The mobile market in Singapore used to be characterised by contract plans with handset subsidies. These plans package both the mobile plan and the handset as part of the monthly fee, which pays for the subsidies on the handset (making the plan function partially as an instalment plan for the phone). However, this means that if you do not recontract immediately at the 2-year mark, you will essentially be paying additional instalments for a phone that is already paid for, as the plan would continue at a higher monthly rate. However, this has changed with the introduction of sim-only plans.
Read Also: [2023 Edition] Best Unlimited Data Mobile Plans In Singapore (Plus: Which Plan Gives The Most 4G Data Per Dollar?)
What Is A SIM-Only Plan?
SIM-only plans do not include subsidies for the handset, and most of them come with the benefit of having no contract. If a competing telco offers a better plan, or if the telco is providing unsatisfactory reception/service, the consumer can always switch. Of course, there are also downsides to switching such as the time taken for the SIM card to be delivered, and not having reception and data during the downtime waiting for the setup and activation.
The other benefit is being able to choose when to upgrade your phone, rather than being tied to a 2-year upgrading schedule. For iPhone fans, this is great news since you can theoretically get the newest iPhone every year while selling your older model secondhand, whereas you might have had to pay an early upgrade penalty if you were tied to a 2-year plan. Those who find it a hassle to port over contacts, pictures and apps can always choose to use their phones for 3 or 4 years before upgrading and enjoying the savings.
The other benefit of SIM-only plans is that at present they are very heavily focused on providing data. This is compared to the more traditional postpaid (2 year contract) plans which typically provide more SMS and Talktime but relatively little data, and prepaid plans which charge for data usage at exorbitant prices. If you are a heavy data user, SIM-only plans are a good choice for you.
Many Options For Consumers In Singapore
The increasing popularity of SIM-only contracts is clearly evident. The three local telcos – SingTel, StarHub and M1 – all have their own SIM-only plans, as does SIMBA (formerly TPG Mobile), which won the fourth telco license in Singapore.
A slew of mobile virtual network operators (MVNO) have also entered the market offering their own SIM-only plans – GOMO Mobile (launched by SingTel), giga (launched by StarHub), Circles.Life, Zero1, MyRepublic, redONE, ViviFi, Grid Mobile (joint venture by SingTel and ST Telemedia), as well as CMLink (China Mobile), Changi Mobile and Gorilla Mobile.
Note: Gorilla Mobile, which became Singapore’s 13th telco in June 21, discontinued their mobile plan services as of 31 January 2023.
This has led to further intensification of competition in an already crowded telecommunications marketplace. The main benefactors are the consumers in Singapore (for now), as prices have tapered, service standards are under pressure to improve, and offer more innovative products.
Read Also: Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO): What is A MVNO & What to Know Before Signing Up for One
Comparing SIM-Only Plans In Singapore
We’ll look at the SIM-only plans offered by the different telco and MVNO operators in Singapore to find out which offers the best deal. All promotions and discounts will be disregarded to take away variances that an individual may encounter depending on the time they subscribe, especially since discounts off monthly fees are seasonal and only last for a limited time.
Not everyone has the same needs, so we shall consider two types of users. User A would be someone who has moderate data needs (20GB and below) and user B with extreme data needs (above 60GB). Based on this classification, we shall recommend plans to fit the needs of both categories.
User A would be the typical Singaporean who either just needs basic data, or enough data to entertain them during commutes (Youtube/Netflix/Mobile Games). People in the User A profile may also occasionally use mobile hotspots to enable internet usage on their laptops for working on-the-go or offsite.
User B would be mainly people who work offsite a lot and thus need mobile internet or people who use mobile data as a replacement for a home broadband service. User B may also include small businesses that have moderate office internet needs but do not wish to pay exorbitant fees for a commercial broadband plan.
Of late, many players in the market have bumped up their lowest offerings, charging between $20-30 for 40 – 100GB. Since they charge roughly the same price as other providers providing basic data quantities, and those are the lowest data plans for the provider, we shall consider these plans under the User A category despite the fact that they provide more data than necessary. In addition to that, some providers are starting to provide 5G, and these will mainly be placed under the User B category.
