Everyday Money Skills
Choosing a Mobile Recharge Plan Wisely
How to compare prepaid mobile plans by cost per day and per GB, why 28-day validity means 13 recharges a year, and how to avoid paying for data you don't use.
Mobile plans in India come in dozens of options: 28 days, 56 days, 84 days, a year, with different amounts of daily data, calls and SMS. Choosing well can save thousands of rupees a year.
The 28-day trap
Many plans offer 28 days of validity, not a full month. That means you need 13 recharges a year, not 12. A plan that looks like a monthly cost is actually about 8 percent more expensive per year than a true monthly plan at the same price.
Compare cost per day
Divide the price by validity days:
- A 299 rupee plan for 28 days costs about 10.7 rupees per day.
- An 859 rupee plan for 84 days costs about 10.2 rupees per day.
- An annual plan may be cheaper still per day.
Longer plans often cost less per day but need more money upfront.
Check your actual data use
Look at your phone’s data usage settings to see how much you actually use:
- If you use 1 GB a day but pay for 2 GB, you are paying for data you don’t use.
- If you often run out, a slightly bigger plan may cost less than buying top-ups.
Consider what you really need
- Wi-Fi at home or work may reduce mobile data needs.
- OTT bundles: plans with streaming subscriptions are only worthwhile if you would pay for those services anyway.
- Voice-only plans: after rules from the telecom regulator TRAI, operators introduced plans with voice and SMS without data, useful for people who mainly make calls, such as elderly relatives or second SIMs.
Second SIMs
Keeping a second SIM active can cost hundreds of rupees a year. Consider whether you really need it.
Price rises
Operators raised tariffs several times in recent years. When prices rise, recheck whether your plan still fits your needs.
A family of four reviews its phone plans. They find two members use under 1 GB a day but pay for 2 GB plans, and the grandfather needs only calls. By switching plans, they save about 4,000 rupees a year.
Twenty-eight days times 12 is only 336 days. You need 13 recharges to cover a year.
- 28-day plans mean 13 recharges a year.
- Compare plans by cost per day and match data to actual use.
- Bundled streaming is only worth it if you would pay for it anyway.
- Voice-only plans can suit people who rarely use data.
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