Expert mobile phone tips
Shop around and compare mobile phone providers
Don't just set and forget your mobile provider and plan. Shop around and switch providers if you find a better deal. Mobile phone providers regularly update their plans. New plans usually offer greater value, and often existing customers aren't notified they could be getting a better deal, so check at least every six months. Updating a plan or switching providers is often as simple as filling out an online form.
Does your plan meet your needs?
Check your phone usage: how many calls do you make, how many texts do you send and what are your data needs? Don't waste money on an unlimited max-speed data plan if you use very little mobile data. Pick a plan that matches your phone usage, and don't pay for plan features that you don't use.
Check for added value
Many mobile phone providers offer add-on deals, such as discounted streaming, or price reductions for bundling with telco and utility services. But always remember to research the deals and add up the savings, to ensure you're securing true value for money.
Best phones deal in NZ (December 2025)
This month Kogan has two great buy-one-get-one-free (BOGOF) deals. Each offer represents great value for money, given the amount of data on offer, but you do need to pay the total price upfront:
- Buy One Get One Free (180GB | 356-day plan): 15GB per month + unlimited NZ/OZ calls & texts: $330 for two plans – that's $13.75 per month, per person, which for 15GB data is a great deal.
- Buy One Get One Free (384GB | 356-day plan): 32GB per month + unlimited NZ/OZ calls & texts: $490 for two plans – that's just $20.42 per month, per person.
For the full rundown of the Best Mobile Deals in NZ for December, click here!
Best monthly plan providers in NZ
Here are the top monthly phone plan providers, as rated by everyday Kiwis, in our 2025 Most Satisfied Customers ratings:
- Skinny
- 2degrees
- Spark
- One NZ
Best prepaid plan providers in NZ
Here are the top prepaid mobile providers, as rated by everyday Kiwis, in our 2025 Most Satisfied Customers ratings:
- Skinny
- Kogan Mobile
- 2degrees
- Warehouse Mobile
- Spark
- One NZ
Phone plan discounts and deals: what to consider
Mobile phone providers are always offering incentives to new customers. However it's important to not get blinded by the initial discount, and to consider the longer-term implications of your phone plan purchase. Points to consider:
Discount length
Is the discount a one-off, or for the length of the plan? Many plans revert to their original price after the initial discount period meaning, in the long run, you could end up paying more than opting for a cheaper plan without an initial discount.
Data, calls and texts
Does the plan meet your needs in terms of its data, calls and text allowances? There's no point buying an expensive endless data plan if you rarely make use of your allowance. Or purchasing a cheap, limited plan that ends up costing you extra in top-up packs.
Check the small print
Mobile phone deals always come with Ts&Cs, and it's important to read them, as they could reveal hidden costs. Also make sure you're familiar with the conditions of your existing phone plan, as switching to another plan, even with the same provider, could incur penalties.
What are the cheapest phone plans?
The cheapest phone plans are no-frills prepaid monthly plans that come with very limited calls, data and text allowances. Here are the cheapest available from each of the big telco providers:
- 2degrees: $8 Plan: 150MB – 100mins & unlimited texts in NZ/OZ
- Skinny: $8 Plan: 250MB – 100mins & unlimited texts in NZ/OZ
- Warehouse mobile: $9 Plan: 300MB – 100mins & unlimited texts in NZ/OZ
- One NZ: $10 Plan: 250MB – 100mins & unlimited texts in NZ/OZ
- Kogan: $15 Plan: 1.5GB – unlimited calls/texts in NZ/OZ
- Spark: $17 Plan: 750MB – 25mins & unlimited texts in NZ/OZ
- Kiwi Mobile: $0.59/day ($17.95/m) Plan: 1GB – unlimited calls/texts in NZ/OZ
For the full rundown of all mobile phone plans $50 and under click here.
What are the fastest phone plans?
