Why compare mobile plans with Finder?
We don't charge extra. Prices shown on Finder are the same as those you get directly from mobile plan providers.
We regularly work with providers to deliver amazing exclusive offers you won't find anywhere else.
We have a team dedicated to monitoring mobile plan prices and keeping deals updated daily.
While there isn't a singular prepaid plan that will be the best for everyone, we've done our best to help you filter out the noise. Our team of experts spends the first week of each month crunching the latest mobile deals to find the best value plans over various categories to suit your needs.
For May 2024, the best value prepaid plans are:
How we chose the best prepaid plans
We've calculated potential savings over a 12-month period by comparing the price difference between the cheapest and most expensive prepaid plans on Finder (as of May 2024).
We looked at 5 common monthly data limits and found the average savings to be $273.96. Here's the full list of savings for each data allowance:
Expert tip: Besides price and data, consider which expiry period works best for you. While month-to-month plans offer flexibility, long expiry prepaid plans are a great way to save if you're comfortable with sticking to a set amount of inclusions for a year.
Mariam Gabaji
Utilities editor
Prepaid plans are fuss-free, with most of them offering unlimited calls and texts with a monthly data allowance.
The main caveat is if you use up your data before the end of the expiry period, you'll need to pay for an additional recharge to get back online.
This might mean you end up spending more for on your mobile bills than you would on a postpaid plan or one with a higher data limit.
Other pros and cons include:
Prepaid plans used to be those plans where you'd run out of credit and have to line up at Woolworths to get it recharged. They're much easier these days - I have a prepaid plan that I essentially set and forget thanks to auto-recharges being enabled. My plan automatically renews itself after each expiry period so I don't have to worry about it.— Michelle Kwong, Publisher (Mobile & Broadband)
The gap between prepaid and postpaid mobile plans is getting smaller but prepaid plans come out to be cheaper overall. Postpaid plans have become slightly more expensive but you’re also getting more data in return.
According to the 2022-23 ACCC Communications market report, the median monthly retail prices across both prepaid and postpaid plans has remained at a flat $35 for the last 3 years.
Prepaid plans are simple to use. There are no lock-in contracts so you have heaps of flexibility if your mobile plan happen to change through the year. If you aren't happy with your service, you can easily switch to a new provider while keeping your existing phone number.
Compare and choose a plan. Decide how much data you need, what price you're willing to pay and if you need any additional features. Once you've found a plan that meets your criteria you'll just need to pay upfront.
Use your plan. You can keep making calls and using data until your inclusions run out or your plan expires.
Recharge. Also called a renewal or "top-up". You can choose the same amount of data as you had last time or choose another option depending on what you think you'll use.
Recharges or renewals allow you to resume the same plan once the expiry period ends.
If you're happy with your prepaid plan and the amount of data you have, you may be able to set up an auto-recharge with your chosen provider.
Your provider will automatically renew your plan for you when you run out of data. This saves you from having to remember to top up each month, although you'll need to be careful not to run out of inclusions too early.
Just keep in mind that some providers have auto-renewal set up as a default. You'll need to use the app or online portal to disable this.
There are 3 main types of prepaid plans you can choose from:
Outside of calls, texts and data there are a few other features to keep an eye out for when comparing prepaid plans:
Some providers allow data rollover or data banking so you can keep any data you didn't use after your plan expires. This is a great way to get the most value out of your plan.
Some prepaid calls include unlimited international calls or a limited amount of international call credit. Calls are generally limited to lists of certain countries (this varies by provider). Great for users with family and friends overseas with limited other ways to connect.
A few providers such as felix and Vodafone offer "endless" or "infinite" data on some prepaid plans. In felix's case you get unlimited data capped at a speed of 20Mbps while with Vodafone you get infinite data at speeds of up to 1.5Mbps once you use up your original data allowance (similar to a postpaid plan).
Not only are eSIMs environmentally friendly, they're also very convenient. With this option, you can switch to your new provider in just a few minutes. No need to visit a store or wait for your SIM to arrive in the mail.
Rarer still is the option to gift your data. Great for families, this option allows you to distribute data from one user to another. It's similar to family sharing on some postpaid plans.
Some other useful things to consider when looking for a prepaid plan include:
Choose between Telstra, Optus and Vodafone in Australia. Coverage varies between all 3, with Telstra offering the widest network and Vodafone the smallest.
Smaller providers (known as MVNOs) will often offer coverage from 1 of the big 3 providers at cheaper rates.
How much data do you actually need? Don't pay too much for data you're not going to use. Check or estimate your mobile data usage before choosing a new plan.
Once you've considered all these factors, use our comparison table to find the best prepaid plan that fits your needs.
The best provider will depend on exactly what you're after, how much you're willing to pay and which network you'd prefer.
We've chosen some of the bigger names from what's available to give you an idea of what your prepaid mobile plan could be.
The biggest reason to opt for Telstra is for access to the widest mobile coverage in Australia, reaching 99.5% of the population.
You might not notice the difference if you live in a metropolitan area, but customers in regional or rural dwellings are more likely to appreciate its reach.
By signing up with Telstra, you can expect:
Optus, the second-biggest network provider in Australia, is hot on Telstra's heels for coverage and value. It reaches 98.5% of the population and offers slightly cheaper prices.
