What are the best SIM-only deals in Ireland right now?

If you're looking to save some money on your phone bills a good option is to look into SIM-only deals, which have exploded in popularity over the past few years.

A SIM-only plan is, quite literally, when you purchase just a SIM card, which comes with an allocation of data, texts and minutes per month.

SIM-only plans are generally much cheaper because you don't incur the cost of buying a phone.

SIM-only deals are now available from all the main mobile providers and some operators such as GoMo and 48 focus solely on these deals. 

So, in the interest of speed and convenience, check out the tables below comparing the best value billpay and pay-as-you-go SIM-only deals currently on offer on the Irish market.

SIM-Only Billpay Plans

SIM-Only Pay-As-You-Go Plans:

Is there better value with billpay or SIM-only deals? 

With billpay plans you’re also paying for the cost of a handset so these plans will usually be way more expensive than a SIM-only deal.

Depending on the phone you have chosen and the plan you signed up to, you’re often looking at paying around €40 to €60 a month. If not more. But once your contract has come to a finish, and you’ve paid off your phone, which is usually after 24 months, unless you want to upgrade to a new phone and commit to a new billpay contract, you’d be crazy not to look at a SIM-only plan, even just for a year perhaps.

Do I need to switch provider?

You don't necessarily even have to switch provider to get a cheap, SIM-only deal.

If you're on billpay and have come to the end of your contract, you can simply change to a far cheaper SIM-only deal with your current provider for a few months if you want to. Then when it's time to upgrade to a new phone, you can either buy one outright and stay on your low-cost, SIM-only plan or recommit to another 24-month, billpay contract.

If you do decide to switch provider though, remember that the switching process is very simple and you can keep your existing number no matter who you move to!

However, if moving to a SIM-only deal with a rival operator you must ensure that your current phone is fully unlocked and therefore able to accept a rival operator's SIM. 

If you're out of contract with your existing provider they will be able to provide you with the relevant unlocking code.

Which SIM-only plan is right for me?

When it comes to choosing the best plan for your individual needs, cost is usually the main consideration, but there are a few other things that you'll want to consider such as:

• Calls and texts per month
• Fair usage policy
• Data allowance
• International calls and texts
• EU roaming allowance 
• Network coverage
• Download speeds
• 4G versus 5G
• Sign-up incentives 
• Customer service 
• Contract length

Some of these are covered in the tables above, but if you’re curious about data coverage and speed in your area, it's worth having a look at this piece. 

As always here at bonkers.ie, we recommend that you thoroughly suss out all of the options available to you before making any decisions, especially where long-term contracts are concerned!

Don't forget that the above plans are just a selection of the many plans on offer from each network and don't include plans which include handsets in the contract.

You can learn more about the above factors to consider when choosing a phone plan in this blog.

What networks offer the best coverage in Ireland? 

Vodafone’s coverage is usually regarded as the most reliable and extensive but it really depends on where you live. ComReg’s outdoor mobile coverage map is a good tool for consumers to see how all the operators compare in a particular area.

Be aware that Clear Mobile, Virgin, Lyca, 48, GoMo and Tesco Mobile are all MVNOs so their coverage will generally be the same as the operator network they’re running on. Clear Mobile is with Vodafone, GoMo is with Eir, while all the others piggyback off 3’s network.

What about 5G? 

Many of the SIM-only plans available only offer access to 4G data and speeds for now.

However 5G is still in its infancy. Coverage outside the main towns and cities is still very patchy, if existent at all, while 5G-enabled phones still aren’t that widely available. It’s improving all the time of course but for now 4G will suffice for most people.

And while 5G can reach speeds up to 10 times faster than 4G, for many people, 4G is more than capable of handling their data requirements.

If you are curious about what 5G plans are available, we took a look at some of the 5G plans and offers available to Irish consumers.

Get in touch with us

​​Would you consider switching to a SIM-only phone plan? If so, what plan would you choose? We’d love to hear your thoughts!

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