Compare SIM-only plans in Australia

Why compare SIM-only plans with Canstar Blue?

How to find the best SIM-only plans for you

When choosing the best SIM-only plans, you’ll need to have an idea of what you want from your plan, and what your budget is. However, it’s important to be realistic about your budget and plan needs. After all, as nice as a $10 per month plan is, if you need 20GB of data, you’ll need to increase your budget.

It’s also important to compare plans from a range of providers in order to find a plan that will most meet your needs. You can use our comparison tool at the top of this page to help you compare plans from a range of Aussie telcos. Using our comparison tool is free and easy, and allows you to filter results by price, data inclusions, network provider and more, to help you find and compare the best SIM-only plans in Australia for you.

Types of SIM-only plans

There are two types of SIM-only plans in Australia – prepaid and postpaid. But what exactly are the differences, and how do they work?

Prepaid Plans

Prepaid SIM plans allow you to pay for your talk, text, and data inclusions in advance. Most prepaid plans are priced at a set amount for each renewal, and include unlimited standard calls and messages, along with a data allowance. This can also take the form of ‘pay as you go’ plans (like traditional prepaid plans) where your call/SMS/data usage is taken from your pre-loaded credit.

You’ll receive a set length of time — known as an expiry period — in which to use these plan allowances, after which your plan will reset. Expiry periods can be from as short as seven days, or as long as a year. However, the standard length for most prepaid plans is 28 or 30 days. You may then need to manually ‘recharge’ your service by purchasing more credit or plan inclusions, but many providers now offer an auto-recharge option that instantly renews your plan after each expiry period ends.

Postpaid Plans

If you’re on a postpaid phone plan, you’ll receive a bill for your mobile use once a month (when you receive the bill will differ between telcos), which will include your standard plan price, plus any additional charges you may have incurred during your billing period.

Most postpaid plans offer unlimited standard talk and text, plus a monthly data allowance. However, you may be charged extra for items such as excess data use, international roaming or non-standard calls.

Postpaid plans are generally billed on a monthly cycle, and tend to be contract-free, although 12-month and 24-month plans are available. These plans are more or less identical to those offered with a new smartphone, but allow you to bring your own phone instead.

Should I buy a phone outright or on a plan?

If you’re looking at buying a new phone and considering whether it would be cheaper to buy it outright and bundle with a SIM-only plan or to buy your device on a plan.

While some phones are only available to buy outright, others might be available to bundle on a plan from some telcos. Buying a phone outright compared to on a plan isn’t always the cheapest way to pick up your phone. You can read our guide on buying a phone outright vs plan, to help you find which option will be better for you.

What is a SIM card?

A SIM-only plan requires just one thing — a SIM card. This little piece of technology contains a chip that allows a device — such as a smartphone or tablet — to connect to a mobile network. In addition to physical SIM cards, some telcos also offer the option of an eSIM, which requires an eSIM-compatible phone to work.

The type of phone you have will determine which size SIM card you need. There are three types of SIM cards that can be used — Standard, Micro and Nano. A Nano SIM is the smallest size of SIM card, and the most common SIM card type you’ll need for newer smartphones.

If you’re not sure which SIM card you need, either look at the SIM card tray in your phone, or look up your phone’s model and SIM card size. Most telcos offer 3-in-1 SIM cards, so you’ll be able to snap out the size that you need for your specific smartphone and then take the steps to activate your new SIM card.

What are the cheapest SIM-only plans?

SIM-only plans are available for a range of prices and with a range of inclusions. If you’re after a cheap SIM-only plan, there are plenty of prepaid and postpaid options available.

Typically the cheapest SIM-only plans will only include a small amount of data and may also have caps on the call and SMS inclusions. Because of this, cheap SIM-only plans may only suit light phone users, such as seniors or kids. It’s also worth noting that some cheap prepaid plans might be on a short expiry period. So consider if these plans will suit your needs as it won’t be cheap if you need to continually add on more data or recharge your plan.

