Pay As You Go mobile plans: how cheap are they, really?

Alex Angove-Plumb - Digital Content Editor

Last updated 02 May 2024

Contents

In this guide:

What is a Pay As You Go mobile plan?
Are PAYG plans good value?
What are PAYG plans good for?
The real cheapest mobile plans
The cheapest long-expiry mobile plans

Sometimes described as paying 'only for what you use', Pay As You Go mobile plans (PAYG) are actually pretty expensive for what you get.

Of course, there will be people and situations for which a PAYG mobile plan is the best and cheapest option, but it very much depends on circumstance.

What is a Pay As You Go mobile plan?

PAYG mobile plans are a type of prepaid mobile plan, but are more complicated to manage and offer worse value than normal prepaid plans, in most cases.

Standard prepaid plans charge an upfront fee and give you a data allowance, such as 10GB, for a given recharge period – anywhere from seven to 365 days, depending on the plan. Almost all of them also provide unlimited talk and text for that period.

In contrast, a PAYG mobile plan charges you up front for an amount of credit (e.g. $5) that can last up to 365 days before expiring. After this, every text, call minute, and megabyte (MB) of data will be charged to your credit. Once the credit runs dry, you need to buy more.

$2 PAYG Starter Kit

No Data Included
Uses part of the Telstra 4G Mobile Network

$2.00

Starter Pack

365 Day Expiry

Link not supplied

$2.00

Starter Pack

365 Day Expiry

Link not supplied

$15 Prepaid As You Go

No Data Included
On the Optus 4G Plus Mobile Network

$15.00

Starter Pack

365 Day Expiry

Link not supplied

$15.00

Starter Pack

365 Day Expiry

Link not supplied

$50 Pay and Go Starter Pack

No Data Included
Vodafone 5G Network in selected areas with 5G devices

$50.00

Starter Pack

365 Day Expiry

Link not supplied

$50.00

Starter Pack

365 Day Expiry

Link not supplied

Are PAYG plans good value?

If you keep your mobile usage ultra-low, you can save a bit of money by going with a PAYG plan. But it needs to be close to nothing. If you use your phone with any regularity, you’ll likely end up paying more.

For example, ALDI Mobile’s PAYG plan will charge you 15 cents per call minute or standard SMS, and 6 cents per MB of data. If you make no calls or texts, using a mere one gigabyte (1GB) of data will cost you $60. By comparison, a $30 per month SIM-only plan will get you upwards of 30GB. And you can go even cheaper than that.

In this example, the Pay As You Go plan is 60 times more expensive than the monthly prepaid option, assuming you use that 1GB within a month (daily phone users would have a tough time keeping it to just 1GB).

What are PAYG plans good for?

Pay As You Go mobile plans are generally for niche circumstances that will likely be specific to the user. The main benefit is probably the long expiry time of the credit amount.

For example, you might have a situation where you’d like a backup phone or SIM card on hand for emergencies. With a PAYG mobile plan, you can spend a few dollars per year to have one ready-to-use at a moment’s notice. Just make sure you have mobile data or automatic updates disabled to avoid unexpected data usage.

You might even get by choosing PAYG as a mobile plan for kids, but only if you think your young ones will strictly limit their phone use to calls or texts when in need, and never dabble even slightly with social media, video streaming services, messaging apps or any other online activity.

If you've jumped on the dumb phone trend, then your phone can only send calls and texts, anyway. Given you don't need to worry about data, a Pay As You Go plan might end up being cheaper, depending on how many call minutes and texts you go through each month.

The real cheapest mobile plans

If all you're after is the cheapest monthly mobile plan possible, you can go as low as $10 per month with a standard prepaid or postpaid SIM-only plan. Most plans start around $20, but that's still much cheaper than using less than 1GB with some PAYG plans.

You’ll save the most money if you jump between providers every six months or so because many of them offer limited-time introductory discounts. But if that sounds like a hassle, you can still get SIM-only plans for pretty cheap.

