Want unlimited international calls and texts to standard numbers across 31 selected countries on its medium and large plans. Or, 100 minutes on its small plan.
Are already with TPG for internet and want to save an additional $5 a month by bundling its medium or large prepaid mobile plan.
Keep in mind: Download speeds are capped at 150Mbps on the small and medium plans, and 250Mbps on the large plan. However, both speeds are more than enough for most online activities like streaming, video calls, and more.
2. Southern Phone - Affordable plans on the Optus network
Southern Phone's plans offer pretty great value, both with and without discounts and across all data limits.
Most popular Southern Phone plan on Finder:
Southern Phone Finder Exclusive
Unlimited calls & texts
Optus 4G/5G network
80GB
data
$19 per
month
*$19/mth for the first 6 months, then $34/mth. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply. Ends 15.4.25
Want an affordable plan on the Optus network and don't care much about extra bells and whistles.
Are looking for a plan with international call credit. Southern Phone offers $50 across all plans for standard international calls.
Keep in mind: 5G download speeds are capped at 100Mbps but this should still be good enough for most online activities.
3. Felix mobile - The only unlimited data mobile provider in Australia
Felix offers affordable month-to-month plans on the Vodafone network and stands out as the only provider in Australia with a mobile plan that has no data caps.
The caveat is there's a 20Mbps download speed cap throughout, though this is still good enough for social media, streaming, browsing and more.
Most popular felix plan on Finder:
felix Subscription UnlimitedGREEN COMPANY
Unlimited calls & texts
Vodafone 4G/5G network
Unlimited data. Slowed down to 20Mbps after full speed data used up
$20 per
month
$20/mth for the first 6 months, then $40/mth. Use promo code FELIX6. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply. Ends 6.4.25
Don't want speed caps but appreciate the concept of endless data on other mobile plans from felix. Download speeds will be slowed to 1.5Mbps once you've exhausted your monthly data allowance. It's the best way to avoid excess data charges.
Want a carbon-neutral plan from a Finder Green Award-winning provider. It also plants 1 tree per active subscription each month.
Keep in mind: Felix offers purely digital customer support, which might not work for some people.
4. Catch Connect - Great value long expiry deals
Catch offers affordable prepaid plans with unlimited local calls and texts included.
While its month-to-month plans are decent, its long-expiry deals are where you'll get the most bang for your buck.
That's why Catch was highly commended in the 2024 Finder Product Awards for its Long Expiry Prepaid Plan.
Most popular Catch plan on Finder:
Catch Connect 365 Day Plan 200GB Finder Exclusive
Unlimited calls & texts
Optus 4G network
200GB
data
$149 per
365 days
$149 for the first recharge, then $200/recharge. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply. Ends 25.3.25
Want 100 minutes of standard international calls on the small plan or unlimited international calls and texts to 31 selected countries on the medium and large plans.
Like bundling discounts. You'll get $5 a month off when you bundle iiNet's internet plan with its medium or large mobile plan. This will apply after the 6-month discount runs out.
Want the option to sign up via an eSIM if you have a compatible handset.
Keep in mind: 5G access is not available on its small plan. iiNet's mobile plans also auto-renew each month until you cancel.
6. Belong - Telstra's cheaper sub-brand
Belong was launched as Telstra's sub-brand back in 2013 and has since been offering mobile plans at a lower price using parts of the Telstra network.
Most popular Belong plan on Finder:
Belong 40GB
Unlimited calls & texts
Wholesale Telstra 4G/5G network
40GB data. Slowed down to 1Mbps after full speed data used up
Tend to use a little over your monthly data limit – Belong offers no excess usage charges and will just slow your mobile internet speed down to 1Mbps instead.
Want additional features such as unlimited data banking and the option to add on international calls or international roaming.
Keep in mind: Most of Belong's plans come with 150Mbps download speed caps (or 250Mbps on its largest plan). However, this is still fast enough for most online activities.
7. Dodo - Big perks, small price
Dodo offers budget-friendly plans on the Optus network. It's one of the few providers with mobile, broadband, and energy plans, making it easy to bundle all your utilities in one place.
