What are the cheapest mobile plans in Australia?
If you mainly use your phone for calls and messages, the cheapest mobile plan may not be the one with the most data. It may be the plan that gives you the essentials—reliable calls, SMS and MMS—without making you pay for gigabytes you will never use.
For light-data users, Cmobile’s $10.90 Red plan is the lowest ongoing monthly price in our comparison of selected mainstream plans with unlimited standard national calls and texts. It includes 500MB of data, unlimited standard national calls, SMS and MMS, plus unlimited international SMS.
Customers who want a low ongoing price on the Telstra Wholesale Mobile Network can also consider Cmobile’s C Blue 10GB plan for $21 per month. It is the lowest standard ongoing price among the Telstra-network plans in this selected comparison and is one of the cheapest everyday-priced Telstra Wholesale options we found.
That makes it a practical option for:
- seniors who use a basic mobile phone or “dumb phone”;
- a second phone number for calls and verification messages;
- an emergency or backup phone;
- people who mostly use Wi-Fi;
- children’s smartwatches and other low-data devices; and
- anyone who wants talk and text without paying for a large data allowance.
Unlike an introductory offer that doubles after a few months, $10.90 is Cmobile’s standard monthly plan price. Prices can change in the future, as with any telecommunications service, but there is no advertised three-, four- or six-month promotional price that expires and automatically moves you to a higher standard price.
Quick answer
What is the cheapest ongoing mobile plan in this comparison? Cmobile’s Red 500MB plan costs $10.90 per calendar month and includes unlimited standard national calls, SMS and MMS, unlimited international SMS, and 500MB of data. It has no lock-in contract and uses Vodafone’s 4G network.
What is the cheapest ongoing Telstra-network plan in this comparison? Cmobile’s C Blue plan costs $21 per month and includes 10GB, unlimited standard national calls, SMS and MMS, and a 500GB data bank on the Telstra Wholesale Mobile Network.
Cheap mobile plans compared
The table compares the lowest-priced plan we found on each provider’s website that includes unlimited standard national calls and texts. Prices and offers were checked on 19 August 2026 and may change. Always read the provider’s Critical Information Summary before signing up.
| Provider | Cheapest advertised plan reviewed | Included data | Billing period | Introductory offer? | Ongoing price after promotion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cmobile C Red | $10.90 | 500MB | Calendar month | No introductory price | $10.90/mth |
| Cmobile C Blue | $21.00 | 10GB | Calendar month | No introductory price | $21/mth |
| Tangerine | $15.00 | 60GB for first 6 months; then 30GB | Month | Yes: half price for 4 months; bonus data for 6 months | $30/mth |
| amaysim | $10.00 | 15GB | 28 days | Yes: first renewal only | $30/28 days |
| ALDImobile | $23.00 | 12GB | 30 days | No price discount; price promise advertised to Aug 2027 | $23/30 days |
| Moose Mobile | $24.80 | 30GB | Month | No price promotion shown in its current CIS | $24.80/mth |
| Dodo | $25.00 | 25GB | Month | No price promotion shown on entry plan | $25/mth |
| Boost Mobile | $28.00 | 8GB | 28 days | No price discount shown | $28/28 days |
| Southern Phone | $29.00 | 40GB | Month | No price promotion shown on featured plan | $29/mth |
Important comparison notes: This is a selected market comparison, not every mobile product available in Australia. It excludes pay-as-you-go plans without unlimited calls and texts, annual and long-expiry plans, family plans, data-only services, device repayments, broadband bundle discounts and discontinued offers. A 28-day plan renews about 13 times a year, while a calendar-month plan is billed 12 times a year.
Why the promotional price is not the whole story
A large discount can make a plan look cheapest in a search result, but the first bill does not tell you what you will pay over time.
For example, Tangerine advertised its entry plan at $15 per month for the first four months, then $30 per month ongoing. amaysim advertised 15GB for $10 for the first 28-day renewal, then $30 every 28 days. Those offers may suit people who want considerably more data, but they are not ongoing $10 or $15 plans.
Before switching, ask:
- Is the displayed price an introductory offer?
- How long does the discount last?
- What is the standard ongoing price?
- Is the billing cycle a calendar month, 30 days or 28 days?
- Will unused data roll over?
- What happens if I use all the included data?
The billing period matters. A service that renews every 28 days generally charges 13 times over 364 days. For example, a $28 plan with a 28-day expiry costs about $364 across 13 renewals, which is roughly $30.33 per calendar month when averaged over a year.
