Best mobile phone and Sim-only deals 2023

Or check our mobile phone reviews for popular handsets now only available second-hand, and read our guide on how to buy a second-hand or refurbished phone.

Samsung Galaxy A72 (original price £419, now around £235 second-hand)

If you're looking to save even more on your next smartphone, consider buying one second-hand. We've noticed that the Samsung Galaxy A72 is popping up in second-hand retailers from around £195 to £235 for an unlocked device, depending on the phone's condition. The mid-range device is equipped with a large 6.7-inch screen and four rear cameras for versatile shots, but it doesn't have 5G. It was released in March 2021, and you can keep it secure until March 2025 with regular security updates from Samsung. 

The cheapest deal we've found for one in a 'good' or grade B condition is from CEX in black for £235, which comes with a two-year warranty. Find out the full story of this phone in our Samsung Galaxy A72 review.

Also consider these popular phones that can now be found for cheaper at multiple second-hand retailers:

• Apple iPhone 12 (original price £799, now £349.99 second-hand) With the recent release of the iPhone 14, more and more iPhone 12s are appearing on the second-hand market. You should find them for around £340 to £575, depending on the phone's condition, and the cheapest one in good or grade B condition we found is at iOutlet for £349.99.
• Apple iPhone 12 Pro (original price £1,149, now under £500 second-hand) The iPhone 12 Pro is an upgrade from the 12 with better cameras. It currently goes for less than half its original price in 'good' second-hand condition. We've seen it for one of the cheapest at Music Magpie.
• Apple iPhone 12 mini (original price £699, now £320 second-hand) The iPhone 12 mini is now going for under half its launch price on the Amazon Renewed Store in "excellent condition". It will suit anyone who prefers a smaller screen but wants some premium cameras. Check it out on the Amazon Renewed store for £320.
• Samsung Galaxy S21 FE (original price £699, now £335 second-hand) This is Samsung's toned-down version of the Samsung Galaxy S21 with excellent specs. It was released in January 2022 but is already prominent on the second-hand market for £320-£520. It's available in good or grade B condition in olive at CEX for £335.

Find out more on how to make big savings on a second-hand phone.

Best Sim-only deals

If you're buying a phone outright, you'll need a Sim card. Here's our pick of some of the best low-, medium- and high-data deals in the sales.

Best low-data Sim-only deals 

You shouldn't pay for data you don't need, so if you're a particularly light user, opt for a cheap monthly contract that gives you the ability to switch around as circumstances change. Here are some highlights:

Talkmobile (Vodafone's network) – 4GB of data for £4.95 a month. A low-data deal with unlimited minutes on a one-month contract. Note that not all customers were satisfied with Talkmobile's service. Read our Talkmobile review if you want to see how customers rate it. 

Virgin Mobile (O2's network) – 5GB of data for £6 a month. This is a good deal on a rolling one-month contract.

Smarty (Three's network) – 12GB of 5G data for £7 a month. Smarty is including EU roaming in this low-cost Sim deal. It's on a one-month contract too, so it won't tie you down. 

Best medium-data Sim-only deals

These deals could be suitable if you use mobile data fairly frequently but don't require large amounts for activities such as HD downloading or streaming. Here are some highlights:

iD Mobile (Three's network) – 20GB of 5G data for £7 a month. You have to sign up for a 12-month contract to get this deal, but if you're looking for 15GB, it's a good price. 

Talkmobile (Vodafone's network) – 30GB of data for £7.95 a month. This is an excellent price if you are looking at the higher end of medium-data deals. It's on a one-month contract too, so it won't tie you down. Note that not all customers were satisfied with Talkmobile's service. Read our Talkmobile review if you want to see how customers rate it. 

Virgin Mobile (O2's network) – 25GB of 5G data for £8 a month. Another excellent medium data deal on a flexible one month contract.

Best high-data Sim-only deals

High-data deals are ideal for those who need them for continuous connectivity, downloading, streaming and hotspot use. These types of deals may require a 12-month contract, so consider how committed you are and how much data you're likely to use. These are some highlights:

Talkmobile (Vodafone's network) – 100GB of data for £11.95 a month. This is a decent high-data deal, on a one month contract. Note that not all customers were satisfied with Talkmobile's service. Read our Talkmobile review if you want to see how customers rate it. 

iD Mobile (Three's network) – 200GB of 5G data for £15 a month. You have to sign up for a 12-month contract to get this deal, but if you're looking for lots of data, it's a good price.

Smarty (Three's network) – Unlimited data for £16 a month. A great deal that includes unlimited minutes and texts with superfast 5G data, on a rolling monthly contract. 

Not found one that's quite right for you? Browse all the best Sim-only deals on Which? Mobile Switch.

Best mobile phone contract calculator

A key question will be whether you buy outright or on contract. How much each will cost overall can be difficult to work out, so use our calculator below to discover the best deal for you.

