The best mobile plans in Ireland, ranked by price, network and contract
Unlimited 5G starts at €12.99 from 48, Clear and GoMo. They ride three different host networks. We rank every Irish SIM on published prices, contract lock-in and the radio behind the logo. Updated August 2026.
Showing 11, ranked on value, contract terms, roaming and network factors.
Editor's pick · best unlimited no-contract
1
48Best unlimited no-contract
★★★★★Excellent· Three network
48 is Three’s digital MVNO: unlimited 5G at €12.99 with no lock-in, and a student 100 GB plan at €10.99. The host network is Three. The product is the membership, not a 24-month bill-pay trap.
✓Unlimited 5G at €12.99, rolling monthly✓Runs on Three’s network✓Student 100 GB at €10.99✓20 GB EU/UK roaming on unlimited
Clear is the Vodafone-network MVNO we score highest on service: unlimited 5G at €12.99, 30-day rolling, 23 GB EU/UK roaming, first month free. The catch is a €12.99 activation fee that cancels the “free month” if you leave on day 20.
✓Unlimited 5G at €12.99 on Vodafone✓First month free✓30-day rolling, 23 GB EU/UK roaming✓Strong customer-service reputation
GoMo is Eir’s budget brand: unlimited 5G at €12.99 with a price-for-life promise, eSIM and Wi-Fi calling, plus a €12.99 once-off activation fee paid up front. Support is the app. Trustpilot is poor. The deal is the price, not the phone queue.
✓€12.99 for life, no contract✓Unlimited 5G on Eir’s own network✓eSIM and Wi-Fi calling✓23 GB EU roaming
Sky Mobile rides Vodafone’s network (a long-term wholesale deal signed at launch in September 2024): 10 GB at €10 or unlimited at €12.99 (“was €15”), both 12-month, both with Piggybank rollover (up to three years), free EU/UK roaming, 5G and eSIM. The 10 GB plan is the honest light-user SIM. Unlimited matches the €12.99 no-contract SIMs on price but locks you in for a year.
✓Piggybank: unused data rolls for up to 3 years✓Free EU and UK roaming on both plans✓10 GB at €10 or unlimited at €12.99✓eSIM, 5G, Vodafone coverage
Virgin Mobile is a Three-network MVNO with a 12-month SIM at €15 for life and no annual rise. Unlimited data, calls and texts on 4G (Virgin says its SIM-only plans “currently operate on 4G”), 37 GB EU/UK roaming, up to six SIMs. The lock-in is the 12 months, not a thereafter cliff.
✓€15 for life, no advertised annual rise✓Unlimited data on Three radio — 4G, not 5G✓37 GB EU/UK roaming✓Up to six SIMs on one account
Vodafone is an MNO. Red Unlimited SIM Only 15 is the plan to take if you qualify: unlimited 5G, calls and texts, EU roaming, 12 months, €15. The rest of the ladder (€25, €30, €35) is the same headline with extras you may not need. Ultra is the international pack.
✓Own 5G network✓Red Unlimited 15 is unlimited 5G at €15✓Ultra adds 80 GB EU roaming and international calls✓Happy rewards on the mothership account
Tesco Mobile rides Three. Clubcard knocks money off prepay and the €20 5G SIM. Prepay Data Plus is 100 GB for €15. Elevate SIM is unlimited 5G at €15 for 12 months, then typically €30 — that is the trap, not the Clubcard.
✓Clubcard cuts prepay and some SIM prices✓Prepay Data Plus: 100 GB for €15✓Elevate unlimited 5G is €15 then typically €30✓Top up in Tesco — useful if you already shop there
Three is an MNO. Every plan we list includes All You Can Eat 5G and Three+ perks. SIM Core is €20 for 12 months. Freedom is €14 for six months then €28 on 24 months. Flex is €34.99 rolling. Prepay starts at €20. It is not the cheap unlimited SIM. It is the host network 48 rides.
✓All You Can Eat 5G on every plan we list✓Own network — 48 is the cheap version of this radio✓Freedom: €14 for 6 months, then €28 for 24 months✓Three+ shopping, movie and gig perks
Lycamobile is the international specialist. Prepay and data-only on Eir’s network (it moved from Three in late 2025), 28-day cycles, eSIM, 5G. Ireland Plus and the “unlimited” teasers look cheap; some unlimited plans throttle after 100 GB. Buy it for calls home, not as a GoMo rival.
✓Country bundles: Asia, Europe, Nigeria, Türkiye✓Data-only SIMs from €4.99✓eSIM and 5G on Eir✓“Unlimited” Plus/Go throttle after 100 GB
Eir is an MNO with 99% 5G population coverage. Connect is €14.99 for 12 months then €29.99. Complete is €24.99 then €34.99 with more roaming and international minutes. Both carry a €9.99 once-off SIM activation fee. Broadband customers can take €10 off. GoMo is the same radio without the thereafter.
