Student mobile deals: the UK networks doing the best job
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Off to university and looking for your own SIM only plan? We look at networks with the best prices, discounts and benefits while you're studying. Last updated: 31st May 2022.
In our student mobile deals guide
What we think makes a good mobile network for students
Moving away from home and into a new place all on your own is a new experience for most. As might getting your own mobile deal be too. So we’re here to help you get the best value and benefits from yours.
We think a good network for students gives the most amount of data possible for the cheapest price possible, while also offering discounts and extra rewards to squeeze that extra bit of value out of your deal.
For students setting up their own broadband as well, there are some networks that give extra rewards for joining them on broadband and mobile. This won’t apply to everyone, but is worth thinking about.
Finally, some networks also give you discounts on real life experiences and shopping, which can help you day to day with university life. With all that in mind, let’s see which networks are the best for students.
Useful link: Best networks | International students
How we rate each network
1st: SMARTY - student-friendly prices and large data deals
What we like:
What we don't like:
If you’re just looking for sheer value for money with your SIM deal, then SMARTY should be the first network you look at. They’re on the Three network and offer low-cost, highly flexible SIM deals.
They have a great range of small and large data deals, all of which are 1-month deals, meaning you can switch plans at the end of each month without giving notice. And if you refer-a-friend you can get free month!
We think students will appreciate that level of flexibility, as it lets you choose a plan that suits your needs the best. There’s no direct student discount on SMARTY, but frankly they don’t even need to offer one.
You also won’t need to pass a credit check to get a deal as everything is paid up front. This is good if this is your first SIM only deal because you might not have the credit history to be accepted for some networks.
What could be an issue is SMARTY’s comparatively patchier call signal and indoor coverage. It will depend on which campus you’re on, but the more rural, typically the worse it will be. Check your campus / accommodation here.
Useful link: Read our full SMARTY review here
2nd: VOXI - students get their first month free!
What we like:
What we don't like:
VOXI offer a bit more than SMARTY in terms of extra benefits that come with their deals, while still providing the same amount of flexibility as their low-cost rivals.
They offer 1-month deals that are paid upfront, meaning you won’t have to pass a credit check. VOXI’s plans are a bit pricier than SMARTY’s, but they offer one free month to students joining them for the first time.
The best thing about VOXI is their Endless Social Media data and Endless Video benefits. These let you use certain apps without eating into your data, which people studying will be able to use to maximum advantage.
Endless Social Media data comes on all VOXI plans, while Endless Video comes on their pricier plans. Per GB, SMARTY still offer better value than VOXI though (read our VOXI vs SMARTY guide here).
But, VOXI (using Vodafone’s network) do have the more widespread call signal and 4G data signal networks. If you’ve run into problems on SMARTY, VOXI might be worth a try. Check their coverage here.
Useful link: Read our full review of VOXI
3rd: 1pMobile - cheapest rates for pay as you go at university
What we like:
What we don't like:
If you don’t know about 1pMobile, they’re a great-value pay as you go network. But they now also offer some cheap pay monthly deals that are better for heavy data users than their pay as you go rates.
Whether you join on pay as you go or pay monthly, they’re the cheapest way onto the brilliant EE network without a contract. Using EE means 1pMobile’s 4G coverage is unrivalled (check it where you’re studying here) and 5G is extensive too.
And on top of that there are absolutely no credit checks to pass to get onto their network, because you pay for everything up front. These can be a problem when you’re young and haven’t had bills in your name before.
What are the downsides then? Well on pay as you go you’ll have to top up with £10 at least every four months. Very infrequent users might find that a bit annoying. 1p also don’t have any specific student discount.
Another issue is that data can get very expensive on pay as you go (1GB = £10 at a rate of 1p per MB). But if you plan to be on WiFi at home or in the library a lot, that might not be an issue.
Useful link: Our full review of 1pMobile
4th: Tesco Mobile - collect points on shopping for money off mobile
What we like:
What we don't like:
We think Tesco Mobile are worth a look for students, because if you play your cards right, you can use your mobile deal to save on shopping costs and your shopping to save on mobile.
With their Clubcard you get access to unique lower-priced deals you won’t get without it. It’s free to sign up for one and you can use points earned on your Clubcard to get money off your shopping or your mobile bill.
You get 1 Clubcard point per £1 you spend on Tesco Mobile or in-store, and that then translates into money off either shopping or your mobile bill. If you have a Tesco near your accommodation, you can make this work for you.
