If you’re looking for the best Australian mobile plan under $50 per month, we’re here to help.
There’s quite a large range of plans at this price point, both prepaid and postpaid, from a variety of different providers. This includes plans directly from Telstra, Optus and Vodafone. However, it’s worth noting that if you go for a smaller provider (a.k.a. a mobile virtual network operator, or MVNO), you will most likely find plans that include more data than similar priced options from the big three telcos.
The 'average' mobile plan under $50
To help provide some context on what represents a good deal under $50, we crunched the numbers to figure out what an average plan in the $40 to $50 range looks like for cost and data allowance. These figures are accurate as of July 2025:
- Average price: $44.73
- Average monthly data: 69.81GB
- Average cost per GB: $0.80
To select the best value plans under $50, we compared options in that $40-$50 range from over a dozen major Australian mobile providers and examined any that stood out in terms of price, data allowance, network coverage and additional features like data banking. We’ve included plans with introductory discounts (or other bonuses) but only on the strict condition that the average first-year spend remained under $600 in total (or $50p/m).
From our perspective, a year is the minimum amount of time we'd want to put between switching phone providers. At this point, you'll have had plenty of time to decide if the ongoing extra cost is worth paying... or if it's time to find a better new deal from another telco instead.
On to the picks!
Best mobile plan under $50 overall
Best big data mobile plan under $50
Best 5G mobile plan under $50
Best mobile plan under $50 on the Telstra network
Other noteworthy plans under $50
• Aldi Mobile 120GB SIM only plan | 30 Day Expiry | 120GB | 5G Telstra Wholesale Network | $49 per 30 days
Aldi is the only provider with a plan under $50 per month that comes with more than 100GB of data. This plan costs $49 per 30 days which equals $49.68 per month and gets you 120GB of data. It also runs on the Telstra Wholesale network and comes with 5G access.
How to find the best plan under $50 for your needs
If you’re shopping for a plan under $50 per month, there are some tips and tricks you can use to ensure you find the best one for your needs.
1. Know your data needs. When hunting for a new mobile plan, it’s important to know how much data you currently use. Check out our guide on how to find your data usage, for a detailed walkthrough. Once you know how much data you use, it’s easier to find a plan that’ll suit your specific requirements, and you’ll be less likely to choose a more expensive plan with more data than you actually need.
2. Do you need 5G? Not all plans under $50 per month offer 5G. While there are a fair few that do, you may find that it’s cheaper to get a plan that doesn’t. Before deciding, it’s worth thinking about whether you really need the extra speeds that 5G offers.
3. Be wary of introductory discounts. While initial deals on the price of a plan or extra data can be tempting, it’s important to check the costs after these discounts end, because you may end up paying more than you originally intended.
5. Plan renewal periods can be deceptive. It’s important to be careful when considering 28-day prepaid plans because these can actually end up costing you more as they need to be recharged 13 times a year, instead of 12.
Compare more phone plans under $50
FAQs
Do any mobile plans under $50 include 5G?
Yes, there are quite a few plans for under $50 that offer 5G access. These include plans from Belong, Boost Mobile, Vodafone, Amaysim, Everyday Mobile, Superloop, TPG and iiNet.
Is mobile coverage worse with MVNOs?
There are only three major mobile networks in Australia - Telstra, Vodafone and Optus. MVNOs are the smaller mobile providers who lease access to one of these mobile networks (called a ‘wholesale network’) and then they offer plans that run on these networks, usually for cheaper prices because they don’t have to pay the same overheads. While there are slight variations in coverage between the "wholesale" networks that most smaller carriers use and the "full" networks of Telstra, Optus, or Vodafone, the difference often won’t be noticeable for most users. For instance, Telstra's full network covers 99.6% of the population, compared to 98.8% for its wholesale network, with the variance primarily affecting very remote and rural areas. So yes, the coverage you get with an MVNO may be slightly less than if you went directly with the provider, but it’s only very marginal.
Want to spend even less? We’ve got guides on the best mobile plans under $30 and best mobile plans under $20.