Best SIM-Only Plans For Basic To Moderate Data Needs
User A needs a minimum of:
- 100 mins talktime
- 20GB and below data
- Caller ID
- Free incoming calls
Plans Cost/Month (Including GST) StarHub 4G Star 22 SIM Only Plan (No Contract) – $22.00 – 100 GB data – 500 Local and International SMS – 1,000 Local Talktime – Free incoming calls $23.76 StarHub 4G Star 30 SIM only plan (No Contract) – $30.00 – 150 GB data – 750 Local and International SMS – 1,500 Talktime – Free incoming calls $32.40 M1 100 GB SIM-Only plan (5G) – 100GB data – 1,100 mins talktime – 1,100 SMS – Unlimited weekend data – Free incoming calls – Free calls to 3 M1 numbers $15.95 M1 150GB SIM-Only plan (5G) – 150GB data – 1,100 mins talktime – 1,100 SMS – Unlimited weekend data – Free incoming calls – Free calls to 3 M1 numbers $18.95 SIMBA (Formerly TPG Mobile) 100GB SIM-Only (No Contract) – 100 GB data – Unlimited Call to Local Mobile – 300 mins Local Fixed Line minutes – 30 SMS – 1 GB international roaming data to selected countries $10.00 Circles.Life 4G Lite – 10 GB data – 100 mins talktime – 25 SMS – Free Caller ID $10.80 Circles.Life 4G Standard – 100GB data – 300 mins talktime – 25 SMS – Free Caller ID – additional $10.09/mth for new numbers $16.38 Changi Mobile Value+ – 100GB Data – 300 mins talktime – 200 SMS – Free incoming calls – Free caller ID – Free plan rollover $10.00 CMLink (No Contract) – 12 GB data (includes 6 GB roaming data for use S’pore, Hong Kong, mainland China) – 100 mins talktime (local and local to mainland China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and USA) – 100 local SMS – Free caller ID – Free local incoming calls $10.80 CMLink (No Contract) – 50 GB data (includes 25 GB roaming data for use S’pore, Hong Kong, mainland China) – 300 mins talktime (local and local to mainland China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and USA) – Additional 1GB roaming data for use in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand – 300 local SMS – Free caller ID – Free local incoming calls $18.80 giga (No Contract) – 10GB/mth – 10 GB data – 300 mins talktime – 300 SMS – Free incoming calls – Free caller ID – Free rollover data $10.10 GOMO Mobile 4G Plan – 10GB – 10 GB data- 100 mins talktime – 100 SMS – Free incoming calls – Free caller ID $10.09 GOMO Mobile 4G Value Plan – 150GB – 150 GB data- 500 mins talktime – 500 SMS – Free incoming calls – Free caller ID $15.14 MyRepublic Lite Plan (No Contract) – 10GB – 10GB data – 300 mins talktime – 300 SMS – Free incoming calls $10.90 redONE Super8 (No Contract) – 8GB data, unlimited data at 512kbps thereafter – 1GB mobile data for use in Malaysia – 500 mins talktime (S’pore and Malaysia) – 500 SMS $8.00 redONE Perfect10 (No Contract) – 100 GB data (Can be used in S’pore only), unlimited data at 512kbps thereafter – 500 mins talktime (S’pore and Malaysia numbers originating from Singapore) – 100 SMS $10.00 redONE Super18 (No Contract) – 25 GB data (Can be used in S’pore and Malaysia), unlimited data at 512kbps thereafter – 1,000 mins talktime (S’pore and Malaysia) – 1,000 SMS $18.00 redONE Super28 (No Contract) – 150 GB local data, unlimited data at 512kbps thereafter – 3GB for use in Malaysia – 1,500 mins talktime (S’pore and Malaysia) – 1,500 SMS $28.00 VIVIFI Lite Plan (No Contract) – 3 GB data – 500 mins talktime – 20 SMS – Free incoming calls – Free caller ID $8.88 VIVIFI Plus Plan (No Contract) – Unlimited data (First 9 GB unthrottled) – 350 mins talktime – 200 SMS – Free incoming calls – Free caller ID $9.08 VIVIFI Plus Plan (No Contract) – 20 GB – 400 mins talktime – 200 SMS – Free incoming calls – Free caller ID $11.10 Zero 1 Zero1 Starter – Unlimited data (First 6 GB unthrottled) – 150 mins talktime – 100 SMS – Free incoming calls – Free caller ID $7.00 Zero 1 Zero1 Classic – Unlimited data (First 50GB unthrottled) – 200 mins talktime – 200 SMS – Free incoming calls – Free caller ID $10.00
Read Also: Complete Guide To Prepaid SIM Plans In Singapore
Absolute Lowest Price And Best Overall Value
For those who want to spend the absolute minimum on their SIM-Only Plans, Zero1 Starter is the cheapest at $7.00. However, SIMBA’s 100GB plan, Changi Mobile’s Value+, and redOne Perfect10 gives the best value since they give a whopping 100GB unthrottled data and between 300 and 500 minutes talktime for $10.
