1pMobile vs giffgaff at a glance
| 1pMobile | giffgaff |
|---|
| Host network | EE | O2 |
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| 4G / 5G | Yes, on compatible phones and in covered areas | Yes, on compatible phones and in covered areas |
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| Short-term plans | 30-day prepaid Boosts | Rolling plans with calendar-month billing and auto-renewal |
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| Longer commitment | Annual prepaid products, paid upfront | Optional 18-month Good Contract |
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| Keeping classic PAYG active | Qualifying minimum spend of £10 every 60, 90 or 120 days according to joining cohort; not an extra fee on an active paid Boost | SIM deactivation after six months without qualifying activity; a lost number cannot necessarily be recovered |
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| EU roaming | Up to 14GB on eligible Boosts | Up to 5GB per eligible plan |
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| eSIM | Yes, for new and existing customers | Yes, activated through the app |
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| Wi-Fi Calling | Yes, on suitable phones | Yes, on suitable phones |
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| Support | Weekday phone and online channels | Online agents and community help |
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If EE works better at your usual places, look at 1pMobile's current bundles first. If O2 has the stronger indoor signal, a giffgaff plan can be the better buy even when it costs more. This page covers these two brands only. For the wider choice, see our pages on EE-based networks and O2-based networks.
Does 1pMobile use a different network from giffgaff?
Yes. 1pMobile uses EE and giffgaff uses O2, so the two SIMs can behave very differently at the same address. A house with weak O2 reception may get a solid EE signal, and the next street along can be the other way round. That difference matters more than a few pounds or a few gigabytes.
Use Ofcom's Map Your Mobile checker to compare EE and O2 at your home, workplace and regular routes, and read predicted indoor and outdoor coverage separately. Ofcom's maps are predictions, not measured speeds. Where you can, try the other network on your phone before you move your main number.
Is 1pMobile faster than giffgaff?
Not reliably. Speed depends on congestion, local radio conditions, the bands your handset supports and any restrictions on the plan. A headline EE-versus-O2 speed figure does not show how either MVNO plan performs inside your building, and neither provider has a guaranteed speed advantage nationwide.
Both offer 5G on compatible phones where it is available. 5G describes the connection type, not the throughput you will get. Our guide to MVNO coverage and speeds explains the difference.
Which is cheaper, 1pMobile or giffgaff?
It depends on the commitment you are comparing. Set a 1pMobile 30-day Boost against a giffgaff rolling plan with a similar UK allowance. Do not set the cheapest 1pMobile monthly option against a discounted giffgaff 18-month offer, because you cannot leave both on the same terms.
A 1pMobile Boost is a prepaid allowance renewed every 30 days. giffgaff's monthly rolling plans last a calendar month and require auto-renewal with a saved recurring payment method to qualify for the rolling-plan offer; you can change or cancel the renewal, but your current paid period still runs to expiry. This matters if you do not want an automatic next payment. giffgaff also sells 18-month Good Contracts, which may provide more data for the monthly price in return for a longer commitment. You can change the contracted data allowance within giffgaff's published rules without restarting the 18 months, but that does not erase the remaining commitment.
Compare like for like in five steps:
- Match your data. Think about typical months and heavy months, not the biggest GB figure on the page.
- Match your time horizon. A 30-day renewal is not the same as calendar-month billing, and an 18-month term is not a rolling plan.
- Add up the real charges. Include first-period offers, later renewals, extras, any upfront payment and the price-change rules. 1pMobile's published Boost terms can remove an introductory price if auto-renewal is cancelled or fails in the first three months; check whether that clause applies to the exact offer.
- Price your exit. A fixed-term discount can disappear if you leave early.
- Check signal and travel. A weak indoor signal or chargeable roaming can cost you more than the monthly saving.
Worked example: what if you leave after a year?
Suppose two fictional plans offer the same useful UK data and work equally well on your phone: a 30-day Boost-style plan at £9 per paid period, or an 18-month contract at £7 per calendar month. You need continuous service for 12 calendar months, starting on 1 January, and intend to leave immediately afterwards.
| Hypothetical cost to leave after 12 calendar months | 30-day option A | 18-month option B |
|---|
| Payments needed to cover the period | 13 × £9 = £117 | 12 × £7 = £84 |
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| Early termination charge | £0, assuming cancellation before the next renewal | 6 full months × (£7 ÷ 2) = £21 |
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| Total paid or owed at exit | £117 | £105 |
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Why 13 Boost payments? Twelve 30-day periods cover just 360 days, so a full calendar year needs a thirteenth 30-day purchase, even though part of it may go unused. For the 18-month example, six complete contract months remain after the first 12. giffgaff's published exit formula is 50% of the current or most recent monthly plan cost × the number of full months left. This comparison assumes the contract price stays at £7, no extra charges, renewal is cancelled at the correct time, and no change to the committed plan. The numbers are not live 1pMobile or giffgaff deals. They show why you must compare the same dates, payment dates and exit terms, not merely 12 or 18 headline payments.
