Updated September 30, 2026 · TariffCue Editorial Team
Lycamobile vs Simpel
Where Lycamobile and Simpel differ
| Compare |  Lycamobile |  Simpel |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | £3.50 | €2.50 |
| Reference plan prices | 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 | Cheapest 12-month 30GB+: 40GB EUR12.00/mo, 40GB, 12 months; Cheapest unlimited: none listed - unlimited calls addon EUR1.50/mo; Cheapest overall: from EUR2.50/mo |
| EU roaming | Fair use | Included |
| Markets | GB | NL |
| Host network | Not confirmed | Odido |
| Unlimited plan price | £12.50 | Not confirmed |
| Data rollover | Not confirmed | No |
| Mid-contract price rises | Not confirmed | Tariffs may be indexed annually as specified in your contract |
Same on both: Seller type (Mvno), SIM-only (Yes), 5G (Yes), eSIM (Yes), Credit check required (No).
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Key differences
- Lycamobile scores higher overall: 9.2 vs 9.1.
- Billing: only Lycamobile offers Prepaid, Rolling.
- Billing: only Simpel offers Contract.
- Contract length: only Lycamobile offers 1.
- Markets: only Lycamobile offers GB.
- Markets: only Simpel offers NL.
Our verdict on each
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.
Simpel
Simpel is a Dutch virtual network operator for people who want a cheap sim only plan, a 5G connection and an eSIM without a credit check, with tariffs starting at €2.50 a month. The catch is commitment: plans run on 12 and 24, and data rollover is not on the menu.
Score breakdown
| Area | Lycamobile | Simpel |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.4Entry pricing of £3.50 a month and unlimited data at £12.50 a month back a strong cost score. | 9.6HigherSim only tariffs start at €2.50, below the €9.30 median here, though data rollover is not offered. |
| Offer | 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. | 8.8Broad scope: 5G, an eSIM, no credit check and fibre reaching 1,000 Mbps on fttp. |
| Trust | Not confirmed | 8.7An mvno on Odido run by Simpel.nl B.V., trading since 2007, with support on email, help centre and community. |
Availability and regulation
| Country | Lycamobile | Simpel |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | Not confirmed | Netherlands |
Where these facts come from
Lycamobile
- lycamobile.co.uk: 12 facts, checked September 30, 2026
Simpel
- simpel.nl: 18 facts, checked September 30, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | Lycamobile | Simpel |
|---|---|---|
| SIM-only deals | 6 of 416 | 150 of 416 |
| Cheap cell phone plans (MVNOs) | 3 of 137 | 73 of 137 |
| Phone plans with eSIM | 20 of 389 | 157 of 389 |
| Phone plans without a credit check | 1 of 26 | 8 of 26 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Lycamobile | Simpel |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | Prepaid, Rolling | Contract |
| Contract length | 1, 12, 24Covers more | 12, 24 |
| Legal entity | Not confirmed | Simpel.nl B.V. |
| Headquarters | Not confirmed | Netherlands |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 2007 |
| Support channels | Not confirmed | Email, Help centre, Community |
Broadband
| Fact | Lycamobile | Simpel |
|---|---|---|
| Technology | Not confirmed | Fttp |
| Top download speed (Mbps) | Not confirmed | 1,000 |
| Upload speed (Mbps) | Not confirmed | 100 to 1,000 |
| Exit fee terms | Not confirmed | After minimum term rolling monthly with 1 month notice |
| Router | Not confirmed | Modem included |
| Address checker | Not confirmed | https://www.simpel.nl/internet/product/zelf-samenstellen |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Lycamobile | Simpel | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unlimited plan price | £12.50lowest quarter | Not confirmed | £22 |
Median across 19 listed providers.
Pros and cons
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.
Simpel
Pros
- A credit check is not required, so an application does not rest on a credit file.
- An eSIM and 5G are both offered, so a recent handset works without waiting for a card in the post.
- EU roaming is included in the sim only line, and only 36.1% of the listings include it.
Cons
- Data rollover is not offered, so unused data from a quiet month is lost rather than carried into the next one.
- Plans run 12 and 24 with billing on contract, and leaving early is governed by After minimum term rolling monthly with 1 month notice, while only 78% of the listings are month to month.
- Support runs on email, help centre and community, with no phone line listed, while 81.5% of the brands offer one.
Who each suits
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.
Simpel
Who it suits
- People in NL who bring their own handset and want sim only service on 5G with no credit check.
- Households that want both lines in one place, since fibre runs to 1,000 Mbps and hardware is Modem included.
- Travellers who would rather not buy a roaming pack, since EU roaming is included.
Who should look elsewhere
- People set on a network operator rather than a virtual one: Simpel is an mvno, while GETESA (network) and yesss! (network) sit on the other side of the market.
- Anyone unwilling to sit a full term: plans run 12 and 24 with notice set by After minimum term rolling monthly with 1 month notice, so if your plans may change, read the terms at Lonestar Cell MTN (network) as well.
Country by country
| Country | Lycamobile | Simpel |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Yes | No |
Questions about each
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.
Simpel
How much does a Simpel sim only plan cost to start?+
Sim only plans start at €2.50 a month, below the €9.30 median across the brands tracked here. The lowest priced bundle with a larger data allowance runs on a year contract, and unlimited calls come as a small monthly add-on rather than a plan of their own. Read the tariff terms, since the entry price is separate from what you pay later.
How long is the contract and can I leave early?+
Plans run 12 and 24 with billing on contract, and the notice terms are After minimum term rolling monthly with 1 month notice. Only 78% of the listings are month to month, so a shorter rhythm does exist elsewhere in the market. Read that notice wording before you sign, because rolling monthly is not the same as having no term.
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