Lebara
Lebara is a UK-headquartered Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) offering affordable SIM-only mobile plans (from £5/month) on the Vodafone network, serving over 4 million customers across five European countries and expanding into Nigeria and brand-licensed markets.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Lebara does
Lebara is a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) founded in 2001 and headquartered in London, providing affordable mobile connectivity to value-seeking consumers and diaspora communities. The company operates an asset-light model: in the UK it runs on Vodafone's 4G/5G network (98% population coverage, 5G in 129 cities), in Nigeria it is a Tier 5 hosted MVNO on Airtel infrastructure (launched February–March 2026 with a 1M-subscriber year-one target), and in Switzerland, Spain, Saudi Arabia and Australia it extends the brand via licensing partners (including Sunrise for Switzerland). Direct operations cover the UK, Germany, France, Netherlands and Denmark, serving more than 4 million customers; the UK alone accounts for over 3 million.
Its core product is a SIM-only plan portfolio (30-day rolling or 12-month, £5–£30/month) with no annual price rises since 2020, no credit checks, no contracts, 5G included, EU/India roaming up to 30GB, and international minutes to 50+ countries. Revenue streams are diversified across monthly subscriptions, PAYG top-ups (£10/£20/£30), data and international add-ons, and brand licensing royalties. New revenue lines include LebaraPlay, a mobile-first digital entertainment platform (micro-drama, music, lifestyle) launched in Nigeria in June 2026 and accessible to non-subscribers.
Distribution is multi-channel: self-serve D2C e-commerce (lebara.co.uk), a formal reseller program for physical retail and online distributors, partner forwarders (AO for handsets, MoneySuperMarket for broadband), and a referral/rewards stack (Aklamio-powered Refer & Earn up to £50; Propello-powered Rewards). Marketing is anchored on SEO comparison content versus EE/O2/Three/Giffgaff and Trustpilot social proof (78,164+ reviews, 4.7–4.8/5). Since August 2024 Lebara has been owned by Waterland Private Equity.
Lebara firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Lebara
- Legal name
- Lebara Mobile Limited
- Website
- http://www.lebara.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Lebara is a UK-headquartered Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) offering affordable SIM-only mobile plans (from £5/month) on the Vodafone network, serving over 4 million customers across five European countries and expanding into Nigeria and brand-licensed markets.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Lebara industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) Services
- NAICS
- Telecommunications Resellers (517121), Telecommunications Resellers and Agents for Wireless Telecommunication Services (51712), Agents for Wireless Telecommunications Services (517122)
- SIC
- Telephone Communications (No Radiotelephone) (4813)
- akta.pro primary industry
- OBT Mobile Booking Apps & Traveler Self-Service (THACABAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Online Corporate Booking & Self-Booking Tools (OBT) (THAKAMAB), SME-Focused Corporate OBTs (THACABAB)
Keywords
Where Lebara is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices5 records
Markets served
Lebara business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Monthly SIM-only plan subscriptions: Recurring monthly subscription revenue from 30-day rolling and 12-month SIM-only plans ranging from £5 to £30 per month, with auto-renewal; bundles include data, UK minutes/texts, international minutes to 50+ countries, and EU/India roaming. Pricing has been held flat since 2020.
- Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) top-up credit: Usage-based prepaid revenue from customers topping up £10/£20/£30 credit for occasional calls, texts, and data; international calls from 1p/minute under PAYG rates; standard UK calls 25p/minute, texts 19p, data £93/GB outside plans.
- Add-on purchases: One-off add-on revenue from data bolt-ons (2GB/4G&5G from £3), international minutes, and UK minutes add-ons that expire with the customer's plan; also roaming add-ons from £5 for non-EU/India destinations.
- LebaraPlay entertainment platform (Nigeria): Revenue from LebaraPlay digital entertainment platform in Nigeria offering micro-drama, music, and lifestyle content to both subscribers and non-subscribers — adjacent revenue stream beyond core connectivity.
- Brand licensing royalties: Licensing revenue from brand licence partners operating Lebara-branded services in Switzerland, Spain, Saudi Arabia, and Australia; royalty model extends Lebara brand presence without owning local operations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | 5GB plan — entry tier with 1000 UK mins/texts and 100 international mins |
| Subscription | Monthly | 30GB plan — mid-tier with unlimited UK mins/texts |
| Subscription | Monthly | 50GB plan — heavy data user tier with 500 international mins |
| Subscription | Monthly | 100GB plan — large data tier with unlimited international mins |
| Subscription | Monthly | Unlimited Data plan |
| Subscription | Monthly | Unlimited Plus plan — flagship |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | PAYG top-up credit bundles |
| Subscription | Annual | 12-month SIM plans (all tiers) |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels8 records
Lebara product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Lebara is a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) that sells affordable SIM-only mobile plans and Pay-As-You-Go services to consumers across the UK, Germany, France, Netherlands, and Denmark, leveraging Vodafone's UK network infrastructure. The company offers 30-day rolling and 12-month plans priced from £5 to £30 per month with included data, UK/international minutes, EU/India roaming, and 5G at no extra cost, supplemented by self-service apps, top-up credit, add-ons, referral rewards, and partner services for handsets and broadband.
