VOXI vs Vodafone: the differences between the two networks
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We test the coverage, 4G/5G speeds and other benefits you get with a VOXI SIM vs what you get if you join Vodafone directly. Last updated: 27th March 2023.
In our VOXI vs Vodafone guide
Network capabilities
Extra perks and benefits
Products and deals
Offer notifications
Vodafone vs VOXI's network
Same: Vodafone and VOXI are the same network
We tested coverage on a Vodafone SIM vs a VOXI SIM in the same test phone
✔ 5G/4G/3G/2G signal is identical on both
Vodafone are one of the UK’s four main network operators. They own and operate their own network, distinct from EE, Three and O2. VOXI were set up directly by Vodafone as a sub-brand to appeal to new customers.
So not only is being VOXI exactly “like” being on Vodafone. You are just on Vodafone. It’s a Vodafone branded SIM you receive and your phone will say Vodafone at the top near the signal bars, not VOXI.
We’ve even tested this ourselves to be doubly sure, by taking a Vodafone and VOXI SIM out in identical phones. There were no differences and their coverage checkers are accurate too.
It means you can rely on the same joint-best coverage for calls on both, including indoors. And their 4G data coverage is only a minor second to EE. See 5G in the next section.
Useful link: Other networks that use Vodafone
✔ 5G access is included on both networks
Last time we checked, Vodafone provided 5G in 141+ UK towns and cities. They have the lowest number of 5G-live locations of all networks, but street by street coverage within those locations is typically strong.
In our rankings for the best 5G networks we put Vodafone in third place. Their speeds and street to street coverage were better than O2 (but with fewer live locations). But they were behind EE and Three for both.
It’s included on most Vodafone SIM only and 5G-ready phone deals (not on Basics plans or most PAYG bundles), while VOXI include it on every plan. Here is their best current deal:
Useful link: Latest on Vodafone's 5G rollout
VOXI and Vodafone network maps
Check at home, along your commute and anywhere else you’ll use your phone
Alternative coverage checkers
Use OpenSignal checker
Use Ofcom checker
Use RootMetrics checker
Our verdict on coverage:
Draw"Our real life tests confirmed what both providers’ network maps showed. Both networks share identical 5G/4G/3G/2G coverage. Your choice between them will come down to other benefits either network offer."
Same: 4G/5G download speeds
We tested to see if 5G/4G download speeds were different between the two
✔ 4G/5G speeds were identical on both networks
You might think that smaller networks like VOXI get you slower speeds than being on Vodafone, but their traffic management policy here shows that’s not the case. Vodafone only cap speeds on some unlimited plans.
We wanted to make absolutely sure, so we tested a VOXI SIM and a Vodafone SIM in the same areas. As expected, we found no underlying differences in speeds between the two networks.
According to Opensignal and Speedtest by Ookla, typical 5G speeds on Vodafone are around 105.2 Mbps - 146.01 Mbps, with peak speeds around 322.91 Mbps. Those are pretty healthy speeds overall.
It’s inevitable that when you do multiple tests on any given network, you’ll never get the exact same results each time. But neither network was routinely faster or slower than the other.
Independent network testers Opensignal show typical 4G download speeds on Vodafone are around 21.2 Mbps, and the same applies for VOXI. They’re slower than Three and EE, but their speeds are still healthy.
Useful link: Vodafone's latest improvements to their network
Our verdict on download speeds:
A draw“5G and 4G speeds are identical between VOXI and Vodafone. The main differences between the two networks are in the other features and benefits they offer. We go over those further down the page.”
Same: extra network features
We go over all the additional network features either provider offers✔ WiFi calling and 4G calling is similar on both networks
WiFi calling lets you make calls over WiFi instead of traditional call signal (3G/2G). 4G calling does the same thing, but with 4G signal. Vodafone and VOXI offer very similar WiFi/4G calling features.
If you’re on WiFi call and you lose WiFi signal you’ll be switched over to a 4G call without it dropping (but call will drop if you then lose 4G signal). And both networks let you send/receive texts over WiFi/4G.
