The best mobile plans for business 2019

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Welcome to our guide to help you compare business mobile phone deals on all of the best handsets and from all the best UK networks.

Whether you're after the new iPhone 8, Sony Xperia XZ, iPhone SE or Samsung Galaxy S9, a free phone, lots of data, the lowest possible monthly cost or all of the above, we'll help you find the perfect deal. Check out our list of the best business mobiles in the UK for 2018.

We've also compiled alternative guides if you're interested in the best business SIM-only deals as well as the best business broadband and best mobile broadband deals. 

Underneath that you can browse through our individual handset guides for all of the best mobile phone deals out there. 

Best business mobile deals by network

• Business mobiles at Three
• Business at EE
• O2 Business
• SME, large and public sector business at Vodafone
• Carphone Warehouse business
• PC World Business

Best business SIM-only deals

  Vodafone

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The cheapest around for data-hungry users 

Unlimited minutes | Unlimited texts| 20GB data | 12-month contract | £20

Should you agree to sign a 12-month contract, then Vodafone’s Red bundle is possibly the best offer in the UK. You get unlimited data, minutes (usable both in the UK and in the EU) and a whopping 20GB data to use with an extra 4GB to be used in the EU in 40 countries; you can always opt for the WorldTraveller option which allows you to use your UK allowance in an additional 58 countries worldwide for a fiver a day. Vodafone also offers a 30-day money-back warranty. Check out this deal on Vodafone’s website

 O2

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Terrific for globe-trotters 

Unlimited minutes | Unlimited texts| 32GB data | 12-month contract | £23

The Telefonica-owned company offers one of the most impressive packages in the line-up. It is also the most expensive although you get far more than most. Not only do you have unlimited minutes and texts in the UK and across Europe (well, there is a fair usage limit of 2,000 minutes and 2,000 texts in the EU), you also get 3GB to use in the EU and 120 UK to EU minutes. Great if you travel a lot to mainland Europe. O2 also offers a 30-day optional contract for an extra £2 per month. This deal has got a lot better in recent months, as it has upped the data to a huge 32GB, while cutting the cost to £23 a month.

View this deal on O2’s website

  EE

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It has a unique selling point 

Unlimited minutes | Unlimited texts| 30GB data | 12-month contract | £16 

O2 might win when it comes to versatility but EE almost grabs the top spot when it comes to sheer value for money. This deal is a brilliant offer that gives you a huge 30GB of data for £16 a month. EE has upgraded its network to superfast 4GEE and you can even share your plan with three co-workers on the same bill; Note that, unlike many competitors, tethering and VOIP are allowed.

View this deal on EE’s website

Compare all the best business SIM-only deals

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A couple of the best phones for business

iPhone 7 deals

Prices just absolutely dived on the iPhone 7. Great news, considering it remains an excellent way to own an awesome Apple phone for meagre amounts of money. This for £28 pm from EE is the pick of the bunch. And once you've bought it, be sure to dive into the best iOS business apps.

See more ace prices with our best iPhone 7 deals and best iPhone 6 deals

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BlackBerry KeyONE deals

Blackberry spent many years in the wilderness, but its return with the BlackBerry KeyOne is a massive return to form. The best deal out there bar none is this one on O2 where you get 4GB of data for £25 per month, with an upfront cost of £33.99.

Click for more brilliant BlackBerry KeyONE deals

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Buying a mobile phone - what you need to know

Of course you want to find the cheapest price for your new smartphone - and our comparison chart at the top of the page will narrow that down for you - but we know there are likely to be dozens more questions you'll want answering. Keep reading below, where we answer some of the key commonly asked questions about buying a new mobile.

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Can I keep my old number?

You can indeed, and it's really easy - so no need to send one of those texts to everybody in your phone book telling them your new digits.

What you need to do is grab a PAC - or Porting Authorisation Code - from your old network. We've listed the direct numbers you need for the four major networks below. As soon as they've sent it to you, which should be within a day or two, you just need to give it to your new network. Voila - brand new phone with the same old number. Easy.

