sky Mobile, you can access 5G at no extra cost when you enrol in the Sky VIP loyalty programme. This is free to join through the My Sky app and it’s our recommended way of getting access to 5G on Sky. If you don’t enrol in the Sky VIP programme, you’ll need to pay an extra £5/month to get access to 5G.

The following Sky Mobile SIM-only deals will give you access to 5G coverage through Sky VIP:

NetworkMinutesTextsDataMonthly
Cost
Sky MobileUnlimitedUnlimited2GB£6.00
12 months
Sky MobileUnlimitedUnlimited7GB£8.00
12 months
Sky MobileUnlimitedUnlimited10GB£10.00
12 months
Sky MobileUnlimitedUnlimited25GB£15.00
12 months
Sky MobileUnlimitedUnlimited50GB£25.00
12 months
Sky MobileUnlimitedUnlimited60GB£30.00
12 months

On Sky Mobile, you can stream from Sky TV apps without using your data allowance. You can also rollover your unused data for up to 3 years in your Sky Piggybank.

Sky Mobile uses the O2 network for 5G coverage so you can access it in the same 155 towns and cities as on O2.

Price From Data Plans Contract Length 5G Coverage

£6/month
2GB to 60GB
12 months
155 towns & cities
(powered by O2)
5G requires Sky VIP membership. Plans include unlimited data for streaming on Sky TV apps.

For more information, see our guide to coverage on Sky Mobile. Alternatively, see Sky’s official website for information about their 5G service.

Tariff Information: Sky Mobile Website

Tesco Mobile

Tesco Mobile also offers 5G SIM cards, but you’ll need to choose one of their specific 5G SIM-only deals (otherwise, you’ll only get 4G coverage on Tesco Mobile).

At present, it’s possible to get a 5G SIM-only deal from £8/month on Tesco Mobile.

NetworkMinutesTextsDataMonthly
Cost
Tesco Mobile5,0005,0008GB£8.00
12 months
Tesco Mobile5,0005,00012GB£10.00
18 months
Tesco Mobile5,0005,00020GB£12.50
18 months
Tesco Mobile5,0005,00015GB£12.50
12 months
Tesco Mobile5,0005,00030GB£15.00
18 months
Tesco Mobile5,0005,00025GB£15.00
12 months
Tesco Mobile5,0005,000Unlimited£28.00
18 months
Tesco Mobile5,0005,000Unlimited£30.00
12 months

On Tesco Mobile, you’ll have access to 5G in the same towns and cities as customers on O2.

Price From Data Plans Contract Length 5G Coverage

£8/month
6GB to Unlimited
12 months
155 towns & cities
(powered by O2)

For more information, see the information on the official Tesco Mobile website.

Tariff Information: Tesco Mobile Website

Three

On Three, access to 5G coverage is included on all SIM-only plans with prices starting from only £5/month.

At present, Three offers 5G coverage in 194 UK towns and cities. Compared to other UK networks, they also have a lot more usable 5G spectrum. This has led to claims they’re building the UK’s fastest 5G network, with an average speed of more than 200Mbps recorded in Q3 2020.

The following SIM-only deals from Three will give you access to 5G coverage:

NetworkMinutesTextsDataMonthly
Cost
Three200Unlimited2GB£5.00
12 months
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimited4GB£6.00
12 months
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimited12GB£8.00
12 months
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimited30GB£10.00
12 months
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimited100GB£15.00
12 months
ThreeUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£16.00
12 months

Three also offers 5G home broadband, allowing you to get all of your devices at home connected to the internet at ultrafast 5G speeds.

Price From Data Plans Contract Length 5G Coverage

£5/month
1GB to Unlimited
1, 12 or 24 months
194 towns & cities

For more information, see our guide to Three’s 5G network. There’s also further information on Three’s official website or you can see our list of Three’s best SIM-only deals.

Tariff Information: Three SIM Only Deals

Virgin Mobile

It’s now possible to get a 5G SIM-only deal from Virgin Media with prices starting from £6/month. You’ll get access to 5G coverage in 100 towns & cities, powered by the Vodafone network.

