Are you frustrated with your current mobile plan? Whatever the reason, tell yourself that there can always be a more suitable and less expensive alternative. In the comparison with the best mobile plans below, you will be able to define your needs and find the most suitable subscriptions.
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Whether it's data volume, calls/SMS/MMS, network or engagement, you can use the sliders to precisely define your needs. The comparator is dynamic and shows you live the best mobile plan for your use. Operators regularly reward their new customers with discounts: this is how they manage to attract them. While contracts “with commitment” are becoming ever more rare, the customer becomes king.
Changing your plan will only take you a few minutes: today, subscribing to a new operator automatically leads to the termination of the current contract. With their RIO code (available by calling 3179 free of charge), the customer can keep their number without interruption. He can easily jump from one operator to another, and keep the best mobile plan at any given time.
Move the sliders to filter the view of the mobile plan comparison.
The mobile plan comparison is updated by our dedicated team. Each package is detailed with its characteristics (network, operator, commitment) and its price. Flash sales allow operators to boost subscription volumes over a given time. They are therefore in principle ephemeral. The end date of the offer is highlighted on each of the packages presented above.
Comparison of the best mobile plan 2023:
- RED by SFR
- B&You from Bouygues Telecom
- Orange Package
- Prixtel mobile plan
- Free Mobile
- Sosh
- Cdiscount Mobile
Do you want to know more about the offers that we briefly explained at the beginning of this page? Below, we give you the details of each package. From one day to the next, the mobile plan comparison list evolves: you must therefore check often to access the offers. With the price battle on the telecoms market, you can save money by taking advantage of the competition between telecoms players.
You don't know how to choose your offer in our mobile plan comparison? We will try to answer our readers' frequently asked questions. Finding the best package is not a simple thing, far from it. You have to find the balance between your real needs, your budget and the offers that are available at any given time. No one has the same expectations, you need a tailor-made solution.
< p>Furthermore, operators often try to sell mobile subscriptions with a data envelope that is too large for average real usage: this allows them to charge more. We must not only take into account the data/price ratio, but also the volume of data itself. For the majority of French people, a volume between 100 and 200 GB will be more than sufficient. This should last several years without any difficulty.
In 2023, 90% of mobile plans sold online are without commitment. The flexibility of these plans contrasts with an era in which subscribers were married to their operator for years. At the time, if you wanted to take advantage of a new formula, you had to wait or pay the monthly payments that remained until the end of the contract. Orange, Bouygues Telecom and SFR also finally adopted the non-binding contract in 2023.
It was not uncommon for this to cause problems by forcing some subscribers into unforeseen expenses. Furthermore, the system of subsidized smartphones was the norm: for an apparently low price, the subscriber could benefit from a mobile associated with a package with commitment. The problem is that the subscriber was paying too much since this system made it possible to confuse the issue about the real cost of the plan (and the smartphone).
In the event of termination, in certain cases it was necessary to return the mobile in good condition under penalty of paying penalties or the remaining amount to be paid for the device. Free has pushed its rivals to adopt a radically different model. To present attractive prices, the telecom operator has chosen not to subsidize mobiles, while promoting the purchase of a smartphone alone.
It is thus possible to finance your smartphone in several monthly payments, with a supplement on the subscription which will be carried forward each month on the invoice. After the shock of the new operator's prices, Orange, SFR and Bouygues Telecom launched increasingly aggressive non-binding offers. In exchange for a few fewer small advantages: it is normal to manage this type of package online and without the possibility of going to a physical store.
Our comparison confirms it: the best mobile plan is without obligation. In 2023, it is better to divert operators who want to keep you by force. RED by SFR, B&You, Sosh and Free have moved very naturally to no-obligation. Among the important elements to consider before choosing the best mobile plan promo, you must first check the network coverage in your area.
ARCEP often updates its interactive map which allows you to compare the quality of the operators' telecom network. In most major cities, the quality is similar regardless of your choice. On the other hand, in rural areas, the question arises. On 4G, Orange is the best with coverage of 99% of the territory and population. Bouygues Telecom and SFR are not far behind and Free closes the pack.
On the other hand, on 5G, to date, Free Mobile is the one which covers the maximum territory – with antennas in the 700 MHz frequency range that cover large areas. That said, its speed is lower than the real 5G of other operators, more comparable to 4G. By opting for a no-commitment package, you have the option of canceling at any time.
This is a good solution to avoid being stuck with a package with a high price. This also requires the operator to always remain impeccable. He therefore has a certain pressure not to see his customers flee to the competition. You can always take advantage of the best offer by juggling between discounts available from time to time.
