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Today’s mobile plans are not created equal. Some of the best mobile plans on offer include plenty of data at discounted prices, while the worst will try to hit you with excess usage fees.
Australians are currently suffering through a huge cost of living crisis. The price of everything, from groceries to mortgage repayments, seems to be on the rise. A great way to save money is to look at your mobile bill to make sure you aren’t paying more than you need to.
At a bare minimum, you should look to check you are on the best plan for you at least once a year. The vast majority of SIM-only plans on offer – whether prepaid or postpaid – don’t lock you in to long-term contracts. That means you can update your plan even more frequently if there’s a better deal.
In fact, with the range of SIM-only plans on the market today, there is absolutely no reason to lock yourself into a long-term contract with a mobile provider.
Even if you are looking to buy a great new phone, you will end up spending much more on a contract than you would buying the phone outright and getting a SIM-only plan.
How do you choose the best mobile plan?
Everybody has different needs, so there is no single best mobile plan for everyone.
But to try and narrow down the field somewhat and make the process easier, we have done collected information on as many SIM-only plans we could find in Australia. This includes both postpaid and prepaid plans. We then created formulas to assign a score to those plans.
We break down the full methodology a bit more below. But the general approach was to rank plans based on their price per day and the amount of data included per day, then weight those rankings to come up with an overall score.
For this guide, we assigned a 60% weighting to price and 40% to data.
There are other factors you may also want to consider when deciding your mobile plan as well. We break that down at the bottom of this page.
This “best guide” is a point in time analysis of all the mobile plans I could find at the last updated date. I don’t have the resources to update pricing every day. I will come back and try to update it frequently, but there is a good chance many of the providers will change their plans and then this page will become outdated.
As such, you should always check details closely, and make your own decisions. The method below is how I determined what I thought was best, but you can do the same analysis to find what’s right for you.
20 best mobile plans in Australia
The Kogan Medium 30 Day Prepaid Plan is a prepaid plan from Kogan with a 30 day expiry.
Each recharge, you get 40GB of data to use.
If you set up auto recharge or recharge before the expiry date, you can also enjoy 200GB of data banking or data rollover.
The Kogan Medium 30 Day Prepaid Plan runs on the Vodafone network across Australia, offering 4G speeds.
There are no International calls included in the plan.
The Lebara Large 360 day is a prepaid plan from Lebara with a 360 day expiry.
Each recharge, you get 425GB of data to use.
If you set up auto recharge or recharge before the expiry date, you can also enjoy 200GB of data banking or data rollover.
The Lebara Large 360 day runs on the Vodafone network across Australia, offering 4G speeds.
The plan offers international call inclusions as well.
The E.Tel Smart plan 18 is a prepaid plan from E.Tel with a 28 day expiry.
Each recharge, you get 30GB of data to use, which includes 15GB of bonus data for the first recharge.
There’s no data bank service on this plan.
The E.Tel Smart plan 18 runs on the Optus network across Australia, offering 4G speeds.
The plan offers international call inclusions as well.
The Felix Unlimited mobile plan is a SIM-only plan from Felix.
Each month, you get unlimited GB of data to use.
The Felix Unlimited mobile plan runs on the Vodafone network across Australia, offering 4G speeds.
There are no International calls included in the plan.
The Catch Connect Prepaid Mobile $25 is a prepaid plan from Catch Connect with a 30 day expiry.
Each recharge, you get 30GB of data to use.
There’s no data bank service on this plan.
The Catch Connect Prepaid Mobile $25 runs on the Optus network across Australia, offering 4G speeds.
There are no International calls included in the plan.
The Felix 50GB mobile plan is a SIM-only plan from Felix.
Each month, you get 50GB of data to use.
The Felix 50GB mobile plan runs on the Vodafone network across Australia, offering 4G speeds.
There are no International calls included in the plan.
The Lyca Mobile Unlimited Plan S is a prepaid plan from Lyca Mobile with a 28 day expiry.
Each recharge, you get 70GB of data to use, which includes 35GB of bonus data for the first 3 recharges.
There’s no data bank service on this plan.
The Lyca Mobile Unlimited Plan S runs on the Telstra network across Australia, offering 4G speeds.
The plan offers international call inclusions as well.
The Kogan Large 30 Day Prepaid Plan is a prepaid plan from Kogan with a 30 day expiry.
Each recharge, you get 80GB of data to use.
If you set up auto recharge or recharge before the expiry date, you can also enjoy 200GB of data banking or data rollover.
The Kogan Large 30 Day Prepaid Plan runs on the Vodafone network across Australia, offering 4G speeds.
There are no International calls included in the plan.
