Top SIM-only deals compared

About Top SIM-only deals compared

A SIM-only deal is a mobile tariff sold without a handset, and this ranking compares 405 of them side by side. The trade-off every reader weighs is price at entry against price once a promotion or a contract term ends, plus how much data sits inside the plan and where the SIM actually works. Across the listings here, entry prices span €0 to €43.85 and unlimited plans span €0.88 to €100, so the distance between a starter bundle and an unlimited tariff is wide, and it is measured in more than one currency. Members are ordered on cost and offer, with trust settling close calls. Networks dominate the list, matching the wider pattern where 69.4% of offers in this category come from operators, and prepaid billing is the most common structure at 81.1%. Month-long terms are the norm too, at 82.4%. Read the introductory price and the renewal price as two separate numbers, because they are not always the same. Some listings quote a single monthly rate, some quote a discounted rate that settles later, and a few tie a contract length to the price. Check whether a plan caps data, caps speed or simply runs unlimited, and check whether roaming is included, fair-use or paid.

How we picked

Every listing in this ranking was scored on three things. Cost carries 40%, offer carries 40% and trust carries 20%. Cost compares what a reader pays to start against what they pay once a promotion or a contract term ends. Offer weighs what the plan actually includes: the data allowance, whether data rolls over, roaming terms, eSIM, hotspot sharing, wifi calling and how long the commitment runs. Trust looks at whether the seller is the network itself, how support is reached and how clearly promotional pricing is described. Sources are the providers' own tariff, product, services and terms pages, read in that order: pricing pages first, then services and coverage pages, then terms and conditions, then contact pages. Where a provider lists several tiers, the entry tier and the unlimited tier are the two prices carried into the data, and the plan name is kept beside each price so a comparison reads cleanly. Where a provider describes promotional pricing, that description is carried through as stated rather than reduced to a headline number. Partner listings would appear ahead of scored listings. None of the members below is a paid placement, so the order is the score order, running from 405 brands considered for this category down to the last name on the list.

Our top picks

1. 1. Astound

   Astound earns a place in this ranking as the only reseller here, and that cuts both ways. Its SIM-only mobile is sold on rolling billing with 1 month terms, entry pricing from $19.95 and an unlimited mobile line at $30, so the prices a reader compares are clear even though the seller is not the network. It also brings extras that plain mobile tariffs often skip: wifi calling, hotspot sharing and a multi-line discount are all supported. The trade-offs sit in the billing type and the terms. Data rollover is not offered, so an unused allowance lapses, and a credit check is required. A Price for Life rate stays locked while the service is kept, while other promotional rates run for a set period before regular rates apply. Movistar El Salvador, ranked next, is a network operator with rollover data and a 24 month contract instead of rolling terms.

   • Top download speed (Mbps): 5,000
   • Upload speed (Mbps): 5,000
   • Price from: $19.95

   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.
   • Whole Home WiFi is included with Gig plans, and a multi line discount applies when mobile lines are added.
   • No cancellation penalty; change or cancel anytime, which suits households that expect to move.

   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.
   • Gig and multi-Gig tiers sit well above the $19.95 entry price, so the cheapest plan is the modest one.

2. 3. NRJ Mobile: best for NRJ Mobile

   NRJ Mobile offers mobile plans without commitment on a 4G/5G network.

   • Price from: €1.49
   • 5G: Yes
   • Roaming countries: 160

   Pros

   • NRJ Mobile lists mobile plans without a commitment and devices such as the Samsung Galaxy A17.
   • The captured product page does not establish unlimited data or prices.

3. 8. Budget Thuis Mobile: best for Budget Thuis Mobile

   Budget Thuis Mobile provides mobile phone subscriptions in the Netherlands, with SIM-only plans and online account and customer support services.

   • Seller type: Mvno
   • SIM-only: Yes
   • Price from: €3.75

What to look for

Entry price per month

The cheapest listed tariff per month is where most readers start comparing. In this category the median entry price is €6.99, the lower quartile is €3.43 and the upper quartile is €14. A listing well under the median is usually a small bundle rather than a full tariff.

What unlimited costs

Unlimited data is the next price that matters, because it is where the monthly bill steps up for heavy users. The median unlimited plan here costs €23.24, with a low of €0.88 and a high of €100.

Commitment length

A monthly commitment keeps the exit easy, while a longer term often carries a lower monthly rate. Month-long terms cover 82.4% of the offers in this category, against 26.6% on longer terms and 35.3% on the longest contracts.

Roaming terms

Travellers should read the roaming line before anything else, because the arrangements differ in kind rather than only in price. 36.2% of offers include roaming, 32.5% apply fair-use limits and 31.3% charge separately.

Rollover and extras

Data rollover decides whether an unused allowance is wasted: 72.3% of the offers here carry data over, against 27.7% that do not. Hotspot sharing is offered by 98% of the offers, and eSIM is standard across the ranking.

Who is selling the SIM

Networks sell on their own spectrum, virtual operators ride on someone else's, and resellers sell a line alongside something else. Operators account for 69.4% of this category, virtual operators for 28.5% and resellers for 2.1%.

Frequently asked questions

Top SIM-only deals compared by country

• Canada
• France
• Germany
• Ireland
• Italy
• Netherlands
• Spain
• United Kingdom
• United States

The data behind this ranking

All data and the CSV