Prepaid phone plans are a great way to keep on top of your phone bill while still receiving excellent value and benefits. If you're considering a Telstra recharge over a traditional phone plan, Telstra offers unrivalled coverage in addition to the largest 5G network in the country, alongside a whole bunch of extra features including:
- Coverage on the super-fast Telstra network
- Coverage for 99.5% of the Australian population
- Included international calls
- Rollover data up to 200GB
- Access to the Telstra Plus perks and rewards program
Add on top of that month-to-month billing without being locked into a contract, and you have the flexibility to change your prepaid plan, so if your Telstra recharge isn't working for you, or if you’re not satisfied, you can jump ship altogether, no questions asked. In this guide:
- Telstra prepaid prices compared
- Telstra prepaid short expiry plans
- Telstra prepaid long expiry plans
- Telstra prepaid mobile casual
- Telstra prepaid mobile coverage
- Boost mobile prepaid perks and benefits
- Telstra prepaid phones
- How to recharge on Telstra prepaid
- Where to buy a Telstra prepaid SIM
- Is Telstra prepaid right for me?
Telstra prepaid prices compared
When it comes to choosing whether a Telstra recharge is right for you, you'll simply need to pick between long or short expiry plans. Telstra short expiry plans give you 28 days to use your inclusions, while long expiry can either cover 6 or 12 months before you need to recharge.
All Telstra prepaid plans come with a range of benefits, including Data Banking for rolling over unused data from the previous recharge period to the next, provided that you top up before the expiry date.
Telstra prepaid short expiry plans
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#1
|
Telstra
$44 Pre-Paid Mobile
$44.00
Per 28 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
|
|
#2
|
Telstra
$54 Pre-Paid Mobile
$54.00
Per 28 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
|
|
#3
|
Telstra
$64 Pre-Paid Mobile
$64.00
Per 28 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
|
|
#4
|
Telstra
$74 Pre-Paid Mobile
$74.00
Per 28 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
|
If you're looking at short expiry plans then you've got the most options to choose from. Plans come with a varied amount of data, and different price points to match. Some do have shorter expiry, and won't yield the same benefits but hey it's a cheap option. Note that some prepaid starter packs are only available online, and for a limited time.
But if that’s not what you’re looking for then check out some of the other competitors:
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#1
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Kogan Mobile
Small Monthly Plan
$23.00
Per 30 Day Renewal
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#2
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amaysim
7-day UNLIMITED 10GB Plan
$10.00
Per 7 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
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#3
|
Vodafone
$13 Prepaid Plus Recharge
$13.00
Per 7 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
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#4
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Lebara Mobile
$25 SIM Plan
$25.00
Per 28 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
|
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#5
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Optus
Optus Prepaid $15 SIM
$15.00
Per 7 Day Renewal
|
Telstra prepaid long expiry plans
|
#1
|
Telstra
$200 Pre-Paid Mobile Plan
$200.00
Per 6 Month Renewal
Link not supplied
|
|
#2
|
Telstra
$395 Pre-Paid Mobile Plan
$395.00
Per 12 Month Renewal
Link not supplied
|
If you'd prefer to buy your recharge once, maybe twice a year and not have to think about it then long expiry plans are where it's at. These long expiry prepaid plans come with a solid amount of data to use throughout the year but don't have data rollover. Thems the breaks.
Long expiry plans are common amongst providers, so if Telstra's options don't tickle your fancy then some of the below options might.
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#1
|
Kogan Mobile
Small - 365 Day Flex Plan
$149.00
Per 365 Day Renewal
|
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#2
|
amaysim
UNLIMITED 240GB Long Expiry
$199.00
Per 365 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
|
|
#3
|
Vodafone
$350 Prepaid Plus Starter Pack
$219.00
Per 365 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
|
|
#4
|
Lebara Mobile
$250 SIM Plan - 365 Days
$250.00
Per 365 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
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#5
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Optus
Optus Prepaid $395 SIM
$395.00
Per 365 Day Renewal
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Telstra prepaid mobile casual
Not a big talker? Well, Telstra has options for anyone who just needs a phone, but rarely uses it. Prepaid mobile casual plans offer a token amount of data, national calls and texts, and international minutes and texts on a six-month expiry.
Here are the casual plans available with Telstra:
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#1
|
Telstra
$44 Pre-Paid Mobile Casual
$44.00
Per 6 Month Renewal
Link not supplied
|
|
#2
|
Telstra
$200 Pre-Paid Mobile Plan
$200.00
Per 6 Month Renewal
Link not supplied
|
|
#3
|
Telstra
$395 Pre-Paid Mobile Plan
$395.00
Per 12 Month Renewal
Link not supplied
|
Telstra prepaid mobile coverage
Covering 99.5% of the total Australian population, Telstra has the widest coverage of the three main Aussie telcos.
However, Telstra is not the only option for gaining access to their network. Other smaller providers, known in the industry as Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs), are authorised to resell access to larger mobile networks like Telstra’s. With little overhead costs to contend with, MVNOs can offer basically the same plans as big brand telcos without charging big brand costs.
