Compare Unlimited data is great because you never need to worry about overspending or running out of data as you endlessly use up gigaloads of the stuff.
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Networks offering unlimited data
There are currently 12 UK networks which offer unlimited data Three, Vodafone, EE, iD Mobile, O2, Smarty, GiffGaff, Lycamobile, VOXI, BT Mobile, Lebara Mobile and Virgin Mobile.
All of these operators have some form of restriction and unique selling points, so it makes sense to get fully up to speed with the ins and outs of unlimited data packages.
To help you choose from the wide range of unlimited data plans on the market we've handpicked the best unlimited data SIM only deals. They all come with no speed restrictions and offer great value for money.
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12 Month Plan Unlimited data Unlimited mins Unlimited texts |
£18 a month |
| 5G ready at no extra cost, no speed restrictions and worldwide roaming | ||
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1 Month Plan Unlimited data Unlimited mins Unlimited texts |
£20 a month |
| 1 month rolling plan with 4G data, no speed restrictions, and EU Roaming | ||
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24 Month Plan Unlimited data Unlimited mins Unlimited texts |
£30 a month |
| 5G plan with no speed restrictions and worldwide roaming | ||
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12 Month Plan Unlimited data Unlimited mins Unlimited texts |
£34 a month |
| 4G plan with data gifting and EU Roaming | ||
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Pay As You Go Unlimited data Unlimited mins Unlimited texts |
£35 |
| 5G ready at no extra cost, no speed restrictions and worldwide roaming | ||
Three
Three offers truly unlimited data on SIM Only, Pay Monthly and Pay As You Go phone plans, as well as unlimited Mobile Broadband plans.
There are no speed restrictions on Three's unlimited data plans and you can tether as much data as you like. All Pay Monthly and Pay As You Go SIM plans are 5G ready at no extra cost.
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12 Month Plan Unlimited data Unlimited mins Unlimited texts |
£18 a month |
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24 Month Plan Unlimited data Unlimited mins Unlimited texts |
£11 a month Half price for first 6 months |
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1 Month Plan Unlimited data Unlimited mins Unlimited texts |
£24 a month |
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| All plans include 5G at no extra cost, Worldwide roaming in 71 destinations and unlimited tethering | ||
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Pay As You Go Unlimited data Unlimited mins Unlimited texts |
£35 Lasts for 30 days |
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Pay As You Go Unlimited data Unlimited mins Unlimited texts |
£90 Lasts for 90 days |
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| All plans include 5G at no extra cost, Worldwide roaming in 71 destinations and unlimited tethering | ||
Data roaming also comes at no extra cost on all plans and covers 71 worldwide destinations in Europe and beyond. Data roaming on Three is limited to 20GB in Go Roam In Europe destinations and 12GB in Go Roam Around The World destinations.
At the time of writing there’s no fair usage policy for unlimited data on Three. The network used to mention a 1000GB monthly soft cap (which is still far more than most people would ever use), but reference to this has been removed.
- Related reading: Three Coverage and Network Review
Vodafone
Vodafone also offers unlimited data SIM Only and phone plans including the option for unlimited 5G data.
A choice of 3 plan types are available, each of which offers different maximum download speeds. Unlimited Lite plans offer max download speeds of 2Mbps (fast enough to browse and stream music), Unlimited plans offer speeds up to 10Mbps (fast enough to stream HD video), and Unlimited Max plans offer the maximum available speeds with no restrictions, and in reality are the only ones able to benefit from 5G speeds.
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Unlimited 5G Lite Max download speed 2Mbps |
24 Month Plan Unlimited data Unlimited mins Unlimited texts |
£22 a month |
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12 Month Plan Unlimited data Unlimited mins Unlimited texts |
£24 a month |
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1 Month Plan Unlimited data Unlimited mins Unlimited texts |
£28 a month |
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Unlimited 5G Max download speed 10Mbps |
24 Month Plan Unlimited data Unlimited mins Unlimited texts |
£26 a month |
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12 Month Plan Unlimited data Unlimited mins Unlimited texts |
£28 a month |
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1 Month Plan Unlimited data Unlimited mins Unlimited texts |
£32 a month |
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Unlimited 5G Max Max download speed: Fastest available |
24 Month Plan Unlimited data Unlimited mins Unlimited texts Max download speed: Fastest available |
£30 a month |
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12 Month Plan Unlimited data Unlimited mins Unlimited texts |
£33 a month |
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1 Month Plan Unlimited data Unlimited mins Unlimited texts |
£37 a month |
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| All plans include roaming in Europe and unlimited tethering | ||
Tethering is included and you can use up to 25GB per month when roaming in 51 European countries. On Unlimited Max plans free roaming is extended to a total of 81 countries, not all of which are in Europe.
