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Best mobile plans for seniors
Find a cheap mobile plan for your needs, whether it’s a seniors discount with Telstra and Vodafone, or just a great deal with a smaller provider like ALDImobile or Southern Phone.
Top pick: Under $15
2GB
$10
per
month
Top pick: Under $20
30GB
$20
per
month
for the first 3 months
then 15GB for $20.
T&Cs apply. Order by 30.4.24
Top pick: Under $30
Exclusive
100GB
$20
per
month
for the first 3 months
then 100GB for $25.
T&Cs apply. Ends 29.4.24
While some of the major Australian telcos offer seniors-specific discounts, deals on regular mobile plans are very common. You might find you're better off with a normal plan than one designed for seniors.
The comparison table below shows some of the cheapest mobile plans on Finder that cost under $20 a month, including some yearly options which equate to under $20 a month.
Our team of mobile plan experts have compared over 300 mobile plans from 52 mobile providers in Australia. We've curated 5 top picks based on price, network and expert analysis. Not all mobile plans will suit your needs so make sure you compare your options before choosing the right one for you.
Best mobile plan for seniors under $15: Dodo $10
Best mobile plan for seniors under $20: Dodo $20
Best mobile plan for seniors under $30: Southern Phone Finder Exclusive
Best 365-day mobile plan for seniors: Catch Connect 60GB Finder Exclusive
Best mobile plan for seniors on the Telstra network: Belong 40GB
Best mobile plan with international calls: Southern Phone Finder Exclusive
Best mobile plan for customer satisfaction: amaysim 32GB Plan
Calls + texts: Unlimited standard national calls and texts
International inclusions: None
Total cost over first 12 months: $120
What we like about Dodo:
Great for those who don't need a lot of data - 2GB a month is enough for browsing, maps usage on-the-go and light video streaming, especially if you use your Wi-Fi connection when you're at home.
You can have your SIM delivered to your for free anywhere in Australia.
Watch out for:
Despite it being a postpaid plan, you actually have to pay for your plan at the start of each month.
To find the best mobile plan under $15, we looked at mobile plans on Finder that cost under $15 per month. We then gave each shortlisted plan a value score by assigning weights to a number of factors including cost per data over 12 months (including promotional offers), network coverage, international call inclusions, data rollover and Wi-Fi calling. Our top pick was chosen based on the plan with the highest value score from a Finder partner.
Calls + texts: Unlimited standard national calls and texts
International inclusions: None
Total cost over first 12 months: $240
What we like about Dodo:
Double data for the first 3 months to boost your value, with no excess charges if you go over your monthly data limit
Includes unlimited standard calls and texts in Australia
No lock-in contract
Watch out for:
Data reverts to 15GB a month after the first 3 months - this should be plenty for the average mobile user
We looked at mobile plans on Finder that cost under $20 per month. We then gave each shortlisted plan a value score by assigning weights to a number of factors including cost per data over 12 months (including promotional offers), network coverage, international call inclusions, data rollover and Wi-Fi calling. Our top pick was chosen based on the plan with the highest value score from a Finder partner.
Best mobile plan for seniors under $30: Southern Phone
Calls + texts: Unlimited standard national calls and texts
International inclusions: $50 international call credit
Total cost over first 12 months: $285
What we like about Southern Phone:
It's one of the cheapest plans on Finder for how much data you get. Even after the discount runs out, the price remains strong.
You get unlimited calls and texts to standard local numbers and $50 credit for international calls.
There's no lock-in contract so you can leave whenever you want.
Watch out for:
The price reverts to $25 a month after 3 months.
We compared mobile plans on Finder that cost under $30 per month. We then gave each shortlisted plan a value score by assigning weights to a number of factors including cost per data over 12 months (including promotional offers), network coverage, international call inclusions, data rollover and Wi-Fi calling. Our top pick was chosen based on the plan with the highest value score from a Finder partner.
Calls + texts: Unlimited standard national calls and texts
International inclusions: None
Total cost over first 12 months: $99
What we like about Catch:
One of the only 365-plans in Australia that cost under $100 for the first year
Includes unlimited standard calls and texts in Australia
Watch out for:
Price reverts to $120 after your first year, but there's no lock-in contract so you can switch at any time
Automatic recharges are turned on by default so you'll need to opt out in your account dashboard if you don't want your plan to renew automatically for the next year
We compared prepaid mobile plans on Finder that cost under $100. We then gave each plan a value score by assigning weights to a number of factors including cost per data over 12 months (including promotional offers), network coverage, international call inclusions, data rollover and Wi-Fi calling. Our top pick was chosen based on the plan with the highest value score from a Finder partner.
