Data Only SIM Australia 2026

Mobile data for every other device in your life.

A data only SIM keeps your tablet, hotspot or second device online wherever you go. Here is how data only SIMs work in Australia, what to look for, and the best plans for tablets, mobile broadband and BYO devices.

$15/mo

Starting price

365d

Long expiry available

On most current plans

The short answer

A data only SIM is a mobile plan used purely for internet, no calls, no texts. You drop it into any device with a SIM slot (tablets, hotspots, laptops with cellular, even smartwatches) and it gives you mobile data on a network. Tip: in Australia, any standard SIM only plan can be used data only on a BYO device, you do not always need a dedicated "data only" plan to get the result.

$15

Per month, where decent data only plans start

The basics

What is a data only SIM, and how does it differ?

A data only SIM gives you mobile data with no phone number for calls or texts. The SIM connects to a mobile network the same way as a phone SIM, but the plan is structured around data inclusions only. Some data only SIMs do still get a phone number for technical reasons, but you would not use it for calls.

You drop a data only SIM into any device with a SIM slot: a cellular tablet, a portable hotspot or pocket Wi-Fi modem, a laptop with built-in cellular, an in-car infotainment system, a connected security camera, or a smartwatch with cellular. The SIM gives the device its own independent internet connection without relying on your home Wi-Fi or your phone's hotspot.

Here is a key point that catches a lot of people out: in Australia, you do not always need a SIM marketed as "data only" to get data only service. Any normal SIM only plan can be used data only. Pop a Lyca, Superloop or Tangerine SIM into your iPad or hotspot and the data works just like it would on a phone. You just do not use the included call and text allowance, the data is what matters for the device.

Who needs one

What you might put a data only SIM into

The right device decides the right plan. Lightweight devices need only a little data and benefit from long-expiry plans. Hotspots and laptops on the road want bigger allowances. Here are the common cases.

Cellular tablet

5-15 GB / mo

Internet on your iPad or Android tablet anywhere there is mobile signal. Mostly used on Wi-Fi at home, cellular when out.

Mobile hotspot

30-100 GB / mo

A pocket Wi-Fi modem you share between phone, laptop and any visiting devices. The Swiss-army-knife of travel and work-from-anywhere.

Cellular laptop

30-50 GB / mo

A laptop with built-in 4G/5G connects without relying on tethering, useful for client visits and travel days.

Other connected devices

1-5 GB / mo

Security cameras, in-car systems, IoT trackers, smartwatches with cellular, dashcams. Small data needs, long expiry plans usually win.

Plan sizing

How much data do you actually need?

Plans range from a few gigabytes for $15 a month to unlimited for $80 plus. Picking the right size matters because over-buying is the single most expensive mistake on data only SIMs. Here is the realistic guide.

What you are doing

Use case

Per month

Backup connection

A device on standby, smartwatch, security camera, IoT tracker. Mostly idle.

1-5GB

Tablet on Wi-Fi mostly

An iPad used at home on Wi-Fi, cellular for cafes and the train. Maps and messaging out and about.

5-15GB

Tablet on the go

Reading and email on the train, streaming the kid's show on long drives, video calls from the cafe.

20-40GB

Hotspot for travel

A pocket Wi-Fi modem you share with phone, laptop and tablet on holidays or commutes. Plus the occasional Netflix.

50-100GB

Heavy work-from-anywhere

Daily hotspot sharing for work, video calls, large file uploads, music or video streaming all day.

130+GB

Worth knowing

"Data only SIM" and "SIM only plan" are not the same thing.

SIM only plans usually include calls and texts as well as data. Data only SIMs are sold as data products with no voice line. But in practice, you can use any SIM only plan as data only on a BYO device. The plan does not change, you just do not use the call and text inclusions on a tablet or hotspot. The thing that matters is the data allowance, not the plan's label.

SIM only plan

Data + voice

As data only

Same data

Pure data only

No voice

Plan picks by use case

Plans worth knowing about

These options cover the most common data only situations. Prices verified May 2026. Intro promos often run lower than the ongoing rate shown.

For low-data devices

Tablet, smartwatch or IoT device

For a tablet mostly on Wi-Fi, a kid's device, or a connected gadget that uses a couple of gigabytes a month. A long-expiry plan removes the monthly recharge step and works out cheaper per month.

Lyca Medium 365 Day

Vodafone network

200 GBtotal / year

$220/365 days

Split into 30-day blocks of around 17GB. Works out to roughly $18 a month for a year of service. Intro discounts often available for new customers.

