The best mobile phone plans in Australia this month

Best value SIM Only plan

Vodafone $65 SIM Only Super+ Plan

Vodafone $65 SIM Only Super+ Plan at a glance:

• $55 per month (first 12 months)
• $120 credit over 12 months
• 200GB data (100GB + 100GB bonus)
• Capped 10Mbps after 200GB
• 3-month Amazon Prime subscription
• Bundle discounts
• 5G network access
• No contract

Not so long ago, the Vodafone $65 SIM Only Super+ Plan came with up to 400GB of bonus data. Even though that offer has expired, you can still double your data, from 100GB to 200GB, if you get in by 28 January 2021 (unless Vodafone extends the offer again). This Vodafone plan normally costs $65 a month, but $120 of credit evenly spaced out over 12 months brings the first-year cost down to $55 a month ($660 first-year cost).

There’s no contract, so you can check back here after the first year to see if a better plan has come along. If you manage to burn through all 200GB of max-speed data, speeds are capped at a very reasonable 10Mbps for the rest of your billing cycle. You can save extra bucks by bundling this Vodafone plan with other eligible ones, plus you can tap into the Vodafone 5G mobile network, and there’s also three months of Amazon Prime to enjoy (sign up by 31 January 2021).

Check out this Vodafone plan next to other 100GB+ plans, including the always-great-value Circles.Life 100GB Monthly Plan.

Best value Postpaid phone plan

Vodafone $55 Super Plan

For our best value-Postpaid phone plan, we use the iPhone 12 64GB as the handset for our comparisons and plans with 10GB or more on 24-month handset repayment terms. These Postpaid plans can also be paired with other eligible iPhone or Android handsets.

Vodafone $55 SIM Only Super Plan at a glance:

• $101.20 per month (first 12 months)
• $111.20 per month (next 12 months)
• $120 credit over 12 months
• 100GB data (60GB + 400GB bonus)
• Capped 10Mbps after 100GB
• 3-month Amazon Prime subscription
• Bundle discounts
• Trade-up credit
• 5G network access
• No contract

While Vodafone’s $40 Lite Plan was our top pick last month, the telco’s continued extension of its promo pricing and bonus data sees us crowning another winner: the $55 SIM Only Super Plan. Yes, it’s more expensive, but it comes with $10 of monthly credit for the first year, bringing the monthly cost to $101.20 for the first 12 months when paired with an iPhone 12 64GB handset. Just get in by 28 January 2021 to score the credit as well as 40GB of bonus data atop the usual 60GB (for the life of the plan, too).

There’s three months of Amazon Prime to nab, too, if you get in by the end of January, and you can save more bucks by bundling eligible Vodafone plans and/or get $150 of trade-up credit by trading an eligible device.

Below is a daily updated list of the most popular plans with at least 10GB of data that you can pair with an iPhone 12 64GB handset.

Best plan perks

Vodafone + 3 months of Amazon Prime

Telstra was our number-one pick for this category in November by throwing in a three-month Binge Standard subscription (valued at $42), but Vodafone takes out the top spot this month thanks primarily to a three-month Amazon Prime subscription ($20.97 value). Sure, that value is lower than Binge Standard, but Amazon Prime is a more versatile product with great deals for shopping, as well as entertainment options across Prime Video, Prime Music and Prime Gaming. Additionally, Vodafone is currently offering stacks of extra data and discounted pricing (both until 28 January 2021), bundle discounts, trade-up credit, and included 5G network access. Just be sure to get in by the end of January to nab the three months of Amazon Prime.

Best budget Postpaid phone plan

Galaxy A51 on Woolworths Mobile

For the best budget Postpaid phone plan, we use the Samsung Galaxy A51 128GB handset for our comparisons and plans with 10GB or more on 24-month handset repayment terms.

Woolworths Mobile $25 Mobile Phone Plan at a glance:

• $50.50 per month
• $25 for plan; $25.50 for Samsung Galaxy A51 128GB
• 18GB data
• 200GB data bank
• 10% off monthly Woolies shop
• Telstra network
• No contract

If you want to pay off a new handset and have a decent Postpaid plan to pair it with, have a gander at the Woolworths Mobile $25 Mobile Phone Plan with a Samsung Galaxy A51 128GB handset. This no-contract plan will cost you $50.50 a month with 24-month handset repayment terms, plus it comes with 18GB of data, which is a great amount for everyday users.

There are some neat perks, too. For starters, any unused data can be banked between months (up to 200GB). It also comes with a 10 percent discount off your Woolies shop once a month.

Here’s how this Woolworths Mobile plan stacks up next to other telcos offering a Samsung Galaxy A51 128GB handset on 24-month repayment terms.

Best budget SIM plan

iiNet Mobile 14GB plan

iiNet Mobile 14GB Plan at a glance:

• $12.50 per month (first six months)
• $25 per month (normally)
• 14GB data
• Vodafone network
• Month to month

iiNet has been offering some fantastic deals of late. For instance, you can get the iiNet Mobile 6GB Plan for $10 per month for the first six months, instead of the usual $19.99 price. Budget $2.50 a month more, though, and you can get the iiNet Mobile 14GB Plan, which normally costs $24.99 but is down to $12.50 a month for the first six months.

