Compare 30-day SIM-only deals

Best 30 day SIM only deals this week

What does '30 day SIM-only deals' mean?

The term '30-day SIM-only deals' refers to flexible, rolling-contract SIMs that you're free to leave with just with 30 days' notice. They also afford you to the option to upgrade or downgrade your allowance just as easily. 

Other than that, 30-day SIM-only deals operate just like 12-month SIM contracts, in the respect that you pay a monthly charge by direct debit in return for a pre-determined allowance of calls, data and texts.

Does a rolling contract mean I can cancel at any time?

It does – you just need to give 30 days’ notice. Once you cancel, you can’t leave immediately, as you’ll need to wait out your notice. But this certainly beats having to see out the remainder of a long contract, or facing early termination fees. This flexibility is what makes rolling SIM-only deals so appealing to many people.

And if you don’t cancel, your plan will simply ‘roll over’ and start again once those 30 days are up. This is very handy if you’re happy with your current plan, as you don’t need to remember to top up every month.

How do 30-day SIMs work? 

You can put 30-day SIMs in any mobile phone you want, so long as the phone is unlocked and you get the correct size SIM card.

They're almost always rolling contracts. So they renew automatically every month until you want to cancel. Just remember to end your plan when you're ready to move on.

Which networks offer 30-day SIM-only deals?

You aren't short on choice for rolling one-month SIMs. Lots of networks offer this kind of plan. They include…

giffgaff 30-day SIM only deals

Giffgaff offers a number of monthly rolling plans, which get you more data than a pay-as-you-go deal. You also get inclusive roaming in the EU and coverage courtesy of O2. 

iD Mobile 30-day SIM only deals

iD Mobile's plans are affordable and offer inclusive roaming in 50 locations, as well as excellent 4G and 5G coverage via Three's network. 

SMARTY 30-day SIM-only deals

SMARTY offers some excellent value plans, which are flexible and get you money back for unused data. And you can use your plan for tethering too. 

Three 30-day SIM-only deals

Three has a wide array of 30-day SIM tariffs, all of which come with access to its customer rewards scheme (via the Three+ rewards app) and the UK's fastest 5G network.

Vodafone 30-day SIM-only deals

You can expect lots of choice, reliable service, and free extras thrown in on Vodafone Red plans. 

Some plans offer inclusive roaming in up to 81 locations, as well as a three-month free trial of SecureNet security software. 

Pros and cons of 30-day SIM-only deals

The good...

• They're flexible – you can change or cancel a plan whenever you want
• Ideal for short-term use if you only need a plan for a little while
• There's loads of choice of tariffs from lots of networks
• 30-day SIM plans without a credit check are available

The less good...

• Usually more expensive per month than 12-month or 24-month SIM deals
• You need to buy or already own a phone
• Switching networks for only a short time can be a bit of a hassle, though Ofcom's 'Text to switch' process makes it much more seamless than before

What to look for in 30-day SIM-only deal

The best and easiest way to find a good value 30-day SIM is to use our mobile deal comparison tables at the top of this page:

• We'll show you a range of SIM plans from all corners of the mobile market, including major networks as well as smaller ones, so you can compare all the available options
• To find 30-day SIM deals, just select the 'one-month' contract length from the toggle at the side of the page
• You can filter by anything else you want to as well, such as budget, network, and monthly allowance – and sort the results by cost to see the cheapest deals first. Then simply click on one you like, and we'll take you straight to the provider to sign up

Cheapest 30-day SIM deals

The most wallet-friendly 30-day SIM plans from household-name networks start at around £5 per month. But if don't mind going with a lesser known network – for example, the likes of Lebara and Lycamobile – you can sometimes get a one-month SIM plan even cheaper.

Is it cheaper to get a rolling SIM-only deal?

One of the best things about a SIM-only rolling contract is that you can switch to a better deal as soon as you see it.

If you don’t mind switching networks, and you keep an eye on what new deals are around, you could save a pretty penny compared to a 12-month or longer-term SIM-only contract.

30-day SIMs with freebies

Choosing 30-day SIMs doesn't mean you miss out on customer rewards. For instance, O2 customers on 30-day plans are still enrolled in its Rewards and Priority schemes.

The same goes for Vodafone, which extends its VeryMe incentives to 30-day SIM customers too. 

30-day SIMs with a good data allowance

According to a 2022 Ofcom report, the average person in the UK gets through 5.6GB a month. So most of you will be fine with a relatively low data allowance. 

However, if you're not sure how much data you use you can check by opening your network's app on your smartphone. 

Alternatives to 30-day SIMs

• Unlimited data SIMs
• Pay-as-you-go SIMs 
• Cheap SIM-only deals 
• 5G SIM-only deals

Do SIM cards expire if not used?

Yes, but the length of time that unused SIM will stay active depends on which network you're with. Most household-name networks will keep a SIM active so long as you've topped up once or made a single chargeable call over the last six months. 

However, less well known, smaller networks generally aren't so generous and some cancel SIMs if there's no activity on the SIM for just three months or so. 

Do I have to top up 30-day SIMs every month?

No, on 30-day rolling SIMs your monthly allowances will automatically renew every 30 days and a the payment will be taken from your account by direct debit. So there's no need to top up. 

Is there a pay-as-you-go SIM that doesn’t expire?

A 30-day rolling SIM-only deal is as close as you’ll get to this. Because the contract renews automatically every 30 days, it keeps on going until you either switch to a new deal or cancel your contract.

Does data roll over on a SIM-only 30-day plan?

Some SIM only 30-day plans involve data rollover. However, each offering differs depending on the network, so make sure you read the small print.

Sky Mobile, for example, lets you store your rolled over data in an online ‘piggybank’, where it stays for up to three years, ready to be used at any time.

But some networks only let you roll over data into the next month, after which it expires.