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Pros and cons of pay-monthly contract mobile phones

With a traditional pay-monthly contract, you pay a fixed minimum monthly fee by direct debit, which is made up of paying for the phone (usually through a credit agreement, meaning you get credit-checked) and the Sim itself, with an allowance of calls, texts and data. You'll have to commit to a period of time, typically two years. Depending on your plan, there may also be an upfront fee, which is something worth considering if you're set on a contract. 

What are the advantages of monthly contracts? 

• Free/cheap phones With a monthly contract, you'll get a wide choice of free or subsidised handsets, which is ideal if you fancy an upgrade. 
• Good value Paying in advance for a fixed amount of minutes, texts and data can be much cheaper than topping up a pay-as-you-go phone. 
• Hassle free You’ll never get cut off because you’ve forgotten to top up your credit. 
• Can build your credit score Paying off a mobile phone contract monthly can be a good way to build your credit score. Bear in mind that missed payments or defaulting can make your credit score drop. 

Are there any drawbacks with pay-monthly contracts?

There are a few. As mentioned, you may end up paying more overall, so you'll need to weigh this up against the appeal of a lower upfront cost.  

Pay attention to the length of the contract. Most last two years, but some can last three, in order to keep the monthly cost looking attractive. You should also make a note of when your contract ends. Some providers continue to charge you the full monthly cost, even after your contract has been paid off. 

If you exceed the minutes, messages or data in your bundle, additional charges can be significant. It's especially important to be aware of this while roaming. Most providers now set a default 'cap' to prevent this, but if you remove it in order to continue using your phone, costs can quickly spiral out of control. For more, read our guide on how to keep track of your minutes and data, and our guide on EU roaming and international calls. 

Consider network reception with a great mobile phone deal

Signal is another consideration. If you know a particular network is good for your area, you may want to stick with it but move to a different provider. If it isn't, it could be time to move. 

Here are the core networks the virtual providers use:

• O2 Giffgaff, Sky Mobile, Tesco Mobile
• Vodafone Asda Mobile, Lebara, TalkTalk, Voxi
• EE BT, Plusnet, Utility Warehouse, Virgin Mobile
• Three iD Mobile, Smarty Mobile

When it's time to switch mobile phone provider

If all else fails, it might be time to switch. Outside the big four – EE, O2, Three and Vodafone – a wide range of operators are now competing for your business, and some offer great-value Sim-only deals. Switching is easy and you should be able to keep your old number.

Arming yourself with a price you could get elsewhere is an important haggling tactic. Compare mobile phone contracts and Sim-only deals to find out how much you could be paying.

Smaller mobile networks consistently do better than the big four (EE, O2,Three and Vodafone) in our mobile networks survey. Read our guide to the best and worst UK mobile networks to find out more.

How to get the best mobile phone deal on popular brands

Generally, you'll find the best deals on mobile phones at retailers such as Amazon, Currys and John Lewis, rather than on the manufacturer's website. However, knowing when sales are on for specific mobile phone brands can be useful if you're trying to find the best deal on a specific model you want. 

iPhone deals

It's notoriously tricky to bag an iPhone on a budget – even older iPhones don't tend to see too many discounts. They hold their value better than older Androids, so you often see them on the second-hand market.

However, if you look in the right place at the right time, you can get some money off. Retailers such as Amazon and Argos occasionally bring their prices down, although you should make sure you're buying a new rather than refurbished handset.

New iPhones usually launch in September, so the end of the year is a good time to look for the previous models, particularly as the Black Friday and Christmas sales roll in.

Apple also offers a trade-in scheme, so you can knock down the price of a new handset slightly if you're upgrading from an older iPhone.

Browse all our iPhone reviews to see how all of Apple's handsets scored in our lab tests.

Google mobile phone deals

Google launches its flagship phones in October, so it's worth putting a Pixel on your shortlist late in the year.

You'll see the biggest bargains on older handsets, but even more recent phones can get some early discounts at major retailers such as Carphone Warehouse and Laptops Direct.

See if it's worth investing in a Pixel by reading our Google Pixel reviews.

Samsung mobile phone deals

If you're after a Samsung Galaxy on a budget, you might be tempted by some of its reasonably priced handsets from its A, J and M ranges. Mid-range models have come on leaps and bounds over the past few years, and spending £300-£400 can get you a slim, stylish, powerful model that may not look too different from a high-end version.

If you have your eyes on the premium prize, though, it could be worth holding out for a top-of-the-range Galaxy S or Note series. The Samsung S series usually launch in the first quarter of the year, with the first discounts on the latest handsets beginning in the summer. It's worth keeping an eye out on Amazon Prime Day in July.

Phones in the Note range tend to launch in August, so new models are ripe for a decent discount when Black Friday rolls around. If you miss out, the Boxing Day sales are a good time to buy, too.

We've reviewed more than 40 Galaxy phones. Pick your perfect model in all our Samsung phone reviews.

Mobile phones and security updates

Deals on phones are more common when they've been out for a little while, but depending on the brand and handset, this could mean they won't be receiving security updates for much longer. Check our security update calculator for models you're interested in buying. See our guide to mobile phone security  for more.