Best mobile plan for seniors on the Telstra network: Belong
Calls + texts: Unlimited standard national calls and texts
International inclusions: None
Total cost over first 12 months: $420
What we like about Belong:
It offers unlimited data banking which is great if you don't want any unused data to go to waste.
There are no excess data charges meaning once you've gone through your monthly data allowance, your speeds will be slowed down to 1Mbps until your next recharge.
You can add-on unlimited international calls and texts to 30 selected countries for an additional $5 a month.
Watch out for:
4G and 5G download speeds are capped at 150Mbps but this is still fast enough for most online activities such as streaming.
We looked at mobile plans on Finder that cost under $30 per month and run on the Telstra wholesale and full network. We gave each plan a value score by assigning weights to a number of factors including cost per data over 12 months (including promotional offers), international call inclusions, data rollover and Wi-Fi calling. Our top pick was chosen based on the plan with the highest value score from a Finder partner.
Best mobile plan with international calls: Southern Phone
Calls + texts: Unlimited standard national calls and texts
International inclusions: $50 international call credit
Total cost over first 12 months: $285
What we like about Southern Phone:
You get a whopping 100GB for just $20 a month for the first 3 months. The price reverts to $25 a month after but it's still really good value for money.
It offers $50 credit to make international calls.
You will have access to an Australia-based customer support team.
The plan is carbon neutral at no extra cost.
Watch out for:
You will get limited extra features on this plan, but if you want a good amount of data at a low cost and not much else, this won't be an issue.
We looked at mobile plans on Finder that cost under $35 per month and offer international calls and texts for free. We gave each plan a value score by assigning weights to a number of factors including cost per data over 12 months (including promotional offers), data rollover and Wi-Fi calling. Our top pick was chosen based on the plan with the highest value score from a Finder partner.
Best mobile plan for customer satisfaction: amaysim
Unlimited data banking so you can save up any unused data to use later
Watch out for:
4G and 5G speeds capped to 100Mbps
Plan reverts to 32GB for $30 after the first 3 recharges
To pick the best plan, we chose the best value plan under $35 from the winner of the 2023 Finder Awards for Best Rated Mobile Provider. We used our internal ranking system to evaluate this plan.
How to find the best mobile plan for seniors
If you're feeling overwhelmed with choices, you're not alone. With over 300 plans to choose from, it can be tough trying to decide which one is best for you.
To help you find the right one, consider these 4 things when choosing a new mobile plan:
How much are you willing to pay? There are plenty of options for different price ranges starting as low as $5. Make sure you compare your options before deciding on 1.
Do you need extra features? While some plans come with features such as data-free streaming and data rollover, consider whether you'll actually use these. Plans with fewer bonus features will usually still offer unlimited national calls and texts, with better value for data if you need it.
How much data do you need? If you don't use your phone a lot, or you're only occasionally using the "Find My Phone" or weather app, you'll likely only need as little as 1–2GB of data a month. If you don't have a smartphone, you won't need any data at all.
Are you willing to sign up long term to save?Long expiry options exist which can give you enough features to last 6–12 months. This means you won't need to top up your plan every month, as long as you haven't run out before the expiry period. These plans are usually better value over time compared to month-to-month plans since you're paying upfront for a longer period of usage.
Telstra mobile plans for seniors
Telstra seniors discount: If you have a valid Health Care Card, Pensioner Concession Card or Department of Veterans' Affairs card, Telstra offers a $19 a month discount on its Starter mobile plan. This Telstra Starter mobile plan costs $31 a month for 2GB of data.
The 4G Telstra mobile network covers 99.5% of the Australian population. Its plans also include:
No lock-in contract
Unlimited standard national calls and texts in Australia
No excess data charges, but if you go over the data limit, your speed will be slowed to 1.5Mbps. At this speed, you'll only be able to stream standard definition video, listen to music, browse the web and access social media
Vodafone seniors discount: Vodafone offers seniors card holders 10% off monthly plan fees on its Infinite Plans and Infinite Data Plans.
Vodafone's mobile network reaches 96% of Australians. Vodafone's SIM Only plans come with:
No excess data charges, you can keep using your phone, but your speed will be slowed
Unlimited standard international texts
No limits on the number of calls to standard numbers and texts in Australia
Cheapest Vodafone mobile plan for seniors:
There's a couple options for a cheap seniors Vodafone plan. You can either take advantage of the 10% discount and get Vodafone's Small Infinite plan for $36 instead of $40, or go for its cheapest prepaid plan which costs less than that.
