Updated September 30, 2026 · TariffCue Editorial Team
Simpel vs UKLG DirectSave
What sets them apart
| Compare |  Simpel |  UKLG DirectSave |
|---|---|---|
| Host network | Odido | Three |
| Price from | €2.50 | £22.95 |
| Reference plan prices | 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 | 11Mb/s Broadband: GBP 22.95/month, 11Mbps, 12 months; 550Mb/s Full Fibre: GBP 39.95/month, 550Mbps, 24 months; 1000Mb/s Full Fibre: GBP 44.95/month, 1000Mbps, 24 months |
| Mid-contract price rises | Tariffs may be indexed annually as specified in your contract | If price rise is detrimental you may cancel without penalty within 30 days |
| Markets | NL | GB |
| Unlimited plan price | Not confirmed | £19.95 |
| 5G | Yes | Not confirmed |
| eSIM | Yes | Not confirmed |
| EU roaming | Included | Not confirmed |
| Data rollover | No | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Seller type (Mvno), SIM-only (Yes), Credit check required (No).
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Key differences
- Simpel scores higher overall: 9.1 vs 9.0.
- Support channels: only Simpel offers Help centre, Community.
- Support channels: only UKLG DirectSave offers Phone.
- Billing: only UKLG DirectSave offers Rolling.
- Markets: only Simpel offers NL.
- Markets: only UKLG DirectSave offers GB.
Our verdict on each
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.
UKLG DirectSave
UKLG DirectSave suits households in GB that want full fibre speeds at a low entry cost, a setup fee of £0 and renewal at £27.95 to £39.95. The trade-off is commitment and support: terms run for 12 and 24 months, help comes over phone and email, and no credit check is required.
Score breakdown
| Area | Simpel | UKLG DirectSave |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.6HigherSim only tariffs start at €2.50, below the €9.30 median here, though data rollover is not offered. | 9.4Entry price of £22.95, renewal of £27.95 to £39.95 and a setup fee of £0. |
| Offer | 8.8HigherBroad scope: 5G, an eSIM, no credit check and fibre reaching 1,000 Mbps on fttp. | 8.6Full fibre at 1,000 Mbps on fttp and fttc, uploads from 20 to 115 Mbps, router included. |
| Trust | 8.7An mvno on Odido run by Simpel.nl B.V., trading since 2007, with support on email, help centre and community. | Not confirmed |
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | Simpel | UKLG DirectSave |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | Netherlands | United Kingdom |
What we checked
Simpel
- simpel.nl: 18 facts, checked September 30, 2026
UKLG DirectSave
- directsavetelecom.co.uk: 14 facts, checked September 30, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | Simpel | UKLG DirectSave |
|---|---|---|
| SIM-only deals | 150 of 416 | 194 of 416 |
| Cheap cell phone plans (MVNOs) | 73 of 137 | 91 of 137 |
| Phone plans without a credit check | 8 of 26 | 14 of 26 |
| Broadband providers | 58 of 124 | 75 of 124 |
| Full fibre providers | 45 of 107 | 62 of 107 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Simpel | UKLG DirectSave |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | Contract | Contract, RollingCovers more |
| Contract length | 12, 24 | 12, 24 |
| Legal entity | Simpel.nl B.V. | Utilities UK Ltd t/a Direct Save Telecom |
| Headquarters | Netherlands | United Kingdom |
| Founded | 2007 | Not confirmed |
| Support channels | Email, Help centre, Community | Phone, Email |
Broadband
| Fact | Simpel | UKLG DirectSave |
|---|---|---|
| Technology | Fttp | Fttp, FttcCovers more |
| Top download speed (Mbps) | 1,000 | 1,000 |
| Upload speed (Mbps) | 100 to 1,000Higher | 20 to 115 |
| Setup fee | Not confirmed | £0 |
| Price after contract | Not confirmed | £27.95 to £39.95 |
| Exit fee terms | After minimum term rolling monthly with 1 month notice | 14-day cooling-off; termination fees apply once service is live |
| Router | Modem included | Free wireless router, GBP 8.95 delivery |
| Address checker | https://www.simpel.nl/internet/product/zelf-samenstellen | https://www.directsavetelecom.co.uk/order-journey/index.php?rid=0 |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Simpel | UKLG DirectSave | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unlimited plan price | Not confirmed | £19.95below the median | £22 |
Median across 19 listed providers.
Pros and cons
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.
UKLG DirectSave
Pros
- A setup fee of £0 puts UKLG DirectSave at 1 of 86 on setup fee, the strongest rank among the measures here.
- Renewal pricing of £27.95 to £39.95 sits at 6 of 36 on post contract price, so the month after the term is not a step change.
- Full fibre downloads of 1,000 Mbps with uploads running from 20 to 115 Mbps across fttp and fttc.
Cons
- Terms run for 12 and 24 months, so a short commitment is ruled out, and termination fees apply once the service is live.
- Chat and a help centre are not among its phone and email, so a time-sensitive fault means a phone call rather than a written desk.
- The entry price of £22.95 ranks 53 of 95 on price from, and the top speed of 1,000 Mbps sits at 49 of 114 on maximum download speed, so neither measure leads the field.
Who each suits
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.
UKLG DirectSave
Who it suits
- Households in GB that can get fttp and fttc at their address and want a £0 setup fee with a router included.
- Applicants who would rather skip a credit check, since none is required to order.
- Readers planning a broadband and mobile pairing from one brand, with sim only service on Three and unlimited data at £19.95.
Who should look elsewhere
- Readers who want cable or satellite alongside full fibre: Astound is listed on cable and fttp and EarthLink on fttp, 5G and satellite.
- Houses that want a single fibre-to-the-premises technology to compare against, since Abissnet is listed on fttp alone while UKLG DirectSave runs on fttp and fttc.
- Readers chasing the highest headline speed in the site data, where the top download of 1,000 Mbps ranks 49 of 114.
Country by country
| Country | Simpel | UKLG DirectSave |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | No | Yes |
Questions about each
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.
UKLG DirectSave
What does broadband cost at the start, and what does it cost afterwards?+
The entry broadband plan is listed at £22.95 a month, with the full fibre tiers above that. Once the initial term ends, plans renew within £27.95 to £39.95, so budget the renewal figure rather than the headline. The setup fee on both lines is £0, which means nothing to pay before the first bill.
Is there a setup charge, and do I need to buy a router?+
Setup is charged at £0, so no activation fee lands on the first bill. A wireless router is supplied with full fibre orders rather than sold separately, and Free wireless router, GBP 8.95 delivery covers what is included alongside the delivery terms. Reading that detail matters, since delivery is the part that can carry a cost.