Are you looking to save on your phone bill? We’ve rounded up the cheapest SIM plans from a range of different carriers to help you find the best price. If you’re unsure about whether a SIM-only mobile plan is what you need, our quick guide to SIM only mobile plans will get you up to speed.
Generally speaking, if you don’t want a new phone or a lock-in contract, a SIM plan is the way to go. It’s easy to get what you need without paying for excess features. Unlimited phone calls and text messages usually come standard, with data and international roaming the main points of difference. If you do want a phone, however, check out the current deals on phone plans, including discounted handsets.
We update this article monthly, so bookmark this page to keep up to date with the cheapest SIM plans. Prices update in real-time, meaning you get the latest deals available in Australia right now. You can also use a custom search to choose a plan that suits your exact needs.
All of the plans featured in this article include an expiry period of at least 28 days. You can purchase a SIM plan with a shorter recharge window, ideal for travellers who only need a bit of data while visiting Australia.
Want to save on your internet bill, too? Check out the cheapest NBN plans to save even more money. You can also compare the best Telstra SIM-only plans, Vodafone SIM-only plans, and Optus SIM-only plans.
Contents
- Cheapest SIM plans
- Cheapest 5G SIM plans
- Cheapest 365-day SIM plans
- What you need to know: eSIM, prepaid, postpaid
- Phone number portability
- Best network coverage
Cheapest SIM plans
Postpaid
SpinTel is currently the cheapest postpaid SIM plan, costing $12 per month for the first six months. The plan uses the Optus 5G network, including 25GB of data. Once the discounted period ends, SpinTel’s plan costs $23 per month.
Not far behind is a $12.50 per month offer from Pivotel, discounted for six months from its usual $25 price. Using Vodafone’s 4G network, the plan comes with 30GB of data each month. Another cheap option comes from Dodo, with its Small Mobile Plan priced at $14 per month for the first six months. 25GB of data comes included, along with a 5G Optus connection. After discounts, Dodo’s plan costs $25 per month ongoing.
If you’re keen on a postpaid SIM plan on the Telstra network, Tangerine currently sells the cheapest option. Its $30 monthly plan costs $20 per month for the first three months, with 60GB included each month for the first six months (30GB applies afterwards). Keep in mind that this Tangerine plan only uses parts of Telstra’s 5G and 4G networks, so check the coverage map before locking anything in.
Prepaid
Buckle up for a multi-part deal: Yomojo sells the current cheapest prepaid SIM plan, but it’s not a fixed price the entire time. It only costs $1 for the first month, followed by a $12.45 monthly price through to the sixth month. Afterwards, Yomojo’s plan costs $24.90 per month on regular pricing. It nets you an Optus 4G Plus connection and 29GB of monthly data.
Only slightly more expensive are prepaid SIM plans from iiNet and TPG, both using the Vodafone 4G network. For the first six months, each plan costs $12.50 per month, and then $25 each month after, with 25GB of data included. OnePass Mobile also costs $12.50 for the first six recharges; it uses a 28-day cycle rather than the monthly billing of the above plans.
On the Telstra network, the cheapest current prepaid SIM plan is $23 from Aldi Mobile on a 30-day renewal. Aldi uses Telstra’s wholesale 4G network while bundling 12GB of data.
Cheapest 5G SIM plans
5G coverage reaches more of Australia than ever, bringing with it faster download speeds. Phones compatible with 5G are also increasingly affordable, making it easier to access high-speed networks.
In some cases, 5G plans can cost more, but as you’ll see below, they can also be among the cheapest.
Postpaid
Most of the cheapest postpaid 5G SIM plans follow the same trend as above; SpinTel ($12 per month) and Dodo ($14 per month) are currently the clear standouts.
Outside of discounts, postpaid 5G plans start from $23 per month, so it’s a reasonably affordable tier.
Prepaid
On the prepaid side of the fence, OnePass Mobile currently sells the cheapest 5G prepaid SIM plans, starting at $12.50 per 28-day renewal and 22GB of data. Lyca Mobile, on the Vodafone 5G network, is similarly cheap, priced at $15 per 28 days for the first six recharges, including a large 50GB allocation. Afterwards, it costs $30 every 28 days.
Boost Mobile is the cheapest Telstra-based prepaid SIM plan with 5G access, priced at $28 per 28-day renewal. It includes a relatively small 8GB allocation, albeit with a 21GB introductory offer that applies to the first three recharges. Boost is also the only MVNO with access to the full Telstra network, reaching further than most other telcos.
For a bit more data on the Telstra network, Aldi Mobile and Ezee Mobile include 29GB per 30-day recharge for $29. Both rely on Telstra’s wholesale network, so check the coverage map to be sure if your area is covered.
