Updated September 30, 2026 · TariffCue Editorial Team
Lyca Mobile Ireland vs Lycamobile
What sets them apart
| Compare |  Lyca Mobile Ireland |  Lycamobile |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | €9 | £3.50 |
| Reference plan prices | Ireland Plus: EUR 9 per 28 days, 30 GB, no contract; Unlimited Plus: EUR 10 per 28 days, unlimited, no contract; National S: EUR 10 per 28 days, 5 GB, 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 | €10 | £12.50 |
| EU roaming | Included | Fair use |
| Markets | IE | GB |
| Seller type | Not confirmed | Mvno |
| Credit check required | Not confirmed | No |
Same on both: SIM-only (Yes), 5G (Yes), eSIM (Yes).
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Key differences
- Lycamobile scores higher overall: 9.2 vs 9.0.
- Contract length: only Lycamobile offers 12, 24.
- Markets: only Lyca Mobile Ireland offers IE.
- Markets: only Lycamobile offers GB.
Our verdict on each
Lyca Mobile Ireland
Lyca Mobile Ireland is a prepaid sim only brand on the Three network that suits anyone wanting a single low monthly line with no fixed term and no handset. It scores 9 overall, and the honest catch is that 22 of 173 on unlimited pricing is where the value sits.
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 | Lyca Mobile Ireland | Lycamobile |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.3Entry at €9 ranks 155 of 258, but unlimited at €10 ranks 22 of 173 | 9.4HigherEntry pricing of £3.50 a month and unlimited data at £12.50 a month back a strong cost score. |
| Offer | 8.8Billing is prepaid and rolling on 1-month terms with eSIM and 5G, though help runs on help centre only | 8.9HigherSim only plans, 5G, an eSIM, prepaid and rolling billing and terms of 1, 12 and 24 make for a flexible, low commitment lineup. |
How they place
| Ranking | Lyca Mobile Ireland | Lycamobile |
|---|---|---|
| SIM-only deals | 19 of 416 | 6 of 416 |
| Prepaid phone plans | 14 of 367 | 5 of 367 |
| Phone plans with eSIM | 30 of 389 | 20 of 389 |
Sources behind this comparison
Lyca Mobile Ireland
- lycamobile.ie: 11 facts, checked September 30, 2026
Lycamobile
- lycamobile.co.uk: 12 facts, checked September 30, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Lyca Mobile Ireland | Lycamobile |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | Prepaid, Rolling | Prepaid, Rolling |
| Contract length | 1 | 1, 12, 24Covers more |
| Support channels | Help centre | Not confirmed |
Pros and cons
Lyca Mobile Ireland
Pros
- Unlimited Plus is priced at €10, which ranks 22 of 173 and sits well under the €23.19 typical unlimited price
- Billing is prepaid and rolling, so there is no credit check and no long lock in before you use the line
- The contract length on file is 1 month, so a bad month costs a month rather than a year
Cons
- Entry price of €9 ranks only 155 of 258, so the headline figure is not the cheapest on the table
- Support runs on help centre only, which is thin help for anyone whose prepaid account needs more than a self service lookup
- The offer score of 8.8 trails the cost score of 9.3, so the value is in the price rather than in the extras
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
Lyca Mobile Ireland
Who it suits
- Someone in IE who wants a low cost data line with no handset to pay off
- A heavy data user who values unlimited data at €10 over per gigabyte allowances
- Anyone switching from a contract SIM who wants rolling prepaid billing on 1 month
Who should look elsewhere
- You want a bundled new phone, since these plans are sim only with no device
- You need a fixed end date in writing, since billing is prepaid and rolling rather than a contract, which GETESA offers on prepaid and contract
- You want a first line that carries a brand new network in Ireland, since these plans ride on the Three network
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 | Lyca Mobile Ireland | Lycamobile |
|---|---|---|
| Ireland | Yes | No |
| United Kingdom | No | Yes |
Questions about each
Lyca Mobile Ireland
How much does Lyca Mobile Ireland cost at entry?+
Entry pricing starts at €9, and billing is prepaid and rolling, so the figure is prepaid rather than tied to a minimum term. Because the contract length on file is 1 month, the same rate covers each cycle. There is no separate introductory price that rises later.
What does unlimited data cost on Lyca Mobile Ireland?+
Unlimited Plus is €10, which puts Lyca Mobile Ireland 22 of 173 on unlimited pricing. Set against the typical unlimited price of €23.19 across the plans we track, the figure here sits well under the middle of the field. It is the strongest reason to shortlist this brand.
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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