There isn’t much in the way of perks except to say that despite being a Prepaid plan, iiNet plans operate like SIM Only offerings, meaning you’re paying for an actual month rather than the typical 28-day or 30-day offerings that other telcos use to categorise a Prepaid month.

For comparison, here’s a look at the most popular SIM plans in Australia with 5GB or more.

Cheapest phone plan

iiNet Mobile 6GB Plan

iiNet Mobile 6GB Plan at a glance:

• $10.00 per month (first six months)
• $19.99 per month (normally)
• 6GB data
• Vodafone network
• No contract

If you want to keep that monthly mobile budget (just) under $10, forget about last month’s winner –Southern Phone’s 12-month X-Small SIM Only Plan – and opt for Tangerine’s 1GB SIM Only plan for $9.90 a month. That Tangerine plan operates on the Telstra 4G and 3G network, plus it comes with 1GB of data. For 10 cents more a month, though, you can get the iiNet Mobile 6GB plan.

Admittedly, it normally costs $19.99, so be sure to check back in six months after the $10-per-month promo pricing ends, but $10 a month for 6GB of data is great value ($179.94 first-year cost). Don’t expect much in the way of other perks, though.

Have a gander at the list below for a daily updating snapshot of the cheapest mobile plans with at least 1GB of data.

Best plan for big data

Vodafone $65 Super+ Plan

Vodafone $65 SIM Only Super+ Plan at a glance:

• $55 per month (first 12 months)
• $120 credit over 12 months
• 200GB data (100GB + 100GB bonus)
• Capped 10Mbps after 200GB
• 3-month Amazon Prime subscription
• Bundle discounts
• 5G network access
• No contract

Last month’s winner, Circles.Life’s 100GB Monthly Plan, is still a great pick for the budget-conscious phone user looking for a stack of monthly data. Get in by 18 January 2021 to get it for $30. Still, if 100GB isn’t quite enough for your monthly data needs, look to Vodafone’s $65 SIM Only Super+ Plan, which costs $55 a month for the first year before reverting to its typical monthly fee ($660 first-year cost).

Get in by 28 January 2021 and that extra investment nabs you 200GB of data for the life of the plan, which is better dollars-to-data first-year value than Circles.Life’s biggest plan. Bust through all of that data and your speeds are capped at 10Mbps, which is still very useable for most online activities. On top of this, you also get 5G network access, a three-month Amazon Prime sub (sign up by 31 January 2021), and you can save bucks by bundling this plan with other eligible Vodafone plans.

Check out other big-data plans below.

Most popular Telstra network plan

Telstra $55 Small Mobile Plan

If coverage is your primary concern, you might be looking for the best deal on Telstra’s network (or wholesale network if we’re talking MVNOs). This section doesn’t get the same monthly treatment as the rest of our top picks, but our “most popular” plan filter is still a good indication of the best trending deals and is updated every day.

At the time of updating, the Telstra $55 Small Mobile Plan continues to be the most popular pick, which comes with 40GB of data and three months of Binge Standard.

The top spot for most popular Vodafone Postpaid plans may change throughout the month based on demand, but this pick is accurate as of 8 January 2021.

Most popular Optus network plan

Optus Prepaid Epic Data – $30 Recharge

Similarly, those who have sufficient Optus coverage that don’t feel like spending a primo on Telstra can suss out the results below to find out which plans on the Optus network are trending this week.

At the time of updating, the most popular Optus network plan is the Optus Prepaid Epic Data – $30 Recharge, which lasts for 28 days and comes with 10GB of data (35GB on the first three recharges) with rollover for days (up to 84) and data (up to 200GB). There’s also unlimited standard international calls to 15 selected countries.

The top spot for most popular Vodafone Postpaid plans may change throughout the month based on demand, but this pick is accurate as of 8 January 2021.

Most popular Vodafone network plan

Vodafone $40 SIM Only Lite Plan

There aren’t as many Vodafone MVNOs on the scene as there are for Optus and Telstra, but Australia’s third-largest mobile network has plans with great value and plenty of data. Take a look at the top trending plans below to find a great deal. At the time of updating, the Vodafone $40 SIM Only Lite Plan was the popular pick, with a limited-time promo that includes bonus data, cheaper monthly pricing for the first year, 5G network access, and three months of Amazon Prime.

The top spot for most popular Vodafone Postpaid plans may change throughout the month based on demand, but this pick is accurate as of 8 January 2021.

Mobile Phone Providers in Australia

Top options for your next plan

• Telstra
• Optus
• Vodafone
• Virgin Mobile (now Optus)
• Boost Mobile
• amaysim
• Woolworths Mobile
• Circles.Life
• Belong Mobile
• Moose Mobile
• Kogan Mobile
• TPG Mobile
• Pennytel
• Lebara
• Dodo Mobile
• Southern Phone
• OVO Mobile
• Vaya