Product overview
Lebara operates as a unified Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) platform across the UK, Nigeria, and Switzerland, offering a portfolio of mobile connectivity services on the Vodafone network (UK) and partner networks abroad. The core offering is the Lebara SIM-only plan family (30-day rolling and 12-month plans from £5/month), complemented by the MyLebara app for self-service account management, Pay As You Go and Top-Up credit options, the Refer & Earn program powered by Aklamio, the Lebara Rewards program via Propello, the Roam Like Home roaming feature across 36+ destinations, Lebara Community, Student Offers, UK Add-Ons, and Content Control (via Yoti). Hardware and adjacent services (phones via AO, broadband via MoneySuperMarket) are delivered through partner forwarders. Network-dependent services include 5G, WiFi Calling, 4G Calling (VoLTE), and the eSIM rollout. The newest product is LebaraPlay, a digital entertainment platform launched in Nigeria.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- MyLebara: Lebara's branded mobile app and online account portal for managing plans, top-ups, data usage and rewards.
- LebaraPlay
Products and services
- Lebara SIM-Only Plans Flagship mobile offering with plans from £5 to £30 per month, providing data (5GB to unlimited), UK and international minutes, EU/India roaming up to 30GB, 5G at no extra cost, no credit checks, no contracts, and no annual price rises. Runs on the Vodafone UK network.
- Lebara Pay As You Go (PAYG) Free SIM card with pay-as-you-go top-up flexibility, including international calls from 1p/min, EU and India roaming, and no expiry pressure. Delivered via Royal Mail.
- Lebara Top-Up Top-up credit service in £10, £20, and £30 denominations for occasional calls and texts or as supplementary credit alongside a SIM-only plan.
- MyLebara App Official Lebara mobile application for iOS and Android that enables customers to manage accounts, track usage, top up, change plans, and access rewards.
- Lebara Refer & Earn Customer referral program where existing customers earn up to £50 for each successful referral who signs up for a plan and stays active for 60 days, with referees receiving 50% off for 3 months.
- Roam Like Home Included EU/EEA and India roaming allowing customers to use their data allowance (up to 30GB), UK minutes, and texts at no extra charge across 36+ destinations.
- LebaraPlay Mobile-first digital entertainment platform launched in Nigeria offering premium micro-drama series, music, and lifestyle programming, accessible to both Lebara subscribers and non-subscribers.
- Lebara Nigeria Lebara's Nigerian MVNO operating on Airtel Nigeria's network with the 0724 number series in Lagos, offering a 'minutes, not airtime' billing model targeting cost-conscious users and diaspora travelers. Aims for one million subscribers in first year with future fintech expansion including microloans and device financing.
- Lebara Switzerland Relax Plans New mobile plan range from Lebara Switzerland (Sunrise-owned MVNO) with flexible annual roaming allowances, including Relax S with unlimited Switzerland data/calls plus 20GB annual roaming data in Europe, US, Canada and Turkey at CHF 12.95/month introductory price.
Quantifiable outcome
- Survey of 57,370 switchers (Jan–Dec 2025): 90.99% reported average saving of over £12/month (£144/year)
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Lebara
Customer profileSegments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Lebara technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
Feature7 records
Lebara partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- Vodafone (UK)flagshipVodafone UK is the underlying host network for Lebara's mobile services in the UK — Lebara 'piggybacks' on Vodafone's award-winning network, providing 4G coverage of 99% of UK population and 96% of landmass, 5G coverage in 129 cities and towns, and average data speeds over 20 Mbps. The Vodafone branding is referenced across the Lebara site, with 5G status-checker and device setup links routed via Vodafone.
- Airtel NigeriaflagshipAirtel Nigeria is the host network infrastructure partner for Lebara Nigeria's Tier 5 MVNO launch. Lebara leverages Airtel's national infrastructure to operate with the 0724 number series, targeting underserved Nigerian mobile users and aiming for one million subscribers in year one. President Bola Tinubu welcomed the launch as a vote of confidence in Nigeria's digital economy.
- SunrisecoreSunrise owns and operates Lebara Switzerland as a mobile virtual network operator. Sunrise-owned Lebara Switzerland launched the new 'Relax' plan range (Relax S from CHF 12.95/month introductory, guaranteed for life, with 20GB annual roaming in Europe, US, Canada, and Turkey).
- AOcoreAO is Lebara's handset distribution partner. The Lebara 'Phones' tab redirects to AO's web page (phones.lebara.co.uk) for SIM-free and contract handset purchases; AO handles delivery, returns, and warranty under their own terms and privacy policy.