There is also the option to add an Entertainment bundle to the 12 or 24-month Unlimited and Unlimited Max plans for an extra £7 per month, which gives you a choice of a subscription to Amazon Prime Video, Spotify Premium, NowTV Entertainment or Sky Sports Mobile TV for the duration of the contract. Entertainment packages are also available on Pay Monthly with a handset.
Vodafone now also have an unlimited Pay As You Go plan, which costs £50 a month. It's a 5G plan that comes with roaming in 48 European countries with a 25GB limit and you'll also get VeryMe Rewards.
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Pay As You Go Unlimited data Unlimited mins Unlimited texts |
£50 |
| Includes 5G, roaming in Europe and unlimited tethering | ||
- Related Reading: Vodafone Coverage and Network Review
EE
EE now offers unlimited data plans on SIM Only and with Pay Monthly phones.
A choice of two different unlimited plans are available, which both come with tethering and include 50GB roaming allowance in 48 European countries.
The cheaper of the two unlimited plans is the Essential plan, which comes with 4G data and is available a 12-month plan. While, EE's unlimited Smart plan adds 5G data and includes 1 Swappable Benefit, but is only available on an 18-month contract.
Swappable Benefits currently available to choose from are Amazon Prime Video, BritBox, BT Sport Ultimate, Video Data Pass and Roam Further Pass. Find out more about Swappable Benefits.
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12 Month Essential Plan Unlimited data Unlimited mins Unlimited texts 4G plan |
£34 a month |
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18 Month Smart Plan Unlimited data Unlimited mins Unlimited texts 5G plan + 1 Swappable Benefit |
£35 a month |
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| Both plans include roaming in Europe and unlimited tethering | ||
Those who have multiple plans on their account can also gift up to 100GB of data per month to another EE plan, which is good for those with children with heavy data usage.
There is a premium to pay for choosing EE, but the network offers higher average speeds and has more widespread coverage than its rivals.
- Related Reading: EE Coverage and Network Review
O2
O2 was the last major network to begin offering unlimited data. It’s available on SIM Only plans and with select Pay Monthly phones.
There are no speed restrictions as such, but note that some of O2’s unlimited plans only offer 4G, so double check what you’re buying.
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18 Month Plan Unlimited data Unlimited mins Unlimited texts |
£33 a month |
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12 Month Plan Unlimited data Unlimited mins Unlimited texts |
£35 a month |
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| Both plans include 5G, roaming in Europe and unlimited tethering | ||
Free data roaming in Europe has a 20GB limit per month, however some plans also let you roam further afield. Plans also include unlimited tethering, so you can share internet with other devices over a personal hotspot.
- Related reading: O2 Coverage and Network Review
Smarty
Smarty, which uses Three's network, offers a great value unlimited data SIM plan which comes with no speed or tethering restrictions.
Smarty's unlimited plan is a 1-month rolling plan that comes with 4G included, which differs from Three's plans because it doesn’t include 5G at the time of writing.
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1 Month Plan Unlimited data Unlimited mins Unlimited texts |
£20 a month |
| Includes roaming in Europe and unlimited tethering | ||
Currently, Smarty only offers SIM only plans, so no unlimited Pay Monthly phones or Mobile Broadband plans are available.
Data roaming is limited to 20GB per month and you can only roam for free in 35 European destinations, which is another key difference with Three's plans, as these include roaming in 71 worldwide destinations.
- Related Reading: Smarty Mobile Review and Coverage
iD Mobile
iD Mobile, which uses the Three network and is owned by Carphone Warehouse, now offers an unlimited data plan on a 1-month rolling contract.
Roaming abroad in 50 European countries is included and you can also tether as much data as you like. When roaming there’s a fair usage policy applies which states that if you spend more time abroad in a 4-month period than in the UK you may be asked to prove you have strong ties to the UK.
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1 Month Plan Unlimited data Unlimited minutes Unlimited texts |
£21 a month |
| Includes roaming in Europe and unlimited tethering | ||
Unlike Three's unlimited plans, iD Mobile's unlimited plan is not currently 5G ready at no extra cost, so you'll only be able to enjoy 4G speeds. At the current time iD doesn't specify a fair usage policy with regards to data usage in the UK.
