If you’re after a mobile phone plan that’s SIM-only or prepaid data, has a lot of data or a little, comes with a new handset or cutting-edge 5G speeds, we’ve got you covered.
The best mobile phone plans in Australia (March 2024)
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- : Southern Phone Medium SIM-only Plan
- : Moose 11.80 Promo
- : Vodafone $49 Small Plan
- : Moose Mobile 28.80 SIM Only
- : TPG 45GB Mobile Plan
- : Belong 160GB Mobile Plan
This page is dedicated to the three main kinds of mobile phone plans. Our categories cover some of the best SIM-only mobile plans, a selection of the best prepaid mobile plans, and we also cater to those in the market for a new iPhone 15.
We track more than 100 mobile plans in our comparison engine from dozens of Aussie mobile providers. In terms of costs, you can nab a cheap mobile plan for around $10 or go beyond $50 if you’re after a whole lot of data. Expect to pay at least $80 per month to pair a postpaid mobile plan with a shiny new iPhone.
Scroll on to discover the best mobile plans for this month.
Best value SIM-only mobile phone plan
Southern Phone Medium SIM-only Plan
✓ How we chose this plan:
- We ranked SIM-only mobile plans with at least 30GB of base data (capped at $40 per month) then used dollar-to-data comparisons to find the best value. More widespread networks, plan features and our in-depth provider schema are used to settle tie-breaks.
Based on our experiences and research, most Australian mobile users will comfortably get by with 30GB of data each month. That’s the data minimum we start with for plan comparisons in this category, with credit given to plans that have discounted pricing and great dollar-to-data value.
This month, the Southern Phone Medium SIM Only Plan is our top pick again. Why? The three months of discounted pricing helps: $20 instead of the usual $25 monthly fee. Get in by 8 April 2024 to score the cheaper pricing. While users can’t access Optus 5G speeds, we do like that 50GB is enough to suit most monthly data needs. Alternatively, consider the Spintel $35 Mobile Plan for a whole lot more data or the iiNet Mobile 55GB Plan for a Vodafone network SIM-only contender.
How does this mobile phone plan compare?
Compare the winner above with these popular SIM-only plans below that don’t have initial pricing beyond $40 and have at least 30GB.
The best SIM Only plans in Australia
Your one-stop shop for the best SIM Only plans in Australia.
Best cheap SIM-only mobile phone plan
Moose 11.80 Promo
✓ How we chose this plan:
- We ranked SIM-only mobile plans with at least 10GB of base data (capped at $25 per month) then used dollar-to-data comparisons to find the best value. More widespread networks, plan features and our in-depth provider schema are used to settle tie-breaks.
If you find that you’re regularly falling short of your monthly data allocation, it’s worth considering a cheaper SIM-only mobile plan. For light-data users or people whose phones are almost always connected to WiFi, there are bucks to be saved with a plan that has between 10GB and 30GB of monthly data.
This month’s winner is the Moose Mobile 11.80 SIM Only plan, which normally costs $24.80 per month. New sign-ups pay $11.80 per month for the first year. That’s a great deal for 25GB of data, which includes access to the Optus 5G network. Bank up to 200GB of unused data and sign up before 1 May 2024 to be in the running for a $1,000 gift card. Alternatively, nab more data with the Kogan Mobile Medium Monthly Plan or get ever-so-slightly cheaper promotional pricing from Spintel’s $22 Mobile Plan.
How does this mobile phone plan compare?
If you want more cheap SIM-only options, the popular plans below are capped at $25 monthly fees (at least initially) and come with a minimum of 10GB of data.
Best iPhone plan deal
iPhone 15 + Vodafone $49 Small Plan
✓ How we chose this plan:
- We use the iPhone 15 128GB model for comparisons across plans with at least 30GB of data and 36-month repayment terms. Plans are ranked in terms of monthly cost and overall value. More widespread networks, plan features and our in-depth provider schema are used to settle tie-breaks.
If you’re in the market for a new mobile phone, you can pay off an interest-free handset over a couple of years or few with a participating telco. We use the iPhone 15 128GB as our comparison handset, but you can easily sub in any other available smartphone you prefer. The monthly cost will go up or down depending on the mobile phone, though, and whether you want to pay it off over 24 or 36 months.
This month, Vodafone has a deal that’s too good to ignore. Bundle an iPhone 15 128GB with the Vodafone $49 Small Plan to score $350 off the mobile phone cost with 36-month repayments. Over 36 months, pay an $80.90 combined cost per month for plan and iPhone 15. You get 50GB of data to use on the Vodafone 5G network, plus no excess data fees, though speeds are capped at 2Mbps if you bust your max-speed cap. Alternatively, consider the $49 Optus Choice Plus Plan with less data or the Telstra $62 Basic Upfront Mobile Plan for better 5G coverage on the Telstra network.