- MoneySuperMarketcoreMoneySuperMarket is Lebara's exclusive broadband switching partner via the Lebara Rewards portal. Lebara customers switching home broadband through MoneySuperMarket get 50GB free data credited within 14 days, plus exclusive savings up to £172 vs Sky (>300Mbps) average.
- PropellocorePropello powers the Lebara Rewards programme. The Lebara Rewards page redirects to Propello's web platform (lebararewards-sandbox.yourperx.com) for offers, discounts, and partner perks.
- AklamiocoreAklamio is Lebara's referral programme technology partner. Powers the Refer & Earn program tracking referral attribution, payouts (up to £50 per successful referral), and reward fulfilment (60-day qualification period).
- Samsung, Xiaomi, reboxed (3G switch-off device upgrade partners)minorThree device upgrade partners offering discounts to Lebara customers needing to replace 3G handsets after the 3G switch-off: Samsung at least 5% off their range online; Xiaomi 6% off handsets; reboxed extra £20 off certified refurbished phones including iPhones and Samsung devices.
- Brand licence partners (Switzerland, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Australia)coreLebara extends its brand via licensing partnerships in four additional markets — Switzerland (Sunrise-owned), Spain, Saudi Arabia, and Australia. The brand is adapted for each country according to local needs, allowing geographic expansion without owning local operations.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Lebara competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Giffgaff: UK value MVNO running on O2's network with no-contract SIM-only plans and a member-driven community model. Giffgaff is Lebara's most direct UK value-MVNO competitor targeting the same Big Four switcher demographic.
- Lyca Mobile: International-calling focused MVNO targeting diaspora communities across Europe with cheap international minutes. Closest peer to Lebara's founding value proposition and core diaspora customer segment.
- VOXI: Vodafone UK youth-focused sub-brand MVNO with unlimited social media plans. Operates on the same Vodafone wholesale network as Lebara but targets a different demographic (younger users) — both compete for value-conscious switchers.
- Tesco Mobile: O2-hosted UK MVNO leveraging Tesco's retail brand and Clubcard loyalty. Competes directly with Lebara in the value SIM-only segment and won multiple Uswitch categories alongside Lebara in 2026.
- Smarty: Three UK-owned value MVNO with simple, low-cost SIM-only plans. Direct UK value-MVNO competitor with aggressive pricing targeting the same switcher demographic as Lebara.
- ID Mobile: Three UK-hosted value MVNO targeting cost-conscious consumers and switchers. Direct competitor in the UK SIM-only segment, often cited alongside Lebara on UK price comparison sites.
- Sky Mobile: O2-hosted MVNO from Sky targeting Sky TV customers with bundled mobile plans. Direct UK MVNO competitor combining media brand and pay-monthly handset propositions.
Broad incumbents
- EE: UK's largest mobile network operator and a primary Lebara switching target. EE competes with Lebara via premium positioning, pay-monthly handset contracts, and 5G leadership — but is the source of switcher flow that Lebara monetises.
- MTN Nigeria: Nigeria's dominant mobile network operator with the largest market share. Lebara Nigeria's principal incumbent competitor and one of the Big Four Lebara targets in Nigeria (alongside Airtel, Glo, 9mobile).
Regional players
- Sunrise: Swiss incumbent operator that owns and operates Lebara Switzerland under brand license. Comparable as a regional MVNO/host-network hybrid and Lebara's license partner in the Swiss market.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Lebara social profiles
Digital presenceLebara compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
Lebara financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Lebara leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Lebara subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries5 records
Lebara funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Lebara M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Lebara
What does Lebara do?
Lebara is a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) that sells affordable SIM-only mobile plans and Pay-As-You-Go services to consumers across the UK, Germany, France, Netherlands, and Denmark, leveraging Vodafone's UK network infrastructure. The company offers 30-day rolling and 12-month plans priced from £5 to £30 per month with included data, UK/international minutes, EU/India roaming, and 5G at no extra cost, supplemented by self-service apps, top-up credit, add-ons, referral rewards, and partner services for handsets and broadband.
Is Lebara a public or private company?
Lebara is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was Lebara founded?
Lebara was founded in 2001. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Lebara based?
Lebara is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Lebara make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Monthly SIM-only plan subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) top-up credit, add-on purchases, lebaraPlay entertainment platform (Nigeria) and brand licensing royalties.
Who are Lebara's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Giffgaff, Lyca Mobile, VOXI, Tesco Mobile, Smarty, ID Mobile and Sky Mobile. Broad incumbents are EE and MTN Nigeria. Sunrise is listed as a regional player.
Does Lebara have an API?
No public API is recorded for Lebara.
What industry is Lebara in?
Lebara's product category is Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THACABAI, OBT Mobile Booking Apps & Traveler Self-Service, with a secondary code of THAKAMAB, Online Corporate Booking & Self-Booking Tools (OBT). Its NAICS code is 517121 and its SIC code is 4813.