It becomes slightly less easy if the deal you pick out above is on the same network as your current one. They won't let you keep your number, so you have to use this workaround. Buy a free pay-as-you-go SIM from any other network and tell your network that you're moving. They'll release the PAC code, which you then give to the substitute network. Then, you immediately get another PAC code from them. Take that to your old network, and they'll move your number to your new contract. Long winded, but worth it.

• EE 07953 966 250
• O2 0344 809 0202
• Vodafone 03333 040 191
• Three 0333 300 333

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Which phone network is best?

Loyalty is an admirable trait, but could end up costing you money when it comes to the perfect phone deal. If you don't mind leaving your comfort zone, you may find that heading to one of the other major networks may well be worth it...

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Despite what Richard Branson's adverts might suggest, EE is the Usain Bolt of phone networks. Nobody else can come close to EE's 4G speeds in the UK. So if you rely on fast internet while away from WI-Fi, then EE is the obvious choice. Plus, EE gives you three free months of BT Sport (or more if you get a Max plan) when you sign up, as well as six months of Apple Music. The EE coverage checker will confirm how strong it is where you live.  

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The biggest lure to O2 is the network's Priority rewards (well, that and Sean Bean's mellifluous tones). From cheap lunches and free coffees to first refusal on big gig tickets, O2 is the network for regular goodies. Plus, they have 1000s of Wi-Fi hotspots in shops and cafes that you can connect to. Use the O2 coverage checker to see whether you'll be able to access 4G.  

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Good news for jet-setters - Vodafone lets you use your data, calls and texts allowances in 50 countries around the world without charge. But things really start to get good when you splash out on its bigger Red Entertainment data plans, as Vodafone will give you your choice of a NOW TV Entertainment Pass, Spotify Premium or Sky Sports Mobile subscription. Click to check if Vodafone covers your home.  

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3 remains the king of the big data deals, and still the only one of the big four networks to offer unlimited, uncapped, all-you-can-eat delicious data. We also like that you can use 4G to make calls and texts via the dedicated Three inTouch app, and you can connect to Wi-Fi in the London Underground if you ever find yourself in the capital. But 4G coverage isn't as strong as the other networks - check whether your postcode is covered with the Three coverage checker.  

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What phone contract length should I get?

Well if you're buying a new phone plan with a contract, you haven't got much choice. It's 24 months or nothing, these days. If you don't want to be tied down to that kind of commitment, then you'll have to go down the SIM only route and buy the handset separately - we've rounded up the best SIM free phone deals to help you make your chocie.

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How much phone data do I need?

The answer to this one will be different for everybody. If you only really carry your phone for emergencies, then go for the minimum amount of data and save a packet. If you like to scroll through Facebook on the bus and stream Spotify, you'll need a bit more. And if you frequently stream videos and download masses of files, then 30GB or even unlimited may be worth paying extra for.

As well as checking your phone to see how much you tend to use a month at the moment, the below guidelines will also help you pick out the perfect plan:

• 1GB Some networks offer 500MB plans, but realistically we think you should get at least 1GB. It won't be much more expensive (if at all) and will afford you a little bit of Google Mapping, WhatsApping and emailing when you need them.
• 2-3GB If you like to scroll through your social media feeds and emails while out and about without fear of extra cash to pay on your monthly bill, then up your data.
• 4-8GB The likes of Spotify and Apple Music have promised us all our favourite tunes wherever we roam. Kit yourself out with a bit more data and you'll have plenty for music streaming and the occasional video, too.
  10-16GB This should be more than enough for most users. Loads of data for streaming music, downloading podcasts and enjoying social media videos. Because there's no such thing as too many cats falling into bins.
• 20-30GB Big data for the big phone user. Perfect for watching Netflix videos, downloading content and streaming loads of music. And these plans often have extra freebies thrown in, too.
• Unlimited The 3 network is still the only one of the 'Big 4' to offer unlimited data. It can be really pricey though, so think long and hard whether you really need it.

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Should I get unlimited calls and texts?

