Talkmobile vs EE: which network's better to switch to?

✔ Talkmobile better for calls, EE better for 4G data signal

EE run and operate on their own network while Talkmobile are a smaller provider that use Vodafone’s network for signal. Both networks have their advantages and disadvantages for signal.

Talkmobile are the winner for call signal (3G/2G). They’re on the joint-largest network for calls, while call signal on EE is a bit less widespread. Indoor call signal also tends to be more of a weakness on EE.

It’s the opposite story for 4G data signal, as EE have the most widespread 4G of all networks. Talkmobile use the second largest 4G network, but you’re more likely to lose 4G as you move around with them than on EE.

We’d say EE’s better 4G gives them the edge here, as 4G gives you better speeds and can also be used for calls (read more). In any case, it’s worth checking signal near you on both networks before joining either.

Useful link: EE’s coverage map | Talkmobile’s coverage map

✔ EE have 5G live in more locations than Talkmobile

Both networks provide 5G on all of their plans. In terms of the sheer number of locations, Talkmobile have 5G live in 160+ UK towns and cities while EE claim to have it live in 336+ UK towns and cities.

But that doesn’t tell the whole story. First, EE only claim a location as covered once 5G is available in 50% of its area. That means their number of covered locations is actually higher than they claim.

In terms of covering their locations, EE tend to provide more widespread 5G. Talkmobile provide decent coverage in their locations, but it’s largely restricted to the most popular areas.

So not only are you more likely to get 5G near you on EE, but you’re more likely to stay on 5G as you move around in locations where it’s live on both. But it’s still worth checking coverage on both networks here.

Useful link: Best networks for 5G coverage and speeds

✔ 4G data speeds are much faster on EE than Talkmobile

There are no built in speed caps on Talkmobile, meaning you get the same 4G data speeds as you would on their hosts. Most of EE’s SIM only plans offer full speeds, but some of their cheaper plans do have speed caps.

But if you’re on a full speed plan you’ll get typical 4G speeds around 40 Mbps on EE according to Opensignal’s latest report. They also measured typical 4G speeds of 27.9 Mbps on Talkmobile’s hosts.

That doesn’t tell the whole story, however. We tested both networks in real life and got speeds up to 110 Mbps on Talkmobile and 130+ Mbps on EE in the city. In rural areas speeds went down to 5 Mbps on both.

So EE are consistently the faster 4G network, but it’s important to make sure your plan doesn’t have speed caps if you want the fastest speeds possible. That’s something you don’t have to worry about on Talkmobile.

Useful link: Read our full Talkmobile review

✔ 5G speeds are faster on Talkmobile than on EE

We use results from independent network testers Opensignal and Speedtest by Ookla to see what typical and peak 5G data speeds look like on both networks.

They measured typical 5G speeds between 99.5 Mbps - 108.91 Mbps on EE, with peak speeds up to 272.77 Mbps. On Talkmobile’s hosts, speeds sat between a healthier 114.3 Mbps - 146.19 Mbps, with peaks of 315.35 Mbps.

So if you’re a gamer, filesharer or any other kind of user that needs the fastest speeds possible, Talkmobile are the better choice. They’re not the fastest of all networks, but their speeds are still impressive.

And you get full speed 5G on all of Talkmobile’s plans, while on some EE plans you won’t be able to get the best speeds possible. In all, Talkmobile take this one handily.

Useful link: Our guide to the best 5G networks for speeds and coverage

✔ EE have better WiFi calling and more network features

You can run into indoor calling blackspots on both networks, so it’s good they both offer WiFi calling and 4G calling. These let you connect to calls using WiFi and 4G signal instead of conventional call signal.

Both support SMS texting over WiFi and 4G. But only EE let you transfer from a WiFi call to a 4G call without it dropping and have a longer list of supported devices so you’re more likely to get it working with EE.

On top of that, EE offer access to their network of free WiFi hotspots on the Underground on all their plans. This is handy for staying connected where you’d otherwise get no signal. Talkmobile don’t offer any.

Both networks offer call forwarding, letting you divert incoming calls to another number. But only EE offer visual voicemail and eSIMs between them. So overall, EE easily take the win here.

Useful link: Our guide to the best WiFi calling schemes

✔ Only Talkmobile offer inclusive EU roaming between them

Between the two networks, only Talkmobile offer inclusive EU roaming on all their plans. That means you can use your plan in these 41 EU/EEA destinations without paying anything extra.

