By Looking for the cheapest Pay As You Go rates in the UK? Our interactive table allows you to compare Pay As You Go tariffs and mobile network coverage.
If you’re looking for a Pay As You Go tariff in the UK, there are currently 12 different Pay As You Go networks to choose from.
It’s never been easier to switch networks and to save money on a cheaper Pay As You Go deal. Simply order a free Pay As You Go SIM card and put it inside your unlocked smartphone to take advantage of lower Pay As You Go rates. You can also keep your current phone number when you switch.
In this article, we’ll compare Pay As You Go networks in the UK, both on the prices and the coverage available. We’ll also look at the different ways of paying for your plan.
Contents
Traditional Pay As You Go VS Monthly Bundles
When you choose a Pay As You Go mobile network, it’s important to know there are actually two different types of plan to choose from:
- Traditional Pay As You Go plans with no monthly fee. Often best for light mobile users wanting a SIM card for emergencies, you’ll only pay for what you actually use on a per-minute, per-text and per-megabyte basis.
- Pay As You Go bundles with a monthly fee. Often best for regular mobile users, you’ll need to pay a monthly fee on these plans. However, you’ll get larger allowances in return so it will normally work out to be cheaper overall.
The following table shows a side-by-side comparison of the two types of Pay As You Go plan:
| Traditional Pay As You Go | Pay As You Go Bundles |
|---|---|
| Best for light users wanting an emergency SIM card. | Best for regular users and smartphone users. |
| No monthly fee, but minimum usage applies. | Pay As You Go bundles start from £5 per month. |
| Pay on a per-minute, per-text and per-megabyte basis. Rates are typically higher compared to bundles. | Your one-month bundle will come with inclusive minutes, texts & data. |
| Normally, your credit won’t expire providing you keep your SIM card active. | Unused allowances will expire after one month. |
In both cases, there are no contracts and no credit checks when you sign up for your plan. You can also change, pause or cancel your plan at any time. This gives you lots of flexibility. You can also change between traditional Pay As You Go and a monthly Pay As You Go bundle, as required.
Cheapest Pay As You Go Tariffs
In the UK, if you’re happy to pay a small monthly fee for your Pay As You Go plan, our current recommendation is to get Lycamobile’s UK Smart plan. This comes with 1000 UK minutes and 3GB of UK data included. It’s available for just £1 per month for the first 3 months and you’ll get 99% population coverage from O2.
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Lycamobile
At present, Lycamobile’s UK Smart plan is the cheapest Pay As You Go bundle available in the UK. It’s available with no contract and no credit check. You’ll get 1,000 UK minutes and 3GB data included for £1 per month. You’ll get 4G and 5G coverage from O2 on your Lycamobile SIM. This £1 per month deal is only available for new Lycamobile customers, and is valid for 3 months. After the first 3 months, you’ll pay £5 per month or you can change to another Pay As You Go plan. If you like, it’s also possible to switch to Lycamobile’s traditional Pay As You Go plan, with no monthly fees for keeping your SIM card active. |
If you’re looking for traditional Pay As You Go, the cheapest network is currently 1pMobile, which offers 99% coverage from the EE network:
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1pMobile
One important thing to be aware of when joining 1pMobile is the minimum top-up requirement of £10 every 120 days. This means you’ll need to top-up your phone with at least £30 of credit per year, though you have complete flexibility on when and how to actually spend it. 1pMobile is backed by the sister company of Utility Warehouse and is part of Telecom Plus PLC, a FTSE 250-listed company. Read our in-depth review of 1pMobile for more information. |
Pay As You Go Rates & Coverage Compared
The following table shows a list of Pay As You Go mobile networks in the UK, along with the rates and coverage available:
| Mobile Network | Traditional Pay As You Go | Pay As You Go Bundles | Coverage Provider |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1pMobile | 1p/minute 1p/text 1p/MB |
£6/month | EE |
| ASDA Mobile | 15p/minute 10p/text 10p/MB |
£4/month | Vodafone |
| EE | 40p/minute 20p/text No data |
£10/month | EE |
| giffgaff | 25p/minute 10p/text 10p/MB |
£6/month | O2 |
| iD Mobile | 3p/minute 2p/text 1p/MB |
£6/month | Three |
| Lebara Mobile | 25p/minute 19p/text 9p/MB |
£5/month | Vodafone |
| Lycamobile | 23p/minute 23p/text 15p/MB |
£5/month | O2 |
| O2 | 55p/minute 30p/text £2/day data |
£10/month | O2 |
| Tesco Mobile | 25p/minute 10p/text 10p/MB |
£7.50/month | O2 |
| Three | 35p/minute 15p/text 10p/MB |
£10/month | Three |
| Vodafone | £1/day | £10/month | Vodafone |
| VOXI | 30p/minute 14p/text No data |
£10/month | Vodafone |
Traditional Pay As You Go
If you’re looking for a traditional Pay As You Go plan with no monthly fees, the following table shows how much you’ll pay on a per-minute, per-text and per-megabyte basis.