The Catch Connect Prepaid Mobile $200 is a prepaid plan from Catch Connect with a 365 day expiry.
Each recharge, you get 200GB of data to use.
There’s no data bank service on this plan.
The Catch Connect Prepaid Mobile $200 runs on the Optus network across Australia, offering 4G speeds.
There are no International calls included in the plan.
The Lebara Small 30 day is a prepaid plan from Lebara with a 30 day expiry.
Each recharge, you get 30GB of data to use, which includes 5GB of bonus data for the first recharge.
If you set up auto recharge or recharge before the expiry date, you can also enjoy 200GB of data banking or data rollover.
The Lebara Small 30 day runs on the Vodafone network across Australia, offering 4G speeds.
The plan offers international call inclusions as well.
The Konec $35 Mobile Plan is a prepaid plan from Konec with a 30 day expiry.
Each recharge, you get 42GB of data to use.
If you set up auto recharge or recharge before the expiry date, you can also enjoy 500GB of data banking or data rollover.
The Konec $35 Mobile Plan runs on the Telstra network across Australia, offering 5G speeds.
The plan offers international call inclusions as well.
The Kogan Medium 365 Day Prepaid Plan is a prepaid plan from Kogan with a 365 day expiry.
Each recharge, you get 200GB of data to use.
There’s no data bank service on this plan.
The Kogan Medium 365 Day Prepaid Plan runs on the Vodafone network across Australia, offering 4G speeds.
There are no International calls included in the plan.
The Southern Phone Medium is a SIM-only plan from Southern Phone.
Each month, you get 50GB of data to use.
The Southern Phone Medium runs on the Optus network across Australia, offering 4G speeds.
The plan offers international call inclusions as well.
The Lebara Large 30 day is a prepaid plan from Lebara with a 30 day expiry.
Each recharge, you get 100GB of data to use, which includes 50GB of bonus data for the first recharge.
If you set up auto recharge or recharge before the expiry date, you can also enjoy 200GB of data banking or data rollover.
The Lebara Large 30 day runs on the Vodafone network across Australia, offering 4G speeds.
The plan offers international call inclusions as well.
The Catch Connect Prepaid Mobile $150 is a prepaid plan from Catch Connect with a 365 day expiry.
Each recharge, you get 120GB of data to use.
There’s no data bank service on this plan.
The Catch Connect Prepaid Mobile $150 runs on the Optus network across Australia, offering 4G speeds.
There are no International calls included in the plan.
The Kogan Small 30 Day Prepaid Plan is a prepaid plan from Kogan with a 30 day expiry.
Each recharge, you get 10GB of data to use.
If you set up auto recharge or recharge before the expiry date, you can also enjoy 200GB of data banking or data rollover.
The Kogan Small 30 Day Prepaid Plan runs on the Vodafone network across Australia, offering 4G speeds.
There are no International calls included in the plan.
The Lyca Mobile Unlimited Plan M is a prepaid plan from Lyca Mobile with a 28 day expiry.
Each recharge, you get 100GB of data to use, which includes 50GB of bonus data for the first recharge.
There’s no data bank service on this plan.
The Lyca Mobile Unlimited Plan M runs on the Telstra network across Australia, offering 4G speeds.
The plan offers international call inclusions as well.
The Kogan Small 365 Day Prepaid Plan is a prepaid plan from Kogan with a 365 day expiry.
Each recharge, you get 120GB of data to use.
There’s no data bank service on this plan.
The Kogan Small 365 Day Prepaid Plan runs on the Vodafone network across Australia, offering 4G speeds.
There are no International calls included in the plan.
The Kogan Extra Large 365 Day Prepaid Plan is a prepaid plan from Kogan with a 365 day expiry.
Each recharge, you get 500GB of data to use.
There’s no data bank service on this plan.
The Kogan Extra Large 365 Day Prepaid Plan runs on the Vodafone network across Australia, offering 4G speeds.
There are no International calls included in the plan.
The Felix 25GB mobile plan is a SIM-only plan from Felix.
Each month, you get 25GB of data to use.
The Felix 25GB mobile plan runs on the Vodafone network across Australia, offering 4G speeds.
There are no International calls included in the plan.
How we determined the 20 best mobile plans in Australia
There’s no such thing as a single best mobile plan for everybody. So to try and discover the best mobile plans in Australia, we analysed the inclusions of 286 mobile plans from 46 different mobile providers.
Needless to say, there was a lot of data. And a lot of different inclusions for different types of plans.
Once we had collected the data, we calculated what the price per day for each plan would be. Given many plans had a promotional offer that discounted the price, we also calculated the average cost per day should someone remain connected to that plan for a year.
