Signing up to a mobile phone plan with a device included can be a huge commitment. What if you lose it? What if you want to upgrade before your plan runs out? The most common alternative is to buy a phone outright and bring your own to the table but this certainly isn't affordable.
Luckily there's a middle option — purchase a refurbished device. More telcos are jumping on the bandwagon of pushing pre-loved phones so competition is fierce. Check out which telco you can score a refurbished iPhone, Samsung, OPPO and more through for a fraction of the price. But first, here are a selection of SIM-only plans you can pair with a refurbished phone:
A refurbished phone is when a company takes a device that is no longer brand new and restores its software and hardware to factory settings.
This could be as simple as wiping a phone of all its data or repairing a device's damaged screen. Almost all telcos that sell refurbished models will let you know how refurbished they are based on a rating scale, such as Fair to Like New condition.
Refurbished mobile phones with Belong
Dubbed Belong's Second Life Shop, the Telstra-powered telco offers customers the opportunity to purchase both Samsung and Apple devices in varying models, colours, sizes and condition grades for a fraction of the retail price.
iPhones start from as low as $369 for an iPhone XR while Samsung devices are priced at just $449 for a refurbished Galaxy S20 5G. All Belong refurbished phones come with a 12-month warranty and a free $80 SIM but you're free to use the devices with any telco you choose so you're not locked into a Belong plan.
Here are a selection of mobile plans to go with your semi-new device if you do choose to stay with Belong:
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#1
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Belong
$34.00/mth
Min. cost $34
Link not supplied
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#2
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Belong
$39.00/mth
Min. cost $39
Link not supplied
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#3
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Belong
$49.00/mth
Min. cost $49
Link not supplied
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#4
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Belong
$59.00/mth
Min. cost $59
Link not supplied
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Refurbished mobile phones with numobile
numobile offers what they call 'nucertified refurbished devices' for those looking for a new iPhone. Unfortunately, numobile doesn't offer the most perks or an extensive range of brands, models, colours, sizes and quantity of stock — especially when compared to Belong.
However, each phone comes with a 12-month warranty and a 30-day swap or return condition so if you're not happy simply send it back and choose something else. Phones are also express shipped for free.
If you do find a device right for you through numobile, here are the plans you can pair it with:
Refurbished mobile phones with Kogan Mobile
Short of purchasing a refurbished device through Kogan itself, the Vodafone Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNO) also sells refurbished iPhones in two ways.
Either choose its Subscription plan where you essentially pay to 'lease' the device for a lower cost than a regular phone plan. Or select the Own and Pay option, where you gradually pay off a refurbished phone to own and the overall price is still cheaper due to the not-so-new nature of the device.
For example, if you were to get a refurbished iPhone 12 64GB device from Kogan Mobile on a Subscription basis, you'd be looking at repaying around $28 per month over 24 months. Its Own and Pay option will have you owing $32 per month. That's a saving of $96 if you're happy to leave your phone instead of owning it.
Both options work out cheaper than purchasing a brand-new phone on a plan. But if you always want the latest device, Kogan Mobile's Subscription plan option could be the smarter alternative of all. It means you can pay off your device faster so you can return it to upgrade at any time in the last six months of your term.
Want a Kogan Mobile plan to go with it? Here are your options below:
While it's true the older you go, the cheaper the device will be it is important to remember software isn't always supported on these outdated devices.
That's why we recommend purchasing no older than a two-year-old Android device to make sure your device will still receive software updates. As for iPhones, generally you can get away with purchasing one that's around four years old at a maximum.
Refurbished mobile phones with Boost Mobile
Telstra MVNO, Boost Mobile, has its own refurb shop where customers can purchase a pre-loved, factory reset iPhone or Samsung device. Each device can be paid off via ZipPay for as little as $10 per week and includes free shipping plus a 12-month warranty. If this isn't enough, you can purchase an extended warranty for up to 24 months for an additional fee.
Boost Mobile also offers SIM deals with specific devices, such as upfront 12-month SIMs with included data or free $35 SIM cards.
Interested? Here are the most affordable Boost Plans eligible for pairing with its refurbished devices:
Refurbished mobile phones with Circles.Life
Optus MVNO, Circles.Life, is one of the latest telcos to join the revolution of recycling and rehoming pre-owned devices.
OzMobile, who is running the initiative, is aiming reduce the amount of e-waste by offering Circles.Life customers the chance to give new life to Apple, Samsung and Google Pixel models for a reduced cost. Circles.Life customers specifically save an additional $50 off every phone purchase over $299.
Each device comes with a free 12-month warranty and a 30-day return policy. But its devices also come with same-day shipping, a battery life guarantee and a price-beat guarantee to keep competition… well, competitive. A 24-month extended warranty can also be applied for an additional cost.
To secure this discount, here are the plans you want to consider:
Other places to buy refurbished phones
If purchasing a refurbished device from a telco isn't for you, there are a few other places to get your hands on them.
Amazon give customers a more granular search experience catering to budgets, brands, operating systems, storage capacity, screen sizes of all kinds. Simply input all the specs you want your new refurbished device to have and it'll spit out the ideal refurbished mobile phone for you.
Kogan's retail arm offers an abundance of pre-loved devices from Apple, Samsung, OPPO, Google, LG, ASUS and many more. Its wide range of stock rival most telcos plus you can choose to search devices with free shipping only or fast dispatch if you're in a hurry.
By searching OzMobiles directly, you can choose the brand, model, storage capacity and even condition quality of your next device. You can also organise a trade-in of your existing device for a discount on your purchase.
Christie Graham
Digital Content Editor
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