Updated September 30, 2026 · TariffCue Editorial Team
Lycamobile vs TextNow
Lycamobile vs TextNow: the differences
| Compare |  Lycamobile |  TextNow |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | £3.50 | $0 |
| 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 | Free: $0 per month, unlimited talk and text, rolling; Plus Monthly: $18.99 per month, 20GB data, rolling; Unlimited Monthly: $35.99 per month, 20GB data plus unlimited 2G, rolling |
| Unlimited plan price | £12.50 | $35.99 |
| Markets | GB | US, CA |
| Wi-Fi calling | Not confirmed | Yes |
| EU roaming | Fair use | Not confirmed |
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 9.0.
- TextNow is available in 1 more country.
- Contract length: only Lycamobile offers 12, 24.
- Markets: only Lycamobile offers GB.
- Markets: only TextNow offers US, CA.
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.
TextNow
TextNow suits anyone who wants a second line or a spare handset for talk and text without paying a monthly bill, since the Free plan sits at $0 and runs rolling. It is a weaker fit for heavy data users or for anyone who wants support by phone.
Score breakdown
| Area | Lycamobile | TextNow |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.4HigherEntry pricing of £3.50 a month and unlimited data at £12.50 a month back a strong cost score. | 9.3Entry price is $0 and TextNow ranks 1 of 258 on that figure. |
| 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. | 8.8Sim only, eSIM and wifi calling are offered, and the unlimited plan costs $35.99. |
| Trust | Not confirmed | 8.6The legal entity is TextNow Inc. in CA, with support on help centre and chat. |
Positions in our rankings
| Ranking | Lycamobile | TextNow |
|---|---|---|
| SIM-only deals | 6 of 416 | 189 of 416 |
| Cheap cell phone plans (MVNOs) | 3 of 137 | 89 of 137 |
| Prepaid phone plans | 5 of 367 | 164 of 367 |
| Phone plans with eSIM | 20 of 389 | 190 of 389 |
| Phone plans without a credit check | 1 of 26 | 13 of 26 |
Licences and countries
| Country | Lycamobile | TextNow |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | Not confirmed | Canada |
Additional countries for Lycamobile: 1. Additional countries for TextNow: 2.
Sources behind this comparison
Lycamobile
- lycamobile.co.uk: 12 facts, checked September 30, 2026
TextNow
- textnow.com: 16 facts, checked September 30, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Lycamobile | TextNow |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | Prepaid, Rolling | Rolling, Prepaid |
| Contract length | 1, 12, 24Covers more | 1 |
| Legal entity | Not confirmed | TextNow Inc. |
| Headquarters | Not confirmed | Canada |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 2009 |
| Support channels | Not confirmed | Help centre, Chat |
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.
TextNow
Pros
- The Free plan costs $0 and still includes unlimited talk and text, so a spare line costs nothing to run.
- No credit check is required to sign up, which the free tier shares with the paid plans.
- Sim only plans run on rolling and prepaid billing, with a plan term of 1 month, so there is no long lock-in.
Cons
- The Unlimited Monthly plan, which adds unlimited data on older network generations, costs $35.99 a month, so heavy data users pay well above the free tier.
- Support runs on help centre and chat only, so there is no phone line listed.
- TextNow is a virtual network operator serving US and CA, so it does not reach readers who would pick a network such as GETESA.
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.
TextNow
Who it suits
- People in the US or Canada who want a second number for messages and calls and will not stream much video.
- Households keeping an old handset on a cheap line purely for talk and text.
- Readers who want an eSIM line and prefer paying monthly with no fixed term.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone outside the US and Canada, who should look at GETESA, yesss! or Lonestar Cell MTN instead.
- People who stream and tether regularly, since the paid data allowance is modest next to what network sellers offer.
- Readers who need phone support, because the listed channels are a help centre and chat.
Country by country
| Country | Lycamobile | TextNow |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | No | Yes |
| United Kingdom | Yes | No |
| United States | No | Yes |
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.
TextNow
What is the cheapest TextNow plan?+
The Free plan is the cheapest, priced from $0 a month. It includes unlimited talk and text on a rolling basis, with a plan term of 1 month. It is a sim only plan, so you use a handset you already own.
What does the unlimited plan cost?+
The Unlimited Monthly plan costs $35.99 a month. It pairs a set data allowance with unlimited data on older network generations, plus unlimited talk and text. The Plus Monthly tier carries the same data allowance, so the difference is the older-generation data on top.
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