These are the cheapest mobile plans in our database:

#1	Pivotel	Pivotel 25GB Mobile Swift Plan 25GB data On the Vodafone 4G Mobile Network Deal: Incl. 50% off - $11.45/mth for first 6 months, then $22.90/mth ongoing. Offer ends 31.10.2026. T&Cs apply. $11.45/mth Min. cost $11.45 Go to Site	$11.45/mth Min. cost $11.45	Go to Site
#2	SpinTel Editor's Pick	SpinTel Editor's Pick $23 Mobile Plan 25GB data at download speeds up to 150Mbps Optus 5G in selected areas with 5G devices ex. NT WhistleOut Special: Enjoy $11 off for the first 6 months for new customers - $12/mth for first 6 months, then $23/mth $12.00/mth Min. cost $12 Go to Site	$12.00/mth Min. cost $12	Go to Site
#3	OnePass mobile	OnePass mobile 28 Day Plan - 22GB 22GB data at download speeds up to 150Mbps Optus 5G in selected areas with 5G devices ex. NT Deal: Save $12.50 - Get 22GB for only $12.50 for the first 6 recharges! Recharges $25/22GB. New customers only. T&Cs apply $12.50 Per 28 Day Renewal Link not supplied	$12.50 Per 28 Day Renewal	Link not supplied
#4	Moose Mobile	Moose Mobile Moose 23 SIM Only 30GB data at download speeds up to 150Mbps On the Vodafone 4G Mobile Network Deal: Get 30GB for $14 – Includes $9 off for first 6 months, then reverts to $23. Offer ends 30.06.27 $14.00/mth Min. cost $14 Link not supplied	$14.00/mth Min. cost $14	Link not supplied
#5	Swoop	Swoop 30GB SIM Only 5G 30GB data at download speeds up to 150Mbps Vodafone 5G Network in selected areas with 5G devices Deal: Includes $11 off for first 6 months - $14/mth for first 6 months then $25/mth after that. Offer ends 30.06.27 $14.00/mth Min. cost $14 Go to Site	$14.00/mth Min. cost $14	Go to Site
#6	Lyca Mobile Editor's Pick	Lyca Mobile Editor's Pick Unlimited Plan S 50GB data at download speeds up to 100Mbps Vodafone 5G Network in selected areas with 5G devices Deal: $15 for first 6 renewals when you activate this plan. Offer ends 31.12.26. T&Cs apply $15.00 Per 28 Day Renewal Link not supplied	$15.00 Per 28 Day Renewal	Link not supplied
#7	iiNet	iiNet 30GB Small Plan 30GB data at download speeds up to 150Mbps Vodafone 5G Network in selected areas with 5G devices Deal: 50% off - $15/mth for first 6 months, then $30/mth ongoing. Available until withdrawn. T&Cs apply. $15.00 Per 1 Month Renewal Link not supplied	$15.00 Per 1 Month Renewal	Link not supplied
#8	TPG Editor's Pick	TPG Editor's Pick 30GB Small Plan 30GB data at download speeds up to 150Mbps Vodafone 5G Network in selected areas with 5G devices Deal: 50% off - $15/mth for first 6 months, then $30/mth ongoing. Available until withdrawn. T&Cs apply. $15.00 Per 1 Month Renewal Link not supplied	$15.00 Per 1 Month Renewal	Link not supplied

The cheapest long-expiry mobile plans

If a cheap 365-day prepaid plan is what you’re after, there are a lot to choose from. These plans can offer great value across a full year, as long as you keep an eye on how much data you use to avoid going over. Their unlimited calls and SMS make them particularly good for people who do a lot of talking and texting, but their data allowances make them viable for those who still need some level of regular internet usage.

Even better, there are sometimes generous limited-time deals to be found if your timing is right and you know where to look (hint: you can use our mobile plan comparison tool).

