Best Telstra mobile plans (March 2024)

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Image credit: Telstra (Image credit: Telstra)

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$6 a month in July 2023 and it hasn’t ruled out increasing prices again in July of this year. Now, the most ‘affordable’ plan you can get from Telstra will cost you AU$62 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 Boost Mobile, Belong and Mate, 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

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Samsung Galaxy S24 deals
Keen on the all-new Samsung Galaxy S24? Head to our <a href="https://www.techradar.com/au/phones/samsung-galaxy-phones/best-samsung-galaxy-s24-deals" data-link-merchant="techradar.com"">best Samsung Galaxy S24 plans page for a complete rundown of what’s available before signing up with Telstra (unfortunately Telstra’s mobile plans are the most expensive option, no matter which device you want). While the new Samsung Galaxy S24 phones look aesthetically similar to the S23 devices that came before them, there have been plenty of upgrades to the software with a particular focus on AI.

Jump to:
• <a href="#best-sim-only-option" data-link-merchant="#best-sim-only-option"">Best SIM-only option – AU$62p/m for Telstra Basic plan
• <a href="#best-overall-phone-plan-combos" data-link-merchant="#best-overall-phone-plan-combos"" data-link-merchant="#best-sim-only-option"">Best overall phone + plan combos – AU$124.45p/m for iPhone 15 | AU$120.29p/m for Samsung Galaxy S24
• <a href="#best-cheap-phone-plan-combos" data-link-merchant="#best-cheap-phone-plan-combos"" data-link-merchant="#best-overall-phone-plan-combos"" data-link-merchant="#best-sim-only-option"">Best cheap phone + plan combos – AU$91.95p/m for iPhone SE | AU$91.12p/m for Samsung Galaxy A54
• <a href="#best-premium-phone-plan-combos" data-link-merchant="#best-premium-phone-plan-combos"" data-link-merchant="#best-cheap-phone-plan-combos"" data-link-merchant="#best-overall-phone-plan-combos"" data-link-merchant="#best-sim-only-option"">Best premium phone + plan combos – AU$139.04p/m for iPhone 15 Pro | AU$153.62p/m for Samsung S24 Ultra

Best Telstra mobile plans: our picks

Best SIM-only option

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Telstra Basic plan | 50GB data | AU$62p/m

Telstra increased the cost of its mobile plans in July 2023, and it hasn’t ruled out hiking them yet again in July of this year. The telco’s cheapest plan costs AU$62 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 (up from 40GB) and it offers capped data speeds of 250Mbps, on Telstra’s 4G and 5G network.

Total minimum cost is AU$62

Best overall phone + plan combos

Best overall iPhone + plan combo: our pick

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iPhone 15 (128GB) | 50GB data | 24 months | AU$124.45p/m

The iPhone 15 got a big update in the form of a 48MP image sensor, so it’s worth upgrading to this device if you want improved cameras. 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$62 Basic plan which is the most affordable option Telstra has. You’ll end up paying AU$124.45 each billing on a 24-month plan.

Total cost over 24 months is AU$2,986.80

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Best overall Android + plan combo: our pick

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Samsung Galaxy S24 (256GB) | 50GB data | 24 months | AU$120.29p/m

The Samsung Galaxy S24 is now available, and it’s safe to say that Telstra has the most expensive option when it comes to plans. The phone itself is worth upgrading for, as it includes elite processing power along with new AI tools from Samsung and Google, such as the Circle to Search function. If you want to get the new S24 on a plan from Telstra, the cheapest available is the AU$62 Basic plan. Combined with handset repayments, your bill will come to AU$120.29 a month. Telstra is also including a free Galaxy Watch 6 with every purchase until March 4.

Total cost over 24 months is AU$2,886.96

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Best cheap phone + plan combos

Best cheap iPhone + plan combo: our pick

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iPhone SE 2022 (64GB) | 50GB data | 24 months | AU$91.95p/m

The iPhone SE 2022 is Apple’s 'budget' iPhone, with a starting price of AU$719. For the 'cheapest' iPhone plan from Telstra, we recommend pairing the AU$62 Basic plan with the 64GB iPhone SE in black, red or white, which will see you pay AU$91.95 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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Best cheap Android phone + plan combo: our pick

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Samsung Galaxy A54 (128GB) | 50GB data | 24 months | AU$91.12p/m

The Samsung Galaxy A54 is the #1 pick in our guide to the <a href="https://www.techradar.com/au/best/best-cheap-phones" data-link-merchant="techradar.com"">best cheap phones, though once this AU$699 phone has been paired with a Telstra plan, it certainly doesn’t feel ‘cheap’. Your most affordable option is the AU$62 Basic plan, and if you sign up for a 24-month contract, you’ll be paying AU$91.12 each billing. It’s worth noting that <a href="https://optus.sjv.io/c/338476/1378182/16505?subId1=hawk-custom-tracking&sharedId=hawk&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.optus.com.au%2Fmobile%2Fphones%2Fsamsung%2Fgalaxy-a54-5g" data-link-merchant="optus.com.au"" data-link-merchant="techradar.com"">Optus has a cheaper plan for the Galaxy A54, though you might be swayed by Telstra’s wider coverage.

Total cost over 24 months is AU$2,186.88

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Best premium phone + plan combos

Best premium iPhone + plan combo: our pick

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iPhone 15 Pro (128GB) | 50GB data | 24 months | AU$139.04p/m

For the best premium iPhone currently available, you’ll want to go with either the 15 Pro or 15 Pro Max, depending on your size preference. The Pro has the same 6.1-inch screen size as the regular iPhone 15, while the Pro Max stretches out to 6.7 inches. Whichever you go with, we think Telstra’s AU$62 Basic plan on a 24-month contract is best, as it’ll get you 50GB of data from AU$139.04 a month.

Total cost over 24 months is AU$3,336.96

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Best premium Android + plan combo: our pick

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Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (256GB) | 50GB data | 24 months | AU$153.62p/m

Telstra’s Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra plan is about AU$13 more a month than Optus and Vodafone, but it does come with the benefit of having the widest-reaching 4G and 5G network. If you decide to get the S24 Ultra from Telstra, pair it with the AU$62 Basic plan, which will get you 50GB for AU$153.62p/m on a 24-month contract. Telstra’s also including a Galaxy Watch 6 at no extra cost when you purchase any S24 phone, available up until March 4.

Total cost over 24 months is AU$3,686.88

  • Looking for something cheaper, or have your own phone? Check out the best-value Australian SIM-only plans
Jasmine Gearie
Ecommerce Editor

Jasmine Gearie is an Ecommerce Editor at TechRadar Australia, with a primary focus on helping readers cut through the jargon to find the best mobile and internet plans for their needs. She crunches the numbers to maintain dedicated guides to the latest phones, NBN and broadband plans of all types, and covers the important telco industry news. She also hunts down tech deals on laptops, phones, gaming consoles and more, so readers know where to buy the products they want for the cheapest prices.