Sky Mobile Swap is often considered “an affordable way to get the latest phone every year”, with the key selling point that you can upgrade to a new handset mid-contract.
It's a bit like existing early-upgrade schemes like O2 Refresh and Tesco Mobile’s Anytime Upgrade, except Swap differentiates itself with a trade-in mechanism that Sky Mobile reckons will make it less costly and easier to upgrade.
We’ll do our best to unpack the offer here, while outlining the benefits you get if you sign up. And we’ll take a look at how it compares to similar offers from rival networks too.
How does Sky Mobile Swap work?
Sky Swap contracts are designed to let you upgrade to a new phone more regularly than standard contracts, which typically lock you into owning the same phone for two years.
There are two Swap contracts to choose from for your mobile. Each features a different window of time when you’re able to upgrade to a new phone without having to pay any upfront charges.
Both contract options fall into the category of ‘split-contracts’. This means your monthly payment is split into two: one part goes towards paying back the phone and the other part is what you pay for your monthly allowance of data, calls and texts.
Also, you’ll have to choose what kind of contract you want when you sign up. Unlike O2’s Refresh and Tesco Mobile Anytime Upgrade, you can’t just sign up for a new phone at any point in your contract.
Swap12
Swap12 is a 24-month contract, but gives you the option to upgrade to a new model after 12 months. This fits neatly with handset manufacturers’ habit of releasing a new must-have flagship phone every year.
Swap24
There’s also a Swap24 contract, which is a 36-month contract priced at a lower monthly rate than Swap12, with the option to upgrade after 24 months.
Are there longer contracts?
There are, but they only apply to other devices like tablets and laptops.
Sky Mobile Swap’s trade-in system explained
Perhaps the best way to explain the Sky Mobile Swap is by looking at what it isn’t. And what it isn’t is Tesco Anytime Upgrade or O2 Refresh.
When you upgrade with Tesco Mobile's scheme, you’re obliged to pay up the full price of the phone (as determined at the time you bought it), minus the number of payments you’ve made on it.
So let’s suppose you wanted a new phone after 12 months and had been paying £36 per month towards the £600 cost of the phone, so had paid a total of £432. You’d owe your network the difference, which would be £168.
But once you paid that, your old handset will be yours outright. Which may not be all that helpful, if you then have to go to the hassle of finding a buyer for your old device.
With Sky Mobile Swap, the upgrade mechanism is very different. Principally because when you upgrade, Sky Mobile will take your old phone off your hands and use its value to offset the price you pay to upgrade, making your upgrade free of charges.
What happens if the phone I want to swap is damaged?
As you'd expect, if your phone is significantly damaged you won't get the full amount from Sky Mobile. So although they'll still take the phone off your hands as part-exchange, you'd need to pay something to upgrade.
Taken from a PDF on the Sky Mobile site, here's a look at how damage impacts on the trade-in value of your handset:
What about transferring data to the new phone?
If you’ve been seduced by a shiny, hot-off-the-presses handset, don’t worry. During the upgrade window, you simply choose the phone and Sky Mobile sends it to you, while you still have the old one.
You then have time to transfer all your apps, contacts and data to your new phone. You’re then obliged to send back the old phone to Sky Mobile in the pre-paid packaging they sent with your new phone.
You’ll have to make sure you send it back within 14 days, otherwise the Swap will be cancelled.
What about delivery charges?
Sky Mobile won’t charge you anything for delivering your new phone or collecting your old one.
What if I choose not to upgrade?
If you don’t want to upgrade, you simply see out the rest of the contract, but at a lower monthly rate than before.
To use an example, let’s suppose you’re on a Swap12 contract and have been paying £46 per month, of which £36 per month is for your phone and £10 per month is for your monthly usage allowances.
For the final 12 months of your 24-month contract, you’ll pay £29.50 per month (that’s £19.50 per month for the phone and £10 per month for your allowances).
If you’re on a Swap24 contract and choose not to upgrade during the 24-month upgrade window, your contract extends by a further six months, during which time the monthly rate you pay reduces until you’ve paid off the handset in full.
Which phones is Sky Mobile offering?
Unsurprisingly, Sky Mobile is offering the big hitters, including the latest ones: the iPhone 16, the Samsung Galaxy S25, and the Google Pixel 9 Pro.
It’s worth having a look at all the previous models they have on offer too, in case there’s a deal that suits you.
Will Sky Mobile sell on the traded-in phones as refurbished handsets?
All returned phones will be sold on to phone recyclers.
That said, Sky Mobile hasn’t ruled out selling refurbished phones in future. We’ll let you know if we hear more.
Sky Mobile benefits
Customers who sign up for Swap contracts get the same benefits as those on Sky Mobile’s SIM only plans.
These include Sky Piggybank, where you can rollover your unused data and store it in a piggybank for up to three years, and even potentially use it on other devices in your account.
And you get to change your allowance when you like too. So if you’re using less data than you expected, you can downgrade to a contract with a smaller monthly allowance.
To get a closer look at Sky Mobile benefits, head to our breezy, one-stop guide.
