Prepaid phone plans aren’t what they used to be. Most telcos that offer prepaid phone plans know that customers want the same generous inclusions that are commonly available on postpaid plans, but with the flexibility of prepaid. The good news is Telstra has delivered on this with a range of prepaid phone plans to suit a variety of users. But how do Telstra’s prepaid phone plans stack up? Find out in this Canstar Blue guide.
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Prepaid 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 $20) SIM Only Prepaid
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UnlimitedGB Data/month |
$20.00 Cost/month |
Go to site |
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365 Day Contract (365 days min. cost $149) SIM Only Prepaid
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140GB Data/expiry period |
$149.00 Cost/expiry period |
Go to site |
Telstra Prepaid Mobile Plans
Telstra offers two different categories of prepaid phone plans: Telstra Prepaid Mobile and Prepaid Casual. Prepaid Mobile plans are the standard prepaid plans that most customers will be drawn to, featuring unlimited standard national calls and SMS, generous data inclusions, and data rollover. However, depending on your needs, you may prefer the long-expiry Casual options, which are the more traditional pay-as-you-go prepaid plans.
Of the two types of Telstra prepaid options, the telco’s Prepaid Mobile plans are the closest to a standard postpaid phone plan. You’ll get unlimited calls & texts, plenty of data, and even international extras. Telstra has really focused on ensuring that these plans offer similar value as what you’d expect on a postpaid plan, which means you’ll have access to international call inclusions as well as continuous data rollover of up to 200GB.
All Prepaid Mobile plans of $30 or more also include an international calling allowance, which (depending on your plan and recharge) offer up to 6000 calling minutes to Zone 1 destinations, and 800 minutes to Zone 2 destinations. Zone 1 destinations consist of the most frequently-called countries from Australia, including:
- Canada
- China
- Hong Kong
- India
- Ireland
- New Zealand
- Singapore
- South Korea
- United Kingdom
- United States
Telstra also offers data bonuses on a certain number of recharges from time to time, so its worth keeping an eye out at sign-up. Telstra Prepaid Mobile plans also include the data rollover feature, so you’ll be able to store up to 200GB of unused data for future use. The only catch is that you’ll need to recharge before your expiry period to maintain your data bank, or to roll over unused gigabytes.
If you are interested in Telstra’s Prepaid Mobile plans, there are five options to choose from. These plans run across 7 or 28-day expiry periods, along with a 6-month and 12-month option. If you’re unsure which of these plans will work for you, consider how often you’ll want your recharges to be, in addition to which plan will best suit your budget. After all, a $10 plan seems cheap, but only runs on a seven-day cycle; this may be better suited to travellers than someone looking to be on a Telstra prepaid plan long-term.
Telstra Prepaid Casual Plans
If you have a spare phone, or you’re an infrequent phone user looking for an occasional/emergency-use-only plan, these long-life recharges could be your perfect prepaid match. Telstra’s long-expiry plans last from six months up to a full year, with limited amounts of calls and text/MMS messages and smaller data allowances.
| Brand | Features | Max Data**/billing period | Advertised Cost^^/billing period | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Prepaid Casual $2
min. cost $2 |
N/A | $2 | |
|
Prepaid Casual $35
min. cost $35 over six month expiry |
350MB | $35 | |
 View all mobile plans listed on Canstar Blue |
**^^View important information | |||
Telstra Prepaid Recharges
In addition to the SIM and plan prices listed above, Telstra also offers a variety of recharge options. These range from seven day to 12 month expiry on both the Prepaid Complete and Prepaid Casual options.
How do I recharge my Telstra prepaid plan?
Telstra customers can recharge their prepaid plans online, either through Telstra’s web browser or via the Telstra app. You can also set up auto-recharge, which will renew your plan for a set recharge amount automatically before your calls, texts and data expire or your credit runs out.
How do Telstra prepaid plans compare to other providers?
Telstra has ramped up efforts to better compete with a range of budget Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) that provide a lot of value included at a cheap price. So, to see how the big-name telco actually stacks up, we’ve compiled a small sample of plans.
If you want plenty of data, plus unlimited calls and SMS, the below prepaid plans may be for you. The table below lists a selection of prepaid plans from Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of advertised cost, lowest cost first, then by data allowance. Use our comparison tool to see a wide range of plans from other providers. This table includes products with links to referral partners.
Telstra Prepaid Mobile Phones
Telstra offers a number of Nokia, Samsung, OPPO and Telstra-branded smartphones to use with its prepaid plans. Usually these phones are not part of the plan deal, but by purchasing one outright through Telstra in conjunction with a plan, you may get a discount, so it’s worth comparing the prices.
Of course, it’s important to remember that these devices are usually locked to Telstra – this means that you’ll need to request for your device to be unlocked, plus pay any fees for unlocking, so you can use the phone with a plan on a different network.
Is Telstra Prepaid right for me?
Telstra has a wide variety of prepaid plans to choose from, tailored for a wide variety of needs. Whether you’re a regular phone user who requires unlimited calls, unlimited texts and plenty of data, or if you’re a light user looking for a low-maintenance plan, Telstra likely has you covered.
Telstra has ramped up its plans to better reflect the competitive prepaid market, but there may be some MVNOs that offer more data for less. The Telstra network is unrivalled in Australia, but for the vast majority of people, it’s probably worth keeping your eyes peeled and regularly comparing plans. Just like on a postpaid plan, and as a Telstra customer, you’ll be able to earn points with your recharges as part of your Telstra Plus rewards.
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