365-day prepaid mobile plans are one of the best ways to slash your phone bill – when broken down on a cost-per-month basis, they're frequently the cheapest way to get mobile service in Australia.
When we decide which 365-day phone plans are the best, we consider two factors:
• How much data?
• How much does it cost?
The price factor can get complicated, because in our experience, we see the cost of 365-day phone plans fluctuate on a regular basis. As for data, according to the ACCC's figures from June 2023, Australians downloaded an average of 15.9GB of data per month on postpaid plans and 7.5GB on prepaid plans. To be on the safe side, the plans we've recommended below offer the equivalent of at least 14GB per month.
Best 365 day long-expiry prepaid plans
Best 365 day plan overall
Cheapest long-expiry plan
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Is a long-expiry mobile plan right for me?
Reasons to get one...
- Very much a 'set and forget' plan. Pay once each year
- Large amount of data included will suit most customers
- If you use a lot of data one month, you're unlikely need to worry about going over your total allowance
365-day long-expiry phone plans can be a great investment for the majority of users, as they offer a true 'set and forget' structure. Because 365 day prepaid phone plans only require one payment every 365 days, try not to be put off immediately by the initial high cost. When you split it over the course of 12 months, you may find these long-expiry prepaid plans work out to be more affordable than traditional prepaid phone plans, which operate on a monthly basis.
As with any phone plan, the inclusions offered by each provider can differ greatly, which makes it imperative you shop around to find the best deal, which is where we come in. In our experience, we see prices for 365 day prepaid phone plans fluctuate on a regular basis, so what might seem like a great plan one week, might not be the next.
In general, we think 365 day prepaid phone plans can work out to be cost effective. When you split the initial high cost over the course of 12 months, you may find these long-expiry prepaid plans work out to be more affordable than traditional prepaid phone plans, which operate on a monthly basis.
Reasons to not get one...
- Upfront cost can be expensive
- May need to ration data to ensure you don't reach annual allowance
When you're searching for a 365-day prepaid phone plan, you'll want to carefully consider how much data you're realistically going to need. The amount of included data advertised is for the whole duration of the plan and not each month, and once you've made a payment, you'll need to make the included data last 365 days.
One of the main downsides to a 365-day long-expiry prepaid phone plan is that if you do reach your annual data allowance before the 12 months is up, you will need to recharge your service to be able to continue using it. If you do go through all of your data, then your provider will either continue to offer 'unlimited' data but at a much slower maximum speed; will charge you a fee per megabyte or per gigabyte you use; or potentially charge you a full amount and effectively reset your service for another year.
And because these long-expiry mobile plans have an expensive upfront cost, you may find you're unable to pay at the time of recharge, leaving you without a phone plan. You may therefore find the best prepaid plans are a better option for you.