And if a 12-month contract doesn’t suit you, Tesco offer pay as you go bundles that let you pay up front for an allowance of minutes, texts and data for a month. These still earn you Clubcard points, but are worse value than their pay monthly contracts.
One final downside is that they get typically slow 4G speeds due to being on the O2 network. If that’s not an issue, then Tesco might be a good choice for you. Check their coverage around your campus here.
Useful link: Our guide to Tesco Mobile here
5th: giffgaff - exclusive student plan plus cheap and flexible deals on O2
What we like:
What we don't like:
giffgaff are the cheapest way onto the O2 network and also offer the same sort of flexibility as SMARTY and VOXI with 1-month deals that you can switch or leave at the end of each month - plus there’s no credit checks on SIM only.
They’re also currently offering one great exclusive deal for students that will be around for a few months. It’s not world-changing, but it’s a nice little bit of added value. Otherwise they offer a range of well-priced data deals:
You can even get money back when you bring your friends onto giffgaff. By referring a friend you can get £5 payback right away and you can do this multiple times. This could be a nice little side-earner while you study.
So why are they this low in our rankings? Well the main issue is that they get some pretty slow 4G speeds being on the O2 network, even though their call signal and 4G coverage is rather good (check around your campus here).
Unlike fellow O2 users Tesco Mobile, giffgaff don’t offer any way of getting money off your shopping or bill apart from a refer-a-friend scheme you have to work for. But still, they’re a decent value network and worth a look.
Useful link: Our full giffgaff review
Joint 6th: ASDA Mobile - cheap and cheerful but no shopping benefits
✔ You get the freedom to change plans every monthSee all benefits
at mobile.asda.com
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What we like:
What we don't like:
ASDA Mobile offer a lot that students will like. Their plans are low-cost and are on 1-month plans with no contracts, meaning you’re free to change your plan every month.
If you’ve just left home, you won’t likely have a long credit history, which makes passing credit checks harder. But since you’re paying for everything up front you won’t have to pass one to get on ASDA Mobile.
In general, they’re best if you only need a smaller data plan, as their larger plans aren’t amazing value. ASDA do offer unlimited data plans, but these tend to be worse value than the networks listed above. Their smaller plans are their strong suit:
There are no special student discounts here either. Plus there’s no tie-in with their shopping like on Tesco. That’s a shame as ASDA the supermarket is one of the cheaper shopping options while you’re at uni.
Like VOXI, ASDA use the Vodafone network and offer 1-month deals, but VOXI offer unlimited streaming data and better value on larger deals. But, ASDA’s smaller deals are cheaper, so your choice will come down to how much data you need.
Useful link: Our review of ASDA Mobile
Joint 6th: Talkmobile - some great value deals but few network features
✔ Great call signal and 4G coverage via VodafoneCheck coverage here
at talkmobile.co.uk
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What we like:
What we don't like:
Talkmobile are very similar to ASDA in that they’re both low-cost, no-frills alternatives on the Vodafone network. But there are a couple key differences that might make or break either networks for students.
On the one hand, Talkmobile are much better value than ASDA for how much data you can get for your pound. This is especially the case with larger data deals, where Talkmobile offers some genuinely impressive value:
But Talkmobile don’t offer the same amount of network features as ASDA Mobile. They’re missing out on 5G access. And they lack WiFi calling and 4G calling, which can be an issue if you get poor indoor signal in your residence.
On Talkmobile you’ll have to give 30 days’ notice before leaving. ASDA you can just stop paying and you’re gone. Students looking for the cheapest deal will prefer Talkmobile, but ASDA are a better choice for ones looking to stay flexible.
Talkmobile also don’t offer unlimited data, so if you’re worried about that you’re probably best off going with someone like SMARTY.
Useful link: Our full review of Talkmobile
7th: Plusnet Mobile - 2GB free data if you have their home broadband
What we like:
What we don't like:
If you’re thinking of setting up broadband in your new accommodation, you might want to consider getting Plusnet Broadband, and then getting mobile from them too, as there’s a nice added benefit for doing so:
By taking out a Plusnet Mobile deal as an existing Plusnet broadband customer, you’ll get an extra 2GB data free with your plan. That’s on top of the already-brilliant value they offer in the first place.
All of these are on 30-day contracts so it’s worth knowing you will have to give notice before leaving them and pass a credit check to join:
Plusnet are one of the cheapest ways onto the EE network and benefit from their brilliant 4G coverage. You should be able to get strong signal on most campuses (check here), but Plusnet sadly don’t offer 5G.
