Last updated on 2 November 2026
A UK pay-as-you-go SIM costs £10 (about €11.99) for 25 GB over a month at Three, with unlimited calls and texts, and you need no ID to buy it. The POVNOMAD United Kingdom eSIM starts at €2.90 for 1 GB over 7 days, 10 GB for 30 days cost €8.90, and you install it at home. If you travel with a German mobile contract, check it first: on 30 September 2026 Telekom, Vodafone, o2 and 1&1 still billed the UK like an EU country. As of 30 October 2026.
From about 20 GB upwards the British SIM is cheaper than our eSIM, and it gives you a +44 number. For a week or two with less data, the eSIM costs less and works the moment you land. Many travellers from Germany need neither, as long as their operator keeps the UK in its EU zone.
Local SIM, travel eSIM or roaming: what is the difference in the UK?
| Local SIM (Three, Vodafone) | Travel eSIM (POVNOMAD) | Roaming on a German contract | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Three: £10 (€11.99) for 25 GB/month; Vodafone: £10 for 27 GB/30 days (offer until 8 December 2026) | €2.90 for 1 GB/7 days, €8.90 for 10 GB/30 days, €7.90 for 7 days Unlimited Smart | at Telekom, Vodafone, o2 and 1&1 billed like the EU (30 September 2026), o2 until 31 December 2026 |
| What you need | no ID; unlocked phone | eSIM-capable, unlocked phone | a contract that includes the UK |
| When you get online | after the SIM arrives or the eSIM is set up and a data pack is bought | on landing, installed at home beforehand | on landing |
| Calls and SMS | yes, with a +44 number; minutes and texts unlimited | no, data only; WhatsApp calls run over data | yes, at EU rates where the operator includes the UK |
| Hotspot | not stated on the offer pages | yes, no separate limit | depends on your contract |
| Network | the operator you buy from | Three, O2 or Vodafone 5G, according to the product page | your operator’s UK partner |
As of 30 October 2026. Three prices from three.co.uk (Pay As You Go Data Packs), Vodafone prices from vodafone.co.uk (Pay as you go Plus), POVNOMAD prices from the United Kingdom product page, roaming rules from our check of 30 September 2026. Converted at the ECB reference rate of 30 October 2026 (€1 = £0.8338).
How much does a SIM card cost in the UK?
The UK has four networks: EE, O2, Vodafone and Three, the last two merged into VodafoneThree in 2025. Three and Vodafone show their pay-as-you-go prices on their websites. EE’s pay-as-you-go page returned an error (HTTP 404) on 30 October 2026 and giffgaff blocked our request, so we quote no prices for them.
| Offer | Price | in euros | Data | Validity | Extras |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Three Data Pack 25 GB | £10 | €11.99 | 25 GB, up to 25 Mbit/s | 1 month | unlimited minutes and texts |
| Three Data Pack 80 GB | £15 | €17.99 | 80 GB, up to 25 Mbit/s | 1 month | as above |
| Three Data Pack Unlimited | £35 | €41.98 | unlimited, up to 25 Mbit/s | 1 month | as above |
| Vodafone Pay as you go Plus | £10 | €11.99 | 27 GB (offer, 8 GB after 3 months) | 30 days | unlimited minutes and texts, free SIM |
| Vodafone Pay as you go Plus | £15 | €17.99 | 75 GB (offer) | 30 days | as above |
| Vodafone Pay as you go Plus | £40 | €47.97 | unlimited | 30 days | as above |
Sources: three.co.uk, Pay As You Go Data Packs and vodafone.co.uk, Pay as you go Plus, both retrieved 30 October 2026. Euro amounts at €1 = £0.8338 (ECB, 30 October 2026). The VodafoneThree merger date is from our UK eSIM provider comparison.
Three also lists “online exclusive” packs with up to 50 Mbit/s, from £10 for 30 GB. Both operators offer to renew the plan automatically every 30 days; you can switch that off. Vodafone’s extra data is an offer that ends on 8 December 2026.
Compare that with travel eSIMs bought before departure, as of 30 October 2026:
| Plan | POVNOMAD | Airalo | Holafly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 GB | €2.90 (7 days) | €4.00 (3 days) | – |
| 5 GB, 30 days | €5.90 | €12.00 | – |
| 10 GB, 30 days | €8.90 | €17.50 | – |
| 20 GB, 30 days | €15.90 | €28.50 | – |
| 50 GB, 30 days | €29.90 | €36.00 | – |
| Unlimited, 7 days | €7.90 (1 GB a day at full speed) | €25.00 | €25.50 |
| Unlimited, 30 days | €24.90 (1 GB a day at full speed) | €63.50 | €70.90 |
Read on 30 October 2026 on povnomad.com, airalo.com/de/united-kingdom-esim (EUR view) and esim.holafly.com/de/esim-grossbritannien/. Holafly sells unlimited plans only. “–” = no such plan. POVNOMAD Unlimited Smart gives 1 GB at full speed per 24 hours, then unlimited at up to 1 Mbit/s; Unlimited XL with 3 GB a day costs €12.90 for 7 days.