Optus doesn't offer specific mobile plans for seniors, but does have a regular range of prepaid plans for you to choose from. The 4G Optus mobile network covers 98.5% of Australians. Most of its prepaid plans come with:
Unlimited standard national calls and texts in Australia
Included minutes to call to selected countries
Rollover of up to 200GB of unused data, which means you can move any data you don't use by the expiry date to the next 28 days.
There are no mobile plans for seniors on ALDImobile, but it still offers some cheap options. Its prepaid mobile plans run on the wholesale Telstra mobile network, which covers 98.8% of the population in Australia. ALDImobile's plans come with:
Unlimited standard calls and SMS to Australian numbers
5G on selected plans
Unlimited data rollover
Unlimited calls and texts to 20 selected countries on some plans
While there are no seniors plans for TPG, its plans still offer great value for money, especially for the first 6 months with prices being discounted by 50%.
TPG plans run on the Vodafone mobile network, which covers 96% of Ausralians and come with:
Unlimited talk and text to Australian standard numbers
Southern Phone seniors discount: None, but offers a seniors-friendly mobile phone.
Southern Phone doesn't offer mobile plans for seniors, but it does offer a mobile phone that's specifically aimed at seniors and easy to use, the Swissvoice C50s. You can bundle the Swissvoice C50s with a Southern Phone SIM Only plan of your choice. These plans come with:
Unlimited calls and texts in Australia
At least $50 call credit for standard international calls
No lock-in contract
Runs on the Optus network, accessible to 98.5% of Australians
How we researched the best mobile plans for seniors
We looked at SIM-only plans in our database designed for personal use.
Other selection criteria to narrow down our shortlist included looking at active Finder partners across the categories which allowed for this.
Promotional discounts were also taken into account during scoring.
Best mobile plans for seniors categories
Each month, we select the best plans across 7 categories.
Best mobile plan under $15: Based on our internal value scoring system, limiting results to plans equal to or under $15.
Best mobile plan under $20: Based on our internal value scoring system, limiting results to plans equal to or under $20.
Best mobile plan under $30: Based on our internal value scoring system, limiting results to plans equal to or under $30.
Best 365-day mobile plan: Based on our internal value scoring system, limiting results to plans equal to or under $100 with an expiry of 12-months or 365-days.
Best mobile plan on the Telstra network: Based on our internal value scoring system, limiting results to plans on the full or wholesale Telstra network and cost equal to or under $35.
Best mobile plan with international calls: Based on our internal value scoring system, limiting results to plans equal to or under $35 with included international calls or credit.
Best mobile plan for satisfaction: Based on the winner of the 2023 Finder Award for Best Rated Mobile Provider and our internal value scoring system, limiting results to mobile plans equal to or under $35.
How does Finder's value scoring system work?
For certain categories, we use a value scoring system to choose the best SIM-only plan by scoring the following factors:
Cost per gigabyte. This is calculated by taking the price of the plan over 12 months divided by the amount of data (GB).
Network coverage. We awarded scores depending on how wide the network coverage is across Australia.
Data rollover. We weight providers that offer data rollover higher than those that don't have this feature.
International calls. This includes those that offer unlimited calls or credit/minutes for international purposes.
Wi-Fi calling. We weight providers that offer Wi-Fi calling higher than those that don't have this feature.
We then assign a weight to each of the factors in order to calculate a value score. Price and data are given the highest weighting.
Mark Neilsen is a writer at Finder, specialising in streaming, broadband and mobile. He looks for deals on all those services and keeps you abreast of any changes to see what's worth it for you. He has over 20 years' experience in print and digital media and while at Finder, Mark’s expertise has been featured in Yahoo Finance, The New Daily, Ad News, Tech Guide and news.com.au. In his time at Finder he has done over 300 articles on streaming, mobile and broadband. In his time away from Finder he is trying to get through the watchlists of the 11 streaming services he is currently subscribed to.
Hi Catherine, it’s rare that a provider offers Paypal as a method of payment. You can check here which places offer you to pay via Paypal https://www.paypal.com/au/webapps/mpp/shop-with-paypal. Telstra used to but it may have gotten rid of the option. It’s best to verify with the provider directly before signing up.