There is one catch however with Telstra MVNOs. While all other providers offer their entire networks to wholesalers, Telstra has a specific wholesale network that covers 98.8% of Australians. The only exception to this rule is Boost Mobile which has unfettered access to the entire Telstra network. Here's how coverage between the Telstra network and the Telstra wholesale network compares:
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#1
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Boost Mobile
$39 Prepaid
$39.00
Per 28 Day Renewal
|
|
#2
|
Tangerine Telecom
30GB 5G Mobile SIM
$30.00/mth
Min. cost $15
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#3
|
ALDI mobile
$28 Mobile Plan
$28.00
Per 30 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
|
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#4
|
Telstra
$84 Essential Upfront SIM Plan
$84.00/mth
Min. cost $84
Link not supplied
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#5
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Everyday Mobile
Pre-paid Mobile $25 Recharge
$25.00
Per 30 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
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#6
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Belong
25GB Mobile Plan
$34.00/mth
Min. cost $34
Link not supplied
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Boost Mobile prepaid perks and benefits
Boost is one of the country’s best value and coverage-driven prepaid operators with access to the entire Telstra network (other than 5G). Alongside both its regular and long expiry plans, you’ll also get some small perks like data rollover, and unlimited international calls and texts to select destinations. Here are some of the most popular Boost Mobile prepaid plans available.
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#1
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Boost Mobile
$14 Prepaid
$14.00
Per 7 Day Renewal
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#2
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Boost Mobile
$49 Prepaid
$17.00
Starter Pack
28 Day Expiry
|
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#3
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Boost Mobile
$28 Prepaid
$28.00
Per 28 Day Renewal
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#4
|
Boost Mobile
$39 Prepaid
$39.00
Starter Pack
28 Day Expiry
|
|
#5
|
Boost Mobile
$39 Prepaid
$39.00
Per 28 Day Renewal
|
|
#6
|
Boost Mobile
$49 Prepaid
$49.00
Per 28 Day Renewal
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|
#7
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Boost Mobile
$59 Prepaid
$59.00
Per 28 Day Renewal
|
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#8
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Boost Mobile
$74 Prepaid
$74.00
Per 28 Day Renewal
|
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#9
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Boost Mobile
$180 Prepaid
$160.00
Per 6 Month Renewal
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#10
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Boost Mobile
$300 Prepaid
$300.00
Per 12 Month Renewal
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Telstra prepaid phones
Need a new phone and a prepaid plan? Telstra has a good range of prepaid phones to pick from.
That being said, you should be aware that all prepaid phones are carrier-locked, meaning they will only work with a Telstra SIM card. What does that mean for you? It means if you decide to take your phone to another carrier without getting it unlocked first, it will not work. Carrier Locked sims will also affect your phone’s ability to connect overseas. While you can unlock your Telstra phone, the cost of doing so is determined by how long you've had the phone.
A good rule of thumb for unlocking fees is as follows:
- Less than 6 months - $80
- More than 6 months, but less than 2 years - $25
- More than 2 years - Free
How to recharge on Telstra prepaid
Telstra offers several options for recharging your prepaid plan. You can:
Recharge online with your phone
Using your prepaid phone, turn off WiFi and then open up a web browser and navigate to m.telstra.com (you won't be charged for data use). Once there, you can recharge by entering your Telstra mobile number and following the steps. Alternatively, you can log in with your Telstra username and recharge, check your balance, and more.
Recharge online with your computer
If you're on a computer, you can recharge your Telstra prepaid account by visiting www.my.telstra.com.au. You'll need your Telstra username and password to log in. If you've forgotten it, there are options to recover your username or reset your password. Once logged in you can check your balance, recharge, and more.
Alternatively, you can recharge by visiting https://recharge.telstra.com/enternumber and entering your Telstra mobile number.
Recharge online via the My Telstra app
You can use the My Telstra mobile app (formerly Telstra 24x7) to recharge your account if you have it installed. If you don't, it might be worth installing. The app is free and available from both Google Play and the App Store.
You'll need your Telstra ID to log in to the app. If you don't have one you can register for one at https://id.telstra.com.au/register.
As well as being handy for recharging, you can also use the My Telstra app to check your Telstra Plus points, chat with customer service and support, turn on international roaming and more.
Recharge over the phone
If you don't want to be caught out with no credit, you can set up automatic recharge for your account. Automatic recharges can be set up via the My Telstra app or by visiting www.my.telstra.com.au. You'll need your Telstra username and password to log in. If you've forgotten it, there are options to recover your username or reset your password. Once logged in, you can check your balance, recharge, and more.
Recharge automatically
If you don't want to be caught short with no credit, you can set up an automatic recharge on your account. You can do this via the My Telstra App or by visiting www.my.telstra.com.au. You'll need your Telstra username and password to log in. If you've forgotten it, there are options to recover your username or reset your password. Once logged in you can check your balance, recharge, and more.
Recharge using a digital voucher
Telstra now offers the choice to top up your prepaid plan using a digital recharge voucher for selected recharges only. Offering increased flexibility, you can cash in the voucher at any time to recharge your phone. Or you can buy a voucher as a gift for someone else. Much like physical recharge vouchers bought in-store, this one is purchased online and emailed to you for easy access anytime.
Where to buy a Telstra prepaid SIM
If you're looking to buy a Telstra prepaid SIM, you have a few options to choose from:
- You can order one online through the Telstra website
- You can buy one through any Telstra store in Australia
- You can buy Telstra SIMs through convenience stores and retailers including 7-11, Woolworths, and Coles
- You should be able to buy a Telstra SIM at most Australian international airports near the arrivals area
Can I get a prepaid Telstra eSIM?
Every Telstra prepaid phone plan can be transferred to an eSIM using the ‘Transfer or restore’ feature in the My Telstra app.
Is Telstra prepaid right for me?
If you're wondering whether a Telstra prepaid is the right choice for you, ask yourself, do you prefer to have an ongoing monthly bill, or rather have the flexibility of pay-before-you-use? There are a lot of benefits to prepaid, and if paying your phone bill on time isn't one of your key strengths, then a prepaid - especially a long expiry prepaid - might be the answer so you only need to pay your phone bill once a recharge cycle (unless you run out of data earlier). Read our guide here to compare prepaid mobile phone plans.
Anula Wiwatowska
Offsite Editorial Lead | Instagram
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