The biggest issue is the lack of plan options. There are no unlimited data plans, and only a small range of plans available. They’re still good value without their broadband benefit, so overall not a bad choice.
Useful link: Our full guide to Plusnet Mobile
8th: Honest Mobile - best network for environmentally-conscious students
What we like:
What we don't like:
Honest Mobile are a tricky one. The environment is becoming more and more of a hot-button topic, especially for students. So having a carbon negative and environmentally-aware network is good, right?
Well if that’s your priority then absolutely. Honest Mobile are the first carbon negative network and use your custom to plant trees for you. They got top of our rankings for sustainable mobile networks.
That said, this comes at a cost. Their SIM only deals are quite expensive, considering they’re such a small network. Their 12-month deals are better value, but their 1-month deals are more flexible and won’t require a credit check:
Most students just don’t have that sort of money to throw around. Your plan will get cheaper the longer you stay on Honest, but that’s not much of a consolation in the short term. There’s no direct student discount.
You might also be unlucky and struggle with patchy call signal and 4G coverage, as Honest use the Three network. In any case, you can see how well Honest cover your campus and local area here.
Useful link: Our full guide to Honest Mobile
9th: iD Mobile - some cheap deals on 1-month rolling contracts
What we like:
What we don't like:
iD Mobile are a low-cost rival of SMARTY, offering 1-month, 12-month and 24-month contracts that are very close to SMARTY on price. So why are they this far down the list for uni-goers?
The main issue here is that iD will check your credit history before letting you join their network. Most students won’t have a credit history (at least not a long one) and so this could cause you to run into issues.
On top of that, iD only offer deals on contracts. While they have 30-day contracts, these still require you to give notice before switching your deal. If you try to cancel without giving notice you may have to pay a fee.
But iD are far from a bad option. Like we said, iD are very close to SMARTY on price. And they’re currently offering a unique deal for students that’s even better value. The longer the contract, the better the value typically:
You also get data rollover, meaning you can keep the data you don’t get through in one month for your next one. It’s not always helpful (see our guide here) but it is a nice extra. In all, iD are a good value, but less flexible, option.
Useful link: Our full guide to iD Mobile
10th: Virgin Mobile - unlimited messaging data and cheap plans
What we like:
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Like VOXI, Virgin Mobile use the Vodafone network and offer their unlimited social media messaging data benefit on all plans. But there are a few good reasons why Virgin find themselves further down the list.
It’s largely down to the fact that they don’t offer any 30-day contracts. You’ll either have to take a 12-month or 24-month contract with them and these of course require you to pass a credit check.
They’re also a bit pricier than most of the networks above. Their 24-month contracts are competitive, but we don’t think most people studying want to be stuck on a contract that long, especially when there are better options.
You do get unlimited data on these social media apps. This can save you a few hundred MBs per month, meaning you might be able to safely take a somewhat smaller plan. But it’s not a groundbreaking benefit.
And it doesn’t make up for the lack of student discounts and flexibility in their plans. And the only benefit for joining as an existing Virgin Media customer is a multibuy discount which you might find useful.
Otherwise, they’re not an overly-inspiring option for people going to uni.
Useful link: Our Virgin Mobile review
11th: Three - the cheapest main UK network
✔ Get money off your plan for inviting a friendRefer-a-friend scheme
at three.co.uk
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What we like:
What we don't like:
Three are the first main UK network to appear on this list and that’s largely because the main networks all offer pricey deals on long contracts. Not ideal for your average student. But Three are the cheapest of the lot.
They actually offer some nice deals on 24-month contracts and 12-month contracts. Their 30-day contracts aren’t much to write home about, but might be a good choice if you want a bit of extra flexibility:
On top of that they even offer a few exclusive student deals but you can get even better value with their hidden deals. And you can get cash rewards for getting a friend to join Three that could help you with the expense of studying.
The lack of good 30-day deals means you have to choose between flexibility or price. Why do that when there are networks above that give you both? Three don’t offer much more to make them worth the compromise.
And you may also run into issues with their call signal and 4G coverage depending on where your campus is (check coverage here). But they’re not a terrible choice in all, just not a particularly special one.
Useful link: Our full guide to the Three network
12th: EE - a useful student discount on expensive plans
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EE are typically one of the most expensive UK networks, so it should come as no surprise to see them this far down the list. But they beat competitors O2 and Vodafone with their brilliant student discount.
