Best Three Mobile phone deals

United Kingdom's third-largest network is aptly named Three and has been on an up and coming trajectory ever since its inception back in 2003. One fun fact you might not have known, is that it's called Three because the company got founded on the same day when 3G connectivity went live in the UK.

Three shines brightest when you start comparing its big data plans to the other network competitors—EE, O2, and Vodafone. Three's data plans starting from 50GB+ and upwards are some of the most affordable ones out of all the four major networks, and that's especially true when it comes to their 100GB options.

There are a couple of things to keep in mind while choosing your plan with Three. First of all, the competitive pricing seen in its higher-tier data plans is rather absent once you start looking at options with less GB. Additionally, perks in the form of bonus apps, services, and features are not really Three's strong suit either.

Now, some good news is that all Three phones come unlocked, meaning you don't have to chain yourself to a contract if you don't want to. You can buy the handset you have set your eyes on either monthly or the whole price upfront.

Last but not least, while Three sells brand new phones it also sells refurbished ones, so if you are looking to save some money by purchasing an older renewed handset you have that option too.

Three has the lowest phone-with-plan monthly charge prices among UK carriers and is adamant that you know it with a neat summation of how much exactly you are saving per month when you get a phone deal. Most of the phones come with additional goodies like a few months of free subscription to major streaming services, or in some cases, a whole other phone thrown in the mix.

You can currently get the iPhone 14 and iPhone 13 for really good monthly payment plans with 0% APR, unlimited data and 3 months of free airtime. That said, the contracts that have the really good prices are 3 years long, so keep that in mind before signing up.

Apple iPhone 14: Now available for £24.14 a month!

Three is selling the iPhone 14 for £24.14 with 0% APR, with an upfront payment of £45.00. This amounts to £914.00. The one catch is that you have to sign a 3-year plan. This price is for the 128GB storage model.

£24 ¹⁴ /mo

Buy at Three.co.uk

Apple iPhone 13: get it now for only £20.00 a month!

You can have the iPhone 13 for £20.00 a month with an upfront cost of £40.00. This price is for a 3-year contract and the 128GB model. It will end up costing you a total of £760.00, which is not that much in the span of 36 months.

£20 /mo

Buy at Three.co.uk

For Samsung phones, Three is offering even more free airtime, 6 months to be exact. The prices are about the same as those for the iPhones though.

You can have the Ultimate Samsung phone for just £33.00 a month!

Three is giving you the Galaxy S23 Ultra with 6 months of free airtime for just £33 a month with 0% APR. There is a £65 upfront payment and it is a 36 month plan, for the 256GB version of the S23 Ultra.

£33 /mo

Buy at Three.co.uk

Samsung Galaxy S23: get it now for only £23 a month!

You can get the Galaxy S23 for just £23 a month if you sign up for this 3-year plan at Three. This price is for the 128GB storage model, and there is a £30 upfront payment. Best think is you get 6 months of free airtime!

£22 ⁵⁸ /mo

Buy at Three.co.uk

Samsung Galaxy S22 : get it with 6 months of free airtime!

The Galaxy S22 can be yours with 6 months of free airtime for only £15 a month if you sign up for this 36 month plan at Three. There is a small upfront cost of £30 and this price is for the 128GB storage option.

£15 /mo

Buy at Three.co.uk

Three is offering free airtime with the Pixel 7 right now!

Google Pixel 7: Buy it from Three and get 3 free months of airtime.

Three will give you 3 months of free air time with the Pixel 7 at the moment! If you go for the 128GB model your plan will include £25.00 upfront payment.

£13 /mo

Buy at Three.co.uk

Yes, if you are looking for a phone plus a plan deal, you can hardly beat Three's offers in the UK. The carrier promises eleven pounds sterling less per month than the competition for the same phone on unlimited plans and it manages to deliver. 

Moreover, with Three's Advanced plans, you can unlock your data plan for use abroad in more than 71 countries in many geographical regions - starting from a low daily charge of £2 in Europe and £5 in the rest of the globe.

Can I keep my number if I switch to Three?

Yes, you can keep any carrier number you've had at an UK carrier so far. If, for example, you are moving from an EE phone and plan and your contract with them has expired you can text PAC to 65075 to get your PAC code.

Then you need to choose a phone and plan from the best Three phone deals here and order one online or in store. Ring Three's customer support team on 0333 338 1001 and give them the PAC number you obtained from EE.

Very easy, as your current carrier is mandated to ensure you get your PAC number needed to unsubscribe to you in the span of no more than two hours, so the PAC shouldn't be an issue.

Three will then activate your phone on their network with your old EE number but save the original SIM card number just in case as the carriers don't do number transfers on weekends or during bank holidays.

How good is Three's coverage in the UK?

Very good, especially in downtown and highly trafficked areas. Despite that it started as a budget carrier in the UK, and to a great extent remains that concept, Three's total network coverage footprint has been gradually increasing to reach 99% of the UK population. 

As far as Three's cell phone coverage area is concerned, it's not as large as EE's 4G LTE blanket, but then again Three has much cheaper plans and phones to offer.

Of course, the population statistic could very well mean that the main centers like the big cities and trafficked highways are covered, but in villages and out in the boondocks you might not get enough coverage from Three. That's true for every carrier, though, so we'd advise that you grab a prepaid SIM card from Three and check the coverage in the areas you frequent the most before purchasing a phone and plan from Three.