Keeping track of your Telstra Pre-Paid balance is key for managing your mobile data, credit and expiry. Whether you’re travelling or just avoiding surprise outages, knowing your balance helps you stay connected.
Telstra’s current advice is to use My Telstra (app or browser) to check balance, recharge and view usage.
Why Check Your Prepaid Balance?
Regular checks help you avoid service interruptions and keep on top of remaining credit, data and expiry dates. My Telstra shows your balance, lets you recharge, and provides usage/recharge history in one place.
Setting Up Auto-Recharge
Set Auto-recharge so your service tops up automatically before it expires or runs out. You can manage (and change/cancel) auto-recharge in My Telstra; note Telstra’s timing rules (e.g., changes only when the next recharge is >48 hours away).
How to turn it on: Open My Telstra (app or browser) → Services → select your Pre-Paid service → set up Auto-recharge and payment details.
How To Check Your Prepaid Balance
There are several methods you can use to check your Telstra prepaid balance:
1) My Telstra app (fastest)
- Open My Telstra and sign in.
- Tap Services → choose your Pre-Paid number.
- Your balance and data remaining appear on the service dashboard; you can also Recharge, see Usage & recharge history, change your Pre-Paid offer, download a tax invoice, or manage Auto-recharge.
2) My Telstra in a browser
Prefer a browser? Sign in to My Telstra on the web, go to Services, select your Pre-Paid number and you’ll see balance/usage with the same management options as the app.
Note: Telstra also provides an online Recharge portal if you just need to top up quickly. Telstra Recharge
3) SMS & Phone options (when you’re offline or in a rush)
- Text “balance” to 125 100 (free) to receive your current Pre-Paid balance by SMS. You can also text “recharge” to the same number for recharge info.
- Call 125 100 and follow the prompts to recharge your Pre-Paid service by phone. Telstra.com
(Legacy short codes like “BAL to 176” aren’t part of Telstra’s current guidance; use the options above.)
What To Do When Your Prepaid Runs Out Unexpectedly
Sometimes, your prepaid balance might run out faster than you expect, especially if you’ve used more data than planned.
Here’s what you can do if that happens:
1) Check what used your data or credit
Open My Telstra → Services → your Pre-Paid number → Usage history to see calls, data and recharges. This helps spot heavy-use apps, hotspotting, or unexpected usage.
You’ll also receive usage alerts when you reach 50%, 85% and 100% of your data. Alerts can be sent by SMS or email.
2) Add data or recharge
- Quick recharge: Use the app/browser flow above, or Telstra’s online recharge page. Telstra Recharge
- Need more data? Buy a Plus Pack for extra data in My Telstra or online. Telstra.com
3) Contact support
If something doesn’t add up, use in-app messaging or the support options on Telstra’s site for help.
Conclusion
In 2025, the most reliable ways to check your Telstra Pre-Paid balance are My Telstra (app or browser), plus quick SMS/phone options via 125 100.
Turn on Auto-recharge to avoid interruptions, and use usage history and alerts to understand where your data or credit is going
