How to pick the best pay-as-you-go SIM deal for you
If you’ve perused my list of the best pay-as-you-go SIM deals, but aren’t sure where to begin, fret not: I’ve put together a short buying guide below to help you tackle the main hurdles with ease.
How much data do you need?
Nowadays, there’s a huge range of pay-as-you-go plans designed for different types of users. There are a few rules of thumb, though. If you mainly use your phone when connected to Wi-Fi and only do a bit of browsing or streaming on mobile data, then 20GB to 50GB should be enough.
Conversely, if you spend a lot of time on social media, scrolling through TikTok, watching Netflix and listening to Spotify, I would recommend stepping up to a 100GB or unlimited deal. These tend to be more cost-effective than the lower-data plans too.
Speaking of which, a data allowance under 10GB is unlikely to be enough for all but the most frugal users. It’s best to be generous with your allocation as you don’t want to pay through the nose if you exceed it.
How long should the contract be?
All of the PAYG deals above last for 30 days, which means you can be a lot more flexible about jumping ship to a better offer. That said, our list of the best SIM only deals includes longer-term contracts that are much cheaper per month, although you should watch out for mid-contract price hikes as these are now far more common.
What speeds can you get?
The 5G rollout across the UK has continued apace and a large part of the country is now covered, although many of us still have to make do with 4G. To check what you can get in your neck of the woods, head over to Ofcom’s handy tool and type in your postcode.
Note that virtual mobile network operators (MVNOs) such as Voxi and Smarty run on one of the main four networks – in this case, Vodafone and Three respectively – so make sure to double-check the host network before signing up.
Will you be able to roam for free?
Free EU roaming is something of a luxury these days, with only a few mobile networks offering it – and even then only under a daily cap. Other networks will charge you a daily fee to access your allowance while on the continent and charges will increase steeply if you’re heading further afield.
It’s worth keeping an eye on our dedicated roundup of the best roaming SIM-only deals to get the most for your money.
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source: https://www.expertreviews.com/uk/mobile-phones/1406513/best-pay-as-you-go-sim-deals