By signing up with Optus, you can expect:
Vodafone may not be on par with Telstra or Optus in terms of coverage, but it does offer budget-friendly plans that won't make you sigh over your mobile bills throughout the year.
By signing up with Vodafone, you can expect:
TPG, which runs on the Vodafone network, isn't known for flashy extras like the bigger telcos, but it offers great value.
By signing up with TPG, you can expect:
Winner of our 2023 Finder Award for Best Prepaid Provider (Value), amaysim has garnered a strong reputation for offering simple plans with heaps of data to keep you satisfied.
By signing up with amaysim, you can expect:
Boost gives you full access to Telstra's 4G network without the premium price tag.
By signing up with Boost, you can expect:
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I’m looking for a prepaid sim that uses Telstra 4g as that’s what works the best in our location. I also want a plan that rolls over the left over data. I came across a company called ‘Belong’ that has a good plan but they don’t seem to get any good reviews. Any recommendations about them or other companies would like at least 5gb and max $30 per mths. thanks for your help :)
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for getting in touch with Finder.
A data rollover is treated slightly different depending on your carrier, but at the time of writing, Optus, Virgin, Telstra, and Vodafone all have rollover provisions that work slightly differently depending on which network you’re actually using.
Regarding Belong, it was founded back in 2013 with the aim of disrupting the Australian broadband market with value-priced ADSL and NBN plans. It later branched out in October 2017 by adding SIM-only mobile phone plans to its repertoire. Operating on parts of Telstra’s 4G and 3G networks, these plans are targeted squarely at heavy data users, packing plenty of GBs at the expense of only being able to receive phone calls by default. To make outgoing calls, you’ll need to purchase a separate call pack add-on.
Belong’s mobile plans are strictly SIM-only, post-paid affairs, with minimal options for customisation. They all come with a no lock-in, month-to-month contract giving you the freedom to cancel at any time without having to pay any termination fees.
I may not be able to give you specific recommendations, but you can use the table found on this page. Use our filters to narrow down your choices and specify which provider you want to show up.
I hope this helps. Should you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach us out again.
Have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Joshua
Thanks Joshua we have decided to give Belong a go but my only concerns are the claim that they only operate on Parts of Telstra 4g & 3g! if they’re not totally using the Telstra lines whos else are they using or am i understanding it wrong? We have signal issues where we live and only seem to get Telstra here.
thanks Lisa
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for your reply.
“Parts of Telstra’s 4G or 3G” means that Belong is using some of the available technology created by Telstra. According to our page, Belong only uses Telstra’s network. So, if your area has Telstra’s network, then you can expect that your phone will receive a signal. If there’s none, then you won’t be able to use your phone’s data.
I hope this helps. Should you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach us out again.
Have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Joshua
hi im looking for a prepaid phone company (just simcard) that has unlimited international calls and text to USA
Hi Ricardo,
Thanks for getting in touch with Finder.
Please refer to our comparison table to find the right sim-only plan for you. You can use our search filters and comparison table to help narrow down your options.
On that page, you will find that Lebara and Lycamobile provides unlimited calls and texts to the US.
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 hope this helps. Should you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out again.
Have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Joshua
heard that reception from KOGAN mobiles are just 3G
Hello Jamnadas Polra,
Thank you for your inquiry.
With regard to Kogan’s reception or speed, the Kogan Mobile network uses a mix of 4G (LTE), 3G+, and 3G coverage to carry data, calls, and messages to and from your mobile device. The main difference between them is the speed at which data is transferred.
4G is the fourth generation of mobile network technology and has been built for the internet. That means surfing, downloading, video streaming, and gaming will be faster than when you’re on 3G+ or 3G.
Hope this helps.
Best Regards,
Robyn
I am travelling to Australia and New Zealand in 2 weeks time. I will be visiting my brother in Melbourne and sister in Aukland. The total length of my trip is 14 days. First stop is in Melbourne so I can get a SIM card mailed there if necessary. I have an unlocked iPhone 6S and don’t care if I am stuck on 3G. Does a pre-paid SIM card with data plan exist which I can use data in both Australia and New Zealand?
Hi Brennan,
Thanks for reaching out to Finder.
It is possible to roam globally while using a prepaid phone plan which also includes data that you can use in both Australia and New Zealand.
Cheers,
Rench
I have a Telstra $30 a month 2 gig laptop stick prepaid thing and a Telstra mobile phone at $50 a month for 2 gig and $10 for 1 gig if I use it all plus expensive international calls. I would like one bill for both devices with international calls for about the same prices but with more data than I have now.
Hello David,
Thank you for your inquiry.
It sounds to me that you want to consolidate both USB stick and phone in one bill. This can only happen if you’re on a postpaid plan, not on a prepaid.
You may check this page for a sim only plan for your mobile phone needs. Use the filters found on that page to further narrow down your options.
As for the USB stick, you can check our mobile broadband plans and customise the results based on price, usage, speed and contract.
We urge you to consider getting both services on one provider and see if you can get a bundle discount. However, if you can find a better deal by getting them from two different providers, it will be your decision. Don’t forget to read the fine print. :)
Hope this helps.
Cheers,
Jonathan