5G phone deals - the best prices and contracts in March 2024

For those wanting the most innovative options when it comes to phones, it's all about 5G - and we're seeing top 5G phone deals already coming to service the need for that next-gen phone use.

What is 5G?, you may silently think? Well, where 4G speeds for your phone meant some pretty quick downloads, 5G is more on the lines of blink and you'll miss it kind of speeds. To be slightly more scientific, 5G is estimated to be roughly 20x faster than 4G, allowing films and albums to be downloaded in seconds.

But like most other new technology, 5G phone deals don't exactly come cheap. Getting hold of these superfast devices requires a bit of investment. 

That said, considering you'll be getting the world's greatest phones with speeds faster than most internet connections we must admit that we were expecting slightly higher prices at the start of this connectivity revolution.

The number of 5G phones has rapidly shot up with most major brands including it as default now. Apple's iPhone 12 range, Samsung's Galaxy S21 handsets and the latest from Google and OnePlus all come prepped with 5G.

For those ready to jump start their phone speeds and leave buffering behind, we've listed the most affordable 5G phone deals down below so you can find the one that works for you. But if you can't find an option you like, keep an eye out on this page as we update it with all of the newest 5G options.

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iPhone 13 128GB
2GBdata
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Data:
Shared Additional Data at $2 per 1GB
Unlimited mins
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Calls:
International calls from the US
Unlimitedtexts
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Texts:
International text from the US
US Mobile US
No contract
Get 30 Days FREE T...
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Google Pixel 6
(Installments)
Pixel 6 128GB
5GBdata
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Data:
(reduced speeds after monthly data allotment is used to continue unlimited)
Unlimited mins
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Calls:
Calls to MX & CA included
Unlimitedtexts
Icon
Texts:
Messaging to MX & CA included
Mint Mobile US
No contract
Get $50 off this p...
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iPhone 12 64GB
Unlimiteddata
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Data:
Reduced speeds after 35GB of high-speed monthly data is used
Unlimited mins
Unlimitedtexts
Boost Mobile US
No contract
Get this Special B...
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Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G 128GB
3GBdata
Unlimited mins
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Calls:
to the U.S., MX, CA and 90+ destinations
Unlimitedtexts
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Texts:
Domestic and Global Text
Ultra Mobile US
No contract
Get 10% off any 6-...
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Galaxy S21 5G 128GB
5GBdata
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Data:
(reduced speeds after monthly data allotment is used to continue unlimited)
Unlimited mins
Icon
Calls:
Calls to MX & CA included
Unlimitedtexts
Icon
Texts:
Messaging to MX & CA included
Mint Mobile US
No contract
Get $50 off this p...
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iPhone 13 128GB
1GBdata
Unlimited mins
Unlimitedtexts
US Mobile US
No contract
Get 30 Days FREE T...
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Pixel 6 128GB
3GBdata
Unlimited mins
Icon
Calls:
to the U.S., MX, CA and 90+ destinations
Unlimitedtexts
Icon
Texts:
Domestic and Global Text
Ultra Mobile US
No contract
Get 10% off any 6-...
Learn More
iPhone 12 64GB
20GBdata
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Data:
Unlimited 2G after using 20GB 4G LTE/5G data
Unlimited mins
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Calls:
to the US, CA, MEX and more + Unlimited Global Text
Unlimitedtexts
Twigby US
No contract
Get $168 off this ...
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Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G 128GB
3GBdata
Unlimited mins
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Calls:
to the U.S., MX, CA and 90+ destinations
Unlimitedtexts
Icon
Texts:
Domestic and Global Text
Ultra Mobile US
No contract
Save $100 with new...
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Galaxy S21 5G 128GB
15GBdata
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Data:
(reduced speeds after monthly data allotment is used to continue unlimited)
Unlimited mins
Icon
Calls:
Calls to MX & CA included
Unlimitedtexts
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Texts:
Messaging to MX & CA included
Mint Mobile US
No contract
Get $50 off this p...
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Which networks currently offer 5G?

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Header Cell - Column 0 EEVodafoneO2ThreeVirginSkyiD MobileVoxiGiffGaffBT
5G enabled?YesYesYesYesYesYesNoYesYesYes
Locations125 cities and towns114 cities and towns150+ cities and towns154+ cities and towns114 cities and towns150+ cities and townsN/A114 cities and towns150+ cities and towns125 cities and towns
What network does it use?EEVodafoneO2ThreeVodafoneO2ThreeVodafoneO2EE

What kind of speeds can I expect with 5G?

When it comes to 5G, it's hard to give an exact speed to expect. But, at its theoretical max speed, 5G will be topping out at roughly 20x faster than 4G.

While testing 5G devices we were seeing speeds well into the ranges of 500Mb, a speed quite a bit faster than Virgin's fastest broadband package - a company notorious for its blisteringly fast broadband.

It's not just speeds you should be excited about either. With significantly reduced latency, load times will be far faster and we will see much better response rates on our devices.

While this is all great, 5G isn't that readily available and can only be found in scattered locations across different cities, actually getting these speeds can be a challenge. Even in London, the best UK city for 5G connectivity, we found ourselves dipping in and out of 5G range all day.

Although don't get us wrong, there is something incredibly satisfying about downloading an entire film in a matter of seconds - we're just waiting for the time we can do that from anywhere.

What other benefits does 5G offer?

While speeds are the most exciting part of 5G, there are a tonne of other possibilities it will unlock. Like we mentioned above, one of those features is latency. With significantly reduced latency, load times will be far faster and we will see much better response rates on our devices.

On top of that, issues such as signal congestion in busy places will be reduced. This means finally being able to get signal and get online at festivals, sports events and busy cities.

Even things like phone calls, video calls and live streaming will become far more fluid. With a combination of faster latency and better speeds, these services will run better with your new 5G phone deals.

Can I get a 5G SIM only deal?

Yes you can. But, as you can probably already guess, 5G SIM only deals don't come cheap. With prices starting at £32 a month for EE, the pricing is far above what normal SIM only deals currently cost.

However, this isn't really a surprise considering how expensive 5G is currently shaping up to be. Luckily, with all of these EE 5G sims, you're getting a tonne of data and EE's 'Swappable Benefits' scheme, which means you are getting quite a collection of features for your cash.

Vodafone has quickly followed EE with a list of its own 5G SIM only deals. They come in at a price lower than EE and all of Vodafone's plans offer unlimited data. However, they are broken into three speeds brackets, going up depending on how much you are willing to spend.

Is there a 5G iPhone?

With Apple's latest collection of phones now available and no 5G iPhone in sight it appears Apple is holding back on going into 5G. Although it was heavily suggested that we could get a 5G iPhone 11, it looks like 2020 will be the year we see a 5G iPhone.

Alex Hughes

Alex is a journalist who has written extensively about all things broadband, SIMs and phone contracts, as well as scouring the internet to land you the best prices on the very latest in gadgets and tech. Whether that be with the latest iPhones and Android handsets, breaking down how broadband works or revealing the cheapest SIM plans, he's in the know, and will help you land a bargain.