Outright or contract?
Yes. A phone bought outright on Amazon UK plus a £10 SIM-only plan costs £345 to £1,033.01 less over 24 months than Vodafone contracts. Totals and Ofcom rules.
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Yes. Buying a phone outright and adding a SIM-only plan costs less than a contract for every phone Compare Electronic priced in October 2026: over 24 months, £345 less for the Google Pixel 10a, £636.68 less for the Apple iPhone 18 Pro and £1,033.01 less for the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, against Vodafone's own UK prices.
The outright figures use Amazon UK prices at the time of writing (October 2026) and Lebara's £10 30GB plan; the contract figures use Vodafone's total device cost plus 24 months of 30GB airtime. The phones match Best phone UK autumn 2026, and the budget question is answered in How much should I spend on a phone?
| Situation | Best route | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Can pay upfront, no trade-in | Buy outright, add a SIM-only plan | Saves £345 to £1,033.01 over 24 months |
| Needs to spread the cost | A contract at 0% APR, or a cheaper phone outright | Vodafone Phone Plans run 24 to 48 months at 0% APR |
| Has a valuable trade-in | Compare the net contract price | Up to £734 off the Galaxy S26 Ultra; outright still £299.01 cheaper |
| Signed a contract before 17 January 2025 | Check the price-rise terms | Inflation-linked rises may still apply |
What does a phone cost outright vs on contract over 24 months?
Over 24 months, buying outright on Amazon UK and paying Lebara £10 a month for 30GB costs £639 for the Google Pixel 10a, £1,032.99 for the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and £1,439 for the Apple iPhone 18 Pro. The same phones with Vodafone's 30GB airtime cost £984, £2,066 and £2,075.68.
Vodafone splits each deal into a Phone Plan and a 24-month Airtime Plan. Compare Electronic adds Vodafone's listed total device cost to 24 months of 30GB airtime from October 2026, including the £2.50 rises Vodafone lists for 1 April 2027 and 1 April 2028. The Phone Plans run 36 months on the Pixel 10a and Galaxy S26 Ultra and 48 months on the iPhone 18 Pro, so the full device cost is counted.
| Phone | Vodafone device cost | Vodafone 30GB airtime, 24 months | Contract total | Amazon UK price | Lebara 30GB, 24 months | Outright total | Outright saves |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Pixel 10a | £516.00 | £468.00 | £984.00 | £399.00 | £240.00 | £639.00 | £345.00 |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 256GB | £1,382.00 | £684.00 | £2,066.00 | £792.99 | £240.00 | £1,032.99 | £1,033.01 |
| Apple iPhone 18 Pro 256GB | £1,295.68 | £780.00 | £2,075.68 | £1,199.00 | £240.00 | £1,439.00 | £636.68 |
Airtime opens most of the gap. Vodafone charges £17 a month for 30GB with the Pixel 10a, £26 with the Galaxy S26 Ultra and £30 with the iPhone 18 Pro, against Lebara's £10 for 30GB with unlimited UK minutes and texts. The device price adds the rest: Vodafone's £1,382 for the Galaxy S26 Ultra is £589.01 above the £792.99 Amazon UK price, and its £1,295.68 for the iPhone 18 Pro is £96.68 above £1,199.
Vodafone lists its Pixel 10a price as an offer ending on 14 October 2026, against a previous £43.50 a month for the 30GB bundle. Even the 256GB Pixel 10a, at £449 on Amazon UK, costs less than Vodafone's £516 device total; whether 256GB is worth the extra £50 is covered in How much phone storage do I need?
Can a network raise the price during a contract?
Yes, but only by amounts written in pounds and pence before signing. Since 17 January 2025, Ofcom has banned phone, broadband and pay TV providers from offering new contracts with price rises linked to inflation or set out in percentages, according to ofcom.org.uk.
Vodafone's pages show the result: airtime rises by £2.50 every 1 April, so the 30GB plan sold with the Galaxy S26 Ultra goes from £26 to £28.50 in April 2027 and £31 in April 2028, and Vodafone states the rise does not affect Device Plans. O2's iPhone 18 Pro page uses the same format, listing rises to £44.66 in April 2027 and £47.16 in April 2028. Contracts signed before 17 January 2025 can still carry inflation-linked rises. Where a contract sets out no rise and the provider raises the price, Ofcom requires 30 days' notice and a 30-day window to leave without exit fees. Lebara states its 30-day plans carry no annual price rises.
When is a phone contract the better deal?
