| Category | Provider | Data | Price From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best SIM-only plan: Light use | Moose | 40GB | $12.40/mth |
| Best SIM-only plan: Medium use | Dodo | 30GB | $14/mth |
| Best SIM-only plan: Heavy use | Tangerine | 50GB | $40/mth |
| Best SIM-only plan: International calls | TPG Mobile | 50GB | $17.50/mth |
| Best SIM-only plan: Optus | Optus | 180GB | $62/mth |
| Best SIM-only plan: Vodafone | Vodafone | 50GB | $49/mth |
| Best SIM-only plan: Telstra | Telstra | 180GB |
$75/mth |
Note: Pricing refers to the minimum total cost for the first month.
In the market for a new SIM-only plan? You've come to the right place. Each month our expert data team looks through our database of 28 mobile providers to find the best SIM-only plans in the Australian market. We look at both postpaid and prepaid plans.
We split our monthly picks into a few different categories. First, we have the best SIM-only plans for different data amounts which is broken into everyday, heavy use and very heavy use. Then, we have the best plan for international call inclusions followed by the best plan from each major telco.
Scroll on to check our top picks of the best SIM-only plans for this month.
Best SIM-only plan: Light use
|
Moose Mobile
Moose 26.80 SIM Only
$12.40/mth
Min. cost $12.40
Link not supplied
|
The ACCC estimates an average data usage of 15.9GB per month. This plan should have plenty of data for everyday use.
Easily switch to another SIM-only plan provider if you're ever unhappy with the service.
The most data you can get for the lowest price over 12 months. This factors in the end of any discounts.
Moose takes the win for best SIM-only plan in Australia for everyday use in April with its 27GB Mobile SIM plan. With its current promo that runs until 31 May 2025, you get $14.40 off plan fee and 13GB bonus data for the first 6 months - that's 40GB for $12.40 per month! This deal is too good to miss out on.
If you want more options, see how our choice compares to these other plans. They are the most popular in our database, have at least 15GB, and cost no more than $20 per month:
|
#1
|
SpinTel
$22 Mobile Plan
$14/mth
Min. cost $14
|
|
#2
|
Moose Mobile
Moose 26.80 SIM Only
$12.40/mth
Min. cost $12.40
Link not supplied
|
|
#3
|
Southern Phone
Medium 5G SIM Plan
$19/mth
Min. cost $19
Link not supplied
|
Best SIM-only plan: Medium use
|
Dodo
$28 Mobile Plan
$28/mth
Min. cost $14
|
This plan has at least double what the average SIM-only plan user gets through in a month making it perfect for heavy use.
Easily switch to another SIM-only plan provider if you're ever unhappy with the service.
The most data you can get for the lowest price over 12 months. This factors in the end of any discounts.
Dodo $28 Mobile plan is our pick for the best heavy-use SIM-only plan this month. With its current promo until 6 May 2025, you get to enjoy 50% off for first 3 months - that's 30GB for only $14 per month.
If this plan doesn't work for you, see how it compares to these other popular options with at least 30GB of data:
|
#1
|
Dodo
$28 Mobile Plan
$28/mth
Min. cost $14
|
|
#2
|
Optus
$55 Optus Choice Plus Plan
$55/mth
Min. cost $55
|
|
#3
|
Vodafone
$49 Small SIM Only Plan
$39/mth
Min. cost $39
|
|
#4
|
Belong
100GB Mobile Plan
$45/mth
Min. cost $45
|
|
#5
|
Vodafone
$59 Medium SIM Only Plan
$49/mth
Min. cost $49
|
|
#6
|
Tangerine Telecom
50GB 5G Mobile SIM
$40/mth
Min. cost $40
|
|
#7
|
Optus
$65 Optus Choice Plus Plan
$65/mth
Min. cost $65
|
|
#8
|
Belong
40GB Mobile Plan
$35/mth
Min. cost $35
|
|
#9
|
Dodo
$33 Mobile Plan
$33/mth
Min. cost $16.50
|
|
#10
|
Moose Mobile
Moose 26.80 SIM Only
$12.40/mth
Min. cost $12.40
Link not supplied
|
Best SIM-only plan: Heavy use
|
Tangerine Telecom
50GB 5G Mobile SIM
$40/mth
Min. cost $40
|
50GB should be good for very heavy data users. It's more than double what the average person uses per month.
Easily switch to another SIM-only plan provider if you're ever unhappy with the service.
The most data you can get for the lowest price over 12 months. This factors in the end of any discounts.
Tangerine has taken the first prize this month for the category of extreme data lovers. This plan comes with a whopping 50GB of data for only $40 per month. Plus, you will get 10% off your mobile SIM-only plan fees when you bundle your mobile and NBN plans on the same account.
