CODE: FELIX50

cross
Pink iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro

Expert Picks: Best iPhone Plans (March 2024)

Let the experts at Canstar Blue help you find the best iPhone plans through Telstra, Optus, or Vodafone, thanks to our Value Rank methodology.

iPhones don’t come cheap, but if you’re absolutely set on a new Apple smartphone, you can still find a great phone plan deal. The newest iPhones are available on plans from Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone, with each provider offering a range of inclusions and perks for your dollars.

The best plan for you will depend on your unique usage and budget needs. But if you’re looking for standout iPhone options from each provider, our mobile experts are happy to do the work for you, with our awesome iPhone comparison feature that shows you where to find the best deals.

Best iPhone Plans March 2024

The following table compares a selection of 24-month 128GB iPhone 15 plans as published on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of their standard monthly cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest. Use our phone plan comparison tool to compare plans from a range of providers. This is a selection of products with links to a referral partner.

The following table compares a selection of 24-month 128GB iPhone 15 Plus plans as published on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of their standard monthly cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest. Use our phone plan comparison tool to compare plans from a range of providers. This is a selection of products with links to a referral partner.

The following table compares a selection of 24-month 128GB iPhone 15 Pro plans as published on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of their standard monthly cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest. Use our phone plan comparison tool to compare plans from a range of providers. This is a selection of products with links to a referral partner.

The following table compares a selection of 24-month 256GB iPhone 15 Pro Max plans as published on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of their standard monthly cost, from the lowest to highest and then by data allowance, largest to smallest. Use our phone plan comparison tool to compare plans from a range of providers. This is a selection of products with links to a referral partner.

Best Telstra iPhone Plan

$62 Basic Plan

Value score: 7.4

Telstra streamlined its plan range, and now offers three postpaid plans which can be paired with your choice of iPhone. The telco’s $62 Basic plan offers a huge 50GB of data each month, plus unlimited standard talk and text in Australia. Like Vodafone, Telstra also provides bill shock backup, including unlimited speed-capped data (limited to 1.5Mbps) on all postpaid plans.

The Basic plan also features unlimited international SMS, and 30 minutes of international call each month. Paired with a 128GB iPhone 15 on a 24-month payment plan, and you’ll pay $124.45 per month ($2,986.80 over 24 months). This pricing includes $62 per month for the plan itself, and a $62.45 monthly device payment.

What’s good about this plan:

  • Unlimited data capped at 1.5Mbps – no data overage fees in Australia.
  • Separate from your phone payments, so you can change between Telstra plans without affecting your repayments.
  • Plenty of extras, including and international texts.

What to look out for:

  • 5G network access is included, but speeds capped at 250Mbps.
  • Users with heavy data needs may prefer a plan with more included full-speed gigabytes.
  • Most expensive entry-level iPhone plan on the Aussie market.

The following table shows Telstra’s $62 Basic Plan for the 128GB iPhone 15 on a 24-month contract. Use our comparison tool to see plans from a range of other providers. This is a product from a referral partner.

Best Vodafone iPhone Plan

$49 Small Plan

Value score: 8.5

If you’re looking for a simple plan with great monthly data inclusions, Vodafone’s $49 Small plan has you covered. This plan includes 50GB of monthly full-speed data, plus unlimited standard national talk and text in Australia and unlimited standard texts to overseas.

All Vodafone plans come with unlimited data, with an allocated data amount per plan. This plan has 50GB of base data, though once you pass that limit, your speed will be reduced to 2Mbps. Your data will be unlimited, though your speed won’t allow for anything high-definition.

Vodafone is currently offering a $350 discount on the standard iPhone 15. Pick up the 128GB iPhone 15 on a 24-month payment plan, you’ll pay $96.86 per month (or $2,324.64 over two years). This price includes your $49 monthly plan cost, plus a $47.86 device payment per month.

What’s good about this plan:

  • Separate from your phone payments, so you can change between Vodafone plans without affecting your repayments.
  • Trade-up options available if you have an unwanted device.
  • Customers can bundle this plan with other eligible Vodafone mobile and NBN plans to save up to 20% on plan fees.