5G phone plans offer the fastest speeds. According to the latest Opensignal Mobile Network Experience Report, the 2degrees network delivers the fastest 5G download/upload speeds:
- 2degrees: 343/32Mbps
- One NZ: 313/25Mbps
- Spark: 262/21Mbps
However, when it comes to reach, One NZ has the widest 5G coverage, sitting just ahead of Spark. Out of 10, each network provider earns the following points for their 5G network coverage:
- One NZ: 3.8/10
- Spark: 3.7/10
- 2degrees: 3.0/10
Providers that offer 5G across their plans, include:
- 2degrees
- Kiwi Mobile (uses One NZ network)
- Kogan Mobile (uses One NZ network)
- Mighty Mobile (uses One NZ network)
- One NZ
- Rocket Mobile (uses One NZ network)
- Skinny (uses Spark network)
- Spark
What mobile networks are there in NZ?
There are three main mobile networks in the country, which were built by 2degrees, Spark and One NZ (formerly Vodafone). Although both 2degrees and Spark have sold their tower assets, they still use the networks they built.
In major centres, there’s very little difference between the three networks. However, in rural and remote areas coverage can vary dramatically. And then there’s 5G, which is more limited in its reach, even in major centres.
Here's a rundown of the networks and which other mobile phone providers use them:
Spark: used by Skinny
Network reaches 97.5% of New Zealanders (with 4G at around 97%). Spark’s network coverage map can be found here.
One NZ: used by Kogan Mobile, Mighty Mobile, Rocket Mobile
Network covers over 98.5% of the population (with 4G at over 96%). One NZ’s network coverage map can be found here.
2degrees: used by Kiwi Mobile and Warehouse Mobile
Network covers 98.5% of the places New Zealanders live and work (with 4G at over 96%). 2degrees’ network coverage map can be found here.
Prepaid vs postpaid mobile plans
Prepaid
Prepaid plans are phone plans that require you to prepay for the telco service: i.e. you pay in advance for phone services to use within a set time period. Once that expiry period is over, you need to recharge your plan in order to continue your service. If you use up some of your data/text/talk allocations before the expiry period, you will need to either recharge your plan, wait until your next recharge (and not have certain services until then) or purchase an add-on for an additional cost, such as extra data, if applicable.
Postpaid
Postpaid plans differ in that you pay after using your phone plan allocations. Typically, you receive a monthly bill from your telco that you have to pay by a set date. If you have used more than your plan’s inclusions, you can incur additional charges on your bill.
Prepaid vs postpaid mobile plans
Over recent years the line between prepaid and postpaid mobile plans has blurred. Endless calls, texts and data and automatic monthly billing cycles are available across prepaid and postpaid, and some postpaid plans require payment midway through the billing period, making them, to some extent, prepaid.
The main difference is that if you're not on a plan that offers unlimited calls, texts or data, a postpaid plan won’t leave you unable to make a call, send a text message, or use mobile data to chat online.
For if a prepaid plan expires, you need to spend extra money immediately to get your service back up and running. However, postpaid plans allow you to keep using your service, and simply settle the bill later.
This means that if you're on a budget, prepaid may be the best option for keeping tabs on your spending. But when it comes to ease of use and maximum bang for your buck, it’s hard to look past postpaid plans.
Prepay billing cycles
Prepaid phone plans are usually slightly cheaper than postpaid plans. However, if you're going prepay, you need to be aware of billing cycles.
2degrees and One NZ's prepaid plans last a calendar month, meaning you only have to buy 12 top-ups annually.
But other providers have different billing periods:
- Spark, Skinny, One NZ and Warehouse Mobile’s prepaid packs: 28 days
- Kogan’s monthly packs: 31 days
If you do the math, you can see different levels of value: 28 (days) x 12 (months)= 336. But there are 365 days in a year, meaning on Spark, Skinny, One NZ and Warehouse Mobile’s prepaid plans, you’ll need to buy an extra pack to cover those missing 29 days.
However, Kogan's packs renew every 31 days (31 x 12 = 372), delivering better value.