In France today, there are two types of operators. There are the full-fledged operators on the one hand (Orange, Bouygues Telecom, SFR and Free) who have their own network. On the other hand, there are MVNOs which buy voice, SMS and data minutes from operators to offer ever cheaper and ever more comprehensive mobile plans. The latter depend on the networks of the traditional operators that they operate.
However, many of these MNVOs are in reality subsidiaries of historic operators. Among the virtual operators, we can cite RED by SFR, the B&You brand or Sosh. In 2020 and 2021, Cdiscount, NRJ, Prixtel or Coriolis were all purchased by operators in their own right. This allows them to better monitor prices and ensure good overall harmony.
The best mobile plan promo can be hidden in the offer from one of these MVNOs. If you need real comfort (with the possibility of going to a store), traditional operators will be the way to go. But for those who are used to doing online, these brands offer mobile plan promos with a quality offer but less safety net.
Finally, MVNOs are known to lower prices but only for a few months. You must therefore be prepared to change your mobile subscription often… remembering to send your RIO code to request portability of your telephone number. Our tests and reviews on RED by SFR, on B&YOU, or on Free Mobile often answer most of readers' questions. These brands are real benchmarks in the segment, they have everything to seduce.
For a decade, MVNOs have been gaining market share. This acronym stands for Mobile Virtual Network Operatorand translates to virtual mobile operator. These players like Cdiscount, Prixtel or NRJ Mobile do not have a network and therefore rely contractually on the network of Orange, SFR or Bouygues Telecom. Some operators allow roaming, i.e. changing the smartphone network.
The advantage of MNVO mobile plans is that the resulting plans are systematically cheaper and without commitment. The disadvantage is that they do not own the network and that they are sometimes at a disadvantage over Orange, SFR or Bouygues Telecom subscribers. The connection speed is likely to drop, for example, in the event of saturation of the main network.
Note that MNVO offers are especially attractive for the first 6 to 12 months. Beyond that, you should expect a lower price – an increase which is however specified transparently during subscription. This is also the case for full-fledged operators such as Orange, SFR or Bouygues Telecom who often increase prices.
In the last year, there has been consolidation in the MVNO market. In this case, EI Telecom (which owned NRJ Mobile or Cdiscount Mobile) was acquired by Bouygues Telecom. For its part, the Altice group (SFR) got its hands on Coriolis Telecom and Prixtel. Only Orange did not position itself. However, it was the first historical player to remove the commitment on its offer. The MNVO controlled by Orange is called Sosh.
More good news. If you are not committed to an operator, the cancellation cost will be zero. It will therefore cost you nothing to cancel a mobile plan and move to the competition even if you opt for number portability. You need to make sure that you are not committed and that your operator does not charge hidden fees. Note that you will pay between 1 and 10 euros more on the first invoice for the costs of issuing your SIM card.
That said, the game is worth it because if you take the best mobile plan on the market each time, you will save money. You can easily reduce your budget by 50% with a mobile plan promo. Ultimately, changing operators will be healthy for your wallet. ARCEP advises French people to change packages often using a comparison to obtain the best rates.
Our comparison allows you to compare the best packages in real time and in the blink of an eye. If you manage to obtain a mobile plan promo during a Big RED or Very B&You operation, you will be able to reduce your bill by around -50%. We also advise you to take a look at the RED Deals which are put forward by RED by SFR. This offer, which combines a package and a smartphone, has been very successful since last year.
In France, the first 5G packages arrived at the end of 2020 – at the same time the network began to be deployed. Is this essential in 2023? Not really. Operators are also having difficulty selling their 5G subscriptions due to lack of demand. Interest is still limited for customers and the price is higher. We will perhaps have to wait until 2024 for this type of package to become popular with the general public.
However, it should be noted that everything depends on your place of residence and your habits. If you live in a big city and travel mainly to other major metropolises, it is highly possible that you will see the benefit. This is also true when traveling to many foreign countries as long as your operator has entered into an agreement with them. If you are visiting a country that is particularly well covered in 5G, such as the Netherlands for example, you may then be able to take advantage of it depending on what your contract allows.
To subscribe to a plan compatible with the 5G network, you must also have a 5G compatible smartphone. If the iPhone 13s all are, this is not the case for the iPhone 11s, which are still popular. With an ultra-fast network which is still limited geographically (to a few large cities) and 4G which is good, 5G mobile subscriptions will probably develop later in 2024. In terms of prices, they are also much more expensive than 4G subscriptions. In terms of speed, the difference is not huge for standard use.
Mobile plan comparison: how much data do you really need?
Whatever mobile plan you take, all operators segment to appeal to all profiles. Whether you are a small, medium or large consumer of data, you will find what you are looking for. French people used an average of 9 GB per month in 2019. Since then, usage has intensified but no figures are officially communicated by ARCEP. One thing is certain, you are probably paying for gigabytes that you never actually use.