You can use up to 5GB of your data allowance while there. That should be enough for most users, but heavy data users might find it restrictive. If you go over that you can buy a data booster to tide you over.

Talkmobile don’t offer inclusive roaming beyond the EU. So if you’re going further afield you’ll pay per min, text and data at these hefty rates. That will add up quickly, so it’s best to keep an eye on your usage.

In all, Talkmobile’s EU roaming will be good enough for most users and we appreciate the fact that they still include it at no extra cost.

Useful link: Our guide to the best EU roaming networks

✔ EE only offer inclusive roaming on premium plans

EE don’t offer inclusive EU roaming on their regular pay monthly plans. Instead, you can take their Roam Abroad pass as an extra on one of their premium All Rounder or Full Works plans.

With this extra you can roam in these EU destinations without paying for each day you’re there. If you’re just on a regular plan it will cost you £2 a day to roam in their EU destinations.

Their Roam Abroad pass also lets you roam in the USA, Canada, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand. Beyond that you can take a Travel Data Pass which gives you a small daily allowance for a daily cost.

In all, EE can be a decent option for roaming beyond the EU. But most people will care about not spending a lot to roam in the EU and only Talkmobile offer that between the two. So we give Talkmobile the win here.

Useful link: EE’s guide to their Roam Abroad extra

✔ EE’s group plan discounts are brilliant for families

EE give you extra benefits for having your family’s SIM only plans under one account. You get a massive 30% off all plans you add to your existing EE account (excluding your own plan).

That comes with the added convenience of being able to manage all your plans in the same place. So you can easily set parental controls on your kids’ plans or manage your data add-ons.

You can gift data to the other users on your account if they’re running low. You won’t be charged for your kids going over their allowance with EE’s Stay Connected data, but it’s handy to give them the best speeds.

On top of that, EE give you a 1GB data boost for each user you add to your account. Overall, it’s a really good scheme that helps make up for their higher costs somewhat if you’re looking to get your kids on a plan.

Useful link: Our guide to the best family plan schemes

✔ EE’s Inclusive Extras are nice for premium users

EE offer few extra benefits called Inclusive Extras if you take a premium plan. Their All Rounder plans give you one extra, while their Full Works give you three while generally being more expensive per month.

You can choose a subscription to Netflix, TNT Sports or one of these Apple services. Or you can take their Roam Abroad pass or an Entertainment Data Pass for unlimited streaming data on these apps.

Those can definitely make joining on a premium plan a bit more appealing, especially if you’ll make good use out of those benefits. If not, you might just be better off on a regular plan.

On top of those benefits, EE offer free trials to Apple Music and Apple News+ and to Apple TV+ if you order an iPhone. These may give you a bit of extra value, but they benefit Apple users more than Android users.

Useful link: EE’s guide to their Inclusive Extras

✔ Talkmobile offer a lot more flexibility on their plans

One of the best things about joining Talkmobile is the flexibility of their 1-month SIM only contracts. This lets you switch plans or leave Talkmobile altogether whenever you want, as long as you give 30 days notice.

That’s not something you can do on most EE plans, and their 1-month contracts are very expensive. And Talkmobile don’t make you pass a credit check, which is good if you’ve got a poor or no credit history.

And you can set a spending cap in flexible £1 increments from £0 - £100. EE’s spending caps are less flexible and could lead to you spending more than you want, while there isn’t a big risk of this on Talkmobile.

Talkmobile’s best value plans are their 12-month contracts which are less flexible, so it is a bit of a trade off of cost for flexibility. But their 1-month plans are still much better value than any of EE’s plans.

Useful link: See all of Talkmobile’s 1-month SIM only contracts

✔ Only EE let you join a phone contract directly

Between the two networks, only EE let you join on a phone contract directly. Talkmobile have an odd scheme where you can only upgrade to a phone contract after being on a SIM only plan for a while.

EE offer lots of new and old phone models on finance agreements (essentially loans) which split the cost of paying back your phone and your usage plan (mins, texts, data) into separate payments.

They let you choose a contract length of 24 or 36 months to suit your budget. But if you want to upgrade to a new phone before that you can pay off the remaining cost of your phone whenever to do so.

Talkmobile’s scheme can be good if you have a poor credit history, but the quickest way to get one of their phone deals is via resellers like Fonehouse. They can offer a better deal than EE, so they’re worth a look.

Useful link: EE’s full range of phone contracts