Best iPhone 13 plans in Australia (November 2024)

The iPhone 13 is a little older now, having been surpasses as Apple's flagship by the iPhone 14 in 2022, but is it still worth picking it up on a plan in 2023?

With the current AU$350 discount for the iPhone 14 from Vodafone, we recommend grabbing the iPhone 14 on a plan instead of the iPhone 13 at this time. Not only will you getting a newer model of iPhone, but you'll also be paying less than the lowest priced plan for the iPhone 13 at this time. However, as the iPhone 13 is approaching its second year in circulation, it's likely to start seeing some more discounts, so it could be worth picking up when its on sale.

Across Telstra, Optus and Vodafone, you’re limited on what options you can find with the iPhone 13. Telstra offers the largest storage capacity (512GB), though only in select colours while both Vodafone and Optus only have the option for either 128GB or 256GB, again with limited colours options for each size.

We’ve occasionally spotted Amazon offering the iPhone 13 with a small price cut, though we’d suggest only buying outright if you can get at least AU$150 off RRP (the full retail price AU$1,229). Buying outright also allows you to choose a telco other than Telstra, Optus and Vodafone, and there’s plenty to be saved by opting for a smaller provider. We have a guide to the best SIM-only plans if you want expert recommendations.

Noteworthy iPhone 13 deals

• Amazon | save up to AU$232 on the iPhone 13
• JB Hi-Fi | save AU$200 on the iPhone 13

Best iPhone 13 plans: our picks

Best overall iPhone 13 plan

iPhone 13 (128GB) | 40GB data | 24 months | AU$96.20/m

Paired with the AU$45 Small plan, you’ll be paying AU$96.20 per month for the iPhone 13 and 40GB of data. With the current saving of AU$350 on the iPhone 14, we'd recommend going for the later handset for a lower monthly cost of AU$88.70. Just be aware that Vodafone’s 5G coverage isn’t as extensive as Telstra or Optus, so if that’s important consider going with Optus for AU$100.18p/m.

Total cost over 24 months is AU$2,308.80

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Best premium iPhone 13 plan

iPhone 13 (512GB) | 40GB data | 24 months | AU$117.87p/m

The 256GB model is now a little harder to find, so the best plans tend to be for the next storage size up. At Vodafone, you can get the AU$45 Small plan with the 512GB iPhone 13 for AU$118.87 per month. Vodafone’s option beats Telstra’s AU$62 Basic plan with the 256GB handset (AU$120.29p/m), however you’ll get better coverage on the Telstra network.

Total cost over 24 months is AU$2,828.88

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Cheap iPhone 13 plans

If it’s the absolute cheapest iPhone 13 plan you’re after, it’s likely you’ll be looking at the 128GB model on a 36-month contract. These options will shrink your monthly bill, though you will end up paying a little more in the long run. This is an automatically updated list of the cheapest monthly options from the major telcos:

Compare telco plans for iPhone 13

We have three comparison tables below which outline how much the iPhone 13 costs at Telstra, Optus and Vodafone, as well as how much you’ll pay monthly for each storage option. Please note that some of the models below are now sold out. If you’d prefer to buy outright, we’ve also got a list of retailers selling the device.

iPhone 13 @ Telstra (24m term)

• Click here to order the iPhone 13 @ Telstra

iPhone 13 @ Optus (24m term)

• Click here to order the iPhone 13 @ Optus

* AU$69p/m price for first 12 months, then reverts to AU$89p/m.

iPhone 13 @ Vodafone (24m term)

• Click here to order the iPhone 13 @ Vodafone

Outright iPhone 13 deals

You can buy the iPhone 13 outright from these retailers:

• Apple
• Amazon
• Big W
• Bing Lee
• JB Hi-Fi
• Harvey Norman
• Officeworks
• The Good Guys

Apple does have its own trade-in offer, which will allow customers to get between AU$50 to AU$950 off any iPhone when trading in an iPhone 8 or newer. It’s not unique to Apple, though – Telstra, Optus and Vodafone also have trade-in offers that might prove to be quite lucrative if you’re planning on an upgrade.

iPhone 13 at a glance: what you need to know

While the iPhone 13 hasn’t had a radical redesign on the outside, a look at the spec sheet will show you where the big changes are. Key new features include an upgraded OLED display with up to 28% improved peak brightness, and the A15 Bionic processor at the heart of the device. Apple claims the chip has up to 50% faster performance than any competitor, leaving Android in the dust.

If you turn the phone over, you’ll see that the iPhone 13 has a new diagonal dual-camera system. The wide and ultra-wide lenses both have a 12MP sensor, image stabilisation and five times digital zoom. There’s also a new 'cinematic mode' for video capture – a nifty piece of software for automatic focus shifting.

Since we’ve also seen a teardown of the device, we now know that the iPhone 13 has significantly battery life compared to the iPhone 12 that came before it. During testing, we’ve found the iPhone 13 to last for up to 10 and a half hours.

The all-new iPhone 13 is available in black, white, pink, blue and red, with storage capacities in 128GB, 256GB and 512GB. Prices start at AU$1,349 for the 128GB model, and ultimately, you’ll need to decide whether this incremental upgrade is worth the price of admission.

• Buying outright? See the best SIM-only plans in Australia