Updated September 30, 2026 · TariffCue Editorial Team
Lyca Mobile vs US Mobile
What sets them apart
| Compare |  Lyca Mobile | US Mobile ReviewVisitVisit |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | €2 | $10 |
| Reference plan prices | 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 | By the Gig 1GB: $10/mo, 1GB shared, monthly; Unlimited Starter annual: $16.58/mo, unlimited, 12-month; Unlimited Flex: $17.5/mo, unlimited 10GB high-speed, monthly |
| Unlimited plan price | €39.99 | $16.58 |
| Markets | NL | US |
| Host network | KPN | Not confirmed |
| Wi-Fi calling | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Roaming countries | Not confirmed | 180 |
| Data rollover | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Credit check required | No | Not confirmed |
| Multi-line discount | Not confirmed | No |
Same on both: Seller type (Mvno), SIM-only (Yes), 5G (Yes), eSIM (Yes), EU roaming (Included), Hotspot sharing (Yes).
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Key differences
- US Mobile scores higher overall: 9.1 vs 8.9.
- Support channels: only US Mobile offers Email, Chat.
- Billing: only Lyca Mobile offers Contract, Rolling.
- Contract length: only Lyca Mobile offers 24.
- Markets: only Lyca Mobile offers NL.
- Markets: only US Mobile offers US.
Our verdict on each
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.
US Mobile
US Mobile suits US households that want a prepaid shared data plan or an annual unlimited tier, and it scores 9.1 overall for price and offer. The trade-off is the annual term behind the cheapest unlimited rate and a missing multi line discount for families buying more than one line.
Score breakdown
| Area | Lyca Mobile | US Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.0Entry at €2 with a 9 cost part, against an unlimited bundle at €39.99. | 9.1HigherThe By the Gig plan opens at $10 and Unlimited Starter annual at $16.58, the two prices readers weigh before signing up. |
| Offer | 8.8Sim only, eSIM, hotspot sharing and 5G, plus contract, rolling and prepaid billing, scoring 8.8 on offer. | 9.1HighereSIM, wifi calling, hotspot sharing, data rollover and 5G come as standard, with EU roaming included. |
Where they rank in our lists
| Ranking | Lyca Mobile | US Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| SIM-only deals | 23 of 416 | 16 of 416 |
| Cheap cell phone plans (MVNOs) | 13 of 137 | 8 of 137 |
| Prepaid phone plans | 17 of 367 | 12 of 367 |
| Phone plans with eSIM | 34 of 389 | 28 of 389 |
Licences and countries
| Country | Lyca Mobile | US Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | Not confirmed | United States |
Additional countries for Lyca Mobile: 1. Additional countries for US Mobile: 1.
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Lyca Mobile | US Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | Contract, Rolling, PrepaidCovers more | Prepaid |
| Contract length | 1, 12, 24Covers more | 1, 12 |
| Headquarters | Not confirmed | United States |
| Support channels | Phone, Help centre | Email, Chat, Phone, Help centreCovers more |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Lyca Mobile | US Mobile | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roaming countries | Not confirmed | 180above the median | 100 |
Median across 176 listed providers.
Pros and cons
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.
US Mobile
Pros
- Shared data starts at $10 a month on the By the Gig plan, one of the lower entry figures in the listings.
- Unlimited Starter annual comes in at $16.58 a month, below the monthly Unlimited Flex tier for anyone willing to hold a yearly term.
- EU roaming is included across 180 countries, a package only 36.1% of the site listings include.
Cons
- Multi line discount is not offered, although 97.5% of prepaid listings include one, so a family pays full price on every line.
- US Mobile sells as mvno, while Lonestar Cell MTN is network, so readers who prefer to buy from a network operator have fewer like for like sellers to weigh.
- The lowest unlimited rate of $16.58 is tied to the annual term, and contract lengths run 1 and 12 months, so month to month flexibility costs more per month.
Who each suits
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.
US Mobile
Who it suits
- Households in the US that want a prepaid line with rollover, so unused data carries over rather than disappearing.
- Travellers from a US base who want roaming included across 180 countries without a separate roaming plan.
- People comfortable running on a host network and managing their own plan, since the seller type is mvno.
Who should look elsewhere
- Readers who want to buy from a network operator rather than a host network, since GETESA at network, Lonestar Cell MTN at network and yesss! at network all sit on the network side.
- Shoppers buying several lines and expecting a multi line discount, because none is offered here.
- Anyone living outside the US, since the plan market is US.
Country by country
| Country | Lyca Mobile | US Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | Yes | No |
| United States | No | Yes |
Questions about each
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.
US Mobile
What does the cheapest plan cost?+
The By the Gig plan is the entry plan at $10 a month, with a shared data pool across the lines on the account. Unlimited Starter, the annual tier, is the unlimited option at $16.58 a month, and Unlimited Flex adds a high-speed allowance to the unlimited range on a monthly basis.
What happens to the price after the first year on the unlimited plan?+
The plan contract options run 1 and 12 months, so the annual unlimited tier sits alongside a shorter monthly term. Unlimited Starter is listed at $16.58 a month on the annual term, and the monthly unlimited alternative, Unlimited Flex, is priced higher per month.
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