If all that data isn't enough for you, check out how this plan compares to some popular alternatives:
|
#1
|
TPG
100GB Large Plan
$22.50
Per 1 Month Renewal
|
|
#2
|
Vodafone
$49 Small SIM Only Plan
$39/mth
Min. cost $39
|
|
#3
|
iiNet
100GB Large Plan
$22.50
Per 1 Month Renewal
|
|
#4
|
felix mobile
felix Unlimited Mobile Plan
$40
Per 1 Month Renewal
|
|
#5
|
Belong
100GB Mobile Plan
$45/mth
Min. cost $45
|
|
#6
|
Vodafone
$59 Medium SIM Only Plan
$49/mth
Min. cost $49
|
|
#7
|
Optus
$65 Optus Choice Plus Plan
$65/mth
Min. cost $65
|
|
#8
|
Lebara Mobile
$29.90 Medium Plan
$29.90
Per 30 Day Renewal
|
|
#9
|
Optus
$79 Optus Promo Plan
$69/mth
Min. cost $69
|
|
#10
|
Vodafone
$69 Large SIM Only Plan
$59/mth
Min. cost $59
|
Best SIM-only plan: International calls
|
TPG
50GB Medium Plan
$17.50
Per 1 Month Renewal
|
The plan with the lowest price over 12 months - factoring in the end of any discounts.
We only consider plans within the $0-$30 price range per month.
We only consider plans with unlimited international calls to at least 15 destinations.
This TPG 50GB Medium Plan is a superb all-rounder as you get unlimited international calls and text to 31 destinations, on top of the unlimited local talk and text. With its current promotion, you'll get 50% off for first 6 months - that's 50GB for $17.50. This is currently the best option around.
Compare this plan to other popular options with at least 15GB and some international calls included:
|
#1
|
TPG
25GB Small Plan
$12.50
Per 1 Month Renewal
|
|
#2
|
iiNet
25GB Small Plan
$12.50
Per 1 Month Renewal
|
|
#3
|
Dodo
$28 Mobile Plan
$28/mth
Min. cost $14
|
|
#4
|
Tangerine Telecom
25GB 5G Mobile SIM
$29/mth
Min. cost $29
|
|
#5
|
Lebara Mobile
$24.90 Small Plan
$24.90
Per 30 Day Renewal
|
Best SIM-only plan: Optus
|
Optus
$65 Optus Choice Plus Plan
$65/mth
Min. cost $65
|
- 180GB of data
- No contract
- No excess data charges
If you have friends and family overseas, this SIM-only plan from Optus could be the one for you. It comes with unlimited international calls and texts to 35 selected destinations. On top of that, you'll be able to get a discounted subscription to Optus Sport, home of the English Premier League here in Australia. And just like Telstra, your speed will be slowed to 1.5Mbps if you go over your data allowance on this Optus mobile plan.
If you need more data or less, check out the rest of the Optus range:
|
#1
|
Optus
$55 Optus Choice Plus Plan
$55/mth
Min. cost $55
|
|
#2
|
Optus
$65 Optus Choice Plus Plan
$65/mth
Min. cost $65
|
|
#3
|
Optus
$79 Optus Promo Plan
$69/mth
Min. cost $69
|
|
#4
|
Optus
$85 Optus Choice Plus Plan
$85/mth
Min. cost $85
|
Best SIM-only plan: Vodafone
|
Vodafone
$49 Small SIM Only Plan
$39/mth
Min. cost $39
|
- 50GB of data
- No contract
- No excess data charges
- 3 months BINGE Standard
- $10 per month off
- Double data
This plan comes with everything we love about Vodafone SIM-only plans, including $5 per day international roaming plus the added benefit of unlimited data. This means that when you reach your monthly data cap you won't be served expensive excess data charges. Your data will simply be slowed to speeds of 2Mbps, which you can stream music and standard definition video, make video calls, browse the internet and social media. However, content may be slower to load and is not suitable for HD video or high speed applications.
If our pick plan isn't your style, check out the full Vodafone range:
|
#1
|
Vodafone
$49 Small SIM Only Plan
$39/mth
Min. cost $39
|
|
#2
|
Vodafone
$59 Medium SIM Only Plan
$49/mth
Min. cost $49
|
|
#3
|
Vodafone
$69 Large SIM Only Plan
$59/mth
Min. cost $59
|
Best SIM-only plan: Telstra
|
Telstra
$75 Essential Upfront SIM Plan
$75/mth
Min. cost $75
Link not supplied
|
- 180GB of data
- 30 mins standard international calls + unlimited standard international SMS & MMS
- No contract
- 3 months Device Security
One of the best things about Telstra mobile plans is they come with no excess data charges. If you go over your cap, your speeds will simply be slowed to 1.5Mbps, which is still fast enough to stream Netflix in SD. If that's not fast enough for you, you can always step up to a higher data plan.
