$10 mobile phone plans in Australia

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If you’re looking to cut costs and don’t use your phone too much, you might want to look at a $10 phone plan. While your choices might be limited compared to more expensive plans, there is definitely still a market for plans at this price point.

So, what can you expect from a $10 SIM-only plan, and will it be right for you? Read on to find out more about $10 mobile plans in Australia.

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The following table shows a selection of sponsored SIM Only plans on Canstar Blue’s database with links to referral partners.

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$20.00 Cost/month

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40GB Data/month

$15.00 Cost/month

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What do you get from a $10 phone plan?

It’s important to remember that when you’re looking for a cheap phone plan, especially a $10 plan, you are looking at plans with the absolute basics. Typically these plans will be SIM-only plans — meaning you’ll need to bring your own handset — and you can choose between a prepaid or postpaid plan.

When it comes to inclusions, you can find these cheap $10 plans with unlimited calls and SMS (although some plans might have limited call inclusions) and data inclusions will be rather small at around 1-2GB per month.

Are there any catches to a $10 mobile plans?

While these plans might be cheap, they do come with their cons. It’s unlikely you’ll get any extras on your plans, such as unlimited data (even unlimited capped-speed data), international call inclusions or entertainment bonuses.

Typically it’s the Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) that offer these cheap plans, so you can also miss out on some of the perks that signing up to a big provider gives, such as bundle plans, entertainment add-ons, etc.

Another catch to look out for are the $10 prepaid plans. Often the cheap prepaid plans are available on a short expiry period, such as seven days. If you need a monthly plan, you’ll need to look at plans with a 28 or 30-day expiry instead, as a seven-day plan will need to be recharged each week and will then set you back around $40 per month.

Of course, the small data inclusions might also be a drawback for some users. If you like to check social media and do a lot of music and video streaming on the go, and you’re regularly away from WiFi, you’ll most likely need more than 5GB of data per month. These small data inclusions suit very light data and phone users.

Before signing up to a $10 plan, it’s also worth looking at how much the telcos charge for extra data. This way, you know how much you’ll pay if you use up your data inclusion and need to add on more data, or if you’re hit with excess data charges.

Keep in mind that some cheap phone plans might only be $10 at a discounted price, and possibly only for the first month or so. Be sure to check what the standard monthly pricing is on discounted plans before signing up.

Compare $10 mobile plans

These cheap plans aren’t available from every telco — typically the big three telcos don’t offer them — so it’s likely you’ll need to look at smaller providers to pick up a $10 plan. Some providers offer plans around the $15 mark, so you might need to stretch your budget a bit further if you want more choices. $10 prepaid plans are much harder to find as these plans are usually over a seven-day expiry period. If you’re looking for a $10 mobile plan to keep long-term, you might need to look at a postpaid plan. A $10 prepaid plan over a seven-day expiry period will probably end up costing you more if you’re recharging it several times a month.

If you’d prefer a postpaid phone plan, the following table shows a range of postpaid phone plans for $15 or less per month as published on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of standard cost, lowest to highest, then by data allowance, largest to smallest. Use our mobile phone plan comparison tool to see a wide range of plans from other providers. This table includes products with links to referral partners.

The following table shows a range of prepaid phone plans for $20 or less over a 28 or 30-day or monthly expiry period as published on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of standard cost, lowest to highest, then by data allowance, largest to smallest. Use our mobile phone plan comparison tool to see a wide range of plans from other providers. This table includes products with links to referral partners.

Who is a $10 phone plan good for?

Considering the small data inclusions found on these plans, a $10 phone plan is best suited to someone who doesn’t need or use much data. For that reason, it can be a great option as a first phone plan for your child, or a good plan for seniors who don’t use their phone much.

If you’re unsure about how much data you need, you can either check what you’re using on your current plan or consider how frequently you use mobile data and what sorts of activities you use your data for. High usage activities, such as video streaming, can use a lot of data (around 1GB per one hour streamed) so if you usually watch videos, even on social media platforms, it’s likely your usage needs will be higher.

Related: Mobile data: what is it and how much do you need?

Pros and cons of $10 mobile plans in Australia

There’s a lot to like about $10 mobile plans, but they’re not for everyone. Here are some of the pros and cons of a $10 phone plan.

What is the best $10 mobile plan?

Choosing $10 mobile plans in Australia that suit your needs and budget is ultimately up to you. There are some plans for under $10, although you might have to compromise on call allowance. If you’re someone who doesn’t make many calls, or you have a young child who only needs a phone for emergencies, then limited call inclusions could suit you.

Some of these plans also include more data than others, so you might prefer to look at a plan that gives you the most data for your money. You’ll also find that the MVNOs offering these cheap plans will run on a different mobile network (Telstra, Optus or Vodafone), so you might prefer to look at which network provider the telco uses in order to determine which plan suits you. It’s important to find the plan that best suits your needs so you’re getting the best value for your money.