NetworkMinutesTextsDataMonthly
Cost
Virgin MobileUnlimitedUnlimited4GB£6.00
12 months
Virgin MobileUnlimitedUnlimited12GB£8.00
24 months
Virgin MobileUnlimitedUnlimited30GB£12.00
24 months
Virgin MobileUnlimitedUnlimited30GB£12.00
12 months
Virgin MobileUnlimitedUnlimited60GB£13.00
12 months
Virgin MobileUnlimitedUnlimited100GB£20.00
24 months
Virgin MobileUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£27.00
24 months

All of Virgin Mobile’s 5G SIM-only deals include data-free messaging for use on WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Twitter. You’ll also be able to rollover your unused data into the following month.

If you’re a Virgin Media TV or broadband customer, you can get Virgin Media’s exclusive 5G unlimited data plan. Alternatively, you can get a 5G SIM card as part of a Virgin Media Oomph bundle.

Price From Data Plans Contract Length 5G Coverage

£6/month
3GB to 100GB
12 or 24 months
100 towns & cities
(powered by Vodafone)
Includes data-free messaging on WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger & Twitter.
Unlimited data SIM card is also available for Virgin Media broadband and TV customers.

For more information, see our guide to Virgin Mobile 5G.

Tariff Information: Virgin Media Website

Vodafone

On Vodafone, it’s now possible to access 5G coverage in 100 UK towns & cities. Vodafone claims to be London’s best 5G network with average download speeds of 215Mbps when connected to 5G.

You can access Vodafone’s 5G network on their unlimited data plans and on Vodafone Red plans with at least 5GB of data per month.

At present, the following 5G SIM-only deals are available from £15/month:

TariffMinutesTextsDataMonthly
Cost
Red
UnlimitedUnlimited5GB£15.00
24 months
Unlimited
UnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited
2Mbps max		£20.00
12 months
Red
UnlimitedUnlimited100GB£20.00
24 months
Red
UnlimitedUnlimited20GB£21.00
12 months
Unlimited
UnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited
10Mbps max		£23.00
12 months
Unlimited
UnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£25.00
12 months

There are no speed restrictions when you choose a Vodafone Red or Vodafone Unlimited Max plan. Meanwhile, a speed limit of 2Mbps applies on Vodafone’s Unlimited Lite plan and a speed limit of 10Mbps applies on Vodafone’s Unlimited plan. Customers choosing an Unlimited Max plan will also have access to Vodafone’s Global Roaming Plus. This allows you to use your mobile phone at no extra cost when travelling to 81 destinations.

Price From Data Plans Contract Length 5G Coverage

£15/month
5GB to Unlimited
1, 12 or 24 months
100 towns & cities
Speed limits apply on Unlimited Lite and Unlimited. Fastest available 5G speeds on Vodafone Red and Unlimited Max.

For more information, see our guide to 5G on Vodafone.

Tariff Information: Vodafone Website

VOXI

VOXI is a low-cost sub-brand of Vodafone, offering 5G coverage with no contract and no credit check.

You’ll get access to 5G on VOXI plans from £12/month. These plans also include endless social media and endless video streaming. This gives you unlimited data for use on apps like Facebook, WhatsApp, Snapchat and Twitter, along with unlimited data for streaming on YouTube, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and more.

NetworkMinutesTextsDataMonthly
Cost
VOXIUnlimitedUnlimited12GB
& endless social + endless video		£12.00
1 month
VOXIUnlimitedUnlimited15GB
& endless social + endless video		£15.00
1 month
VOXIUnlimitedUnlimited45GB
& endless social + endless video		£20.00
1 month
VOXIUnlimitedUnlimitedUnlimited£35.00
1 month

On VOXI, it’s also possible to get unlimited 5G data for £35/month without the need for a credit check.

Price From Data Plans Contract Length 5G Coverage

£12/month
5GB to Unlimited
No contract
100 towns & cities
(powered by Vodafone)
VOXI’s 5G plans include endless video streaming (including YouTube, Netflix & Prime Video)

For more information, see our VOXI review or our guide to 5G on VOXI.

Tariff Information: VOXI Website

Other Mobile Networks

At the time of writing, most other mobile networks are still yet to confirm the exact launch date for their 5G service.