How does this mobile phone plan compare?
Check out more popular mobile plans on 36-month repayment terms with the iPhone 15 128GB.
Best SIM-only big-data mobile phone plan
Moose Mobile 28.80 SIM Only
✓ How we chose this plan:
- We ranked SIM-only mobile plans with at least 60GB of base data (capped at $55 per month) then used dollar-to-data comparisons to find the best value. More widespread networks, plan features and our in-depth provider schema are used to settle tie-breaks.
We consider 30GB of data plenty of everyday users, but we double that minimum allowance for those with heavy data needs. Big-data plans are best for people who use mobile data every day, particularly when it comes to streaming video. All of our big-data contenders are SIM-only plans with at least 60GB of data.
This month, the Moose Mobile 28.80 SIM Only plan takes out the top spot again. If you’re new to Moose, you lock in great $28.80 monthly pricing for the first 12 months. The SIM-only plan reverts to a $36.80 monthly fee if you stick around after the first year. The Moose Mobile plan comes with 100GB of data with capped 100Mbps speeds on the Optus 4G and 5G networks. There’s also 200GB of data rollover, to store spare gigabytes between months. Alternatively, consider the Spintel $35 Mobile Plan or the Southern Phone Large SIM Only Plan for cheaper regular pricing.
How does this mobile phone plan compare?
For more big-data alternatives, the SIM-only plans below don’t cost more than $55 and have at least 60GB of data.
Best prepaid mobile phone plan
TPG 45GB Mobile Plan
✓ How we chose this plan:
- We ranked 28-day to monthly prepaid mobile plans with at least 30GB of base data (capped at $40) then used dollar-to-data comparisons to find the best value. More widespread networks and our in-depth provider schema are used to settle tie-breaks.
Prepaid plans are meant for people who want full control over their mobile phone bills. For our best prepaid category, we set the data slider at 30GB but favour any plan above that minimum. Note that in prepaid terms, a ‘month’ may be an actual month, or it may be either 30-day or 28-day recharges. The fewer the monthly days, the more recharges you need per year.
This month, the TPG 45GB Mobile Plan takes out the top spot again in part because it offers actual monthly recharges instead of 28 or 30 days, which helps with first-year value. You’ll get 45GB of data to play with for $30 per month. New sign-ups pay half that monthly fee for the first six months, too. We also like that TPG offers eSIM support so you don’t have to wait for a physical SIM card to arrive. Alternatively, nab even more data on the Vodafone 4G network with the TPG 60GB Mobile Plan or enjoy no excess data fees with the Felix Mobile 50GB Mobile Plan.
How does this mobile phone plan compare?
Check out these other prepaid plans with at least 30GB of data and a max $40 fee per recharge (at least initially).
Best SIM-only 5G mobile phone plan
Belong 160GB Mobile Plan
✓ How we chose this plan:
- We ranked 5G SIM-only mobile plans with at least 60GB of base data (capped at $60 per month) then used dollar-to-data comparisons to find the best value. More widespread networks, plan features and our in-depth provider schema are used to settle tie-breaks.
As Australia’s 5G mobile networks continue to expand, mobile plans that support the latest mobile connectivity are becoming more common. We track more than 70 5G plans in our database, across prepaid and SIM-only. We lean towards SIM-only plans for this category, though, as they tend to have better perks and, therefore, better overall value.
This month, the Belong 160GB Mobile Plan is the 5G plan we like most. There isn’t any promo pricing, but $55 is a good monthly fee to pay for 160GB of Telstra 5G data. Note that download speeds are capped at 250Mbps or throttled to 1Mbps if you use up all that max-speed data. This SIM-only plan includes unlimited data banking, plus users can gift unused data to other Belong customers. It also comes with unlimited standard international calls to 30 selected dialling destinations. For 5G alternatives, consider the Vodafone $59 Medium SIM Only Plan for more data or the Moose Mobile 44.80 SIM Only plan if you’d rather the Optus 5G network.
How does this mobile phone plan compare?
For comparison, check out these 5G plans, which may be prepaid or SIM-only, that come with minimum 60GB and don’t cost more than $60 per month.
Popular Telstra network mobile phone plan
Superloop SuperSim Save 4G Plan
✓ How we chose this plan:
- We highlighted the most popular Telstra network SIM-only and prepaid mobile plans on 4 March 2024.