To sort the table, you can tap on the relevant column heading. You can also tap on “…” column to see the charges for sending MMS picture messages, voicemail and calling special rate phone numbers.
| Network | Mobile Internet (per day) | Calls (per minute) | Texts (per SMS) | Picture Message (per MMS) | Voicemail | Special Rate (per minute) | Coverage Provider | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1pMobile | ~10p (estimated from 1p/MB) | 1p | 1p | 30p | 1p per minute | 5p + service charge | EE | |||
| ASDA Mobile | ~£1 (estimated from 10p/MB) | 15p | 10p | 25p | 0p per minute | 4p + service charge | Vodafone | |||
| EE | Data usage requires 30-day bundle | 40p | 20p | 40p | 40p per minute | 44p + service charge | EE | |||
| giffgaff | ~£1 (estimated from 10p/MB) | 25p | 10p | 30p | 8p per call | 25p + service charge | O2 | |||
| iD Mobile | ~10p (estimated from 1p/MB) | 3p | 2p | 5p | 3p per minute | 45p + service charge | Three | |||
| Lebara Mobile | ~90p (estimated from 9p/MB) | 25p | 19p | 45p | 19p per minute | 45p + service charge | Vodafone | |||
| Lycamobile | ~£1.50 (estimated from 15p/MB) | 23p (15p to landline) | 23p | - | 0p per call | 29p + service charge | EE | |||
| O2 | £2 | 55p | 30p | 55p | 35p per call | 55p + service charge | O2 | |||
| Tesco Mobile Triple Credit | ~£1 (estimated from 10p/MB) | 25p | 10p | 55p | 15p per minute | 55p + service charge | O2 | |||
| Tesco Mobile Lite | ~£1 (estimated from 10p/MB) | 8p | 4p | 25p | 8p per minute | 25p + service charge | O2 | |||
| Three | ~£1 (estimated from 10p/MB) | 35p | 15p | 40p | 10p per minute | 45p + service charge | Three | |||
| Vectone Mobile | ~90p (estimated from 9p/MB) | 19p (12p to landline) | 19p | 25p | 10p per minute | 12p + service charge | EE | |||
| Vodafone Big Value Bundles | £2 (fixed, for 50MB/day) | 35p | 20p | 45p | 35p per minute | 45p + service charge | Vodafone | |||
| Vodafone Pay As You Go 1 | £1 (fixed, for 50MB/day) | 20p (max £1/day) | 20p (max £1/day) | 20p | 20p per minute | 45p + service charge | Vodafone | |||
| VOXI | Data usage requires 30-day bundle | 30p | 14p | 45p | 30p per minute | 45p + service charge | Vodafone | |||
Sources: 1pmobile.com, mobile.asda.com, ee.co.uk, giffgaff.com, idmobile.co.uk, mobile.lebara.com, lycamobile.co.uk, o2.co.uk, tescomobile.com, tescomobile.com, three.co.uk, vectonemobile.co.uk, vodafone.co.uk, voxi.co.uk. Last updated on 23rd May 2023.
If you’re a smartphone user, the costs of using mobile data on traditional Pay As You Go can add up very quickly. According to Ofcom, the average UK smartphone user consumed 5.6GB data per month in 2021 (this is equivalent to 186MB per day). If you were to pay just 1p/MB for this, it would cost you at least £56 per month on a traditional Pay As You Go plan.
If you choose to buy a monthly Pay As You Go bundle instead, these Pay As You Go rates will only apply for out-of-bundle usage.
Monthly Pay As You Go Bundles
In the UK, the cheapest available Pay As You Go bundle is currently available for just £4 per month. This comes with unlimited minutes and no data on ASDA Mobile.
| Network | Data | Monthly Cost | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No price plans could be found matching this criteria. | |||
If you’re looking for a Pay As You Go bundle with unlimited minutes & unlimited texts, you can get one from £4 per month:
| Network | Data | Monthly Cost | |
|---|---|---|---|
| No data | £4.00 per month No contract | See deal |
| 2GB data | £6.00 per month No contract | See deal |
| 2GB data | £6.00 per month No contract | See deal |
| 1GB data | £6.00 per month No contract | See deal |
The most popular Pay As You Go bundles tend to cost around £10 per month. At this price point, you can expect to get up to 45GB data per month, depending on the mobile network you choose:
| Network | Data | Monthly Cost | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 45GB data | £10.00 per month No contract | See deal |
| 25GB data | £10.00 per month No contract | See deal |
| 25GB data | £10.00 per month £5 for 3 months No contract | See deal |
| 20GB data | £10.00 per month No contract | See deal |
| 15GB data | £10.00 per month No contract | See deal |
| 12GB data | £10.00 per month No contract | See deal |
| 10GB data | £10.00 per month No contract | See deal |
| 10GB data | £10.00 per month No contract | See deal |
| 8GB data 25Mbps max speed | £10.00 per month No contract | See deal |
| 8GB data | £10.00 per month No contract | See deal |
| 6GB data | £10.00 per month No contract | See deal |
Finally, it’s also possible to get unlimited data on Pay As You Go. Plans start from £20 per month for unlimited data with no contract and no credit check:
| Network | Data | Monthly Cost | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unlimited data | £20.00 per month No contract | See deal |
| Unlimited data 2Mbps max speed | £20.00 per month No contract | See deal |
| Unlimited data | £25.00 per month No contract | See deal |
| Unlimited data | £25.00 per month £15 for 3 months No contract | See deal |
| Unlimited data | £31.50 per month No contract | See deal |
| Unlimited data | £35.00 per month No contract | See deal |
| Unlimited data 25Mbps max speed | £35.00 per month No contract | See deal |
| Unlimited data | £35.00 per month No contract | See deal |
| Unlimited data 100Mbps max speed | £40.00 per month No contract | See deal |
Pay As You Go Credit Expiry
On most traditional Pay As You Go plans, your credit won’t expire providing your SIM card remains active. This makes it perfect for people who rarely use their phone (e.g. if your SIM card is mainly for emergencies).