The following table keeps track of the announcements that have made around the 5G launch date on other mobile networks:

Mobile Network 5G Coverage Provider 5G Launch Date
1pMobile 5G EE TBC – “as soon as we have access” (see announcement)
ASDA Mobile 5G Vodafone Early 2021 – ASDA Mobile will launch 5G using Vodafone’s network (see press release)
iD Mobile 5G Three TBC
Lebara Mobile 5G Vodafone TBC
Lycamobile 5G O2 TBC
Plusnet Mobile 5G EE TBC – “no information regarding 5G” (see discussion)
SMARTY 5G Three TBC – “coming soon” but no confirmed date (see website)

For more information, see our full guide to mobile phone coverage in the UK.

Benefits of 5G

There are three main benefits to using a 5G mobile network:

  1. 5G has greater network capacity. 5G mobile networks have much more capacity for carrying mobile data traffic than older 3G and 4G networks. This means a lot more people can be using their device before the mobile network gets congested in an area. This can be important in many urban locations such as sports stadiums, train stations and shopping centres where many people will be using their phone at the same time.
  2. 5G has lower latency. Latency refers to the amount of time it takes for data to travel from your phone to the internet and back. On present-day 4G mobile networks, average latency is around 50ms (0.05 seconds). On 5G networks, this should drop to less than 10ms (0.01 seconds). This lower latency is important for online gaming, as well as new technologies like augmented reality.
  3. 5G offers faster download speeds. On 5G, it’s possible to get download speeds of around 150-200Mbps on average. This compares to around 30Mbps for present-day 4G mobile networks. Peak download speeds on 5G can be even faster than this (sometimes up to 1,000Mbps or 1Gbps). However, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to access these speeds very often.

See our guide to mobile network download speeds for further information.

5G Handsets

To get the benefits of 5G technology, you’ll need a handset that supports the latest 5G mobile networks.

At the time of writing, 5G-ready phones are available from a range of manufacturers including Apple, Google, Huawei, Motorola, Nokia, OnePlus, Oppo, Samsung, Sony and Xiaomi.

The following 5G-ready phones are currently available to buy from UK networks:

  • Apple iPhone 12
  • Apple iPhone 12 mini
  • Apple iPhone 12 Pro
  • Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max
  • Google Pixel 4a 5G
  • Google Pixel 5
  • Huawei Mate 20 X 5G
  • Huawei Mate 40 Pro 5G
  • Huawei Mate Xs
  • Huawei P40 lite 5G
  • Huawei P40 Pro
  • Huawei P40 Pro 5G
  • Motorola Edge 5G
  • Motorola Moto G 5G Plus
  • Motorola razr 5G
  • Nokia 8.3 5G
  • OnePlus 8
  • OnePlus 8 Pro
  • OnePlus Nord 5G
  • OPPO Find X2 5G
  • OPPO Find X2 Lite 5G
  • OPPO Find X2 Neo 5G
  • OPPO Find X2 Pro 5G
  • OPPO Reno 5G
  • OPPO Reno4 Pro 5G
  • Samsung Galaxy A42 5G
  • Samsung Galaxy A51 5G
  • Samsung Galaxy A90 5G
  • Samsung Galaxy Note10 Plus 5G
  • Samsung Galaxy Note20 5G
  • Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G
  • Samsung Galaxy S10 5G
  • Samsung Galaxy S20 5G
  • Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G
  • Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus 5G
  • Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G
  • Samsung Galaxy S20+
  • Samsung Galaxy S20+ 5G
  • Samsung Galaxy S21 5G
  • Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus 5G
  • Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
  • Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G
  • Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2 5G
  • Sony Xperia 1 II 5G
  • Sony Xperia 5 II 5G
  • TCL 10 5G
  • Xiaomi Mi 10 5G
  • Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro
  • Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro 5G
  • Xiaomi Mi MIX 3 5G

You can also buy a 5G smartphone from various retailers on an unlocked basis.

If your handset doesn’t support 5G technology, you’ll still be able to access 3G and 4G coverage on a 5G-ready SIM card.

5G Coverage

To benefit from 5G technology, you’ll need to be in a 5G coverage area. At the moment, 5G coverage is available in a total of 360 UK towns & cities.