Why Cmobile can be cheaper for low-data users
Most mobile providers compete by adding more data. That is useful if you stream video, use social media away from Wi-Fi or regularly hotspot another device. But if you use very little mobile data, a bigger allowance does not necessarily mean better value.
Cmobile’s $10.90 Red 500MB plan keeps the data allowance deliberately small and includes the communication features many light users need:
- 500MB of data each month;
- unlimited standard national calls;
- unlimited standard national SMS;
- unlimited standard national MMS;
- unlimited international SMS;
- calls to 13, 1300 and 1800 numbers;
- voicemail deposit and retrieval;
- a calendar-month billing cycle;
- no lock-in contract;
- Australian based support; and
- access to Vodafone’s 4G network.
There is a $4.90 application fee. If you exceed the included 500MB, excess data is charged at 1 cent per MB (equivalent to $10 per 1GB), so this plan is best for people who can keep mobile data use low. You can reduce accidental usage by turning off mobile data and using Wi-Fi where available.
One of the cheapest mobile plans on the Telstra network
Some customers prefer a plan that uses the Telstra network because of coverage where they live, work or travel. For those customers, Cmobile’s C Blue 10GB plan is a low-cost alternative to higher-priced Telstra-network plans.
At $21 per calendar month, C Blue is the lowest standard ongoing price among the Telstra-network providers included in this comparison. By comparison, ALDImobile’s entry plan was $23 per 30 days, Boost Mobile’s was $28 per 28 days, and Tangerine’s $15 introductory price increased to $30 per month after four months.
The C Blue plan includes:
- 10GB of data each month;
- unlimited standard national calls;
- unlimited standard national SMS and MMS;
- calls to 13, 1300 and 1800 numbers;
- voicemail deposit and retrieval;
- a data bank of up to 500GB for unused included data;
- eSIM or physical SIM availability;
- no lock-in contract;
- download speeds capped at 100Mbps on 4G; and
- access to the Telstra Wholesale Mobile Network.
The standard price is not advertised as a short-term introductory discount. A $4.90 application fee applies, and additional data costs $10 for 2GB. International SMS and MMS are not included.
The wording “Telstra network” needs some context. C Blue uses the Telstra Wholesale Mobile Network, while Boost advertises access to the full Telstra Prepaid Mobile Network. Network footprints and plan features can differ, so customers should check the relevant coverage map for their address and regular travel areas before switching.
Is 500MB of mobile data enough?
500MB is enough for light tasks, but it is not designed for regular streaming, video calls, app downloads or heavy social-media use.
It may be suitable if you:
- keep mobile data switched off most of the time;
- connect to home or workplace Wi-Fi;
- occasionally check email, maps or a simple webpage; or
- use a basic phone mainly for calls and texts.
It is probably not enough if you regularly watch video, scroll image-heavy apps, use your phone as a hotspot or download software updates over the mobile network. In that case, choose a plan with a larger included data allowance—even if its monthly price is higher.
Cheap phone plans for seniors
Many seniors do not need a special “senior” mobile plan. A low-cost SIM-only plan can work well if it matches how the phone is actually used.
For someone with a basic 4G-compatible phone who mainly calls family, receives appointment reminders and sends messages, the Cmobile Red 500MB plan offers the essentials at a low ongoing price. Unlimited standard national calls and messages also make costs more predictable than pay-as-you-go rates.
Before changing providers, check that the phone is unlocked, compatible with the provider’s network and capable of making emergency calls after Australia’s 3G shutdown. Coverage also varies by location, so review the coverage map for the places where the phone will be used.
A low-cost plan for a second phone number
A second mobile number can be useful for work enquiries, marketplace listings, online accounts, travel within Australia or keeping personal and public contact details separate.
If the second service needs to receive messages and make calls but uses little data, paying for 20GB, 50GB or more each month may be unnecessary. A $10.90 monthly plan with unlimited standard national talk and text can keep the second number active without a high recurring cost.
How the other low-cost providers compare
Dodo
Dodo’s lowest listed plan was $25 per month for 25GB, with unlimited standard calls, text and MMS, data banking and no excess data charges. It provides much more data than Cmobile, but its ongoing monthly price is higher.
Moose Mobile
Moose Mobile’s current Critical Information Summary listed a $24.80 monthly plan with 30GB and unlimited standard national calls and texts. It is a higher-data option on the Vodafone network.