Your result can reverse if you stay longer, leave earlier, change plans or find different live prices. Check the actual payment and cancellation rules before ordering.
Check your own numbers against 1pMobile's available plans and giffgaff's rolling and longer-term options. If flexibility is your priority, our 30-day SIM-only comparison shows wider alternatives.
What does it cost to keep a rarely used SIM?
Less than a full plan, but not nothing. A spare number, holiday backup or second SIM may use almost no data, yet both providers have rules that can cost you or cut you off if the SIM sits idle.
1pMobile classic PAYG has a minimum-spend rule
The "1p" tariff charges certain UK calls, texts and data per unit from your credit. It is a different product from a recurring 30-day Boost. The minimum-spend period depends on when you joined:
- Joined from 1 August 2026: at least £10 of qualifying spend or use every 90 days.
- Joined from 15 October 2025 to 31 July 2026: at least £10 every 120 days.
- Joined before 15 October 2025: at least £10 every 60 days.
These dates mark customer cohorts in 1pMobile's terms. They are not a price guarantee.
On pure PAYG, if your qualifying spend falls short, the operator may take the difference from your credit. It may also try to top up automatically from stored payment details, and it can suspend or disconnect the service if required payments are not made. Topping up £10 is not the same as spending £10.
Someone paying for an active 30-day Boost is already meeting that Boost's recurring payment, so the PAYG minimum is not an extra £10 on top. If the Boost ends or renewal fails, the account reverts to classic PAYG and its minimum-spend requirements; 1pMobile says the new PAYG commitment period starts the day after the Boost ends and uses the current new-customer period, even where the original PAYG account was older.
Example: a new pure-PAYG customer who uses £3 of qualifying services in a 90-day period may see the £7 shortfall taken from credit. That is the minimum-spend calculation at work, not an extra usage rate. If you hold several emergency-only SIMs, factor that obligation in before you port important numbers.
Our PAYG versus SIM-only guide explains the product difference. If this payment model suits you, see 1pMobile's Classic PAYG page. That link covers Classic PAYG only and is not the checkout for a 30-day data Boost.
giffgaff deactivates SIMs after six months of inactivity
giffgaff's current guidance says a SIM is considered inactive after six months without qualifying activity. To keep it active, make a qualifying call or text, connect to the internet using mobile data, or purchase credit or a plan within that period. Merely keeping unused credit in the account is not qualifying activity. giffgaff explicitly says a deactivated SIM cannot be reactivated, which makes this a serious risk if the number is attached to a bank or important login. Set a reminder well before six months, not on the expiry date.
For a number you will barely use, giffgaff's six-month activity rule can cost less than the current £10-per-90-days minimum for a new pure-PAYG 1pMobile customer. That is not a promise of cost-free service: chargeable calls or texts, mobile data and top-ups can cost money, although a qualifying mobile-data connection or other qualifying activity can prevent deactivation under giffgaff's stated rules. Never rely on an emergency call, a freephone number or simply leaving credit untouched as proof of activity. If you depend on the SIM for bank codes, alarms or a backup phone, reliable coverage and a tested reminder matter more than its nominal rate.
For spare-SIM buyers: compare minimum spend, how inactivity is measured, the risk of losing the number, and whether your device can generate qualifying activity reliably. Cost per minute is the least important figure.
Which has better EU roaming, 1pMobile or giffgaff?
1pMobile offers more EU roaming data on eligible plans, but both providers cap it well below typical UK allowances. A large UK bundle does not mean the full allowance travels with you.
