Dodo Mobile plans review: Bill shock begone

Dodo Mobile offers four SIM only plans, all of which are no-contract offerings with unlimited talk and text. Dodo’s cheapest plan is the $10 Mobile Plan, but this and the $20 plan don't include databanking.

All plans from Dodo promise no bill shock, and won't charge you for additional data if you happen to go over your monthly allowance. You can top up 5GB extra for $10, or you'll stay connected at speeds of 1Mbps for free. 

Competition is fierce for SIM only plans on the Optus network with at least 2GB of data, with Moose Mobile, Circles.Life and amaysim, and Catch Connect all offering more data and for the same price on their respective plans.

Compared to Telstra MVNO pricing however, Dodo's cheapest plan looks like better value. numobile, Exetel, and Superloop all offer 3-4GB data for the $15-$16 price point. 

This puts Dodo squarely in the middle of the pack when it comes to 'cheap' SIM plans. For comparison, below is a daily updating list of popular SIM Only plans with at least 2GB of data that don’t cost more than $15 a month.

If you’re willing to spend $5 more a month, Dodo Mobile’s next cheapest SIM Only plan is the $20 Mobile Plan, which comes with 15GB of data and $100 of international call credits.

Dodo once again sits middle of the pack, being beaten out by a handful of Optus and Vodafone-powered providers.

It is worth noting that many of the provider's outbidding Dodo have promotional pricing. Without these discounts applied, Moose Mobile, Spintel, and Catch Connect all offer better data-to-dollar value than Dodo's mid-tier plan.

For more comparisons, below is a daily updating list of popular SIM Only plans with at least 12GB of data that don’t cost more than $25 a month.

Dodo's top-tier offerings are the $25 and $35 Plans, offering 25GB and 45GB respectively. Up this end is where Dodo starts to introduce more value. Each of these plans automatically bank unused data at the end of the month, users can pull from this Databank any time the monthly allowance is exhausted.

Chances are you won't need to use your databank if you have 25GB or 45GB, but it is there if you're having an especially online kind of month.

Each also include $200 or $300 international call credit which can be used to call any destination. Note that international call rates do apply, and Dodo does not offer unlimited international calls to any destinations. 

Dodo is once again beaten out by the usual suspects at the over $20 pricepoint. The extras do set it apart however, with Southern Phone and Lebara offering limited international call options, and Spintel not offering any.

In the $35/mth region, Dodo once again has one of the best non-promotional data-to-dollar value. The only provider offering all-around better value on a plan around $35/mth is Coles Mobile. Both plans have 45GB of data, and a 500GB databank, but Coles offers unlimited international calls to 22 destinations where Dodo has the $300 international call credit instead. If you tend to dial abroad more often, Coles may be the way to go here.

For comparison, here are the most popular SIM Only plans in our database with at least 20GB of data per month. 

Apart from being a SIM Only telco, Dodo also offers NBN plans. Dodo offers plans across NBN 25, NBN 50 and NBN 100 speed tiers, as well as a Fixed Wireless Plus plan. You can see all five Dodo NBN plans below.

Dodo Mobile is light on perks, but there are a couple. In terms of features, there are premium bolt-ons: $10 for 5GB, and $5 for $100 worth of international call credit.

For the free stuff, all of Dodo Mobile's plans come with $0 excess data charges. If you go over your inclusions, your speeds will slow to 1Mbps. Dodo Mobile also include unlimited international SMS, plus there are $100, $200, and $300 international call credits included in the 3 more expensive plans.

International call rates apply.

While Dodo Mobile might not have much on the perks front, it does have a lot of ways to get in touch if you need support. You can find self-service support online; chat online via the Dodo website, Facebook or Twitter; or you can contact them on the phone by dialling 13 36 36. Still, it is odd that there’s not a Dodo Mobile app for monitoring data usage, although you can do it online at my.dodo.com.

Reported customer satisfaction is a mixed affair according to consumer-review websites. At the time of writing, there were more than 500 Dodo Mobile reviews on Product Review with a 3.2 out of 5 overall rating. The breakdown is more positive, with 3.9 out of five in terms of value for money, 3.8 customer service as well as 4.0 for local reception and 3.8 transparency.

Trustpilot had a score of 1.1 out of 5 after more than 100 reviews, but it’s worth noting that this is for Dodo Services, which encompasses NBN, electricity and gas as well as mobile plans. Still, if you’re after high reported customer satisfaction, check out Felix Mobile, Mate or Moose Mobile.

Click the ‘Go’ button on the Dodo Mobile plan you like the look of below to be taken directly to the sign-up page. Click on the green ‘Order’ button to confirm your selection, then fill out your personal and payment details to have a SIM sent to your address.

You can see all four Dodo Mobile SIM Only plans below.

Dodo Mobile recently upgraded all its mobile plans to offer the same kind of endless data as Telstra, Optus and Vodafone. Although this isn't quite the same as unlimited data, it's not far off. You still get a data allowance to work through each month. However, once you get through it, you're looking at no excess charges. Instead of being cut off the network, you'll still be able to use your plan at a slower connection speed.

At the time of writing, Dodo Mobile is not offering 5G mobile plans.

However there are a few other Optus MVNOs that are. Check out the widget below for a round-up of the cheapest 5G mobile plans that use the Optus network.