Lebara SIM only deals: what the plans include, and what they cost abroad

What Lebara SIM only deals were listed on 10 November 2026?

Lebara's SIM only page showed six plans when we read it. Each is sold two ways: a 30-day plan, and a 12-month plan that Lebara labels 10% off. The data, minutes and international allowance are the same on both.

Lebara says there is no credit check and no annual price rise, and that it has not increased its SIM only prices since 2020. It adds that some international, roaming and pay as you go rates may change. Out-of-bundle use is capped at zero, so once an allowance runs out you are not charged extra unless you add credit. Unlimited minutes and texts are subject to Lebara's fair usage policy.

We could not find the exit terms for the 12-month option on Lebara's pages. If you might want to leave early, the 30-day version is the safer pick for the extra 50p to £3 a month.

This is desk research from Lebara's own pages. We have not bought or tested a Lebara plan.

Which network does Lebara use in the UK?

Lebara runs on Vodafone. Its SIM only page says so in the comparison table and the plan pages repeat it, quoting up to 98% coverage. The FAQ puts 4G at over 99% of the UK population and 96% of the landmass. Every plan includes 5G at no extra cost, provided your phone supports it and you are in a 5G area.

Because Lebara uses Vodafone's masts, coverage at home should match a Vodafone SIM. What differs is the price, the contract and the roaming rules, which are Lebara's own. Our Vodafone UK guide covers the host network.

Which countries get Lebara free international minutes?

This is what sets Lebara apart from most UK networks. Every plan includes calls from the UK to over 50 countries. Lebara's FAQ lists them, including Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Ukraine (Kyivstar only) and the USA.

Pakistan and Nigeria were not on the list we read. Calls to countries outside the list need pay as you go credit on your account.

The allowance size matters more than the country list. Five of the six plans give 100 or 500 minutes. Only the £20 100GB plan and the £30 Unltd. Plus plan include unlimited international minutes. If you call family abroad for more than an hour or so a week, the £20 plan is the cheapest way to stop counting.

Do Lebara SIM only plans work in Europe and India?

Yes. Lebara includes the EU and EEA, India and Ukraine in its Roam Like Home scheme. You can use your minutes, texts and data there as you would in the UK, up to 30GB of data. On the 5GB and 30GB plans that is your whole allowance. On the 50GB plan and above, 30GB is the ceiling abroad.

India is the unusual one. Few UK networks include it, and for a UK resident visiting family there it can remove the need for a local SIM. Switzerland is not included, and nor are Turkey, Albania, Serbia, Montenegro or North Macedonia.

Outside those countries, Lebara sells roaming add-ons from £5. In the USA, £5 bought 4GB with 30 minutes and 30 texts for 8 days when we checked. Our Lebara roaming guide has the full rates and the fair use rule.

Can you get a Lebara SIM only plan as an eSIM?

Only on a few phones for now. Lebara's eSIM help page says new customers can get an eSIM if they buy a plan on an iPhone Air or iPhone Duo, and that eSIM is unavailable on other devices. Existing customers can switch to eSIM through Lebara's customer services team. Everyone else gets the 3-in-1 physical SIM, which fits standard, micro and nano slots. The Lebara eSIM guide covers activation.

How do you get a Lebara SIM?

Lebara sends a free SIM by Royal Mail. Order before 3pm on a weekday and it usually arrives the next working day, Saturdays included. You can use it with a plan or just with pay as you go credit. Lebara says the SIM must be activated in the UK before you travel, or roaming will not work.

That makes Lebara a poor fit for visitors who land without a SIM. You would need a UK address for delivery and time to activate. Our UK SIM card comparison covers options you can buy on arrival.

When is a travel eSIM cheaper than Lebara roaming?

In the EU and India, rarely. Up to 30GB is included, which covers most trips.

The USA is closer than you might think, because Lebara's add-ons are cheap. Eight days with 4GB costs £5, and 15 days with 7GB costs £10. Our verified travel eSIM prices, read on each seller's site in August 2026, were $12.50 for Airalo's 5GB over 7 days, $13.99 for Saily's 5GB over 30 days and $16 for Nomad's 5GB over 30 days. For light use on a short trip, the Lebara add-on wins. For 10GB or more, an eSIM is the cheaper route.

Turkey and Switzerland are where a travel eSIM matters most, since neither is in Lebara's free zone. For Turkey, Nomad listed 5GB over 30 days at $9 and Saily at $9.99 in August 2026. The cheapest eSIM table ranks more destinations.

Which Lebara SIM only deal would we pick?

For a UK resident who travels in Europe and calls abroad a little, the £10 30GB plan is the sweet spot. You get 30GB at home and in the EU, plus 100 international minutes. If you call India, the USA or another listed country daily, the £20 100GB plan adds unlimited international minutes and costs less than Unltd. Plus. The £5 plan suits a second phone, but its 1,000 UK minutes and 100 international minutes run out quickly.