Telstra's Upfront SIM-only plans offer data sharing, allowing you to share your data with up to 10 eligible mobile services on the same account. These plans can also be paid for with AutoPay. With AutoPay, you set up automatic monthly payments using your nominated bank account, or credit or debit card. Your first payment will be charged as soon as you take up your new service at the checkout. After that, your payment will be charged on the same date each month. No late payment fees will be charged when you’re on AutoPay.
If our plan pick for this month doesn't suit you, check out the full range below or search for a different plan on our mobile plans page:
|
#1
|
Telstra
$65 Basic Upfront SIM Plan
$65/mth
Min. cost $65
Link not supplied
|
|
#2
|
Telstra
$75 Essential Upfront SIM Plan
$75/mth
Min. cost $75
Link not supplied
|
|
#3
|
Telstra
$99 Premium Upfront SIM Plan
$99/mth
Min. cost $99
Link not supplied
|
How we choose the best SIM-only plans in Australia each month
At WhistleOut, we take the job of recommending our monthly winners and runners-up for the best mobile plans very seriously. That’s why we have a dedicated team that reads tonnes of plan documents each week to spot hundreds of plan changes in our database every month.
When it comes to selecting the best SIM-only plans in our comparison engine, we consider a wide array of factors:
The basics
All of our monthly plan winners and runners-up come with unlimited talk and text in Australia.
Plus we tend to lean towards SIM-only plans with no contracts.
We like no-contract plans because it’s easier to switch when a better option comes along.
Price
We consider overall price not just promotional pricing.
We evaluate price in terms of first-year value, which helps separate great pricing from a limited-time promotion that may not offer better value in the long run.
For promotional pricing to be considered, it has to last at least six months.
Data
To choose the best SIM-only deals we use included monthly base and bonus data.
This helps determine the overall dollar-to-data value.
As with promotional pricing, this can help draw out a great data offer from one that only has short-term worth.
How much data do I need?
We understand that not everyone has the same data needs. That’s why we separate our monthly best SIM-only plan picks into everyday plans and big-data options. For everyday SIM-only users, we recommend plans with at least 15GB of monthly data, which we feel is enough to get through a month without counting megabytes.
For big-data lovers, it’s double the data (30GB). Then, for heavy users, we have a minimum of 50GB. Though we appreciate some plans boast double the data or many times this minimum.
SIM-only providers tend to compete around similar price points and incrementally increasing data offerings which, at face value, can make it difficult to separate contenders from runners-up and winners. That’s why we also factor in a wide array of plan perks.
Perks of a BYO SIM-Only plan
International calls can help sweeten the deal, and they tend to be offered as a fixed number of minutes or unlimited calls to selected countries. We do prefer plans with unlimited calls over fixed minutes, as well as those that offer calls to the most dialled overseas destinations.
Data banking is also a great perk that lets users squirrel away surplus data in a quiet month and save it for later months, while data gifting is the same concept but more for the sharing-is-caring user. Other perks that may help separate a winner from being a runner-up include refer-a-friend programs, local customer support as well as other provider-specific, limited-time perks such as gift-card promotions, access to supplementary services or even discounts on other items.
Read our BYO SIM-only plans guide to see if they are right for you.
How to switch to a better SIM-only plan
Switching phone plans may seem complex and time-consuming, but you'll find it's a surprisingly simple process. Signing up for a plan will take 5-10 minutes, and the systems which move your phone number from one provider to another (called porting) can make the necessary changes in under 5 minutes, in some cases.
What you'll need:
- Your own phone
- A current phone account
- A driver's license (or similar ID)
When you're buying a new phone plan online, the process happens in a couple of steps.
- Place your order on the provider's website. You will need to enter your details at the point, and if you're ordering a postpaid phone plan the provider needs to run a quick credit check. If you're signing up with eSIM jump to step 3.
- The provider sends you a new SIM card in the mail. This will take a couple of days.
- Once the SIM card is delivered (or purchased in the case of eSIM), you need to activate it. The easiest way to do this is on the provider's website or in their app.
- Once you finish activating the SIM card your provider will begin the process of 'porting' your phone number from your old service to the new. You don't have to do anything at this point but wait. The process can take several hours, but in most cases, it will happen in a matter of minutes.
- Sit back and enjoy your new phone plan!
Our Editor's Picks awards are selected by our team of data experts. We may earn a commission if you click on one of the products listed, but a service provider isn't required to have a commercial relationship with us to be eligible for consideration. See here for more information about how we work.
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