- Related reading: iD Mobile Review and Coverage
VOXI
VOXI, which is a network run and owned by Vodafone, is now offering a 5G unlimited data plan that’s been branded Endless Data.
Importantly, VOXI's unlimited data plan comes with 5G as standard and has no speed restrictions. Tethering is also included so you can share data over a personal hotspot, and you also get free roaming in Europe.
Overall, VOXI's unlimited data plan is a slightly more affordable alternative to Vodafone and it comes with ultimate flexibility, as there is no contract, meaning you can leave at any time.
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1 Month Plan Unlimited data Unlimited minutes Unlimited texts |
£35 a month |
| Includes 5G, roaming in Europe and unlimited tethering | ||
- Related reading: VOXI Network and Coverage Review
Giffgaff
Giffgaff offers an unlimited data goodybag (add-on), which can be purchased with SIM Only or a mobile phone.
There are some restrictions, with only the first 80GB of use per month being at full 4G speeds. After that speeds are capped at 384kbps between 8am and midnight, which is quite slow. You can tether, but the same speed restrictions apply.
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Pay As You Go Unlimited data Unlimited minutes Unlimited texts |
£25 a month |
| Includes roaming in Europe and unlimited tethering | ||
Free roaming meanwhile is fully capped at 20GB per month and the only way to use your data beyond Europe is to pay for the roaming data separately (which generally costs 20p per megabyte).
- Related reading: GiffGaff Review and Coverage
Lycamobile
Lycamobile has launched unlimited data plans, and these also give you unlimited minutes and texts.
One of these plans gives you unlimited data at 4G speeds, while on the other speeds are capped after the first 9GB of usage per month to just 128kbps, which is only around 5-10% of normal 4G speeds. You also can’t tether on Lycamobile.
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Pay As You Go Unlimited data Unlimited minutes Unlimited texts |
£20 a month |
- Related reading: Lycamobile Review and Coverage
Virgin Mobile
Virgin Mobile also offers unlimited data, but only to customers who have Virgin TV or Virgin broadband.
That makes it quite restrictive, but if you fit into that camp then it is truly unlimited and at 4G speeds, and you can get it for £32 per month on SIM Only or at various prices on Pay Monthly.
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12 Month Plan Unlimited data Unlimited minutes Unlimited texts |
£30 a month |
| Includes roaming in Europe and unlimited tethering | ||
You also get unlimited data for tethering – or at least, according to a customer service agent we spoke to you do, however at the time of writing there’s no confirmation of this on Virgin Mobile’s website.
However, unlimited data isn’t available on mobile broadband plans. There are also restrictions when roaming. This cap changes though, so for an up to date figure, use Virgin Mobile’s fair use calculator.
- Related reading: Virgin Mobile Review and Coverage
BT Mobile
BT Mobile is offering an unlimited data SIM plan, but only to BT Halo customers (previously called BT Plus).
The plan costs £25 a month and comes with unlimited data, plus unlimited minutes and texts. It also includes tethering and free roaming in Europe. As part of the package you also get an unlimited home phone plan worth £12 a month.
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12 Month Plan Unlimited data Unlimited minutes Unlimited texts |
£25 a month |
| Includes unlimited home phone plan worth £12, roaming in Europe and unlimited tethering | ||
- Related reading: BT Mobile Review and Coverage
Lebara Mobile
Lebara (which runs off Vodafone’s infrastructure) offers a 30-day SIM Only plan that comes with unlimited 4G data, minutes and texts.
The network additionally lets you roam for free across the EU and use your data to tether, but the big selling point if you also get unlimited international calling to 41 countries, including Australia, United States, Canada, India, New Zealand, China and many more.
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1 Month Plan Unlimited data Unlimited minutes Unlimited texts + Unlimited international minutes |
£35 a month £10 for 1st month |
| Includes roaming in Europe and unlimited tethering | ||
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Related reading: Lebara Mobile Review and Coverage
What about the other UK networks?
The other UK networks currently don't offer unlimited data. However, many do have high data limits.
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Operator |
Max data |
Tethering |
Roaming |
|---|---|---|---|
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FreedomPop |
4GB |
4GB |
N/A |
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Plusnet Mobile |
12GB |
12GB |
15GB |
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Sky Mobile |
20GB |
20GB |
20GB |
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Tesco Mobile |
100GB |
100GB |
100GB |
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Asda Mobile |
15GB |
15GB |
15GB |
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Ctrl Mobile |
30GB |
30GB |
30GB |
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Talkmobile |
30GB | 30GB | 30GB |
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Audacious |
10GB | 10GB | 10GB |
FreedomPop
FreedomPop has a range of SIM Only plans offering up to 4GB of data. You can use this data to tether if you also subscribe to its Premier service.
