Vodafone mobile review 2025: Is it any good?
Dan Howdle • February 20th, 2025
Vodafone offers a range of contract, SIM only and pay-as-you-go (PAYG) tariffs as well as a number of smart devices. There are also neat extras such as flexible contracts and the VeryMe Reward scheme offering exclusive discounts and prizes to customers.
Vodafone’s rollout of 5G is continuing apace, and its 4G coverage is excellent with plenty of unlimited data options available. More recently, Vodafone is currently in the process of merging with Three, which is going to provide a massive boost to coverage when the two networks join forces. Let's take a look at its current offering.
Tariffs and plans
All Vodafone’s pay monthly phone contracts are unique in that you can choose your own contract length and up-front amount to pay on the handset part of the deal. Contract lengths can be chosen from any number between three and 36 months. Upfront costs tend to have a minimum of £50, but you can pay more and get lower monthly bills if you like. This is more flexibility than any other provider and we commend Vodafone for it.
So-called 'Airtime plans' are the part of the deal that gives you minutes, data and texts and connects you to the Vodafone network. These vary enormously in terms of the data they offer and the extras thrown in. For example, 'Unlimited Max Xtra Global Roam' offers unlimited data and unlimited roaming to 83 global destinations, 'Unlimited Max Xtra Euro Roam' to 51 European destinations and so on. The very long names of Vodafone's Airtime packages do at least reveal pretty much exactly what you're going to get.
SIM only
Vodafone’s SIM only deals arrive in the form of 24-month, 12-month or 30-day contracts and all include unlimited minutes, texts and a range of data deals. If you're prepared to sign up to a 24-month SIM-only deal, you get more choice of data, texts and calls.
As with the pay monthly options, Vodafone offers both Unlimited and Red plans with the option to choose an Entertainment extra with its SIM only deals. However, unlike its pay monthly options, not all the SIM only deals are 5G-ready.
Vodafone was once the best network in terms of free-roaming destinations covered. However, as of February 2025, it now charges for roaming via a tiered (or 'zoned') system:
- Zone A: Includes the Republic of Ireland, Isle of Man, Iceland, and Norway. No roaming charges apply
- Zone B: Covers 47 European destinations. For pay monthly plans without inclusive roaming, charges are £2.42 per day. Customers can also purchase a European Roaming Pass for £12 (8 days) or £17 (15 days)
- Zone C: Covers 32 destinations, including Australia, Barbados, the US, and South Africa. For pay monthly plans without inclusive roaming, roaming costs £7.39 per day
- Zone D: Covers 73 destinations, including Afghanistan, Argentina, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam. Roaming costs £7.39 per day for all personal pay monthly plans, with no available passes or discounts
Pay as you go (PAYG)
Vodafone’s 'Pay as you go Plus' plans make things simple – no contracts, no credit checks, just a rolling 30-day plan that you can manage easily. You can choose to Auto-Renew so your plan refreshes automatically every month, or switch things up whenever you like.
- Auto-Renew: Set it and forget it – your plan renews every 30 days when using a registered card, so you don’t have to top up manually
- No Contracts: No long-term commitments, no credit checks, just pay for what you need
- eSIM Compatible: Get started in seconds without needing a physical SIM, as long as your phone supports eSIM
- Manage with My Vodafone App: Switch plans, pause, or adjust your subscription anytime through the app
If you’re not sure which plan to go for, you can even order a free Pay as you go Plus SIM and decide later.
Phone and device range
Vodafone offers a strong choice of brands including Apple, Samsung, Motorola, Honor, and Google Pixel. Some networks only offer the biggest brands and the latest models, but Vodafone also offers handsets from smaller, more affordable brands such as Doro.
Customer service
Vodafone may offer lots of choice of tariffs and handsets, but it falls down the pecking order when it comes to customer service. The latest Ofcom data shows it had only nine complaints to Ofcom per 100,000 customers, but that 56% were happy at how issues were handled – and while that may sound low, that's the highest satisfaction recorded of any major provider.
Satisfaction levels overall for Vodafone were 86%, compared to 87% across the sector. The proportion of Vodafone customers with a reason to complain was 17%, compared to the industry average of 12%.
There are plenty of ways to get in touch with Vodafone if you do have issues. You can visit any one of its branches across the UK, use live chat online, get in touch via social media, or post your query on a customer forum. Its phone lines are also open 24/7, where Ofcom data shows you will find waiting times of 2 minutes and 30 seconds, compared to an average of 2 minutes and 15 seconds in the sector.
Value for money
Vodafone may not be the cheapest network on the market, but you do get lots of good extras. There are also options to trade in your old handset from any network, which can reduce your upfront costs, while both pay-as-you-go users and pay-monthly customers can enjoy the benefit of Vodafone’s VeryMe Rewards, which offers regular discounts, giveaways and prize draws from some major brands.
Vodafone also offers more than just handsets, by offering its range of Smart Tech. Chargers and smart watches are available both on their own and bundled in with some handset contracts: Apple Watch and Samsung Galaxy watches, and accessories including Apple AirPods, Samsung Galaxy Buds and Google Home products are all there for the taking.
Existing mobile customers can benefit from various special discounts, including 15% off an additional mobile plan, or a discount when signing up for Vodafone broadband with the Vodafone Together plan.
Network coverage
Vodafone has solid 4G coverage across the UK, meaning you’ll get a reliable signal in most towns and cities. Its 5G network is expanding fast, now covering hundreds of locations across the UK and offering better speeds where available.
If you're in a major UK city, you're likely to get strong 4G and growing 5G coverage. According to Ofcom data, 84% of Vodafone users are happy with their mobile reception, which is above the industry average.
Vodafone’s upcoming merger with Three is set to give its 5G rollout a serious boost. The two networks are combining their infrastructure, meaning wider coverage and faster speeds across the UK. Over the next few years, expect better 5G availability, particularly in rural and hard-to-reach areas.
Check Vodafone mobile coverage
Conclusion
Vodafone offers a decent variety of deals for pay monthly phones, pay-as-you-go and SIM only. It offers a wide range of data options, including several Unlimited plans, as well as many 5G-ready options.
The pricing overall isn’t the cheapest, but you can also earn yourself a bit of money back by trading in your old handset when setting up your Vodafone deal. And those deals are the most flexible in the business, allowing you to choose your contract length as you please.
The network is doing its best to tackle customer service issues and this has resulted in an improvement in recent Ofcom surveys. Industry data suggests you get good mobile signal with Vodafone, so if the customer service issues can be ironed out, this network is worth considering. And its upcoming merger with Three is going to widen the reach of its network substantially.
