giga vs eight

Comparing giga and eight should be easy. Both plan pages give you the same two numbers: a price, and more data than you'll get through in a normal month.

Pick on those two alone, though, and you can end up paying every month for data you never touch, while running short on the allowance you actually use. So here's the rest of it: rollover, roaming, talk time, the network they share, and what every plan costs. By the end you'll know which one fits the way you use your line.

giga vs eight: A Quick Overview

Both brands run on the StarHub network, so they have a broadly similar underlying coverage footprint and it isn't what you're deciding on. Here's what is.

• Price and data: giga starts at $10.90 a month for 100GB on 4G, and $15.90 for 300GB on 5G. eight starts lower, at $8.80 for 588GB.

• Talk time and SMS: giga gives you 300 to 1,500 local SMS, against eight's 88 to 188. eight bundles unlimited local talktime and 588 to 888 IDD minutes.

• What giga adds on top: the whole plan runs from one app, with gigaSurprise drops handing out free roaming data, SMS and call time through the year, monthly giveaways with giga's partner brands, and free data, SMS and call time on your birthday, plus gigaAI and a monthly PlayMade bubble tea on gigaFLEX+.

What Is giga?

giga is a SIM-only brand on the StarHub network, and it lives in the giga app. Signing up, activating, checking your data and rollover balance, grabbing a roaming pack, getting help on 24/7 chat: it's all in one place. No shops, no contracts, and your plan renews every 30 days until you say stop. Plans run from 4G at $10.90 to 5G at $28.90, and there are six-month plans that hand you the whole data pool upfront.

What Is eight?

eight is also a SIM-only brand on the StarHub network, and also a StarHub brand. Its plans are built around a low monthly price with unlimited local talktime and IDD minutes at every tier, and its local data pool works across five countries: Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Hong Kong. Plans run from $8.80 on 4G to $18 on 5G, monthly or by the year, and eight sells through its own app, its website and physical retailers. It won Telecom Company of the Year at the Asian Telecom Awards 2026.

Which Network Do giga and eight Run On?

Both run on StarHub, sharing the same towers and the same spectrum, so neither brand reaches anywhere the other can't. In the places that really test a signal, deep indoors, in basement car parks, down on an MRT platform, what matters is how far StarHub's build has reached, not the brand on your SIM.

Opensignal Network Performance

Since both sit on the same network, an independent measurement of StarHub tells you what to expect from either. Opensignal tests real handsets in real places instead of repeating what operators say about themselves, across all four host networks: M1, SIMBA, Singtel and StarHub. Here's what its July 2026 Singapore report found, covering April to June.

• Download Speed: StarHub won outright, at 172.7 Mbps against Singtel's 164.4 Mbps and M1's 146.6 Mbps.

• Upload Speed: StarHub won outright, at 25.3 Mbps.

• Video Experience: StarHub won outright again, at 74.3 points out of 100 against Singtel's 73.2 and M1's 72.4.

• 5G Download: StarHub shared the award with M1 on a statistical tie, at 302.4 Mbps against Singtel's 294.8 Mbps.

• 5G Availability: Singtel won this one, at 79.9% against StarHub's 70.0%.

• Games Experience: StarHub shared the award with Singtel, at 88.1 points against Singtel's 88.3.

So StarHub is the fastest network in Singapore for downloads and the strongest for video, and that's the network behind either SIM you buy. Singtel takes Best Network overall on reliability and consistent quality, and leads on 5G availability.

5G Access

Both sell 5G and 4G, so it's really about which tier you pick. At giga, everything from $15.90 up is 5G, with two 4G plans at $10.90 and $12.90 below that. At eight, the $8.80 Double eight Plan is 4G and everything from $11.80 up is 5G, so eight gets you to 5G for less. Still deciding whether you need 5G at all? LTE vs 5G walks through it.

What Each Plan Costs

These are standing prices as of September 2026. Both brands run promotions through the year, so it's worth comparing what you'll pay in month four, not month one.

giga Plans and Prices

• 100GB 4G, $10.90: Singapore data, 2GB Asia roaming, 300 SMS and 300 minutes.

• 200GB 4G, $12.90: Singapore data, 4GB Asia roaming, 300 SMS and 300 minutes.

• 300GB 5G, $15.90: Singapore data, 8GB Asia roaming, 300 SMS and 300 minutes.

• 400GB 5G, $18.90: Singapore and Malaysia data, 10GB Asia and 6GB international roaming, 800 SMS and 800 minutes.

• gigaFLEX+, 800GB 5G, $19.90: Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand data, 12GB Asia and 10GB international roaming, gigaAI, a monthly PlayMade bubble tea, 1,000 SMS and 1,000 minutes.

• 500GB 5G, $20.90: Singapore and Malaysia data, 12GB Asia and 10GB international roaming, 1,000 SMS and 1,000 minutes.

• 1TB 5G, $28.90: Singapore and Malaysia data, 16GB Asia and 12GB international roaming, 1,500 SMS and 1,500 minutes.

