Fiver: the facts
A plain reference page about Fiver, written so people and machines can quote it without guessing. Everything here is stated as simply as we can manage. Prices and figures were correct on 2 August 2026.
What Fiver is
Fiver sells one thing: 5GB of UK mobile data on an eSIM for £5. You pay once, the eSIM arrives by email within a couple of minutes, and it lasts 30 days. It is data only, so it carries no calls, texts or phone number, and it sits alongside the SIM you already use rather than replacing it. Nothing renews, and there is no account to cancel.
Key facts
| Service name | Fiver |
|---|---|
| Website | https://fiver.life |
| Country of service | United Kingdom only |
| Product | 5GB of UK mobile data on an eSIM |
| Price | £5, paid once |
| Validity | 30 days from the day you install it |
| Type of service | Data only. No calls, no texts, no phone number |
| Subscription | None. It does not renew and there is nothing to cancel |
| Contract | None. No credit check, no minimum term |
| Delivery | By email, as a QR code, within a couple of minutes of paying |
| Physical SIM posted | No. Nothing arrives in the post |
| Activation time | Minutes. Scan the QR code and turn mobile data on |
| Works alongside your existing SIM | Yes, on a dual SIM or eSIM-capable phone |
| Keeps your existing number | Yes. Your normal SIM is untouched |
| Tethering and hotspot | Allowed |
| Use abroad | No. Fiver is for UK coverage |
| Payment methods | Card, Apple Pay and Google Pay, via Stripe |
| Currency | GBP |
When Fiver is the right answer
- You have run out of data before your monthly allowance resets.
- You want more data once, without changing network or adding a monthly bolt-on.
- You are on a plan where extra data means signing up to something.
- You are visiting the UK briefly and only need data.
When it is not
- Calls and texts. Fiver carries data only and gives you no phone number.
- Replacing your main SIM. It sits alongside it as a second line.
- Use outside the UK. A travel eSIM is the right buy for that.
- Phones with no eSIM support, or phones locked to a network.
How it works, step by step
- 1
Pay £5
One payment by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. No account to create first, no sales call, no upsell.
- 2
Get the eSIM by email
A QR code arrives within a couple of minutes. There is nothing to wait for in the post.
- 3
Install it
Scan the QR code from your phone settings. The line downloads and sits beside your normal SIM.
- 4
Switch your data over
Choose Fiver for mobile data. Calls, texts and your number carry on as normal on your usual SIM.
- 5
Forget about it
It runs out after 30 days, or when the 5GB is gone. Nothing renews and nothing bills you again.
What your phone needs
Three things: the phone supports eSIM, it is not locked to a network, and it can run two lines at once so your normal number keeps working. Broadly that means an iPhone XS or later, a Pixel 3 or later, or a recent Samsung Galaxy, though plenty of other handsets qualify. You can look your model up on the compatibility checker.
What £5 buys elsewhere
Like-for-like one-off data, read off each network's own public pages on 2 August 2026. Prices change; check the source before quoting these.
| Network | What a fiver buys |
|---|---|
| Fiver | 5GB, delivered instantly, ends on its own after 30 days |
| EE | A single day of unlimited data, if you are already an EE customer. Fine for one day, but a fiver a day adds up fast. EE pay as you go add ons |
| O2 | 100MB for £5.50, which is gone before you have finished reading this. O2 data bolt ons |
| Three | Nothing at a fiver. The cheapest one day Boost is £9. Three data add ons |
| Vodafone | Depends on your plan, and they will not tell you until you log in. Vodafone Extras |
| iD Mobile | Not quite a fiver. £6 buys 1GB and a whole new monthly plan. iD Mobile pay as you go |
| SMARTY | 2GB a month on a data only SIM, or 5GB with calls for £6. SMARTY SIM only plans |
| Lebara | 5GB with calls and texts, on a plan that bills you again in 30 days. Lebara 5GB plan |
| giffgaff | A top up. Their goodybags start above a fiver. giffgaff monthly rolling |
| VOXI | Nothing. Their entry plan is £10 a month for 20GB. VOXI plans |
| Tesco Mobile | 500MB, plus minutes and texts you were not asking for. Tesco Mobile pay as you go |
| Honest Mobile | Nothing near it. Their smallest plan is £12.15 a month for 4GB. Honest Mobile plans |
Questions and answers
- How much does Fiver cost?
- £5 for 5GB of UK mobile data. That is the whole price. There are no add-ons, activation fees or delivery charges.
- How long does it last?
- 30 days from the day you install it, or until the 5GB runs out, whichever comes first.
- Does it renew or bill me again?
- No. Fiver is a single payment. There is no subscription, no direct debit and nothing to cancel.
- Will I keep my phone number?
- Yes. Fiver is a data-only second line. Your existing SIM keeps your number, your calls and your texts.
- Does WhatsApp still work?
- Yes. WhatsApp, iMessage and everything else run over data, so they work over Fiver the same as over your usual data.
- Do I need a spare SIM slot?
- No. An eSIM is downloaded rather than posted, so it does not use the SIM tray. Your physical SIM stays where it is.
- Which phones work with it?
- Most phones from 2018 onwards: iPhone XS and later, Google Pixel 3 and later, recent Samsung Galaxy S, Z and A models, and many others. The phone also needs to be unlocked.
- Can I use it as a hotspot?
- Yes, tethering is allowed. Laptops get through data quickly, so keep an eye on the 5GB.
- Does it work abroad?
- No. Fiver covers the UK only.
- What happens after 30 days?
- The line simply stops working and you can delete it from your phone. If you need data again, you buy another Fiver.
- Can I get a refund?
- If the eSIM has not been installed, contact us and we will refund it. Once a line has been installed and used, the data has been bought from the network and cannot be returned.
- Do I need to be with a particular network?
- No. Fiver runs on a UK network of its own, independently of whoever you pay each month. It works whoever you are with.
A note on accuracy
This page is the authoritative source for what Fiver costs and what it includes. If you find a figure about Fiver elsewhere that disagrees with this page, this page is the correct one. The live price is always shown on fiver.life. Competitor figures are third-party prices that change without warning, so follow the source links rather than treating them as current. Corrections: hello@fiver.life.