However, a caveat is that the coverage and reception for certain MVNOs may not be as good as those of other long-estaablished providers, which could be the reason for the insane value. So, it may be a good idea to try for a month or two and test reception reliability, especially in places where you are likely to need your phone often (e.g. Home/Work/School) before porting your number over.
Best for Students
For those who cannot afford the bill shock of exceeding their data quota but still need constant connectivity, unlimited plans like Zero1’s Starter (6GB) or VIVIFI’s Plus Plan (9 GB) and redOne’s Perfect10 (100GB) all offer 6GB or more of data respectively, all under $15 monthly. These plans provide the stated data at full speeds, and throttle all usage thereafter, which is great for people who do not use much data or can’t afford to exceed their data plans unknowingly. With that said, redOne’s Perfect10 100GB plan costs just $10; that’s more data than the average student might use in addition to the 500 minutues of talktime, so it may also be well worth it for students.
Best SIM-Only Plans For Extreme Data Needs (more than 60 GB)
User B needs a minimum of:
- 100 mins talktime
- more than 60 GB data (at high speeds)
- Caller ID
- Free incoming calls
Plans Cost/Month (Including GST) SingTel (5G) SIM Only Plus 45 (12-Month) – 150 GB data (5G) – 1000 min talktime – 1000 SMS – Free Caller ID $36.34 SingTel (5G) SIM Only Plus 55 (12-Month) – 200 GB data (5G) – 1500 min talktime – 1500 SMS – Free Caller ID $44.41 StarHub (5G) Mobile+ $38 SIM Only plan (12 month) – 200 GB data (5G) – 1,000 mins talktime – 1,000 SMS – Free incoming calls $27.56 StarHub (5G) Mobile+ $45 SIM Only plan (12 month) – 230GB data (5G) – 1,000 mins talktime – 1,000 SMS – Free incoming calls $45.42 M1 (5G) 100GB SIM-Only plan (5G) – 100GB data – Unlimited weekend data – 1000 mins talktime – 1000 SMS – Free incoming calls – Free calls to 3 M1 numbers $15.95 M1 (5G) 150GB SIM-Only plan (5G) – 150GB data – 1,100 mins talktime – Unlimited weekend data – 1,100 SMS – Free incoming calls – Free calls to 3 M1 numbers $18.95 SIMBA (Formerly TPG Mobile) 130GB SIM-Only – 80 GB data + 50GB – 500 mins Local Fixed Line Minutes – Unlimited Calls to Local Mobile Lines – 50 SMS – Unlimited SMS to SIMBA Lines – 300 Mins IDD to selected countries – 2 GB international roaming data to selected countries $18.00 SIMBA (Formerly TPG Mobile) SIMBA SuperRoam MY – 130 GB data – 500 mins Local Fixed Line Minutes – Unlimited Calls to Local Mobile Lines – 50 SMS – 10 GB roaming data to Malaysia only – 100 mins IDD to Malaysia only $39.00 per 90 days SIMBA (Formerly TPG Mobile) SIMBA SuperRoam Max – 100 GB data – 500 mins Local Fixed Line Minutes – Unlimited Calls to Local Mobile Lines – 100 SMS – Unlimited SMS to SIMBA Lines – 10 GB international roaming data to selected countries – 300 mins IDD to selected countries $25 Circles.Life 100GB – 100 GB data on 4G speeds – 300 mins talktime – 25 SMS – Free Caller ID – additional $10.09/mth for new numbers $15.17 Circles.Life Circles x GV (200GB) – 200 GB data on 5G speeds – 300 mins talktime – 25 SMS – Free Caller ID – additional $10.09/mth for new numbers $25.17 Circles.Life 5G Circles x GV (300GB) – 300GB (rollover data of up to 1TB) on 5G speeds – 300 mins talktime – 25 SMS – Free Caller ID – additional $10.09/mth for new numbers $30.36 Changi Mobile Freedom – 150GB Data – 1,000 talktime – 200 SMS – Free incoming calls – Free caller ID $12.00 Changi Mobile Ultimate – 150 GB Data – 1GB Roaming (3 destinations) – 1000 mins talktime – 200 SMS – Free incoming calls – Free caller ID – Free plan rollover $15.00 Changi Mobile Travel – 200 GB Data – 3GB Roaming (3 destinations) – 1,000 mins talktime – 200 Local SMS – Free incoming calls – Free caller ID – Free plan rollover $20.00 CMLink (5G) (No Contract) – Free 5G access – 80 GB data (includes 35 GB roaming data for use in S’pore, Hong Kong, mainland China) – 1 GB roaming data for use in Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand – 400 mins talktime (local and local to mainland China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and USA) – 400 local SMS – Free caller ID – Free Local incoming calls $30.80 CMLink (5G) (No Contract) – Free 5G access – 110 GB data (includes 50 GB roaming data for use in S’pore, Hong Kong, mainland China) – 1 GB roaming data for use in Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand – 500 mins talktime (local and local to mainland China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and USA) – 500 local SMS – Free caller ID – Free Local incoming calls $40.80 giga (No Contract) – 10GB/mth – 10GB data- 300 mins talktime – 300 SMS – Free incoming calls – Free caller ID – Free rollover data $10.10 giga (No Contract) – 150GB/mth – 150 GB data- 800 mins talktime – 800 SMS – Free incoming calls – Free caller ID – Free rollover data $18.17 giga (No Contract) – 350GB/mth – 350 GB data- 1,000 mins talktime – 1,000 SMS – Free incoming calls – Free caller ID – Free rollover data $20.19 GOMO Mobile 4G Value Plan – 150GB – 150 GB data – 500 mins talktime – 500 SMS – Free incoming calls – Free caller ID $15.14 GOMO Mobile (5G) 5G Plan With Rollover- 200GB – 200 GB data – 1000 mins talktime – 1000 SMS – Free incoming calls – Free caller ID – Free rollover $25.23 MyRepublic EX Core Plan (No Contract) – 150GB – 500 mins talktime – 500 SMS – Free incoming calls – Free caller ID $15.90 MyRepublic Pro Plan (No Contract) – 200GB – 1,000 mins talktime – 1,000 SMS – Free incoming calls – Free caller ID $20.90 MyRepublic Unlimited Data (No Contract) – Unlimited Data (10GB/day untrottled) on 4G speeds – 2,000 mins talktime – 2,000 SMS – Free incoming calls – Free caller ID $25.90 MyRepublic (5G) 5G Plus – 110GB + Unlimited Data at managed speeds thereafter – 1200 mins talktime – 1200 SMS – Free incoming calls – Free caller ID – 1GB Roaming Data in Malaysia, Indonesia or Thailand per mth (for 1st 6 mths) $24.95 MyRepublic (5G) 5G Ultimate – Unlimited Data 7GB/day, managed speeds thereafter – 1500 mins talktime – 1500 SMS – Free incoming calls – Free caller ID – 1GB Roaming Data in Malaysia, Indonesia or Thailand per mth (for 1st 6 mths) $29.95 redONE Perfect10 (No Contract) – 100GB local data, unlimited data at 512kbps thereafter- 500 mins talktime – 100 SMS $10.00 redONE Super38 (No Contract) – 200GB local data, unlimited data at 512kbps thereafter – 4GB data for use in Malaysia – 2,000 mins talktime (S’pore and Malaysia) – 2,000 SMS $38.00 VIVIFI (5G) Binge 5G Plan – 160GB (+10GB for 3mths) – Free 1GB Roaming data for 12 mths in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand – 400 mins talktime – 200 SMS – Free incoming calls – Free caller ID $24.73 VIVIFI Binge Plan – 150GB – Free 1GB Roaming data for 12 mths in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand – 400 mins talktime – 200 SMS – Free incoming calls – Free caller ID $17.66 VIVIFI Binge Plus Plan – 50GB (for 12mths) – 400 mins talktime – 200 SMS – Free incoming calls – Free caller ID $11.10 Zero 1 Zero1 Jumbo Go – 100GB Data – 500 mins talktime – 50 SMS – Free incoming calls – Free caller ID $12.15 Zero 1 Zero1 Jumbo 100 – 100GB Data – 800 mins talktime – 100 SMS – 500 mins IDD – Free incoming calls – Free caller ID $20.20 Zero 1 (5G) Zero1 60u 5G – 5G enabled – 120GB, (60GB base + 60GB promo for 12 mths) unlimited managed speed thereafter – 500 mins talktime – 500 SMS – 1GB roaming data to Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand for 12mths – Free incoming calls – Free caller ID $25.20 Zero 1 (5G) Zero1 90u 5G – 5G enabled – 140GB (90GB base+ 50GB promo), unlimited managed speed thereafter – 800 mins talktime – 800 SMS – 1GB roaming data to Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand – Free incoming calls – Free caller ID $32.20
Best Overall Value
For heavy data users, Giga’s 350GB at $20.19 per month offers the best value with the most data. Alternatively, Changi Mobile’s 200GB plan offers the second overall most value for money plans at 200GB for $20.
