Cheapest 5G phone plans

We’re still in the early days of 5G, but already, those next-gen speeds are starting to filter down to the more budget-conscious among us. While these “cheap” 5G phone plans are not quite as good value propositions as our overall top picks for the cheapest plans, they’re good entry points for those with a need for speed.

Buying into Telstra’s fast-growing 5G network doesn’t come cheap, but it’s also the farthest-reaching 5G network in Australia, so it may be worth the premium price tag for some.

Though the $60 Pre-Paid Mobile Plan is technically Telstra’s cheapest 5G phone plan, it’s by no means the best value. In fact, for an extra $5 per month, the $65 Medium Upfront Mobile Plan offers far better inclusions and perks. You get tons more data, which you can share with up to 10 eligible services on the same account.

Both Telstra’s $60 Pre-Paid Mobile Plan and their $65 Medium Upfront Mobile Plan are paid at the start of the month, so there’s even less separating them. Furthermore, both come with no excess data charges in Australia, though your speed will be capped at just 1.5Mbps. It all comes down to how much full-speed data you want and whether data sharing is important to you.

At $45 per month, Optus’ 5G entry point is significantly cheaper than Telstra’s, which is to be expected given Optus’ comparatively sparser 5G coverage. That said, it also comes with significantly less data, though 20GB should be sufficient for most users. Plus, with no excess data charges, you can continue browsing (albeit at a measly 1.5Mbps) without ending up with a sky-high bill. For your money, you’ll also get access to Optus Sport and Fitness included, along with data sharing across eligible plans on your account.

So far, Vodafone is the only network to extend the 5G olive branch to its prepaid plans, meaning you can get access for as little as $30. All their prepaid plans also come with infinite data at speeds up to 1.5Mbps when you’ve exhausted all your full-speed data, data banking up to 200GB, international calls and more.

It’s certainly not a bad deal, but we reckon overall, Vodafone’s cheapest 5G postpaid plan, the $40 SIM Only Lite Plan offers better value overall. Why? The telco is constantly running offers like discounted plan fees, bonus data, bundle discounts, and free music streaming subscriptions. Those perks are pretty hard to beat.

So far, SpinTel is the only MVNO blessed with access to Optus’ 5G network, and it offers a slightly cheaper entry point, too. For $40 per month, you’ll get 20GB of data, but that’s about it - SpinTel’s mobile plans are generally quite bare-bones.

If you’re after more data, there are two more 5G Spintel phone plans - one offering 80GB for $50 per month, and one offering a huge 200GB for $65 per month. You can check out those plans below.

Looking for a cheap 5G phone to go with your cheap 5G phone plan? The Samsung Galaxy A32 5G is the cheapest handset currently available on a plan with 5G access. It’s through Vodafone, so you’ll only get those blazing fast speeds in a select few areas, but it’s still a good starting point for those looking to dip their feet in the 5G pool.

Not quite what you’re looking for? The OPPO A54 5G is one of our favourite budget 5G devices and is available for just a few extra bucks a month with Optus, which has a larger 5G network than Vodafone at the time of writing.