5. Voxi: Best unlimited data SIM for social media and streaming
Price when reviewed: £15/mth | View deal at Voxi
| Data | 90GB, plus unlimited use of social media, video and music apps |
| Unlimited calls/texts | Yes |
| Plan length | 30 days |
| Percentage of existing customers who would recommend Voxi to a friend* | 92% |
| Last reviewed by Expert Reviews | November 2023 |
*According to the Expert Reviews 2023 Mobile Network Awards survey
Benefits: Voxi is our favourite mobile network overall, receiving five stars out of five and an Expert Reviews Best Buy award in our latest in-depth Voxi review. SIM plans like this are why: for £15/mth on a rolling, 30-day plan, you’ll get 90GB (was 30GB) of 5G-compatible data plus unlimited usage of social media, video and music apps such as Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Netflix, Spotify and Apple Music. That’s extraordinary value for money, especially if you spend a lot of time on those apps.
In our write-up of Voxi, we praised the Vodafone-powered MVNO for its dazzling unlimited bonuses, fuss-free plans, rock-solid reliability and consistently high performance. No wonder it also scooped the top prize in the annual Expert Reviews Mobile Network Awards, as well as silverware in the Best Value and Most Reliable categories.
Drawbacks: The only real thorn in Voxi’s side is a lack of free EU roaming, with customers paying £2.25/day to access 20GB of data in the EU.
Read our full Voxi review
Why are other mobile networks not on the list?
There are a few household names missing from my list above but with good reason. In short, the reviews we gave them weren’t good enough to justify their inclusion. Below, I’ve rounded up a short explanation about why each of them was left out, complete with links to our full reviews.
1. Three: Lacklustre customer service
Three’s 5G performance and coverage results might have been good in our annual Mobile Network Awards survey, but it only received three stars out of five in our review due to its mediocre customer service feedback.
Read our full Three review
2. Vodafone: So-so performance
Vodafone also picked up a three-star rating in our review. While its bargain bundles certainly have the power to turn heads, it was let down by middling performance scores, below-average customer service and EU roaming charges.
Read our full Vodafone review
3. O2: Too expensive
O2 does do some things well, such as offering free roaming in the EU up to a fair use limit of 25GB, but it still received three stars out of five due to speeds that lag behind its rivals, low customer service scores and high prices.
Read our full O2 review
How do I find the best unlimited data SIM plans?
As Expert Reviews’ deals editor, there’s nothing I enjoy more than tracking down deals that will save you money without compromising on quality. A lot of thought, time and effort is involved in the process, but I’ve briefly summarised my methods below and you can find out more details in my article about how I source deals.
How good is the mobile network?
I bring together experts to produce in-depth reviews based on their years of mobile network-watching experience. That means every unlimited data SIM plan will be based on the latest in-depth review, along with the results of the Expert Reviews Mobile Network Awards customer survey. If a mobile network isn’t as good as the others or it hasn’t been reviewed yet, its plans won’t be recommended.
Is there something for everyone?
I realise that people have very different budgets, especially during a cost of living crisis. That means I’ll always make sure that there’s a worthwhile, budget-friendly plan in a roundup. That said, I won’t just recommend something because it’s cheap as you might end up having to pay more in the long run if the performance isn’t adequate.
Are there any hidden catches?
It can still be easy to stumble into a costly trap such as the new mid-contract price hikes, which see networks increasing prices by a set amount every year (usually the Consumer Price Index rate of inflation plus an extra 3.9%).
Wherever possible, I’ll avoid recommending any deal that will become more expensive as time passes. However, if one does make the list, I’ll always be transparent in the mini-review and justify its inclusion.
How to choose the best unlimited data SIM for you
How much should you spend?
Prices for an unlimited SIM can vary wildly depending on the length of the contract and additional features you’re getting. As a rule of thumb, though, we would hesitate to pay more than £30/mth for an all-you-can-use 5G SIM on a two-year plan. Anything under £20/mth might seem like a bargain, but you could be sacrificing speed or coverage so be sure to check the small print.
Third-party sites such as Affordable Mobiles and Mobiles.co.uk can offer eye-catching savings on SIMs, though you will often have to claim back the money via cashback after a set period. If you don’t mind the bit of extra paperwork, go for it, but it’s always worth checking the network’s site beforehand to make sure you’re not missing out on goodies.
How long should the contract be?
You can normally pick between a one-month, 12-month or 24-month unlimited SIM contract. We would opt for a two-year plan because that’s how you can get the most browsing bang for your buck. The shorter contracts, meanwhile, will appeal to users who don’t want to be tied down for so long.
Does download speed matter?
Most mobile networks, with the notable exception of Vodafone, don’t specify a separate speed for their unlimited data SIM and include a flat rate across all of their plans. We’ve mentioned the most recent Opensignal 4G and 5G download speed results in the bite-size reviews above.
Is it worth getting a 5G-capable SIM?
5G has already been rolled out across dozens of towns in the UK, but huge swathes of the country still aren’t covered. Consequently, it’s worth checking if you’re able to get the fastest speeds before you make a buying decision – there’s no point paying for a service that you can’t access. That said, you will find that many of the best unlimited data SIMs are now 5G by default.
Will you be able to use the SIM abroad?
Most of the leading mobile networks will offer some kind of scheme for using your SIM on your travels. Some opt for a daily data cap, while others let you use your entire allowance as usual. If there’s a particularly holiday-friendly extra available, it will be mentioned in our reviews.
What extras should you look out for?
All unlimited data SIM plans come with endless minutes and texts as standard, but networks also try to stand out from the crowd by throwing in useful tools such as personal hotspots or treats like money off subscription services. We’ve mentioned any permanent extras in our reviews, but it’s worth perusing our list of the best time-limited SIM-only deals too.
