Best iPhone 15 plans in Australia (November 2024)
Should you buy from Telstra, Optus, Vodafone or outright?
The iPhone 15 can be purchased from Australia’s biggest plan providers, but it can be frustrating to find which telco provides the best iPhone 15 plan. While the iPhone 16 and its various models, expected sometime in September, will undoubtedly make improvements, the iPhone 15 is one of the best phones in Australia currently available. However, if you need a bigger or more powerful device, then the iPhone 15 Plus, 15 Pro or 15 Pro Max might be a more suitable choice.
Nonetheless, we’ll be focusing on the value you can find in the baseline model that earned a near-perfect score in our iPhone 15 review. We’ve crunched the numbers and we’re confident in saying that Vodafone has the best iPhone 15 plan for most people. Even accounting for January’s Vodafone price hike and competitive plans from Optus and Telstra, no other telco is offering the same bang for your buck as Vodafone.
We've got more details on our recommended plans below, but if you’re unsure which iPhone model you want to settle on, you can read our iPhone 15 Max review and iPhone 15 Plus review. If you’re locked in on the regular iPhone 15 and want to find the best deal, move on below, but if you’re happy with your current handset – check out our best SIM-only plans.
Best iPhone 15 plans: our picks
Best overall iPhone 15 plan
iPhone 15 (128GB) | 100GB data | 24 months | AU$111.45p/m
While it's not actually the cheapest iPhone 15 plan you can get (that goes to the Optus Choice Plus Plan), the value here is undeniable. Paired with their AU$49 Small plan, it gives you an iPhone 15, unlimited calls and texts and 50GB of data for less than AU$100 a month. However, what makes this plan so easy to recommend right now, though, Vodafone's current offer that provides 50GB of bonus data as long as you're connected to this plan. Act quick, as the deal ends in early June.
Total cost over 24 months is AU$2,674.8
Best premium iPhone 15 plan
iPhone 15 (256GB) | 360GB data | 24 months | AU$129.79p/m
If you hate the thought of needing to free-up space or the mere possibility of exceeding your data allowance – this is the deal for you. For most users, the 100GB provided by Vodafone's Small Plan is more than enough, and the deal above is available for the 256GB iPhone 15 too. However, if you often hotspot other devices or spend a majority of your time outside the realms of Wi-Fi, this behemoth deal on the Vodafone Medium Plan is a better choice. For less than AU$130p/m you get 360GB of data (180GB bonus data) to go along with your 256GB iPhone 15. If you plow through data and storage like a beaver through wood, this is for you.
Total cost over 24 months is AU$3,114.96
Compare iPhone 15 telco plans
If you’re curious what’s available from all the major carriers, here’s a look at what you’ll be paying each month for the iPhone 15 with 128GB of storage on a 24-month contract.
Other iPhone 15 deals
Vodafone | trade-in and get up to AU$1,500 in credit
Vodafone allows for more savings with their trade-in ability. While you'll only reach the heights of AU$1,500 credit by trading in an iPhone 15 Pro Max with 1TB of storage in perfect condition, and even then you'll likely fall short, the value of this deal is hard to ignore. If you're buying a new phone you may as well use the old one to make it cheaper – just note that to take advantage of this deal you must stay connected to your chosen Vodafone plan.
Optus - trade-in an eligible phone and Get a gift card valued up to $1,400
This deal is a bit trickier, as the AU$1,400 number comes from the potential trade-in of a Samsung Galaxy S23 in good working order, plus a AU$500 bonus when you buy a Samsung Galaxy S24 series phone. Nevertheless, chances are you're not going to want to trade in a phone that's going to earn that kind of money anyway. So if you want to go with Optus and are looking to make the iPhone 15 a bit more budget-friendly by trading in your iPhone 13, this is a good deal.
Telstra | trade-in and get up to AU$1,400 in credit
The trade-in deals continue at Optus, with the telco offering a digital gift card when you hand in an older phone for the iPhone 15. The value of the gift card depends on the trade-in value of your device, but having checked the value of a 1TB iPhone 15 Pro Max, which gained an estimated value of AU$1,370, you're unlikely to hit that AU$1,400 cap.
Kogan | Members can grab the iPhone 15 for only AU$1,229
Kogan is offering even further price-cuts on the already discounted iPhone 15 for Kogan First members. If you’re not a member and you haven’t signed up previously, you can trial a Kogan First membership free for 14 days to take advantage of the offer. Note that after the 14-day free trial, a Kogan First membership costs AU$99 a year.
Apple Trade In | Get AU$70–AU$1,090 in credit towards your new iPhone 15
Apple is offering anywhere between AU$70 to AU$1,090 in credit towards your new iPhone when you trade in an older device, though unfortunately Apple only accepts other iPhones for trade-in. You’ll keep your trade-in device until you receive your new iPhone, and once you’ve received it, you’ll get instructions on how to drop your older device off. After it’s been received and assessed by Apple, a credit will be applied to your original payment method.
iPhone 15 key information
Much like the iPhone's that have been rolling out since 2007, the iPhone 15 continues Apple's penchant for small upgrades on the predecessor. However, that doesn't stop users from wanting the latest and greatest – and the 15 is a more attractive upgrade than usual, even if you're already the owner of an iPhone 14, thanks to one key feature.
The biggest addition to this model is that it has finally ditched the notch at the top of its screen, in favour of the Dynamic Island that has been seen on the latest iPhone Pro and Pro Max, and more powerful models of the iPhone 15. While it seems like a small change, and it is, it does make for a quite dramatically more attractive display.
It's easy to get down into the trenches and compare it to this phone and that, but the fact is that it's a truly wonderful smartphone. It was only the very smallest issues in our iPhone 15 review that held it back from a perfect five-star rating. So, while it doesn't have the chipset of the iPhone 15 Pro, the iPhone 15's A16 Bionic chipset is still incredibly powerful, and with a beautiful and functional colour-infused back glass, a bright display, USB-C charging port and exceptional camera, there's plenty to love.
However, with leaked iPhone 16 information and the related rumours, we have good reason to think that Apple's 2024 smartphone will be a bigger upgrade than normal. While nothing is confirmed, September's new model could see bigger battery size, a smarter Siri, an A18 Bionic chipset and a new capture button for videos.
While it doesn't sound like anything revolutionary, if you love the latest and greatest it might be worth thinking about before locking yourself into a two-year contract. And, though Apple refuses to confirm anything, it's generally accepted that Apple supports their phones for around seven years so you won't have to worry about a new phone anytime soon.
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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.