Updated September 30, 2026 · TariffCue Editorial Team
Astound vs Lycamobile
Where Astound and Lycamobile differ
| Compare |  Astound |  Lycamobile |
|---|---|---|
| Seller type | Reseller | Mvno |
| Price from | $19.95 | £3.50 |
| Reference plan prices | 150 Mbps: $19.95/mo, 150 Mbps, no contract; 1 Gig WiFi: $40/mo, 1000 Mbps, no contract; 1.5 Gig WiFi: $60/mo, 1500 Mbps, no contract | National Plus: GBP 5 per month, 30 GB, 30 days; UK Plan Unlimited: GBP 12.5 per month, Unlimited, 30 days; UK Plan Smart: GBP 3.5 per month, 5 GB, 30 days |
| Unlimited plan price | $30 | £12.50 |
| EU roaming | Paid | Fair use |
| Credit check required | YesHas it | No |
| Markets | US | GB |
| Wi-Fi calling | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Data rollover | No | Not confirmed |
| Hotspot sharing | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Mid-contract price rises | Price for Life rate locked while service kept; other promos valid 12 mos then regular rates | Not confirmed |
| Multi-line discount | Yes | Not confirmed |
Same on both: SIM-only (Yes), 5G (Yes), eSIM (Yes).
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Key differences
- Astound scores higher overall: 9.5 vs 9.2.
- Credit check required: only Astound.
- Billing: only Lycamobile offers Prepaid.
- Contract length: only Lycamobile offers 12, 24.
- Markets: only Astound offers US.
- Markets: only Lycamobile offers GB.
Our verdict on each
Astound
Astound suits US households that want matching download and upload speeds, a low entry price and no contract to be tied into, and the same account can carry mobile lines. Entry pricing starts at $19.95 a month, Gig tiers arrive with Whole Home WiFi included, and the setup fee is $0.
Lycamobile
Lycamobile suits UK readers who want a prepaid sim only line, 5G and an eSIM without a credit check or a long handset contract. It scores 9.2 overall, and entry pricing starts at £3.50 a month on a rolling monthly basis.
Score breakdown
| Area | Astound | Lycamobile |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.6HigherEntry price of $19.95 a month and a setup fee of $0 put cost near the top of the range. | 9.4Entry pricing of £3.50 a month and unlimited data at £12.50 a month back a strong cost score. |
| Offer | 9.3HigherNo cancellation penalty; change or cancel anytime, and Whole Home WiFi arrives included with Gig plans. | 8.9Sim only plans, 5G, an eSIM, prepaid and rolling billing and terms of 1, 12 and 24 make for a flexible, low commitment lineup. |
Sources behind this comparison
Astound
- astound.com: 20 facts, checked September 30, 2026
Lycamobile
- lycamobile.co.uk: 12 facts, checked September 30, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | Astound | Lycamobile |
|---|---|---|
| SIM-only deals | 1 of 416 | 6 of 416 |
| Phone plans with eSIM | 15 of 389 | 20 of 389 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Astound | Lycamobile |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | Rolling | Prepaid, RollingCovers more |
| Contract length | 1 | 1, 12, 24Covers more |
| Legal entity | Radiate HoldCo, LLC d/b/a Astound Broadband | Not confirmed |
| Headquarters | United States | Not confirmed |
| Support channels | Phone, Chat, Help centre | Not confirmed |
Pros and cons
Astound
Pros
- Download of 5,000 Mbps matches upload of 5,000 Mbps, so sending a large file is as quick as downloading one.
- The setup fee is $0, and it ranks 1 of 86 on that measure, ahead of every other brand compared.
- Service runs on cable and fttp, so one provider can cover a cable street or a fibre to the home street.
Cons
- EU roaming is paid, so European travel is billed separately.
- Data rollover is no, so unused mobile allowance does not carry into the next cycle.
- A credit check is required on the mobile side, which adds a step before a line is active.
Lycamobile
Pros
- Entry pricing of £3.50 a month and unlimited data at £12.50 a month place it near the top of our price-from and unlimited tables.
- A credit check is not required, which is a shorter route to a live line than a provider that scores applicants first.
- Billing runs on prepaid and rolling terms and plan terms come in 1, 12 and 24, so a reader can start short and stay flexible.
Cons
- Roaming in Europe runs on fair use terms rather than being included, so regular travel calls for another plan.
- Lycamobile is an MVNO by mvno, where GETESA, Lonestar Cell MTN and yesss! are listed as networks, so readers set on a network seller should compare those instead.
- The entry price ranks 79 of 258 on our price-from list, so the lowest starting price in the comparison sits elsewhere.
Who each suits
Astound
Who it suits
- Households in US whose street already has cable or fibre to the home and who want equal download and upload speeds.
- Families adding mobile lines to the same account, where a multi line discount and rolling billing apply.
- Renters and short-stay households, since No cancellation penalty; change or cancel anytime.
Who should look elsewhere
- Buyers who want a fibre to the home provider and nothing else, because cable and fttp includes cable while Abissnet and Kinetic list fibre to the home alone.
- Homes a wired network does not reach, where EarthLink adds fttp, 5G and satellite options.
- Travellers who expect European roaming to come included, since EU roaming is paid.
Lycamobile
Who it suits
- UK readers wanting a cheap prepaid data line: sim only plans from £3.50 a month, sold in the United Kingdom, with no credit check.
- Readers who want 5G or an eSIM but not a handset bundle, and who can live with plan terms of 1, 12 and 24.
- Holders of a spare phone or tablet who can manage fair use roaming and a set data allowance.
Who should look elsewhere
- Readers who want European roaming included in the price: Lycamobile runs roaming on fair use terms, and GETESA, Lonestar Cell MTN and yesss! are the alternatives to weigh instead.
- Anyone who insists on buying from a network rather than an MVNO, since GETESA (network), Lonestar Cell MTN (network) and yesss! (network) all sell as networks while Lycamobile is an MVNO by mvno.
Country by country
| Country | Astound | Lycamobile |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | No | Yes |
| United States | Yes | No |
Questions about each
Astound
How much does Astound broadband cost a month?+
Plans start at $19.95 a month on the entry tier. The listed lineup then steps up through Gig and multi-Gig WiFi plans, and every plan shown is on no-contract terms, so the monthly figure is the whole commitment. Whole Home WiFi is included with Gig plans rather than sold as an extra.
Is there a setup or installation fee with Astound broadband?+
Setup costs $0 to add, and in this comparison the brand ranks 1 of 86 for setup fee, ahead of every other brand measured on that point. Equipment also counts: Whole Home WiFi is supplied with Gig plans, with the top tier hardware paired to the quickest speeds.
Lycamobile
What is the cheapest Lycamobile plan?+
UK Plan Smart is the entry plan, priced at £3.50 a month for a set data allowance. It is a sim only offer, so no handset is needed, and a credit check is not required. National Plus costs more for a larger allowance, while UK Plan Unlimited is the option for a reader who would rather not watch data.
How much does the unlimited plan cost?+
UK Plan Unlimited is quoted at £12.50 a month. On our unlimited price list Lycamobile ranks 44 of 173, so unlimited data is priced below the middle of the field. The figure is the same throughout, with no promotional opening rate listed for the plan.
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