Prepaid plans are an affordable way to grab yourself phone service. They're also fool-proof; there's no way you can go over your cap and get stung by excess fees as these plans need to be recharged when you hit your limit.
Not everyone has the same needs. Some people need not so much data, others need heaps. We took 1GB, 2GB and 5GB plans and threw them into the WhistleOut comparison engine.
The Big Kahuna: 5GB+ per month
Sometimes a regular-sized cap just won't do it. If you're a big music streamer, podcast fan or YouTube watcher, then you're going to need a lot of data.
There's no real 'standard' size for plans once you get past the 2GB mark, so let's set our bar at 5GB and see what happens.
Most of the best value, high data deals will set you back about $50 or more. But the inclusions in these plans are impressive. When you think about how much you can do on your phone with 5GB of data per month, the price begins to look affordable.
These plans are great for commuters with a decent stretch of time on a bus or train each day. With 5GB you can listening to streaming music or podcasts for hours. You can even watch a couple of your favourite TV shows streaming from Netflix, or similar.
Do keep an on on the network associated with each plan, though. Some low-cost providers still rely on 3G networks to deliver services, and not the faster 4G networks offered by others.
It's up to you: 3G or 4G? You know what you need. If you don't, you can read about
the difference between 3G and 4G.
The 'About Average': 2GB+ per month
Generally, the average user goes through a little under 2GB per month. This statistic is climbing all the time, but for now 2GB is a good yardstick.
Importantly, it's enough to go wild on social media and general browsing without worrying. You can even stream music, but if you do be sure to keep one eye on your usage. You'll still need to stay away from YouTube and other video streaming for regular activities.
Which do you prefer? The cheapest, the most data (with a slower connection), or the all-rounder?
The Casual User: 1GB per month
1GB won't get you a whole lot. You should keep an eye on frequenting any social media services, browsing, or apps that use internet data when not on a WiFi connection.
Some users will be fine with this amount, but if you like to stream music, or if you spend a whole lot of time browsing or on Facebook, then you'll need to remain vigilant lest you hit your cap.
With prices as low as you see in the table above, we would recommend you consider choosing a plan with as much data included as possible, even if it will cost a little extra. With smartphones it can be difficult to gauge how much data popular apps will use, so a small buffer is advisable.
Wrestling image and SIM card image via Shutterstock