40GB for £8: giffgaff Review UK 2026, Is It Any Good?

Last updated: 2 November 2026

Is giffgaff any good? For most people who want cheap, flexible mobile data on a reliable network, yes. As of 2 November 2026, giffgaff’s best-value plan is 40GB for £8 a month on an 18-month contract, made up of 6GB plus 34GB of extra data for the full 18 months if you join before 4 December 2026, with no credit check and the freedom to change plan every month. It runs on O2’s network and scores 3.6 out of 5 from more than 31,800 reviews on Trustpilot. The main downsides are that support is mostly online and through its community, and that rolling monthly plans cost noticeably more than the 18-month ones. This SwitchSquid review covers prices, coverage, customer service, the honest drawbacks and how giffgaff compares with O2 and SMARTY. If you join through the buttons on this page, we may earn a commission; it does not change the price you pay.

Sources: giffgaff SIM only deals, giffgaff help centre, giffgaff on Trustpilot and SMARTY, all checked on 2 November 2026.

giffgaff review: the verdict

giffgaff prices in November 2026

giffgaff sells three types of plan: 18-month contracts, monthly rolling plans and pay as you go plans, which it still calls goodybags. All include unlimited UK calls and texts. The 18-month plans give the most data for your money, and you can still move up or down a plan mid-contract with no fees.

Smaller plans are available too: monthly rolling plans with 2GB for £6, 5GB for £8 and 26GB for £12, and pay as you go plans with 1GB for £6, 4GB for £8, 30GB for £15, 80GB for £20 and 120GB for £25. All prices are from giffgaff’s own plan pages, checked on 2 November 2026.

The 40GB for £8 plan is the standout. giffgaff lists it as 6GB of data with 34GB extra free for 18 months when you sign up before 4 December 2026, so you get 40GB every month for the whole contract. Over 18 months it costs £144 in total. The same money on a monthly rolling plan buys only 5GB.

Is giffgaff a good network?

giffgaff does not run its own masts. It uses O2’s network, so your coverage and speeds will be broadly the same as an O2 customer’s in the same place, including 5G where O2 offers it. That makes giffgaff a good fit if O2 is strong where you live and work, and a poor fit if O2 is weak there.

The simplest test is to enter your home and work postcodes in giffgaff’s coverage checker before you order. If you already have an O2 or O2-based SIM, the signal you get on that is a good guide to what giffgaff will give you.

Is giffgaff as good as O2?

On coverage, yes, because it is the same network. Where they differ is the package around it. giffgaff is cheaper for the data you get, has no credit check on its SIM plans and lets you change plan every month. O2 offers extras such as its Priority rewards and in-store support, and its own plans and perks change regularly. If you mainly want data and calls at a low price, giffgaff usually wins. If you value face-to-face help or O2’s extras, O2 may be worth the higher price. Our O2 SIM only deals page shows O2’s own plans.

giffgaff vs SMARTY and other SIM-only options

SMARTY is the closest rival for low-cost data. These are like-for-like prices checked on 2 November 2026.

giffgaff’s 40GB contract and SMARTY’s 50GB rolling plan both cost £8 a month. SMARTY gives a little more data with no contract, while giffgaff runs on O2 and lets you change plan freely. The deciding factor is often which network is stronger where you live. Our giffgaff vs SMARTY unlimited guide and SMARTY review go into more detail.

What are the downsides of giffgaff?

• Support is mostly online. giffgaff’s help centre points you to help articles, its member community and messaging. If you prefer to ring someone, that can be frustrating.

• Rolling plans cost more. 100GB costs £15 a month on 18 months but £20 on a monthly rolling plan, so flexibility has a price.

• The 40GB price relies on extra data. The £8 plan is 6GB plus 34GB extra for 18 months, so read the terms on what happens after the contract.

• You depend on O2’s coverage. If O2 is weak in your area, giffgaff will be too.

• Mixed reviews. A 3.6 Trustpilot score is respectable for a mobile network, but recent reviewers who were unhappy often mention support.

How to join giffgaff and keep your number

1. Pick a plan. Choose an 18-month plan for the lowest price or pay as you go for no commitment.

2. Order the SIM. giffgaff says it usually arrives in one to two working days.

3. Get your PAC code. Text PAC to 65075 from your current phone to get your switching code, free.

4. Activate and add your PAC. Activate the SIM online and enter the PAC code to move your number across.

Our guide to giffgaff SIM only deals lists the plans side by side, and our Black Friday SIM only deals page tracks seasonal offers across networks.

Fit summary

• Good for: people who want lots of data for little money, no credit check and the option to change plan each month.

• Good for: anyone who gets a strong O2 signal at home and work.

• Consider alternatives if: you want phone-based customer service, or O2 coverage is poor where you are.

• Consider pay as you go if: you do not want any contract at all, even at a slightly higher price per GB.

Important conditions

• The 34GB extra data on the £8 plan applies to sign-ups before 4 December 2026 and lasts for 18 months. Terms apply.

• Contract plans run for 18 months; you can change plan during that time.

• EU roaming is included up to 5GB.

• 5G needs a 5G phone and a 5G area.

• Prices were checked on giffgaff’s website on 2 November 2026 and can change.

Final decision card

giffgaff is a good choice if O2 coverage works for you and you want cheap data without a credit check. The 40GB for £8 plan is the best value we have seen from giffgaff, at £144 over 18 months, while 15GB pay as you go for £10 suits anyone who wants no contract. If you prefer to speak to someone on the phone when things go wrong, weigh that up first. Not sure which plan fits your usage? Ask Squid AI.

FAQ

Is giffgaff any good?

For most people, yes. It offers cheap data on O2’s network, no credit check on its 18-month SIM plans and free plan changes. Its main weakness is customer service, which is mostly online.

What network does giffgaff use?

giffgaff uses O2’s network, including 5G at no extra cost on 5G phones in 5G areas. Your coverage will be much the same as an O2 customer’s in the same place.

What are the downsides of giffgaff?

Support is mostly through help articles, its community and messaging rather than a phone line. Monthly rolling plans cost more than 18-month ones, and coverage depends entirely on O2.

Is giffgaff as good as O2?

On signal, yes, because it uses the same network. giffgaff is usually cheaper for the same data, while O2 adds extras such as Priority rewards and shop support.

Does giffgaff do credit checks?

giffgaff says there are no credit checks on its 18-month SIM plans. Pay as you go plans do not need a credit check either, as you pay one month at a time.

Can I keep my number when I move to giffgaff?

Yes. Text PAC to 65075 from your current phone to get a free switching code, then enter it when you activate your giffgaff SIM.

Does giffgaff work in Europe?

Yes. giffgaff includes EU roaming up to 5GB on its plans. Check the plan details for the countries covered before you travel.