✓Own 5G — 99% population✓Connect €14.99 intro, then €29.99✓65–75 GB EU roaming on the bill-pay plans✓€10/month off for eir broadband customers
An Post Mobile is Vodafone-network prepay sold by the postal service. €12.99 / €15 / €18 for 28 days, top up in any post office, 99.9% 4G coverage claim. There is no 5G on the plans we list. Unlimited data starts at €18. It is convenience, not the cheap unlimited SIM.
✓Top up at any post office✓No contract, 28-day validity✓Unlimited data on the €18 plan✓25 GB EU/UK roaming plus 250 minutes and texts on every plan
Advertiser disclosure: prices are from August 2026. The host network is what matters, not the logo. We may earn a commission through links, and that never affects scores or order.
The €12.99 unlimited floor: 48 vs Clear vs GoMo
Three SIMs, same headline price, three different radios. This is the comparison most people actually need. Full write-up: 48 vs GoMo vs Clear.
Lead unlimited plan where they have one, otherwise the cheapest listed plan. Intro vs thereafter, year-one cash, contract, eSIM, roaming and host radio. Prices from published plan pages, August 2026.
These are the teasers that look cheap in month one. Year-one already includes the jump if it happens inside 12 months (Three Freedom’s six-month window does).
Provider
Plan
Intro
Thereafter
Promo window
Year-one
Tesco Mobile
€15 Elevate SIM
€15
€30
12 months
€180
Tesco Mobile
Prepay Data Ultra 5G
€15
€20
See note
€195
Tesco Mobile
€20 5G Clubcard SIM
€15
€20
See note
€180
Three
Three SIM Freedom 24m
€14
€28
6 months
€252
Lycamobile
Unlimited Plus
€10
€25
6 months
€235
Lycamobile
Go Unlimited
€11
€20
12 months
€152
Eir Mobile
Connect Plan
€14.99
€29.99
12 months
€190
Eir Mobile
Complete Plan
€24.99
€34.99
12 months
€310
Unlimited 5G · intro vs thereafter
What unlimited actually costs after the promo
48
€12.99
Clear Mobile
€12.99
GoMo
€12.99
Sky Mobile
€12.99
Lycamobile
€12.99
Virgin Media
€15
Vodafone
€15
An Post Mobile
€18
Three
€20
Eir Mobile
€14.99 → €29.99
Tesco Mobile
€15 → €30
Bars are thereafter monthly on the unlimited plan, not the cheapest data-only add-on. Lycamobile Unlimited Plus is 100 GB then 256 kbps, so it is not in this chart.
Our methodology
How we rank mobile providers
We score providers on value, data terms, contract risk, host-network clarity, roaming and service. Rankings use published plan pages from August 2026. We do not invent coverage percentages or speed-test Mbps. Affiliate links never change order or scores. See how we test and the affiliate disclosure.
11
Mobile retailers ranked
Aug 2026
Published plan pages only
3
Host radio networks mapped
€12.99
Unlimited 5G floor (48, Clear, GoMo)
Why trust matched.ie
receipt_long
Yearly cost, not intro hype
We model what you actually pay after the promo window. Tesco Elevate and Eir Connect look cheap in month one. They do not in month 13.
hub
Host network over brand logo
48 and Virgin are Three radio. Clear, Sky and An Post are Vodafone radio. GoMo and Lycamobile are Eir radio. Coverage follows the masts, not the SIM artwork.
balance
Impartial ranking rules
Affiliate links never change scores, order, or verdict picks.
Network explainer
Eir, Three, Vodafone: radio vs retailer brand
In Irish mobile, you buy a retailer plan but often use another company’s radio. Coverage follows the masts, not the SIM artwork. Full guide: MVNO explained.
Host network
Owns the masts
Cheap unlimited SIM
Other SIMs on this radio
Three network
Three
48
48, Virgin Media, Tesco Mobile
Vodafone network
Vodafone
Clear
Clear Mobile, Sky Mobile, An Post Mobile
Eir network
Eir Mobile
GoMo
GoMo, Lycamobile
Eir radio
MNO host network
Eir owns the masts. GoMo and Lycamobile ride them; GoMo is the cheap SIM on the same radio. Direct Eir Connect looks cheap, then jumps to €29.99.
Three radio
MNO host network
Three owns the masts. 48, Tesco and Virgin ride them. 48 is the cheap unlimited 5G version of this signal; Virgin is 4G only.
Vodafone radio
MNO host network
Vodafone owns the masts. Clear, Sky and An Post ride them. Clear is the €12.99 unlimited 5G; Sky is the 12-month Piggybank SIM; An Post is 4G prepay you top up at the post office.
