There are almost too many options to choose from when it comes to finding the best phone plan in Australia for you. Luckily, the best phone plan likely breaks down into three factors: How much data you want and need, how important coverage is and, most importantly, your budget. Luckily, you don't have to spend hours trawling through each main telco and all its subsidiaries. We've done it for you! In this guide, we’ve analysed phone plans of all kinds. Whether you need a cheap phone plan, want a massive pool of data to burn through or you simply want the best phone plan for most people – we’ve got all our recommendations here.
Now could be an ideal time to switch mobile plans too, with Vodafone recently increasing the cost of its phone plans for both new and existing customers, and Telstra hasn’t ruled out another price hike this July. We’ve found that smaller telcos – known as mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) – can offer better value for money and offer partial (or sometimes the same) coverage as their parent network.
With that said, if you want the warm glow that comes from a big brand, we’ve also compared plans from Australia's 'Big Three'; Telstra, Optus and Vodafone.
Best overall postpaid plan
Best cheap postpaid plan
Best high data postpaid plan
Best overall prepaid plan
Best long expiry prepaid plan
Best Optus plan
Best Vodafone plan
Best Telstra plan
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?
Deciding on whether 5G coverage is important to you is going to be slightly different for each person, depending on your needs.
The main benefits of 5G connectivity are improved download and upload speeds, so if you’re finding that the 4G speeds you’re currently getting are plenty fast for streaming video, browsing and other everyday tasks, then there’s every chance you won’t need 5G.
If you need to upload or download large files on the regular, or you prefer to stream content in 4K, then 5G might become a more compelling choice. In these cases, you’re likely going to want a plan with high data regardless, and most (albeit not all) of the good ones are with telcos that already offer 5G, which makes for a good combo.
Telstra, Optus, Vodafone and Belong are the only telcos offering 5G as standard, although some MVNOs, such as Amaysim, Mate and Spintel are beginning to offer it to their customers as well.
Each telco will have different coverage as the network continues to roll out, so be sure to check to see if your area is already covered before signing up.
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: We would caution most people against signing up to a phone plan that offered under 5GB of data. It might be suitable if you’re putting it in a rarely used phone that will scarcely be away from Wi-Fi, but that’s probably about it. If you’re tempted by a phone plan with under 5GB for its incredible price, know that you could end up paying more if you continually go over your small allowance.
5-15GB: If your data usage involves using Google Maps for short trips, occasionally streaming music and checking social media, plans in this bracket give you freedom to scroll online away from Wi-Fi. However, we think plans with between 5-15GB of data will be best for those who are frequently connected to Wi-Fi at home.
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.
