In a sea of expensive iPhone and Samsung plans with lengthy contracts, it can be very tempting to strip it back and choose a SIM only, no lock-in contract phone plan instead. These refer to postpaid phone plans that don’t come with a handset — you have to BYO — and last around 30 days or a month.
You can typically cancel these plans at any time and not incur any early termination fees or other costs that can really add up. No-contract or month-to-month plans are now pretty much the default if you’re looking at a postpaid phone plan, with plenty of telcos and plans to choose from. Want an idea of which telcos offer no-contract phone plans? Read our guide to find out more.
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Postpaid offers you might like
The following table shows a selection of sponsored SIM Only plans on Canstar Blue’s database with links to referral partners.
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1 Month Contract (1 month min. cost $16.50) SIM Only Postpaid
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40GB Data/month |
$16.50 Cost/month |
Go to Site |
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1 Month Contract (1 month min. cost $14) SIM Only Postpaid
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60GB Data/month |
$14.00 Cost/month |
Go to Site |
No contract phone plan providers
Here are just some of the Aussie telcos offering no contract phone plans right now:
- AGL
- Aussie Broadband
- Belong
- Circles.Life
- Dodo
- Everyday Mobile
- Moose Mobile
- Optus
- Southern Phone
- Tangerine
- Telstra
- Vodafone
Data is billed automatically mostly to the tune of $10 per gigabyte and most plans will generally include unlimited calls and SMS, varying amounts of data plus some international call inclusions. While some telcos only offer plans as no-contract, some providers give you the choice between a contract or a month-to-month plan. Generally the telco will offer incentive for signing up to a contract, such as a cheaper monthly price or more data than the month-to-month counterpart plan. While these no contract month-to-month plans generally don’t include any exit or cancellation fees, you’ll most likely find you’ll need to pay a final bill for the monthly amount you would usually pay.
Moose Mobile no-contract phone plans
If you’re after more choice when looking for a new phone plan, Moose Mobile offers a large selection of no lock-in postpaid SIM-only plans to choose from. The month-to-month plans are generous when it comes to value for money and include data banking on all plans. Moose Mobile uses the Optus 4G and 5G network to deliver services across Australia.
The table below shows all published Moose Mobile postpaid plans from Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of advertised standard cost, lowest to highest. Use our comparison tool to see a wider range of plans from other providers. These are products with links to referral partners.
Southern Phone no-contract phone plans
Operating on the Optus network, Southern Phone postpaid plans are available as no lock-in month-to-month plans with access to the 4G and 5G network. All plans include unlimited standard national calls and SMS along with $50 of international call credit. Keep in mind that 5G speeds are capped at 100Mbps.
The table below shows published Southern Phone month-to-month postpaid plans from Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of advertised standard cost, lowest to highest. Use our comparison tool to see a wider range of plans from other providers. These are products with links to referral partners.
Belong no-contract phone plans
Belong, which operates on the Telstra network and is owned by Telstra, really keeps it simple when it comes to its range of plans. The telco now offers a small range of postpaid plans on no lock-in contracts, with plans including unlimited standard national calls and SMS. All plans include unlimited data banking and access to the Telstra 5G network, along with the option to add on international call inclusions for an additional $5 per month.
The table below shows all published Belong month-to-month postpaid plans from Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of advertised standard cost, lowest to highest. Use our comparison tool to see a wider range of plans from other providers. These are products with links to referral partners.
Dodo no-contract phone plans
Dodo Mobile offers a selection of no-contract month-to-month plans, with all plans including unlimited standard national calls and SMS along with international call inclusions of differing value included on all plans. All plans also include data banking (either 500GB or unlimited, depending on your plan) and the two most expensive plans include 5G network access with 100Mbps capped speeds.
The table below shows all published Dodo Mobile month-to-month postpaid plans from Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of advertised standard cost, lowest to highest. Use our comparison tool to see a wider range of plans from other providers. These are products with links to referral partners.
Telstra no-contract phone plans
Australia’s largest telco had previously offered a huge range of phone plans, however Telstra now focuses on offering a more simplified range of postpaid plans all on no lock-in contracts. These plans are available as SIM-only plans or can be bundled with a handset. Technically if you choose to bundle these plans with a new phone, you’ll be able to switch between plans freely, however cancelling altogether will require you to pay off your handset.
If you go SIM-only, you’ll have freedom to switch plans or cancel whenever you want. Telstra’s postpaid plans plans have also eliminated excess data charges, meaning that once you go over your included data allowance, you’ll be able to continue using data at the capped speed of 1.5Mbps, which is still fast enough for standard-definition video streaming.
The table below shows all published Telstra month-to-month postpaid plans from Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of advertised standard cost, lowest to highest. Use our phone plan comparison tool to see a wider range of plans from other providers. These are products with links to referral partners.
Optus no-contract phone plans
Like Telstra, Optus had previously offered a wide range of phone plans, including month-to-month and 12-month postpaid plans. However, the telco now offers a more simple suite of plans, with postpaid narrowed down to three options. Standard national calls and SMS are available on all of these plans, with unlimited international calls to select countries included on all but the Small plan.
Alongside a full-speed data allowance, plans also include unlimited data capped at speeds of 1.5Mbps, so there’s no excess data charges for use in Australia. Plans also include 5G network access where available, although you will need a 5G-compatible smartphone.
The following table shows all published Optus month-to-month postpaid plans from Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of advertised standard cost, lowest to highest. Use our comparison tool to see a wider range of plans from other providers.
Vodafone no-contract phone plans
Vodafone offers only month-to-month SIM only postpaid plans, after removing its 12-month plans several years ago. There are three plans to choose from, all with unlimited standard national calls and SMS. These plans also include ‘infinite’ mobile data, so once you go over your data inclusion, you’ll be able to continue using your data, but with 2Mbps capped speeds.
The table below shows all published Vodafone month-to-month postpaid plans from Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of advertised standard cost, lowest to highest. Use our comparison tool to see a wider range of plans from other providers. These are products with links to referral partners.
Is a no contract phone plan right for me?
In the fierce world of SIM only phone plans, seeking flexibility could be beneficial if you’re serious about saving money and like to switch providers and plans to suit your needs. Plans change all the time, and being free to move around can pay off in the long run. SIM only phone plans only seem to be going in one direction with providers routinely offering more data for less money. More providers are ditching the contracts and it’s likely that eventually all providers will switch to month-to-month only.
However, it may still be tempting to choose a lock-in plan as the providers often offer even more data for your money if signing on for 12 or 24 months. Telcos such as TeleChoice tend to offer much more data for your money if you commit to a contract.
In any case, seeking flexibility means you may sacrifice some data and extras in the short term to benefit in the long term. From what we’ve seen, providers tend to change plans multiple times a year, so don’t be afraid to shop around every so often for the next best deal.
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