Everything costs more at the moment, so it’s important to check that you’re not paying too much for services you need. Fortunately, your phone bill is one of the easiest things to save money on. Optus, one of the big three Australian telcos, has several good deals on SIM-only plans that are worth a look.
Reaching 98.5% of Australians, Optus has the second-largest network coverage, just behind Telstra’s 99.5%. While Telstra plans usually cost a bit extra, Optus competes strongly with various affordable plans. Of course, before signing up for any plan, you should always check the coverage map to ensure your location gets phone signal.
A SIM-only plan is also a good, low-commitment way to test a different telco. There are no lock-in contracts or costly fees involved, making it an ideal money-saving choice. Each plan includes unlimited calls and messages within the country, along with mobile internet data allocations to suit all budgets. For added convenience, most telcos now offer eSIMs for compatible phones, meaning you can sign up online and get connected without needing to visit a store.
Aside from going with Optus directly, several mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) use the telco’s network to provide even cheaper services. Check out the cheapest Optus SIM-only plans below, including those offered by MVNOs, with all including at least 28-day expiries. You can also browse the cheapest plans from Telstra, find Vodafone’s best deals, and compare the overall cheapest SIM plans in Australia.
Contents
- Cheapest prepaid Optus SIM-only plans
- Cheapest postpaid Optus SIM-only plans
- Best MVNO using the Optus network
- Cheapest long expiry 365-day SIM plans
Cheapest prepaid Optus SIM-only plans
From now until 10 March, you can get Optus’ cheapest SIM-only prepaid plan for just $12, which also includes 60 GB. Exclusively available via the Optus website, the base-level Flex Plus plan normally costs $35 per 28 days, with 20 GB of data. After the initial purchase, the next five recharges include a total of 40 GB before it reverts to 20 GB.
This tier gets you 5G access where supported, although download speeds are limited to 150Mbps, unless you fork out for the pricier $55 plan. Other than unlimited calls and text messages, the $35 Flex Plus SIM plan includes 400 minutes of standard international calls to 20 countries including New Zealand, the UK, and the US.
Compared to rival telcos, it’s a pretty decent offer. Telstra’s cheapest prepaid SIM plan costs $35 with a standard 15 GB data allowance, so Optus includes more data even outside of promotional bonuses. In terms of cost, Vodafone is the cheapest, offering a $30 Prepaid Plus plan with 15 GB of data. You can also get a $5 discount by enabling automatic recharges.
Cheapest postpaid Optus SIM-only plans
Looking at postpaid SIM-only plans, you’re paying $49 for Optus’ cheapest option. Billed on a monthly cycle, the $49 Optus Small Choice Plus Plan includes 30 GB of data. This one’s a better option if you regularly contact family and friends overseas, as it comes with unlimited standard talk and text to 35 countries.
Want more data? The Optus Plus Promo plan is down to $69 per month for the first year, down from $89, along with a generous 500 GB monthly data allocation. Its closest competitor among the big three is Vodafone, with its $69 SIM-only plan including 360 GB of data.
Best MVNO using the Optus network
Although Optus has several high-data plans, here’s where you can save the most money. Given that most Australians aren’t big mobile data users, MVNO SIM-only plans using the Optus network are by far the cheapest option. It starts with Dodo, with a plan that costs just $10 per month. You only get 2 GB in return, which suits anyone who doesn’t download much or is usually connected to Wi-Fi.
Spintel’s $14 deal is worth considering, too. Down from $22 for the first six months, it includes a reasonable 25 GB allocation. Another good postpaid MVNO SIM-only plan comes from Moose Mobile, starting at $16.80 for the first year, before only slightly climbing to $19.80. It’s also the cheapest way to access Optus’ 5G network by some measure.
On the prepaid side of things, there are fewer choices. Yomojo’s Big Kids Plan costs $14.90 per 30-day renewal, accompanied by 6 GB of data. It’s followed by Catch Connect, offering 10 GB of data with its $17 plan.
Cheapest long expiry 365-day SIM plans
A long expiry SIM plan is an easy way to save money on your phone bill. Available in various increments, you can purchase a 365-day SIM that lasts the entire year, which is great if you know what you need ahead of time. Like other SIM plans, these long-term offerings include unlimited local talk and text, with one main difference. Instead of receiving a new data allocation each month, you get it all up front.
Catch Connect currently has the cheapest long expiry SIM plan using the Optus network. Valid until 27 February, you can get a 365-day plan with 60 GB for $99, which normally costs $120. More data costs slightly more: $119 for 120 GB, and $150 for 200 GB. Plus, you can pay an additional $5 a month for 100 minutes of standard international calls to 32 countries.
Optus also has a decent deal on its long expiry SIM plan, and is the only one listed that has 5G access. From now until 10 March, get $100 off its 260 GB Flex Plus plan, bringing it down to $220. Subsqeuent recharges then cost the full $320. Thinking long term, be aware that after three recharges (in three years’ time, presumably), the data allocation reverts to 180 GB, equal to 15 GB each month.
It’s one of the cheapest 365-day long expiry SIM plans available in terms of included data. While the promotion is live, it works out to be just over $18 a month, which is a good deal for the data on offer.
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