Compare 30 day SIM only deals

Some SIM-only plans - mobile contracts that consist of just a SIM that you can put in your own phone - last a year, but you can get some that are only for a month. Some are labelled '30 days', while others say 'one month', but they're essentially the same thing.

Most are rolling contracts, meaning that they continue after the month ends, so you'll barely notice that you're on shorter terms than a longer contract phone plan.

Why get a 30-day SIM-only plan?

The best part of a 30-day plan is the flexibility it gives you. You're not tied in to a year-long commitment, so you're free to stop, start, or change the tariffs on your plan whenever you want - with no penalty whatsoever. That makes it ideal if you want to try out different allowances, or get a plan to use short-term. You might not even need a credit check to get one.

The only drawback is that you'll need to already own a handset, or buy a new one outright. And, if you're concerned about costs, 12-month SIM-only plans tend to ultimately be better value - even with identical tariffs, a month on a 12-month plan is usually a bit cheaper.

Our best 30-day SIM deals this week

Which providers offer 30-day SIM-only plans?

• Asda Mobile offers good value deals from our favourite good value supermarket. All its SIMs are pay-as-you-go, but you can buy rolling 30-day allowances of calls, texts, and data.
• EE is the UK's biggest mobile network with the biggest 4G and 5G networks. It costs more than some providers, but with a 30-day plan from EE you'll get amazing coverage, speeds, and flexibility.
• iD Mobile, Carphone Warehouse's resident network, is pretty good on the value front too. Tariffs are low-price, 5G is included, and it's not half bad for roaming abroad either - even on just a 30-day plan.
• Lebara Mobile is also technically pay-as-you-go, but you can buy 30-day packs of calls, texts, and data - or sign up to one straight away when you order a SIM. It offers a huge range of one-month packs, many of which include fantastic value calling minutes to international numbers.
• O2 offers 30-day SIM plans with a ton of extras and perks. There's Priority for tickets to gigs and events, discounts for high street shops, and free use of O2 Wi-Fi hotspots across the country.
• Plusnet Mobile is another excellent value network with 30-day plans. It's got a small selection of straightforward tariffs to choose from with attractive prices - and Plusnet broadband customers get a data boost. 
• Tesco Mobile offers pay-as-you-go SIMs with Rocket Packs - a bundle of allowances that lasts 30 days. There's a monthly cap to stop you spending too much outside your allowance, and those all-important Clubcard points.
• Three is one of a few networks to offer plans with unlimited data - even on a 30-day basis. Your choice of tariffs with Three is pretty extensive, and with the Go Roam scheme you can use your allowance in up to 71 countries worldwide.
• Vodafone's 30-day plans aren't the cheapest, but there's a nice wide choice of tariffs - including a selection of unlimited data plans with different speeds and perks. 
• Virgin Mobile's SIM-only plans are all on 30-day rolling contracts. Monthly data allowances range from 4GB to unlimited data, and all plans come with unlimited calls and texts. Plus, there are some handy extras, such as data rollover.
• VOXI is a smaller network that also comes from Vodafone, with 30-day SIM deals.  You get a choice of monthly tariffs... but you can also use a bunch of social media apps free of charge, without any data coming out of your allowance.

To find the right one-month plan for you, compare deals with our tool above. Pick the allowances you want and any other requirements, and we'll show you a huge range of available deals.

Pros and cons of 30-day SIM-only deals

Pros

• No long-term contract, so you can switch or cancel whenever you want
• Very flexible – you can change your allowance month to month
• Plenty of choice, with lots of networks and allowances to pick from
• Can get unlimited data plans
• Good value, with lots of low priced SIMs
• Don’t usually require a credit check
• Can use in any phone, as long as it isn’t locked to another network

Cons

• Often more expensive than a long-term contract
• Need to already have a mobile phone, or buy one outright
• Often have fewer perks than longer contracts
• Less choice of networks than a long-term plan

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

The great thing about 30-day deals is that if you choose one you end up not liking, it’s no big deal – you’re only tied in for a month.

When looking for a deal though, here are some things to think about:

• Allowance – how much data do you need per month?
• Price
• Whether you need or want 5G connectivity
• Network – think about coverage in your area, and any perks you might want (e.g. O2 Priority)

30-day SIMs with free gifts

From time to time, special offers pop up from networks with free gifts when you sign up to their SIM plan. Others include special goodies as standard.

For instance, you might get extra data, free subscriptions to apps, or even gift cards.

Conversely, you may also see a pay-as-you-go SIM included as the free gift with other deals – such as a broadband bundle from Virgin.

30-day SIMS with a good data allowance

With so many mobile networks offering plans with unlimited everything – even on 30-day terms – it’s easy to find a one-month SIM deal with a high data allowance. You can find unlimited data deals, as well plans with 50GB, 100GB, or more data per month.

To find them, just use the table above. Adjust the data allowance filter to show the minimum amount of data you’re happy with, and we’ll show you all the available 30-day SIMs.

Do SIM cards expire if they’re not used?

Yes, they can do. SIM cards ‘expire’ in the sense that the network will no longer offer service to that SIM.

With most networks, the SIM will expire if you don’t use it for a long length of time – often three months on a lot of networks.

To make sure it doesn’t expire, keep your SIM in use. That means putting or keeping it in a working phone, sending or receiving calls and texts, or using 4G/5G mobile internet – at least once a month or so.

If it does expire, just contact the network. They’ll either re-activate your SIM or send you a new one.

How do I cancel a 30-day SIM plan?

Once you’ve paid for a month’s allowance on a 30-day SIM, you still have that to use for the remainder of the month. But if you want to cancel it after that, that’s no problem.

All you need to do is contact your network. They’ll deactivate your SIM and, if you’re switching entirely, close your account. If you want to keep your number, you can ask for a porting code too.

If you just want to take a break from your plan for a month or so, in most cases it’s as simple as not renewing at the end of the month.