Compare our SIM Only Deals - 2023

If you’re changing to a SIM-only deal with the provider you already have, you shouldn’t need to do anything. If you’re switching to a new provider, you can use the text and switch service. Just text ‘PAC’ to 65075. Your current provider will send you your PAC code, which is valid for 30 days. You then give your PAC code to your new provider.

To get your PAC code, call your old network’s helpline. Some will also give you it online.

You can also use Ofcom’s ‘text-to-switch’ service. Text ‘PAC’ to 65075 to have your PAC code delivered straight to your phone.

Call your new network to give them your PAC code. The changeover should be fairly quick.

While the competition between networks is fierce, some will offer gifts with a SIM-only deal. Examples include vouchers and tech.

When switching to a SIM-only deal, any disruption to your service should be minimal. If you’re switching providers and transferring your number, there may be a short period after you’ve sent your new network your PAC code where your service is down. If this lasts more than a few minutes, contact the customer-service team. 

If you’re sticking with your current network, the process should be seamless.

Smaller mobile networks tend to rent access from one of the big networks – O2, EE, Three and Vodafone. This is known as ‘piggybacking’. For example, Giffgaff uses the O2 network and iD Mobile uses Three’s. This means a lesser-known network should give you the same standard of call coverage and data, and the service should be just as reliable. You might well find that the best SIM-only deal for you is with a smaller network.

You can typically choose between 30-day SIM-only deals, or 12-month contracts. A 30-day deal usually takes the form of a rolling contract, which automatically renews until you cancel. Year-long SIM-only deals work much like monthly mobile-phone contracts, but are all about the minutes, texts and data you need, rather than the actual handset. This means SIM-only contracts offer a more flexible option, with the best SIM-only deals offering both flexibility and the cheapest prices, compared to a handset contract.

A long-term SIM-only contract allows you to better plan your spending. But you may be missing out on cheap SIM-only deals if your contract is tying you down. 

SIM-only deals can be as short as 30 days. These are ideal if you’re always hunting for the best SIM-only deals and want maximum flexibility. But you may find yourself without service if you forget to line up a new deal in time.

Ultimately, the best SIM-only deal for you depends on how you use your phone and how you like to manage your money.

An easy way to check if your phone is unlocked is to borrow a friend’s SIM card and see if you’re able to make a call. If you can, the phone is unlocked. If not, contact your provider and ask to unlock your handset. 

Unlocked phones can use SIM cards from any network, which means you can search for the best SIM-only deals for your handset.

Switching from a contract to a SIM-only deal is like moving from one tariff to another. If you’re currently on a fixed-term contract, you might have to pay to leave your current deal. Otherwise, simply choose your deal and make the switch – you’ll keep your number and it should all happen smoothly.

Before you do anything, be aware that your SIM card contains a lot of personal information, including the names and contact numbers of your friends and family. With that in mind, you have three options:

• Destroy it: If you’re sure you’ll never need that SIM card again, cut the chip in half and recycle the plastic shell.
  
  
• Recycle it: There are many companies that offer to securely collect your old SIM, wipe it and let someone else make use of it. Some will even pay for your old SIM cards.
  
  
• Keep it: If you think your SIM might come in useful in the future – for instance, if you lose your new SIM card – you can keep it in a secure place. You can even convert old contract SIMs into pay-as-you-go SIM cards by contacting your network provider.

When you sign up for a SIM-only contract, there could be a credit check, but the criteria may not be as rigorous as for a contract deal.

Taking out a phone contract is a form of borrowing – your network provider ‘loans’ you a bundle of calls, texts and data and you pay them back month by month. If you make all your payments on time, your credit score could improve. But if you miss them, your credit score could go down.

It’s possible to find SIM-only contracts that include unlimited data. You can read more about these in our guide to unlimited data SIM deals. These are good for people without access to WiFi, or who travel regularly. In terms usage, the best SIM-only deals include unlimited data, minutes and texts, meaning you can text, call and browse as much as you like.

You can get data-only SIM deals – these are SIM-only contracts that don’t include airtime.

Clearly not everyone wants things like unlimited minutes, especially if you’re using your SIM in an Android tablet or iPad for mobile broadband. Data plans typically cater for these customers.

Some networks allow you to use data-only SIMs, which might appeal if you communicate through social media, which doesn’t require minutes or texts. If you use a lot of data, you might want an unlimited data SIM deal.

If you want to use your tablet while you’re out and not connected to WiFi, you can get a  data-only SIM. These are like ordinary SIM cards, but they only come with data. Before you buy, check that your tablet has a slot for a SIM card – not all do. Also check the manufacturer’s handbook to see what type of SIM you need. 

An end-of-contract notification – or ECN – is a letter telling you that your contract is ending. It should spell out: 

• When your contract ends
• How much you’ve been paying – and what you’ll pay after your contract ends
• New deals you could switch to
• Any notice period you might have before you can switch

All phone, broadband and pay-TV companies must, by law, send end-of-contract notifications. You must receive these between 10 and 40 days before your deal ends. 

 End-of-contract notifications are a useful reminder to start comparing SIM-only deals

Firstly, you’ll need a mobile phone. That’s because SIM-only means your contract won’t include a new phone.

Before ordering your new SIM card, check whether your phone accepts a standard, micro or nano-sized SIM card.

Any SIM should work with any device, so you can still use a 5G SIM card in a 4G device. But a lower-capacity phone will limit the speed of the network you can connect to.