GiffGaff Mobile Plans

GiffGaff mobile plans give customers a contract-free way to access data, make calls and send texts. Customers do not have to sign up to a contract with GiffGaff and instead buy a GiffGaff goodybag every month which gives them a set amount of data along with unlimited minutes and text messages. Alternatively, customers can add credit to their GiffGaff account and use GiffGaff pay as you go.

GiffGaff offer 4G services as standard with their normal GiffGaff goodybags, but customers looking to take 5G services with GiffGaff will need to purchase monthly golden goodybags instead as well as having a 5G-ready phone and SIM.

All GiffGaff mobile deals are delivered via the O2 mobile network, so customers will enjoy the same 4G and 5G coverage on GiffGaff as they would on O2.

GiffGaff has an excellent customer service record, ranking above all their main rivals for overall customer satisfaction in 2020.

When signing up for a GiffGaff SIM only tariff, customers will receive an adaptable SIM that can be used in any device, although customers signing up with a 5G handset will need to order a 5G SIM.

GiffGaff is one of the cheapest mobile networks around, and their customers rank them highly for value for money.

GiffGaff goodybags are a contract-free mobile option, enabling customers to take a set amount of data alongside unlimited minutes and texts every month. This will appeal to customers who don't like long contract commitments and who already own a handset outright to be able to use with their new GiffGaff SIM only tariff.

While GiffGaff do offer a range of handsets for customers to buy outright, their options for buying handsets on credit are in partnership with Klarna and may not be the cheapest way for a customer to get a new mobile device.

GiffGaff mobile deals use O2's mobile network, so customers on one of GiffGaff's SIM only deals will be using the O2 network to make calls, send text messages and access data.

Thanks to using O2's network, GiffGaff SIM only plans have good coverage across the UK, although specific coverage will depend on a customer's location so be sure to check the network coverage in areas where you spend a lot of time.

Both GiffGaff's 4G and 5G services are provided by O2, so customers will move seamlessly between the two services if they have a 5G-compatible device and a 5G-ready goodybag from GiffGaff.

GiffGaff SIM only packages are generally cheaper than comparable deals from O2. Their GiffGaff goodybags model allows GiffGaff to offer a more flexible service with deals that may appeal to customers looking for a more streamlined experience while still using O2's mobile network.

However, GiffGaff SIM only plans don't come with the same type of premium features we find with O2, so customers may miss out on some extras.

GiffGaff pay as you go tariffs are more like traditional pay as you go than O2's, with customers able to add credit to their account and use it up on a per call, per text and per MB of data basis. So, for customers looking for true pay as you go, GiffGaff offer that option while O2 have moved away from it.

GiffGaff offers 5G to customers with compatible devices who also have a 5G SIM and a golden goodybag as their monthly mobile plan.

Golden goodybags are currently the only way GiffGaff SIM only tariff customers can access 5G services on the network, and these GiffGaff goodybags work across the 4G and 5G networks, so customers will be able to use whichever network is prevalent in their area.

To use 5G, customers will need a 5G-ready device and they will need to request a 5G-ready SIM when signing up to GiffGaff. They should also make sure they activate that SIM when it arrives to allow them to use GiffGaff's 5G services.

5G from GiffGaff is delivered via the O2 5G network, so locations where O2 5G is currently active should offer 5G services from GiffGaff too. There is a coverage map on their website to allow potential customers to check.

GiffGaff goodybags are the bundles GiffGaff SIM only plans use to provide data, calls and texts to customers.

A goodybag comes with a set amount of data along with unlimited minutes and texts. It lasts for a month from the point of activation, with any unused data from that bundle being lost after the month is up.

Goodybags from GiffGaff can be set to recur automatically, so a customer's account will refresh every month with their new data allowance. Customers can also pay for normal 4G goodybags with the credit on their account or by using top-up vouchers.

GiffGaff goodybags don't have a customer commitment attached, so it's easy to cancel a plan or change to a different goodybag at any time.

Golden goodybags from GiffGaff are targeted towards 5G customers and they are the only way 5G customers on GiffGaff can access 5G services. However, golden goodybags also have higher data options than normal goodybags, so customers may prefer them for that reason.

Taking a GiffGaff golden goodybag is slightly different to taking a normal goodybag as golden goodybags must be set up as a recurring plan that will be charged to a credit or debit card each month.

There is no contract with golden goodybags though, so customers can cancel their recurring payment at any time without penalty.

Customers looking to use a golden goodybag with a 5G phone will need to make sure they have a 5G SIM from GiffGaff.

GiffGaff offers truly unlimited data with their £35 golden goodybag deal. Taking this premium package allows GiffGaff SIM only tariff customers to use as much data as they want at top speed until their goodybag expires after a month.

For customers looking at normal GiffGaff goodybags, the best on offer is their £25 goodybag which promises data that is Always On.

