Searching for a phone plan you can get with an eSIM?
In this article, we’ve taken a look at five of the best mobile networks in the UK that support eSIMs at the moment.
For each network, we’ve assessed them based on their speeds and coverage, value for money, customer service, and more, to help you decide between them.
Contents
- Cheapest eSIM deals
- Best UK eSIM providers – our reviews
- What you need to know when buying an eSIM
- Conclusion
Cheapest UK eSIM deals
Best UK eSIM providers – our reviews
1. Three
Three was one of the first major mobile networks to offer eSIMs, and they now offer them on all of their SIM-only deals and pay monthly phone plans.
There are a few reasons we like Three:
- They’re the cheapest big four mobile network on the market at the moment.
- They offer the fastest 5G speeds in the UK, on average, and their coverage is quite good as well.
- They have a huge range of plans to choose from, all of which are eSIM-compatible.
The main downside to Three is their roaming allowances aren’t the best. You’re limited to just a 12GB monthly fair usage limit overseas, no matter how much data you have on your plan.
But if you just want an eSIM for a reasonable monthly cost, with very fast 5G speeds, they’re definitely worth looking at.
2. spusu
While Three has the UK’s fastest 5G, EE is best when it comes to overall mobile coverage, including on 4G.
The problem is, buying a SIM from EE can be very expensive. And their plans often come with speed caps.
To overcome this, you can buy from spusu instead – a smaller provider that uses the EE network.
spusu is quite simple, but their SIM-only deals are good value for money, and are all eSIM compatible.
If you live in a rural area and often struggle with signal, or just want to prioritise good 4G speeds and signal, we think spusu can be a great choice.
The one issue we found with spusu when testing them is, it can be a bit tricky to cancel your SIM, compared to other providers. We had to get in touch with their customer support team to do this.
3. EE
While it can be expensive, buying from EE directly is also a great choice if you want an eSIM with really good coverage, throughout the UK.
They’re not the cheapest provider on the market, and when it comes to SIM-only deals, EE doesn’t have the biggest range of tariffs available. They currently offer 5GB, 25GB, and unlimited data, with no 100GB or 150GB options for example.
Apart from their coverage, the best thing about EE is their UK-based customer support team is very helpful. We think they have the best customer service of any major mobile network on the market right now.
Just be on the lookout for speed caps – many EE SIM plans are limited to just 100 Mbps.
4. giffgaff
In terms of overall value for money, it’s hard to go past giffgaff if you want an eSIM.
They’re one of the cheapest mobile networks in the UK at the moment, and their plans are very flexible as well.
They have a heap of different SIM plans to choose from, including many on a month to month contract, with no credit checks required when buying.
You can also choose an 18 month contract as well, if you’d prefer to lower your monthly cost as much as possible.
One of the reasons giffgaff is so cheap is they use O2, which is the worst 5G network in the UK at the moment, in terms of average download speeds.
Although, we normally receive download speeds of more than 200 Mbps with them in our area, which is quite good.
And when it comes to 4G coverage and speeds, giffgaff performs well in most parts of the UK.
5. O2
If you’d prefer to buy from a big four mobile network directly, O2 is also worth looking at.
They don’t have the best 5G, as we mentioned above when discussing giffgaff, but they have a good range of eSIM-compatible plans available.
There are also extras you get with O2, which aren’t available when buying from giffgaff or another smaller network using their infrastructure.
For example, they normally include Amazon Prime or Disney+ for a limited period if you buy a SIM on a contract. Plus, you can also get a speed boost on your Virgin Media broadband plan if you’re already a customer with them.
Also, O2’s roaming allowances are quite good, especially in the EU. Their fair usage limit is nice and high, more than double what some of the other big four networks are offering at the moment.
What you need to know when buying an eSIM
Below, we’ve explained some key things you need to know before buying a phone plan with an eSIM.
Which mobile networks currently support eSIMs?
As eSIMs have become more popular, the number of mobile networks offering virtual SIMs as an option has increased significantly.
Currently, the following mobile networks offer eSIM plans:
- Three
- EE
- spusu
- Vodafone
- VOXI
- O2
- giffgaff
- Lyca Mobile
- Tesco Mobile
- Sky Mobile
- Honest Mobile
Notable providers that do not offer eSIMs include Smarty and Asda Mobile.
Is my phone eSIM compatible?
Most newer phones support eSIMs, but if your device is quite old, it may only support physical SIM cards.