Those two numbers were ranked, combined and then ranked again to determine the best priced plans.
We then repeated the process for data, calculating the data per day for any promotional period, as well as the average data per day over the course of a year.
Once these numbers were ranked, combined and ranked again, we also applied a score multiplier to any plan with excess data charges. This penalises plans that could surprise users with hidden charges.
(It’s worth noting that less than 40% of plans today have excess data charges, highlighting that it is an unnecessary practice in today’s environment).
Calculating the best mobile plans final ranking
To calculate the final ranking, we combined the final price and data ranks, with a 60% weighting applied to price and a 40% weighting applied to data.
We felt that this was the most reflective calculation of value in the market.
At this stage, we have not factored in other elements, like brand, network or international call inclusions, but will look to improve the formula for future updates.
What to look for when choosing the best mobile plans
While it’s fairly easy to break down a mobile plan to just price and data, there are many more factors you should consider before signing up.
To help, we’ve broken down the essential factors to consider when choosing a mobile plan below.
Monthly or ongoing costs
Before you sign up, compare the costs of different plans on offer. Make sure you factor in not just the base plan cost, but also any additional charges you may face like international calls or excess data charges.
Make sure the plan fits within your budget.
Data allowance
Consider how much data you truly need every month. While it’s good to feel comfortable you won’t run out of data, if you are paying for 20GB but only using 5GB a month, you could save by choosing a cheaper plan.
Also remember that if you mostly use your phone at home or the office where you connect to Wi-Fi, you coupled opt for a plan with a lower data cap.
Coverage and network quality
Australia is fortunate enough to have three world-class mobile networks operating around the country. While most suburban areas are well covered by all the networks, some areas may struggle with certain providers.
Use coverage maps to check the coverage and network quality of the mobile provider in the areas where you’ll be using your phone the most, such as your home, workplace, and frequent travel destinations.
Also remember that 3G, 4G and 5G networks don’t have identical coverage. If you plan on using a 5G phone on a 5G network, make sure it can get coverage.
Postpaid vs prepaid
Outside of getting a mobile phone on a contract, most of the best mobile plans in Australia are either month-to-month postpaid or prepaid plans.
The biggest difference is that you pay for your inclusions before you use them with prepaid. Postpaid requires you to connect a credit card or bank account, which is charged at the end of a billing cycle.
This means that prepaid is better to control your spending. You cannot be charged for things like excess data without your consent. Postpaid plans, meanwhile, can include more value or inclusions to entice you to sign up.
Data Speeds
Not only do different plans offer different data speeds via either 4G or 5G networks, but some plans are throttled to a maximum speed on that network.
If you need your mobile connection for data-intense functions like video conferencing or streaming HD content, then you may want to pay extra for a faster 5G plan.
International Roaming
If you travel frequently, check if the plan includes international roaming options and their associated costs. Some plans – particularly from larger providers – may offer affordable roaming packages for calls, texts, and data while travelling abroad.
Extras and Bonuses
A lot of plans these days include extra features like free streaming subscriptions, the ability to store unused data at the end of a billing cycle, and bonus data or discounted pricing when you sign up.
There are also options for rewards points, international calling inclusions and bundle offerings should you combine the mobile plan with an NBN or energy connection.
Look around at the bonuses and discounts to see if there’s an option that suits your particular needs.
Customer Service and Support
It’s hard to truly understand this before you’ve signed up to a provider, but it’s always good to research a mobile provider’s reputation for customer service and technical support.
If a brand has a lot of negative reviews for its customer service, you will probably face challenges getting issues resolved.
Update your plan annually
Make sure you check that you are on the right mobile plan at least once a year. Mobile plans can change rapidly, and that means that simply staying on an existing contract or prepaid recharge could end up costing you more in the long run.
Fortunately, it is extremely easy to port your phone number between providers these days, so there’s no reason why you can’t move to a new, better value plan every few months.
Check out these discounts on mobile plans from our partners
Best mobile plans update history
- 14 August 2023 – First Published
- 5 September 2023 – Updated the list of recommended products.
- 9 October 2023 – Reran calculations based on new deals.
- 2 November 2023 – Updated the list based on recalculated data.
- 1 December 2023 – Updated the list based on recalculated data.
- 15 December 2023 – Updated the list based on recalculated data. Removed Internode and Westnet plans.
- 3 January 2024 – Updated the list based on recalculated data. Removed Accord mobile plans.
- 2 February 2024 – Updated the list based on recalculated data.
- 1 March 2024 – Updated the list based on recalculated data.
- 2 April 2024 – Updated the list based on recalculated data.
