1. We check every provider's own website, every day
An automated check visits each provider's plan pages daily and records price, data, expiry, bonus data, intro deals and inclusions. The date and time of the last check is shown on every page. If a provider's site can't be read on a given day, we show its last confirmed plans and mark them clearly.
2. We work out the real cost over a year
A $13 plan that jumps to $39 after one recharge is not a $13 plan. For every plan we calculate what you'd pay over 12 months: intro prices count only for the recharges they last, then the normal price for the rest of the year. Bonus data is treated the same way. If a plan doesn't say how long its intro deal lasts, we assume one recharge, the cautious choice.
3. "Best value" means cost per GB over a year
We divide the yearly cost by the yearly data. That puts 28-day, monthly and 365-day plans on the same footing. Plans with no fixed recharge cycle or no data allowance (like pay-as-you-go packs) aren't given a yearly figure and can't be marked best value.
4. No paid ordering, ever
Plans are only ever sorted by the option you choose. We may earn a referral fee when you click through to some providers, but that never changes where a plan appears. If we ever show a sponsored listing, it will be clearly labelled as an ad.
5. What we leave out
- Lock-in contracts and phone repayment plans, because this site compares prepaid and no-lock-in SIM-only plans.
- Plans only available through a partner or reseller, not to the general public.
6. Networks
Every provider uses one of three networks: Telstra, Optus or Vodafone. Many smaller brands on Telstra use the Telstra Wholesale network, which covers less of the country than Telstra's own. We show which network each plan uses.
7. Ted's top picks and "Help me choose"
Ted's top picks are chosen automatically from the same data, every day: the best value over a year in each group (under $20 a month, $20–40, lots of data, 365-day, big-name brands, full Telstra network). "Help me choose" uses your answers the same way. Nobody can pay to be picked.
8. The green badges ("Owned by Telstra", "From Woolworths")
These show who is behind a brand you might not know. Each one comes from the provider's own website or published news about the company, and we keep a note of the source. A badge is not a recommendation, and a brand without one isn't worse. We just haven't confirmed its details yet.
Spotted a mistake?
Prices change often and automated checks aren't perfect. Always confirm the details on the provider's page before you sign up.