The best phone plans in Australia can be difficult to find, especially with so many options between Telstra, Optus, Vodafone and the much smaller telcos which often offer brilliant value.
When looking for the best phone plans, we can put your search down to three simple questions: how much data do you need, how important is coverage and how much are you willing to spend. We’ve done the hard work for you and put our picks in the article below.
With prices, inclusions and perks often fluctuating, it’s always a good time to look at mobile phone plans – you might find a better deal than what you’re currently on. Keep an eye on the best plans from the big three telcos (Telstra Optus and Vodafone), but also don’t discount the MVNOs, which could give you an absolute bargain.
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Mobile phone deals FAQ
Which mobile network is best in Australia?
Each mobile network has its own advantages and disadvantages. There isn’t necessarily a best choice, as which network is best depends on what’s most important to you. Maybe you want the widest 5G coverage, an affordable monthly price or good international roaming options.
While loyalty is an admirable trait in most facets of life, it’s unlikely you’ll benefit from being loyal to your phone provider for many years. Instead, we recommend comparing your current mobile provider’s plan to others in the market to ensure you get a better deal.
Telstra
Telstra is the biggest telco in Australia, and its biggest selling point is that it has the widest-reaching network coverage in the country. That includes its 5G network, which Telstra says now covers 85% of the population – outpacing both Optus and Vodafone. Telstra plans are some of the most expensive in the market, but if you live in regional or remote regions of Australia, it could be the best for coverage in your area. See Telstra’s mobile coverage on its website.
• Get the full rundown of the best Telstra mobile plans.
Optus
Optus also has great coverage, and while its 5G network isn’t as far-reaching as Telstra’s, it’s starting to catch up – see Optus’ network coverage on its website. The telco was previously known for having good value plans, but that distinction has become less so, particularly since Optus upped the pricing of its mobile plans in July 2022. The Optus data breach is still fresh in the mind of many Australians, and while this may have some feeling wary about signing up or staying, it could also be an opportune time to negotiate a better plan with the telco.
• Learn more details about the best Optus mobile plans.
Vodafone
Vodafone is the third major telco in Australia, and while it comfortably held the title of the cheapest option among the big three for quite some time, it increased the cost of its mobile plans in January 2024. We’d still argue that it offers good value, but its plans are now priced similarly to Optus. Vodafone has a growing 5G network in Australia, so it’s worth checking Vodafone’s 5G network coverage in your area.
• Want to know more? We’ve taken a closer look at the best Vodafone mobile plans.
What is an MVNO?
A mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) is a smaller telco that utilises a larger provider’s network to run their service. In Australia, MVNOs resell access to either the Telstra, Optus or Vodafone networks, and pricing is often lower than what the big three will offer themselves.
Some popular MVNOs in Australia include Amaysim (Optus), Belong (Telstra), Circles.Life (Optus) and Everyday Mobile (Telstra). There are also small mobile providers reselling Vodafone’s network, such as TPG and iiNet.
An important aspect to note about MVNOs is that they typically only provide partial access to the bigger provider’s network, rather than the full access which the larger telco’s customers receive. In most cases, the MVNOs also may not provide access to a carrier’s 5G network, and instead serve you with 4G and 3G coverage, though there are a few exceptions.
Most MVNOs tend to offer SIM-only plans or prepaid plans, and it’s not often you’ll get the latest flagship phones via an MVNO. One exception is Amaysim, which offers the latest iPhones along with select models from Google and Samsung.
Do I need 5G?
If you value high speeds and need them for big downloads (such as for 4K video streaming and constant high quality music streaming) then 5G should be high on your list for phone plan inclusions – although even if you’re constantly downloading, 4G should be fine for day-to-day use as long as the downloads aren’t too big (otherwise they’ll be loading slowly on your device).
There are still a lot of providers in Australia that as of right now don’t offer 5G access (and plans offered by providers that are limited to 4G), but 5G will eventually become the standard phone network band in Australia, just like 4G and 3G before it (and it will likely be followed by 6G sometime down the road).
For the moment though, while 5G is currently being rolled out by Australia’s three mobile network operators (Telstra, Optus and Vodafone), it’s still not as readily available as 4G. With this in mind it’s worth having a look at coverage maps to see which network currently offers 5G in your area.
Should I pair my phone with a plan or buy outright?
When searching for a new phone contract, there are more options now than there used to be. You could purchase a phone from a major telco and pair it with a plan, paying it off over 12, 24 or 36 months. Or, you could buy a handset outright and combine that with one of the best SIM-only plans. Some retailers such as Samsung will allow you to buy a phone and pay it off over a set period, with 0% interest.
This option of buying a phone through a telco and signing up to one of its plans tends to be the more popular option. This method is good for someone who can’t front the entire cost of the new phone upfront, or those that want an easy way to upgrade to the latest device without the huge initial cost. Telstra, Optus and Vodafone all offer these plans on a no lock-in contract, so you can leave anytime (you’ll just have to pay out the remaining cost of the phone).
Alternatively, if you’ve got the cash upfront, it can sometimes be more sensible to purchase the phone you want and pair it with one of the excellent SIM-only plans available, which are getting much more compelling as time goes on – offering exponentially more data at lower prices than they have in the past.
How much data do I need on my phone plan?
0-5GB: Phone plans offering data limits below 5GB are not a worthwhile pick for most people, however for the lightest of on-the-go internet access, which includes social media access (without video), messaging app use and maybe some low quality music streaming, the money you could save on a low data phone plan might be worth it. We highly recommend using Wi-Fi whenever you can though.
5-15GB: Going for a plan with a data offering between 5GB and 15GB is probably the best bet for folks that won’t be using their phones too much on the go, but want a safety net in case the home internet goes out or in case you’re going to be away from Wi-Fi for a while. Data limits like this allow you to use Google Maps and music streaming apps regularly, but you’ll still likely want to avoid regular video streaming.
15-50GB: In December 2023, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) found that the average mobile user in Australia uses 15.9GB of data a month. So, phone plans in this bracket will be perfect for most people. If you like to stream music or videos and download podcasts when you’re on 4G or 5G, or you use map apps on a daily basis and generally have a data-intensive lifestyle, this is likely to be the cap you should be looking at. If you regularly spend time commuting via public transport, this could be a good option too. Lots of phone plans fall within this bracket, and users can generally get monthly data in this range at a reasonable price.
50-100GB: Phone plans within this data range should only be for serious data-drainers, as plans with over 50GB aren’t necessary for most Australians that regularly have access to secure Wi-Fi networks. This range could be for you if you download apps or other large files on the go, stream in HD, frequently tether to your phone for an internet connection or work from somewhere that doesn’t have Wi-Fi.
100GB-unlimited: Plans with over 100GB of data are going to be overkill for most mobile users. You may need this kind of data if you spend hours down a TikTok/YouTube rabbit hole (via a 4G or 5G connection), you’re travelling around Australia without Wi-Fi, or you’re using your phone’s hotspot as your only internet connection. A small MVNO mobile provider called Felix is the only telco currently offering an unlimited data plan, but speeds are capped at 20Mbps.