Actually these days, the vast majority of phone contracts feature unlimited calls and texts. We do see some of the cheaper plans sometimes limit them, but even if they do, you can use your data allowance on popular apps like WhatsApp, Skype and Hangouts to make calls and texts if your minutes run dry.

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How much phone memory do I need?

You're likely to be one of two kinds of person:

Person 1: You like all your photos, music, downloads and other media to be saved directly on to your phone. If that sounds like you, 16GB or 32GB handsets may not be enough and you should use our comparison chart to find the most affordable 64GB, 128GB or 256GB models.

Person 2: You're a stream demon. You've got subscriptions to Spotify and Netflix and you save all your Word docs and snaps into the cloud. Save your money and go for a cheaper, lower memory handset.

OK person 3, calm down - you fall somewhere between the two, right? If you can afford to get a smartphone with more memory, that is probably safest. But don't forget that most phones do allow you to insert an additional SD card if you run out of space - most phones apart from iPhones, that is.

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Are refurbished phones good to buy?

Refurbished phones can provide a alternative to a new handset if you're budget is a shoestring. 'Refurbished' often means that the previous owner simply changed their mind about the phone soon after buying it, so it's still practically brand new - and the potential savings can be substantial.

If you do spy an unbelievable deal on a refurbed phone, the main thing to make sure of is the warranty. Double check that you are properly covered for a decent length of time. A year's warranty is preferable.

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TechRadar's unbiased and independent mobile phone deals comparison

Thanks for visiting TechRadar's mobile phone deal comparison page! Our price comparison system includes 2.47 million mobile phone contracts from all of the major networks and resellers so that you can always find the one that suits you best.

Unlike some other major sites, our philosophy is to always display you with the absolute cheapest deals for the criteria you select. So you'll always be able to see the cheapest prices for the best phones with contracts with the most generous data allowances.

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How does TechRadar make money from affiliates?

If you buy a phone after visiting this page, TechRadar will be paid a small commission by the network or reseller you buy from. This money is paid by the site you buy from and thus does not affect the amount you pay for your phone contract. If you go direct to the site you buy from, you would pay the same amount.

The money that TechRadar makes from this free service allows us to improve our product comparison tools and pay the editors who trawl through all the sites and select the best deals every month.

While some sites out there will be paid larger fees for pushing people to specific deals that aren't necessarily the cheapest, TechRadar will always find you the absolute cheapest deal. Trust and integrity is important to us, so if you ever think we're not displaying the very best deals let us know.

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How do we order these mobile phone deals?

Our mobile phone deal comparison tools sift through millions of different deals and surfaces the ones we think are the very best. Essentially that means finding deals that work out the cheapest over a 24 month contract while still supplying at least 1GB of data, as you've told us that 1GB is your absolute minimum. If you need more data, use the filters and we'll display the cheapest prices for your increased amount.

On this specific page, we have many mobile phone options displaying in one comparison table. In this case, we try and find you a balance between paying the cheapest price and getting the best phone for your money.

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How do the mobile phone deals comparison tools work?

The comparison tools you find on the page above will hopefully be very easy to use. You can select what your budget is, whether it be upfront cost or monthly fee or both. And you can say how much data you need or how many minutes and texts. You can even filter by network if you really want to be on a specific carrier. The deals will automatically update as you drill down in your search, always favouring the cheapest options over the more expensive ones. If you ever want to refresh and start your search again, simply select the 'CLEAR ALL FILTERS' option to begin again from scratch.

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What is TechRadar?

TechRadar is Europe's largest technology reviews website with over 22 million visitors every month. It's our aim to provide you with the very best buying advice, always. If you'd like to read reviews of the mobile phones you see on this page, you can visit TechRadar's reviews homepage.

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How do we select which networks and resellers to display?

TechRadar strives to include all mobile phone deals from all UK networks and resellers so that you can search through all the available deals in the UK without having to look on all the websites separately. However, for sites to be included they need to supply us with a feed of their deals. This is the only reason why a phone reseller or network wouldn't appear in our system – but the vast majority do.

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