If you’re looking for the best cheap SIM-only plans, it will largely depend on what your budget is — whether that’s under $10 or maybe between $10 and $20 — and how much data you’ll want on your plan. Comparing cheap SIM-only plans will give you an idea of what plans are available along with the cost and inclusions, to help you find the best plan for your needs.

What are the best value SIM-only mobile plans?

Choosing a great value SIM-only plan does greatly depend on what you’re looking for in a SIM-only plan as the best SIM-only plan for one person might be different for another. At Canstar Blue, our Value Rank helps to determine which plans have overall great value for money; however, what is great value to one person, might not be the same value to another person.

When comparing SIM-only plans, you’ll need to consider your budget (a realistic idea of how much you’re willing to spend on a plan) along with how much data you need. By comparing plans with your data needs and budget in mind, you can find options  that suit your needs — and from there you can determine which plan is going to offer you the best value for money.

Best SIM-only phone plans

Best SIM-only plan providers

At Canstar Blue, each year we release our Customer Satisfaction ratings for SIM-only phone plans across both prepaid and postpaid plan types. Aussies rate their SIM-only provider on a range of criteria including customer service, value for money, network coverage and of course, overall satisfaction.

The winning provider is then awarded the ‘Most Satisfied Customers’ award for that year across SIM-only prepaid or postpaid plans.

Best prepaid SIM-only providers

Prepaid phone plans are a popular option for kids, anyone looking to avoid bill shock, and users who like to set and forget with long-term plans. Felix achieved an impressive score in our 2024 ratings, earning five stars for overall satisfaction and in almost all categories. The top 5 telcos as rated by Aussies for Canstar Blue’s 2024 Most Satisfied Customers award for SIM-only prepaid were: Felix, ALDI Mobile, Amaysim, OnePass Mobile and Everyday Mobile.

Best postpaid SIM-only providers

Postpaid plans are a great option if you’re looking for a month-to-month plan and like the security of not needing to recharge your plan every month or so. Circles.Life took out our 2024 ratings with five stars in most categories, including overall satisfaction. The top 5 telcos as rated by Aussies for Canstar Blue’s 2024 Most Satisfied Customers award for SIM-only postpaid plans were: Circles.Life, Everyday Mobile, Southern Phone, Moose Mobile and Belong. It’s worth noting that as of February 2025, Circles.Life is no longer operating in Australia.

SIM-only plan tips from our expert

Often the best value for money comes from smaller providers, known as Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs). While some of these names may be unfamiliar, they’ll use one of the three mobile networks to deliver service and coverage is usually close to what the big three telcos have to offer.

Plans from MVNOs can often be around $10-$30 cheaper — or more — than SIM-only plans from the big three with comparable data inclusions. Compare the network coverage maps along with what kind of value for money you can get from a range of providers to determine if you’d be better off with a SIM-only plan from an MVNO.

Emma Bradstock, Canstar Blue Senior Telco Specialist

Compare plans from Australia’s big 3 network providers

Telstra network SIM-only plans

Telstra owns and operates Australia’s largest mobile network with both 4G and 5G coverage. Telstra offers a wide range of SIM-only phone plans including prepaid and postpaid, along with plans bundled with a new phone.

A range of telcos use the Telstra 4G and 5G network to deliver prepaid and postpaid plans to customers. These MVNOs include:

Optus network SIM-only plans

Australia’s second largest mobile network is Optus, with 4G coverage available to 98.5% of the population and 5G rolling out in selected areas, excluding NT. Optus offers a wide range of SIM-only phone plans including plans with a new phone and prepaid and postpaid plans.

There’s a wide range of telcos offering phone plans on the Optus 4G and 5G network. Some of these MVNOs are:

Vodafone network SIM-only plans

Vodafone is Australia’s third largest telco, with the smallest network of the three, however it still covers a wide range of the population. Like its competitors, Vodafone offers a range of SIM-only prepaid and postpaid plans, plus plans bundled with a new phone.

