What is a 30 Day Rolling SIM?
One month SIM-only contracts, or 30-day SIMs as they are also known, have introduced a new level of flexibility to pay monthly mobile phone deals. Gone are the long contracts that lock you in for 12 to 24 months. Instead you can opt for a one month rolling contract that gives you the freedom to move to a new deal when you want to. We take a look at how one month SIMs compare to longer contracts and find out which network offers the best 30-day deal for you.
What is a 30-day contract and how does it work?
30-day SIM contracts are just the same as any other pay monthly deal. You still get billed every month and you still have a fixed amount of calls, texts and data to use. The big difference, as the name suggests, is the duration of the contract; 30-day SIMs last for just that. Some auto-renew each month unless you cancel them so you can roll on if you are happy with the terms of your deal. This is a useful feature as, unlike Pay As You Go, you don’t need to remember to top up.
Top 30 day SIM deals
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Why you should choose a 30 day rolling SIM
No commitment
The flexibility of monthly SIM cards is their biggest appeal. The short term contract can be perfect if you’re between deals and you need something to tide you over. Some of the shorter contracts do come with notice periods, so if you just want a 30-day SIM check with your network what the T&Cs are before you join or could end up paying for 60 days.You can try out a new network
If you’re moving to a new network and you’re not sure what their coverage is like where you live, then 30-day SIMs are a good way to try out a new network without having to commit to a long and expensive contract.You can build up your credit score
If you’ve had problems being accepted for a mobile contract with a phone, or a 12 month SIM contract, then a shorter contract might be better for you. Because there is less commitment you are more likely to be accepted and, as long as you keep up the monthly payments, you’ll help to improve your credit rating and increase your chances of being accepted for a contract with a phone in the future. Find out more in our guide Why credit checks needn’t be a barrier.You can try out a new network
If you’re moving to a new network and you’re not sure what their coverage is like where you live, then 30-day SIMs are a good way to try out a new network without having to commit to a long and expensive contract.You can build up your credit score
If you’ve had problems being accepted for a mobile contract with a phone, or a 12 month SIM contract, then a shorter contract might be better for you. Because there is less commitment you are more likely to be accepted and, as long as you keep up the monthly payments, you’ll help to improve your credit rating and increase your chances of being accepted for a contract with a phone in the future. Find out more in our guide Why credit checks needn’t be a barrier.Sounds great. What's the catch?
They are more expensive
So what’s the catch? Well, as good as one month SIM only deals are, the networks don’t like to think that you’ll be hopping off to one of their competitors every month. So, to entice you to sign up for a longer deal, 30-day contracts are usually a few pounds more expensive than the equivalent 12 month deal offered by the network.
In real terms this is around a £3 increase each month but over 12 months that adds up to £36. OK, so not a life changing sum, but still if you’re not planning on moving networks in the next year then it makes sense to save yourself the extra cash and go for a longer contract.
WhatSIM fairness promise
The prices on this page are sorted by Featured Deals and Price.
Featured deals are determined based on the price divided by the amount of data included in the tariff.