The network doesn’t currently offer any Pay Monthly, Pay As You Go or mobile broadband plans, and you can’t roam on any of its current plans. All plans come with 4G speeds as standard.
Plusnet Mobile
Plusnet Mobile only has SIM Only plans and these come with up to 12GB of data (though it tops out at 10GB if you’re not a Plusnet broadband customer) at the time of writing.
However, these are regularly changed special offers. The standard plans top out at 10GB/5GB depending on whether or not you’re a Plusnet broadband customer. You can use any or all of this for tethering and up to 15GB for free roaming. 4G is included as standard.
Sky Mobile
Sky Mobile offers both Pay Monthly and SIM Only plans and these include up to 20GB of monthly data. You can also get up to 20GB of data with a tablet. You can use as much of this as you want for tethering or roaming. Sky Mobile also supports 5G.
Tesco Mobile
Tesco Mobile gives you up to 100GB of data on both Pay Monthly and SIM Only plans, and you can use as much as you want for tethering.
You can also get Pay As You Go bundles with up to 16GB of data, but there aren’t any mobile broadband plans. 5G data is offered, as is free EU roaming.
Asda Mobile
Asda Mobile’s SIM Only plans come with up to 15GB of data, all of which can be used for tethering. You can also Pay As You Go.
The network offers standard 4G speeds and provides free EU roaming.
Ctrl Mobile
Ctrl Mobile briefly offered an unlimited data plan, but that is no longer available, with the maximum available data now being 30GB a month. EU roaming is included.
Talkmobile
Talkmobile offers SIM Only plans with up to 30GB of data, which is a middling allowance. You can however use this to tether and roam.
Audacious
Audacious is focused on improving call quality for people with hearing loss, so it’s not a network most people will probably be considering, but if you are, you can get up to 10GB of monthly data, which is rather low.
Is unlimited data really unlimited?
Yes, in most cases unlimited data really means unlimited.
Most networks do have a fair usage policy, but they are only in place to identify commercial or illegal usage. Therefore, those using the plans for personal usage don't need to worry about them.
However, you should note that some networks implement speed restrictions on unlimited plans. You can view any restrictions or significant fair usage policy for each network in the table below.
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Network |
Restrictions |
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Three |
None |
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Smarty |
Fair usage policy of 1000GB per month |
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EE |
Fair usage policy of 1000GB per month and maximum 11 tethering devices at once |
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O2 |
Fair usage policy of 650GB per month and maximum 11 tethering devices at once |
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Vodafone |
Fair usage policy and speeds restricted on Unlimited Lite (2Mbps) and Unlimited (10Mbps) plans |
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iD Mobile |
None |
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BT Mobile |
BT Halo customers only |
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Lebara Mobile |
None |
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Giffgaff |
Speeds restricted to 384kbps at peak times after 80GB usage |
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Lycamobile |
Tethering not permitted and on some plans speeds restricted to 128kbps after 9GB usage |
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Virgin Mobile |
Existing Virgin Media customers only |
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VOXI |
General fair usage policy |
EE Unlimited Fair Usage Policy
Personal, non-commercial use only. If you regularly tether 12 or more devices, we will consider this non-personal use and have the right to move you to a more suitable plan. We will consider usage above 1000GB/month to be commercial use and have the right to move you to a business plan.
Smarty Unlimited Fair Usage Policy
With our Unlimited plan there’s no hidden ‘fair use policies’ within the UK, giving you all the access to the Internet you’d need without worrying about hefty bills and no data speed restrictions. Even if you used your phone for every minute of every day, you’d only use around 1,000GB each month. We’ve set a usage cap at 1,000GB in order to identify commercial use of our service for example, which is not permitted under our terms.
O2 Unlimited Fair Usage Policy
You may not use your Unlimited Data for commercial or illegal purposes.
Usage of Unlimited Data is subject to our Fair Usage Policy. Where you regularly tether to 12 or more devices, [or] have used 650GB of data twice within a 6 month period… we may investigate your usage further to ascertain whether your Unlimited Data usage is for the permitted use. Where following such investigation we determine or reasonably suspect that your usage is for purposes other than the permitted use then we reserve the right to transfer you to a more suitable plan.