What Always On means is that customers will receive 80GB of data at full 4G speed - that is, the fastest 4G speed available on the network at any given time. However, after this 80GB, the speed of data will be throttled to 384kbps from 8am to Midnight.

GiffGaff say their Always On data plan is designed to give customers peace of mind that they are always connected, although the slower speeds will prevent customers from doing much with their data if they surpass the 80GB threshold.

GiffGaff SIM only deals are often some of the cheapest available, although this depends on what special offers mobile networks have on at any given time. The best way to check how GiffGaff SIM only plans stack up against their rivals' deals is to check our real-time SIM only plan tables.

Compared to major networks like O2 and Vodafone, GiffGaff offers good value for money as they offer a straightforward mobile service with no frills or extras. For customers who are simply looking for a straightforward data, minutes and texts plan with no long-term commitment, GiffGaff mobile deals are very useful.

Customers can compare GiffGaff SIM only deals by looking at the table above.

GiffGaff mobile plans come with a triple SIM meaning it can be used in any device, whether it takes a standard, micro or nano SIM. This ensures customers do not need to request a special SIM for their phone from GiffGaff and that the only thing they need to check before signing up to GiffGaff is whether they want a 4G SIM or a 5G SIM.

If customers want to use their existing handset with a GiffGaff SIM, it's important to check whether the phone is unlocked or not. Most handsets (including most from O2, the network used by GiffGaff) are unlocked as standard so they can be used with SIMs from other networks, However, a minority of handsets, especially older devices, may be locked to one network so it's worth checking whether this is the case.

GiffGaff mobile plans come with the ability to roam outside the UK, so customers will be able to use their goodybag in the same way they would at home in certain destinations.

For customers taking £20 or £25 Always On goodybags, customers will be charged a small amount per MB after they use up 20GB of 4G data. Customers with the £35 golden goodybag will also pay a small amount per MB if they exceed 20GB of data.

Other GiffGaff goodybags work the same way abroad as they do in the UK, so customers will be able to make calls, send texts and use their data as if they were at home.

GiffGaff offer inclusive roaming in the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, French Guiana, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Guadeloupe, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Martinque, Mayotte, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Reunion, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.

GiffGaff mobile plans do not come with a minimum term, so they can be cancelled at any point. Whereas networks like O2 and EE prefer customers to sign up for a longer term deal, GiffGaff SIM only tariffs are the same whether a customer intends to stay with them for a few months or a few years.

Customers can set GiffGaff goodybags (their bundles of data, texts and minutes) to recur every month. This means a new goodybag will automatically be charged to a customer's credit or debit card each month. Note: a golden goodybag must be set to recur in this way.

Normal goodybags can be purchased as and when they are needed without customers setting up a recurring payment from their account. However, it's important to remember all credit from a GiffGaff goodybag will expire after a month, so a customer will need to purchase a new one if they wish to continue making calls and using data after this time.

GiffGaff give customers the option to start their new GiffGaff goodybag early if they use up their existing data before their recurring payment date.

If customers choose not to start their next plan early for whatever reason (perhaps it doesn't line up well with payday, for example), they will be charged pay as you go prices for data until their plan refreshes. This will be taken out of their GiffGaff credit account until there is no more credit in their GiffGaff account.

GiffGaff allow customers to buy certain handsets outright or they have a partnership with Klarna to allow customers to pay monthly for a device over a 24-month period.

For customers looking at buying a phone outright or taking out a credit agreement via GiffGaff to pay for a handset, it's worth comparing mobile phone deals using our checker tool to see what the best available deals are.

Remember that any monthly payment for a device with GiffGaff will be in addition to a monthly goodybag plan to enable the phone to be used, and GiffGaff stipulate a minimum £10 goodybag must be purchased with a device to get started.

GiffGaff has a good record on customer service, coming top for overall customer satisfaction in the most recent Ofcom service quality report and scoring far above the mobile industry average for satisfaction with value for money. They also have a low percentage of customers with a reason to complain and are in line with the industry average for satisfaction with complaints handling.

As GiffGaff are not included in Ofcom's quarterly complaints figures, we don't know how many customers are complaining about their services, but the rest of their service metrics are pointing in the right direction and they seem to have the service edge compared to many of their rivals.

They also have an Excellent rating on Trustpilot, making them one of the highest rated mobile companies and superior to O2 with their Bad rating.

Find out more about mobile customer service.

Switching to GiffGaff is usually straightforward and customers can choose whether to bring their old number to their new network or not.

To take your phone number with you to GiffGaff, simply text 'PAC' to 65075 to receive a Porting Authorisation Code from your existing mobile network. If you wish to leave your existing network without taking your number, text 'STAC' to 75075 instead. This process will also let you know whether any charges will be levied for leaving such as early termination fees.

After that, compare GiffGaff SIM only packages using the table above and find out which GiffGaff SIM only plan works best for you. Click through to the GiffGaff website and follow the steps to sign up.