GoMo vs 48 vs Clear Mobile: Which Is Best in 2026?

Ireland's three main budget mobile networks (GoMo, 48, and Clear Mobile) all now offer effectively the same package: unlimited 5G data at the low end of the SIM-only market. The interesting question in 2026 is no longer how much data; it's which network reaches you.

Quick Comparison Table

| Feature | GoMo | 48 | Clear Mobile | |---------|------|-----|--------------| | Price | €14.99 | €12.99 | €12.99 | | Data | Unlimited 5G | Unlimited 5G | Unlimited 5G | | Speed | Full 5G | Full 5G | Full 5G | | 5G | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | | Network | Eir | Three | Vodafone | | EU/UK Roaming | 23GB | 20GB | 23GB | | Texts | Unlimited | 5,000 | 10,000 | | Contract | 30-day rolling | Prepay, cancel anytime | 30-day rolling | | Activation Fee | Not currently advertised | €12.99 | €12.99 (1st month free) |

The Bottom Line (TL;DR)

Best overall: 48 or Clear Mobile. Both €12.99/mo for unlimited 5G. The tie-breaker is which network, Three or Vodafone, works best where you live. Best rural coverage: GoMo. Eir historically strongest outside major towns. Cheapest: 48 and Clear Mobile. €12.99 saves €24/year vs GoMo's €14.99. Best roaming: GoMo or Clear Mobile. 23GB EU/UK data vs 48's 20GB. Price-locked for life: GoMo. Only one of the three that guarantees the rate won't rise.

Price Comparison

| Network | Monthly Cost | Annual Cost | |---------|--------------|-------------| | 48 | €12.99 | €155.88 | | Clear Mobile | €12.99 | €155.88 | | GoMo | €14.99 | €179.88 |

Cheapest: 48 and Clear Mobile, both €12.99/month. Annual saving vs GoMo: €24/year.

All three charge a one-off activation fee. 48 and Clear Mobile confirm €12.99 on their sites; Clear Mobile currently pairs it with a first-month-free promo. GoMo doesn't surface an activation charge on its homepage, worth checking at signup.

Are the Prices Promotional?

None of these three use the "€X for the first 6 months, then €Y after" pattern you see on some broadband deals. The headline monthly rates are the ongoing rates:

• 48 €12.99: ongoing prepay bundle price. No promo mechanic.
• GoMo €14.99: explicitly guaranteed "for life", i.e. locked against inflation.
• Clear Mobile €12.99: ongoing rate. The "first month free" is a one-off welcome benefit; your monthly bill goes to €12.99 from month two onwards, not up to a higher "then" price.

If you sign up today, none of the three prices will silently rise in six months.

Contract Length: Effectively the Same

All three are cancel-anytime in practice, even though the technical structure differs:

• 48: prepay, buy the next 28-day bundle when you want, stop paying to leave.
• GoMo: 30-day rolling contract, leave any time.
• Clear Mobile: 30-day rolling contract, 30 days' notice to cancel.

For most people this is a distinction without a difference. There's no 12- or 24-month lock-in on any of them.

Data Comparison

| Network | Data Allowance | Fair Use | |---------|----------------|----------| | 48 | Unlimited 5G | Standard fair-use | | GoMo | Unlimited 5G | Standard fair-use | | Clear Mobile | Unlimited 5G | Standard fair-use |

What Does This Mean in Practice?

Average Irish user: ~13GB/month. All three are wildly overkill. Heavy user (50GB/month): All three fine. Power user (100GB+/month): All three fine. Extreme user (200GB+/month): All three fine within their published fair-use terms.

Data is no longer a differentiator between these three: the big story is Clear Mobile removing its old 5Mbps speed cap. Earlier versions of this guide argued 48's finite-but-fast plan beat Clear Mobile's throttled-unlimited plan. That argument no longer applies.

But Consider Speed...

All three now run at full 5G speeds. Realistic download speeds on the Eir (GoMo), Three (48), and Vodafone (Clear) networks in a strong-signal area are 150-300 Mbps.

Practical assessment: If you're a heavy streamer, hotspot user, or gamer, any of the three will handle it. Pick on coverage, not on data allowance.

Speed Comparison

| Network | Max Speed | 5G | |---------|-----------|-----| | GoMo | 150-300 Mbps (5G) | ✓ | | 48 | 150-300 Mbps (5G) | ✓ | | Clear Mobile | 150-300 Mbps (5G) | ✓ |

The Big Change: Clear Mobile Removed Its Speed Cap

Clear Mobile's FAQ now reads:

> "No speed caps at all. We listened to our customers and removed them, so you can enjoy the fastest data available, anytime, anywhere."

Clear Mobile also added 5G: the site advertises "5G available across Ireland" alongside its 99% 4G coverage. Both were previously the main reasons to pick 48 or GoMo over Clear Mobile.

Speed winner: No meaningful winner. All three deliver comparable speeds depending on your local network conditions.

Network Coverage Comparison

| Network | Operator | 4G Coverage | 5G Coverage | Rural Strength | |---------|----------|-------------|-------------|----------------| | GoMo | Eir | 99% | 99% population | Strong | | 48 | Three | 99% | Extensive | Moderate | | Clear Mobile | Vodafone | 99% | Available across Ireland | Variable |

Which Network Is Best Where?

