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If you’re choosing a SIM Only deal for a child or teenager then there are a lot of things to bear in mind – and what you or they need from the plan might be different to what you’d want when shopping for a SIM Only plan of your own.
Key things you might want to consider include spending caps, so they can’t overspend, parental controls, so you can control what they have access to, family plans, so you can conveniently add their plan to your account, and more.
If you’re not sure what factors might be most important to you in choosing a SIM Only plan for a child or teenager, then jump to the end of this article, where we’ve looked more in depth at key considerations – including those listed above.
Or, if you’re ready to start choosing a plan, read on, because we’ve highlighted all the best SIM Only deals for kids and teenagers below, sorted into sections each focused on a different priority.
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Table of Contents |
Best for safety
ParentShield
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Feature |
Available? |
|---|---|
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Spending caps |
Yes |
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Parental controls |
Yes |
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Family plans |
No |
A mobile network designed specifically for children
While the other deals on this page are all from standard mobile networks, ParentShield is a network that’s designed specifically and purely for children.
It’s aimed primarily at children aged 6-12, though can be used with other ages too, and if you choose one of its ‘Roaming SIMs’ it combines the coverage of every UK network, so it can simply access the one with the best signal at any given time.
These SIM cards allow you to block all anonymous calls to and from your child’s phone, though you can further customise the call blocking to only block or allow certain numbers if you prefer.
You can also save ‘home numbers’, which can be called or texted at any time, even if your child runs out of minutes or texts.
Plus, calls and texts can all be recorded and stored online so you can review them, you can receive alerts to your phone if a message to or from your child’s phone contains concerning words or phrases, or if there are calls or texts to someone new, and there are spending controls and time controls – the latter of which controls when your child can actually use the phone (though ‘home numbers’ and emergency services will always remain contactable).
ParentShield’s plans aren’t cheap, which is the main downside of them, but they’re among the most feature-packed when it comes to keeping kids safe while giving them their own phone.
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50GB data Unlimited mins Unlimited texts |
£20.99 a month |
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12 Month Plan. Includes Roaming and Tethering. |
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Tesco Mobile
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Feature |
Available? |
|---|---|
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Spending caps |
Yes |
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Parental controls |
Yes |
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Family plans |
Yes |
Child Filters and Capped Contracts Turned On
If safety is one of your main concerns, then Tesco Mobile, which uses O2's network, is a good choice to consider.
By default, all users can only access content designed for under 18-year-olds. This can only be turned off via online age verification using your credit card. Spending caps are also available and can be setup either when buying a plan or at any point afterwards, so you can avoid any unexpected high bills.
If you have multiple SIM cards on one Tesco Mobile account, you’re also eligible for a family SIM deal with monthly perks that can save you money, increase your allowances, or benefit you in other ways.
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60GB data Unlimited mins Unlimited texts |
£15 a month |
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12 Month Plan. Includes Roaming and Tethering. |
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View all Tesco Mobile SIM Only deals
Best for streaming and entertainment
Vodafone
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Feature |
Available? |
|---|---|
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Spending caps |
Yes |
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Parental controls |
Yes |
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Family plans |
Yes |
Keeps Your Kids Entertained
Vodafone’s SIM Only plans stand out because some of them come with an included subscription to YouTube Premium, Disney Plus, or Amazon Prime, so they’re an excellent way to keep your kid entertained with shows and films.
However, if you’d rather your child didn’t spend hours glued to a screen you can also opt for a plan without these, at a lower cost.
Vodafone also offers unlimited data plans, and there are 30-day plans, so you can get a flexible one where you’re not tied in (though these shorter plans don’t include an entertainment subscription). And there are also optional spending caps and the ability to block age-restricted content.
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100GB data Unlimited mins Unlimited texts |
£12 a month |
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12 Month Plan. Includes Tethering. |
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View all Vodafone SIM Only deals
VOXI
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Feature |
Available? |
|---|---|
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Spending caps |
Yes |
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Parental controls |
Yes |
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Family plans |
No |
Unlimited Social Networking, Video, and Music
VOXI uses Vodafone's 5G mobile network and users can enjoy ‘Unlimited Social Media’ on Snapchat, Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Pinterest and Facebook Messenger. That means you can use these services without it coming out of your data allowance.
Many plans also offer ‘Unlimited Video’ on YouTube, Netflix, Prime Video, My5 and TikTok. This doesn’t include subscriptions to the services but means you can use them without it coming out of your data allowance.
But it doesn't end there because you can also get ‘Unlimited Music’ with select plans, which lets you use unlimited data on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Rayo, Deezer, Tidal, Napster, and Primordial.
Parental controls are also available, and – at least for data use – contracts are essentially capped, in that if you run out of data you have to manually buy more or wait for your plan to refresh, so there won’t be any unexpected data bills.