Here are the cheapest 365-day prepaid plans in our database:

#1	OnePass mobile	OnePass mobile 365 Day Plan - 200GB 350GB data Optus 4G Plus Mobile Network in available areas Deal: Save $51! 350GB for $149 for the first 365 days! Recharges $200/200GB. New customers only. Offer ends 20.10.26 $149.00 Per 365 Day Renewal Link not supplied	$149.00 Per 365 Day Renewal	Link not supplied
#2	Kogan Mobile	Kogan Mobile Small - 365 Day Flex Plan 220GB data On the Vodafone 4G Mobile Network Deal: Get 220GB data for only $149 (incl. $30.90 off + 80GB bonus data) on the Small 365 Day Flex Plan. Offer ends 11.10.26 $149.00 Per 365 Day Renewal Go to Site	$149.00 Per 365 Day Renewal	Go to Site
#3	Coles Mobile	Coles Mobile Prepaid $220 for 365 Days 145GB data On the Optus 4G Plus Mobile Network Deal: Get the $220 SIM for only $169! Offer ends 27.10.26 $169.00 Per 365 Day Renewal Link not supplied	$169.00 Per 365 Day Renewal	Link not supplied
#4	Lebara Mobile	Lebara Mobile $250 SIM Plan - 365 Days 260GB data at download speeds up to 150Mbps Vodafone 5G Network in selected areas with 5G devices Deal: Get the $250 SIM for $179 online when you sign up by 05.10.26 $179.00 Per 365 Day Renewal Link not supplied	$179.00 Per 365 Day Renewal	Link not supplied
#5	Vodafone	Vodafone $250 Prepaid Plus Starter Pack 225GB data Vodafone 5G Network in selected areas with 5G devices Deal: $250 SIM for $179 + Includes 75GB bonus data on activation + Extra 50GB on every Automatic Recharge $179.00 Per 365 Day Renewal Link not supplied	$179.00 Per 365 Day Renewal	Link not supplied
#6	amaysim	amaysim UNLIMITED 240GB Long Expiry 240GB data at download speeds up to 150Mbps Optus 5G in selected areas with 5G devices ex. NT Deal: Get 240GB for $199 (includes $121 off) on first renewal. Offer ends 31.10.26. New online services only. T&Cs apply. $199.00 Per 365 Day Renewal Link not supplied	$199.00 Per 365 Day Renewal	Link not supplied
#7	Everyday Mobile	Everyday Mobile Pre-paid $250 Long Expiry Recharge 215GB data at download speeds up to 100Mbps Uses part of the Telstra 4G Mobile Network $250.00 Per 365 Day Renewal Link not supplied	$250.00 Per 365 Day Renewal	Link not supplied
#8	ALDI mobile	ALDI mobile $289 365 Day Mobile Plan 300GB data at download speeds up to 150Mbps Uses parts of Telstra’s 5G and 4G mobile networks $289.00 Per 365 Day Renewal Link not supplied	$289.00 Per 365 Day Renewal	Link not supplied
#9	Boost Mobile	Boost Mobile $300 Prepaid 290GB data at download speeds up to 150Mbps Telstra 5G Network in selected areas with 5G devices Deal: Get 290GB data on new activations, then 240GB from next recharge. Activate by 02.11.26 $300.00 Per 12 Month Renewal Go to Site	$300.00 Per 12 Month Renewal	Go to Site
#10	Telstra	Telstra $395 Pre-Paid Mobile Plan 180GB data at download speeds up to 150Mbps Telstra 5G Network in selected areas with 5G devices $395.00 Per 12 Month Renewal Link not supplied	$395.00 Per 12 Month Renewal	Link not supplied

Alex Angove-Plumb

Digital Content Editor

Alex Angove-Plumb is a Digital Content Editor at WhistleOut and an award-winning journalist. He's been in the tech publishing industry since 2010, putting him a few short years away from the title of Grizzled Ancient in his chosen profession. He was an original WhistleOut-er before running NBN Co's corporate blog for two years, then moving on to a lengthy stint at CHOICE. Now he's come home.

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