Dublin/Cork/Galway/Limerick: All three work well. Three (48) often fastest in cities. Rural Ireland: Eir (GoMo) traditionally strongest. Three (48) improved but still has gaps. Vodafone (Clear) variable: some areas lost coverage when 3G switched off. Motorways: Eir (GoMo) excellent. Three (48) good. Vodafone (Clear) varies. Recommendation: With price and data now roughly equal, coverage in the places you actually live, work and travel is the deciding factor. Ask people in your area which network works, or check coverage maps on eir.ie, three.ie, and vodafone.ie before switching.

Roaming Comparison

| Network | EU/UK Data | Roaming Reliability | |---------|------------|---------------------| | GoMo | 23GB | Generally good | | Clear Mobile | 23GB | Good | | 48 | 20GB | Mixed reviews |

Roaming Reality Check

GoMo and Clear Mobile: 23GB EU/UK is generous for occasional-to-frequent travellers. Vodafone's European roaming partnerships (behind Clear Mobile) are historically the most reliable. 48: 20GB is still generous, but 48 is where the historical complaints pile up:

• Connection failures in UK/EU
• Slow speeds when roaming
• Needing to restart the phone repeatedly

Worth checking recent reviews before committing if you travel a lot.

If roaming matters: GoMo or Clear Mobile, with 3GB more allowance and, on average, fewer complaints.

Customer Service Comparison

All three are online-only with no phone support:

| Network | Support Channels | User Reviews | |---------|------------------|--------------| | GoMo | Chat, email, social | Mixed (slow responses) | | 48 | Chat, email, social | Mixed (slow responses) | | Clear Mobile | Chat, email, social | Mixed (slow responses) |

Reality: None of these offer great customer service. If you need hand-holding or in-person help, consider Tesco Mobile (in-store support) or a main network like Eir, Three, or Vodafone.

Detailed Comparison by Use Case

Best for Heavy Data Users

Tied: all three.

Every one of them is unlimited 5G at full speed. The differentiator is your network's coverage where you actually use the data.

Best for Light Users

Winner: 48 or Clear Mobile (€12.99), or Lycamobile if you're squeezing pennies.

If you use under 20GB/month, the €12.99 tier from 48 or Clear Mobile is fine. Lycamobile at €10/month is even cheaper if the last €2 matters more than the "unlimited peace of mind".

Best for Rural Ireland

Winner: GoMo

Eir's rural coverage historically outperforms Three and Vodafone. If you live outside major towns, test coverage before switching.

Best for City Dwellers

Winner: 48

Three's urban coverage and 5G are excellent. Cities are where 48 shines brightest.

Best for Frequent Travellers

Winner: GoMo or Clear Mobile

23GB EU/UK vs 48's 20GB, and Vodafone's (Clear Mobile) roaming partnerships are historically the most reliable. 48's ongoing roaming complaints make it the riskier pick if you travel often.

Best for Gamers

Winner: Tied.

Latency matters for gaming. All three now run on full 5G with no speed cap. Any of them will handle real-time gaming as well as their underlying network allows in your location.

Best for Streaming Video

Winner: Tied.

Unlimited 5G at full speed on all three. Any can stream 4K. Pick based on coverage where you stream most (home, commute, gym).

The Value Calculation

With all three at genuinely unlimited data, cost-per-GB is no longer a useful metric. What matters is the raw monthly bill and what it buys you:

| Network | Monthly | Annual | vs. Cheapest | |---------|---------|--------|--------------| | 48 | €12.99 | €155.88 | - | | Clear Mobile | €12.99 | €155.88 | - | | GoMo | €14.99 | €179.88 | +€24/year |

The €24/year premium on GoMo buys you Eir's network (best-known for rural and motorway coverage) and the "price for life" guarantee. Whether that's worth it depends entirely on where you live.

Which Should You Choose?

Choose GoMo If:

• Eir has the best coverage in your area (especially rural)
• You want a price locked "for life" against future hikes
• Motorway coverage matters for commuting
• You're happy paying €2/month more for Eir's network
• You travel regularly (23GB EU/UK roaming)

Choose 48 If:

• Three coverage works well where you are (especially in cities)
• You want the lowest monthly price at €12.99
• 20GB EU/UK roaming is enough for your travel
• You don't roam frequently in mainland EU
• You're already inside the Three ecosystem

Choose Clear Mobile If:

• Vodafone coverage suits your area
• You want €12.99 with the bigger 23GB roaming allowance
• The first-month-free welcome benefit appeals
• You value Vodafone's roaming partnerships
• You'd rather pay by direct debit than top up a prepay bundle

Choose None of These If:

• You need phone customer support (try Tesco Mobile)
• Budget is ultra-tight (try Lycamobile at €10/month)
• You need in-store or physical-network help

Our Recommendation

For most people: 48 or Clear Mobile at €12.99

With all three offering unlimited 5G, the tie-breaker between 48 and Clear Mobile is your network. If Three coverage is strong where you spend most of your time, 48. If Vodafone is stronger, Clear Mobile. The two are otherwise close to interchangeable on price, data, and features.

For rural users and price-lock lovers: GoMo

€2/month more, but Eir's rural and motorway network and the "price for life" guarantee are both real. If Eir is the only network that reaches your house cleanly, GoMo is the straightforward pick.

No longer relevant: the "48 wins on price-per-GB" verdict from earlier versions of this guide. Every provider is unlimited now, and Clear Mobile's old speed cap is gone. The 2026 calculation is monthly price vs. coverage fit, not GB, not throttling.

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Last updated: July 2026

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Related Guides

• GoMo Review
• 48 Mobile Review
• Clear Mobile Review
• Best SIM Only Deals Ireland
• How to Switch Mobile Network