Are you re-assessing your current phone plan? Whether due to price, coverage or service quality, it’s worth routinely checking if your current plan works for you. Vodafone currently has several affordable SIM-only plans suited to anyone keen to avoid a lock-in contract.
Owned by TPG Telecom, Vodafone’s mobile network reaches 96% of Australians, making it the third largest in the country behind Optus (98.5%) and Telstra (99.5%). Depending on where you live, a Vodafone SIM-only plan could be a cost-effective option compared to the larger telcos.
To compare all of your phone options, check out the cheapest SIM plans from all carriers, and the best Telstra SIM-only plans. When considering your phone bill, it’s also worth seeing if you can save on home internet by comparing the cheapest NBN plans.
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What you need to know
SIM-only plans make it easy to use your existing phone and number, too. You can purchase one online or in-store and pop it into your device once ready. Or, if you have a modern phone compatible with eSIM technology, there’s even less manual handling involved.
Before you commit to any network, check the coverage map published on a company’s website to ensure it services your area. Vodafone’s coverage map indicates widespread metropolitan service, so it’s mainly regional areas you need to consider.
There are also companies like iiNet and Kogan that sell low-cost SIM-only plans using the Vodafone network. Referred to as mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), these companies offer comparatively cheap mobile services minus some of the perks you get by being a Vodafone customer.
Unlimited calls and text messages are par for the course these days, so the main factor driving prices is data allowances. It’s where you can save the most money, too. On average, Australians use 10.2 GB of phone data every month, according to figures from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). There’s no point paying more for data you don’t use.
Cheapest Vodafone SIM-only plans
At $45 a month, the cheapest Vodafone SIM-only plan undercuts Telstra’s equivalent by a decent margin. It comes with a 40 GB monthly data allowance but new customers signing up before 13 November 2023 get 80 GB for as long as they stay connected. For international calls, you’ll need to either purchase an add-on pack starting from $5 or choose a more expensive plan that includes some international calls.
A cheaper alternative is the $30 prepaid plan, although it operates on a 28-day cycle instead of monthly. You do get $5 off by opting into automatic recharging, which is a nice sweetener. This plan includes 15 GB of data and 500 minutes of international calls to Zone 1 countries.
For the month of November, you can grab a $40 Vodafone prepaid starter pack at a discounted price of $20. In exchange, you get 50 GB for the first three recharges (up from 30 GB), 1,000 minutes of Zone 1 international calls, and 100 minutes for Zone 2 countries.
Cheapest MVNO SIM-only plan using Vodafone
Want to save the most money? Here’s where you’ll find the cheapest plans. For monthly SIM-only plans on the Vodafone network, it’s a battle between iiNet and Kogan Mobile for your money.
New iiNet mobile customers get half-price monthly plans for the first six months, bringing its cheapest 8 GB offering down to $10, down from $19.99. Beyond that, Kogan Mobile offers more data (10 GB) in its cheapest plan for $15 a month, with the first month only costing $5. Over time, the Kogan offering is cheaper but there’s nothing stopping you from using iiNet for six months and then switching once the promo period ends.
On the prepaid side, providers like TPG, Lebara, and Felix come into play. Currently, the cheapest offering is a discounted TPG plan with 12 GB. New customers pay only $10 per monthly recharge for the first six months, down from $20. You can also pay an extra $5 a month for international calls, covering 37 countries like New Zealand and the UK.
Without discounts, Lebara is the next cheapest prepaid SIM-only plan on the Vodafone network. Its Extra Small Plan costs $14.90 on a 30-day recharge cycle, including 4 GB of data plus a bonus 4 GB for the first 30 days. 300 minutes of international calls are included which can be used to contact eight countries including the USA or China.
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