Mobile · Deals checked today
5G SIM-only deals: the cheapest 5G plans today
The quick answer
The best-value SIM-only deal we found on 27 Oct 2026 is Sky Mobile 1GB at a real cost of £3.00 a month (1GB data · O2 network · 24 months). The table ranks 99 deals from 19 providers by real cost, with fees and stated price rises included. Most data for your money: VOXI £20 plan (3x data offer) works out at £0.07 per GB a month.
Our top pickAffiliate
Lyca Mobile
UK Plan Smart
5GB data · EE network · No contract
Real cost
£3.50/mo
£42.00 over
12 months
99 deals · best value first
The deals, ranked by what you really pay
AffiliateRanked by real cost: setup fees and every stated price rise in, reward cards out. Prices checked on each provider's own site, 27 Oct 2026.
Why our prices are different
The real cost, worked out for you
The headline price is only the start. We add every fee and every price rise the provider states, take off any reward, and share it across the contract. Here is today's Sky Mobile 1GB.
How we rank every deal£1.00 a month × 24
£24.00
The price they advertise
Setup fee
£0.00
None on this deal
Stated price rises
£48.00
Every rise they publish, in pounds
Reward card
£0.00
None on this deal
= Real cost
£72.00 over 24 months
£3.00 a month
Do you need 5G?
You need a 5G phone and a 5G signal where you live to use 5G. A SIM alone will not give you 5G if either one is missing.
Check your phone first. Open its settings and look for 5G or 5G network options. If it does not offer 5G, it cannot use it.
Next, check the signal. Every UK SIM-only brand runs on one of four networks: EE, O2, Vodafone or Three. Brands on the same network share its coverage, so find out which network your chosen brand uses. Then use that network's coverage checker with your postcode.
If both your phone and the signal pass, you can compare 5G deals with confidence.
How to compare 5G plans
Compare 5G plans by their real cost over the contract, not the monthly price. Real cost adds up everything you pay over the contract. That includes every stated price rise and any setup or delivery fee. Take off any reward card or bill credit, then divide by the number of months.
Next, work out how much data you use. Use our data calculator to estimate your monthly data. Choose the smallest allowance that covers it, so you never pay for spare data.
Price rises must be shown in pounds and pence. Since 17 January 2025, providers must state any rise in pounds and pence when you sign up. Percentage and inflation-linked rises are banned in new contracts.
Switch and keep your number
Yes, you keep your number when you switch. Your number moves in one working day.
Text PAC to 65075 from the phone that has your number. You will get a PAC code back. This code lets your number move to a new network.
Pick a deal from the table on this page. When you sign up, give your new network your PAC code. They handle the move for you.
Straight answers
Questions people ask
- What is the cheapest 5G SIM-only deal?
- The cheapest 5G SIM-only deal is the one at the top of our table, ranked by real cost. Real cost is everything you pay over the contract, including every stated price rise and set-up fee, minus any reward card cash, averaged monthly. When two deals cost the same, the bigger data allowance goes first.
- Does every SIM-only plan include 5G?
- Not necessarily. Every UK SIM-only brand runs on one of four networks: EE, O2, Vodafone or Three. Brands on the same network share its coverage, so check your network's coverage checker for 5G where you live before you choose a plan.
- Will 5G work on my phone?
- Yes, if your phone supports 5G and you have 5G signal where you live. Every UK SIM-only brand runs on EE, O2, Vodafone or Three, and brands on the same network share its coverage. Check your phone's settings for 5G, then use the network's coverage checker.
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