Depending on your data needs, you can generally pick up a 5G prepaid plan for $25 per recharge.
Cheapest 365-day SIM plans
If you know what you need over a longer period and want to save money in the process, a 365-day SIM plan might do the trick. Simply pay once per year, and get a bank of data to use with unlimited calls and texts. It’s a cost-effective way of paying your phone bill for basic internet users who aren’t big downloaders.
At the time of writing, Kogan Mobile tops the list of cheapest 365-day SIM plans, charging $149 for a Vodafone 4G connection and 140GB of data. Post-discount, Kogan’s plan costs $179.90 per 365 days.
Looking at Optus connections, OnePass Mobile is the cheapest long-term option. At the moment, OnePass Mobile’s 280GB plan costs $169 for the first recharge, down from its regular $250 price. Even at full price, that’s still less than a dollar per gigabyte, if data is a priority.
Want a 365-day SIM plan on the Telstra network? Boost Mobile sells the cheapest option at $250, which includes 295GB with the first recharge. Subsequent recharges cost $300 and come with 195GB of data. That’s less data than the 215GB you get with Everyday Mobile’s $250 plan, albeit limited to Telstra’s 4G network.
What you need to know about SIM only plans
It’s fairly easy to change your SIM plan provider. Even more so with the rise of embedded SIM (eSIM) technology, letting you change plans almost instantly with a compatible device. Instead of requiring a physical card, eSIM stores network information directly in your phone.
Irrespective of which service provider you go with, the actual network used will be either Optus, Telstra or Vodafone. Many of the cheapest SIM plan providers are mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs). This refers to carriers that use the network infrastructure of another company.
Boost Mobile is a popular MVNO that has full access to Telstra’s network, reaching 99.5% of Australians. Not every MVNO includes a network’s full coverage, so it’s worth checking a company’s website to ensure your area is serviced.
In terms of how much data you should choose, data from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) found that Australians generally pay for more than what they need. On average, Aussies use 10.2GB of phone data per month, so it’s likely you could get away with a smaller allowance that costs less.
It also depends on how much you stream and download content using your phone. If you mainly use home or office Wi-Fi and don’t stream much, stick with a cheaper plan.
Postpaid versus prepaid
There are a couple of slightly different SIM plan options to choose from. Postpaid refers to plans that operate on a monthly billing cycle, where you pay at the end of each cycle. Postpaid SIM plans generally don’t involve a lock-in contract, so you can freely swap if your needs change or a better deal comes along. If you hit your data cap for a month, your telco might limit speeds until the next cycle or charge extra costs, so check the fine print beforehand.
Prepaid, on the other hand, sees you pay at the start of each cycle for a fixed number of days. Most prepaid SIM plans have a 28-day expiry cycle instead of a full month. Shorter expiries are also available if you need a SIM while travelling, making it a flexible option. The upside is that if you go over your data limit, you won’t incur extra costs. A lot of prepaid plans don’t automatically recharge by default but you can set up auto-recharge manually, with some telcos offering discounts or bonuses if you do so.
Phone number portability
The SIM changeover process takes about 10 minutes of your time or even less if you choose an eSIM. You will receive instructions to visit a website, provide your details, prove your identity (online) and then insert your new SIM.
Note you will have a choice to migrate your existing mobile number or choose a new one. About 15 minutes later, you should be up and running. However, the documentation will indicate it may take up to 24 hours and be affected by working hours.
Best network coverage
Network coverage is one of the most important factors to consider when buying any phone plan. Low prices and all the data in the world don’t mean much if you can’t get a signal. Fortunately, Australia’s mobile phone network coverage is more competitive than ever because of the TPG Telecom and Optus partnership.
Telstra still boasts the broadest network coverage, reaching 99.7% of the Australian population. Optus and Vodafone aren’t far behind, covering 98.5% and 98.4% respectively. Optus expects to rapidly expand its 5G network, so expect plenty of competition in the next couple of years.
| Telco | Overall network coverage | 5G network coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Telstra | 99.7% | 95% |
| Telstra wholesale | 98.8% | 75% |
| Optus | 98.5% | 80.5% |
| Vodafone | 98.5% | Not advertised |
More important than percentages is whether your location has coverage. Recent changes to the rules governing coverage maps mean that all Australian telcos now use the same standardised definitions, which is aimed at making comparisons easier and more like-for-like. Here’s where you can find each of the major telcos’ network maps:
The best way to find out if a plan suits you is to try one for a month. Lock-in contracts are largely a thing of the past, so it’s easier than ever to try one provider and swap if it doesn’t work out.
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