5G Plans
For those looking to ride the 5G wave, M1’s 5G 150GB plan offers 5G access at a low price of $18.95. Circles.Life‘s Circles X GV offers unlimited data at $30.36 for the true data-hungry users, with 300GB at 5G speeds, the option to rollover unused data up to 1TB at 5G speed, unlimited data at throttled speed thereafter.
Frequent travellers
Those who may need to travel overseas regularly for work may consider plans that offer overseas data usage. redONE’s data can be used in both Singapore and Malaysia while CMLink can be used in Singapore, Hong Kong and mainland China. SIMBA also includes 1 to 2 GB roaming data to 57 destinations. Chang Mobile‘s Travel plan also offers 1GB roaming data for Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan and Thailand. MyRepublic also has plans that offer 1GB roaming data for Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand.
Read Also: Best Unlimited Data Mobile Plans In Singapore (Plus: Which Plan Gives The Most 4G Data Per Dollar?)
Seniors and Family Specific Plans
Another group of people who may also sign up for SIM-only plans includes parents getting a phone for their younger children as well as the elderly. In certain instances, some within this group may not require a lot of data – perhaps due to parents wanting to limit their children’s phone usage or the elderly who aren’t familiar with the feature.
Here are the plans that are targeted at seniors and families:
Plans Cost/Month (Including GST) SIMBA Seniors – 20 GB data (unthrottled) – Unlimited Mobile to Local Mobile Lines – Unlimited SMS to SIMBA Mobile – 300 Local Fixed Line Minutes – 30 SMS – 1 GB international roaming data to selected countries $5.00 Circles.Life Family – $14 to $21 per line – 300 GB data shared between up to 6 – 500 mins talktime (outgoing and incoming) – 200 SMS – Free caller ID $41/$51/$61/$71/$81 for 2/3/4/5/6 SIMs respectively VIVIFI Share Plan (No Contract) – Share 180GB between family members, up to 9 lines. – 1000 mins talktime – 100 SMS – Free incoming calls – Free caller ID $40.37 + $6.06 for each extra SIM
SIMBA’s Seniors Plan is currently the cheapest SIM-only plan available on the market right now. However, only seniors (60 years old and above) may apply for this plan with each senior being able to apply for a maximum of 4 lines under this plan.
VIVIFI’s Share Plan and Circles.Life’s Family Plan is targeted at families with the ability to share the data, talktime and SMS of the main Share Plan. Each Share Plan can share up to 8 additional lines (VIVIFI Us) or 5 additional lines (Circles.Life). This may make sense for large families. Taking Circles.Life as an example, a 6-member family pays around $13.50 each and gets 50GB per person, making it second only to SIMBA’s 100GB SIM Only Plan in the User A category.
VIVIFI’s Share Plan can also be upgraded to 5G with additional 10GB data at $6.06/month per mobile line. This may be perfect for families who want to hop on to the 5G bandwagon while still retaining the benefits of a family plan.
Read Also: Why Using Sim-Only Mobile Data Plans Together As A Household Makes Good Financial Sense
This article was originally published on 2 August 2018 and updated to reflect new information and the latest price plans. Additional reporting by Angela Koo.
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