A contract suits a buyer who needs to spread the cost or holds a valuable trade-in, and costs more for everyone else. Vodafone spreads the device cost at 0% APR, which matters to a buyer without £792.99 to hand for a Galaxy S26 Ultra.
Trade-in narrows the gap without closing it. Vodafone's Galaxy S26 Ultra page offers up to £734 off with an eligible trade-in, including a £400 bonus, which leaves the outright route £299.01 cheaper over 24 months, and the outright buyer can still sell the old phone separately. A buyer short of cash can also cut the upfront cost instead: the Pixel 10a outright with Lebara works out at £26.63 a month over 24 months. A renewed iPhone cuts it further, as Is a refurbished iPhone worth it? explains.
Which phone saves the most when bought outright?
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra saves the most when bought outright, at £792.99 on Amazon UK at the time of writing (October 2026) against Vodafone's £1,382 device cost. Samsung fits a 6.9-inch QHD+ 120 Hz display, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, a 200 MP main camera with 3x and 5x telephotos, an S Pen and seven years of updates.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra specifications (Samsung)
- Display: 6.9 in QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120 Hz
- Chip: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
- RAM: 12 GB
- Storage: 256GB, with 218.6GB available
- Rear cameras: 200 MP main, 50 MP ultrawide, 50 MP 5x and 10 MP 3x telephotos
- Battery: 5000 mAh, up to 31 hours of video playback
- Charging: 60 W wired, 25 W wireless
- Weight and depth: 214 g, 7.9 mm
- Updates: 7 years of OS and security updates
The compromises are size and accessories: the 6.9-inch body is large for one hand, and the phone has no built-in magnets, so it needs a Qi2 magnetic case for magnetic chargers. Samsung rates the battery for a minimum of 1,200 charge cycles, which suits a phone bought outright and kept past the length of any contract.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra - pros and cons
Where to buy
Check price
At a glance
Radar · 0-100 scores
- Galaxy S26 Ultra
- Pixel 10a
- iPhone 18 Pro
Verdict
Buying a phone outright is cheaper: with a £10 SIM-only plan, it saves £345 on the Google Pixel 10a, £636.68 on the Apple iPhone 18 Pro and £1,033.01 on the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra over 24 months against Vodafone. A contract makes sense only to spread the cost, and since 17 January 2025 any rise must be stated in pounds and pence. The full shortlist is in Best phone UK autumn 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Is it cheaper to buy a phone outright in the UK?
Yes, for every phone Compare Electronic priced. Over 24 months, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra bought outright at £792.99 on Amazon UK with Lebara's £10 30GB SIM-only plan costs £1,032.99, against £2,066 for Vodafone's device plan and 30GB airtime. The Google Pixel 10a saves £345 and the Apple iPhone 18 Pro £636.68 the same way.
How much does a SIM-only plan cost in the UK?
Lebara's 30-day SIM-only plans cost £10 a month for 30GB, £15 for 50GB, £20 for 100GB and £25 for unlimited data, each with unlimited UK minutes and texts, according to Lebara's UK page in October 2026. Lebara states it applies no annual price rises. Vodafone's 30GB airtime plans cost £17 to £30 a month, depending on the phone.
Can phone networks raise prices mid-contract?
Only by amounts set out in pounds and pence before signing. Since 17 January 2025, Ofcom has banned new phone, broadband and pay TV contracts with price rises linked to inflation or set out as percentages. Vodafone lists airtime rises of £2.50 every 1 April. Where a contract states no rise and the price goes up, Ofcom gives customers 30 days to leave without exit fees.
Is it cheaper to buy an iPhone outright?
Yes. The Apple iPhone 18 Pro 256GB costs £1,199 on Amazon UK at the time of writing (October 2026), against a total device cost of £1,295.68 on Vodafone's 48-month Phone Plan. With 24 months of Lebara's £10 30GB plan, the outright route costs £1,439, against £2,075.68 with Vodafone's 30GB airtime, a saving of £636.68.
When is a phone contract better than buying outright?
A contract helps a buyer who cannot pay the full price at once, because Vodafone spreads the device cost at 0% APR, and one with a valuable trade-in. Vodafone offers up to £734 off the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra with an eligible trade-in, including a £400 bonus, which still leaves the outright route £299.01 cheaper over 24 months.
Can I use a SIM-only plan with a phone bought on Amazon?
Yes, as long as the phone is unlocked, which Lebara's UK page lists as a requirement for its SIM-only plans. A phone bought outright is not tied to a network contract, but buyers should check the Amazon UK listing states unlocked or SIM-free. The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra costs £792.99 on Amazon UK in October 2026.