Why do so many mobile shoppers choose SIM only?
Most people who come to us for a mobile deal don’t want a new handset. Our own figures show it plainly: nearly two thirds of the household shoppers who came to us for a mobile deal in the last year choose SIM only over a new phone.
The exact figure is 64.6%. It comes from the deal type picked in the Switcheroo mobile comparison by 36,634 household shoppers between 1 November 2025 and 31 October 2026. Business enquiries are left out.
So among the people we see, a new handset is the minority choice. The Do-Nothing Default still lurks, though. A phone deal you never look at again is a deal nobody is checking on your behalf.
What our SIM only figures show
Here is the full split, copied exactly from our data. Percentages are rounded, so they add up to 100.1%.
Deal type chosen, 36,634 household mobile shoppers
- SIM only: 23,648 (64.6%)
- Handset and SIM: 9,153 (25.0%)
- Handset only: 3,833 (10.5%)
Source: Switcheroo data, 36,634 leads, 1 Nov 2025 to 31 Oct 2026. These are the choices people made in our consumer mobile journey, not a survey of every phone user in the UK.
Two things stand out. First, the people who choose SIM only outnumber everyone else put together. Second, a real share of shoppers still want a new handset, whether bundled with a plan or bought on its own. Neither choice is wrong. It depends on the phone in your pocket, and on whether it will last another year or two.
Is SIM only better value than a phone contract?
Usually, if you already have a phone that works. That is Ofcom’s view too. Its guide to switching mobile provider says that if you already have a phone, SIM-only deals are usually the best value.
The reason is simple. A handset contract bundles two things: the airtime and the cost of the phone, paid off month by month. When you choose SIM only, you pay for the airtime alone. If your current handset still does the job, there is no phone to pay off.
It is less clear cut if you need a new phone anyway. Then the sum to do is the total cost of the handset plus the SIM over the same period, against the total of the contract. Our guide to SIM only versus a phone contract walks through that maths.
Look at how the handset part is set up, too. Ofcom’s checklist for a new contract says your contract for the service should be no longer than 24 months. Some mobile handset contracts may be longer, but then the handset contract should be separate from the airtime contract, which cannot be longer than 24 months. Ofcom also says providers must offer a contract option no longer than 12 months for each service they provide.
That matters when the phone is finally paid off. Once the handset part ends, you are only paying for airtime, and that is a good moment to choose SIM only and move to a plan built for the data you actually use.
What makes it easier to choose SIM only
We can’t tell you from our data why each shopper picked what they did. The figures only show the choice. What we can point to are rules that make it easier to keep a phone and change the plan.
Since 17 December 2021, Ofcom has banned mobile companies from selling locked handsets, so a phone bought from one network can be used on another. Switching is quick too. Ofcom’s rules mean you can text PAC to 65075 to get the code to keep your number, your current provider must reply within one minute, the code is valid for 30 days, and your new provider must complete the switch within one working day.
Prices are clearer than they were. From 17 January 2025, Ofcom banned providers from including inflation-linked or percentage-based price rise terms in new contracts. Any rise written into a contract must now be set out in pounds and pence, prominently and transparently, at the point of sale. That makes it easier to compare plans when you choose SIM only, because you can see what you will pay each year.
Should you choose SIM only next time?
If your phone works and the battery still gets you through the day, a SIM only plan is worth a look before you sign up for another handset. Check three things first.
- Your contract status. Text INFO to 85075 to check whether you are in or out of contract. If you are still in contract, you might have to pay an early termination charge to leave.
- How much data you really use. Your phone settings show it month by month. Paying for far more than you use is the easiest overspend to fix.
- The length of the plan. Rolling monthly SIMs give you freedom to leave. A 12 month plan can cost less each month but ties you in.
Our SIM only comparison checklist goes into each of these in more detail. If a fixed plan is not for you, our guide to pay as you go mobile deals covers the no contract route.
Shoppers who choose SIM only are not signing up to a lesser deal. They are just not paying for a phone they already own.
Frequently asked questions about SIM only
- What share of mobile shoppers choose SIM only?
- In Switcheroo data covering 36,634 household mobile shoppers from 1 November 2025 to 31 October 2026, 64.6% chose SIM only. That is nearly two thirds.
- Can I keep my phone number when I choose SIM only?
- Yes. Text PAC to 65075 for a free code, give it to your new provider, and your number moves with you. If you do not want to keep your number, text STAC to 75075 instead.
- Will my phone work on a different network?
- Mobile companies have been banned from selling locked handsets since 17 December 2021, so a phone bought from a network since then should work on other networks too. If your phone is older, ask your current provider whether it is locked.
- Is SIM only always cheaper?
- Not always. It is usually the best value if you already own a phone that works. If you need a new phone, compare the full cost of the handset plus the SIM with the total cost of a contract.
Sources
- Switcheroo data, consumer mobile journey, deal type chosen, 36,634 leads, 1 November 2025 to 31 October 2026, business leads excluded. Supports the 64.6%, 25.0% and 10.5% split.
- Ofcom, Switching mobile phone provider. Supports SIM-only usually being the best value if you already have a phone, the PAC and STAC shortcodes, the one minute reply, the 30 day code validity, the one working day switch and the INFO 85075 contract check.
- Ofcom, Checklist when taking out a new phone or broadband contract. Supports the 24 month service contract limit, the separate handset agreement and the 12 month contract option.
- Ofcom, Ofcom bans mid-contract price rises linked to inflation, published 19 July 2024. Supports the 17 January 2025 ban and the pounds and pence requirement.
- Ofcom, EECC implementation slides. Supports the 17 December 2021 date for the ban on selling locked handsets.
Checked 10 November 2026.
