VOXI Unlimited Video review: the best scheme in the UK

Unlimited Video is the best such scheme in the UK
☆☆☆☆☆ (video streaming benefit: 5/5, best choice)

"We don't hand out many full star ratings but we genuinely think Unlimited Video is the best unlimited streaming data on the market. It covers the most apps of any provider without paying for an extra monthly pass.

And as far as we can tell from our testing, it's genuinely unlimited in the UK. It's a shame to see it no longer working while roaming in the EU but it's the direction every network is taking.

It's liberating to just be able to sit and watch stuff on your mobile without that background itch telling you that your data's being used up. There's no excuse to be bored again."

Current Unlimited Video plans

Useful link: Read our full review of VOXI's network

Streaming certain apps won’t use your data

Think of streaming on data like you’re riding in a taxi. Every second you stream is like the meter ticking up. With VOXI’s Unlimited Video, you’re essentially stopping the meter and getting a free ride.

That means you’re allowed to keep streaming, without it coming out of your allowance. The usage won’t show up in your account, but you can usually see how much data you would have used on the streaming app itself.

We’ve tested it out ourselves and found it really was Unlimited. We streamed a HD video for 10 hours and when we came back we found that none of it had come out of our allowance, though the YouTube app claimed we got through 15GB in that time.

The benefit typically comes on plan worth £12 or above. That does make it a bit of a premium feature, especially when their Unlimited Social Media comes on all plans. But it’s still good it’s not just reserved for their priciest plans.

Useful link: All networks that offer free data streaming

Keep yourself entertained without having to worry about data usage

The key benefit of VOXI’s Unlimited Video is the peace of mind it gives you while streaming on the go. On a long commute? Want to keep the kids entertained on a long car journey? VOXI’s Unlimited Video is there to help.

Streaming on data is one of the fastest ways to eat through your allowance, especially if you tether to larger devices. So the benefit can help save a lot of data, whether you’re tethering or just streaming on your phone.

There’s a decent range of apps that are covered. You can stream YouTube, Amazon Prime, Tiktok, Netflix and a few other apps on the go without having to worry about whether you’re going over your allowance.

It’s all done automatically and it works right out of the box. There’s nothing to do manually. And it even works if you stream these services in your browser, but bear in mind it only works for the services listed.

Useful link: Read VOXI’s FAQs about their free data streaming

You can take a smaller plan that you might take on another network

No other networks include unlimited data streaming on their regular plans (though some offer it as a premium benefit). That means you usually have to take a larger plan if you want to stream on the go with other networks.

Again, you do typically have to take a plan worth £11 or over to get VOXI’s Unlimited Video benefit. But that’s a lot cheaper than taking a larger data plan on one of the main networks, and a bit cheaper than joining some of the cheaper networks.

All VOXI plans that include Unlimited Video

There are some networks that offer competitively priced large data deals, but even with these you still have to think about how much you’re streaming. And the smallest plan that gives you Unlimited Video still gives you a handy amount of data for other things.

We think the average user in the UK will struggle to get through the data allowance on the smallest plan that gives you Unlimited Video anyway, plus you also get Unlimited Social Media data with it. There’s rarely any need to splash out on a larger plan with VOXI.

Useful link: Compare VOXI SIM only deals

There are a few drawbacks to keep in mind

While we think it’s a brilliant scheme, there are a few things to keep in mind with the scheme that limit its usefulness.

Firstly, any ads that play while you’re streaming will use up your data allowance. This can add up to quite a lot if you’re streaming for a long time and in high-definition, and you could still go over your allowance if you’re not careful.

Secondly, you’ll have to have a little bit of data left over for the benefit to work. If you get through your entire allowance then you won’t be able to stream at all.

Thirdly, both Unlimited benefits will not work while you’re abroad. So if you’re looking forward to streaming by the pool, you’ll have to keep an eye on your usage, especially with their fair usage policy that limits you to 20GB while abroad.

Finally, there are a few notable streaming services missing. Music apps like Spotify and Apple Music aren’t covered, and video streaming apps like Apple TV+ and BBC iPlayer are noticeably missing.

We don’t think these downsides are enough to take away from how useful VOXI’s Unlimited Video really is, but they are definitely worth knowing before you join.

Useful link: See VOXI’s guide to their Unlimited Video scheme

Some networks let you stream different apps without using data

Sky Mobile are joint-first in our rankings for best free video data streaming networks, alongside VOXI. You can stream Sky’s TV apps on the go without using data so long as you’re an existing Sky TV customer.

The fact you have to have Sky TV at home is the only real downside to Sky’s scheme. We say it’s still on par with VOXI’s scheme, as it lets you stream a wider variety of apps (from sports to kids’ channels) and lets you do so on even their smallest plan:

EE offer their Video Data Pass as a Smart Benefit on their premium Smart Plans. This lets you stream these apps without using data. They also offer free trials on all plans, during which you can stream the services without eating your allowance.

We still put EE’s scheme behind VOXI’s, as it’s restricted to their pricier plans, the free data on trials only lasts as long as the trials themselves, and EE are typically pricier than VOXI in the first place (read our EE review here).

Out of the three, we’d say VOXI’s scheme is as good as Sky’s and a bit better than EE’s. But which one you prefer will come down to which apps you want to stream and what sort of SIM only deal you prefer.

Useful link: The best networks for free data streaming