Updated October 17, 2026 · TariffCue Editorial Team
Budget Energie vs Lyca Mobile
What sets them apart
| Compare |  Budget Energie |  Lyca Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | €3.75 | €2Lower |
| Reference plan prices | 3GB: EUR 3.75 per month, 3GB, 24 months; 30GB: EUR 5.25 per month, 30GB, 24 months; Unlimited: EUR 10 per month, unlimited, 24 months | Bundle XS: 10 EUR per 30 days, 5 GB, prepaid; Bundle M: 20 EUR per 30 days, 20+20 GB, prepaid; Bundle Unlimited: 39.99 EUR per 30 days, unlimited data, prepaid |
| Unlimited plan price | €10Lower | €39.99 |
| EU roaming | Fair use | Included |
| eSIM | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Roaming countries | 43 | Not confirmed |
| Hotspot sharing | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Credit check required | Not confirmed | No |
Same on both: Seller type (Mvno), Host network (KPN), SIM-only (Yes), 5G (Yes), Markets (NL).
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Key differences
- Budget Energie scores higher overall: 9.0 vs 8.9.
- Price from is lower at Lyca Mobile: €2 vs €3.75.
- Unlimited plan price is lower at Budget Energie: €10 vs €39.99.
- Support channels: only Budget Energie offers Email, Chat.
- Billing: only Lyca Mobile offers Rolling, Prepaid.
- Contract length: only Lyca Mobile offers 1.
Our verdict on each
Budget Energie
Budget Energie suits Dutch households that want electricity and gas from a single supplier and want to choose how the price moves. Its green tariff is backed by 100% renewable certificates, and the business has grown to 1,000,000 customers since it was founded in 2011.
Lyca Mobile
Lyca Mobile is a Dutch virtual operator for readers who want a sim only plan they can start without a credit check and use abroad. Entry pricing sits at €2, the plan runs on the KPN network, and eSIM, hotspot sharing and 5G are part of the deal.
Score breakdown
| Area | Budget Energie | Lyca Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Not confirmed | 9.0Entry at €2 with a 9 cost part, against an unlimited bundle at €39.99. |
| Offer | 9.3Higherfixed, variable and dynamic all available, electricity and gas on one account, fixed terms 12 and 36 months. | 8.8Sim only, eSIM, hotspot sharing and 5G, plus contract, rolling and prepaid billing, scoring 8.8 on offer. |
| Trust | 8.4Registered in NL as Budget Thuis B.V., trading since 2011, with support on email, chat and phone. | Not confirmed |
Availability and regulation
| Country | Budget Energie | Lyca Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | Netherlands | Not confirmed |
Available in 1 country for both.
The numbers side by side
| Fact | Budget Energie | Lyca Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | €3.75 | €2 |
| Unlimited plan price | €10 | €39.99 |
How they place
| Ranking | Budget Energie | Lyca Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| SIM-only deals | 18 of 416 | 23 of 416 |
| Cheap cell phone plans (MVNOs) | 10 of 137 | 13 of 137 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Budget Energie | Lyca Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | Contract | Contract, Rolling, PrepaidCovers more |
| Contract length | 12, 24 | 1, 12, 24Covers more |
| Legal entity | Budget Thuis B.V. | Not confirmed |
| Headquarters | Netherlands | Not confirmed |
| Founded | 2011 | Not confirmed |
| Support channels | Email, Chat, Phone, Help centreCovers more | Phone, Help centre |
Broadband
| Fact | Budget Energie | Lyca Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Technology | Fttp, Fttc | Not confirmed |
| Top download speed (Mbps) | 1,000 | Not confirmed |
| Upload speed (Mbps) | 1,000 | Not confirmed |
| Setup fee | €0 | Not confirmed |
| Exit fee terms | 1 month notice; early termination costs charged on final bill | Not confirmed |
| Router | Nokia Beacon G3.1 or Draytek Vigor | Not confirmed |
| Address checker | https://www.budgetthuis.nl/internet | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Budget Energie | Lyca Mobile | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price from | €3.75below the median | €2lowest quarter | €5 |
| Unlimited plan price | €10lowest quarter | €39.99highest quarter | €19.99 |
| Roaming countries | 43below the median | Not confirmed | 100 |
Median across 176 listed providers.