The plans that are offered to Seniors are of different categories. You may want to check first how to maximize the value of the plan you wish to take based on how you would be using it. Will you be using it more on data? Text and calls perhaps? Please include these factors when choosing a plan that suits your needs. As per the Iphone, Depending on your budget, you may want to check the newest flagship of Apple which is the iPhone X. But if you are not into getting the newest version, most of the older iPhones have most of the features present in the new flagship. Hope this helps!
We have outlined everything you need to know in our article above. If your friend is careful with her money or surviving only on a pension, she does not have the money to splash around on high-end mobile plans. For her, a mobile phone is a calling tool first and foremost, with a strong focus on a lower overall cost of usage. She can check out Amaysim As You Go or ALDImobile PAYG
You can also check out our list of mobile plans so you can personalize your search. Once you have chosen a particular plan, you may then click on the “Go to site” button and you will be redirected to the provider’s website where you can proceed with your application or get in touch with their representatives for further assistance.
I am just on 64, almost retired & have a 2G mobile phone . I’ve received emails & texts saying that I have to upgrade to a 3G or 4G mobile phone by August 1st. I don’t use the phone very much. I usually get $30 Virgin credit & it lasts me for about 6 months. I would like to get a replacement (probably 4G) mobile with similar conditions. Can you advise a phone & will it still be possible to get the $30 credit so that I only get charged on the calls or texts that I make?
Please be advised that you have reached finder and we provide generic advice.
Whether buying it outright or checking your telco provider if they offer this on a cheap mobile plan is your choice. Getting into a plan may give you bigger calls and texts value, not to mention, you may qualify for some Senior’s Discount! :)
Good Luck with your choice! I know you want this to keep connected to your loved ones.
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I want to know which providers allow you to pay with Paypal?
Hi Catherine, it’s rare that a provider offers Paypal as a method of payment. You can check here which places offer you to pay via Paypal https://www.paypal.com/au/webapps/mpp/shop-with-paypal. Telstra used to but it may have gotten rid of the option. It’s best to verify with the provider directly before signing up.
what plan and Iphone would you recommend for my 83 yr old dad
Hi Luffy,
Thank you for leaving a question.
The plans that are offered to Seniors are of different categories. You may want to check first how to maximize the value of the plan you wish to take based on how you would be using it. Will you be using it more on data? Text and calls perhaps? Please include these factors when choosing a plan that suits your needs. As per the Iphone, Depending on your budget, you may want to check the newest flagship of Apple which is the iPhone X. But if you are not into getting the newest version, most of the older iPhones have most of the features present in the new flagship. Hope this helps!
Cheers,
Reggie
I have a 94yo friend and want to get her a very cheap (no data or internet) phone with large numbers – where can I find a comparison?
Hi Maggie,
Thanks for leaving a question on Finder.
We have outlined everything you need to know in our article above. If your friend is careful with her money or surviving only on a pension, she does not have the money to splash around on high-end mobile plans. For her, a mobile phone is a calling tool first and foremost, with a strong focus on a lower overall cost of usage. She can check out Amaysim As You Go or ALDImobile PAYG
You can also check out our list of mobile plans so you can personalize your search. Once you have chosen a particular plan, you may then click on the “Go to site” button and you will be redirected to the provider’s website where you can proceed with your application or get in touch with their representatives for further assistance.
Cheers,
Joel
I am just on 64, almost retired & have a 2G mobile phone . I’ve received emails & texts saying that I have to upgrade to a 3G or 4G mobile phone by August 1st. I don’t use the phone very much. I usually get $30 Virgin credit & it lasts me for about 6 months. I would like to get a replacement (probably 4G) mobile with similar conditions. Can you advise a phone & will it still be possible to get the $30 credit so that I only get charged on the calls or texts that I make?
Regards
Ray
Hello Ray!
Thanks for the comment. :)
Please be advised that you have reached finder and we provide generic advice.
Whether buying it outright or checking your telco provider if they offer this on a cheap mobile plan is your choice. Getting into a plan may give you bigger calls and texts value, not to mention, you may qualify for some Senior’s Discount! :)
Good Luck with your choice! I know you want this to keep connected to your loved ones.
Hope this helps.
Cheers,
Jonathan
I am about to transfer my number to another person and need a new number. Am I able to have a choice of numbers and pick a favorite?
Hi Julia,
Thank you for your inquiry.
There are providers that will let you choose a mobile number. In order to request this, please contact your chosen mobile plan provider directly.
Cheers,
May