Under 1pMobile's published Boost terms, qualifying 30-day Boosts have a maximum of 14GB of EU roam-like-at-home data, subject to your UK allowance and other roaming conditions. A Boost with a smaller UK allowance cannot give you more roaming data than that allowance. Standard PAYG credit and Boosts follow different charging rules, so confirm the destination list and fair-use policy for your exact product.
giffgaff sets a maximum of 5GB of included roaming data per eligible plan, provided the plan includes at least 5GB of UK data. If the UK allowance is smaller, the smaller figure applies. The 5GB is per plan, not a fresh 5GB each time you cross a border or start a new month. giffgaff also requires qualifying UK usage; its published roaming rules allow eligible UK-based members up to 63 days before inclusive roaming can cease, depending on usage and residence conditions. It is not a permanent overseas-data entitlement.
| Your trip | What to check |
|---|
| Occasional messages and maps | Either provider may be enough; don't pay for roaming data you won't use |
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| Regular photos, navigation and video calls | Whether a qualifying 1pMobile Boost gives you more headroom |
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| Likely to exceed the included allowance | The extra-data rate or travel add-on, before you leave |
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| Living abroad for long periods | Neither UK SIM should be assumed to include permanent EU roaming |
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Roaming on your UK phone abroad is different from calling an overseas number while you remain in the UK. Standard 1pMobile Boost allowances are mainly for UK numbers, and international calls from the UK can use separate PAYG credit. 1pMobile also sets long-stay roaming fair-use conditions, so neither provider should be treated as a permanent overseas SIM. For more on travel plans, see our EU roaming SIM comparison.
Do both support eSIM, Wi-Fi Calling, 5G and tethering?
Yes. Some older comparison pages still say giffgaff lacks Wi-Fi Calling or that 1pMobile cannot supply an eSIM. Both claims are out of date. Each provider's current help pages describe eSIM support and Wi-Fi Calling on compatible devices, though the activation routes differ:
- 1pMobile eSIM: available to eligible new customers and as a replacement for an existing physical SIM. A replacement can carry a charge, so check the process and your handset before ordering.
- giffgaff eSIM: activation and replacement run through the giffgaff app. Confirm that your phone is compatible and can run the app. Not every eSIM-capable phone or wearable is supported.
Both provide 5G where your phone and the local network allow it. Both support everyday tethering on suitable plans and devices. A hotspot does not mean an unlimited plan allows permanent router use or unrestricted heavy use. Crucially, 1pMobile's Unlimited product terms describe 500GB as a personal-usage cap and classify use above that level in a 30-day period as non-personal. Depending on the circumstances, its published policy allows out-of-bundle charges, migration to a more suitable plan, traffic de-prioritisation, suspension or disconnection. This is not an unconditional promise of continued full-speed data after 500GB, nor proof of an automatic cutoff for every customer.
If you rely on calls in a building with weak signal, test Wi-Fi Calling on your exact phone and software version before you commit. Our Wi-Fi Calling and VoLTE guide covers compatibility in detail.
Which has better customer service?
It depends on how you prefer to get help. 1pMobile publishes weekday telephone-support hours alongside online contact options. giffgaff is built around online help, support agents and its member community, with no conventional telephone helpdesk.
If you want to phone a support team during the working week, that is a real reason to favour 1pMobile. If you are happy to manage renewals and account changes in an app, giffgaff works well. Being able to reach a call centre is not evidence of better customer satisfaction, so choose the route you will actually use when you need to recover a number, fix an eSIM activation or query a bill.
Is giffgaff's 18-month Good Contract better value than 1pMobile?
It can be, if you will stay and use the allowance. A Good Contract can provide more data for the monthly payment, and you can change the plan size under giffgaff's rules without restarting the original term. But it is still an 18-month agreement, not rolling monthly freedom. Its published early-exit formula (half the current monthly plan cost × full remaining months) means your leaving date matters.
giffgaff also publishes a 14-day window to cancel a new contract without an early termination fee, with refunds for unused plan value handled under its cancellation rules. That is not permission to leave without a fee later in the 18-month term.
1pMobile's 30-day Boost suits you better if you expect to switch provider quickly. 1pMobile also sells separate annual prepaid products, which you pay for upfront instead of signing an 18-month billed agreement. These have their own allowance periods, included benefits and out-of-bundle conditions, so don't treat them as twelve Boosts sold at a discount.
Decide the longest commitment you will accept, then compare the current total for equivalent UK data and network coverage. The 1pMobile catalogue and giffgaff catalogue separate these product types so you can check the exact offer.
