Editor's Pick: Best Mobile Broadband Plans February 2021

We compare every plan - so you don't have to.

The WhistleOut team read over 1,400 plan documents each week and spot about 400 plan changes for our database every month. It takes a dedicated team of experts to monitor the phone and internet markets, and each month we select our Editor's Picks together.

Best Mobile Broadband Plans February 2021

Best Mobile Broadband Plan – Everyday Use Optus, $25 Data SIM Plan with 50GB Data
Also consider Lebara, $35 Mobile Broadband with 30GB Data, 60 day expiry
Best Mobile Broadband Plan – Heavy Use Optus, $50 Data SIM with 150GB Data
Also consider amaysim, $60 Mobile Broadband with 90GB Data
Even more data
Telstra mobile broadband plans
Optus mobile broadband plans
Vodafone mobile broadband plans
Prepaid mobile broadband

When it comes to getting online, mobile broadband is one of the easiest and most convenient ways to do it. You can stick a data-only SIM in an iPad or Android tablet, or grab a compact, lightweight WiFi modem, so you can use it at home in the evenings and then pack it in a bag before leaving in the morning.

Best Mobile Broadband Plan – Everyday Use

	Plan	Inclusions	Price
Optus	$25 Data SIM Plan (M2M) Editor's Pick	Editor's Pick $25 Data SIM Plan (M2M) 50GB Data Mobile Broadband Connection No Contract Term Deal: 50GB for 36 months on the $25 Data SIM Plan. New and recontracting services only. Ends 31.03.21 $25/mth Min. cost $25	$25/mth Min. cost $25	Go

What we love: If you use your data SIM in an iPad, chances are you probably already have mobile phone and home internet plans, so you'll want to keep the bill for your data SIM as low as possible. There's currently a great promo running on Optus Data SIM plans until 31 March - you get double data for 36 months. That means a generous 50GB data instead of 25GB on the Optus $25 Data SIM Plan! You also get no excess data charge and Optus Sport subscription at no extra cost.

Also consider the following:

#1	Telstra	$50 Medium Data Plan	Telstra 60GB Data $50/mth Min. cost $50	3%	Go
#2	Lebara Mobile	Data Plan Medium	Lebara Mobile 30GB Data $35 Min. cost $35	3%	Go
#3	amaysim	Mobile Broadband Data 50GB Prepaid	amaysim 50GB Data $40 Min. cost $40	3%	Go
#4	Moose Mobile	Moose 50GB Data SIM	Moose Mobile 50GB Data $54/mth Min. cost $54 Deal: Connect before March 31st to enter the running to win $1000 worth of gift cards	3%	Go

Also good: If you are looking for alternatives, Lebara is offering 30GB data for only $35 with 60 days expiry. This is a great choice if you'd like your data to last a bit longer.

Best Mobile Broadband Plan – Heavy Use

	Plan	Inclusions	Price
Optus	$50 Data SIM Plan (M2M) Editor's Pick	Editor's Pick $50 Data SIM Plan (M2M) 150GB Data Mobile Broadband Connection No Contract Term Deal: 150GB for 36 months on the $50 Data SIM Plan. New and recontracting services only. Ends 31.03.21 $50/mth Min. cost $50	$50/mth Min. cost $50	Go

What we love: This $50 Data SIM Plan from Optus is one of the best with heaps of data to keep your internet up and running on the go. With their current promotion until 31 March, you'll score double data for 36 months – that comes down to $50 per month for a massive 150GB of data instead of 75GB! Plus no excess data charges and optional Optus Sport subscription is available at no extra charge.

Also consider the following:

#1	Telstra	$75 Large Data Plan	Telstra 200GB Data $75/mth Min. cost $75	3%	Go
#2	Vodafone	100GB SIM Only Modem Plan	Vodafone 100GB Data $60/mth Min. cost $60	3%	Go
#3	amaysim	Mobile Broadband Data 90GB Prepaid	amaysim 90GB Data $60 Min. cost $60	3%	Go
#4	Moose Mobile	Moose 100GB Data SIM	Moose Mobile 100GB Data $64/mth Min. cost $64 Deal: Connect before March 31st to enter the running to win $1000 worth of gift cards	3%	Go

Also good: amaysim and Moose Mobile are great alternatives – you'll get 90GB data for just $60 per month with amaysim and 100GB data for $64 per month with Moose Mobile.

