If you're choosing a phone on contract, it's tempting to pick the network first and the phone second. The prices say that's backwards: the network that's cheapest for one phone is often not the cheapest for the next.
We compared three of the most popular mid-range Android phones across Vodacom, MTN, Cell C and Telkom, using the lowest-priced plan each network lists for the phone.
The Galaxy A57, 256GB
| Network | 24 months | 36 months | Plan at that price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Telkom | R599 a month (R14 376) | R449 (R16 164) | FlexOn 2, 2GB, online-only price |
| MTN | R619 (R14 856) | R449 (R16 164) | Yellow Core, 1GB |
| Vodacom | R629 (R15 096) | R479 (R17 244) | RED Core, 1GB |
| Cell C | R649 (R15 576) | R479 (R17 244) | Elevate 1+, 1.5GB |
Telkom and MTN tie on 36 months at R16 164 in total. Vodacom and Cell C are R1 080 higher. Telkom's R449 is its online-shop price; its in-store catalogue lists the same plan at R469, which makes it R16 884 over 36 months.
The Galaxy A37, 256GB
| Network | 24 months | 36 months | Plan at that price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cell C | R499 a month (R11 976) | R349 (R12 564) | Elevate 1+, 1.5GB |
| Vodacom | R499 (R11 976) | R399 (R14 364) | RED Core, 1GB |
| MTN | R539 (R12 936) | R429 (R15 444) | Yellow Plus, 1.5GB |
Here Cell C is cheapest, and on 36 months the gap to MTN is R2 880, 23% of Cell C's price. On 24 months Cell C and Vodacom tie. Telkom lists the A37 in its catalogue without a storage size, so we've left it out of this table rather than guess which model it prices.
The OPPO A6, 256GB
| Network | 24 months | 36 months | Plan at that price |
|---|---|---|---|
| MTN | R439 a month (R10 536) | R349 (R12 564) | Yellow Core, 1GB |
| Vodacom | R479 (R11 496) | R399 (R14 364) | RED Core, 1GB |
| Telkom | R519 (R12 456) | R399 (R14 364) | FlexOn 2, 2GB |
| Cell C | R549 (R13 176) | R419 (R15 084) | Elevate 1+, 1.5GB |
Now it's MTN that is cheapest, by R2 520 over 36 months. Telkom's figure is from its monthly in-store catalogue (the 7 September to 6 October edition).
What this tells you
- The cheapest network changes with the phone. On 36 months the lowest price was Telkom and MTN (tied) for the A57, Cell C for the A37 and MTN for the A6. Vodacom wasn't the lowest on any of the three at 36 months.
- The gap varies a lot. R1 080 on the A57, R2 520 on the A6, R2 880 on the A37. The same shopping habit (always check one network) would have cost you different amounts on each.
- Shorter is cheaper in total. Every 24-month deal here costs less overall than the same deal over 36 months. Telkom's A57 is R14 376 over 24 months and R16 164 over 36, even though the monthly price is R150 higher on 24.
What to watch for
- The plans are not identical. The lowest plan on each network has a different data allowance: 1GB at Vodacom and MTN, 1.5GB at Cell C and 2GB at Telkom (MTN's A37 plan is 1.5GB). These are entry-level plans. If you need more data, the price rises on all of them.
- Prices move. We read each network's catalogue on 30 September and 1 October 2026. Check the figure on the day.
- None of these deals has an upfront payment recorded. The totals are the monthly price times the number of months.
How to compare
- Pick the phone first, then compare networks for that exact model and storage size.
- Compare the total over the contract, not only the monthly price.
- Check the data allowance, because the cheapest plan is usually the smallest.
- Look at 24 and 36 months side by side before you choose.
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Sources. Each network's own live catalogue: Vodacom and Cell C read in full on 1 October 2026, MTN in full on 30 September 2026, and Telkom through its online shop (30 September) and its monthly catalogue (edition 7 September to 6 October 2026, unchanged when checked). Only deals open to new customers are used. Totals are our own arithmetic.
Frequently asked questions
- Which network has the cheapest contract for the Samsung Galaxy A57?
- On a 36-month contract, Telkom and MTN tie at R449 a month (R16 164 in total) for the 256GB model, against R479 (R17 244) at Vodacom and Cell C. Telkom's R449 is an online-only deal; its in-store catalogue price is R469. Each is the lowest-priced plan that network lists for the phone, and the data allowance differs.
- Is the cheapest network the same for every phone?
- No. On 36 months, the lowest price for the Galaxy A57 is Telkom and MTN (tied), for the Galaxy A37 it is Cell C, and for the OPPO A6 it is MTN. Comparing one phone on one network tells you little about the others.
- How much can the same phone cost differently across networks?
- Among the three phones we compared on 36 months, the gap between the cheapest and dearest network was R1 080 for the Galaxy A57, R2 520 for the OPPO A6 and R2 880 for the Galaxy A37. The A37's gap is 23% of the cheapest price.
- Is a 24-month contract cheaper than a 36-month one?
- In total, yes. Every 24-month deal we compared costs less overall than the same deal over 36 months, even though the monthly price is higher. The Galaxy A57 at Telkom is R14 376 over 24 months and R16 164 over 36.
- Why don't the plans have the same data?
- Each network's lowest-priced plan for a phone has a different data allowance: 1GB at Vodacom and MTN, 1.5GB at Cell C and 2GB at Telkom (MTN's A37 plan has 1.5GB). We show the lowest price on each network, not a like-for-like data comparison, and more data costs more on all of them.
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