To tell if your phone supports eSIMs:
- On Android, go to Settings > Connections > SIM manager, and look for the “Add eSIM” option.
- On iOS, go to Settings > Mobile and look for the “Add eSIM” option. In general, Apple devices from the iPhone 11 onwards support eSIMs, including the iPhone XS, XR, and SE (2020 and 2022).
If you’re switching networks, you also need to make sure that your phone is not locked to a given mobile carrier, which you can do in the Settings app.
If your phone is locked, and you’re out of contract, you may need to contact your provider for an unlock code before you can change to an eSIM provider.
How to buy and set up an eSIM
To get started with a new eSIM plan:
- Purchase a SIM on the mobile network’s website, and choose the option for eSIM delivery.
- You will receive an email with instructions on setting up the eSIM. In general, you can add an eSIM by scanning a QR code that your provider will send to you. You can take a screenshot of the QR code and use it under Settings > Connections > SIM manager > Add eSIM (Android) or under Settings > Mobile > Add eSIM (iOS). You can also add the eSIM manually, using a string of text, instead of a QR code.
- Your provider may email you a separate confirmation code that you need to type in.
- Once added, the eSIM will set itself up, which will take a few minutes. At this point, you can normally get online and begin using your number immediately.
- If the eSIM still isn’t working, you may need to change the APN. The correct APN to use will be supplied in the installation instructions from your mobile network. This can be changed under your SIM or mobile data settings on both Android and iOS.
When following this process, make sure you are connected to WiFi, and have good internet signal. A stable internet connection is required for the eSIM to set itself up.
How to switch from a physical SIM to an eSIM
If you’re converting an existing SIM to an eSIM, the process is a bit different.
- On Android, you may have to contact your network and have them help you make the switch. Some providers allow you to make this request using their website or mobile app. Then, you’ll follow the process we outlined above.
- On iOS, go to Settings > Mobile Service and select your SIM, then look for “Convert to eSIM”. Follow the prompts to set up your eSIM. Then, remove the physical SIM from your iPhone, and restart the device.
Downsides to eSIMs compared to physical SIMs
There are a few downsides to digital SIMs compared to physical SIM cards it’s worth keeping in mind:
- With an eSIM, it’s more difficult to swap your plan or phone number between phones if you ever need to, such as if your phone breaks. However, when upgrading handsets, the process of transferring the eSIM is normally quite straightforward – it comes across as you port over all your apps, photos, and other settings.
- Not all networks offer eSIMs, meaning choosing an eSIM limits the number of different SIM deals you can choose between. Although, most UK mobile networks do now support eSIMs.
- The setup process can sometimes be a bit tricky, especially if the eSIM does not find the correct APN and network settings on its own.
The main benefit of an eSIM is it allows you to use multiple mobile plans on the same phone at the same time, even if you don’t have dual SIM slots.
eSIMs can also be much more convenient, in that you can get set up immediately without having to wait for a SIM card to arrive in the post.
Which is the cheapest eSIM provider?
The cheapest eSIM provider in the UK is normally giffgaff, but it depends on the deals they’re currently offering.
giffgaff tends to offer some of the cheapest SIM-only deals on the market at any given moment, and their plans are all eSIM-compatible.
Use our SIM-only deals page to compare the cheapest eSIM tariffs on the market when you’re reading this.
Which eSIM is best for visiting the UK, or new arrivals?
In general, you can still get a UK eSIM even if you’ve just arrived in the country.
The problem is, a lot of mobile networks require that you pay with a UK credit card linked to a UK address. So, the number of providers that offer eSIMs (or any type of SIM) in this situation is a bit limited.
If you’re new to the UK, or visiting as a tourist, we recommend using the giffgaff mobile app to get an eSIM.
We have found it can be downloaded from overseas, even on phones that do not have their App Store or Google Play region set to the UK.
Conclusion
You’ve reached the end of our eSIM deals guide.
For most people, we generally recommend Three if you’re looking for an eSIM, especially if you want fast 5G speeds.
If you’re still not sure which network to use, leave us a comment below, and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.
About the author
Tom is the founder of Green Smartphones. You’ll find him writing about phones on the Green Smartphones blog, or talking about SIM deals and mobile networks on our YouTube channel. He’s the Android expert on the team – currently using a Google Pixel 9, recently upgrading from a very long-suffering Note 20 Ultra. When he’s not working on Green Smartphones, you’ll find him playing football or hiking.