Mobile broadband plans with even more data

	Plan	Inclusions	Price
Optus	$50 Data SIM Plan (M2M) Editor's Pick	Editor's Pick $50 Data SIM Plan (M2M) 150GB Data Mobile Broadband Connection No Contract Term Deal: 150GB for 36 months on the $50 Data SIM Plan. New and recontracting services only. Ends 31.03.21 $50/mth Min. cost $50	$50/mth Min. cost $50	Go
SpinTel	Mobile Broadband 200GB	Mobile Broadband 200GB 200GB Data Mobile Broadband Connection No Contract Term $54.95/mth Min. cost $364.95	$54.95/mth Min. cost $364.95	Go
Telstra	$75 Large Data Plan	$75 Large Data Plan 200GB Data Mobile Broadband Connection No Contract Term $75/mth Min. cost $75	$75/mth Min. cost $75	Go
ALDI mobile	Medium Data SIM Plan	Medium Data SIM Plan 185GB Data Mobile Broadband Connection Prepaid (365 Days) $240	$240	Go

What we love: These mobile broadband plans have at least 150GB of data per month! Nice!

Telstra mobile broadband plans

	Plan	Inclusions	Price
Telstra	$15 Extra Small Data Plan	$15 Extra Small Data Plan 5GB Data Mobile Broadband Connection No Contract Term $15/mth Min. cost $15	$15/mth Min. cost $15	Go
Telstra	$25 Small Data Plan	$25 Small Data Plan 20GB Data Mobile Broadband Connection No Contract Term $25/mth Min. cost $25	$25/mth Min. cost $25	Go
Telstra	$50 Medium Data Plan	$50 Medium Data Plan 60GB Data Mobile Broadband Connection No Contract Term $50/mth Min. cost $50	$50/mth Min. cost $50	Go
Telstra	$75 Large Data Plan	$75 Large Data Plan 200GB Data Mobile Broadband Connection No Contract Term $75/mth Min. cost $75	$75/mth Min. cost $75	Go

What we love: Telstra is still Australia's biggest telco, and while it isn't the best option for more budget-conscious consumers, this provider is a good choice if you're after quality, reliability, speed, and extras.

Optus mobile broadband plans

	Plan	Inclusions	Price
Optus	$15 Data SIM Plan (M2M)	$15 Data SIM Plan (M2M) 10GB Data Mobile Broadband Connection No Contract Term Deal: 10GB for 36 months on the $15 Data SIM Plan. New and recontracting services only. Ends 31.03.21. $15/mth Min. cost $15	$15/mth Min. cost $15	Go
Optus	$25 Data SIM Plan (M2M) Editor's Pick	Editor's Pick $25 Data SIM Plan (M2M) 50GB Data Mobile Broadband Connection No Contract Term Deal: 50GB for 36 months on the $25 Data SIM Plan. New and recontracting services only. Ends 31.03.21 $25/mth Min. cost $25	$25/mth Min. cost $25	Go
Optus	$50 Data SIM Plan (M2M) Editor's Pick	Editor's Pick $50 Data SIM Plan (M2M) 150GB Data Mobile Broadband Connection No Contract Term Deal: 150GB for 36 months on the $50 Data SIM Plan. New and recontracting services only. Ends 31.03.21 $50/mth Min. cost $50	$50/mth Min. cost $50	Go

What we love: Optus is Australia's second largest telco and a trusted name in Australian internet. In addition to fixed line internet, Optus has an excellent range of 4G-powered mobile broadband plans with generous data allowances.

Vodafone mobile broadband plans

	Plan	Inclusions	Price
Vodafone	10GB SIM Only Modem Plan	10GB SIM Only Modem Plan 10GB Data Mobile Broadband Connection No Contract Term $20/mth Min. cost $20	$20/mth Min. cost $20	Go
Vodafone	40GB SIM Only Modem Plan	40GB SIM Only Modem Plan 40GB Data Mobile Broadband Connection No Contract Term $40/mth Min. cost $40	$40/mth Min. cost $40	Go
Vodafone	100GB SIM Only Modem Plan	100GB SIM Only Modem Plan 100GB Data Mobile Broadband Connection No Contract Term $60/mth Min. cost $60	$60/mth Min. cost $60	Go

What we love: Vodafone mobile broadband plans come with a 30-Day Network Satisfaction Guarantee and the telco's signature $5 roaming deal. Take Vodafone mobile broadband overseas and use your plan inclusions like you would at home for an extra $5 per day.