Pros and cons
Budget Energie
Pros
- Tariff choice runs wide, with fixed, variable and dynamic under a single name.
- Green power is 100% renewable, backed by certificates.
- Fixed terms run 12 and 36 months, so there is a date to plan around.
Cons
- The exit fee terms ask for notice, and early termination costs land on the final bill.
- Service is limited to NL, so it is not an option for a household outside the Netherlands.
- Electricity Ratings lists fixed, ev and time of use, adding electric vehicle and prepay tariffs that sit outside fixed, variable and dynamic.
Lyca Mobile
Pros
- Entry pricing of €2 puts a sim only plan at the cheap end, and the brand ranks 36 of 258 on price from.
- No credit check is required, so a line can start without one.
- Runs on the KPN network with EU roaming included, so the bundle holds up on trips abroad.
Cons
- Bundle Unlimited is priced at €39.99 and the brand ranks 145 of 173 on unlimited price, so the unlimited end is the weaker side of the range.
- Coverage depends on the KPN network as an mvno, while GETESA, Lonestar Cell MTN and yesss! are each listed as a network seller.
- Plans are listed for NL only, so this is a Netherlands option rather than a multi-market one.
Who each suits
Budget Energie
Who it suits
- Households that want power and gas under a single contract instead of juggling separate suppliers.
- Households that want a spread of tariff types, since Budget Energie lists fixed, variable and dynamic.
- People who prefer a phone line and chat to a single contact route, and who want dynamic and green options rather than the fixed, time of use and ev list at Endesa.
Who should look elsewhere
- Electricity Ratings, if you need an electric vehicle or prepay tariff, since fixed, ev and time of use runs wider than fixed, variable and dynamic.
- Endesa, if you only want fixed, time-of-use or electric vehicle pricing, because Endesa lists fixed, time of use and ev.
Lyca Mobile
Who it suits
- People bringing their own handset, since sim only is the only format sold and terms run at 1, 12 and 24 months.
- Travellers who want data abroad kept inside the bundle, with EU roaming included on a plan listed for NL.
- Anyone who cannot or does not want a credit check run, since no credit check is required.
Who should look elsewhere
- Support seekers who want chat or email, since support runs on phone and help centre only.
- Readers who want a network seller rather than a virtual operator should weigh GETESA, Lonestar Cell MTN and yesss!, each listed as a network rather than an mvno.
- Budgets built around unlimited data, since Bundle Unlimited at €39.99 ranks 145 of 173 on unlimited price.
Country by country
| Country | Budget Energie | Lyca Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | Yes | Yes |
Questions about each
Budget Energie
What tariff types does Budget Energie offer?+
Budget Energie sells fixed, variable and dynamic tariffs, so a household can choose between a price that holds for a set term and one that follows the market, plus a dynamic option and a green option. The spread means you can start on a fixed deal and change type at renewal without moving supplier, and it keeps the door open if your usage pattern changes.
How long are the fixed terms?+
Fixed terms run 12 and 36 months, which gives you a date to plan around. Take the shorter term if you expect prices to move your way and want the chance to switch sooner; take the longer term if you would rather not revisit the decision each year. The variable and dynamic tariffs carry no fixed end date.
Lyca Mobile
How much does Lyca Mobile cost at the cheapest end?+
Lyca Mobile's entry price is €2. Reference prices also set out prepaid bundles by name, with Bundle XS at the small end, Bundle M carrying a larger allowance plus extra data, and Bundle Unlimited for unlimited data. The unlimited bundle is priced at €39.99, so the top of the range sits well above the entry price.
Do I need to pass a credit check to sign up?+
No credit check is required. That makes Lyca Mobile approachable for readers who want a sim only line sorted without a credit check standing in the way. You still bring your own handset, since sim only is the only format sold, and contract, rolling and prepaid gives you prepaid or contract terms to choose between.
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