Overall, operators all offer a small, a medium and a large mobile plan without commitment. The small one will oscillate between 1 and 10 GB per month, while the intermediate version will be between 30 and 100 GB. The most generous plan varies between 100 and 200 GB. Only Free Mobile offers a completely unlimited data plan but it is reserved for Freebox customers. This is convenient for those who share their connection and often upload videos in full quality.
In 2023, the average mobile plan includes around 130 GB and costs between 20 and 25 euros per month. Among the operators who are non-binding, RED by SFR, B&You or Sosh are positioned with the best mobile plan promotions. Occasionally, depending on the offers calendar, it is possible to take advantage of them for a little less.
The best mobile plans in this comparison offer a data envelope that can be used abroad. By default, this data envelope can be used in the EU, the United States, the United Kingdom and the French Overseas Territories. However, with certain offers in this mobile plan comparison, outside the EU and DOM-TOM it often happens that the data offer abroad is more limited. If you travel through Switzerland, Andorra or the United States, it may cost you more depending on the operator you choose.
Be careful, from one operator to another, there may still be nuances. For example, the operator RED by SFR adds a volume of data in the EU/DOM in addition to the data which is included in France. On the other hand, the B&You brand from Bouygues Telecom counts the volume abroad of the envelope in France. It's a small difference that can be important, you have to compare the packages. Free offers unlimited data and calls and SMS outside France, in the EU, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand and Israel.
< p>In addition to this, Free Mobile offers free use of 25 GB of data per month from Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Algeria, Libya, Switzerland, Bosnia Herzegovina, Montenegro, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia, Kazakhstan , Uzbekistan, China, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand, and Malaysia. Even if there are limits, you can see that those who opt for a mobile plan promo do not lack freedom.
If you go abroad for a few months, keeping your French mobile plan is a real chance. Indeed, whether in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada or even Switzerland, the cost of a subscription is much higher. They can quickly exceed 50 euros. In France, we are among the best off in terms of prices.
The first thing to do before changing, for example, to a mobile plan promo with this comparison, is to check, if applicable, the duration of commitment with your current operator. If you are not (or no longer) committed, you can cancel your mobile subscription without any notice. No need to call them to have to terminate your current contract, the procedure has been simplified and automated.
To change telecom operator and keep your telephone number, you must nevertheless complete a step to recover your RIO number. Nothing to do with OSS 117. This number contains everything your new operator needs to port your phone number. To obtain it you can simply call 3179 (free). An automatic voice will give you this code to guarantee the portability of your number from one operator to another. The procedure is free and at the same time allows you to cancel your current mobile plan.
In a few seconds, you have this RIO number which allows you to switch to another operator. You then just need to choose a new offer from this mobile plan comparison to start a new adventure – your new operator will take care of everything else. Take advantage of this to subscribe to a cheaper offer with more data. Often, telecom operators are generous: be patient and you will find how to save more.
It is difficult to recommend the best mobile plan in this comparison without knowing your needs and your budget. That said, if we had to determine the best mobile plan for the average French person, it would be the following: it would include unlimited calls, SMS and MMS and it would have a data envelope of between 30 and 100 GB. ;is the volume necessary to have peace of mind with a smartphone. You need to count between 15 and 20 euros per month for this type of mobile plan.
Of course, we often see offers that go well beyond that. For example, the Free 5G package offers 210 GB of data envelope – which is on average what a family of three with residential internet access consumes every month. Incidentally, even if the 5G network is still in its infancy, we are starting to see attractive prices, and coverage is improving, especially in sparsely populated areas. On 5G it is better to favor for the moment an operator like Free which offers more than 12,000 5G antennas in the territory, what's more in the 700 MHz band which carries further and penetrates buildings better. p>
In cities, Orange, Bouygues and SFR systematically offer faster 5G technologies in the areas they cover, but the situation varies depending on the city. 4G coverage is a little more uniform across operators – although in the most rural areas, there remain areas poorly covered by operators. Tests are necessary in these cases, whether by asking your friends at other operators if they have good reception in your area, or by subscribing to an MNVO which can pass through the network of several operators.
Finally, it's all a question of timing. Indeed, if you are a little patient, you can come across mobile plan promos which are sometimes 20 to 30% better than a mobile plan in the comparison presented as cheap. Back to school in September and the months of November, December and January are popular for taking advantage of discounts on your next mobile plan. For several years, RED by SFR and B&You have been waging a battle with exceptional offers every month.
We advise you to come back regularly to this 2023 mobile plan comparison to quickly obtain an overall view on the best packages of the moment, the best package promos, and a varied list of packages to better compare. What package appealed to you the most this year?