Compare Phones on Plans

What is a phone on a plan?

There’s two main ways to buy a mobile phone in Australia. If you’ve got cash to splash, you can buy your phone outright, usually at full price, from a retailer or telco – this means the phone is yours immediately with no more to pay. But if you’d prefer to pay off your phone over time rather than spending $1,000+ at once, you can buy one of the many phones on plans available from one of the major telcos.

Traditionally, getting a phone on a plan meant your device and phone plan would be bundled together, usually for a two-year payment term. Nowadays, telcos are little more flexible, with the phone on a plan process involving the following steps:

1. Decide on the phone you want to buy.
2. Decide which telco you’d like to buy it from – Australian providers offering phone on a plan options include Telstra, Optus, Vodafone, Woolworths Mobile, TeleChoice, Southern Phone and Aussie Broadband. 
3.  You may be given the option of choosing from multiple repayment periods, generally over 12 months, 24 months, or 36 months. You’ll pay the same in total for your phone no matter which term you choose, but your monthly payments will be smaller if you opt for a longer payment period.
4. Pick the mobile plan you’d like to pair your phone with – this is your mobile service that includes calls, texts, and data. Depending on your telco, you may be able to switch between their plans monthly, so you can adjust your plan if your usage needs or budget changes.
5. Make a monthly payment for the phone itself for the duration of the repayment term, as well as paying the monthly cost of your mobile plan.

Why compare phone plans with Canstar Blue?

iPhones on plans

Apple’s annual iPhone series hits the three major telcos yearly in September/October, with the current 14 range still available from Telstra, Optus and Vodafone. Telcos will usually stock most of the last 2-3 years of releases, although popular models may be harder to find a year or so after launch. Some of the iPhones available on phone plans of June 2023 include:

• Apple iPhone 14 series
• Apple iPhone 13 series
• iPhone SE
• Apple iPhone 12 series

Samsung phones on plans

Samsung’s major premium releases are generally offered on phone plans from telcos, with partnering providers including Telstra, Optus, Vodafone, Woolworths Mobile and TeleChoice. You’ll be able to find the flagship Galaxy S Series on phone plans, as well as the foldable Flip Z and Fold Z, and the mid-range A Series for customers looking for something more affordable. Some of the Samsung phones you can find on plans in 2023 include:

• Samsung Galaxy S23 series
• Samsung Galaxy S22 series
• Samsung Galaxy S21 series
• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Z Fold 4
• Samsung Galaxy A series (2022 and 2023 models)

Telstra phones on plans

Telstra offers a large range of phones on device payment plans, which can then be paired with a Telstra SIM-only plan. Customers can pay off their new phone in monthly installments on a payment term of 12, 24, or 36 months. You’ll pay the same in total no matter which term, but you can pay less each month by spreading your repayments out over a longer period.  

Telstra separates phone payments from its actual mobile plans, so you won’t be stuck on the same SIM plan for the duration of your device repayments – you’re free to switch between Telstra postpaid plans each month. There’s no also no early termination fees or penalties if you decide to cancel your Telstra service early – simply pay out the remaining balance of your smartphone.

Some of the brands stocked by Telstra include:

• Apple
• Samsung
• Google
• OPPO
• Motorola
• Nokia

Optus phones on plans

Optus stocks a large selection of phones from all the major manufacturers, with customers able to buy phones on plans or outright when combined with an Optus mobile plan. You can select from payment terms of 12, 24, or 36 months, or to pay the total price upfront; you’ll still pay the same in total no matter which option you choose.

Optus offers its mobile phone plans separately from phone payments, so you can switch between the telco’s postpaid plans as needed without impacting your phone repayments. As with Telstra, Optus customers can also cancel their phone plan at any time, and simply pay out the remaining balance of their new phone. 

Some of the brands stocked by Optus include:

• Apple
• Samsung 
• Google
• OPPO
• Motorola
• ZTE

Vodafone phones on plans

Like Telstra and Optus, Vodafone also offers its customers a wide choice of phones on plans, although you’ll need to pay your device off over 12, 24, or 36 months of repayments. Again, you’ll pay the same in total for your new phone regardless of which payment term you choose, but your monthly payments will be smaller if you opt for a longer plan period.

Once you’ve decided on your phone and term, you can pair your device with one of Vodafone’s SIM-only postpaid plans, which you can also switch between monthly. If you decide to leave Vodafone before your phone is paid off, you’ll need to pay out the remaining balance to close your account.

Some of the brands stocked by Vodafone include:

• Apple
• Samsung
• Google
• OPPO
• Motorola
• TCL

About our mobile experts

Tara Donnelly: Utilities Editor

As Canstar Blue’s Utilities Editor, Tara Donnelly covers the electricity, internet and mobile sectors – topics she’s spent a decade focused on, alongside consumer technology, within the comparison industry. Her telco expertise has seen her appear in national media including 9 News, 7 News, Sunrise, the ABC and The Sydney Morning Herald. You can follow Tara on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Josh Filosi: Data Insights Analyst

Josh Filosi is Canstar’s Data Insights Analyst, and helps develop and deliver the methodology for Canstar Blue’s Value Rankings and Awards for the telco industry. He holds a double-major in Economics and Behavioral Science, and enjoys interpreting complex data. Connect with Josh on LinkedIn.