Bad credit? What to know about SIM only before you apply
A SIM only deal has no phone to pay for
You get minutes, texts and data for a monthly price, and use a phone you already own.
Pay monthly SIM only plans from O2, Vodafone and Three come with a credit check. EE, O2, Vodafone and Three say their pay as you go doesn't need one, and giffgaff and SMARTY say the same of their plans.
Source: O2, Switch to Pay As You Go, Pay Monthly or SIM Only, checked 19 October 2026; Vodafone, SIM only deals, checked 19 October 2026; Three, Bills, payments, and credit checks, checked 19 October 2026; EE, Free Pay As You Go SIM card, checked 19 October 2026; O2, Pay As You Go Plans, checked 19 October 2026; Vodafone, Credit checks explained, checked 19 October 2026; Three, Pay As You Go phones, checked 19 October 2026; giffgaff, Everything to know about a plan, checked 19 October 2026; SMARTY, No credit check SIM only deals, checked 19 October 2026
Can I get a phone contract with bad credit?
Possibly, but it isn't guaranteed. A phone contract usually includes paying for a handset over time, so networks check your credit history before agreeing it. Each network makes its own decision, so being turned down by one doesn't mean every network will say no.
A SIM only deal has no phone to pay for, which means a smaller amount is being agreed each month.
Source: O2, Switch to Pay As You Go, Pay Monthly or SIM Only, checked 19 October 2026; Vodafone, Credit checks explained, checked 19 October 2026; Three, Bills, payments, and credit checks, checked 19 October 2026
Do SIM only deals need a credit check?
It depends on the provider and the type of plan. Ofcom says pay monthly plans usually need a credit check, even on a contract as short as 30 days, while pay as you go typically doesn't.
- O2 says everyone signing up to a Pay Monthly contract goes through a full credit check, which appears on your credit file.
- Vodafone says you need to pass a credit check for all its SIM only plans, including 30-day rolling plans. The check leaves a "search footprint" on your credit file, which other lenders may see.
- Three says it runs a credit check when you sign up for a Pay Monthly plan.
- EE says a credit search for a contract stays on your credit file for 12 months.
- giffgaff says it doesn't carry out credit checks when you buy a plan, including its 18-month contract plan. SMARTY says all its plans are available without a credit check.
Source: Ofcom, Monitoring consumer outcomes in the mobile sector, published 22 October 2024; O2, Switch to Pay As You Go, Pay Monthly or SIM Only, checked 19 October 2026; Vodafone, SIM only deals, checked 19 October 2026; Vodafone, Credit checks explained, checked 19 October 2026; Three, Bills, payments, and credit checks, checked 19 October 2026; EE, Credit files explained, checked 19 October 2026; giffgaff, Everything to know about a plan, checked 19 October 2026; SMARTY, No credit check SIM only deals, checked 19 October 2026
30-day SIM only and pay as you go
| Option | What it is | Credit check |
|---|---|---|
| 12-month SIM only contract | A fixed monthly price for a year, with no phone included. | O2, Vodafone and Three run a credit check on pay monthly plans. giffgaff says it doesn't credit check its plans, including its 18-month contract plan. |
| 30-day rolling SIM only | A monthly plan you can leave at any time, with no phone included. | It depends on the provider. Vodafone credit checks its 30-day plans. giffgaff and SMARTY say their plans don't need a credit check. |
| Pay as you go | You top up in advance and pay for what you use. | EE, O2, Vodafone and Three say their pay as you go has no credit check. |
Source: O2, Switch to Pay As You Go, Pay Monthly or SIM Only, checked 19 October 2026; Vodafone, SIM only deals, checked 19 October 2026; Three, Bills, payments, and credit checks, checked 19 October 2026; giffgaff, Everything to know about a plan, checked 19 October 2026; SMARTY, No credit check SIM only deals, checked 19 October 2026; EE, Free Pay As You Go SIM card, checked 19 October 2026; O2, Pay As You Go Plans, checked 19 October 2026; Vodafone, Credit checks explained, checked 19 October 2026; Three, Pay As You Go phones, checked 19 October 2026
Tips before you apply
- Check your credit file. You can get your statutory credit report free from each of the three main credit reference agencies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. If something on it is wrong or out of date, you can raise it with the agency. The ICO says wrong information could lead to you being refused credit.
- Compare 30-day and pay as you go options. As above, some providers don't credit check pay as you go or their rolling plans.
- Avoid applying again and again. Three asks people who fail its credit check not to keep submitting orders, because failed checks are noted and might affect your credit rating. Vodafone says having lots of credit checks can affect your ability to borrow.
- Use an eligibility checker if there is one. O2 has an eligibility checker to see if you're likely to pass its credit check.
Source: ICO, Credit, checked 19 October 2026; Three, Bills, payments, and credit checks, checked 19 October 2026; Vodafone, Credit checks explained, checked 19 October 2026; O2, Switch to Pay As You Go, Pay Monthly or SIM Only, checked 19 October 2026
Compare SIM only deals
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If you are turned down
- Three says that if a credit check doesn't meet its criteria, you can still join on Pay As You Go. It may also ask for a deposit, which it pays back once 6 or 12 bills have been paid on time.
- Vodafone says its advisers can tell you whether you passed, and whether other plans are open to you, for example a SIM only plan instead of a phone with a loan. You can appeal, but Vodafone says only a small number of appeals succeed.
