Pay as you go
What is Pay as you go?
Pay as you go is a way of getting a phone and/or a SIM card without a long-term contract.
Traditionally, Pay as you go plans involved 'topping up' your phone with credit as and when needed, which could then be used for data, calls and texts.
Nowadays, most Pay as you go plans are based around 30-day rolling plans that come with a set allowance of data, minutes and texts. The customer pays the same amount each month, either with account credit or a registered payment card.
There are two ways of using Pay as you go:
If you already have an unlocked phone, getting a Pay as you go SIM card on its own
How do Pay as you go SIM cards work?
If you already have a Pay as you go SIM card, you'll need to buy one of our Pay as you go bundles to use your phone. These plans start at £10 a month and they all come with unlimited minutes and texts, so all you need to decide is how much data you want.
If you don't have a Pay as you go SIM card yet, you can either choose a Pay as you go bundle, or opt for one of our Pay as you go Plus plans. Like our bundles, these are 30-day plans, but customers can choose to Auto-Renew their Plus plan each month with a registered payment card. Pay as you go Plus plans are also managed entirely using the My Vodafone app, which means they’re compatible with smartphones only.
If you use all of the data that's included with your SIM plan before it renews, you won't be able to use 4G or 5G data to get online or use certain apps if you’re away from WiFi. You'll have to renew your plan to start using data again.
What are the benefits of Pay as you go?
It's flexible - you can increase or decrease how much you want to pay month-on-month
It's great value - and you can budget effectively for your phone bill, as you know exactly how much you're spending
Pay as you go phones are affordable and can often rival flagship models
There are no contracts and no credit checks - you can walk away whenever you want. And with Pay as you go Plus, you can also pause your plan anytime and come back when you're ready
We also offer free Pay as you go SIM cards, which means you can order a blank SIM today and choose a Pay as you go bundle at a time that best suits you.