Cheap mobile plans in Australia

With plans from under $20 a month, what's not to love?

1 - 10 of 207
Name Product AUFMP-SIM Data Price Apply Price
  • Unlimited national calls & texts
  • Vodafone 4G network
25GB
$12.50
per month
Go to site
View details
TPG Small
$12.50/mth for the first 6 months, then $25/mth. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply.
  • Unlimited standard national calls & texts
25 GB
Data
$12.50
per month
  • Unlimited national calls & texts
  • Vodafone 4G network
25GB
$12.50
per month
Go to site
View details
iiNet Small Plan
$12.50/mth for the first 6 months, then $25/mth. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply.
  • Unlimited standard national calls & texts
25 GB
Data
$12.50
per month
  • Unlimited national calls & texts
  • Optus 4G/5G network
80GB
$19
per month
Go to site
View details
Southern Phone Finder Exclusive
Exclusive
*$19/mth for the first 6 months, then $34/mth. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply. Ends 15.4.25
  • Unlimited standard national calls & texts
80 GB
Data
$19
per month
Optus Flex Plus $12
PrepaidNo lock-in contract
5GB on first 3 recharges, then 3GB/recharge. T&Cs apply.
Optus Flex Plus $12
Prepaid
5GB on first 3 recharges, then 3GB/recharge. T&Cs apply.
  • Unlimited national calls & texts
  • Optus 4G/5G network
5GB
$12
per 7 day recharge
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View details
Optus Flex Plus $12
5GB on first 3 recharges, then 3GB/recharge. T&Cs apply.
  • Unlimited standard national calls & texts
5 GB
Data
$12
per 7 days expiry
felix Subscription 25GB
SubscriptionNo lock-in contract
$12.50/mth for the first 3 months, then $25/mth. Use promo code FELIX50. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply.
felix Subscription 25GB
Subscription
$12.50/mth for the first 3 months, then $25/mth. Use promo code FELIX50. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply.
  • Unlimited national calls & texts
  • Vodafone 4G/5G network
25GB
No excess data charges
$12.50
per month
Go to site
View details
felix Subscription 25GB
GREEN COMPANY
$12.50/mth for the first 3 months, then $25/mth. Use promo code FELIX50. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply.
  • Unlimited standard national calls & texts
25 GB
Data
$12.50
per month
Southern Phone Small
PostpaidNo lock-in contract
$14/mth for the first 6 months, then $24/mth. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply. Ends 15.4.25
Southern Phone Small
Postpaid
$14/mth for the first 6 months, then $24/mth. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply. Ends 15.4.25
  • Unlimited national calls & texts
  • Optus 4G/5G network
20GB
$14
per month
Go to site
View details
Southern Phone Small
$14/mth for the first 6 months, then $24/mth. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply. Ends 15.4.25
  • Unlimited standard national calls & texts
20 GB
Data
$14
per month
Dodo $28
PostpaidNo lock-in contract
$14/mth for the first 3 months, then $28/mth. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply. Order by 25.2.25
Dodo $28
Postpaid
$14/mth for the first 3 months, then $28/mth. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply. Order by 25.2.25
  • Unlimited national calls & texts
  • Optus 4G network
30GB
No excess data charges
$14
per month
Go to site
View details
Dodo $28
$14/mth for the first 3 months, then $28/mth. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply. Order by 25.2.25
  • Unlimited standard national calls & texts
30 GB
Data
$14
per month
Tangerine 25GB 5G SIM
PostpaidNo lock-in contract
$14.50/mth for the first 4 months, then $29/mth. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply. Ends 28.2.25
Tangerine 25GB 5G SIM
Postpaid
$14.50/mth for the first 4 months, then $29/mth. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply. Ends 28.2.25
  • Unlimited national calls & texts
  • Wholesale Telstra 4G/5G network
25GB
$14.50
per month
Go to site
View details
Tangerine 25GB 5G SIM
$14.50/mth for the first 4 months, then $29/mth. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply. Ends 28.2.25
  • Unlimited standard national calls & texts
25 GB
Data
$14.50
per month
felix Subscription 50GB
SubscriptionNo lock-in contract
$15/mth for the first 3 months, then $30/mth. Use promo code FELIX50. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply.
felix Subscription 50GB
Subscription
$15/mth for the first 3 months, then $30/mth. Use promo code FELIX50. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply.
  • Unlimited national calls & texts
  • Vodafone 4G/5G network
50GB
No excess data charges
$15
per month
Go to site
View details
felix Subscription 50GB
GREEN COMPANY
$15/mth for the first 3 months, then $30/mth. Use promo code FELIX50. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply.
  • Unlimited standard national calls & texts
50 GB
Data
$15
per month
Dodo $33
PostpaidNo lock-in contract
$16.50/mth for the first 3 months, then $33/mth. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply. Order by 25.2.25
Dodo $33
Postpaid
$16.50/mth for the first 3 months, then $33/mth. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply. Order by 25.2.25
  • Unlimited national calls & texts
  • Optus 4G/5G network
40GB
No excess data charges
$16.50
per month
Go to site
View details
Dodo $33
$16.50/mth for the first 3 months, then $33/mth. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply. Order by 25.2.25
  • Unlimited standard national calls & texts
40 GB
Data
$16.50
per month
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Pros and cons of cheap mobile plans

