Best pay as you go (top-up) Sims

If you’re looking to avoid an expensive phone contract, particularly if you already own a device, a pay-as-you-go (PAYG) deal could be a useful choice. You pay for what you use and won’t be locked into a contract or long-term commitment.

They're particularly useful for people who have a phone more for emergency or occasional use, since you can top up by the amount you need rather than being tied to a fixed monthly fee. However, there are some things you need to know to decide if PAYG is right for you.

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What is PAYG and how does it work?

There’s two types of PAYG and network provider websites often describe various types of contract as ‘pay as you go’, so make sure you’re clear which you’re buying:

• Traditional top-up: you add credit to your account, usually a minimum of £5 or £10 per transaction, then pay a standard rate for each call minute, text, or megabyte of data as you use it. There will be a minimum use policy, such as topping up or making a call or sending a text every 90 or 180 days, to keep the account active. 
• 30-day bundles: these are paid for in advance for a fixed price and include a set amount of minutes, texts and data lasting for a month. These can be set to auto-renew, or you can buy extra bundles when needed.

We’ll focus on traditional PAYG as it’s more distinct from other types of rolling Sim deal than a 30 day bundle.

Is PAYG the best option for an emergency phone I will rarely use?

It could be, but depends on how infrequently rarely means. Unless you can find a Sim-only deal that works out cheaper than £10 every three months, a PAYG deal could be the best option.

As you'll see below, many PAYG providers enforce minimum top-ups and can charge a lot for calls, so you'll need to choose carefully to ensure you don't get stung if you do need to use the phone more than expected.

If you need a new phone to pair with your PAYG or rolling Sim deal, read our advice on how to buy the best simple phone, which will be ideal for occasional use.

Which mobile networks offer PAYG Sims?

Most networks still offer traditional top-up PAYG Sims, although they may not advertise them as prominently as bundles and long-term Sim contracts. You can compare prices in the table in the next section.

Sky Mobile, Smarty, Talkmobile and Voxi do not offer traditional PAYG options, instead focusing on rolling monthly bundles of calls, texts and data.

Vodafone has a version of PAYG, ‘Pay as you go 1’ which charges £2 per day when you use your phone and gives unlimited calls and texts plus 50MB of data.

See where your provider ranks in our guide to the best and worst mobile networks.

Adam Snook, Which? mobile networks expert says:

'The mobile networks market has changed a lot since the days of PAYG being common and as cost-effective as monthly bundles. There's a tipping point where if you're frequently using your phone,  PAYG costs can spiral into being too expensive. It simply can't compete with the prices offered by rolling monthly Sim-only. However, if you have a phone that is only occasionally used, such as for emergencies, PAYG can be a good option as you don't need to top up every month. With some networks it's as infrequently as every 180 days. The increasing availability of Wi-fi calling from a variety of networks is helpful to PAYG users, as you can avoid spending money on calls, or using data by making calls using a Wi-fi connection instead.'

How do prices compare for PAYG?

PAYG prices are wildly variable, ranging from 1p per call minute with 1p Mobile or Talk Home, to 55p with O2. How often you need to use your phone or top up also differs, so make sure you’re with a network that suits your usage, as it may end up being cheaper to get a rolling monthly Sim. Before deciding on which network to use, you should also check our mobile signal quality map to find which performs best in your area.

Our picks for the best PAYG network for:

• Very rare or emergency only use - Asda Mobile
• Occasional use - 1p Mobile
• Frequent use - get a cheap Sim-only bundle deal instead

Is a Sim-only contract cheaper than PAYG?

Depending on how much you use your phone, PAYG may not be the cheapest option. However, if you’d still prefer the flexibility, make sure you’re using one of the cheaper networks that charge 5p or less for call minutes, texts or data, otherwise costs may spiral.

Using 1p Mobile’s signature PAYG tariff as an example: it charges 1p per minute for a call, 1p per text and 1p per MB of data. Some phone tasks work out at these prices:

• Two hours of phone calls (120 minutes at 1p per minute) is £1.20
• 150 texts (at 1p per text) is £1.50
• 500 MB of data (at 1p per MB) is £5

This totals £7.70, and it is possible to find Sim-only bundles for the same price or less. 1p Mobile itself offers a rolling Sim-only plan with 5GB of data and unlimited calls and texts for £5 a month.

However, if you have particularly low data needs, 1p Mobile’s PAYG tariff is worth looking into. You have to top up at least £10 every 90 days – the credit doesn’t expire and can be refunded if you want to switch providers.

Another option is Asda Mobile, as it only requires £5 to be topped up every 180 days. However, calls, texts and data are more expensive at 15p (one minute), 10p (one text) and 10p (one MB). Compare this minimum spend to how much a rolling monthly Sim would cost you in the same time period.

If you need a new phone to pair with your PAYG or rolling Sim deal, read our advice on how to buy the best simple phone, which will be ideal for occasional use.

The cheapest Sim-only deals

If you’re not convinced PAYG is right for you and would rather get a bundle, here are some of the cheapest Sim-only deals you could opt for instead.