- The ICO says that if you think you've been refused credit unfairly, you can ask the lender to explain the main reason and review its decision. It may still turn you down.
- EE says a credit search for a contract stays on your credit file for 12 months.
Source: Three, Bills, payments, and credit checks, checked 19 October 2026; Three, About credit check deposits, checked 19 October 2026; Vodafone, Credit checks explained, checked 19 October 2026; ICO, Credit, checked 19 October 2026; EE, Credit files explained, checked 19 October 2026
What to check
- Do you already own a phone you can use?
- How much data do you use each month?
- Do you want a fixed contract, or a plan you can leave at any time?
- Do you want to keep your number?
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a SIM only deal with no credit check?
Some providers say so. giffgaff and SMARTY say their plans don't need a credit check, and EE, O2, Vodafone and Three say their pay as you go doesn't need one. Pay monthly SIM only from O2, Vodafone and Three comes with a credit check, including Vodafone's 30-day plans.
Source: giffgaff, Everything to know about a plan, checked 19 October 2026; SMARTY, No credit check SIM only deals, checked 19 October 2026; EE, Free Pay As You Go SIM card, checked 19 October 2026; O2, Pay As You Go Plans, checked 19 October 2026; Vodafone, Credit checks explained, checked 19 October 2026; Three, Pay As You Go phones, checked 19 October 2026; O2, Switch to Pay As You Go, Pay Monthly or SIM Only, checked 19 October 2026; Vodafone, SIM only deals, checked 19 October 2026; Three, Bills, payments, and credit checks, checked 19 October 2026
Does a credit check affect my credit score?
A credit check leaves a record on your credit file. O2 says its Pay Monthly check is a full credit check that appears on your credit file, and EE says a contract credit search stays on your file for 12 months. Vodafone says other lenders may see the record, and that having lots of credit checks can affect your ability to borrow. Three says failed checks are noted and might affect your credit rating in the future.
Source: O2, Switch to Pay As You Go, Pay Monthly or SIM Only, checked 19 October 2026; EE, Credit files explained, checked 19 October 2026; Vodafone, Credit checks explained, checked 19 October 2026; Three, Bills, payments, and credit checks, checked 19 October 2026
What happens if I fail a credit check?
Three says you can still join on Pay As You Go, and it may ask for a deposit, which it pays back once 6 or 12 bills have been paid on time. Vodafone says its advisers can tell you whether other plans are open to you, such as a SIM only plan instead of a phone with a loan, and that you can appeal, though only a small number of appeals succeed. The ICO says you can ask the lender to explain the main reason and review its decision.
Source: Three, Bills, payments, and credit checks, checked 19 October 2026; Three, About credit check deposits, checked 19 October 2026; Vodafone, Credit checks explained, checked 19 October 2026; ICO, Credit, checked 19 October 2026
Sources and dates
- BillsSorted price snapshotAs of October 2026Typical 30-day rolling SIM only prices, from providers' own websites.
- Ofcom, Pricing and consumer engagement: Trends in the UK communications sectorPublished 26 February 2026The share of pay-monthly mobile subscriptions that are SIM only (June 2025).
- O2, Switch to Pay As You Go, Pay Monthly or SIM OnlyChecked 19 October 2026O2 credit checks everyone signing up to a Pay Monthly contract, with a full credit check that appears on your credit file, and has an eligibility checker.
- Vodafone, Credit checks explainedChecked 19 October 2026Vodafone runs a credit check for a new Pay monthly device or plan; the search footprint; Pay as you go Plus has no credit check; what happens if you are declined; lots of credit checks.
- Three, Bills, payments, and credit checksChecked 19 October 2026Three runs a credit check for a Pay Monthly plan; Pay As You Go if the check isn't passed; deposits; repeated orders.
- O2, Pay As You Go PlansChecked 19 October 2026O2's Rolling (pay as you go) plans are contract-free with no credit check.
- Vodafone, SIM only dealsChecked 19 October 2026Vodafone credit checks all its SIM only plans, including 30-day rolling plans.
- Three, Pay As You Go phonesChecked 19 October 2026Three Pay As You Go has no credit check.
- Three, About credit check depositsChecked 19 October 2026Three may ask for a deposit, paid back after 6 or 12 bills paid on time.
- EE, Credit files explainedChecked 19 October 2026An EE contract credit search stays on your credit file for 12 months.
- EE, Free Pay As You Go SIM cardChecked 19 October 2026EE pay as you go: no contracts and no credit checks.
- giffgaff, Everything to know about a planChecked 19 October 2026giffgaff carries out no credit checks when you buy a plan or 18-month contract plan.
- SMARTY, No credit check SIM only dealsChecked 19 October 2026All SMARTY plans are available without a credit check.
- Ofcom, Monitoring consumer outcomes in the mobile sectorPublished 22 October 2024Pay monthly tariffs usually need a credit check, even on a 30-day contract; pay as you go typically doesn't.
- ICO, CreditChecked 19 October 2026Free statutory credit reports from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion; asking a lender to explain a refusal; correcting your credit file.
Figures on this page are a guide, not advice. They show typical prices for new deals, not what is right for you. Prices and rules change often, so check the details with the provider before you decide. Typical prices are taken from providers' own websites, collected on 18 October 2026. Prices change often, so use the comparison to see the latest deals.