When it comes to picking a perfect phone deal, you could go either way; pay monthly contracts or pay as you go. There are advantages and disadvantages to both sides.

Pay as you go is great if you hate the thought of being tied down to a 12 month, 18 month or 24 month contract. The amount you choose to top up can be however much you like, which brings the advantage of controlling your phone usage. You will never get a bill so this is one less thing to worry about at the end of the month. There is no credit check either with pay as you go. If you’re happy with a simple handset, or the current one you already have then simply pop the SIM straight in and it’s ready to use.

If you realise you are using the phone on a regular basis there can be disadvantages. Continuous top-ups can be troublesome and expensive. You will also pay a more for calls using a pay as you go mobile. Another problem with top-ups is you may find yourself in the middle of an important phone call and then suddenly run out of credit. When it comes to better deals you will need to look at contract phones.

With pay monthly contracts there is a wider range of handsets to choose from, so if you are interested in the newest phone then a monthly contract may be a cheaper way of getting your hands on it. You’ll get a lot more call time and text messages from too, as different deals that can provide unlimited minutes, data and messaging, Modern handsets now have Internet facilities, so data allowance is often provided in contract deals, this can range from 100mb to unlimited data usage.

Prices for contracts vary with the length of time you choose to take one out. Some networks offer to lower the price of your contract after the first 6 months or year, but this also means your minutes, messaging or data allowance are likely to decrease. The disadvantages are that you’ll be tied down to a monthly contract for up to a year or two, depending on the contract length you pick. If you go over your set minutes, messaging or data allowance the bill can be high in addition to what you already have to pay each month. If you experience poor customer service or coverage you may want to switch providers, but often you can’t do this without paying a large cancellation fee.

It is a smart idea to take all this in to account in order to make the right choice. Always go with the mobile phone deals that would benefit you the best.