Giffgaff vs LycaMobile – Which O2 MVNO offers you the best services
Giffgaff and LycaMobile are virtual operators that offer cheaper mobile services since they run on another provider’s network in the UK. This gives customers an alternative to mobile networks at cheaper prices.
Giffgaff and LycaMobile are both virtual operators running on O2 network offering mobile network services at cheaper prices. This favors them because they both don’t incur maintenance costs. Besides, they both offer several plans without contracts meant to meet your needs at an affordable price.
When to use Giffgaff
giffgaff is an MVNO that is powered by O2’s network and offers decent phones with flexible payment options. It also offers low-cost calls, data, and texts with the option to roll-over monthly. One also earns payback points when you participate in forums.
When to use Lycamobile
This network primarily targets people with expatriate backgrounds that frequently make international calls and want to keep doing so at affordable rates. The virtual operator is powered by O2 and offers unlimited data plans at short-term periods.
giffgaffvsLycamobile Feature comparison
Features |
giffgaff |
Lycamobile |
Network |
O2 |
O2 |
5G |
Yes |
No |
Average download speed |
18.2Mbps |
16.9Mbps |
Roaming destinations |
37 |
23 |
Price |
£6 – £37 |
£10 – £35/month |
How to evaluate giffgaff and Lycamobile
There are a few factors that we look at to give you a proper evaluation of giffgaff and Lycamobile. These include:
- SIM-Only Plans
- Download speeds
- Prices
giffgaff and Lycamobile overview
giffgaff Overview
Giffgaff is an MVNO that runs on O2’s network in the UK. It has a lot of plans ranging from a 500 MB data plan to unlimited plans. The virtual operator is flexible and easy to switch between its SIM-Only plans. You can also go with a PAYG option which you can get without undergoing the many credit checks. Giffgaff has flexible goodybags that let you use more than one plan in a month with no contracts.
Tariff |
Data |
Monthly Price |
Details |
£6 Goodybag |
500 MB |
£6 |
|
£8 Goodybag |
2 GB |
£8 |
|
£10 Goodybag |
6 GB |
£10 |
|
£12 Goodybag |
10 GB |
£12 |
|
£15 Goodybag |
15 GB |
£15 |
|
£20 Goodybag |
80 GB |
£20 |
|
£25 Goodybag |
Unlimited with reduced speeds |
£25 |
|
£35 golden goodybag |
Unlimited |
£35 |
giffgaff’s pricing is relatively low for most plans and the SIM cards can stay active for up to 6 months even without top-ups or chargeable activity. When you buy one of the £10 to £20 goodybags, you get 1 GB data boost which is automatically added to your account when you use the network consecutively for 3 months. giffgaff rewards its customers using its payback time reward programme. Customers earn Payback Points when they bring their family or friends to join the network or when they actively participate on giffgaff forum. When it comes to support, the network operator has an active online community open to all.
Pros
- Flexible network operator
- Wide variety of plans to choose from
- Short or no contracts with no credit checks
- Low-cost data, calls & texts
- Unlimited data plans
- Active online community
- Payback points
Cons
- Limited roaming destinations compared to other MVNOs like VOXI
- 4G data speeds capped at the 80 GB limit
- Not the best 4G network coverage or speeds compared to other MVNOs
- No customer service
Lycamobile overview
This network is an O2 virtual operator and has its 4G network available around most urban and rural areas. Lycamobile has a physical presence in 23 countries worldwide. The operator has SIM-Only plans ranging from National, International, Monthly, Three Month plans, and many others. They range from 30 days to 12 months.
Tariff |
Data |
Contract Length |
Price |
Details |
UK Plan Smart |
2 GB |
30 days |
£5 |
|
National Plus |
10 GB |
30 days |
£5 |
|
UK Plan Unlimited |
Unlimited |
30 days |
£19 |
|
UK Plan Unlimited Plus |
Unlimited |
30 days |
£35 |
|
Pay Monthly Plan S |
1 GB |
12 months |
£5 |
|
Pay Monthly Plan M |
4 GB |
12 months |
£8 |
|
Pay Monthly Plan L |
10 GB |
12 months |
£15 |
|
3 Month Plan S |
18 GB |
3 months |
£15 |
|
3 Month Plan M |
48 GB |
3 months |
£22.50 |
|
3 Month Plan L |
120 GB |
3 months |
£30 |
|
Lyca Global |
30 days |
£10 |
||
All in One 10 |
6 GB |
30 days |
£10 |
|
All in One Plus 15 |
10 GB |
30 days |
£15 |
|
All in One Plus 20 |
20 GB |
30 days |
£20 |
Lycamobile SIM-Only plans are divided into UK and International ones. The UK plans don’t allow one to roma outside the EU but the international ones allow you to call international destinations at no extra cost. All plans come with minutes, texts, and data. The UK ones allow you to use the allowance within the EU while the international ones are specifically for international use beyond the EU.UK plans’ contracts last for between 30 days and 12 months while the international plans are for 30 days only. It good to note that the virtual operator’s unlimited data plan offers you 4G speeds for the first 9 GB and then reduces the speeds after that.
Lycamobile provides an alternative, the PAYG bundle at a rate of 12p/minute, 12p/MB of data and 9p/text. Calls & texts to other Lycamobile numbers are free. The network doesn’t offer 4G calling/VoLTE or Wi-Fi calling. The network operator has a customer service too.
Pros
- Unlimited data option
- International calls come with the plans
- Flexible plans ranging from 30 days to 12 months
- Customer service
- Cheaper international calls
Cons
- Roaming limited to the EU
- Tethering is not allowed
- No data rollover
- Reduced speeds with its unlimited plans
How does giffgaff and Lycamobile compare?
Network coverage
Network coverage is a major concern for customers shopping for a new virtual operator. In this comparison, both giffgaff and Lycamobile use the same network, O2 to offer mobile network services across the UK and EU. However, giffgaff has 5G network while Lycamobile doesn’t currently have.
Download speed
Download speed is one of the most important factors to consider when looking for up a network operator. Here, giffgaff has slightly higher speeds compared to Lycamobile. This is despite both MVNOs being powered by the same host network.
Plans & Prices
In this comparison, Lycamobile has better plans compared to giffgaff. Their plans are aimed at both the EU and international usage coming at cheaper prices compared to giffgaff.
Conclusion
Both virtual operators run on the same network which is strong around the UK. They also offer a variety of plans that customers can choose from. However, the overall winner is giffgaff compared to Lycamobile. This is because giffgaff has faster speeds and currently offers 5G network that Lycamobile doesn’t.
FAQs
What is the difference between Wi-Fi calling and 4G calling?
Wi-Fi calling and 4G calling use the same concept meaning that you can be able to talk and text in places where you wouldn’t be able to. However, Wi-Fi calling means using Wi-Fi to call and text while 4G calling means using 4G.
Can I roam in the EU with incurring extra costs on Lycamobile?
Yes, most Lycamoible plans allow its customers to use their minutes, data and texts at no extra cost within the EU. To roam outside the EU, you have to buy a new international plan.