The following table shows a list of towns and cities where 5G coverage is currently available on each network:

5G NetworkCurrently LivePlanned & Announced
EE
(includes BT Mobile)
Check coverage		160 towns and cities live
Aberdeen, Aldershot, Aldridge, Alexandria, Altrincham, Ashford Surrey, Ashton-under-Lyne, Aylesbury, Ayr, Barnsley, Barrhead, Bath, Belfast, Belshill, Biggleswade, Birkenhead, Birmingham, Blackburn, Blackpool, Bolton, Borehamwood, Bransholme, Brentwood, Brighton, Bristol, Burton upon Trent, Bury, Cannock, Cardiff, Castleford, Castlereagh, Chatham, Chelmsford, Cheshunt, Chester, Chester-le-Street, Chesterfield, Chorley, Clevedon, Clifton, Clydebank, Colchester, Coventry, Crawley, Cumbernauld, Dartford, Dinnington, Doncaster, Dudley, Dundee, Edinburgh, Epsom, Exeter, Gillingham, Glasgow, Grantham, Gravesend, Grays, Grimsby, Guildford, Halifax, Hamilton, Harlow, Harrogate, Hoddesdon, Huddersfield, Hull, Ilkeston, Inchinnan, Ipswich, Jarrow, Kimberley, Kingston-upon-Thames, Leeds, Leicester, Lichfield, Lincoln, Lisburn, Liverpool, London, Loughborough, Loughton, Maidstone, Manchester, Middlesbrough, Milnrow, Milton Keynes, Minster, Mirfield, Motherwell, Neath, Newcastle, Newton-le-Willows, North Shields, Northampton, Norwich, Nottingham, Nuneaton, Oldham, Oxford, Paignton, Paisley, Plymouth, Pontefract, Poole, Porthcawl, Portishead, Portsmouth, Potters Bar, Rickmansworth, Rochdale, Rochester, Romford, Rotherham, Royal Leamington Spa, Rugeley, Runcorn, Salford, Sheffield, Shipley, Solihull, South Shields, Southend-on-Sea, Southport, St Albans, Stafford, Staines-upon-Thames, Stevenage, Stirling, Stockport, Stockton-on-Tees, Stoke-on-Trent, Stratford-upon-Avon, Sunbury, Sunderland, Sutton Coldfield, Swadlincote, Swansea, Swindon, Swinton, Sydenham, Tamworth, Wakefield, Walsall, Waltham Abbey, Waltham Cross, Walton-on-Thames, Warwick, Washington, Watford, West Bromwich, Westhoughton, Weston-Super-Mare, Weybridge, Wickford, Widnes, Wigan, Wolverhampton, Worcester, York		5 towns and cities planned
Cambridge, Derby, Gloucester, Peterborough, Southampton
O2
(includes giffgaff, Sky Mobile, Tesco Mobile)
Check coverage		155 towns and cities live
Aberdeen, Ambleside, Ashford, Aughton, Aylesbury, Banstead, Basildon, Basingstoke, Beaconsfield, Bedford, Belfast, Bilston, Birkenhead, Birmingham, Blackburn, Blackpool, Blaydon, Bolton, Bournemouth, Bradford, Bradley Stoke, Bridge of Don, Brighton, Bristol, Brombourgh, Bury St Edmunds, Byfleet, Cambridge, Cardiff, Chadwell St Mary, Chatham, Chelmsford, Cheltenham, Chesterfield, Chipstead, Clacton-on-Sea, Colchester, Coventry, Darlington, Dartford, Derby, Dewsbury, Dinas Powys, Doncaster, Dudley, Dundee, Dunstable, Durham, Dyce, Eastbourne, Edinburgh, Egham, Epsom, Esher, Eton, Falmer, Gateshead, Gatton Bottom, Gillingham, Glasgow, Gloucester, Gravesend, Grays, Great Yarmouth, Halifax, Harlington London, Harlow, Hastings, Hebburn, Hemel Hempstead, Hextable, High Wycombe, Hove, How Wood, Huddersfield, Hull, Inverness, Ipswich, Iver, Jarrow, Lancaster, Leeds, Leicester, Lincoln, Lisburn, Liverpool, Llandudno, London, Longford, Loughborough, Lowestoft, Luton, Maidstone, Manchester, Mansfield, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes, Monifieth, Morley, Musselburgh, New Denham, Newbury, Newcastle, Newtownabbey, North Shields, Northampton, Norwich, Nottingham, Nuneaton, Orpington, Oxford, Peterborough, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Potters Bar, Rainham, Reading, Redhill, Rochdale, Rotherham, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Rugby, Salford, Sheffield, Shepperton Green, Slough, Solihull, South Shields, Southampton, Southend-On-Sea, Staines-upon-Thames, Stevenage, Stockport, Stockton-on-Tees, Stoke-on-Trent, Stranraer, Sunbury, Sunderland, Swansea, Swindon, Thundersley, Tynemouth, Wakefield, Warrington, Washington, Watford, Wavertree, West Bromwich, Weybridge, Whickham, Whitley Bay, Windsor, Wolverhampton, Worthing, York		2 towns and cities planned