Most popular Dodo plan on Finder:
Dodo $33
Unlimited calls & texts
Optus 4G/5G network
40GB
data
$16.50 per
month
$16.50/mth for the first 3 months, then $33/mth. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply. Order by 31.3.25
Don't want your unused data to go to waste. There's no limit on how much data you can bank across most plans. There's a 500GB cap on the smallest plan.
Want international call credit. You can get anywhere between $100 to $400 in credit depending on the plan.
Would like to avoid bill shock. You won't be charged for going over your data limit. Dodo will simply slow your speeds to 256Kbps until your next billing cycle.
Would like the option of adding an international roaming pack when heading overseas.
Keep in mind: Dodo doesn't offer 5G on all plans. Those with access have download speed caps of 100Mbps, which is plenty for streaming, gaming, browsing, and more.
8. Kogan Mobile - For the budget seekers
Kogan's mobile plans offer pretty good value for money, especially for those committing to its 365-day plans.
That's why Kogan won the Long Expiry Prepaid Mobile Provider title at the 2024 Finder Awards and was highly commended in the Budget Mobile Provider category.
Want to BYO number and switch in minutes with an eSIM. You just need a compatible handset.
Would like to earn Qantas Points. You'll get 1 point for every $2 spent on Kogan Mobile.
Keep in mind: Kogan runs on the Vodafone network. Make sure you're happy with the coverage before signing up for a long-expiry plan. You can check the coverage map on Kogan's website.
9. Boost Mobile - Get full Telstra coverage without the hefty price tag
Boost Mobile is the only smaller provider offering the same 4G and 5G coverage as Telstra.
Other providers on the Telstra network typically have slightly reduced coverage, making Boost a unique option, especially for long-expiry plans.
Most popular Boost plan on Finder:
Boost $300 SIM
Unlimited calls & texts
Telstra 4G/5G network
290GB
data
$300 per
12 months
290GB on activation, then 240GB/recharge. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply. Activate by 7.7.25
Want access to unlimited international calls and texts to selected countries and have the option to add on international roaming when heading overseas.
Prefer having access to a mobile app that can help you track your data usage and manage your plan.
Want the option to rollover unused data so it doesn't go to waste (only available on 28-day expiry plans).
Keep in mind: Download speeds are capped at 150-250Mbps depending on the plan. However, this is more than enough speed for online activities on your phone.
10. Optus - Did somebody say Unlimited Data Weekend?
Optus's prepaid plans are the more affordable option if you want to sign up with the telco giant directly.
One of its more noticeable perks is getting unlimited data every weekend when you set up AutoRecharge.
Most popular Optus plan on Finder:
Optus Flex Plus $35
Unlimited calls & texts
Optus 4G/5G network
40GB
data
$35 per
28 days
40GB on first 3 recharges, then 20GB. Eligibility criteria, T&Cs apply.
Like sports and want access to Optus Sport for a discounted price.
Want to roll over unused data.
Want access to international call minutes and texts
Keep in mind: 4G and 5G download speeds are capped at 150Mbps but this is fast enough for online activities on your phone.
To find the top 10 best mobile phone providers, we look at the total number of clicks by Finder users in the previous month. This includes all different types of plans including prepaid, postpaid and subscription-based plans.
Keep in mind that the providers on this list are Finder partners, which means we may be paid if you click links to partner websites. Learn more about how we make money.
We're still editorially independent, and in our breakdown of these providers and their plans, we'll be upfront about any sneaky terms and conditions we think are important to call out.
Who is the best mobile phone provider in Australia?
The best provider for you is going to depend on what you value most in a mobile phone company. That can range from anything such as network, price or included plan features.
There are a few stand-outs that we've awarded across a range of categories to help narrow down the list for you.
2024 Finder Award for Best Budget Mobile Provider
TPG was a standout this year for the budget category because it stacks up well for price and data, especially when it's running frequent promotional offers.
Top 5 mobile providers for customer satisfaction in 2024
Finder's Customer Satisfaction Awards highlight the mobile providers Aussies love and trust most, based on factors like customer service, features and benefits, speed, service reliability, and value for money.
