Updated October 17, 2026 · TariffCue Editorial Team
Budget Energie vs Lycamobile
Where Budget Energie and Lycamobile differ
| Compare |  Budget Energie |  Lycamobile |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | €3.75 | £3.50 |
| 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 | 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 | €10 | £12.50 |
| Markets | NL | GB |
| Host network | KPN | Not confirmed |
| eSIM | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Roaming countries | 43 | Not confirmed |
| Credit check required | Not confirmed | No |
Same on both: Seller type (Mvno), SIM-only (Yes), 5G (Yes), EU roaming (Fair use).
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Key differences
- Lycamobile scores higher overall: 9.2 vs 9.0.
- Billing: only Budget Energie offers Contract.
- Billing: only Lycamobile offers Prepaid, Rolling.
- Contract length: only Lycamobile offers 1.
- Markets: only Budget Energie offers NL.
- Markets: only Lycamobile offers GB.
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.
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 | Budget Energie | Lycamobile |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Not confirmed | 9.4Entry pricing of £3.50 a month and unlimited data at £12.50 a month back a strong cost score. |
| Offer | 9.3Higherfixed, variable and dynamic all available, electricity and gas on one account, fixed terms 12 and 36 months. | 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. |
| Trust | 8.4Registered in NL as Budget Thuis B.V., trading since 2011, with support on email, chat and phone. | Not confirmed |
Licences and countries
| Country | Budget Energie | Lycamobile |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | Netherlands | Not confirmed |
Additional countries for Budget Energie: 1. Additional countries for Lycamobile: 1.
How they place
| Ranking | Budget Energie | Lycamobile |
|---|---|---|
| SIM-only deals | 18 of 416 | 6 of 416 |
| Cheap cell phone plans (MVNOs) | 10 of 137 | 3 of 137 |
Where these facts come from
Budget Energie
- budgetthuis.nl: 16 facts, checked September 30, 2026
Lycamobile
- lycamobile.co.uk: 12 facts, checked September 30, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Budget Energie | Lycamobile |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | Contract | Prepaid, Rolling |
| 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 centre | Not confirmed |
Broadband
| Fact | Budget Energie | Lycamobile |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Lycamobile | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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
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.
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 | Budget Energie | Lycamobile |
|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | Yes | No |
| United Kingdom | No | 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.
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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