Key points
- No data or low data plans can be useful for seniors, children or anyone who doesn’t use much data unless they are connected to WiFi.
- In Australia, there are very few no data plans, so a low data option will be the best option.
- The cheapest low data phone plans are postpaid and prepaid plans typically under $30 per month.
Unlimited talk and text is pretty much the industry standard nowadays, with the amount of data being one of the main driving factors for price. So, if you don’t need it, can you get a mobile plan without data and potentially save some money?
If you’re not spending much time scrolling socials or browsing the web while you’re not connected to WiFi, it might be worth looking into no data phone plans. No-data or low data plans are usually suited for seniors, children or even just light phone users.
However, no data phone plans are extremely hard to come by, so your options may instead be a low-data plan or a Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) set-up. In this Canstar Blue guide, we take a look at whether you can get no data phone plans in Australia and look at options so that you can make the choice that’s right for you and find the best mobile plan with or without data to suit your needs.
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Are there no data phone plans?
There have been mobile plans without data in the past, but these plans are no longer available. However, this doesn’t mean that there are no options. While no data phone plans are rare, there are plenty of plans on the market that offer a small amount of data or even PAYG plans where you can use the credit however you like. In some situations, having even a small amount of data might be useful rather than searching specifically for no data SIM plans.
Prepaid offers you might like
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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1 Month Contract (1 month min. cost $17.50) SIM Only Prepaid
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50GB Data/month |
$17.50 Cost/month |
Go to site |
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1 Month Contract (1 month min. cost $20) SIM Only Prepaid
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Unlimited
GB |
$16.00 Cost/month |
Go to site |
Cheapest no-data phone plans
There are very few phone plans without data, with the majority of phone plans having some kind of data inclusions. In fact, your best bet for a phone plan is going to be low-data plans as opposed to no-data plans.
Low-data plans are good for having a back-up plan when you’re out and about, for checking things on the internet or finding directions and using maps. There are a variety of low-cost, low-data plans on offer to suit different needs and budgets. To find the best no-data phone plan, it is best to compare different plans and providers to ensure that you’re getting the best deal for you.
Here is a selection of prepaid plans from Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of standard cost, lowest to highest, then by data allowance, largest to smallest, then by data allowance, largest to smallest. Compare more cheap prepaid mobile plans using our comparison tool. This table includes products with links to referral partners.
Here is a selection of postpaid plans from Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of standard cost, lowest to highest, then by data allowance, largest to smallest. Compare more cheap postpaid mobile plans using our comparison tool. This table includes products with links to referral partners.
Cheapest PAYG phone plans
If you’re set on no data phone plans, but can’t find any, the next best thing is a Pay As You Go (PAYG) plan. You’ll just pay for credit and use that how you wish, much like the original prepaid plans. This is different to what are now called prepaid plans and long expiry plans, which usually have a set amount of calls, texts and data.
For example, a phone call might cost $0.09 per minute, a gigabyte of data up to $10, which is deducted from your credit balance after use. There are plenty of providers that offer PAYG plans to choose from, varying in cost, time periods and plan inclusions available. Prepaid PAYG plans are offered by big and small providers, including:
How much data do I need?
It doesn’t hurt to have a little bit of data, even if it’s just for Googling directions or contacting someone outside of your voice and messaging apps. To determine just how much data you need, it is important to consider what you would be using the data to do.
For example, if you’re just using maps, occasionally doing some web browsing and checking an email or two, spending less than 10 hours a month connected to mobile data, you’d probably be okay with between 1GB and 10GB of data per month.
Should I get a low-data plan?
If you’re someone that doesn’t do a whole lot of web browsing or social media scrolling while you’re not connected to WiFi, there’s no point paying for a plan with a large data inclusion that you’re simply not going to use. There are a range of low-data plans around the $10 per month mark, including unlimited standard talk and text, so having a little bit of data isn’t necessarily going to break the bank. However, if you are certain that no data phone plans are for you, there are PAYG options that are still available to keep you connected.
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