Vodafone EVO Review: Flexible Mobile Contracts With Trade-In & 12 Month Upgrade

Vodafone EVO is a flexible mobile contract where you can choose the length of your phone plan & get a guaranteed trade-in saving. You can also upgrade anytime after 12 months.

In the UK, Vodafone has revamped their Pay Monthly plans by introducing a range of new Vodafone EVO plans. They’re designed to give you more flexibility so you can get the phone you want on a range of different contract lengths and options. You can also get a guaranteed saving when trading in an eligible phone using Vodafone’s Trade-In Tool, and there’s the ability to upgrade from 12 months in to your plan.

At present, there’s a wide range of handsets available on Vodafone EVO including the latest iPhone 12 and the Samsung Galaxy S21. As an additional feature for Vodafone EVO customers, you’ll get battery health checks and replacements included for the length of your plan. There’s also a two-year Total Care Warranty included on all devices.

In this article, we’ll review the new Vodafone EVO plans. We’ll start by looking at how the Vodafone EVO plans work and at the key features included when you buy a phone on Vodafone EVO. We’ll also look at the handsets available on Vodafone EVO along with the coverage available and how you can keep your current phone number.

What is Vodafone EVO?

In the UK, Vodafone has launched a new Pay Monthly plan called Vodafone EVO. It’s designed to give you a new mobile phone with more flexibility and the ability to choose the length of your phone contract between 12-36 months. There’s also a handset trade-in option and the ability to upgrade as soon as you’re 12 months into your plan. You’ll also get Battery Refresh and a Total Care Warranty included.

Alongside your Vodafone EVO Phone Plan, you can choose from a range of airtime plans with Xtras included. Xtras include international roaming in up to 81 destinations, unlimited data boosters, unlimited picture messages and a 50% discount on smartwatch plans. You’ll also get access to 5G on compatible mobile phones and access to VeryMe Rewards offers.

As of June 2021, Vodafone EVO is available to new customers joining the Vodafone network and existing customers upgrading their mobile phone on Vodafone.

Vodafone EVO Features

Flexible Contact Lengths

With Vodafone EVO, you have the option of building your own phone plan. Once you’ve chosen the phone you want from Vodafone’s website, you’ll be invited to choose your upfront cost and the length of contract you’d like (between 12 months and 36 months in length). Vodafone will provide interest-free financing for your device and the total cost of your phone will remain the same, whatever contract length you choose.

For the lowest monthly price, you can choose a 36-month phone plan. For instance, at the time of writing, the iPhone 12 is available for £19/month plus £29 upfront. If you’re happy to pay a little bit more for your phone each month, you can shorten the length of your phone plan. For instance, the monthly payment will increase to £28.50/month if you choose a 24-month plan. You can also increase the amount you pay upfront to reduce the monthly phone plan cost.

Once you’ve chosen a new phone plan, you’ll be able to choose an airtime plan for your new device. A range of airtime plans are available including limited data plans and unlimited data on Vodafone.

Mobile Phone Trade-In Savings

If you have an eligible mobile phone to trade in at the same time, you may be able to get a guaranteed saving on your new plan by using the Vodafone Trade-in Tool.

According to Vodafone, you can get an instant guaranteed saving of up to the following amount:

• £288 when you trade in a Galaxy S10 series
• £192 when you trade in iPhone X, XR, XS, XS Max
• £96 when you trade in iPhone 8/ 8+ and Galaxy S9 and S9+

To get the saving, you’ll need to use Vodafone’s trade-in tool. The discount will then be applied to your new Vodafone EVO airtime plan.

For more information, see Vodafone’s Trade-In Guarantee webpage.

Upgrade After 12 Months

On Vodafone EVO, you can upgrade your phone at any time after the first 12 months (e.g. to get the latest iPhone or Samsung Galaxy phone next year).

To upgrade, you’ll simply need to choose a new device plan and airtime plan. You’ll need to pay off your old device in full at the time of upgrading, with the option to trade-in an eligible phone to help with this.

Battery Refresh

As a unique feature, you’ll get something called Battery Refresh included on all Vodafone EVO price plans. This gives you inclusive health checks on the battery for the entire length of your phone plan, carried out at your local Vodafone store. If required, your battery will then be replaced at no extra cost following the health check.

In our opinion, Battery Refresh is a very positive addition to the Vodafone EVO price plans as a large number of phones are discarded because they no longer hold their charge. Having your battery replaced can extend the lifetime of your phone. It’s also good for the environment as you won’t need to discard a device that’s otherwise still in good working condition.

Total Care Warranty

Except for refurbished devices, all Pay Monthly phones purchased on Vodafone EVO include a two-year Total Care Warranty. This includes the iPhone which normally only comes with a 12 month warranty.

The Total Care Warranty “covers any faults or problems you may have with the hardware or software”. However, “it doesn’t cover accidental or liquid damage”.