As a student you get 20% off any EE deal that doesn’t already benefit from another discount. This brings down EE’s usually very high prices and makes them much more appealing. You’ll also get 500MB free on top of your plan as a student.
That extra data is the cherry on top of a great discount, and can help provide a little buffer before you go over your limit. Add to that the free trials you get on any EE plan and it’s just value on top of value while you’re at uni.
But you still can get a better deal with some of the networks above. Especially since EE’s best deals are their 24-month contracts that won’t suit most students. EE’s 1-month contracts are almost unusably expensive.
If you’re dead set on getting on EE’s network, we’d recommend looking at 1pMobile and Plusnet Mobile above for a better value deal. But EE aren’t the worst network you can choose if you don’t mind the extra cost too much.
Useful link: Our guide to the EE network
13th: BT - good discount for their broadband customers
What we like:
What we don't like:
We’d only really recommend BT Mobile for students that are going to set up BT Broadband in their accommodation or if their parents have it. If that is the case, then we think they’re a pretty good choice, but if not we’d look elsewhere.
If you have BT Broadband you can benefit from a £5 discount on any of their SIM only plans. That makes their usually average-priced deals look even more attractive. Their best value deals are definitely their 24-month contracts:
But if you don’t have BT Broadband, the lack of 1-month deals and generally unimpressive pricing make BT an unappealing choice. The fact that you have to pass a credit check to join them only adds another barrier if this is your first ever mobile deal.
You might like the free access to the BT Sports app that they offer, but this only comes on their pricier plans (£15 or over after broadband discount) and it’s only access to the app, not a subscription to BT Sports.
In the end, it’s a tough call. BT Broadband customers might be able to make good use of the discount, but otherwise BT Mobile are inflexible and poorly priced, especially with no student discounts to make use of.
Useful link: Our guide to BT Mobile
14th: Vodafone - students get 10% off all SIM only plans
✔ Their plans are expensive in the first placeSee student discount
at vodafone.co.uk
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What we like:
What we don't like:
Vodafone come third place out of the four main networks in terms of how appealing they are for people going to uni. They have a decent student discount, but are typically already expensive. But they’re far from the worst choice.
As a student you get a straight up 10% off any Vodafone SIM plan. That can make their expensive plans a little easier for students to consider buying, and you can get some big savings off their larger data plans:
Vodafone do offer some 1-month contracts, but they’re quite a bit pricier than their 12-month and 24-month contracts. So, again, it’s a choice between flexibility and value which isn’t great when some networks offer both.
But Vodafone offer a couple of nice benefits to help get a bit more value out of your deal. You get access to their “VeryMe” app that gives you access to discounts and exclusive deals on high-street food, drink and shopping.
And if you refer-a-friend to Vodafone, you and the friend you referred will both get a £25 Amazon giftcard. While that does help sweeten the deal, we don’t see why students wouldn’t go with the cheaper and more flexible VOXI.
Useful link: Our review of the Vodafone network
15th: Co-op Mobile - expensive 1-month contracts with few extra benefits
What we like:
What we don't like:
Co-op Mobile are a virtual provider that piggyback off EE’s network for signal. But apart from getting access to EE’s fantastic network, there aren’t any extra benefits that will make them a massively appealing choice for students.
They do offer every plan on a 1-month contract. While the extra flexibility is nice, you will still have to pass a credit check to join which shuts them off for a lot of young people. Other networks above offer much more flexible plans without contracts.
Their plans are also very expensive, being similar in price to their hosts EE’s 1-month contracts. But there are no student discounts like there are on EE, and you don’t even get full access to EE’s network.
We just don’t see any reason why students would pick Co-op Mobile. They do offset much of their negative environmental impact, but Honest Mobile arguably do that much better. They offer flexible deals, but they come at a high cost.
If Co-op tied in their mobile brand with their shopping brand like Tesco Mobile do then that could make them a more appealing choice. As it stands, we think there are better choices.
Useful link: Read more about Co-op Mobile
16th: O2- pricey and inflexible deals but with some added extras
What we like:
What we don't like:
We think O2 are the least appealing of all the main networks and that’s for a good number of reasons. They offer similar prices to Vodafone to EE without offering a good student discount to make up for that.
They do have student discounts, but only on the usage (mins, texts and data) plans for phone contracts. And they offer 1-month contracts, but these are very pricey. You’re better off looking at their other SIM only contracts:
The two things we think people at uni might like out of O2 is their Priority app that gives you exclusive discounts on restaurants and entertainment experiences and priority tickets to certain events. The other is their extras.