View Lyca long-expiry plans

For tablets on the go

Tablet, laptop or moderate hotspot use

For a tablet you actually take out and use on cellular regularly, or a laptop with built-in 4G/5G. A 30-day plan with 30-50GB and 5G access is the right balance.

Tangerine 5G plans

Telstra network

30-60 GB/ month

From $25/mo

5G included, no lock-in, with intro discounts available. Tangerine runs on the Telstra network so coverage matches what you would get going direct.

View Tangerine plans

For heavy hotspot use

Hotspot, work-from-anywhere or video

For a pocket Wi-Fi modem you share between devices, or a laptop you tether all day for work. Big data plans with rollover banking soak up unused months.

Superloop Plus 5G 130GB

Telstra network

130 GB/ 30 days

$50/mo

Up to 1000GB data bank for unused data rollover. Strong choice for variable-use months when you need headroom on heavy weeks.

View Superloop plans

Not sure yet?

Compare every plan side by side

If you want to see every current Australian SIM only plan compared in one place, with data, price and host network shown together, that is what the comparison page is for. Sort by data allowance to find the right plan for your device.

All current SIM only plans

Lyca, Superloop, Tangerine

Eight plus plans across the three featured AU providers, comparable side by side. Includes prepaid, postpaid, long-expiry and high-data options, all of which work fine for data only use.

Compare all plans

Prices verified May 2026 from each provider's site. Plans and intro promos change regularly. The plans above include voice and SMS inclusions on the same SIM, you simply do not use them on a tablet or hotspot.

FAQ

Common questions on data only SIMs

What is a data only SIM?

A data only SIM is a mobile plan used purely for internet access, with no phone number for calls or texts. It works in any device with a SIM slot, most commonly tablets, mobile hotspots, internet dongles, laptops with built-in cellular, in-car systems and security cameras. You get data on a mobile network in the same way as a phone, you just are not using it for voice.

Is a data only SIM the same as a SIM only plan?

Almost. A SIM only plan is any mobile plan without a handset attached, it usually includes calls and texts as well as data. A data only SIM is a plan used purely for data, even if the underlying plan includes call inclusions you might never use. In Australia, you can buy a true data only SIM (often cheaper, marketed as mobile broadband), or you can use a regular SIM only plan as data only on a tablet or hotspot.

Can I use any SIM in a tablet or hotspot?

Yes, as long as the device has an unlocked SIM slot that matches the SIM size (most modern tablets and hotspots take Nano SIM or eSIM). The mobile plan does not need to be a tablet-specific or data only plan, a normal SIM only plan works the same way. The only thing the device may not do is make calls or send SMS, which is fine if you only need data anyway.

How much data does a tablet or hotspot actually use?

For a tablet used mostly on Wi-Fi at home and on cellular when out, 5 to 10 GB per month is usually plenty. For a hotspot shared between two or three devices on the move, 30 to 50 GB per month covers normal browsing and video. For a tablet streaming on long car trips or a heavy hotspot user, look at 100 GB plus or an unlimited plan.

Are long-expiry data SIMs worth it?

For low-data devices, yes. A 365-day SIM at around $150 to $220 works out to roughly $12 to $20 per month, often less than buying a 30-day plan each month. They are excellent for devices that use small amounts of data each month and would otherwise sit on a recharge cycle with most of the allowance unused.

Do data only SIMs work on 5G?

Yes, most current SIM only plans in Australia include 5G access, and these work the same way in a 5G-capable tablet or hotspot. Some cheaper plans are 4G only, especially at the entry tier, so check the plan inclusions if 5G matters for your device.

Can I use a data only SIM in an iPad?

Yes. Cellular iPads accept Nano SIM (older models) or eSIM (newer iPads, 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Pro from 2024 onward in Australia are eSIM-only). Any Australian SIM only plan works in an iPad, you just install it and use the data, calls and texts are not used in tablet mode.

Do data only SIMs include hotspot tethering?

Yes, on every current AU plan we surface. Hotspot tethering (using your SIM to share data with other devices over Wi-Fi) is included on standard SIM only plans from Lyca, Superloop and Tangerine. Some carriers cap hotspot data, but the three above include it as part of your normal data allowance.

Ready to get a device online?

Compare every current SIM only plan side by side, sort by data allowance, and pick the right plan for your tablet, hotspot or BYO device.

Compare SIM plans