Guildford, Kingston-upon-Thames
Three
Check coverage		194 towns and cities live
Aberdeen, Abingdon-on-Thames, Adlington, Aldershot, Aldridge, Ashford, Balloch, Barnsley, Barrow-in-Furness, Basildon, Bath, Bedford, Belfast, Belfast Airport, Billericay, Billingham, Birdwell, Birkenhead, Birmingham, Bishopthorpe, Blackburn, Blackpool, Borehamwood, Bournemouth, Bradford, Brentwood, Brighton, Brimington, Bristol, Bromsgrove, Brookmans Park, Broughton Astley, Burton upon Trent, Campton, Cannock, Cardiff, Carlisle, Castlereagh, Chatham, Chelmsford, Cheltenham, Chesham, Chorley, Christleton, Clayton-le-Woods, Clifton, Coedkernew, Colchester, Copmanthorpe, Corringham, Coventry, Crawley, Crook, Cullingworth, Danderhall, Delph, Denholme, Derby, Dewsbury, Dinnington, Doncaster, Dundee, East Kilbride, East Midlands Airport, Edinburgh, Egginton, Ellesmere Port, Exmouth, Falkirk, Gateshead, Glasgow, Gorebridge, Grays, Greenock, Grimsby, Guildford, Hamilton, Hartley, Hatfield, Heanor, Heathcote, Hedge End, Hemel Hempstead, Hertford, Heswall, Heywood, Horley, Horwich, Huddersfield, Hull, Huntingdon, Inchinnan, Ingleby Barwick, Ipswich, Irlam, Isle of Grain, Iver, Kings Hill, Kings Langley, Kinmel Bay, Kirkheaton, Kirknewton, Knowl Wall, Leeds, Leicester, Leyland, Lincoln, Liverpool, London, Loughborough, Lower Stondon, Luton, Maidenhead, Maidstone, Manchester, Mansfield, Margate, Marlow Bottom, Marston Moretaine, Merthyr Tydfil, Middlesbrough, Milnrow, Milton Keynes, Motherwell, Neston, Newark-on-Trent, Newcastle, Newhall, Newport, Newquay, Newton Aycliffe, Newton-le-Willows, Newtownabbey, Normanton, Northampton, Nottingham, Nuneaton, Ottershaw, Oxford, Peterborough, Plymouth, Pontefract, Porthcawl, Portsmouth, Preston, Reading, Redcar, Redditch, Royston Yorkshire, Scunthorpe, Sheffield, Shelly Green, Shrewsbury, Slough, South Heighton, South Kirkby, South Normanton, South Ockendon, Southampton, Southend-on-Sea, Southport, St Albans, St Blazey, St Columb Road, Stafford, Stansted Airport, Stevenage, Stockton-on-Tees, Stoke-on-Trent, Stratford-upon-Avon, Sunderland, Sunninghill, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Swadlincote, Swindon, Swinton, Tamworth, Telford, Thornaby-on-Tees, Ullesthorpe, Wakefield, Wallingford, Walton-on-Thames, Warrington, Washington, Westhoughton, Weybridge, Wickford, Wigan, Winterbourne, Worcester, Worksop, Writtle, York
Vodafone
(includes ASDA Mobile, Virgin Mobile, VOXI)
Check coverage		100 towns and cities live
Aberdeen, Alexandria, Ambleside, Aughton, Basingstoke, Bebington, Belfast, Birkenhead, Birmingham, Bishopbriggs, Blaydon, Bolton, Bootle, Bournemouth, Bradford, Bristol, Cardiff, Cheadle, Cheltenham, Chesterfield, Clydebank, Crawley, Crosby, Dewsbury, Dinas Powys, Droylsden, Dudley, Dundee, Eccles, Edinburgh, Eston and South Bank, Felling, Gateshead, Glasgow, Gloucester, Gosforth, Guildford, Hebburn, Helensburgh, Horwich, Huddersfield, Hull, Huyton-with-Roby, Isle of Scilly, Jarrow, Killingworth, Kingswood, Lancaster, Leeds, Lisburn, Liverpool, Llandudno, London, Longbenton, Manchester, Mangotsfield, Middlesbrough, Morley, Mosborough, Newbury, Newcastle, Newtownabbey, North Shields, Oldbury, Paisley, Penarth, Pendlebury, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Prescot, Prestwich, Pudsey, Rawmarsh, Reading, Rochdale, Rotherham, Salford, Sheffield, Shipley, Solihull, South Shields, Southampton, Stockport, Stockton-on-Tees, Stoke-on-Trent, Stranraer, Stretford, Sunderland, Sutton Coldfield, Swansea, Swinton, Tynemouth, Urmston, Wallasey, Wallsend, Warrington, Washington, Whitley Bay, Wolverhampton, York		1 towns and cities planned
Blackpool