MVNO vs MNO
Retail layer vs network owner
MNOs own the radio. MVNOs sell the SIM. Price, eSIM and lock-in can differ a lot on the same host signal. Coverage follows the masts.
Which is the best mobile in Ireland?
If Three works where you live, 48 is the best unlimited 5G we list: €12.99, rolling monthly, and a student 100 GB at €10.99. If Vodafone is stronger at home, take Clear at the same €12.99 (the €12.99 activation fee is cancelled by the free first month, so year one is the same €155.88). If Eir is the radio that works, take GoMo (same €12.99 activation fee with no free month, so €168.87 in year one, but eSIM and a for-life price). Paying Vodafone, Three or Eir retail extra only makes sense if you want the mothership account, not better coverage.
The traps are the cliffs. Tesco Elevate is €15 then €30. Eir Connect is €14.99 then €29.99. Three Freedom is €14 for six months then €28. Lycamobile “unlimited” is 100 GB then 256 kbps. An Post is 4G, and the €15 plan has less data than the €12.99 plan.
How to choose
01Check which radio works at home and on the commute. There are only three host networks. Walk the rooms with Wi-Fi off, or ask a neighbour on that network, before you fall for a logo.
02Take the cheap unlimited SIM on that radio. If Three works, start with 48. If Vodafone works, start with Clear. If Eir works, start with GoMo. Pay the MNO extra only if you want the mothership account.
03Read the thereafter before you click buy. Elevate and Connect roughly double after the intro. Three Freedom does the same after six months. Port the number and keep the old SIM live until the new one works.
Róisín Kelly leads matched.ie’s mobile coverage and plan comparisons. She has driven over 15,000 km testing 4G and 5G signals across Ireland for Three, Vodafone, eir and Virgin Mobile.
7 years mapping real-world mobile performanceCertified Mobile Network Engineer (Ericsson & Nokia)Focus on rural coverage, data speeds and international roamingRegularly updates matched.ie’s mobile coverage heatmaps
Fact-checked by the matched.ie editorial team · Published August 2026
Frequently asked questions
What is the best mobile provider in Ireland right now?+
In our August 2026 ranking, 48 is #1. Unlimited 5G at €12.99, rolling monthly, Three radio, and a student 100 GB fallback at €10.99. Pick Clear if Vodafone works better at home, or GoMo if Eir does.
Who has the cheapest unlimited 5G in Ireland?+
48, Clear and GoMo all list unlimited 5G at €12.99. They are not the same SIM. 48 is Three radio with no activation fee. Clear is Vodafone radio plus a €12.99 activation fee that its free first month cancels, so year one is €155.88 on either. GoMo is Eir radio, app-only, with a for-life pitch and its own €12.99 activation fee with no free month, so €168.87. See 48 vs GoMo vs Clear.
Can I keep my number when I switch?+
Yes. The new provider ports it. Do not cancel the old SIM first. Keep it live until the new one works. Full steps: how to switch mobile.
What do intro and thereafter mean?+
Intro is the advertised monthly price at sign-up. Thereafter is the listed ongoing price after the promo window. Tesco Elevate is €15 then €30. Eir Connect is €14.99 then €29.99. Three Freedom is €14 for six months then €28.
Is Tesco Elevate still €15 after year one?+
No. Elevate is €15 for 12 months, then typically €30. If you want unlimited that stays cheap, take 48, Clear or GoMo instead.
Is Eir Connect a cheap long-term plan?+
No. Connect is €14.99 for 12 months, then €29.99. GoMo uses the same Eir radio at €12.99 with no cliff. Compare Eir vs GoMo.
Does unlimited really mean unlimited?+
Fair-use still applies. Lycamobile Unlimited Plus and Go Unlimited are 100 GB at 5G, then 256 kbps. That is not a full-speed unlimited SIM.
Who has the best student mobile plan?+
48 Student 100 GB is €10.99 with a college email. It is 4G, not 5G. If you need unlimited 5G, the same brand’s €12.99 plan is usually the better buy. See best mobile for students.
How much EU roaming do I get?+
Caps, not “free forever”. 48 lists 20 GB EU/UK on unlimited. Clear and GoMo list 23 GB. Virgin lists 37 GB. Sky lists free EU/UK on the plans we quote. See best mobile for roaming.
Do all listed providers offer 5G?+
No. An Post Mobile is 4G only. 48 Student is 4G. Some Tesco prepay plans are 4G.
What is the difference between an MVNO and an MNO?+
MNOs own the masts: Vodafone, Three, Eir. MVNOs sell SIMs on those masts. Coverage follows the host, not the logo. Full map: MVNO explained.
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