Methodology
How we score phones
SIM Free Phone is a phone comparison and scoring service, not an independent expert review publication.
Our scores are calculated using structured phone and price data and applied consistently across the phones in our catalogue. They are not based on hands-on laboratory testing or subjective expert reviews.
Every phone in our catalogue is scored out of 10 in the same eight categories. Scores come from the structured specification data we hold for each device, plus the lowest retailer price we have recorded. Because every phone is measured the same way, comparisons are like-for-like.
The eight categories
- Camera
- Sensor and lens configuration, megapixels, telephoto reach, ultrawide and front camera hardware.
- Battery
- Battery capacity relative to screen size, charging wattage and wireless charging support.
- Performance
- Processor class and RAM, judged against phones released in the same period.
- Display
- Panel type, size, and refresh rate.
- Gaming
- Sustained performance signals: processor class, RAM and refresh rate together.
- AI
- On-device AI feature support declared by the manufacturer for that chipset.
- Software
- Operating system and the manufacturer's stated update commitment.
- Value
- The other categories weighed against the lowest price we have recorded.
What the overall score means
The overall score is a weighted blend of the eight category scores. It is a summary of how a phone's specification and price compare with the rest of our catalogue at the time you view it, so it can move when prices change.
What our scores are not
- • They are not independent expert reviews, and we do not claim hands-on lab testing.
- • They are not paid placements. Retailers cannot buy a higher score.
- • They are not benchmark results; we do not publish numbers we have not measured.
If we introduce an editorial review process in future, reviewed phones will be labelled separately from these structured scores.
Prices and price data
Value scores use the lowest price we currently hold from a UK retailer. Every price shown comes from a retailer feed, is checked and timestamped. If we can't verify a price, we don't publish it. We only publish price averages, drops or "good price" labels once we have recorded enough genuine history to support the claim.
How we make moneyFor more on who we are and what we do, read about SIM Free Phone.