Optus, Vodafone and others are hiking mobile plan prices – how can you save?
Optus will raise prepaid mobile plan prices on April 28, while Vodafone is adjusting rates for existing customers. Exetel, Superloop, Tangerine and More are also making moves.
Mobile plan prices are rising again this year, with providers making changes at different times and in different ways.
You can use the jump links to navigate between brands and find out what's happening. Or jump straight to our section on how to start saving.
Optus price changes
Optus is raising the prices on its prepaid plans by $1 to $30 per recharge, but you'll also get more data.
As you can see from the table, the 7-day plan is going up by $1, the 28-day plans will cost $4 more per recharge, and the 186-day and 365-day plans are jumping by $20 and $30, respectively.
Plan | Current price and data allowance | New price and data allowance |
|---|---|---|
| Optus Flex Plus 7-day expiry | $12 for 3GB | $13 a month for 5GB |
| Optus Flex Plus 28-day expiry | $35 for 20GB | $39 a month for 25GB |
| Optus Flex Plus 28-day expiry | $45 for 30GB | $49 a month for 35GB |
| Optus Flex Plus 28-day expiry | $55 for 40GB | $59 a month for 45GB |
| Optus Flex Plus 186-day expiry | $160 for 80GB | $180 a month for 90GB |
| Optus Flex Plus 365-day expiry | $320 for 200GB | $350 a month for 220GB |
We don't know if its postpaid plans will follow a similar fate as they received price increases just last year.
"We understand that unexpected expenses can make it difficult to manage payments. Our team is here to help, and we encourage any customers experiencing financial hardship to contact us," Optus told Finder.
One of the perks on the $39, $49 and $59 prepaid plans to continue will be unlimited data weekends when you set up auto recharge.
However, if you're looking to save on your mobile plan, aren't too concerned about extra perks, and still want to stick with the Optus network, you could consider a smaller provider such as Southern Phone, Catch or Dodo.
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Vodafone price changes for existing mobile customers
- Vodafone is increasing the monthly plan fee on some of its existing postpaid mobile plans by $4 a month and upgrading data allowance on most impacted plans.
- This change will either bump up prices on existing plans or move some customers from older plans to Vodafone Infinite.
"These changes will only affect a range of older plans that have been in the market for a while and do not impact customers who have signed up to a new Vodafone plan in 2024 or 2025, or those upgrading to 2024 and 2025 plans," a Vodafone spokesperson told Finder.
"We have made these changes in response to the continuing high costs of doing business, to support ongoing investment into our products and systems, and to further simplify our product range."
You can always consider plans from felix, TPG, iiNet or Kogan if you're looking to compare other mobile plans on the Vodafone network to see if you can get a better deal.
Tangerine price changes
Tangerine will be raising prices by a more modest $1 to $2 a month from 1 April
Plan | Current price and data allowance | New price and data allowance |
|---|---|---|
| 12GB (4G) | $22 a month for 12GB | $23 a month for 12GB |
| 32GB (5G) | $33 a month for 32GB | $34 a month for 32GB |
| 50GB (5G) | $38 a month for 50GB | $40 a month for 50GB |
| 80GB (5G) | $45 a month for 80GB | $46 a month for 80GB |
More price changes
More is bumping up its mobile plan prices by $2 a month around the same time.
Plan | Current price and data allowance | New price and data allowance |
|---|---|---|
| 12GB (4G) | $24 a month for 12GB | $26 a month for 12GB |
| 32GB (5G) | $36 a month for 32GB | $38 a month for 32GB |
| 50GB (5G) | $42 a month for 50GB | $44 a month for 50GB |
Exetel and Superloop price changes
Exetel and Superloop quietly raised their mobile plan prices and data allowances at the beginning of March by $2 to $5 a month.
Plan Name | Current price and data allowance | New price and data allowance |
|---|---|---|
| Exetel Saver (4G) | $18 per 30 days for 7GB | $20 per 30 days for 10GB |
| Exetel Value (4G) | $24 per 30 days for 20GB | $28 per 30 days for 25GB |
| Exetel Extra Value (5G) | $30 per 30 days for 30GB | $35 per 30 days for 35GB |
| Exetel Choice (5G) | $36 per 30 days for 45GB | $40 per 30 days for 60GB |
| Exetel Plus (5G) | $48 per 30 days for 100GB | $50 per 30 days for 100GB |
| Superloop Saver (4G) | $20 per 30 days for 10GB | $25 per 30 days for 15GB |
| Superloop Essential (4G) | $30 per 30 days for 30GB | $35 per 30 days for 35GB |
| Superloop Choice (5G) | $40 per 30 days for 55GB | $40 per 30 days for 60GB |
Tangerine, More, Superloop and Exetel run on the Telstra network and offer some budget-friendly plans.
This is based on the fact that the average cost of month-to-month plans on the Telstra network on Finder is about $42 a month.
There's a good chance other providers will follow suit with price changes in the coming months. We'll keep you updated!
So, how do I start saving?
According to our research, Australians paid a staggering $2.4 billion in loyalty tax in 2024 by not switching plans regularly or paying for more data than they need.
Based on the ACCC's Internet Activity Report, Aussies typically use 15-17GB per month and our Consumer Sentiment Tracker found they pay on average $53 a month.
Let's say you want at least 20-25GB of data because you're an above-average user. You can easily get up to 25 gigs for around $30-$35 a month.
That's why it's so important to compare plans based on what you actually need:
- Check your data usage. Look at your provider's app or recent bills to see how much data you use each month.
- Pick a network. Prefer Telstra, Vodafone or Optus? If you're unsure, check their coverage maps to see which one works best where you live.
- Think about perks. Do you need extras, or are unlimited calls, texts and data enough? There's no point paying for things like data rollover or international calls if you won't use them.
- Switch and save. If you compare and switch every 6 to 12 months, you can cash in on discounts and bonus data. Plus, switching is easy as you can keep your number, and most plans these days have no lock-in contracts.
- Consider long-expiry prepaid plans. Paying upfront for up to 365 days can work out cheaper per month than a standard month-to-month plan.
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