If 5G coverage hasn’t yet launched in your area, you’ll still be able to receive coverage from older 3G and 4G networks. For more information, see our full guide to 5G coverage in the UK.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which mobile networks offer 5G SIM only deals?
You can get a 5G SIM only deal from the following mobile networks:
What’s the cheapest 5G SIM only deal in the UK?
The UK’s cheapest 5G-ready SIM only deal costs £5/month. Prices do vary by mobile network, however. The cheapest 5G plan by mobile network is as follows:
Can I get unlimited data on a 5G SIM card?
Yes. Most mobile networks now offer a 5G unlimited data plan. Prices currently start from £16/month for unlimited data on 5G.
What are the benefits of 5G coverage?
5G coverage offers greater network capacity so download speeds are less likely to slow down in busy or congested areas. It also offers lower latency (~10ms) and faster download speeds (around 150-200Mbps on today’s 5G networks).
Where is 5G coverage currently available?
5G coverage is currently available in 360 UK towns and cities. The towns and cities that are covered by 5G will differ depending on the mobile network you’re using. See our guide to 5G mobile coverage in the UK.

More Information

For more information, you can also read our guide on 5G coverage in the UK.

Your Comments 23 so far

We'd love to hear your thoughts and any questions you may have. So far, we've received 23 comments from readers. You can add your own comment here.

  • Eric said:

    I have now experimented with Vodafone Sims, and Yes, they work OK in Huaweis 5G router.
    Even that I haven’t (on purpose) told them I am using their Sims on router instead of a phone.
    Changed my Vodafone one recently to Voxi, as it was complicated to get a shorter contract with Vodafone. Works flawlessly on 5G and on unlimited tariff, 35£/month.
    And not tied to a long contract !

  • Crispin said:

    Hi there, fantastic website! I had a question regarding 5G sim only plans – do any of the UK carriers offer two sim’s for the one contract? Say for instance I wanted to go with three’s unlimited 5g offer and put the SIM in my Huawei 5g router – would it be possible to get another sim on the same contract for my 4g phone to make calls? Do you know if any carriers offer this? Otherwise I guess it’s a case of having two contracts – one for phone and another for router. Many Thanks!

    • Ken replied:

      Hi Crispin,
      Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, yes, it’s a case of getting two separate contracts. There are a couple of products that will allow you to share the data allowance between different SIM cards (e.g. EE offers data gifting on their SIM cards, allowing you to transfer data allowance between your router and your mobile phone SIM card), but this may not actually save you very much money compared to buying two separate contracts with the amount of data you need.
      Ken

    • Ken replied:

      Hi Cecil,
      Thanks for the heads up about this! I’m currently just in the process of updating the website to reflect to this!
      Thanks again for letting me know 🙂
      Ken

    • Ken replied:

      Hi Roy,
      Unfortunately, it looks like Three might have removed the £6/month deal. They currently offer 1GB for £5 and 8GB for £8, both of which are only available when you follow the link from this page. On their website, they offer plans from £10/month though you can get a larger allowance of data when ordering through the links on this website.
      Hope this helps,
      Ken

  • John Maher said:

    Thank you for a lovely, clear website.

    It might be worth pointing out whether it makes better economic sense to buy a 5G handset on contract at the moment, rather than an unlocked handset with a separate 5G SIM only deal.

  • JP said:

    This is really helpful, thankyou! Do you happen to know if any 5G sim only deals are available on the 30 day contracts yet? Thankyou.

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