Do you need a passport for a UK SIM card?
No. The UK does not require prepaid SIM users to register. The GSMA, the mobile industry association, names the UK among the countries that decided against such a rule because the loopholes and practical problems outweigh the benefits (GSMA Mobile Policy Handbook, retrieved 30 October 2026). Vodafone writes that pay as you go Plus comes with no contract and no credit check.
For automatic renewal Vodafone needs a credit or debit card. You can also leave renewal off and buy each pack by hand.
Do you need a UK SIM at all with a German contract?
Often not. Since Brexit the EU roaming regulation no longer covers the UK, but German operators decide for themselves. On 30 September 2026 Telekom, Vodafone, o2 and 1&1 billed the UK like an EU country. o2 has said so only until 31 December 2026. Which operators include Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man is in our guide The UK after Brexit: roaming costs or an eSIM?
An eSIM or a British SIM makes sense when your roaming allowance is small, when you travel with o2 after the end of 2026, for a longer stay or for a tablet without its own contract.
How do you buy the local SIM the right way?
- Order online before the trip if you want the SIM by post, or as an eSIM. Three and Vodafone both offer eSIM.
- Pick a data pack, not credit alone. Three writes that its packs are better value than plain top-ups.
- Switch off automatic renewal if you only stay a few weeks.
- Check that your phone is unlocked. A phone locked to a German network will not take a British SIM.
- Keep your German SIM as a second line if your phone supports dual SIM, for bank SMS codes.
When is the eSIM the better choice, and when is it not?
The British SIM is the better deal from about 20 GB upwards. Three gives you 25 GB for a month at £10 (€11.99); our 20 GB cost €15.90. For 80 GB Three charges £15 (€17.99), our 50 GB cost €29.90. You also get a +44 number with unlimited calls.
The eSIM fits better in these cases:
- You need up to 10 GB. Our 10 GB for 30 days cost €8.90, less than a £10 pack.
- You stay a week. Seven days of Unlimited Smart cost €7.90, with 1 GB a day at full speed.
- You want to be online at the gate without waiting for a SIM in the post. Install the eSIM at home on Wi-Fi (instructions for iPhone and Android); validity starts on first contact with a British network.
- Your German contract stops including the UK, as o2 has announced only until the end of 2026.
One honest point: our eSIM runs on Three, O2 or Vodafone, not on EE. If EE has the only signal where you are going, a local EE SIM is the safer pick. This guide is also available in German.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a SIM card cost in the UK?
Three sells 25 GB for a month at £10 (about €11.99), 80 GB at £15 and unlimited data at £35, each with unlimited calls and texts. Vodafone charges £10 for 27 GB over 30 days in an offer until 8 December 2026. As of 30 October 2026, at €1 = £0.8338.
Do I need a passport to buy a SIM card in the UK?
No. The UK has no SIM registration requirement, and the GSMA lists it among the countries that decided against one. Vodafone’s pay-as-you-go plans need no contract and no credit check. As of 30 October 2026.
Does my German phone contract work in the UK?
Usually yes, at EU prices. On 30 September 2026 Telekom, Vodafone, o2 and 1&1 billed the UK like the EU, o2 only until 31 December 2026. Each operator can withdraw the rule, because the EU roaming regulation no longer covers the UK.
Is a UK SIM cheaper than an eSIM?
From about 20 GB, yes. Three gives 25 GB for £10 (€11.99), our 20 GB cost €15.90. Up to 10 GB the eSIM costs less: €8.90 for 10 GB over 30 days. As of 30 October 2026.
Which networks does the POVNOMAD UK eSIM use?
Three, O2 or Vodafone with 5G, according to the product page, not EE. After purchase you see the network in use in the POVNOMAD app under “Available networks”. Hotspot is included.
Does a UK eSIM work in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?
Yes. Operators handle the United Kingdom as a whole, so England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are covered by the same plan. Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man are not part of the UK and are listed separately by many operators. As of 30 October 2026.
How do I know if these prices are still current?
We read every price on 30 October 2026 on three.co.uk, vodafone.co.uk, povnomad.com, airalo.com and esim.holafly.com. The roaming check of German operators dates from 30 September 2026. Vodafone’s extra data ends on 8 December 2026, so check the operator’s page before you buy.
Last updated on 30 October 2026. Prices read on that day on three.co.uk, vodafone.co.uk, povnomad.com, airalo.com and esim.holafly.com; exchange rate of the ECB of 30 October 2026. Prices and rules may change at any time.