If you want to buy a Telstra plan, you can expect to pay a premium to access Australia’s most widespread network. Still, given the ubiquity of the Telstra network, it’s unsurprising that Telstra mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs)—other telcos that aren’t Telstra—are a popular pick for mobile users across SIM-only and prepaid plans.
At the start of the month, the Superloop SuperSim Save 4G Plan was the most popular pick from our comparison engine. This Superloop prepaid plan costs $20 per 30-day recharge and comes with 10GB of Telstra 4G data. While download speeds are capped at 100Mbps, Superloop does have some great perks: eSIM, a 500GB data bank, plus unlimited talk and text to 15 selected dialling destinations.
How does this mobile phone plan compare?
For other popular Telstar network picks, check out these mobile plans.
Popular Optus network mobile phone plan
Catch Connect 365 Day Plan – 120GB
✓ How we chose this plan:
- We highlighted the most popular Optus network SIM-only and prepaid mobile plans on the 9th of March 2024.
The Optus network isn’t quite as widespread as the Telstra network, but it still has great coverage and its MVNOs offer competitively priced plans with a decent chunk of data. Typically, popular Optus network plans may change based on whichever telco is offering the best deal at the time.
At the start of this month, the Catch Connect 365 Day Plan – 120GB was the most popular pick on the Optus network again. This long-expiry prepaid plan comes with 120GB of data for a year on the Optus 4G network. New customers who sign up by 19 March 2024 (unless extended again) can take $31 off the typical recharge cost.
How does this mobile phone plan compare?
The list below showcases the most popular prepaid and SIM-only plans on the Optus network today.
Popular Vodafone network mobile phone plan
TPG 12GB Mobile Plan
✓ How we chose this plan:
- We highlighted the most popular Vodafone network SIM-only and prepaid mobile plans on the 9th of March 2024.
The Vodafone 4G and 5G networks aren’t as widespread as the Telstra or Optus networks. Still, the Vodafone network is available to 24 million Australians, so it’s not exactly small. Typically, SIM-only and prepaid mobile plans on the Vodafone network offer competitive pricing with a comparatively healthy amount of data.
At the start of the month, the TPG 12GB Mobile Plan was again the most popular pick on our comparison engine for Vodafone plans. This TPG prepaid plan has a monthly recharge cycle and comes with 12GB of Vodafone 4G data. New customers pay $10 per month for the first six recharges, otherwise it’s $20 each month. It’s great to see TPG supporting eSIM, too, for faster sign-up with compatible mobile phones.
How does this mobile phone plan compare?
You can see the other popular Vodafone network prepaid and SIM-only plans below.
What to look for in a mobile plan
What type of plan do you need?
The first question to answer before getting to which mobile plan is right for you is whether you’re using an existing mobile phone or want a new one. If you want a new one, you’ll either have to purchase a compatible prepaid handset or pair a SIM-only mobile plan with a new iPhone or other option. New-model mobile phones can be paid off over 24 or 36 months from participating telcos like Telstra, Optus and Vodafone.
For those happy to use their existing mobile phone, it’s either prepaid or SIM-only. Prepaid plans are great for people who want to control their spending and aren’t overly interested in perks. While prepaid plans are paid in advance of use SIM-only plans are paid at the end of a billing month (except for Telstra Upfront plans).
SIM-only plans are always monthly offerings but prepaid mobile plans have a range of durations, from a day or few to a month-ish—28 days, 30 days or an actual month—and beyond to long-expiry options for 90 days, half a year or a full 12 months. Generally, once prepaid data is exhausted, you have to recharge again, so take into account how much data you need before buying.
With SIM-only mobile plans, you’re more likely to find telcos that offer data banking or data rollover for carrying over unused data or capped plan speeds if you exhaust your max-speed allocation. Coverage is an important consideration, too. Telstra has the largest mobile network followed by Optus and Vodafone. But if you live in a populous part of Australia, the chances are good you can pick between all three.
That trio may be the respective network owners but there are dozens of telcos that use their networks to offer more competitively priced plans. Effectively, you may be able to get the coverage perks of the network you want without having to pay a premium for it.
Basically every mobile plan these days comes with unlimited national talk and text but if international calls and messaging are important to you, keep an eye out for those. It’s a similar story for international roaming if you like to travel and want the option to use mobile data abroad. There are a range of other perks to help separate closely competing plans, with eSIM being one of the better ones that uses a digital SIM rather than needing to wait for a physical SIM card to arrive.