Who should choose 1pMobile and who should choose giffgaff?
| Your situation | Better starting point | What could change that |
|---|
| EE signal is better than O2 at home | 1pMobile | A plan-specific restriction or an incompatible phone |
|---|
| O2 is more reliable on your commute | giffgaff | Test results on the actual plan and device |
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| You want flexible data with no long commitment | 1pMobile 30-day Boost or giffgaff rolling plan | The matching GB allowance and renewal charge |
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| You need more included data in eligible EU destinations | 1pMobile Boost | Destination eligibility, your UK allowance and the current fair-use limit |
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| You want an 18-month plan with a possible data discount | giffgaff Good Contract | Total cost and early termination fees |
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| You want a rarely used PAYG number | Check giffgaff first | Usage charges, the six-month activity rule and reception |
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| You want to phone support | 1pMobile | Weekday hours and whether they suit you |
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| You need eSIM or Wi-Fi Calling | Either | Handset, app and activation compatibility |
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Before you pay: filter current 1pMobile deals by your target data and term, read Full plan details for renewal and roaming terms, and choose View Deal on the offer that fits. For the operator's wider range, you can also see 1pMobile's full product range. That link opens a product listing, not the checkout for a specific live card. If O2 works better in your area, check our selected giffgaff offers instead. A partner commission is never a reason to buy the wrong network.
How do you switch between giffgaff and 1pMobile?
You can usually keep your UK number when you move between the two. Text PAC to 65075 from the SIM you are leaving, then give the code to the new provider. A PAC is generally valid for 30 days, and the switch usually completes within one working day once the new provider has a valid code and the transfer is processed. Any remaining contract charges are separate, and a number already deactivated for inactivity may be hard or impossible to recover.
Our guide to switching networks and keeping your number covers account holders, temporary loss of service and what to do if you want a new number instead.
Frequently asked questions
Does 1pMobile use EE and giffgaff use O2?
Yes. 1pMobile uses the EE network and giffgaff uses O2. Check both on Ofcom's postcode checker before you move your main number. Sharing a host network does not make an MVNO identical to EE or O2's own plans in speed, features or customer support.
Is 1pMobile cheaper than giffgaff?
Not in every case. A comparable 30-day Boost can be better value than a giffgaff rolling plan, while a giffgaff 18-month offer may have a lower monthly price in return for the longer commitment. Compare the full cost for the same useful GB over the time you expect to stay.
Which is better for occasional use or an emergency phone?
Check giffgaff's PAYG route first if you mainly want to keep a rarely used number. Its six-month activity rule is easier to meet than 1pMobile's classic PAYG minimum spend. Neither is free to keep indefinitely: giffgaff can deactivate an inactive SIM and 1pMobile can apply its minimum spend.
Does 1pMobile require £10 every month?
No. The classic PAYG minimum-spend period depends on when you joined and is separate from a paid 30-day Boost. For customers joining from 1 August 2026 it is £10 of qualifying use every 90 days, not £10 a month on top of a Boost. Check the exact terms before activating an infrequently used SIM.
Do both providers support eSIM and Wi-Fi Calling?
Yes, on compatible phones. giffgaff activates eSIMs through its app, and 1pMobile offers eSIM to new and existing customers. Wi-Fi Calling depends on your handset and its settings, so test it on the phone you plan to use.
Which has better EU roaming?
1pMobile's eligible Boosts offer more included EU data, with a maximum of 14GB, against giffgaff's 5GB per plan. Both have destination and fair-use limits, and neither is unlimited. Confirm the exact plan and country before you travel.
Do giffgaff and 1pMobile run credit checks?
SIM-only and prepaid plans differ from handset finance. giffgaff publishes no-credit-check rules for qualifying SIM plans, including its 18-month SIM service, and handset finance is separate. For 1pMobile, check the current application and identity requirements rather than assuming every applicant is accepted. See our no-credit-check SIM guide.
Is unlimited data really unlimited on either provider?
An unlimited UK data label does not remove usage policies, roaming caps or device restrictions. 1pMobile's Unlimited terms describe a 500GB personal-usage limit with possible sanctions for excessive or non-personal use, not just an advisory threshold. giffgaff's conditions also depend on the plan and intended use. Read the exact offer and our guide on whether unlimited mobile data is really unlimited before replacing home broadband with a phone SIM.
Verdict: choose the network first, then the payment model
Start with 1pMobile if EE gives you the better signal and you want a flexible 30-day Boost, more EU roaming data or phone support on weekdays. Start with giffgaff if O2 works better, you like the choice between rolling and 18-month plans, or you want to keep a low-use PAYG number without 1pMobile's minimum-spend rule. Both offer eSIM and Wi-Fi Calling on compatible phones.
Then compare the exact offers: 1pMobile SIM-only deals and giffgaff plans. Pick the network, allowance and commitment you will really use. The right SIM is the one that works where you are and costs what you expect.
Continue comparing: 1pMobile review · 1pMobile vs Lebara · giffgaff vs Lebara · no-contract SIM deals
Prices, product conditions, eligibility and availability can change. DealPriceCheck compares selected offers and may earn commission on qualifying partner purchases. Always confirm the exact tariff and checkout terms before ordering.
