Telstra vs Boost Mobile: Which offers better value?

The Telstra and Boost Mobile showdown is like a battle between siblings. In the blue corner, there’s the Big T. And in the orange corner, there’s smaller upstart Boost Mobile. If I wanted to be dramatic, I’d say there can be only one, but the reality is there’s plenty of space for both, and each has its own strenghts and weaknesses. 

Before we delve into the Telstra vs Boost comparison, here's a quick comparison outlining the major differences between Telstra and Boost Mobile. 

Telstra offers its customers SIM-only (Upfront) and prepaid plans, while Boost Mobile operates exclusively with prepaid plans. Boost plans have the cheaper entry point with its 28-day recharges; second is Telstra prepaid and Telstra postpaid (or Upfront) plans are the most expensive. 

All Boost prepaid plans include unlimited calls and texts and some amount of data, as well as international call and text inclusions on more expensive plans. Boost's plans all have full access to the 5G Telstra network but are speed-capped on certain plans: 150Mbps on cheaper plans, 250Mbps on mid-tier plans and uncapped speeds on its most expensive plans. To be clear, Telstra's prepaid plans are also speed-capped. 

Telstra's monthly prepaid plans are structured similarly to Boost's prepaid mobile plans. The biggest difference is that they cost more and get you less data per month. 

Boost's plans are better suited for bargain hunters, but if you want to bundle a handset, you will need to sign up for a Telstra postpaid (Upfront) plan which has a significantly more expensive entry point. 

When it comes to long-expiry prepaid plans, Boost and Telstra offer both six-month and 365-day recharges. Both six-month plans might offer equivalent value at first glance, but if you're in it for the long run, Boost offers slightly more data for the same price after the first recharge. 

It's a very different story when it comes to 12-month (365-day) long-expiry plans. Boost's edge is undeniable in this space, offering more data-per-dollar value with or without introductory discounts. 

Boost is the only Telstra mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) that has bragging rights to accessing the full Telstra network. This means both Telstra and Boost customers use Australia’s largest mobile network, which spans 2.14 million square kilometres. It's substantially larger than the Telstra Wholesale Network used by other MVNOs (1.4 million square kilometres), and that of Optus and Vodafone (1.2 million square kilometres). 

Use the interactive map below for an indication of Telstra and Boost network coverage in Australia.

As a prepaid provider, Boost Mobile doesn’t offer any postpaid plans that bundle a new handset with a mobile plan. That said, you can always buy a refurbished iPhone through the provider. It won't save you any money but Boost Mobile also lets customers bundle select refurbished mobile phones with 12-month prepaid plans.

Conversely, Telstra offers SIM Only and Postpaid mobile plans that let customers bundle a new mobile phone with a Telstra Upfront plan. Check out some popular mobile phones that you can pair with a Telstra plan below.

Prepaid plans don’t tend to be big on contracts or extras. Telstra and Boost aren’t exceptions to this norm.

On the contracts front, don’t expect any for a Telstra or Boost Prepaid plan. As for extras, Boost doesn’t have any. Telstra Prepaid customers can sign up to the Telstra Plus program, which offers a rewards store, plus some ticket-based deals: cheap movies, presales for events and discounted sports matches.