Guide to comparing smartphone deals

In this guide we'll look at the choices you have to make about the kind of tariff you'll take out. Do you want pay as you go, or a contract? How many minutes, texts and data do you need? And which provider should you choose?

If you're looking for information about the actual mobile phones themselves, see instead our guide to smartphone handsets. If you are looking for the deals themselves, please visit our dedicated smartphone deals page.

Pay as you go, or contract?

Generally speaking, you will get a better deal if you go for a fixed length contract rather than a prepay/pay as you go (payg) offering.

Contracts tend to last 12, 18 or 24 months and in return for your loyalty they will include a free (or heavily subsidised) smartphone into the bargain. In most cases, you'll also get more bundled texts, minutes and data for your buck.

Whether the phone is a good one might be debatable - you'll find that the more expensive the handset would usually be, the more you'll tend to pay for your contract each month, suggesting a certain amount of the handset's cost is added to your monthly fee. However, it is still a great way to get a top-of-the-line handset on something like a hire purchase deal.

The one real downside with a contract smartphone deal is the fact you're tied into it for at least a year. Especially on 18 or 24 month contracts, you're going to have that handset a long time, so if you have to have the latest tech, or go through handsets like a knife through butter, you may want to go for a payg deal.

Also, not all of us are lucky enough to have a good credit rating, or maybe you'd like someone to get you a smartphone as a gift and keep your payments low via top-ups? Why pay for minutes, text and data you may not use?

Phone cost and tariff

On our contract comparison tables, 'phone cost' is the initial price you'll have to pay out for your handset. The more you pay each month for your contract (giving you more minutes, data and text), the cheaper your chosen smartphone will be.

However, don't be tempted into taking on a load of minutes you'll never use - this is just wasting money in the long run. It may be worth paying a little for your mobile initially, and then having a cheaper monthly tariff that suits your general usage.

Contract length

Again, you will end up with a better deal the longer you are willing to sign up for. So, if you are simply looking to save as much as possible, go for a two-year tariff for the best offers.

There can be pitfalls in going for a longer contract though. Firstly, you're banking on your chosen smartphone lasting up to two years in one piece. It may well be insured to a certain degree, but even so, you may not want to be walking around with an old, bruised and battered mobile in a year's time that you're still paying for.

Also, you are putting the same faith in your mobile provider. Things tend to ebb and flow on price and coverage, so today's award winning mobile company can be next year's pantomime villain - today's bargain deal could be a real stinker further down the line.

Effective cost/mth

This is the tariff, minus any freebies, plus the cost of the handset - it will give you a good idea of the overall value of the package on offer.

Data, minutes and texts

If this isn't your first mobile, have a good look through your previous bills and work out what you need - you could even call your previous mobile provider to see if they can tell you if it's not obvious.

When it comes to data, be sure to read the small print if the deal you have your eye on says 'unlimited'. Not all unlimited deals are created equal - some may actually be unlimited, but many others will be subject to a 'fair usage' policy.

Fair usage can actually mean as little as 500MB of data per month - you can't get much further from unlimited than that!

Smartphone mobile supplier

While some people have their favourites, and others just go for the best deal, choosing the right  mobile provider is still a part of the decision for a lot of us.

As mentioned above, there isn't really a 'best' mobile provider and it tends to change with the seasons. They're making improvements all the time, to everything from their networks to their deals, so it's a really tough one to call. However, there are a couple of areas to look at.

Firstly, be sure to check the coverage in your area - all the mobile companies have 3G coverage maps you can check, which are accessible from our provider pages. For a smartphone to work well online, you really need to be in a good 3G coverage area.

Second, look at what your friends and family use, and how each provider offers little extras such as free on-network calls or free calls to specific friends and family numbers.

Thirdly, you may find other special offers such as Orange Wednesdays (2-for-1 cinema tickets) or T-Mobile's DVD/game rental offers. Over the period of a two year deal, these could make a real difference.

Extras

In our smartphone comparison tables, here you'll find any extra sweeteners the mobile provider has thrown in. This could be anything from a free gift to money off for a few months of the contract. 

Sealing the deal

Once you've found the smartphone deal for you, just click 'go' on the comparison table to be taken to the location where you can sign up for the deal. You should have your new smartphone in no time!