The best mobile networks for 2024, based on our annual customer survey and full reviews

Choosing between the UK’s mobile networks is a challenge. Each one has its own line-up of pay monthly phone deals and SIM-only packages, and accurate information on features, speeds and coverage can be hard to come by. What’s more, the four major providers – EE, Three, Vodafone and O2 – have been joined by over 20 mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) with their own specialities and bargain no-frills deals.

Luckily, I can help point you in the right direction. I compared plans, prices and features across all the major networks, and checked for gotchas and hidden costs, such as expensive roaming fees. I’ve also factored in the latest available performance testing from RootMetrics, whose researchers roam the length and breadth of the UK testing signal strength, connection speeds, video streaming performance and more.

I’ve also checked Ofcom’s more recent customer service and complaint reports and – most importantly – the results of our own research. Every year, we survey our readers in partnership with YouGov to find out your opinions on the performance, reliability, value and customer support of the networks you use. The resulting data forms the basis for our Expert Reviews Network Awards.

Read on to find the best mobile network for your needs and budget, or scroll further down the page to find a comprehensive buying guide that covers everything you need to think about before you sign up to a new contract or splash out on a SIM-only deal.

Best mobile network: At a glance

How we test mobile networks

We base our in-depth mobile network reviews on research conducted specifically for the annual Expert Reviews Mobile Network Awards, and on published customer service, coverage and performance research from Ofcom and RootMetrics. We take all these results into account when picking out the best deals based on price, features, hidden charges, plus any useful perks or extras.

Expert Reviews Mobile Network Awards

Our most recent survey asked nearly 4,200 people about their satisfaction levels with their current provider, and how well their connection holds up while watching video, streaming podcasts and music, and browsing the internet. We also asked for more detail on any 5G services being used, to find out the benefits and problems readers may be experiencing with 5G connectivity on the major UK networks.

Ofcom

Ofcom’s Comparing Customer Service: Mobile, Landline and Home Broadband report provides a detailed indication of customer satisfaction with service, value and support for each network, including data on how many complaints are made and how they’re handled.

RootMetrics

Finally, RootMetrics runs in-depth performance tests across the length and breadth of the UK to capture figures for 4G performance and coverage – and also runs more specific 4G and 5G performance tests in 16 of the UK’s largest towns and cities. The results are updated twice a year.

The best mobile networks you can sign up to in 2024

1. Voxi: Best mobile network overall

Price when reviewed: From £10/mth (SIM-only) | View deals at Voxi

*According to the Expert Reviews Mobile Network Awards 2024 survey

Pros

Voxi is a sub-brand of Vodafone, running on top of Vodafone’s host network. It’s the biggest winner of this year’s Mobile Network Awards, scooping the overall Best Mobile Network Award and the Performance award, while tieing with Smarty for the Best Value Award. Nearly 63% of users told us they would be very likely to recommend the network to a friend, while a further 31.4% said they would be fairly likely – the best results for any network. Throw in decent scores for performance and customer service, plus improving 5G speeds, and Voxi gets the maximum five stars and a Best Buy award in my full Voxi review.

Voxi gives you generous amounts of data for reasonable prices, but it also has one other great feature. Even the most basic packages give you unlimited data for use in the seven biggest social media apps, while the more expensive plans throw in free streaming data for users with Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer and Tidal, plus Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and YouTube on the more expensive plans. And you still get the flexibility of a 30-day rolling subscription that you can cancel at any time.

Cons

Vodafone’s 5G services are getting faster, but coverage isn’t as good as it is with EE, Three or even O2. Voxi users also miss out on free international roaming. If you’re travelling abroad, you’ll need to splash out on a European Roaming Pass or Global Roaming Pass, costing between £2.45 per day and £25 for 15 days, depending on the region.

Read our full Voxi review

View deals at Voxi

2. EE: Best mobile network for speed

Price when reviewed: From £16/mth (SIM-only) | View deals at EE

*According to the Expert Reviews Mobile Network Awards 2024 survey

Pros

EE now celebrates its 11th consecutive year as the UK’s fastest mobile network, according to RootMetrics. Its UK-wide median download speed of 79.8Mbits/sec is 10Mbits/sec faster than it was last year, and over 35Mbits/sec faster than the second-placed Three. RootMetrics notes that 5G coverage now extends across over 60% of the UK, and EE’s consistent speeds and availability make it the UK’s top 5G experience.

Both pay monthly phone and SIM-only plans come with some enticing extras, and EE does better on customer service than the other three major networks, not just in our awards survey but in Ofcom’s research as well. I gave EE four stars out of five in the most recent EE review, because – for all-round performance – it’s in a league of its own.

Cons

IEE is expensive, and it doesn’t score as highly as the cheaper networks on value or overall customer satisfaction. A total of 22% were dissatisfied with the network’s value for money, and the satisfaction rate in this regard was 74%, lowest of all providers. Over 22% of users said they were unlikely to recommend it to a friend.

Read our full EE review

View deals at EE

3. Lebara: Best mobile network for international calls

Price when reviewed: From £4.50/mth (SIM-only) | View deals at Lebara

*According to the Expert Reviews Mobile Network Awards 2024 survey

Pros

Lebara consistently scores high for value, thanks to some fantastically cheap SIM-only deals where you can have unlimited calls and a decent data allowance for under a tenner. It runs on top of Vodafone’s network, meaning decent 4G performance and improving 5G coverage and speeds. What’s more, all Lebara plans come with between 100 and 500 international calling minutes per month, making the network a great option if you have family or friends abroad.

