spusu vs Lyca Mobile: are there differences between them?

✔ Both use the same network, but spusu have stronger 4G

Both spusu and Lyca Mobile are smaller providers that piggyback off EE’s network to provide signal. This gives them access to EE’s call (2G) and data (5G/4G) signal, so are there any differences?

For call signal there’s no difference between the two providers and their hosts. But this isn’t necessarily a strength as they are behind other networks for 2G and indoor call signal tends to be an issue with them.

4G data signal is the main strength of their host network and here there is a difference. spusu get full access to their hosts’ excellent 4G, while Lyca don’t get access to their band 20 4G transmitters.

This means Lyca offer generally worse 4G signal than spusu, especially in the countryside. It’s worth using their coverage maps below, but you’ll usually get better 4G signal on spusu than on Lyca.

Useful link: See Lyca Mobile’s range of SIM only deals

✔ 5G signal is the same on both providers

Both spusu and Lyca Mobile offer full access to EE’s 5G network on all of their plans. There’s no differences in coverage between these providers and their host network when it comes to 5G.

You’ll get 5G in these 336+ UK towns and cities. But their hosts only claim a location as covered once 5G is available in 50% of its area, so you’ll get 5G in even more places than that, just with worse coverage.

Again, unlike with 4G, Lyca provide identical 5G access to being on spusu. Lyca get full access to their host networks’ 5G masts, so there are no differences between them.

We recommend checking either providers’ network maps below before joining. Check at home, at work or anywhere else you’ll use your phone often to know if they’re the right choice for you.

Useful link: Read spusu’s guide to their 5G

✔ 4G data speeds are exactly the same between them

We’ve tested both providers and found no differences in speeds between them and there are no built-in speed limits on any of their plans (unlike on EE’s plans).

That’s definitely a good thing as Opensignal’s latest report shows that you’ll get typical 4G data speeds of 40.0 Mbps, putting them ahead of every other network.

In our own tests we got 4G speeds as high as 130+ Mbps in the city centre on spusu and Lyca’s hosts, while speeds in the countryside went as low as 5 Mbps. So we can see how it averages out.

So if you’re doing data heavy things like HD streaming, you’ll generally encounter less buffering than you would on other networks. It’s brilliant that you get such good speeds on such low cost plans.

Useful link: Read spusu’s guide to their plans

✔ 5G data speeds are also identical on both providers

Just like for 4G, there are no differences in 5G speeds between Lyca Mobile and spusu vs being on their host network. That’s really excellent considering you can join either at much lower costs than their hosts.

According to independent network testers Opensignal and Speedtest by Ookla, typical 5G data speeds sit between 99.5 Mbps - 106.61 Mbps. That puts them in third place of all networks.

Their 5G speeds look a bit disappointing considering how far ahead they both are for 4G speeds compared to other networks. But their peak speeds sit at a pretty impressive 316.68 Mbps.

In any case, their 5G is still an improvement over their 4G and can be good for data heavy activities like mobile gaming. But if you need the fastest 5G speeds possible, it might be better to look elsewhere.

Useful link: Read Lyca Mobile’s 5G guide

✔ spusu have a good WiFi calling scheme, Lyca don’t have it

As we said above, indoor call signal can be an issue on spusu and Lyca Mobile due to the frequencies their hosts broadcast this signal on. This is where WiFi calling comes in handy.

This lets you connect to calls via WiFi signal, while 4G calling lets you do the same with 4G signal. spusu offer both features on all their plans (check supported phones here) while Lyca don’t.

spusu’s scheme means you shouldn’t have to wander about or outside your home looking for signal. Your call will drop if you switch from WiFi to 4G signal, but at least they have WiFi calling at all.

And you can also forward incoming calls to another number on spusu which you can’t on Lyca. And you can use your entire allowance for tethering on every spusu plan, which isn’t the case on all Lyca plans.

Useful link: Check which devices spusu support for WiFi calling

✔ Lyca Mobile’s inclusive EU roaming is very good

While many UK mobile providers have removed inclusive EU roaming from their plans (including Lyca’s hosts), Lyca Mobile have kept theirs in place. They let you roam at no added cost in these EU countries.

Your data will be limited while there and the size of this limit depends per plan. Even their smallest plan is limited, which can be a bit restrictive, while limits on their big plans are fairly flexible.

Lyca show you how much data you can use abroad on their plan when you take it out, so there shouldn’t be any shocks once you go abroad. If you do hit the limit you’ll have to pay at these rates to keep using data.

There is no inclusive roaming beyond the EU on Lyca, so to roam further afield you’ll have to pay at these roaming rates. That’s not something we’d expect from a smaller network, and Lyca’s roaming is good overall.

Useful link: See all of Lyca Mobile’s EU roaming destinations

✔ spusu also offer a great inclusive EU roaming scheme

spusu have also kept their inclusive EU roaming in place, letting you roam in these 38 EU/EEA destinations at no added cost on all plans. But like Lyca, each plan has a different limit on your usage.

Their smallest plan is limited to 10GB while their largest regular plan limits you to 15GB. You’ll also be limited to 500 mins and texts. But their “Travel” plan lets you use the entire 25GB data allowance abroad.

That’s still less than what Lyca let you use on their large plans. It’s a bit of an odd situation where spusu’s data limits are less restrictive on their smaller plans, but are more restrictive on their larger ones.

There’s also the fact that spusu include roaming in Switzerland, which is handy if you’re travelling or transferring there. Overall, we think spusu offer just a bit more that will appeal to more users for roaming.

Useful link: What spusu say about their inclusive EU roaming

✔ Lyca are excellent for calling abroad

If you have friends or family members abroad you’ll love that Lyca include a number of international minutes on their plans. Their cheapest plans include 100 international mins while some include unlimited mins.

You can use these to make calls to these 49 countries around the world. Their plans with unlimited international calls are a bit more expensive, but it can definitely be worth it in the long run if you call often.

If you do get through your monthly international mins then you’ll have to top up with credit and pay out of that at these rates to keep calling abroad. Their rates are fairly low, so it shouldn’t cost you too much.

Overall, Lyca are an excellent choice for calling abroad. spusu also offer some international mins, but only to EU countries and they don’t have plans with unlimited EU mins. Lyca are the better choice for this.

Useful link: See Lyca Mobile’s full range of SIM only plans

✔ spusu offer a nice handful of useful benefits

There are a good number of handy benefits on spusu’s plans. spusu let you set a spending cap on things outside of your plan, like extra data, in very flexible £1 increments. You can set a cap between £0-£100.

You can set a spending cap when you take out your plan or later. And you can change this cap whenever you want if your needs change. It’s a really useful and flexible scheme to help prevent overspending.

spusu have also promised not to raise the cost of their plans until 2026. That means you’ll get the same great value for a long time, with no reason to worry about your bill going up.

Lyca only freeze prices on their longer contracts, not their 1-month contracts. So you’re giving up the added flexibility of a 1-month plan to ensure your bill won’t go up, while spusu give you both on all plans.

Useful link: See spusu’s no price increase promise