Is a Telstra mobile plan worth it?

This largely depends on your budget and whether you need Telstra's extensive coverage based on where you live. Some might be drawn to its bonus features or prefer getting a phone on a plan with Telstra. However, if your primary concerns are price, coverage, and data, you could consider a smaller provider using Telstra's network to see if it's a better option.

What is Telstra's cheapest monthly plan?

The cheapest prepaid mobile plan from Telstra with a 28-day expiry will cost you $35 per recharge for 15GB (excluding promos). Its cheapest SIM-only plan costs $65 per month for 50GB of data.

Do seniors get a discount from Telstra?

Telstra's standard mobile plans don't offer specific discounts for seniors. However, eligible concession card holders might qualify for a discount on Telstra's Starter Mobile Plan. It's best to contact Telstra directly to check your eligibility and determine if the offer suits your personal needs.

Telstra Mobile Plans Review: Are they worth it?

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Telstra mobile plans review

Telstra boasts Australia's largest mobile network, which can be a key point of difference for those living in rural or regional areas.

The caveat is its prices can be steep, and not everyone will need the extra perks Telstra offers, like earning Telstra Plus points for rewards, getting the latest phone on a plan or taking advantage of its handy mobile app or streaming freebies.

If you're keen to stick to a budget, a smaller provider using the Telstra network may be a better option.

Pros

Access to the largest 4G and 5G networks in Australia
Multiple customer support options
Option to add on international roaming if you're heading overseas
No lock-in contract across all plans and the option to sign up via eSIM if you have a compatible handset

Cons

Plans are expensive compared to other providers

1 - 3 of 3

Name	Product	Data	Price	Apply	Price
Telstra Upfront Basic PostpaidNo lock-in contract Telstra Upfront Basic Postpaid	Unlimited national calls & texts Telstra 4G/5G network	50GB No excess data charges	$65 per month	View details	Telstra Upfront Basic Unlimited standard national calls & texts 50GB Data $65 per month View details	loading Fetching your data...
Telstra Upfront Essential PostpaidNo lock-in contract Telstra Upfront Essential Postpaid	Unlimited national calls & texts Telstra 4G/5G network	180GB No excess data charges	$75 per month	View details	Telstra Upfront Essential Unlimited standard national calls & texts 180GB Data $75 per month View details	loading Fetching your data...
Telstra Upfront Premium PostpaidNo lock-in contract Telstra Upfront Premium Postpaid	Unlimited national calls & texts Telstra 4G/5G network	300GB No excess data charges	$99 per month	View details	Telstra Upfront Premium Unlimited standard national calls & texts 300GB Data $99 per month View details	loading Fetching your data...

1 - 3 of 8

Name	Product	Data	Price	Apply	Price
Telstra $13 SIM Kit PrepaidNo lock-in contract 5GB/recharge for the first 3 recharges, then 3GB/recharge. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply. Activate by 7.7.25 Telstra $13 SIM Kit Prepaid 5GB/recharge for the first 3 recharges, then 3GB/recharge. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply. Activate by 7.7.25	Unlimited national calls & texts Telstra 4G/5G network	3GB	$13 per 7 day recharge	View details	Telstra $13 SIM Kit 5GB/recharge for the first 3 recharges, then 3GB/recharge. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply. Activate by 7.7.25 Unlimited standard national calls & texts 3GB Data $13 per 7 days expiry View details	loading Fetching your data...
Telstra $39 SIM Kit PrepaidNo lock-in contract 55GB/recharge for the first 3 recharges, then 15GB/recharge. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply. Activate by 7.7.25 Telstra $39 SIM Kit Prepaid 55GB/recharge for the first 3 recharges, then 15GB/recharge. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply. Activate by 7.7.25	Unlimited national calls & texts Telstra 4G/5G network	55GB	$39 per 28 day recharge	View details	Telstra $39 SIM Kit 55GB/recharge for the first 3 recharges, then 15GB/recharge. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply. Activate by 7.7.25 Unlimited standard national calls & texts 55 GB Data $39 per 28 days expiry View details	loading Fetching your data...
Telstra $49 SIM Kit PrepaidNo lock-in contract 80GB/recharge for the first 3 recharges, then 25GB/recharge. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply. Activate by 7.7.25 Telstra $49 SIM Kit Prepaid 80GB/recharge for the first 3 recharges, then 25GB/recharge. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply. Activate by 7.7.25	Unlimited national calls & texts Telstra 4G/5G network	80GB	$49 per 28 day recharge	View details	Telstra $49 SIM Kit 80GB/recharge for the first 3 recharges, then 25GB/recharge. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply. Activate by 7.7.25 Unlimited standard national calls & texts 80 GB Data $49 per 28 days expiry View details	loading Fetching your data...