VOXI and Vodafone support the same devices for WiFi calling (older ones are missing so check yours is compatible here). VOXI offer WiFi calling on every plan, while Vodafone don’t offer it on their Basics plans.
As both networks have these as features and are essentially the same in these two aspects, there’s really not anything now separating VOXI and Vodafone in terms of their raw mobile network.
Useful link: FAQs about Vodafone's WiFi calling
✖ Free WiFi hotspots aren’t offered on either network
We like it when networks offer free WiFi hotspots for their users to connect to on the go, especially when users can log in automatically. It’s handy for staying connected and saving a bit of data.
Both providers used to offer free, unlimited WiFi on the London transport network as part of the TFL WiFi scheme. But Vodafone scrapped this benefit a while ago and as such VOXI also don’t get access to it.
Free WiFi from other sources is a lot more common these days anyway, but you’ll still end up using more data on the go than on the networks that still offer WiFi hotspots. It’s worth bearing in mind, especially on a small data plan.
Useful link: Full details on Vodafone's free WiFi scheme
Our verdict on extra network features:
Draw"The only difference here is that you don’t get WiFi/4G calling on Vodafone’s Basics plans. Other than that the two are identical for network features."
Vodafone vs VOXI's benefits
Different: roaming policies
Which network is better for using your SIM abroad?
✖ Roaming is only offered on Vodafone’s premium plans
You no longer get inclusive EU roaming on Vodafone’s regular pay monthly contracts. New customers either have to pay a daily rate or take one of Vodafone’s premium plans to use their SIM abroad without buying passes.
By taking any of their 4 Xtras plans, you’ll get inclusive roaming in these 51 EU destinations. But if you take their priciest Unlimited data plan with 4 Xtras you can roam in an extra 32 worldwide destinations.
While you’re abroad you’ll be limited to 25GB of your monthly allowance. That’s absolutely loads but could be frustrating if you’re an absolutely massive data user or if you’re on an “unlimited” data plan.
On any other plan (including their Basics plans) you’ll have to pay a daily rate to roam. It currently costs £2 a day to roam in the EU and £6 a day beyond the EU, no matter how much of your plan you actually use.
Useful link: Know all costs before you go abroad
✖ VOXI’s EU roaming scheme has been scrapped
VOXI used to be the much better network for EU roaming between the two, but now they no longer offer EU roaming as standard. Like Vodafone, you’ll have to pay a daily rate to roam in their EU destinations.
You have to pay £2 a day to use your VOXI SIM in these EU countries or take a temporary roaming pass, which are better value per day. You’re also limited to 20GB and VOXI’s Unlimited benefits don’t work while abroad.
VOXI don’t include worldwide roaming, but you can take a Global Roaming Extra. These give you a small amount of mins, texts and data to use over a limited time span. If not, you can pay as you go at these rates.
The changes they’ve made to their roaming mean VOXI sit in joint-last place in our list of the best EU roaming networks. At least Vodafone include roaming on some plans, VOXI don’t offer it on any.
Useful link: Full costs and charges when roaming on VOXI
Our verdict on roaming:
A win for Vodafone“VOXI’s roaming passes do work out as better value for roaming in the EU, and their Global Roaming Extras are cheaper than Vodafone’s worldwide roaming rate. But Vodafone win here as they’re the only network to offer any inclusive roaming between them.”
Different: other added benefits
What extra benefits do either network give you?
✔ Unlimited Social Media offered on every VOXI plan
One of the best things about being on VOXI vs being on Vodafone is their Unlimited Social Media data benefit. In our view it’s the best unlimited social media scheme of all UK networks.
On any VOXI SIM only or phone deal you’ll essentially get unlimited data to use for these social media apps. When you use these apps over data your usage won’t eat into your monthly allowance.
Typically, text based apps like Twitter don’t use a lot of data in the first place. But you can save a decent amount of data when loading images or videos on these apps (so long as you stay on the app).
You used to be able to get a similar Social Media data pass on Vodafone, but not any more. It’s definitely a big advantage of being on VOXI vs being on their parent network.
Useful link: VOXI's full guide to Unlimited Social Media
✔ And you get Unlimited Video on VOXI’s higher end plans
On top of their unlimited social media data benefit, VOXI include unlimited data to stream YouTube, Netflix and these other video streaming apps on their bigger data plans.
