Updated September 30, 2026 · TariffCue Editorial Team
BASE vs Play
Where BASE and Play differ
| Compare |  BASE |  Play |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | €15 | PLN 50 |
| Reference plan prices | BASE 15: 15 EUR/month, 15 GB, contract; BASE 20: 20 EUR/month, 50 GB, contract; BASE 39: 39 EUR/month, 300 GB, contract | Abonament S+: 70 PLN/month, unlimited calls/SMS, data varies, 24 months; Pakiet XXL 5G na karte: 50 PLN/month, unlimited calls/SMS plus 600GB promo, prepaid; Starter XXL online: 25 PLN/month avg first 2 months (50 PLN then 0 PLN), GB unlimited 186 days promo, prepaid |
| EU roaming | Included | Fair use |
| Markets | BE | PL |
| Unlimited plan price | Not confirmed | PLN 50 |
| Data rollover | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Multi-line discount | Not confirmed | Yes |
Same on both: Seller type (Network), SIM-only (Yes), 5G (Yes), eSIM (Yes), Wi-Fi calling (Yes).
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Key differences
- Play scores higher overall: 9.0 vs 8.8.
- Markets: only BASE offers BE.
- Markets: only Play offers PL.
Our verdict on each
BASE
BASE is a network operator selling its own contract and prepaid plans in Belgium, which suits anyone who wants mobile service straight from the company running the network. Entry pricing starts at €15 a month on the entry tier, with eSIM, 5G and wifi calling part of the package.
Play
Play sells sim only and prepaid plans on its own network in Poland, suiting readers who want calls, data and roaming from a single operator. Entry pricing starts at PLN 50, unlimited data sits at PLN 50, and contract lines run for 24 months.
Score breakdown
| Area | BASE | Play |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.3Entry price sits at €15 a month on the entry tier, and the site ranks BASE at 219 of 258 on price from. | 9.1HigherCost scores 9.1 here, with entry at PLN 50 and unlimited data at PLN 50 on both billing types (contract and prepaid). |
| Offer | 8.9Billing runs contract and prepaid, and 5G, eSIM, wifi calling and data rollover are all present on the plans. | 8.9Offer scores 8.9, with an eSIM, wifi calling, a multi line discount and roaming on fair use terms across contract and prepaid. |
| Trust | 9.4BASE trades as Telenet Group NV, is headquartered in BE, was founded in 1999 and sells as a network. | Not confirmed |
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | BASE | Play |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | Belgium | Not confirmed |
Additional countries for BASE: 1. Additional countries for Play: 1.
Sources behind this comparison
BASE
- base.be: 15 facts, checked September 30, 2026
Play
- play.pl: 15 facts, checked September 30, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | BASE | Play |
|---|---|---|
| SIM-only deals | 25 of 416 | 21 of 416 |
| Mobile networks | 8 of 319 | 7 of 319 |
| Prepaid phone plans | 18 of 367 | 16 of 367 |
| Phone plans with eSIM | 36 of 389 | 32 of 389 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | BASE | Play |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | Contract, Prepaid | Contract, Prepaid |
| Contract length | Not confirmed | 24 |
| Legal entity | Telenet Group NV | P4 Sp. z o.o. |
| Headquarters | Belgium | Not confirmed |
| Founded | 1999 | Not confirmed |
| Support channels | Help centre | Help centre |
Pros and cons
BASE
Pros
- Entry pricing starts at €15 a month on the entry tier, with the tiers above it offering more data on the same contract terms.
- Unused data rolls into the following month, so a quiet month is not simply lost.
- EU roaming is included on the plans, which spares travellers a separate roaming deal.
Cons
- Support runs through help centre only, so anyone who wants a phone line or live chat has to look at another brand.
- BASE operates in Belgium alone, so the plans are of little use to anyone who needs a line in a second country.
- Reference plan prices cover contract tiers only, so anyone after a rolling monthly line has to weigh yesss!, which bills contract, rolling and prepaid.
Play
Pros
- Sim only plans are available, so a reader with an existing handset does not need to fund a new device to get the tariff.
- Billing covers both contract and prepaid (contract and prepaid), so a short prepaid line and a longer contract line can sit on one operator.
- EU roaming follows fair use terms rather than a separately billed add-on, which suits readers who travel without arranging a roaming bundle.
Cons
- Contract lines run for 24 months, a long commitment for anyone who would rather change provider part way through.
- Support is listed as help centre alone, with no phone or email channel named, so problems are handled in writing.
- Plans are sold in a single market, PL, so these prices say nothing about buying in other countries.
Who each suits
BASE
Who it suits
- Readers in BE who want the network and the plan from one company, with billing under contract and prepaid.
- People who travel in the EU, since roaming is included on the plans.
- Data heavy users who want headroom and can step up the tiers on the same contract structure.
Who should look elsewhere
- Readers shopping purely on the opening figure, since Lonestar Cell MTN lists $0.20 against €15 at BASE.
- Anyone after a rolling monthly option, because BASE bills contract and prepaid only, while yesss! bills contract, rolling and prepaid.
Play
Who it suits
- Households in PL that want calls, data and roaming from one operator on a sim only line.
- Readers comfortable holding a contract for 24-month who want contract and prepaid options from the same seller, with network meaning the network itself.
- Families adding extra numbers to an account, since a multi line discount applies.
Who should look elsewhere
- Readers who want rolling monthly terms without a long commitment, since yesss! lists contract, rolling and prepaid, which adds rolling, while Play's contract lines run 24 months.
- Readers shopping purely on the lowest starting figure, where Lonestar Cell MTN starts at $0.20 against Play's PLN 50.
- Anyone buying outside PL, since GETESA sells on prepaid and contract in its own market and Play's price points do not carry across.
Current offers
BASE
Current offer
Discount code
30% off mobile plans for life: 30%
New BASE subscriptions EUR 15-39/month; loses discount if cancelled or downgraded.
Source, checked September 30, 2026
Country by country
| Country | BASE | Play |
|---|---|---|
| Belgium | Yes | No |
| Poland | No | Yes |
Questions about each
BASE
How much does BASE cost to start, and what do the reference plans include?+
The entry tier sets the starting price at €15 a month, and the tiers above it each carry progressively larger data bundles. These are recurring monthly contract prices rather than a limited introductory offer, so the figure that applies is the one attached to the tier you pick.
Can I get a BASE plan without a contract?+
Billing under contract and prepaid covers both contract and prepaid, so a contract is not the only way in. The published reference tiers are all sold on contract, which makes prepaid the option to ask about if you want a shorter commitment. SIM only service runs on the same network.
Play
What does a Play plan cost at entry, and what is unlimited data priced at?+
Play's entry price is PLN 50, the figure shown for the cheapest plan on the range. A plan with unlimited data is listed at PLN 50. The two sit close together on this brand, so the entry number is a fair guide to what unlimited data runs at rather than a teaser for a much higher tier.
How long do Play contract plans run?+
Contract lines run for 24 months. That is the length to weigh before taking one, since it holds the price arrangement for the full term. A reader who expects to move provider or change address part way through is the one most affected, as the term outlives many phone upgrade cycles. Prepaid options sit alongside on contract and prepaid.