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The best Telstra mobile plans for 2026

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Here are our independent recommendations on the telco's best phone plans

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Image credit: Telstra (Image credit: Telstra)
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Telstra’s mobile plans are the most expensive on the market, but Telstra’s wide-reaching coverage can be worth the steeper price of entry for some people, particularly if you’re living in a regional or remote area of Australia.

However, Telstra’s cost alone makes it difficult to recommend, and to make matters worse, Telstra increased the cost of its mobile plans by as much as AU$5 a month in May 2026, less than a year since the last hike in July 2025. Now, the most ‘affordable’ plan you can get from Telstra will cost you AU$74 a month, which is much higher than Optus and Vodafone’s cheapest offerings.

If you want to sign up or stay with Telstra because of its network coverage, we suggest checking out our guide to cheap plans on the Telstra network. You’ll find a range of options from Telstra mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) such as Tangerine, Boost Mobile and Belong, all of which offer Telstra coverage at a cheaper price.

We’ll be taking a look at various phones on this page, and seeing how they stack up on the Telstra network. If you’d like, you can jump ahead to our plan recommendations below, or see what’s available at Optus and Vodafone:

• Best Optus mobile plans
• Best Vodafone mobile plans

Best Telstra mobile plans: our picks

Best SIM-only option

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Telstra Basic plan | 50GB data | AU$74p/m

Telstra increased the cost of its mobile plans in May 2026, less than a year since the last hike in July 2025. The telco’s cheapest plan costs AU$74 a month, and while it’s what we’d recommend as the best Telstra mobile plan, it isn’t actually cheap by any means. The Basic plan gets you 50GB of data a month, unlimited calls and texts and satellite messaging with a compatible phone.

Total minimum cost is AU$74

Best Telstra iPhone plans

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iPhone 17 (256GB) | 50GB data | 24 months | AU$132.29p/m

We called the iPhone 17 the best value iPhone ever, thanks to the addition of a 120Hz display and storage options now starting at 256GB. Telstra’s plans are the most expensive option out of the big three, so if this is the phone you want, we recommend pairing it with the AU$74 Basic plan which is the most affordable option Telstra has. You’ll end up paying AU$132.29 each billing on a 24-month plan.

Total cost over 24 months is AU$3,174.96

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iPhone 17e (256GB) | 50GB data | 24 months | AU$91.95p/m

The iPhone 17e is Apple’s 'budget' iPhone, with a starting price of AU$999. For the 'cheapest' iPhone plan from Telstra, we recommend pairing the AU$74 Basic plan with the 256GB iPhone 17e, which will see you pay AU$115.62 a month. You’ll get 50GB of data to play with each month, unlimited talk and text to standard numbers in Australia and 5G access.

Total cost over 24 months is AU$2,206.80

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iPhone 17 Pro (256GB) | 50GB data | 24 months | AU$157.29p/m

For the best premium iPhone currently available, you’ll want to go with either the 17 Pro or 17 Pro Max, depending on your size preference. The Pro has the same 6.3-inch screen size as the regular iPhone 17, while the Pro Max stretches out to 6.9 inches. Whichever you go with, we think Telstra’s AU$74 Basic plan on a 24-month contract is best, as it’ll get you 50GB of data from AU$157.29 a month.

Total cost over 24 months is AU$3,774.96

Best Telstra Android plans

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Samsung Galaxy S26 (256GB) | 50GB data | 24 months | AU$138.54p/m

A Samsung Galaxy S26 plan with Telstra will be the most expensive option if you're going that route, so we suggest taking the cheapest one at AU$74p/m. Combined with handset repayments, your bill will come to AU$138.54 a month.

Total cost over 24 months is AU$2,886.96

Samsung Galaxy A57 (128GB)50GB data24 monthsAU$105.20p/m

Samsung Galaxy A57 (128GB) | 50GB data | 24 months | AU$105.20p/m

The Samsung Galaxy A57 is one of this year's best cheap phones, though once this AU$749 phone has been paired with a Telstra plan, it certainly doesn’t feel ‘cheap’. Your most affordable option is the AU$74 Basic plan, and if you sign up for a 24-month contract, you’ll be paying AU$105.20 each billing.

Total cost over 24 months is AU$2,524.80

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Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (256GB) | 50GB data | 24 months | AU$165.62p/m

Telstra’s Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra plan is a whopping AU$54 more a month than Vodafone, but it does come with the benefit of having the widest-reaching 4G and 5G network. If you decide to get the S26 Ultra from Telstra, pair it with the AU$74 Basic plan, which will get you 50GB for AU$165.62p/m on a 24-month contract.

Total cost over 24 months is AU$3,974.88

  • Looking for something cheaper, or have your own phone? Check out the best-value Australian SIM-only plans
Nico Arboleda
Nico Arboleda
Staff Writer

Nico is an experienced writer and journalist, having previously written for business titles across Australia.  While mainly focusing on phones and finding deals and coupon codes at TechRadar Australia, he is also a keen cyclist and occasional hiker, so he also loves related tech like smartwatches and bike computers. Outside of tech, Nico is also a politics, basketball and movie obsessive.

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