Guides
Questions worth answering before you sign
Plain-English guides to phone contracts, SIM only and switching — built on live prices and the rules networks have to follow.
bemobiles tips
Which guide should I start with?
If your contract has ended, start with “What now?”. If you’re buying a phone, “Is it cheaper to buy outright?”.
Are prices in the guides live?
Yes — tables pull today’s deals from retailers, and network facts are checked monthly.
Where are network reviews?
In the Networks section, one page per network.
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- 30-day rolling plan
- No credit check
- EU roaming included, 12 GB
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Total cost
Is it cheaper to buy a phone outright in 2026?
We priced five popular phones both ways — the cheapest 24-month contract with April rises, and the SIM-free price plus a 30-day SIM — using today’s live deals.
Price rises
Every network’s April price rise, in pounds
Since January 2025, mobile and broadband providers must state annual rises in pounds and pence before you sign. Here is each network’s rise and what it adds over two years.
End of contract
Your phone contract just ended. What now?
When the minimum term ends you’re free to switch, but most people keep paying the same — including the cost of a phone they’ve already paid for. Here is what to do instead.
Switching
Switch network and keep your number by text
Switching network takes one free text and about a minute. Your new network moves your number within one working day, and you never pay for notice periods after the switch.
eSIM
Which UK networks support eSIM?
An eSIM is built into your phone — you download it instead of waiting for a SIM card. Here is which UK networks offer it, and how to set it up.
Credit checks
Phone contracts with a thin or bad credit file
A hard credit check is standard for pay monthly phones. Here is what networks check, which SIMs skip the check entirely, and how to build a history.
Where to start
| Your situation | Read this first |
|---|---|
| Your contract has ended or ends soon | Your phone contract just ended. What now? |
| You want a new phone | Is it cheaper to buy a phone outright? |
| Your bill went up in spring | Every network’s April price rise, in pounds |
| You’re moving to another network | Switch network and keep your number |
| You want to avoid a SIM card in the post | Which UK networks support eSIM? |
| You’ve been refused, or have a thin credit file | Phone contracts with bad credit |
How we write our guides
Every guide is written from the rules networks have to follow and the facts they publish — Ofcom’s switching and price-rise rules, each network’s terms and its published price rises — and checked every month. Where a guide shows prices, they come live from UK retailers. If something has changed and we haven’t caught it yet, tell us through the contact page.
For quick definitions see the glossary, and to run the numbers for your own situation use our calculators.