Xtra Plan Benefits

Depending on the airtime plan you choose, you’ll also get up to four Xtra plan benefits:

• Device Care: All Vodafone Xtra plans include a Device Care service. This allows you to book an appointment with Vodafone’s Tech Experts to get a health check on your battery, storage and software. They can also give you a device valuation.
• Unlimited Picture Messages: All Vodafone Xtra plans now include unlimited MMS picture messages inside the UK.
• 50% off Smartwatch Connectivity: If you choose a Vodafone EVO plan with 3 Xtra Benefits, you’ll get a 50% discount on Vodafone’s smartwatch connectivity plans. This gives you a £3.50/month saving on Vodafone OneNumber which you can use to connect an Apple Watch or Samsung Galaxy Watch.
• Unlimited Data Boosters: If you choose a limited data plan with 4 Xtra Benefits, you’ll get up to 6 Unlimited Data Boosters included. You can activate the Boosters when required to get unlimited data for the next 30 days.
• 81 Roam-Free Destinations: If you choose an unlimited data plan with 4 Xtra Benefits, you’ll get access to Vodafone’s Global Roaming Plus included. This allows you to use your mobile phone at no extra cost in 81 destinations around the world.

The following table shows a summary of the benefits you’ll get on each plan:

Xtra Benefit	Plans with 2 Xtra Benefits	Plans with 3 Xtra Benefits	Plans with 4 Xtra Benefits
Device Care	✔ Yes	✔ Yes	✔ Yes
Unlimited Picture Messages	✔ Yes	✔ Yes	✔ Yes
50% off Smartwatch Connectivity	✘ No	✔ Yes	✔ Yes
Unlimited Data Boosters	✘ No	✘ No	✔ Yes, on limited data plans
81 Roam-Free Destinations	✘ No	✘ No	✔ Yes, on unlimited data plans

VeryMe Rewards

VeryMe Rewards is Vodafone’s customer loyalty programme. It gives you access to weekly giveaways and offers such as discounted cinema tickets and 2-for-1 meals at local restaurants. You can also get a range of freebies through the programme.

You’ll get access to VeryMe Rewards on all Vodafone EVO plans.

Vodafone EVO Handsets

Vodafone offers a range of handsets on Vodafone EVO including the iPhone and a number of Android-powered phones.

You can see a full list of available handsets on the Vodafone website.

Network & Coverage

2G, 3G & 4G Coverage

In the UK, Vodafone offers 99% population coverage on their 2G, 3G and 4G mobile networks. You can access average download speeds of 23-35Mbps when using Vodafone’s 4G network in the UK.

To check the availability of Vodafone’s coverage in your area, enter your postcode on their online coverage map:

Check Vodafone Coverage (vodafone.co.uk) →

Once you’ve entered your postcode, you can tap on the “Data speed info” button. This will give you a personalised estimate of the speeds available in your area.

5G Coverage

If you’re buying a 5G-ready phone, you’ll be able to access 5G coverage in 100 UK towns and cities. Vodafone’s 5G network can offer faster download speeds of 150-200Mbps on average. You’ll also benefit from more network capacity and lower amounts of latency.

Vodafone’s 5G network is currently available in the following UK towns and cities:

Now Live

100 towns and cities are live on Vodafone 5G (May 2023) 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

Check 5G Coverage on Vodafone →

You can also access 5G coverage in another 240 locations across Europe. This includes towns and cities across Spain, Germany, Italy and the Republic of Ireland.

International Roaming

On Vodafone EVO, you’ll be able to use your mobile phone at no extra cost when you travel abroad.

Inclusive roaming is available in 81 worldwide destinations if you have an unlimited data plan with 4 Xtra Benefits. Alternatively, you’ll get 51 roam-free destinations on all other Vodafone EVO plans.

A notable benefit of Vodafone’s international roaming service is the fact that you’re also able to use 5G when you’re travelling abroad. They’re currently the only UK mobile network to offer 5G roaming with coverage available in Spain, Germany, Italy and Ireland.

If your airtime plan comes with more than 25GB of data per month, a fair usage policy of 25GB per month will apply when you’re travelling abroad in Vodafone’s inclusive roaming destinations.

Keeping Your Phone Number

If you’re switching from another mobile network to a new Vodafone EVO price plan, it’s easy to keep your current phone number.

Start by ordering your new phone from Vodafone’s website. Once you’ve done that, you can request a PAC Code from your old network. It’s possible to get one free of charge through your mobile network’s app or website, or by texting PAC to 65075.

When your new mobile phone arrives, you’ll be able to set it up and give your PAC Code to Vodafone. Once you’ve done this, they’ll schedule the transfer of your phone number. This will normally be for the next working day.

For a step-by-step guide on transferring your phone number to Vodafone, please select your current mobile network from the drop-down menu below:

More Information

For more information about the Vodafone EVO price plans, see Vodafone’s official website. You can also see a full list of the handsets they offer.

For Vodafone’s full terms and conditions and Charges Guide: See vodafone.co.uk/terms-and-conditions

Finance subject to status and credit checks. 18 +.  Direct debit required. Credit provided by Vodafone Limited, FCA reference Number: 712210, Vodafone House, The Connection, Newbury, Berkshire, RG14 2FN