Black Friday SIM-only deals: what to expect and early deals from this year’s sales

By George Storr

Published: Thursday, 28 October 2021 at 12:00 am

Bagging a good SIM-only deal can be the most affordable way to re-vamp your phone contract. You won’t be tied into lengthy contracts that last several years in order to pay for a handset, so you’ll have a little more freedom, and it’s possible to find some bargains. Here’s our guide to bagging those bargains during Black Friday 2021.

When pairing a phone with an independently bought sim card, the first and most important thing is making sure that the phone in question is “unlocked” to the network you are joining. Simply contact your network to unlock a handset you already possess. Phones bought independently of a phone contract are generally always unlocked.

Once you’ve got an unlocked handset, the world of sim free deals is your oyster. On this page, we’ll be helping you find the latest and greatest SIM-only deals in the seasonal sales, from Black Friday through to Cyber Monday 2021 – and beyond!

For those of you needing a SIM and gearing up for the big Black Friday bargain hunt – good news! There are always some great SIM-only deals during Black Friday. Read on for our guide to finding the best ones.

Should you wait for Black Friday to start a new SIM-only deal?

Different consumer tech categories fair differently when it comes to Black Friday, with some getting more notable discounts than others.

SIM-only deals is a really competitive field, as the phone networks go head to head trying to offer great deals to lure you away from your current provider, so it will definitely be worth waiting if you’re on the hunt for a new deal. Many of the best SIM-only deals available right now actually launched last Black Friday.

Typically Black Friday sim only deals will offer you much more data for the same amount of cash, so if you often run out of data at the end of the month on your current deal, it’s well worth taking a look this sales season.

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When are the SIM-only deals expected to start this year?

SIM-only deals will definitely be on sale when the 26th of November rolls round – the big day itself – but we’re expecting some good deals to land before then too. Take a look at the deals further down this page and check back later as we’ll be updating this regularly.

The sales don’t end on the 26th either, continuing on until Cyber Monday – the 29th – and beyond.

If you need a new phone to go with your new SIM – but you’re short on inspiration – take a look at our best android phones pages for some fantastic recommendations. If you’re looking for a budget option, one inclusion on this list is priced at just £349.

Best Black Friday SIM-only deals on offer right now

Take a look at some of the best deals available right now below. We’ll be regularly updating this section to help you stay up to date with the latest and greatest SIM-only deals.

How to get good SIM-only deals on Black Friday

  • Don’t rely on one site, network or retailer. Shopping around is the most important part of Black Friday bargain hunting. Don’t get fixated on one network or retailer. Instead, visit the sites of as many as you possibly can.
  • Research different networks. Different networks have different USPs. For example, if you’re a social media nut, you might want to take a look at the social media-focused network, Voxi, which offer social media use for free (i.e. it doesn’t chew through your data). Or, if you love to travel, it’s worth checking out which networks have the lowest roaming charges or less situations where roaming charges are applied.
  • Check social media. Some deals may be teased on social media during big sale events ahead of their appearance on online stores. Keep an eye out.
  • Sign up for newsletters like ours! It’s just below and will help you find the best new deals! Go on. You know you want to.

Which retailers have the most competitive SIM-only deals?

Here are a few of the best retailers to go to for sim only deals. This list isn’t exhaustive, but they’re a great place to start.

  • Sky Mobile: Sky do everything now, right? Even mobile phones. Sky offers a range of sim only plans and various benefits and bundle options for existing Sky customers.
  • giffgaff: one of the most flexible networks around, giffgaff offers month by month deals that can be easily adjusted according to your use. Their packages are affordable too, with a standard price of £12 per month for 10GB of data.
  • Vodafone: one of the biggest UK networks, Vodafone offers a selection of sim only deals with various benefits and customisable plans to suit your needs.
  • EE: having been voted the best UK mobile network for seven years running, EE offers a next-level service in terms of connectivity. They have a wide range of sim only plans to choose from.
  • Three: another prominent UK network, Three, offers 5G-ready plans at no extra cost.

Black Friday SIM-only deals: what offers were there last year?

Lots of the best SIM-only deals available right now actually launched last Black Friday, so if we get similarly enthusiastic price-slashing, this year buyers will be pleased.

Last year there were deals available across all the main networks and many of the smaller providers, too, with 5G connectivity offered almost across the board.

The aforementioned social media savvy network, Voxi, offered a 15GB data plan with “endless social media” and 5G for just £10 a month. The deal also included unlimited UK calls and texts. A real Black Friday bargain.

Meanwhile, EE offered a huge 5G-ready 160GB data plan with unlimited texts and calls for £20 per month, with a 24-month contract. The deal also included six months of Britbox, Apple Music and MTV Play.

For deals like these, with huge data packages and massive savings, stay tuned and check back on this page as Black Friday approaches. We’ll be keeping you updated with the best SIM-only deals.

For the latest tech news, check out the Technology section. Don’t forget to bookmark our guides to the best tablet, best smartphone and best soundbar for inspiration.