There's also a 400GB 5G plan at $11.90 for ages 15 to 29. Six-month plans, billed upfront, hand you the whole pool on day one: 600GB on 4G at $59.90, 3TB on 5G at $109.90 and 6TB on 5G at $139.90. The $109.90 plan gives you 3TB, 66GB of Asia roaming and 48GB of international roaming to manage across the six months however you like. Every plan includes rollover, monthly roaming, eSIM, free Caller ID and no contract, and the current line-up sits on giga's mobile plans page.

eight Plans and Prices

• Double eight Plan, 588GB 4G, $8.80: 18GB APAC and 6GB international roaming, 588 IDD minutes, 88 local SMS.

• Fortune eight Plan, 688GB 5G, $11.80: 28GB APAC across 20 countries and 10GB international roaming, 688 IDD minutes, 128 local SMS.

• Lucky eight Plan, 788GB 5G, $14.80: 38GB APAC across 20 countries and 18GB international roaming, 788 IDD minutes, 128 local SMS.

• Triple eight Plan, 888GB 5G, $18: 48GB APAC across 20 countries and 28GB international roaming, 888 IDD minutes, 188 local SMS.

Every eight plan includes unlimited local talktime, free incoming calls, Caller Number Display and a choice of physical SIM or eSIM, and every local data pool works across Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Hong Kong. There's also a Seniors Plan at $5 a month for ages 60 and above, with 528GB on 4G. The same plans sold by the year cost $96, $128, $148 and $168, which eight prices as a saving of over 20%.

What Each Plan Includes

Data Rollover

giga carries data on every plan it sells, 4G included. On monthly plans it runs for two further renewal cycles and your balance is capped at your plan size, so it can sit at up to double what you bought: 800GB on gigaFLEX+ becomes 1.6TB, and 300GB becomes 600GB. On the six-month plans it carries one further cycle. Rollover data works wherever your base data does, so on gigaFLEX+ that means Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand.

eight carries your local data for eight months across all its mobile plans. On a plan that already starts at 588GB, a quiet month leaves you with a very large balance.

So it's length against ceiling. giga banks it for you automatically, up to double your plan size, and it travels wherever your base data goes. eight banks it for longer. Neither publishes an excess-usage rate, so if you do run dry, the answer on either is an add-on pack in the app.

Roaming

giga's Asia allowance covers Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, India and South Korea, from 2GB on the entry 4G plan to 16GB on the 1TB plan. Every 5G plan except the 300GB one adds an international allowance across 48 destinations, from 6GB to 12GB. Both refresh every month for as long as you hold the plan and never expire, and giga names the partner network to connect to in each country, such as Maxis and U Mobile in Malaysia and SK Telecom and KT in South Korea. If a trip outlasts the allowance, gigaRoam packs activate on their own once you land.

eight's APAC allowance runs from 18GB on Double eight to 48GB on Triple eight, covering 20 countries on the three 5G plans. Its international allowance, from 6GB to 28GB, covers a 68-country group included on every plan, and eight adds free voice roaming with 288 minutes.

Separately, your base allowance already crosses borders on both. On giga, the 400GB, 500GB and 1TB plans cover Singapore and Malaysia, gigaFLEX+ adds Indonesia and Thailand, and only the 300GB plan is Singapore-only. eight's local pool works in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Hong Kong on every plan. Cross the Causeway often and your base data follows you on either brand, with your roaming pot untouched.

Talk Time, SMS and IDD

giga gives you matched talk time and SMS that scale with the plan: 300 of each on the smaller plans, 800 on the 400GB plan, 1,000 on gigaFLEX+ and the 500GB plan, and 1,500 on the 1TB plan. The six-month plans front the whole pool, so the 3TB plan carries 6,000 of each.

eight gives you unlimited local talktime on every plan, plus 588 to 888 IDD minutes to more than 20 countries. Local SMS is where it runs tight, at 88 to 188 messages against giga's 300 to 1,500.

So if you still send SMS in volume, and OTPs, delivery notices and bank alerts all count, giga gives you several times the allowance. If you call overseas straight from your phone rather than through an app, eight is the cheaper way to do it. Free Caller ID comes with both.

eSIM, Porting and the App

eSIM

Every giga plan is eSIM-enabled, so you can set one up in the app without waiting for anything to arrive. It also means you can run giga as a second line on a phone that already carries your work number. eight gives you a physical SIM or an eSIM at sign-up on every plan. Both work on the same handsets, and eSIM vs physical SIM covers what actually changes if you switch.

Number Porting

Both accept port-ins on the same terms, so this isn't where they differ. Singapore has had full mobile number portability since 2008, regulated by IMDA. Your number belongs to you, not to your telco, and you don't need anyone's permission to leave.