Compare Telstra phones on a plan

iPhone 16
Galaxy S25

What do Australians think of Telstra mobile provider?

3.9/5 overall for Customer Satisfaction - lower than the average of 4.15
4.2/5 for Trust - lower than the average of 4.43
3.75/5 for Customer Service - lower than the average of 4.01

Based on Telstra mobile provider scores in Finder's 2024 Customer Satisfaction Awards.

"I've been on a Telstra plan for years, after switching over from Optus due to poor coverage where I lived. Telstra was the only provider which was able to service the valley I lived in. You definitely do pay more of a premium for Telstra, but it comes with great coverage, in-store service and super-fast speeds. Plus, you earn Telstra rewards, which I've redeemed for things like headphones, smart-speakers and Google Pixel Earbuds."

Matt Corke

Finder crew member

coverage icon

Coverage

Telstra's 4G and 5G mobile network coverage is the widest in Australia and can be non-negotiable for people living in regional or remote parts of the country.

Its 4G network reaches 99.7% of the population, while its 5G network, still rolling out, currently covers 91% of Aussies.

If you're budget-conscious, consider smaller providers that use parts of Telstra's network. Boost Mobile is the only small provider with full access to Telstra's 4G and 5G networks, so that's a good place to start.

bonus icon

Bonus features

You'll certainly get access to some bells and whistles by signing up with Telstra (you would hope so given the prices!).

1. Data rollover on prepaid plans

Unused data going to waste is a shame. Telstra lets you roll over up to 200GB of data as long as you keep recharging your plan before it expires.

2. No excess charges

Its SIM-only plans won't ever give you a bill shock. That's because once you've exhausted your monthly data allowance your download speeds will simply slow to 1.5Mbps.

3. International calls and roaming

You'll get 300 minutes for international calls on all of Telstra's SIM-only plans.

You can also add international roaming, which is handy when you're travelling overseas. Telstra offers roaming packs for both prepaid and SIM-only plans that can be used across 80 countries.

Given there are multiple options available for different use cases, you can read all about them in detail in our guide.

4. Data sharing

You can bundle up to 5 accounts on Telstra's Essential and Premium SIM-only plans. So choose either one, select a Mobile Bundle Plan or a Data Bundle Plan and add it to your service.

5. Telstra Rewards

Telstra's rewards program allows you to earn points to redeem products available in its Rewards Store.

You'll earn 10 Telstra Plus points for every dollar you spend.

customer service Icon

Customer service

You can reach Telstra's customer support through various means if you have a question or concern:

You can give them a call.
Talk to them online via the live chat feature on Telstra's website.
Get in touch via the My Telstra app, which is also handy for checking plan details, billing and tracking data usage.
Heading into a Telstra store (if convenient) for face-to-face help.

Why compare mobile phone plans with Finder?

Genuine phone addicts. Unlimited scrolling and streaming, we got you. We track all offers daily so you can stay online all the time.

Cause we all hate caps. Our goal is to bring you all the good stuff, and surface any hidden fees. So you can get back to the fun stuff, like gaming.

