Best Telstra mobile plans

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

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

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

Best overall Android + plan combo: our pick

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

Best cheap phone + plan combos

Best cheap iPhone + plan combo: our pick

Best cheap Android phone + plan combo: our pick

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 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 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

Best premium phone + plan combos

Best premium iPhone + plan combo: our pick

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

Best premium Android + plan combo: our pick

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

See more Phone Deals

Jasmine Gearie was previously an Ecommerce Editor at TechRadar Australia, with a primary focus on helping readers find the best mobile and NBN plans. During her time with TechRadar, she also reported on important telco news in Australia, and helped track down tech deals to help readers save money.