Tangerine Telecom
Tangerine’s lowest listed plan was promoted at $15 per month for four months, then $30 ongoing. It also advertised 60GB for six months, then 30GB. Tangerine offers far more data and uses the Telstra Wholesale Mobile Network, but the headline price is temporary.
amaysim
amaysim advertised 15GB for $10 for the first 28-day renewal, then $30 every 28 days. It includes unlimited standard national talk and text and data banking. Remember that 28-day services can renew 13 times in a year.
Boost Mobile
Boost’s entry 28-day plan was $28 for 8GB, with unlimited standard national calls and texts. Boost uses the full Telstra Prepaid Mobile Network, which may be important to customers who prioritise that network footprint.
ALDImobile
ALDImobile’s entry mobile plan was $23 for 12GB with a 30-day expiry, unlimited standard national calls and SMS, 2,000 standard national MMS, and eligible data rollover. It advertised a price promise until August 2027.
Southern Phone
Southern Phone featured a $29 monthly SIM plan with 40GB on the Optus network. It offers substantially more data than Cmobile, but at a higher ongoing monthly cost.
So, which cheap mobile plan should you choose?
Choose based on your usage—not the biggest data number or the brightest promotional price.
- Choose Cmobile’s $10.90 plan if keeping the ongoing monthly price low matters most and 500MB is enough.
- Choose Cmobile C Blue for $21 per month if you want 10GB and access to the Telstra Wholesale Mobile Network at a low standard ongoing price.
- Choose a larger-data plan if you regularly stream, browse or use social media away from Wi-Fi.
- Consider network coverage first if you live, work or travel in an area where one network performs better than another.
- Compare the ongoing price if an offer only lasts for the first few renewals.
- Compare billing periods because 28 days, 30 days and a calendar month are not the same.
For light-data customers, seniors with basic phones and people who need an affordable second number, Cmobile offers a simple proposition: the calls and messages you need, a small amount of data, and a low standard monthly price without a short-term introductory discount.
View the Cmobile $10.90 Red 500MB mobile plan
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest Cmobile plan?
Cmobile’s cheapest listed mobile plan is the Red 500MB plan at $10.90 per calendar month. It includes unlimited standard national calls, SMS and MMS, unlimited international SMS, and 500MB of data. A $4.90 application fee applies.
Does the Cmobile $10.90 price expire after six months?
No introductory expiry is advertised for the $10.90 price. It is the plan’s standard monthly access fee rather than a temporary new-customer discount. Like all telecommunications pricing, it remains subject to future change.
Does the Cmobile $10.90 plan include unlimited calls and texts?
Yes. It includes unlimited standard national calls, SMS and MMS, as well as unlimited international SMS, subject to the applicable fair-use policy.
What is Cmobile’s cheapest plan on the Telstra network?
Cmobile’s C Blue 10GB plan costs $21 per calendar month and uses the Telstra Wholesale Mobile Network. It includes unlimited standard national calls, SMS and MMS, plus a data bank of up to 500GB. A $4.90 application fee applies.
Is Cmobile C Blue the cheapest Telstra network plan in Australia?
C Blue has the lowest standard ongoing price among the Telstra-network plans in this selected comparison and is one of the cheapest everyday-priced Telstra Wholesale plans we found. The Australian market also includes promotional, annual, PAYG, bundled and other niche offers, so no single plan can be described as universally cheapest without defining the comparison criteria.
Does Cmobile C Blue use the full Telstra network?
C Blue uses the Telstra Wholesale Mobile Network. This is different from the full Telstra network access advertised by Telstra and the full Telstra Prepaid Mobile Network advertised by Boost. Customers should check Cmobile’s C Blue coverage map for the locations that matter to them.
Is this a prepaid plan?
No. The Cmobile Red 500MB plan is a month-to-month SIM-only service billed by calendar month. There is no lock-in contract.
What happens if I use more than 500MB?
Excess data is charged at 1 cent per MB. If you expect to use more than 500MB regularly, a plan with a larger included data allowance may cost less overall.
Is 500MB enough for a basic phone?
It can be. For a compatible basic 4G phone used mainly for calls and texts, 500MB may be more than sufficient. Check device compatibility and local network coverage before switching.
Can I keep my existing mobile number?
Yes. Cmobile says customers can bring an existing Australian mobile number or request a new one.
Legal and accuracy note
Plan prices, inclusions, eligibility, coverage and promotions can change. You should verify the plan pricing and inclusions directly with the service provider. Fair-use policies, coverage limitations and provider terms apply. This article is general information and should not imply that one plan is best for every customer.