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You can use our filters to customise and find the right plans in the table below. We show Finder partners (those with a green "Go to site" link) at the top of the table, and may receive money if you sign up via these links. However, prices are the same as signing up directly on the provider's site.
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SIM only plans cover your regular mobile talk, text and data needs, with no required handset repayments. These BYO phone plans come in every size and price range, meaning you can get something flexible that perfectly suits your needs, whatever they are.
Here are the main features of SIM only plans:
SIM only plans mostly come in prepaid or postpaid versions, explained in the next section.
Even though there are two types of SIM only plans – prepaid and postpaid – they both come as a standalone SIM card, with the main difference being whether you pay at the start or end of the month.
These are the two types of SIM only plans available:
Postpaid plans used to be seen as better value, but this gap has shrunk over time. According to the ACCC's Communications Market Report for 2019–2020, postpaid plans offer a little more value for more expensive mobile plans, while prepaid services offer slightly more value for cheaper plans, with both having similar value in the middle.
When comparing all the SIM only plans on the market, there are a couple of things that are important to consider to get the best plan for you.
SIM only plans are a convenient and cheap option for many people. Here's why you might benefit from swapping to a SIM only plan:
If you like the phone you currently have, SIM only plans are a cost-efficient choice.
SIM only plans are as varied and numerous as the companies selling them, but there are a few things you might expect when browsing through SIM only plans:
While there are plans that come with a contract – usually 12 months – make sure you're getting better value for your money before you sign up. Otherwise, it may not be worth it, since you're giving up the flexibility to switch to other plans that may suit you more.
With that in mind, here's how a Moose Mobile contract option compares to one of its similar monthly plans. Note that this is just one example from a particular mobile provider, so the savings might be more or less with other contract plans.
| Plan name | Monthly cost | Data allowance | Total cost over 12 months |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20GB 1 Month Plan | $23.80 | 20GB | $285.60 |
| 20GB 12 Month Plan | $22 | 20GB | $264 |
As you can see in the calculations above, signing up to a 12-month contract with Moose only saves you $21.60 a year. If you're usually the type to stick with the mobile plan you sign up for, this might be a little incentive for you to grab a contract since there is a bit of monetary savings involved.
But otherwise, think about whether saving around $20 a year is worth being forced to stay on one plan. Remember, this means if you decide you're not happy with the coverage you're getting and want to leave, you'll need to pay an exit fee if you're on a 12-month contract.
Other providers might not offer any dollar savings for signing up for a longer period, but instead give you more data. For example, Southern Phone's contract plans offer double or more data compared to its no-contract plans.
Yes, "unlimited" data mobile plans do exist, but there's a catch. Unlimited data mobile plans in Australia are marketed as plans with no excess data charges. Here's how most of them work:
Truly unlimited data at full speeds is yet to be introduced in Australia. So if you're after a SIM only plan that's as close to unlimited as there is, these plans with no excess data charges are as close as you'll get.
Alternatively, if you don't mind going the prepaid route, check out felix mobile. It offers an unlimited data subscription mobile plan, but is capped at 20Mbps from the get-go. Vodafone also has 1.5Mbps "unlimited" data on its prepaid mobile plans.
No singular provider can be crowned as the winner since it really depends on what you're after when you're looking for the best SIM only plan. That being said, we've looked into what the three major providers in Australia offer in terms of SIM only plans below.
Telstra is Australia's largest mobile provider, offering a huge range of SIM only plans.
Find out more about Telstra's prepaid plans here.
Optus has become the cheapest of the big three providers (also including Telstra and Vodafone) and has its own growing 5G network.
Find out more about Optus mobile plans here.
Vodafone has changed its plans around a lot in the past few years, but still maintains a strong range of SIM only offerings.
Find out more about Vodafone mobile plans here.
Depending on your plan, there are two options. The first is that you'll be able to use data as normal, but be charged extra for your excess data usage on your next bill. The second outcome is that you'll be able to continue browsing, but your download speed may be capped at a low value, making browsing and downloading extremely slow. This all depends on which plan and provider you're with.
To avoid these outcomes, you can either use your provider's app to track your usage or get a plan with bill-shock protection to protect you from excess charges.
SIM cards come in three sizes, with most providers these days selling "triple" SIMs that can be adjusted to whatever size your phone needs.
Always check what size SIM your phone accepts before buying a mobile plan, to make sure that you can get the right one.
You can get international roaming on most of Telstra’s postpaid mobile plans for just $10 a day.
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felix Mobile is now offering 20Mbps instead of 5Mbps on its unlimited mobile data plan. But is it actually a good deal?
Read more…Icons made by mavadee, Freepik & photo3idea_studio from www.flaticon.com
We've compared over 180 plans from nearly 30 providers to find the best SIM only plans for this month.
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I am interested in a sim only plan. I spent about 4 hours a day reading news and long form articles. Only reading, no videos or social media. How much GB will I need in a monthly plan?
Thank you.
Hi Michael,
Thanks for your message. Reading online doesnt take too much data compared to video calling, watching, net calling, sending pictures. Reading on articles is as low a requirement as net browsing. Somewhere between 2GB or 4GB would suffice but this will ultimately depend on your usage. What you can do is subscribe for the lowest data arrangement and see how it will reach you in numbered days and increase as you go along.
Hope this helps!
Best,
Nikki
Does SIM apply to mobile phones & does a 4G SIM plan cover my 3G mobile?
Hi John,
Thank you for getting in touch with Finder.
Yes. You can use a 4G SIM card in a 3G enabled phone, but you can not use 4G in it. To use 4G, You require a 4G enabled handset along with a 4G SIM. This is due to the reason that 3G phones work on WCDMA technology, which is different from LTE technology used for 4G connections.
I hope this helps.
Thank you and have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Jeni
I am looking for a best sim only plan for Sri lanka calls. Belong mobile was best, but not anymore as they removed Sri Lanka calls from their add-on since last week. I don’t need big data plan (happy with even 2GB). Please advice.
Hi Sam,
Thank you for getting in touch with Finder.
Sorry to hear that change with your current provider. Regarding your query on providers that offer international calls to Sri Lanka, you may consider Virgin, Lebara, Optus and Lycamobile. You may also check out this page to start comparing mobile plans with international calls.
I hope this helps.
Thank you and have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Jeni
Hi Sanjay,
Thanks for reaching out.
Basically, the mobile plans you can compare with cheap international calling (including India) are listed on this page. Local calls are usually unlimited, but for international calls, number minutes are generally capped. You can find that information in the description of the plans listed on the page. Once you’ve chosen your plan, you can go directly to the provider’s page and apply from there.
Hope this has helped.
Cheers,
May
I cannot receive Optus bills as normal automatic email attachments. I have asked five different Optus shops to set it up for me and they all said that I would receive a link. Result – no link or anything else received.
Hi Jeff,
Thank you for reaching out to finder.
You may log in to your online Optus account so you could opt in to receiving your bill via your email. If this does not work, calling the Optus customer support number would help so they could set it up directly for you. Hope this helps!
Cheers,
Reggie
Best mobile deal for international calls?
Hello Tapio,
Good day! Appreciate you contacting finder regarding your inquiry.
You have multiple options when it comes to mobile plans with international calling feature. Depending on your preference, you can check the page below and to look for the plan that’s right for you.
1. https://www.finder.com.au/best-mobile-plans-international-calling
Kindly review the call rates per network provider and ensure that the country you are going to call is included on the supported country list.
Hope this helps!
All the best,
Ron