giffgaff SIM only deals

Our best giffgaff SIMs this week

Why choose a giffgaff SIM? 

• Among the UK’s cheapest SIMs
• Good allowances at really good prices
• No credit check required
• Get cash back for helping out in customer forums
• Flexible, so you can cancel at any time
• All plans allow you to tether

Is giffgaff a good network?

giffgaff is highly regarded by its customers, as evidenced by its ‘Excellent’ rating on customer review site Trustpilot.

Coverage quality is good, thanks to the fact that its service is founded on the O2 network that covers over 99% of the UK for 4G.

And although O2 isn’t the fastest network, giffgaff customers can still expect average 4G speeds of 18.2Mbps according to an Opensignal study in 2020.

But it’s important to note that giffgaff is relatively unconventional by the standards of mobile phone networks. And that's  because, unlike all its rivals, it doesn’t offer telephone-based customer support.

Instead, giffgaff relies on its community of customers to provide help. In return, customers get what are called ‘Payback Points’, which they can trade for cash, credit or a donation to charity.

Read our full giffgaff network review here.

What to look for in a giffgaff SIM contract

Whenever you’re choosing a SIM, the critical things to consider are monthly allowances and price. And it's no different with giffgaff SIM only plans. 

The good news is that all giffgaff’s SIMs are well priced and all come with unlimited calls and texts. So your sole consideration is how much data you need.

As a rule of thumb, most people get through about 5GB per month.

But the best way to check your usage is to open your network’s app on your smartphone, where you’ll be find out exactly how much data you use. Then choose a SIM accordingly.

Because giffgaff SIMs operate on a rolling-contract basis, you can always upgrade or downgrade your plan if you end up using more or less data than you expected.

See the best sim-only deals in the market to compare giffgaff.

Cheap giffgaff SIMs

Does giffgaff offer SIM plans for bad credit?

Many giffgaff SIMs operate on a pay-as-you-go or one-month rolling contract basis. And because there’s no contract and no credit check to pass, you’ll be able to get one even if you’ve got a bad credit rating.

12-month giffgaff SIMs

Unusually, giffgaff does not offer 12-month SIMs. However, it does offer 18-month contracts. Although these require a longer-term commitment, you're free to switch up your plan every month (for example, if you require less data one month).

giffgaff SIMs with unlimited data

You can get an unlimited SIM plan from giffgaff, which also offers unlimited calls and minutes. But expect to pay substantially more than than giffgaff plans with restrictions on usage allowance.

Should I get unlimited calls and texts with my giffgaff plan?

All giffgaff plans come with unlimited minutes and texts. So you don’t have to worry about how many calls you make or how many text messages you send.

Which networks’ SIMs are good alternatives to giffgaff?

iD Mobile, SMARTY andVOXI are all keenly priced and occupy a similar place in the market as giffgaff.

And just like giffgaff, all three networks keep prices down by doing away with customer reward schemes and other freebies.

Can I use my giffgaff SIM abroad?

Yes, all giffgaff SIMs allow you use your UK allowances in the EU and a few extra destinations. The full list is Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, French Guiana, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Guadeloupe, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Martinique, Mayotte, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Reunion, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden.

Can I get 5G giffgaff SIMs?

You can. But you'll need a 5G SIM and a 5G-enabled phone to use it in. To check 5G coverage in your locality, take a look at the 5G availability checker on giffgaff's site. 

Can I keep my mobile number if I switch to an giffgaff SIM-only deal?

Yes, you can. You’ll just need to request a PAC (porting authorisation code) from your existing network. You can get a PAC by ringing your network, or you can request one by sending a text message.

Do I need an unlocked phone to use an giffgaff SIM?

Your phone will need to be unlocked to use a giffgaff SIM. But the good news is that if you bought your phone from a household-name network in the last few years, there’s a very good chance it will be unlocked already.

To find out for sure, find a friend or family member who is with another network and insert their SIM in your phone. They'll need to have the same SIM card that's the same size, but If the SIM works, your phone is unlocked.