Tried and tested. We give these plans a run for their money and listen to the feedback of the millions of Aussies who have used our plans comparison.

Frequently asked questions

This largely depends on your budget and whether you need Telstra's extensive coverage based on where you live. Some might be drawn to its bonus features or prefer getting a phone on a plan with Telstra.
However, if your primary concerns are price, coverage, and data, you could consider a smaller provider using Telstra's network to see if it's a better option.

Compare other products from Telstra

Thank you for your feedback!

Written by

Mariam Gabaji

Senior 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 336 Finder guides across topics including:

Energy
Mobile
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Consumer tech

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14 Responses

philFebruary 5, 2020

i have my own phone and get pre paid creit every fortninght and is costing me too much can I go on a plan with u guys

NikkiFebruary 5, 2020

Hi Phil,

Thanks for your comment and I hope you are doing well. Sorry to hear your current prepaid plan is costing you more money than expected. You can apply for a mobile plan with Telstra anytime. Simply choose the plan you want to get while filtering your options on top of the table in our page. Make sure you check the details of each plan carefully by reading the information on the “more details” tab. When you are ready, just click the GO TO SITE button and you will be brought to the main page of the telco provider.

Hope this helps and feel free to reach out to us again for further assistance.

Best,
Nikki

GregOctober 27, 2019

Can I purchase a telstra pre-paid SIM plan?

Finder

JoshuaOctober 28, 2019Finder

Hi Greg,

Thanks for getting in touch with Finder. I hope all is well with you. 😃

Yes, you can purchase a Telstra prepaid SIM plan. Above, you will see a list of SIM plans. You can use our tables to know more about each plan’s details and descriptions. You can also use the filters to further narrow down your options. Once you’re done comparing, you can then click on the “Go to site” green button to learn more.

I hope this helps. Should you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach us out again.

Have a wonderful day!

Cheers,
Joshua

B.April 3, 2019

Hi!
I simply need a sim that has a long expiry date, 12 months, for the cheapest price. I also need minimal data and calls provided. It will not be used every week. I’m finding it hard to locate, an option suitable for my needs, amongst all the other prepaid plans; or perhaps everything has changed and I’m unaware. Please note I will not use vodafone; directly or indirectly any more.
Thank you

Finder

JoshuaApril 9, 2019Finder

Hi B.,

Thanks for getting in touch with Finder. I hope all is well with you. 😃

You may consider comparing long expiry prepaid plans based on their descriptions, price, and offers. Once you’re done comparing, click on the corresponding “Go to site” green button to learn more.

I hope this helps. Should you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out again.

Have a wonderful day!

Cheers,
Joshua

LeaJuly 16, 2017

I have an 87 year old mother in a nursing home and miss being able to talk to her on the phone. Looking for a deal with a mobile phone not prepaid with a phone with big buttons for her to use. Please help me. Currently have mobiles with Telstra

Finder

HaroldJuly 18, 2017Finder

Hi Lea,

Thank you for your inquiry.

You may want to consider the Mobile Plans for Seniors for your Mother. We also have a list of mobile phones that you may want to check. While we can’t provide a specific recommendation, but that list should be a good place to start your search for the right phone.

I hope this information has helped.

Cheers,
Harold

JohnMay 26, 2017

Hi I’ve just set up a landline 1000gig data with Telstra. For $90 My question is can I get Netflix added to this deal for free or how much will it be extra?

jonathan.chan@findercrew.comMay 29, 2017

Hi John!

Thanks for the comment.

Netflix is not part of your subscription with Tesltra bundle. If you wish to have it added , you can choose among these monthly subscriptions: Basic ($8.99), Standard ($11.99) or Premium ($14.99). You can check how they differ to each other by checking this link https://www.findershopping.com.au/internet-tv/netflix-australia. Also, you can proceed with the service application by clicking the “”See Content””green button.

Hope this clarifies.

Regards,
Jonathan

Telstra mobile plans review