To keep a traditional Pay As You Go SIM card active, you’ll normally need to use it at least once every 6 months. However, this can vary depending on your mobile network and it can be anything from 84 days to 180 days. On 1pMobile, your credit won’t expire but you’ll need to top-up with at least £10 of credit every 120 days.
If you have a Pay As You Go bundle, your unused allowances will expire at the end of the month. The only exception is if your mobile network offers a data rollover feature.
Keeping Your Phone Number
If you’re changing mobile networks, it’s super easy to keep your phone number. To do so, you’ll need to get a PAC Code from your current network. You can get one through your mobile network’s website or app, or by texting PAC to 65075.
Once you have a PAC Code from your old network, you can order the SIM card from your new network. When you’re ready to move your phone number over, give them the PAC Code and your phone number will then be moved over on the next working day.
Unfortunately, it isn’t possible to transfer Pay As You Go credit between networks, so you’ll need to use it up before you transfer your phone number.
For detailed step-by-step instructions, see our full guide on how to move your phone number between networks.
Frequently Asked Questions
| Are there any Pay As You Go networks where I don’t need to top-up every month? | Yes. You can choose a traditional Pay As You Go plan rather than a monthly Pay As You Go bundle. On a traditional Pay As You Go plan, there are no regular monthly charges. You simply pay for what you actually use on a per-minute, per-text and per-megabyte basis. |
|---|---|
| Which mobile network offers the lowest Pay As You Go rates? | At present, 1pMobile has the lowest Pay As You Go rates of any mobile network in the UK. You’ll pay just 1p/minute, 1p/text and 1p/MB. Alternatively, Vodafone charges £1/day for unlimited minutes, unlimited texts and up to 50MB of data. |
| How much will I pay for data on Pay As You Go? | On traditional Pay As You Go, you can use mobile data at the rate of 1p/MB (equivalent to £10 per GB). Alternatively, you can get a Pay As You Go bundle with up to 45GB data for £10/month. |
| How much will I pay for phone calls on Pay As You Go? | On traditional Pay As You Go, you can make phone calls from 1p/minute to UK landline and mobile numbers (that’s most phone numbers starting with 01, 02, 03 and 07). Alternatively, a Pay As You Go bundle with unlimited minutes included is available from £3/month. |
| Will my Pay As You Go credit expire if I don’t use it? | On most traditional Pay As You Go plans, your credit won’t expire providing your account remains active. The criteria for keeping your account active depends on the mobile network. |
| How do I get a Pay As You Go SIM card? | You can order a free Pay As You Go SIM card from most mobile networks through this page. |
More Information
For more information, see our guide to Pay As You Go SIM cards. We also have an in-depth guide on Pay As You Go SIMs for light users, on 5G Pay As You Go SIM cards and on Pay As You Go eSIMs.
ChrisK said:
ust an update to 1p Mobile, they are changing the top up time from 120 days to 90 days.
Also, though I’m not sure about this one but its also been mentioned that there’s a minium spend of £10 every 90 days so as an example if you only spend £5 on calls/text/data over the 90 days a further £5 will be deducted to make up the minium spend of £10 over the 90 days but don’t quote me on this one.
monica said:
I’m on PAYG tesco mobileLlite. Every time a call comes in even though I reject the call, automatically 10p is debited from my account. It happens mostly from calls of marketing Co. Is that happening whereby these companies make us pay for their calls?
Andy said:
you forgot about RWG, their rates are here. https://www.rwgmobile.wales/rates-plans-eng-per/
scroll down pays as you go is 5/5/1
also i heard that o2’s old genie sim which was 3/2/1, you can still buy them online and they still work apparently.
(calls/texts/data)
Steve replied:
RWG are cheap but try getting your voicemail switched off (even by email to them) or finding your balance on PAYG (supposed to dial *669# but doesn’t work on my payg phone)