Prepaid mobile broadband plans

#1	Telstra	$150 Pre-Paid Mobile Broadband Go	Telstra 40GB Data $150 Min. cost $150	3%	Go
#2	Kogan Mobile	Data M - 30 DAYS PLAN	Kogan Mobile 30GB Data $49.90 Min. cost $49.90	3%	Go
#3	Lebara Mobile	Data Plan Medium	Lebara Mobile 30GB Data $35 Min. cost $35	3%	Go
#4	Vodafone	Prepaid Mobile Broadband Recharge $40	Vodafone 25GB Data $40 Min. cost $40 Deal: Get 20GB bonus data with every automatic Prepaid MBB recharge	3%	Go
#5	ALDI mobile	Small Data SIM Plan	ALDI mobile 30GB Data $95 Min. cost $95	3%	Go

What we love: With a prepaid mobile broadband plan you have the flexibility to pay for each individual recharge on a month-to-month basis, with no contract, no overages, and no automatic billing. If you run out of data, you're simply out. This has the advantage of not incurring any extra fees. But it also means you won't be able to use your service until you recharge.

Some telcos also offer longer expiry plans, which offer a larger amount of data to use over a longer period of time. Some providers even offer plans with a 365-day expiry, which could be ideal if you're looking at mobile broadband as a back-up to a fixed line connection, rather than a day-to-day tool.

How we choose the Best Mobile Broadband Plan?

Mobile phone and internet plans are our focus at WhistleOut, so we put a lot of thought into how we judge these awards.

When considering Mobile Broadband plans for these recommendations, we break up the eligible plans into two categories: plans with lots of data which could be used as the main internet service at home, and plans with less data designed for use in a tablet or iPad.

Because of the simple structure of Mobile Broadband plans, the winners tend to be the best value plans meeting the usage criteria that our expert team believes will meet the needs of most people. We also consider setup costs and plan bonuses in selecting the best plans.

Why would I get mobile broadband?

There are three main reasons why you'd consider signing up for a mobile broadband connection.

The first is that you don't have a fixed address, are regularly changing addresses, or can't get a fixed line connection where you live. Mobile broadband doesn't rely on copper or the NBN, so there's no need for a fixed physical connection between your place and the internet. Mobile broadband is also great if you just don't want to deal with the hassle of an extended setup period or are sick of waiting for the NBN to come to your area.
Mobile broadband can also be useful as a backup solution for if your fixed line connection goes down, or in the event of a power outage. Many mobile broadband modems are powered by a battery, so they'll keep on kicking even when the lights are out.
A portable mobile broadband modem and connection are also a good option when travelling, especially if you don't want to burn through your smartphone's battery while tethering.

What equipment do I need for a mobile broadband connection?

At a minimum, you need a data-only SIM card and a device to put it in to get a mobile broadband connection going. This could be a simple as putting a SIM in your iPad, and using it as a hotspot, or alternatively, as involved as buying a modem with a SIM card slot.

Most telcos selling data-only SIM plans will also have a range of 4G capable modems available. These include portable battery-powered solutions, as well as more traditional modem replacements that plug into a spare power outlet.

SIM-enabled tablet If you've got a SIM-enabled iPad or Android tablet, you can simply put in a data-SIM and then use it as a Wi-Fi hotspot to share its connection with another device.
USB Modem A USB modem is a great portable mobile broadband solution, provided you only need to take one computer online at a time. While it doesn't need to be recharged, it needs to be plugged in directly to the device you want to get connected.
Portable Wireless Hotspot A portable wireless hotspot lets you share a mobile broadband connection with a number of devices simultaneously. These are typically battery powered, and will need recharging.
Fixed Home Wireless Modem A fixed home wireless modem is much more like a traditional modem, in that it needs to be plugged into a power outlet to work. As such, these are more appropriate for those who don't need their mobile broadband on the go.