Best iPhone 16 plans in Australia (August 2025)
The iPhone 17 is coming, but is it better to buy the latest model from Telstra, Optus, Vodafone or outright?

The iPhone 17 is coming soon, but for the average user looking to upgrade, there are still few better choices than the iPhone 16. Sitting between the affordable iPhone 16e and the iPhone 16 Pro, it offers all the latest features like Apple Intelligence and Camera Control without costing an arm and a leg.
As the iPhone 16 approaches its first birthday and the arrival of its successor, we've started to see some really good iPhone 16 deals since the beginning of Apple EOFY sales. If you can find it for less than AU$1,200 from Amazon or The Good Guys, pairing it with one of our best SIM-only plans is a great option. However, it's still far from being one of the best cheap phones.
In addition to its fun and useful AI features, the iPhone 16's price is justified by its speedy A18 chip, two excellent rear cameras and the action button that offers a one-click shortcut to any app. Luckily, the best iPhone 16 plans make its price a little easier to swallow – offering smaller, monthly repayments when paired with a SIM plan.
Unsurprisingly, there's a heap of iPhone 16 plans to choose from. That's why we've done the hard work for you – finding the cheapest and best high-data plans for the iPhone 16.
- Best iPhone 15 plans
- Best iPhone 15 Plus plans
- Best iPhone 15 Pro plans
- best iPhone 16e plans
- Best iPhone 16 Plus plans
- Best iPhone 16 Pro plans
- Best iPhone 16 Pro Max plans
Best iPhone 16 plans: our picks
Best overall iPhone 16 plan
iPhone 16 (128GB) | Vodafone Small Plan | 60GB data | 24 Months | AU$84.62 p/m
The only reasons we could find not to buy this handset in our iPhone 16 review was if you were already happy with your iPhone 15. So, pairing it with this most affordable plan from Vodafone – which offers a healthy 60GB of data and 5G connectivity, along with unlimited international texts – a no-brainer. Not just that, right now Vodafone is offering an AU$400 discount off the device itself, as well as a AU$10 p/m off the price of the plan.
Total cost over 24 months is: AU$2,030.88
Best premium iPhone 16 plan
iPhone 16 (128GB) | Vodafone Medium Plan | 200GB | 24 Months | AU$94.62 p/m
Need a bigger data pool to go with your new iPhone? Vodafone is the top choice once again. For just AU$10 p/m more than the small plan above, this medium plan offers a whopping 200GB of monthly data. And, perhaps most importantly, adds unlimited international calls to Zone 1 countries and 300 mins to Zone 2 nations on top 5G connectivity and unlimited international texts. This stellar price comes from a discount on both the device and the plan itself, cutting hundreds off the total repayment.
Total cost over 24 months is: AU$2,270.88
Compare iPhone 16 telco plans
Still want to know what other carriers are offering? Here's a quick look at what you'' pay each month for the 128GB iPhone 16 over a 24-month contract.
Other iPhone 16 deals
Weighing up whether it might be better to just pay more upfront to own your device outright? We think the plans above are great options, but Apple EOFY sales mean there'll likely be some enticing deals that make buying outright an even better option than usual.
You can find the best current prices in the widget below, as well as the usual deals you'll find from key retailers.
Vodafone | trade-in and get up to AU$1,500 in credit
Vodafone’s trade-in offer can get you up to AU$1,500 in credit to put towards your iPhone 16 Pro purchase. The actual amount you’ll receive for a trade-in depends on the model and condition of your device, for example, you’d need an iPhone 15 Pro Max (1TB) in good nick in order to get the full AU$1,500 in credit. On top of this, Vodafone is also offering double data on all its mobile plans for anyone buying a new iPhone 16.
Optus | trade-in an eligible phone and receive a gift card worth up to AU$1,200
By trading in your old device, you can earn big bucks on a gift card and use it to pay for your new iPhone 16 or any other device of your choosing. To get the full value, you'd likely have to trade in an iPhone 15 Pro, but there's still value to be found in lesser devices.
The Good Guys | outright from AU$1,397
If you're looking to buy outright, this is the best deal you're likely to find, with TGG bringing the iPhone 16 Pro under AU$1,400 for the 128GB model.
JB Hi-Fi | Outright from AU$1,397
While it's not as cheap as you'll get from trading in your old device or from Kogan, this brings the iPhone 16 down to just AU$1,397.
iPhone 16: Key Information
Both iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro models have received large upgrades over the iPhone 15, at least by Apple standards. There's an all-new A18 (and A18 Pro) chipsets specifically built to handle the rigours of AI functionality through Apple Intelligence, while the cameras have seen significant changes to hardware and software.
Apple Intelligence offers a whole array of AI features across Apple's entire range of existing applications. There's language models similar to ChatGPT for texts or emails, a new 'Visual Intelligence' app that is just like Google Lens and even image and emoji generators.
The improvements aren't all software based, though. Regarding hardware, the iPhone 16 series sports an upgraded camera with a new physical camera control button that directly interacts with the camera app, allowing you to snap shots like a digital Camera. Apple's new 'Fusion camera' is the new 48MP main camera thanks to its ability to swiftly change between taking storage-friendly images and high-resolution photos, as well as offering Stereoscopic capture for Apple Vision Pro.
Coming in five vibrant and attractive colourways – Ultramarine, Pink, Black, Teal and white – the iPhone 16 can be yours today for AU$1,399, AU$1,599 and AU$1,799 depending on which storage option you choose.
iPhone 16 Specs comparison
Row 0 - Cell 0 | iPhone 16 | iPhone 15 | iPhone 16e | iPhone 16 Pro |
Starting price | AU$1,399 | AU$1,249 | AU$999 | AU$1,799 |
Dimensions | 147.6 x 71.6 x 7.8mm | 147.6 x 71.6 x 7.80mm | 146.7 x 71.5 x 7.80mm | 149.6 x 71.5 x 8.25mm |
Weight | 170g | 171g | 167g | 199g |
Display | 6.1-inch OLED | 6.1-inch OLED | 6.1-inch OLED | 6.3-inch OLED |
Resolution | 2556 x 1179 pixels | 2556 x 1179 pixels | 2532 x 1170 pixels | 2622 x 1206 pixels |
Refresh rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | 60Hz | Adaptive 1-120Hz |
Chip | A18 | A16 | A18 | A18 Pro |
Rear cameras | 48MP main,12MP ultra-wide | 48MP main, 12MP ultrawide | 48MP fusion | 48MP main, 48MP ultra-wide, 12MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom |
Front camera | 12MP | 12MP | 12MP | 12MP |
Storage | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
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A Digital Content Writer for the Australian TechRadar team, Max covers all things tech and lifestyle and is keen on using tech to make life easier. A 2023 journalism graduate, Max has written across sports, entertainment and business for brands like Zero Digital Media and Valnet.Inc, but found his love for tech in his time at GadgetUser. At home when covering everything from the latest deal and coupon code to the most recent streaming service output, phone or smartwatch, Max excels at using his research, experience and writing ability give you more time to use your tech, not waste time finding it.
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