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.
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, Optus SIM-only plans, and offerings from Boost Mobile.
Contents
- Cheapest SIM plans
- Cheapest 5G SIM plans
- Cheapest 365-day SIM plans
- What you need to know: eSIM, prepaid, postpaid
- Phone number portability
Cheapest SIM plans
Postpaid
This month, Dodo, an MVNO operating on the Optus network, is the cheapest postpaid SIM plan, at just $10.
It’s best suited to infrequent internet users though, due to only including 2GB of data per recharge. Spintel, another Optus MVNO, currently has a deal on its 25GB plan, priced at a decent $14 per month for the first six months.
Kogan continues to be one of the cheapest SIM plan providers outside of discounts. Using Vodafone’s 4G network, Kogan’s Small Monthly Plan costs $15 a month in exchange for 10GB of data. If you want to try it out, the first month costs only $7 if you sign up soon.
If you prefer the Telstra network, your cheapest postpaid SIM plan starts at $22 via Numobile or Tangerine with 12GB of data. Both providers only use parts of Telstra’s network, so check the coverage map to ensure you’re covered.
Prepaid
TPG offers the current cheapest prepaid SIM plan, starting at a promotional price of $12.50 per month. Its plans use Vodafone’s 4G network, and are half-price for the first six months. Normally $25, the $12.50 offer includes 25GB of data.
Many prepaid plans operate on a 28-day recharge cycle, so you get slightly less use than most postpaid plans. TPG is an exception with its monthly expiry cycle, another advantage it has over competitors. You can also pay an extra $5 for unlimited international calls to 37 countries including New Zealand and the UK.
Yomojo (Optus), Exetel (Telstra), and Lycamobile (Vodafone, formerly Telstra) all sit under $20. However, Lycamobile has a 28-day expiry compared to the others’ 30-day window.
Cheapest 5G SIM plans
As 5G rolls out to more parts of Australia, and compatible phones become cheaper, it’s easy to take advantage of higher download speeds. 5G SIM plans cost more, so are better suited to users who need the extra speed or perhaps don’t have reliable NBN connections.
Postpaid
A regular among the cheapest 5G SIM plans, Moose Mobile (Optus) starts at $19.80 per month for the first six months. With 25GB of data included, its regular price of $24.80 isn’t too shabby either. Southern Phone, also on the Optus network, is right alongside thanks to its $19 monthly offer.
Keep in mind that download speeds with Moose are capped at 100Mbps, which is still fast enough for high-quality streaming and more. Its 200GB plan, is the telco’s only uncapped speed tier.
Your cheapest postpaid 5G SIM plan on the Telstra network comes from Belong. At a monthly price of $30, Belong’s 25GB plan provides speeds of up to 150Mbps, faster than most low-cost 5G plans.
Cheap 5G postpaid plans on the Vodafone network are few and far between, unfortunately. Its cheapest 5G SIM plan comes directly from the telco, costing $49 and including 50GB. Both Telstra and Optus MVNOs offer more data at cheaper rates as far as postpaid SIM plans are concerned. If you do opt for the Vodafone plan, however, you do get a three-month subscription to Binge.
Prepaid
Most of the cheapest prepaid 5G SIM plans are starter packs that then cost full price after the first recharge. Amaysim currently leads the way with its $10 Unlimited 32GB plan starter pack, down from $30. For a limited time, it comes with 50GB of data. The first recharge only costs $10, with the regular $30 pricing kicking in afterwards. After the bonus data ends following the first three recharges, Amaysim’s plan includes 32GB.
At the time of writing, Boost Mobile, now offering eSIM plans, has a $20 starter pack, down from $25, that comes with 45GB of data. While most MVNOs only offer partial access to a provider’s network, Boost is the only one with full Telstra network access, meaning it provides more comprehensive coverage than others.
Outside of starter packs, Felix (Vodafone) recently started offering 5G SIM plans. You can get 50% off for the first 3 months, bringing its 25GB plan down to $12.50.
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.
Catch Connect (Optus 4G) currently has the cheapest long-expiry SIM plan; its 120GB product costs $109. Kogan (Vodafone 4G) is close behind, charging $120 for a long-expiry 365-day SIM plan. For the first year, Kogan includes 120GB of data, dropping back down to 80GB for future recharges.
Want a long-expiry plan that uses Telstra’s network? Prepare to pay for the privilege. Boost Mobile’s 170GB plan costs $230. It’s still much cheaper than Telstra’s own 365-day SIM plan, costing $320 for 230GB, which drops down to 165GB after the first renewal.
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 to 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.
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