Several smaller telcos offer phone plans on the Vodafone 4G and 5G network. Here are some of the MVNOs offering Vodafone coverage:

Travel & international SIM cards

If you’re planning to use your phone overseas, you may find it easier and cheaper to replace your normal SIM card with a travel or international SIM. You’ll generally want to buy a travel SIM card before you head overseas, and they can often be used across multiple countries.

• It’s usually best to buy your Travel SIM card before heading overseas
• Can often be used across multiple countries, making it a good choice if you’re travelling to more than one place
• Travel SIMs usually prepaid with talk, text and data credit
• Data use can be expensive when compared to rates in Australia

Another option is to buy an international SIMs card, which offers service in one country or region outside Australia, and can be bought after you’ve landed at your destination.

• This is usually a good option when you’re staying in the one country and could be cheaper than a travel SIM
• You’ll need to check that the network providing coverage is compatible with your phone
• Make sure to cancel your plan once you’ve returned home to avoid being continually billed
• Prepaid SIM cards with a manual recharge is usually the best option to avoid surprise fees

What can you get on a SIM-only plan?

As SIM-only plans are the most common type of phone plan available in Australia, you’ll easily find a plan to suit your needs. Most SIM-only plans include unlimited standard national calls and SMS as default, with data inclusions varying between plans and providers.

Generally, the more expensive a plan is, the more data will be included on that plan. Which means its important to understand how much data you think you will be using day-to-day. Some telcos might also offer extras (free streaming subscriptions, rewards points, etc) on plans beyond that simple call, SMS and data inclusion. You can also find SIM-only plans with unlimited data, however this might sometimes have a catch where your unlimited data is at a capped speed.

There are SIM-only plans to suit all sorts of phone users, from cheaper plans suited to kids, seniors and low-phone users, to plans with huge data inclusions. No matter your needs or budget, it’s likely you’ll find the best SIM-only plan to suit you.

About our mobile phone experts

Tara Donnelly, Utilities Editor

Tara Donnelly is Canstar Blue’s Utilities Editor, leading the team that focuses on energy, telecommunications and consumer technology, across news, reviews and how-tos. Tara has spent more than a decade covering these topics in Australia, the US and Canada, which means she’s written about countless product launches and industry changes, including the rise of 5G, Australia’s ongoing NBN rollout, the recent years of energy price volatility and the rise of renewable energy sources.

Tara also has long experience in writing within the comparison industry, giving her great insights into the information consumers want when determining which plan or device will best meet their needs, while time spent in the financial sector before turning her talent to content lets her crunch the numbers on price with ease. Tara leads the coverage of Canstar Blue’s ratings and awards for the internet and phone sectors and is an expert at advising consumers on how to use comparison tools to find the best power, internet or phone deal.

Her expertise has seen her appear in national media including 9 News, 7 News, Sunrise, the ABC, The New Daily and The Sydney Morning Herald.

Josh Filosi, Data Insights Analyst

Josh Filosi is a Data Insights Analyst at Canstar, where he uses his expertise in data analysis and interpretation to develop and deliver the methodology for Canstar Blue’s Value Rankings and Outstanding Value awards in the telecommunications sectors.

His double-major in Economics and Behavioral Science from Griffith University provides him with the analytical skills and understanding of consumer markets to uncover insights in complex data, as well as passion for helping consumers find genuinely good deals when faced with countless competing options for their hard-earned cash in the Internet and Phone sectors.

Josh’s real love for all things tech gives him a unique perspective, too, on the telecommunications industry and the needs of its customers – staying up-to-date with the latest developments in the field is no onerous task, and it means Josh spots small details that can add up to a big difference to customers. He recently worked on the development of a Value Ranking methodology for the growing wireless broadband sector.

Josh relishes the opportunity to dedicate his professional effort to the cause of tech and telco users and is keen to continue building his understanding of this fascinating, ever-changing industry. When Josh isn’t poring over telco data, he likes to tinker with gadgets and electronics.