The cheapest mobile plan in Ireland depends on what you mean by cheap. If you want the lowest monthly outlay, data-only starts at €4.99 with Lycamobile. If you want mainstream unlimited 5G with calls and texts, the floor in August 2026 is €12.99 from 48, Clear Mobile, and GoMo. Over year one, 48 and Clear tie at €155.88: Clear charges a €12.99 activation fee but gives the first month free, which cancels it. GoMo charges the same fee with no free month, so it costs €168.87.
This ranking is ordered by introductory monthly price first. Then we show what happens after promos end. Tesco Elevate goes from €15 to €30. Eir Connect goes from €14.99 to €29.99. Those are still valid offers, but they are expensive if you stay past the intro window.
Use this page with our main best mobile in Ireland ranking. If you need rolling plans only, jump to no-contract mobile. If you are switching now, read how to switch mobile.
Intro price vs thereafter bill
The Irish mobile market is full of honest monthly plans and a few heavy promo cliffs. We rank on intro because that is what people search for. We also call out the month-13 bill because that is what people pay.
| Provider | Entry plan | Intro price | Thereafter | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lycamobile | Data XS (3 GB) | €4.99 | €4.99 | 28-day rolling |
| 48 | Student 100 GB | €10.99 | €10.99 | Monthly rolling |
| GoMo | GoMo Mobile unlimited 5G | €12.99 | €12.99 | Monthly rolling |
| Clear Mobile | Unlimited 5G | €12.99 | €12.99 | Monthly rolling |
| Eir | Connect Plan unlimited 5G | €14.99 | €29.99 | Monthly rolling after intro |
| Tesco Mobile | Elevate SIM unlimited 5G | €15 | €30 | 12 months |
One more gotcha. Clear gives the first month free, but charges a €12.99 activation fee. You still get a strong Vodafone-network unlimited SIM, and the free month cancels the fee, so day one is €12.99 and year one is €155.88, the same as 48. GoMo charges the same €12.99 activation fee up front with no free month (year one €168.87), and Eir adds €9.99 on Connect (year one €189.87). 48 is the only €12.99 SIM with no fee at all.
Cheapest unlimited 5G in Ireland
The real value floor for unlimited 5G in Ireland is a three-way tie at €12.99 a month. On year-one cash 48 and Clear tie at €155.88, because Clear’s free first month cancels its €12.99 activation fee; GoMo charges the same fee with nothing to offset it, so it is €168.87. 48 runs on Three radio, Clear runs on Vodafone radio, and GoMo runs on Eir radio. Pick the host network that works at your address and commute, then take the cheapest plan on that network.
Three itself is the mast owner for 48, but it costs more on direct Three plans. That is fine if you want the full Three account and perks. It is poor value if your only goal is cheap unlimited data.
If you are comparing head-to-head, start with GoMo vs 48 and 48 vs Clear.
Promo cliffs to avoid
The two biggest price cliffs are easy to name. Tesco Elevate is €15 then €30. Eir Connect is €14.99 then €29.99. Both can suit someone who will definitely leave on time, but the default outcome is overpaying if you forget.
Virgin has the opposite shape. It is €15 for life, but with a 12-month contract and 4G only on Three radio. That is fair pricing, but it is not no-contract freedom, and 48 sells unlimited 5G on the same Three masts for €12.99 with no term at all (Sky’s €12.99 12-month unlimited is on Vodafone, not Three).
When you want stable pricing, GoMo at €12.99 for life or 48 at €12.99 rolling monthly are simpler to manage than teaser-heavy plans.
How we rank cheapest mobile
Order is based on the lowest introductory monthly price we list for August 2026. We then explain thereafter pricing, contract length, and any activation fee that changes real first-year cost.
- We rank retailers, then name host networks. 48, Tesco, Sky, Virgin, Lycamobile and An Post all ride MNO radio from Three, Vodafone or Eir.
- We do not invent speed tests. If a plan is advertised as unlimited or 100 GB, that is what we quote from published plan pages.
- We keep intro and thereafter separate. This page is for cheapest entry, not lifetime cheapest by default.
For network ownership basics, read MVNO explained.
Keep reading
- Best mobile in Ireland: full ranking, intro vs thereafter.
- 48 vs GoMo vs Clear: the €12.99 unlimited three-way.
- How to switch mobile: keep your number, cooling-off, ETFs.
- MVNO explained: who rides which masts.
- Find your mobile: 30-second quiz.