What differs is the handling. If you're wondering how to switch to giga without losing your number, it happens inside sign-up rather than as a separate request. Your SIM arrives with a temporary number already active, so you're never without service while the transfer runs, and giga processes the port the next working day. The four steps to port over to giga are just below.

The App and Customer Service

The giga app isn't a companion to the plan, it is the plan. You sign up in it, activate in it, watch your data and rollover balance move as you use them, buy roaming and add-on packs, and get help on 24/7 chat. It's also where the nice surprises land. gigaSurprise drops hand out free roaming data, free SMS and free call time through the year, there are monthly giveaways with the brands giga partners with, and on your birthday you get free data, SMS and call time. Refer a Friend pays you $6 in gigaBucks per referral, and gives your friend $6 off their first month.

Support is a different kind of thing on each. giga is digital-only, so everything including help runs through 24/7 chat in the app, and there's no counter to walk up to. eight has its own iPhone and Android app plus a help centre and WhatsApp support, and it sells through physical retailers, so a sign-up or a fault can be sorted face to face. If you'd rather type at midnight, giga suits you. If you'd rather hand your phone to someone across a counter, eight does.

Which Should You Choose, giga or eight?

Choose giga If:

? You want the fastest download speeds in Singapore behind your plan, measured by Opensignal rather than claimed in an ad

? You'd rather bank a quiet month automatically, with rollover carried to as much as double your plan size and usable wherever your base data works

? You want your whole plan run from an app, with gigaSurprise drops handing out free roaming data, SMS and call time through the year, monthly giveaways with giga's partner brands, and free data, SMS and call time on your birthday

? You're porting in and want it handled in a working day, with a temporary number so you're never offline

? You want gigaAI included at no extra cost, plus a monthly PlayMade bubble tea on gigaFLEX+

? You send SMS in volume and want 300 to 1,500 messages rather than 88 to 188

? You want a six-month plan that hands you the whole pool, 3TB or 6TB, on day one

Choose eight If:

? You want the lowest price on the StarHub network, from $8.80 on 4G and $11.80 on 5G

? You want the most data per dollar, starting at 588GB

? You want eight months of local data rollover

? You make a lot of local calls and want unlimited talktime rather than a minute allowance

? You call overseas from your phone and want 588 to 888 IDD minutes bundled in

? You spend time in Hong Kong, or want Indonesia and Thailand in your base pool without moving up a tier

? You'd rather pay for a year upfront, or sign up at a retail counter

Comparing giga against other telcos? There's a separate giga vs ZYM comparison, and a giga vs GOMO vs SIMBA one covering three different networks.

Why Choose giga?

Free Data Rollover on Every Plan

Nobody uses the same amount of data every month, and on a plan that resets to zero a quiet month won't make up for a heavy one. giga rolls your unused data forward on every plan it sells, 4G included. There's no switch to flip and nothing to claim. On the monthly 5G plans your balance can reach double your plan size, up to 1.6TB on gigaFLEX+, and it travels to the same places your base data does.

gigaFLEX+ With gigaAI, Open to Everyone

If you're weighing giga against eight, gigaFLEX+ answers most of the comparison on its own. For $19.90 you get 800GB across Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, 12GB of Asia roaming, 10GB international, and 1,000 SMS and 1,000 minutes. gigaAI comes with it at no extra cost: unlimited tokens and web searches every month, up to 300 images and 10 deep research runs. So does a free PlayMade bubble tea, every month. And anyone can buy it, with no age bracket and no eligibility check.

No Contracts and No Hidden Fees

Every giga plan is SIM-only and contract-free. Nothing ties you to a fixed term, so there's no early termination charge and no two-year commitment attached to a phone you never wanted. Your plan renews every 30 days, and you can stop it whenever you like.

How to Switch to giga

Switching takes four steps, and about ten minutes.

1. Pick your plan in the giga app or on the website. When you're asked about your number, choose Port-in Number rather than a new number, and enter the mobile number you want to bring across.
2. Choose an eSIM or a physical SIM. An eSIM is ready straight away. A physical SIM arrives with a temporary number already active, so you keep service throughout.
3. giga processes the port-in on the next working day. Your old service ends as the new one begins, and you don't need to call your current telco to cancel.
4. Tap Activate in the giga app, and your own number is live on giga.

Still in a contract elsewhere? Sign up now and port over to giga later, so your new plan sits waiting instead of you timing everything to the day the old one ends.

FAQs

Are giga and eight the same company?

Yes. Both are StarHub brands, so the network is the same either way, but they're run and priced separately, with different plans, apps and sign-up routes.

Can I keep my number when switching to giga or eight?

Yes. Singapore has had full mobile number portability since 2008, regulated by IMDA. With giga you select Port-in Number at sign-up, get a SIM with a temporary number so you're never cut off, and your port is processed the next working day.

Do giga or eight require a contract?

No. Both are SIM-only with no lock-in and no early termination fee. Your giga plan renews every 30 days and you can stop it any time. eight bills its monthly plans on a 30-day basis and also sells them by the year.