What to look out for:

  • Network coverage not as extensive regionally when compared to Telstra or Optus
  • Doesn’t include overseas calls.
  • International roaming not included, but $5 and $10 Roaming available in selected countries.

The following table shows Vodafone’s $49 Small Plan for the 128GB iPhone 15 on a 24-month device contract. Use our comparison tool to see plans from a range of other providers. This is a product from a referral partner.

Best Optus iPhone Plan

$49 Small Choice Plan

Value score: 7.9

Winner of Canstar Blue’s 2020 Provider of the Year award for Phone Plans, Optus offers something for just about everyone, including huge data allowances, international calls and plenty of bonus features. If you’re looking for an iPhone plan with a healthy data allowance that’s priced at under $50 per month, our rankings recommend the Small Choice option with 30GB – you’ll get unlimited standard talk and text in Australia, plus the option to pool data across multiple plans on a single account.

Add a monthly device payment for the 128GB iPhone 15, and you’ll pay $111.43 per month over 24 months (or $2,674.32 in total): $49 per month for your plan, and $62.43 monthly for your device.

What’s good about this plan:

  • Separate from your phone payments, so you can change between Optus plans without affecting your repayments.
  • Data pooling available – share data across eligible plans on a single account.
  • No excess data charges in Australia.

What to look out for:

  • International calls and texts not included.
  • Heavy data users may prefer to upgrade to a larger plan with more monthly gigabytes.
  • International roaming not included, but customers can add an Optus Roaming Pass from $10 per day.

The following table shows Optus’ $49 Small Choice Plan for the 128GB iPhone 15 on a 24-month device contract. Use our comparison tool to see plans from a range of other providers.

Our Value Score Methodology: how we rank the best iPhone Plans

While pricing is always a major concern, there’s more to finding a great iPhone plan than simply looking for the cheapest deal. In addition to comparing on pricing alone, Canstar Blue also gives readers the opportunity to sort and search for plans based on our unique Value Score.

As mentioned above, Value Scores range from 1 to 10, with a higher score indicating a better value product. The Value Score consists of a Price Score and Feature Score: the Price Score accounts for 70% of Canstar Blue’s overall ranking, with the Feature Score contributing to 30%.

Our iPhone plan ranking methodology

Price Score

Price Scores are calculated by comparing a plan’s average monthly cost to the price of other plans on the market. Canstar Blue uses a plan’s average cost, rather than advertised prices, to account for plans that don’t renew on a standard monthly basis. Using a plan’s average monthly cost, mean average monthly cost, and the standard deviation of the average monthly cost, our team calculates and assigns a Price Score between 0 and 100.

Feature Score

The Feature Score compares over 100 features found on mobile plans, which are grouped into the following three categories:

  • Customer Service and Support (40% of score): Application channels, website functionality, online help/support, call centres, etc.
  • Inclusions (35% of score): Call, data, and SMS allowances, additional plan inclusions such as international calls or data free streaming.
  • Billing and Payments (25% of score): Payment, statement, and billing frequency and options

The Value Score, Pricing Score and Feature Scores of plans and products are re-calculated daily, with changes then reflected on Canstar Blue’s comparison tool.

For a better understanding of how Canstar Blue’s Value Score works, view our Phone Methodology here.

How we pick the best value plans

  1. Best Value Telstra iPhone Plan: The best-ranked 24-month Telstra plan for the 128GB iPhone 15, as determined by Canstar Blue’s Value Score.
  2. Best Value Vodafone iPhone Plan: The best-ranked 24-month Vodafone plan for the 128GB iPhone 15, as determined by Canstar Blue’s Value Score.
  3. Best Value Optus iPhone Plan: The best-ranked 24-month Optus plan for the 128GB iPhone 15, as determined by Canstar Blue’s Value Score.

In the event that two or more plans have the same value score in any given category, the cheapest option will be featured.

Tara Donnelly
Utilities Editor
Tara Donnelly is an internet and mobile expert - sectors she’s spent a decade covering - and also oversees energy and consumer technology content. She holds a Bachelor of Communications from the University of Canberra and has shared her expertise on national media including 9 News, 7 News, Sunrise and the ABC.

Share this article