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80GB data Unlimited mins Unlimited texts |
£10 a month |
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30 Day Plan. Includes Tethering and Unlimited Social Media. |
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Best for value
Smarty
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Feature |
Available? |
|---|---|
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Spending caps |
Yes |
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Parental controls |
Yes |
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Family plans |
Yes |
Keeps Things Simple and Affordable
Smarty is a no-nonsense network that’s designed to keep things fair. All of its plans are just thirty days long so there’s no contract, and the pricing is consistently competitive, often undercutting the big-name networks.
Yet Smarty is run by Three, so it has the might of a big-name network behind it, and also has premium offerings like family plans, Wi-Fi Calling and VoLTE.
Plus, there are special plans known as ‘data discount’ ones, which refund you for any unused data, so you’re only paying for what you actually use.
The network also has parental controls that are applied as standard, and if you run out of data then you simply lose access until your plan refreshes – or you can buy a fairly-priced add-on, so there’s no risk of unexpected high data charges.
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40GB data Unlimited mins Unlimited texts |
£10 a month |
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1 Month Plan. Includes Roaming and Tethering. |
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View all Smarty SIM Only deals
iD Mobile
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Feature |
Available? |
|---|---|
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Spending caps |
Yes |
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Parental controls |
Yes |
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Family plans |
No |
Data Rollover and Spending Caps
iD Mobile – which uses Three’s network – stands out from the crowd by offering data rollover, meaning that unused data will be added to the next month’s allowance. That’s handy for if your child uses a variable amount of data each month, as it’s less likely to go to waste. All plans also come with Bill Capping, so you won't be hit by any unexpected bills.
Content restrictions are also easily added by logging into the account and turning them on.
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110GB data Unlimited mins Unlimited texts |
£10 a month |
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1 Month Plan. Includes Data Rollover, Spending Caps and EU Roaming. |
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View all iD Mobile SIM Only deals
Sky Mobile
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Feature |
Available? |
|---|---|
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Spending caps |
Yes |
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Parental controls |
Yes |
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Family plans |
Yes |
Data Rollover and Flexible Plans
Sky Mobile – which shares O2’s coverage – is another network that offers data rollover, meaning that data doesn’t get wasted, and where most networks only let you roll it over for one month, Sky Mobile lets you roll it over for up to a year – and if you add the rest of your family to the account then everyone can share that rolled over data.
Its plans are also flexible to begin with, as while you’re tied in for 12 months, you can adjust your allowances up or down whenever you want.
All of that makes it ideal for kids or teenagers who use a variable amount of data, or for if you’re not sure how much they’ll need. Beyond that, like many networks there are also optional parental controls and spending caps.
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100GB data Unlimited mins Unlimited texts |
£20 a month |
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12 Month Plan. Includes Tethering. |
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View all Sky Mobile SIM Only deals
Considerations when choosing a deal
- Spending caps
These are caps offered by some networks which prevent you spending more than a set amount, so there’s no danger of your child accidentally racking up big bills. Some networks have spending caps set by default whilst others require you to manually switch them on and the rest don’t offer this option.
- Parental controls
Another thing you might want to consider, especially with younger children, is parental controls. Basic controls, such as blocking adult content, are offered by a number of networks, and you can block in-app purchases in the Google Play Store or App Store.
- Allowances
When buying a SIM deal for a child or teenager you should consider how much data and minutes they actually need, and how much you’re comfortable with them using.
If their phone is largely to be used as an entertainment device – for example to watch YouTube or Netflix videos - then you might want a high allowance for them, especially if much of this usage will be happening away from home. In that case, consider 15GB or more.
But if you want them using it as a way to stay in touch with you then a far smaller data allowance should be adequate. You’ll still want some, especially if you plan to communicate with them by WhatsApp or the like, but 3-4GB should be plenty, and will limit their ability to over-use their phone.
- Pay Monthly or Pay As You Go
SIM Only plans on a Pay Monthly contract offer better value, come with additional extras not available on Pay As You Go, and eliminate the need to top-up on a regular basis. But stick to a 30-day plan with spending caps, and SIM Only is just about as flexible and as difficult to over-spend on as Pay As You Go.
Pay As You Go plans on the other hand give you total control over your child’s usage and spend, although one consideration is that your child may run out of credit and be unable to contact you, and these plans are typically more expensive.
- Contract length
It's also worth considering how long you want to be tied in for. If getting your child a SIM plan is more of an experiment, or if you’re not sure what kind of allowances to go for, it could well be worth going for a 30-day plan. This gives you the flexibility to easily change or cancel when needed. However, in our experience, 12-month or longer contracts generally offer better value for money.
- Data rollover
Few networks offer data rollover, but some of the ones we’ve highlighted above do, and this is a great feature if data use can vary a lot from month to month. Sky Mobile is especially good here, as unused data can be banked for up to a year. Smarty is another strong choice, as it actually refunds you for unused data (on select plans) rather than rolling it over.
- Family plans
Often if you’re getting a SIM plan for a child it can be convenient to add them to your account, and some networks go beyond just allowing multiple SIMs by offering discounts or perks as part of a family plan.
Of course, to get a family plan you’ll either need to sign your child up to the network you’re already on, or change network, so it could prove less ideal in that sense.
