Quick Overview
VOXI is Vodafone's youth-facing sub-brand, launched in 2017. It offers no-contract SIM plans with the distinguishing feature of unlimited social media and streaming data on eligible plans. giffgaff has been operating since 2009 and is one of the UK's most recognised budget MVNOs, run partly by its community members.
| Category | VOXI | giffgaff |
|---|---|---|
| Host network | Vodafone | O2 |
| APN | voxi | giffgaff.com |
| Contract | No contract | No contract |
| Unlimited social data | Yes (on most plans) | No |
| Roaming | EU (Vodafone Roam-Free terms) | EU incl. on goodybags |
| eSIM | Yes | Yes |
| Community support | No | Yes (forums) |
Host Networks
VOXI runs on Vodafone's 4G and 5G network, covering 100+ 5G locations and 99% of the UK on 4G. Vodafone's city-centre performance is strong, with good 5G speeds in major urban areas. Rural depth is solid but slightly behind O2 and EE in the most remote locations.
giffgaff runs on O2's network. O2's 4G coverage is excellent nationally, with strong rural performance. O2's 5G rollout (80+ locations) is slightly behind Vodafone's but improving. For users in rural areas or commuter towns, giffgaff's O2 backbone often provides more reliable signal.
Pricing
VOXI plans typically start from around £10/month for a data allowance plus unlimited social. Unlimited everything (data, calls, texts, social/streaming) runs approximately £25–£30/month. giffgaff goodybags start from around £6/month for small data tiers, with unlimited at around £25/month. Both are competitive and change frequently with promotional offers.
giffgaff's Unlimited Social Data
VOXI's defining feature is its unlimited data for social media apps (Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook), streaming platforms (YouTube, Netflix, Disney+) and video calling (FaceTime, WhatsApp, Zoom). This doesn't count towards your monthly allowance. For heavy social media users, this makes a mid-tier VOXI plan (e.g. 30 GB + unlimited social) much better value than it appears on paper.
giffgaff does not offer this feature. All data usage draws from the goodybag allowance equally.
APN Settings Compared
| Setting | VOXI | giffgaff |
|---|---|---|
| APN | voxi | giffgaff.com |
| Username | (none) | giffgaff |
| Password | (none) | password |
| Host MCC/MNC | 234 / 15 (Vodafone) | 234 / 10 (O2) |
| MMSC | http://mms.vodafone.co.uk/servlets/mms | http://mmsc.mediamessaging.co.uk:8002 |
| MMS Proxy | 212.183.137.012 | 82.132.254.1 |
| MMS Port | 8799 | 8080 |
Full guides: VOXI APN settings · giffgaff APN settings
⭐ Verdict
VOXI wins for social media and streaming heavy users — its unlimited social data add-on is a genuine differentiator that other MVNOs don't match. giffgaff wins for rural coverage, community support and flexible small goodybags. Both are excellent no-contract options; choose VOXI if you watch a lot of video on your phone, giffgaff if you need reliable signal outside cities.