Three UK vs Giffgaff – Which mobile network will meet your needs better

The quality of mobile network services on your phone depends on the mobile network operator that you use. Three UK and giffgaff are both mobile network service providers that guarantee you high-quality mobile services across the country.

 

There’s nothing great as having a good mobile service on your mobile phone. This is true especially if you use your smartphone to access the internet and making calls across the EU and beyond. Three UK and giffgaff deliver exactly what each promises making them among the leading mobile service operators in the UK. They both offer various plans that you can choose from.

When to use Three UK

Without a doubt, one of Three UK’s selling points is fast 5G download speeds. This network is the latest major network in the UK and owns its network. Though not the fastest 4G speeds, it has one of the best and fastest 5G networks in the country which is available to all its customers at no extra cost.

When to use giffgaff

giffgaff runs on O2’s network and offers decent phones with flexible payment options. It’s ideal for people looking for low-cost calls, data, and texts with the option to roll-over allowances one month to another. You also earn payback points when you participate in forums.

Three UKvsgiffgaff Feature comparison

 

Feature	Three UK	giffgaff
Network	Three UK	O2
Average download speeds	22.2 Mbps	18.2 Mbps
Wi-Fi calling	Yes	No
Roaming destinations		41
Price range	£6 – £26/month	£6 – £35/month

How to evaluate Three UK and giffgaff

Network coverage – The network infrastructure, types of networks supported, and the coverage across the country.

Plans: The different plans offered by the network.

Download speeds: The rate at which you can download a file over the network.

Prices: This is how much the plans cost.

Three UK and giffgaff overview

 

Three UK overview

Despite being the latest major mobile network operator, this mobile network is well known for its 5G download speed. Without a doubt, the main selling point of Three UK is that its 5G network is available to all its customers at no extra charges. Besides, the network offers true unlimited plans with no data caps or restrictions at competitive prices.

Tariff	Data	Monthly Price	Details
Three UK Advanced	1 GB	£6 – £8	View plan
Three UK Advanced	4 GB	£9 – £16	View plan
Three UK Advanced	8 GB	£10 – £11	View plan
Three UK Advanced	12 GB	£12 – £19	View plan
Three UK Advanced	30 GB	£14 – £24	View plan
Three UK Advanced	Unlimited	£10 – £26	View plan

 

All these plans come with unlimited calls and texts with Three UK different contract lengths to choose from – 1 month, 12 months, and 24 months. You can also use PAYG (Pay as you go) services instead of topping up every month. As you can see, Three UK’s plans are cheaper and come without data caps or reduced speeds.

 

Pros

 

• Fastest 5G network across the UK
• 5G coverage inclusive in all plans at no extra cost
• 71 roaming destinations depending on the plan
• Unlimited plans with no data caps or reduced speeds
• Competitive pricing on both SIM and PAYG deals
• Cheaper

 

Cons

 

• Lacks 2G network support
• Slower internet speeds than some competitors when it comes to 4G network

 

giffgaff overview

 

This is one of the best virtual operators in the UK and is powered by O2. The mobile operator is flexible and easy to switch between its SIM-Only plans. Giffgaff has flexible goodybags which lets you use more than one plan in a month with no contracts.

 

Tariff	Data	Monthly Price	Details
GiffgaffGoodybag	500 MB	£6	View plan
GiffgaffGoodybag	2 GB	£8	View plan
GiffgaffGoodybag	6 GB	£10	View plan
GiffgaffGoodybag	10 GB	£12	View plan
GiffgaffGoodybag	15 GB	£15	View plan
GiffgaffGoodybag	80 GB	£20	View plan
GiffgaffGoodybag	Unlimited with reduced speeds	£25	View plan
Giffgaff golden goodybag	Unlimited	£35	View plan

 

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 a 1 GB data boost which is automatically added to your account when you use the network consecutively for 3 months.

 

This network has a PAYG bundle that you can get without undergoing the many credit checks. Voice calls are charged at 10p per minute and 45p per minute for special rate numbers in the UK. Texts are charged at 10p, MMS at 40p, and data at 5p per MB.

 

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 in the giffgaff forum. When it comes to customer 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
• No inclusive roaming beyond the EU

 

How does Three UK and giffgaff compare?

 

Network coverage

 

giffgaff is powered by O2 network which is reliable and its 4G network covers most of the UK. However, Three UK has the best network compared to giffgaff and one of the best 5G networks in the UK.

 

Download speed

 

This is an essential feature that you ought to consider when looking for a mobile network company to deliver mobile services to your phone. In this comparison, Three UK will provide you with the fastest average download speed than giffgaff. They offer average download speeds of around 22.2 Mbps. giffgaff on the other hand offers a download speed of 18.2 Mbps.

 

Plans & prices

 

A lot of mobile networks offer competitive and affordable plans to their customers nowadays. Here, Three UK offers more affordable plans compared to giffgaff. Their plans go for monthly prices of between £10 and £26 which is cheaper than giffgaff whose prices range from £6 and £26 a month.

 

Conclusion

 

For sure, giffgaff offers you flexible plans with no contracts that you can switch from any time. However, Three UK is the overall winner as compared to giffgaff. This is because they provide you faster speeds at more affordable plans. They also offer better customer service than giffgaff.

 

FAQs

 

Is Three UK the fastest 5G provider in the UK?

 

Three UK possesses the largest amount of 5G spectrum in the country. According to OOKLA speed test results, Three UK has the fastest download speed.

 

Does Three UK provide free 4G and Wi-Fi calling?

 

Yes, Three UK offers both Wi-Fi and 4G calling as long as you have a compatible device.