With this benefit you can stream these apps without eating into your data allowance. It’s a great way of staying entertained on your commute and tethering to larger devices without worrying about data usage.
All of these plans come with the benefit:
To see if their Unlimited Video was truly “unlimited” we let a 4K Youtube video play for a whole day using our data. The YouTube app said we had used up hundreds of GBs, but our data allowance was untouched.
With this you’ll never have to worry about eating through your data when watching videos or streams. Like with many of their benefits, Vodafone scrapped their own similar Video Passes.
Useful link: More about VOXI's Endless Video
✔ Entertainment subscriptions on premium Vodafone plans
You can get one subscription from a small range of entertainment services when you take one of Vodafone’s pricier Entertainment plans. These are offered as SIM only or on phone deals.
Last time we checked you could choose a subscription to YouTube Premium (video streaming), Amazon Prime (films and TV) or Spotify Premium (music streaming).
When you choose your service you’ll be subscribed to it until your contract is over. But unlike VOXI, however, you don’t get free unlimited data to use with these services. Using them on data will come out of your allowance.
This isn’t a freebie, as you’re paying for a pricier plan in order to get these subscriptions in the first place. It’s worth making sure you’re paying less than being on a cheaper plan and a subscription separately.
Useful link: Full offer details and terms
Our verdict on extras:
A win for VOXI“VOXI offer much more than their hosts in terms of added benefits. Their Unlimited Social Media and Video benefits can save users a genuinely impressive amount of data. Vodafone’s Entertainment plans are just a way of getting users onto pricier plans. VOXI easily win here.”
VOXI vs Vodafone's deals
SIM only deals
Are VOXI a cheaper network than Vodafone?
Plan
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How we judge SIM only plans:
Win for VOXI“VOXI offer more data for your money, while also giving you more benefits than Vodafone. On top of that, every VOXI plan is on a flexible 1-month deal and you don’t have to pass a credit check to join. Another easy VOXI win.”
Special offers
The best current deals offered by both networks
Phone contracts on VOXI vs Vodafone
Which network gets you better value or more flexible phone deals?
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Upfront: (Any upfront cost)
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✔ Good value and flexible phone contracts on VOXI
VOXI offer all of their smartphones on what are called “split contracts”. When you take a phone from them, your monthly bill is split between the cost of paying back your phone and your usage (mins, texts, data) plan.
You’ll usually pay off the cost of your phone over 30 months. But you can pay lump sum amounts to shorten the length of your agreement. And you can switch or leave your SIM plan as you like after the first 30 days.
One benefit of split contracts is that you have the freedom to change your usage plan (which you can do every month) or leave it entirely when you so wish. It typically means networks can offer cheaper overall deals.
But one downside is that it can be more difficult to be accepted for these deals if you don’t have a credit history or have missed bills in the past. Networks have to be careful, since you’re not paying up front.
Useful link: VOXI's FAQs about their phone contracts
✔ Flexible split contracts with Vodafone’s EVO plans
Vodafone’s EVO scheme offers the newest smartphones on split contracts that are very similar to VOXI’s. You pay off the cost of your phone and usage plan as separate payments.
This is a nice improvement over the kinds of phone contracts they used to offer. These bundled the cost of your phone and SIM plan into one, which meant you couldn’t switch SIM plans before you paid off your phone.
The contracts they offer tend to be fairly expensive, so it’s worth looking at resellers Carphone Warehouse and Mobiles.co.uk who can offer cheaper contracts while still getting you onto Vodafone.
You can also choose a contract length between 12 and 36 months, which is more flexible than VOXI’s 30 month maximum. And you can pay lump sum amounts to reduce the monthly cost or length of your contract.
Useful link: Carphone Warehouse vs going direct
Our verdict on phone contracts:
A fair draw“VOXI are a bit better than Vodafone on price, but aren’t quite as cheap as the third party resellers. Vodafone offer more flexibility, but it’s up to you if that’s worth the extra cost. Your choice between them will come down to what you want out of your contract.”