Brand
Overall satisfaction
Customers who'd recommend
★★★★★ 4.58/5
100%
★★★★★ 4.35/5
100%
★★★★★ 4.33/5
100%
★★★★★ 4.2/5
86%
★★★★★ 4.03/5
86%
How do you compare mobile service providers in Australia?
When looking for a new mobile phone plan you'll want to consider a few factors:
Network
This determines the kind of coverage you get. Those outside of metropolitan cities should focus on plans on the Telstra or Optus network. If you're looking at 5G plans, make sure to check the provider's coverage map before you sign up.
Price
Decide how much you're willing to spend and whether you want a postpaid or prepaid plan. Postpaid plans are month-to-month but prepaid plans are more flexible with monthly, short-term and long-expiry plans up to 365 days.
Data
Australians download around 12.8GB of data on average every month according to the ACCC. However, everyone's usage is different. Look at your online account, phone app or previous bills to see how much data you use and sign up for a plan accordingly.
Features
Consider which features are most important to you. Some plans include endless data with speed caps while others offer data rollover. You can get plans with or without international calls and handy options such as data rollover or Wi-Fi calling.
"Inclusions like unlimited calls and texts are pretty standard on mobile plans these days. When you're picking a plan, look out for considerations like data amounts, data speed and extra data charges. Look out for inclusions like international calls, too. These can make a big difference to your overall mobile spend."
The primary difference between mobile networks in Australia is coverage. Each network covers the following percentage of Australians:
Telstra: 99.5%
Optus: 98.5%
Vodafone: 96%
Where it gets a little tricky is when we start to include smaller network providers known as MVNOs. These providers don't own their own mobile network but basically rent it out to sell their own plans.
MVNO network coverage really only differs for Telstra. Apart from Boost Mobile, all other Telstra MVNOs operate on the wholesale Telstra network which covers 98.8% of Australians.
MVNOs that use the Optus and Vodafone mobile networks have the same coverage as Optus and Vodafone themselves.
This can vary month-to-month depending on which mobile phone provider's offering the best deal.
Luckily for you, we handpick the best mobile plans in Australia every month, looking at factors such as network, price, data allowance, excess data charges and more.
If you want access to Telstra's network without paying higher prices, look for a Telstra MVNO. Boost Mobile is a great option as it has access to the full Telstra network. Other Telstra network providers use parts of the Telstra wholesale network rather than the full network, which covers 98.8% of Australians instead of 99.5%.
There's only a 0.7% difference between Telstra's wholesale network and its full one, but this difference may be noticeable for those in rural and regional parts of Australia.
There are lots of differences between Telstra and Optus – even Vodafone. Depending on what you need in a mobile plan, it's hard to say which one is better than the other.
Optus mobile plans tend to be cheaper, but Telstra's network is superior, reaching the largest amount of the Australian population.
Mariam Gabaji is a journalist with 13 years of experience, specialising in consumer topics like mobile services and energy costs. Her work appears in the ABC, Yahoo Finance, 9News, The Guardian, SBS, 7News, A Current Affair and Money Magazine. Mariam holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and was a finalist for the 2024 IT Journalism Award for Best Telecommunications Journalist. See full bio
Mariam's expertise
Mariam has written 329 Finder guides across topics including:
Hi, I’m planning to stay in Australia (Queensland) for 6 months (in this call), please recommend me a convenient plan with minimum price, 25 GB internet per month would be enough for me, but would like to have possibly of international calls.
Getting a phone for kids or teens is an important decision to make, so here are the things to consider when choosing a mobile plan for them.
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We try to take an open and transparent approach and provide a broad-based comparison service. However, you should be aware that while we are an independently owned service, our comparison service does not include all providers or all products available in the market.
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Hi, I’m planning to stay in Australia (Queensland) for 6 months (in this call), please recommend me a convenient plan with minimum price, 25 GB internet per month would be enough for me, but would like to have possibly of international calls.
Hi Reza, this guide should help you out with a roundup of the best plans + info on how to choose the best plan: https://www.finder.com.au/mobile-plans/best-mobile-plans-international-calling. Alternatively, some providers you can check out include ALDImobile, TPG, iiNet, Boost Mobile, amaysim. Hope this helps!