Cheap mobile phones

Where can you find cheap mobile phone deals?

When you’re looking for the best deal, cost plays a big part in choosing a new mobile phone. According to a 2022 Uswitch study into mobile phone statistics and usage, over 50% of people surveyed claimed that cost was the deciding factor in choosing a new handset/device.

The latest phones, like Apple’s iPhone 13 and the Samsung Galaxy S22, can cost over £50 per month or more for a contract on some networks, so it can be hard to justify the expense.

With that in mind, we've found the cheapest mobile deals out there for you to compare in our table above.

We think you'll be surprised at the range of great mobile phones and affordable tariffs available.

Compare all mobile deals and offers.

Which networks offer cheap mobile deals?

Most mobile networks offer at least one standout cheap mobile phone deal, which is aimed at people who don't want to spend a lot of money on their phone bill each month.

One important thing to consider, though, is that low-cost mobile phone deals come in many forms.

The term 'cheap phone deal' might refer to mobile phone tariffs with cheap call rates. Or it might be taken to mean cheap monthly payments on a great-value talk plan.

Selecting the right smartphone deal for you depends on your budget and your usage habits.

Below, we take a look at the sort of prices you can expect to pay when you sign up with the UK's major carriers and take a look at each carrier's selling points.

O2 mobile deals

You can get some great affordable mobile deals on iPhone, Samsung, Google and OnePlus handsets from as little as £20 per month.

Three mobile deals

Three's low-cost packages should come in just shy of £23 per month and feature great data allowances.

Tesco Mobile mobile deals

Like Virgin Mobile, Tesco Mobile is pitched at more cost-conscious consumers. Tesco Mobile's major selling point is that customers qualify for free Clubcard points each time they pay their mobile phone bill.

This can spell significant savings, especially in households with three or four Tesco Mobile handsets.

Pay-monthly deals from Tesco Mobile start from £9.49 per month.

EE mobile deals

EE offers a premium 4G and 5G service, so is less wallet-friendly than some rival operators.

However, if a super-fast service and the UK's widest network coverage is what you require, EE's prices are well worth paying.

giffgaff mobile deals

giffgaff call rates and allowances on its SIM only 'goodybags' plans are among the UK's cheapest.

The downside of the low-cost service is that there's no official customer support.

However, the silver lining here is that subscribers can cut more money off their bill by volunteering to help answer customers' questions in giffgaff's user forums.

Vodafone mobile deals

Like EE, Vodafone is known for premium pricing that reflects its network quality and generous allowances.

However, it could argued that with benefits such as free Spotify and Sky Sports, you're actually getting a pretty good deal for your money.

What if I want a cheaper deal but want to keep my existing phone?

One of the best ways to get a super-cheap mobile phone deal is to opt for a SIM only deal from any of the major mobile phone networks.

SIM only plans, which cover only airtime, data and texts and don't include a new handset, are ideal if you're happy with your existing mobile phone and don't feel the need to upgrade to a newer model.

SIM only deals are becoming more popular because they allow people the ultimate freedom in handset choice as well as the chance to save money.

Compare SIM only deals