📱 Mobile Plan Check
Is my mobile plan good value?
Two things make an Irish mobile bill higher than it needs to be, and neither is the price of the plan. The first is an allowance far larger than the data you use. The second is a handset that was paid off a year ago and is still being billed for, because nothing happens automatically when the term ends.
Figures reviewed September 2026. Free, no signup, nothing stored on our servers.
What this means
The comparison here is against SIM-only pricing for the data you actually use — not for the allowance you were sold. That is deliberate. An allowance you never reach is a price tier, not insurance, and it is the easiest thing on a mobile bill to change.
Where a handset is still being paid off, part of the gap is the phone rather than the service. That part is real debt and does not disappear by switching. What matters is the date it ends: the bill does not fall on its own, and a plan that keeps charging the handset portion after the phone is paid for is the commonest form of long-term overpaying in Irish mobile.
The annual figure is the one worth looking at. Fifteen euro a month is easy to ignore. One hundred and eighty a year, for data nobody uses, is not.
What affects the result
- The data you actually use, which is in your phone’s settings and is usually a fraction of the allowance.
- Whether a handset is bundled into the monthly charge, and how many months of it are left.
- Whether you are inside a minimum term, which decides whether you can act now.
- Whether you need roaming beyond the EU, which narrows the options and raises the price.
- Coverage where you live and work. The cheapest plan is no good in a blackspot.
Is my mobile plan good value?
The order to do this in
Check your real data use first, because it decides everything else. Then price SIM-only plans at that level. Then ring your own provider and ask them to match — they usually have a SIM-only tariff they do not advertise to existing customers.
Buying the phone separately
A handset bought outright, on a credit union loan, or second-hand, paired with a SIM-only plan, is the structurally cheaper arrangement. It also decouples the two decisions, so a bad plan does not lock you in for the life of a phone.
The rest of the recurring bills
Mobile is rarely the biggest one. The bill checker lists every recurring cost with its annual figure, broadband is usually a larger saving, and subscriptions are the category people underestimate most.
Important assumptions
Every figure on this page rests on these. Where one does not match your situation, the answer moves — sometimes a great deal.
- The price bands are indicative, compiled from advertised Irish SIM-only pricing. No Irish body publishes an official price list.
- The comparison uses the tier your usage falls into, not the tier your allowance falls into.
- The handset figure is the premium over SIM-only across the months still to run. A bill does not separate the handset from the service, so this is the difference rather than a stated instalment.
- Prepay plans, family bundles and business plans are priced differently and are not covered by the bands here.
- Roaming outside the EU, international calls and add-ons are not included.
Official sources
Where this tool applies a published rule, this is where the rule comes from. Check the source before acting on anything that matters.
- ComReg — compare mobile plans
The regulator’s accredited price comparison service for mobile plans.
- ComReg — consumer information
Contract end notifications, switching and number portability, and the right to exit on a contract change.
- ComReg — mobile coverage maps
Independent coverage information by operator, which price comparison alone does not tell you.
Common questions
Is SIM only cheaper than a bill pay contract?
Over two years, almost always — a bill-pay contract with a handset is a phone loan with service attached, and the interest is inside the monthly charge. Buying the phone outright or second-hand and taking a SIM-only plan usually costs less in total, and leaves you free to switch at any time.
How much data do I actually need?
Check rather than guess. Your phone records it: iPhone under Settings, Mobile Data; Android under Settings, Network and internet. Most people on unlimited plans use well under 20 GB a month, because home and work Wi-Fi carry the bulk of it.
Does my bill go down when the handset is paid off?
Not automatically on most plans. The contract continues at the same monthly price unless you move to a SIM-only plan or renegotiate. Providers are required to notify you when a fixed-term contract is ending — that notice is the moment to act.
Can I keep my number if I switch?
Yes. Number portability is a right, and the provider you move to handles the transfer. You do not need to contact your old provider first.
What to check next
Which of my bills am I overpaying on?
Every recurring bill in one place, with the annual figure and where to start.
Bill CheckerNewAm I paying too much for broadband?
Your bill against what the same speed normally costs, and what switching would save over two years.
Broadband Price CheckNewWhat are my subscriptions really costing me?
Every subscription as one monthly figure, one annual figure, and what five years of it comes to.
Subscription Cost CalculatorNewWhere is my money actually going?
Add up every recurring household cost and see which categories are worth attacking first.
Money Leak CheckerNext steps across CheckIreland
Picked for what you just worked out — not a list of everything we make.
CheckIreland is independent and is not affiliated with the Irish Government or any public body. This tool is general information built on published rules and typical costs — it is not financial, tax or legal advice, and it does not account for your individual circumstances. Confirm anything that matters with the relevant body or a qualified adviser before acting on it.