No Credit Check SIM Only Deals Explained

A no credit check SIM-only deal is a great option for people who have not been accepted for traditional contract phones. You can choose from a wide selection of bundles with flexible terms and a range of great benefits. Even better, you can buy with the guarantee of approval. In this article we explore no credit check SIM-only deals in detail.

What is a no credit check SIM only deal?

A SIM-only deal is a package of minutes, texts and data on a rolling monthly contract. You do not receive a handset, just a SIM card to pop into any unlocked phone. Some networks perform a credit check for SIM-only tariffs, because it is a form of credit. You receive your allowance of calls, texts and data and pay for it – and any extra you have used – at the end of the month. Technically you could use as much data, make as many calls, and send as many texts as you want (though this could wind up very expensive). Everything you’ve used is tallied up and billed at the end of the 30-days.

By contrast a no credit check SIM-only deal is a 30-day prepaid tariff. You pay upfront for the bundle of data, minutes and texts you have chosen. Because you pay upfront, there’s no risk to the network and so no credit check is required. You cannot use more than what you have paid for, unless you buy more. If you’re certain you cannot pass a credit check, this type of deal is the best option for you.

You’re probably thinking that a no credit check SIM-only deal sounds very similar to Pay As You Go. The main similarity is in the paying up front. A prepaid SIM-only deal differs to PAYG because rather than paying for every text, call and MB of data from your balance, you receive a set allowance to use throughout the month. A no credit check SIM-only deal is more similar to a standard mobile phone contract in that sense. If you’re a moderate or heavy user, prepaid SIM-only is usually much better value than PAYG.

Who are no credit check SIM-only deals suitable for?

Anyone can buy a no credit check SIM-only deal but they are most beneficial for some particular groups.

The first is the most obvious: those with a bad credit rating. People can have a poor credit score for all sorts of reasons. Missed payments, too much debt, a County Court Judgement, inaccurate information on your report, identity theft and not being registered on the electoral roll can all be factors. Whatever the reason, if your score is low, you’re unlikely to be accepted for a traditional mobile phone contract.

The second group is those with no credit history. Students and young people tend to be most affected by this. With no financial history, credit companies have little to go on and it is impossible to assess your trustworthiness. You can’t build a good rating without credit, but you usually need a good rating to get credit. Ironic, we know. In this situation, a no credit check SIM-only deal may be your only option while you attempt to build your score.

Will a no credit check SIM-only deal help rebuild my credit score?

The short answer to this question is no. You’re not taking on any credit, so it won’t improve your score. On the plus side, it won’t negatively impact it if you run into difficulties.

However, you can use it to build a relationship with the provider in the long term. Making your payments on time will show you are reliable and this may give you a better chance of securing a contract phone from them.

Where to find SIM-only deals without credit checks

There are a number of providers offering SIM-only deals without the credit check, and you’ll probably recognise most of the names. The two biggest are GiffGaff and Smarty.

GiffGaff is the original SIM-only provider. They are extremely popular because they offer a huge range of deals, flexible 30-day rolling tariffs and competitive prices. GiffGaff only run credit checks if you’re applying for a traditional contract (SIM-only or handset included). The rest of the deals are credit check free. GiffGaff runs on the O2 network so be sure to check coverage in your area before signing up.

Smarty is run by Three. It’s the affordable wing of the company, offering extremely cheap 30-day rolling deals with no credit checks at all. Anyone can sign up to Smarty. Smarty buys back any data you don’t use and pride themselves on simple, transparent and flexible pricing.

We all like choice, so ASDA Mobile, Lebara Mobile and Voxi also offer no credit check SIM-only deals. We recommend comparing the offerings of each provider and finding the best one for you.