Beyond spending less (duh!), consider these aspects:

Pros

  • Flexibility. Most cheap mobile plans are contract-free. If you're unhappy with the service, you can simply switch to another cheap provider.
  • Big range of providers. While we're all familiar with Telstra, Optus and Vodafone, there are plenty of other smaller providers that share the same networks but at a fraction of the price.
  • Bundles. You have the option with some providers to save an additional $5–$10 when you bundle with an energy or Internet plan.

Cons

  • Promotional prices. Great for the first 6 months, but remember they'll revert to the full price after that.
  • Less data. You can't expect to pay low prices and get loads of data.
  • Fewer call inclusions. Australian calls and texts might not be unlimited and international calls may not be included at all.
  • SIM only. If you want to purchase a device with your phone plan, you will need to look at more expensive plans on contracts.

Comparing cheap mobile phone plans

Price matters, but that doesn't mean you need to skimp. There are 2 main factors to consider when picking the best cheap mobile plan for your needs:

  1. Data
  2. Consider how much data you use. You won't find many plans with unlimited data under $20 but you can definitely find plans offering between 10GB and 20GB a month. No matter how much data you're after, a good benchmark for value is to get at least 1GB or more for every $1 you spend.

  3. Promotional periods

Many providers offer extra data and a lower price for the first 3-6 months. To maximise savings, switch to a different plan once the promotional period ends.

Cheap mobile plans: Key things to check

Really cheap phone plans tend to cut corners. That's fine as long as you find a plan that cuts corners that don't matter to you. Here are the key ones to look out for.

calendar icon

Expiry

Many cheap phone plans are prepaid plans with weird expiry periods. These can be as short as 5–7 days, which is a dodgy way to trick you. Be careful with plans that costs $1 or $2. We don't list this kind of slop on our tables, but you might find it out there.

sim card with plus sign logo

Calls and texts

Most phone plans, even cheap ones, include unlimited calls and texts. But there are some plans that bill you extra, like the $4 a month Flip plan. It's a good idea to avoid these by paying just a couple of bucks more for an unlimited talk and text plan.

phone with rollover symbol

Data rollover

Some cheap mobile plans offer data rollove,r which is great if you don't use up all your data. Just keep in mind that you need to recharge your plan on time for the rollover to take effect.

phone with 2 opposite arrows

Data limit

On many cheaper prepaid plans, it's game over once you hit your data limit. You'll need to recharge for more data. If you plan to use lots of data, you might be better off on a slightly more expensive plan with more monthly data to be safe. On cheap postpaid plans, you could be hit with excess data fees, such as $10 for every 1GB you go over.

map of australia

Coverage

Most cheap phone plans are sold by Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs). Basically they're resellers of Telstra, Optus or Vodafone's networks. Before signing up, check which network you'll be on.

  • Telstra MVNOs (except for Boost) only get access to part of the network, which covers 98.8% of Australians.
  • Optus MVNOs get full access to the network, covering 98.5% of the population.
  • Vodafone MVNOs get full access to the network, which covers 96% of Australians.

Are smaller networks with cheap plans worth it?

Small phone plan providers are fine, and there's no real catch. Most of them are resellers of a bigger network, but are still very legit businesses. There are a few cowboys out there, but any of the providers on our comparison tables are the real deal.

Because they use the phone networks of the 3 big telcos, MVNOs are able to offer much cheaper plans. They're not paying to maintain the cell towers and other infrastructure, so their overheads are low and they can pass the savings on to you.

The main difference you may find with a mobile plan from an MVNO compared to 1 of the 3 major providers – Telstra, Optus and Vodafone – is that their plans may have fewer bonus features than the bigger players - stuff like getting Optus Sport at a discount, for example.

Which types of mobile plans are the cheapest?

Some of the cheapest plans are those with fewer inclusions targeted at people who don't need very much data (or none) at all or will rarely use their phones. If that sounds like you, a pay-as-you-go mobile plan might be right for you.

If you want to pay upfront (and save money in the long run), a long-expiry plan with inclusions that don't expire until 3–12 months might be better.

Frequently asked questions

Angus Kidman's headshot
To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Angus Kidman as part of our fact-checking process.
Mariam Gabaji's headshot
Written by

Utilities Editor & Tech Expert

Mariam Gabaji is a journalist with 13 years of experience, specialising in consumer topics like mobile services and energy costs. Her work appears in the ABC, Yahoo Finance, 9News, The Guardian, SBS, 7News, A Current Affair and Money Magazine. Mariam holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and was a finalist for the 2024 IT Journalism Award for Best Telecommunications Journalist. See full bio

Mariam's expertise
Mariam has written 316 Finder guides across topics including:
  • Energy
  • Mobile
  • Broadband
  • Consumer tech

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