Lebara also supports free roaming not just in the EU but also in India. Our survey indicates that nearly 98% of customers think they’re getting plenty of bang for buck, netting Lebara a Highly Commended Award for Value in this year’s Mobile Network Awards.

Cons

Lebara did better on customer service than it did last year – over 67% of subscribers were very happy or fairly happy with their service and support. However, that still puts it behind nearly every other network bar iD Mobile. Cheap prices count for a lot, but networks can’t neglect the basics.

Read our full Lebara review

View deals at Lebara

4. Smarty: Best mobile network for big-data bargains

Price when reviewed: From £6/mth (SIM-only) | View deals at Smarty

*According to the Expert Reviews Mobile Network Awards 2024 survey

Pros

Smarty might never match its winning run in our 2022 Mobile Network Awards, but it ties with Voxi for our value award and grabbed a Highly Commended for Performance. Its biggest strength is its combination of low prices, generous data allowances and good all-round performance. It’s based on Three’s network, the UK’s second fastest and the speed winner for 5G performance in some areas. Yet it’s cheaper than the major networks, giving you big allowances for the kind of money that would get you under 5GB elsewhere. Its Unlimited deal is one of the cheapest in the business, and EU roaming is bundled in free.

No wonder Smarty has so many satisfied customers; 93% of those we surveyed would recommend it to a friend, and 100% felt satisfied with the value for money of their Smarty plan.

Cons

As Smarty grows it needs to keep an eye on its customer service. Just 67.5% of users said they were satisfied with it, while a full quarter (25.5%) said they didn’t know. Such results leave it lurking near the bottom of the customer service charts.

Read our full Smarty review

View deals at Smarty

5. Tesco Mobile: Best mobile network for customer support

Price when reviewed: From £7.50/mth (SIM-only) | View deals at Tesco Mobile

*According to the Expert Reviews Mobile Network Awards 2024 survey

Pros

Low prices and high performance aren’t the only things to look for in a mobile network, and Tesco Mobile has done well by putting customer service and value first. They’ve won our Customer Service award for the second year running, with just over 87% of users satisfied with the customer support that they receive. Nearly half (46.87%) were very satisfied. It says a lot that 84.22% of Tesco Mobile customers would recommend the network to a friend.

Tesco Mobile has some appealing deals and discounts, especially for families and Tesco Clubcard holders. All plans include free EU roaming until 2025.

Cons

Tesco Mobile is a virtual mobile network based on O2 – it’s actually a partnership between the supermarket and Virgin Media O2. O2’s speeds are improving, especially 5G coverage and performance, but it still lags behind Three, Vodafone and EE. Close to one in five Tesco Mobile customers told us they could rarely or never stream video while using their connection.

Read our full Tesco Mobile review

View deals at Tesco Mobile

View deals at Giffgaff

How to choose the best mobile network for you

What is a mobile network virtual operator (MVNO)?

Many of the networks on the list above are MVNOs, which simply means that they run on one of the four major UK networks: Vodafone, EE, Three and O2. As such, they share the coverage and average download speeds of their host networks, but have the freedom to set lower prices.

How much data do you need?

You can easily find 2GB to 4GB packages for £5 to £6/mth nowadays. We’d suggest looking at 10GB to 20GB contracts as the minimum, though, while some of the best value packages now come with 30GB, 100GB or more. That gives you the freedom to stream music and video or play online games, and if you plan to use your mobile as a Wi-Fi hotspot or use game streaming services, you might want to go even further. Unlimited data deals are no longer the expensive luxury they once were, either.

How long should your contract be?

Most SIM-only contracts generally last a year, but some networks are now offering compelling deals that sign you up for 18 months or two years. If you’re happy to make that commitment, you can save a few pounds per month or bag some extra data. Pay monthly phone contracts tend to last two years, sometimes three.

You’ll also see SIM-only deals that work on a rolling monthly basis, which gives you the flexibility to buy lots of data when you need it, and then switch down to a cheaper plan when you don’t. Smarty, Giffgaff, Voxi, Lebara and iD Mobile all offer great-value options here.

These rolling, 30-day plans also let you avoid mid-contract price hikes, which are increasingly common on longer-term contracts and usually involve the monthly cost rising by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rate of inflation plus an additional 3.9% every spring.

Do you need a family plan or a spending cap?

A few virtual networks allow you to take multiple SIMs on a single contract, and even share data between them. This may work out cheaper than taking out separate contracts, or net you useful perks or bonus data as a reward. What’s more, it gives you more control over spending, as you can decide which plan different family members need. Some plans even allow you to share unused allowances or a rollover pot.

Another way to keep costs under control is by setting spending caps. Most providers now support these, and they help ensure that, should you (or your offspring) burn through the allowance, you won’t get a horrific shock when you open the next bill.

Are you planning to roam abroad?

All UK networks used to allow you to use your call, text and data allowances while travelling within the EU, while a few allowed you to use them in other popular destinations, such as the US and Australia.

Sadly, post-Brexit, this is no longer the case. Vodafone, EE and Three now charge customers for inclusive EU roaming, and while most of the virtual network operators have yet to follow, you’ll still find a data cap in place for while you’re travelling abroad.

What’s the coverage like in your area?

There’s one other crucial thing you should check before you sign up: 4G and 5G coverage. If your network is weak in your area, it won’t matter how fast or how good it is elsewhere.

All mobile networks offer an online coverage checker, so you can enter your postcode and find out what services are available where you are. Ofcom also has a coverage checker that can tell you which of the four networks will give you data and enhanced data services.