Mobile plans under $10 a month exist – these are our top picks

Mobile phone plans are, for most of us, one of those unavoidable monthly costs that we don’t really spend much time thinking about – but the cost adds up, particularly if you’re on a plan from one of the big three telcos (Telstra, Optus and Vodafone).

If you’re prepared to think outside the big three, however, you’ll find that there are ways you can save on your phone plan – significantly. And believe it or not, there are quality mobile plans on the market for less than $10 a month!

If you’re OK with signing up to a 365-day SIM-only plan and paying upfront, you can nab one that costs just $120 in total (equivalent to paying $10 per month) and includes a decent amount of data.

There are some pros and cons that come with these sorts of plans though. Here’s a breakdown of what you get and what you need to accept when considering one of the plans we have detailed below:

Pros:

• Only pay once and forget about phone bills for a whole year
• Get a bulk amount of data that you can use however you’d like
• Usually cheaper than equivalent per-month plans
• No lock-in contract, however if you change your mind after signing up, you won’t get your money back

Cons:

• Upfront cost can be substantial
• Need to be mindful of data use over the longer 12-month period – use it all and you’ll have to recharge early
• Deals don’t usually carry over, so you’ll often pay more for your second recharge – unless you find an alternate deal, of course

Our top pick for a 365 day plan under $10 per month  

Kogan Small - 365 Day Flex Plan | 140GB per 365 days | Vodafone 4G network | $179.90 $119 (save $60.99)
If you’re after a plan that costs less than $10 per month, our pick is Kogan’s Small 365 day prepaid plan. This 365-day usually costs $179.90 but you can get it for only $119 until 26 January 2025. This plan comes with 140GB of data to use over the 12 months - the equivalent of 11.66GB per month. Out of all the plans we have looked at, this plan offers the most amount of data for this price point. This plan runs on Vodafone’s 4G network and comes with unlimited national calls and SMS. Bear in mind that if you wish to recharge after the 365 days, you will be paying the original price of $179.99 so it may be worth shopping around for a better deal when the time comes.

View Deal

Other cheap 365-day SIM plans 

If the above isn’t quite right for your needs, there is one other low-cost 365-day plan that are is also worth considering:

Catch Connect 365 Day Plan | 120GB | Optus 4G Network | $119 for 365 days (save $31)
This 365-day SIM-only plan by Catch Connect costs only $119 (a saving of $31 off its usual price of $150) and gets you 120GB to use over a 12 month period. That works out to be $9.91 per month for 10GB of data – an excellent deal. This plan uses the Optus 4G Plus network and also includes unlimited national calls and SMS.

Keep in mind that while the cost of the plan is $119 if you sign up before 28 January 2025, that $31 discount is a one-time offer: if you wish to recharge again after the 365 days is over, it’ll cost you $150. We recommend looking for another deal when it comes time to renew, as switching generally nets you the best bargains.

View Deal

Compare other long expiry prepaid plans

Willing to spend a bit more? Check out our picks for best mobile plans under $20 per month