The phone market can be expensive, especially when you buy new. The latest handsets can often set you back more than you can justify paying, which is unfortunate if you want to stay up-to-date with the latest technology.
However, if paying for a new phone seems unrealistic, all is not lost because there are many opportunities to buy refurbished at a fraction of the cost.
What is a Refurbished Phone?
A refurbished phone refers to one that’s been repaired for re-sale or that’s been returned by customers and sold on. Despite preconceptions about refurbished phones being inadequate, usually, they are sold as good as new.
With this being said, buying a refurbished phone is a sensible option. You can evaluate your options by shopping around and finding a model that suits your individual needs. There are certain factors to take into account when searching for a refurbished phone, including whether it’s sim free or tied to a specific network.
There are numerous ways you can benefit from getting a sim free deal on a refurbished phone, so let’s break down some of the associated advantages:
Should You Get a Sim Free Deal?
With a sim free deal, you won’t be required to commit to a contract. With a phone that’s free from a sim card, you have the freedom to choose from one of many network providers and even interchange sims depending on your preferences.
One of the main advantages of getting a sim free deal is it will work out cheaper overall. With the luxury of being able to shop around and get the best deal you can, you can select a price plan that’s convenient for you, whether it’s a contract or pay as you go arrangement.
You’ll also have the flexibility to upgrade whenever you want, one of many benefits of not being tied to a specific tariff. Your monthly payments will work out cheaper since most networks offer better deals on sim free handsets that will ultimately have a higher resale value.
With a sim free phone, you won’t be hampered by network restrictions, meaning you can unlock features that could otherwise be blocked. You won’t be impeded by extravagant branding on a phone that’s perfect for travel since you can use a replacement local sim.
As you can see, there are many reasons why you should feel incentivised to get a sim only deal. With this being said, you’re probably wondering what are some of the best sim free deals in the UK market? Let’s take a look at some of the best available offers:
What Are the Best Sim Only Deals in the UK?
With new networks coming into existence by the dozen, combined with the array of renowned providers, there are so many options to choose from.
Because there is so much competition, many companies have dropped prices to retain relevance and attract new customers. You might prefer to go with a household name like O2 for reliability, iD Mobile to get your hands on a cheaper deal or perhaps you’d like to try Honest Mobile for their carbon negative calls and data.Some network providers allow you to get a sim-free deal on a rolling contract, a great way to avoid the commitment and cost associated with a 6 or 12-month deal. With a rolling contract, you can quit any time, bringing added flexibility to the equation.
If you’re intrigued by the myriad of offers on the market and curious to make some comparisons, hold onto your hat because we’re about to break down the best choices out there to help you find the best deal.
Three Mobile
Though there’s no obvious answer when questioning which company offers the best deal, the sim only deals offered by Three mobile are among the leading candidates.
Three Mobile is currently offering unlimited data for just £10 per month, which stands as the cheapest ever 5G unlimited data sim. If you’re seeking big data and unlimited plans, Three is a logical option for a sim only deal.
EE
Widely considered the UK’s most popular network, with EE you can get 160GB for £20 a month. What’s great about EE is it’s a reliable service renowned for exceptional overall performance and fast speeds.
Looking for a Rolling Contract?
If you’re looking for a rolling contract, network providers like Smarty, giffgaff, and Voxi offer some great packages. Smarty provides 30GB for £10 a month, the best value 1-month rolling contract on the market. giffgaff have rolled out some hard to beat 5g-ready packages where you can get 25GB for £15 a month, plus they give a free 1GB top-up if you ever go over your monthly data. With Voxi you can get 12GB for £12 a month, with unlimited social media and streaming usage.
Rolling contracts are great if you’re not prepared to commit to a long-term arrangement.
What’s the Best Overall Sim Only Plan?
Three Sim is the best overall sim only plan, where on a £16/pm 12-month contract you’ll get:
- Unlimited Data
- Unlimited Calls and Texts
- 5G
Three offer fantastic roaming capabilities across the country and is widely considered the most respectable network in the nation.
What’s the Best 30-Day Sim Only Plan?
Smarty Sim is the best 30-day sim plan, where on a rolling £15 1-month contract you’ll get:
- 50GB Data
- Unlimited Calls and Texts
- Flexibility
The main selling point here is you won’t be tied to a 12-month contract.
What’s the Best 5G Ready Sim Only Deal?
giffgaff offer the best 5G ready plan, where on a rolling £15/pm plan you’ll get:
- 25GB Data
- Unlimited Calls and Texts
- 1GB extra data
What’s the Best EE Sim Only Deal?
If you’re looking to get an EE sim, the best deal is a £20/pm 24-month contract where you’ll get:
- 120GB Data
- Unlimited Calls and Texts
- 5G
Here you’ll have enough data to stream on the go, browse social media as much as you like, and more.
What’s the Best Cheap Sim Plan?
If you’re seeking a cheap sim only plan, your best option is to get a rolling 1-month contract with Lebara for just £5. Here you’ll get:
- 2GB Data
- 1000 Minutes and Texts
This is a great option if you seek affordability, or perhaps if you’re looking for something temporary.
What’s the Best Vodafone Sim Only Deal?
Vodafone is renowned for its strong balance of features and affordability. On a 12-month £15p/m contract, you’ll get:
- 30GB Data
- Unlimited Calls and Texts
- 5G
What’s the Best Planet-Friendly Sim Only Plan?
Honest Mobile is the new kid on the block making waves for their flexible plans, loyalty discounts and commitment to being the UK’s most carbon negative mobile network.
If you’re looking to get an Honest Mobile sim, the best deal is an £18/pm 12-month plan where you’ll get:
- 10GB Data
- Loyalty discounts of up to 30%
- Support from a real human in 30 seconds
|
Network |
Calls and Texts |
Data per Month |
Contract Length |
5G Connectivity |
Price per Month |
|
EE |
Unlimited |
160GB |
24 month |
✔ |
£20 |
|
Honest Mobile |
Unlimited |
10GB |
12 month |
✔ |
£18 (most environmentally-friendly option) |
|
giffgaff |
Unlimited |
25GB |
No contract |
✔ |
£15 |
|
Vodafone |
Unlimited |
30GB |
12 month |
✔ |
£15 |
|
VOXI |
Unlimited |
12GB + unlimited social media |
No contract |
x |
£12 |
|
Three |
Unlimited |
Unlimited |
24 month |
✔ |
£10* (6 months half-priced, £20 from month 7) |
|
Smarty |
Unlimited |
30GB |
1 month |
x |
£10 |
|
Lebara |
1000 minutes + texts |
2GB |
No contract |
x |
£5 |
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