You get a different extra depending on which plan you take. The pricier the plan, the better or longer the extra. One standout extra for students is a free trial for Audible, but there are a few others to choose from.
And if you have Virgin Media broadband in your student home, you can get double data on your O2 plan with some other benefits. But, O2 are costly without giving much back for students to really think they’re worth it.
Useful link: Our guide to the O2 network
Last place: Sky Mobile - they do all the things students won’t like
What we like:
What we don't like:
And so we’ve come to the end of this list with Sky Mobile in the unenviable position of worst network for students. Sky do all the things that we’ve said make other networks less suitable for students.
That’s not to say they’re bad generally. It’s just the good bits don’t really apply to students. They offer some decently priced small data deals, but we think students want the most data for the lowest price. You don’t get that on Sky.
In fact their larger data plans are quite expensive considering they’re not a main network. There’s no 30-day plans either, or unlimited data plans, and all of their contracts will require you to pass a credit check.
You can stream Sky TV apps without using data if you or your parents have Sky TV at home. If not this benefit won’t really help you. And we think it’s the weakest of the streaming benefits for students anyway.
Finally, Sky do let you keep unused data in a “Piggybank” for up to 3 years. It’s good to have when you need it, but if you’re rolling over a lot of data you’re probably better off with a cheaper, smaller plan.
Again, Sky aren’t a bad network. It’s just they do everything that students won’t like while not really giving them any reason to join. So, bottom of the list it is.
Useful link: Our full guide to Sky Mobile
UK mobile deals for international students
What international students should look for in a network
We think the most important thing for international students is ease of purchase. You don’t want to wait to have a UK bank account set up before you can get connected. So if you can pay without a UK debit card, that’s a big plus for us.
Secondly, networks that include free international calls in your plan or offer cheap international calls outside of your allowance make it easier for international students to keep in touch with your friends and family at home.
It’s also great if you can cancel or put a hold on your plan to travel back home at any time, so networks that offer flexible 1-month plans will be much more appealing in this regard.
And of course, inclusive EU and worldwide roaming will definitely help a networks’ ranking for international students, as it means you can go on a short trip back home without incurring massive charges.
Useful link: Best networks for UK students
The best networks for international students
All of these networks let you buy your plan using PayPal or other payment methods that don’t require a UK debit card, making it a lot easier to get on a plan if you’ve just arrived in the UK. Here we rank them on the other benefits each offer:
Lebara are our favourite network for international students. They offer some free international minutes in your plan, very cheap international calls outside your plan, and roaming in the EU and India included on flexible 1-month deals.
giffgaff are our second choice because you can get your SIM delivered abroad. You can top this up and have it ready for when you arrive in the UK. They offer 1-month deals and international calls are cheap. But there’s no inclusive worldwide roaming or calls.
Lycamobile also include some international minutes in your allowance, while also offer free inclusive EU roaming on most of their plans. All of their plans are on 1-month deals and you can switch every month.
VOXI offer flexible 1-month deals with EU roaming included as well as some international calling and worldwide roaming add-ons. They don’t include international minutes in your plan, but certain destinations are quite cheap to call.
Useful link: 1-month plans vs 1-month rolling contracts
Other useful networks for international students
Here are some networks that international students might like, but that have some big flaws holding them back:
SMARTY are a great value choice and offer EU roaming, flexible 1-month plans and let you pay via Paypal. But there is no worldwide roaming, no special benefits to help international students and international calls are quite pricey.
1pMobile also offer free EU roaming, meaning you still get the same 1p per minute rates for foreign numbers while you’re abroad. Even a few worldwide destinations have cheap calls while you’re there, but there’s no inclusive worldwide roaming.
Tesco Mobile are the only network that let you use your whole data allowance while in the EU (even if you have unlimited data). But you will have to pass a credit check and use a UK debit card to get on their network, like the other networks below.
Vodafone are the only network to include worldwide roaming, but this only comes on premium Unlimited data with 4 Xtras plans. On any other plan you have to pay to roam, even in the EU. They offer international calling add-ons, but these are a little pricey still.
EE let you roam abroad in the USA and some other destinations with their Roam Abroad benefit on premium Smart Plans. Calls to certain destinations are quite cheap and you can get add-ons for this. But there’s no free EU roaming.
Other than that, we don’t think the other UK networks will especially appeal to international students. If you’re thinking of staying in the UK after your studies you might want to look at some other UK networks, but if not you’re best off going with the ones we listed.
Useful link: The best UK networks for roaming