Best Vodafone network mobile plans: How to get Vodafone service for less

As you probably already know, Australia has three major telcos – Vodafone, Telstra and Optus. These telcos are also the owners of the only three mobile networks in Australia. Up until recently, Vodafone’s network covered the smallest proportion of the population, only 95.4% while Optus’s network covers 98.5% and Telstra’s covers 99.6%. The major differences in coverage were in regional and rural areas of Australia, which meant that some customers living in these areas were restricted to plans by Telstra and Optus because they simply couldn’t get Vodafone coverage.

This all changed recently when Optus and TPG Telecom (Vodafone Australia’s owner) signed a network-sharing agreement. This means that Optus and TPG Telecom now share regional network infrastructure with each other. This partnership has more than doubled the Vodafone’s network's reach, from 400,000 to 1,000,000 square kilometres. As a result, Vodafone now reaches 98.4% of the population, up from its previous 95.4%.

This means that the smaller telecommunication companies who run on Vodafone’s network (also known as MVNOs – or Mobile Virtual Network Operators) now also benefit from this greater coverage.

If you’re looking for a more affordable mobile plan, you can usually find better priced plans from MVNOs rather than direct from the major telcos, as MVNOs have reduced overheads – they don’t have to pay the costs of maintaining network infrastructure, for one. While Vodafone’s plans are generally on the cheaper side compared to those from Telstra and Optus, plans from MNVOs that run on Vodafone’s network are usually even cheaper. And now that Optus and Vodafone are network sharing, you don’t have to worry about the network gap when you opt for a Vodafone plan.

The MNVOs that run on Vodafone’s network include TPG, iiNet, Kogan Mobile, Felix Mobile, LycaMobile, Lebera Mobile and more, so if you’re after a cheap mobile plan on the Vodafone network, these are the providers you’ll want to investigate.

To help you find the plan that’s right for you, we’ve researched and assessed a wide range of plans from Vodafone-powered providers. Here’s a rundown on the plans that we think offer the best value for money for various needs:

Best cheap month-to-month mobile plan

TPG 25GB Small Plan | $12.50 (for the first six months, then $25) | 25GB | 1 month expiry
TPG’s 25GB Small Plan is currently the cheapest month-to-month plan due to a current discount which brings the price down to $12.50p/m for the first six months. As the name suggests, this plan comes with 25GB per month which should provide for most users’ needs. After the first six months, this plan reverts to $25 per month, and while that means it’s no longer the cheapest on the market, it is the only plan in the under $30 price range that comes with more than 15GB of data, which is why it’s our top pick. Additionally, while this plan doesn’t come with access to the 5G network and data is speed capped to 150Mbps, with the six-month discount and respectable data allowance, we still think it’s a plan worth considering if you’re after an affordable, month-to-month plan.

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Best big data month-to-month mobile plan

Vodafone $59 Medium Plan | $49 per month (for the first 12 months, then $59) | 360GB (180GB + 180GB every month for as long as you stay connected) | 1 month expiry
Usually plans from MNVOs are cheaper or have more data than those directly from the network providers, but if you’re someone who needs a lot of data , Vodafone’s $59 Medium plan is our top pick. Currently discounted by $10 per month for the first 12 months, that brings the price of this plan down to only $49p/m. Combined with the fact that you also currently get an extra 180GB per month for as long as you stay connected to this plan (for a whopping 360GB per month) that makes this Vodafone plan basically unbeatable on a cost-per-GB basis. In addition, if you somehow use all of the included data in any month, you can continue using data for free at reduced speeds of up to 2Mbps. Being directly from Vodafone, this plan also comes with access to the telco’s full 5G network, and has unlimited call minutes to Zone 1 Countries and 300 minutes to Zone 2 countries.

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If you don’t mind going with a mobile plan with a longer expiry, such as 180 or 365 days, there are some great value plans that run on the Vodafone Wholesale Network.

Best cheap long-expiry mobile plan

Kogan Medium 365 Day Flex Plan | $139 for 365 days (usually $200) | 200GB | 365-day expiry
Kogan’s Medium 365 Day Flex Plan is currently $61 off, bringing it down to $139 for 1 year of service, which is the equivalent of $11.58 per month. Included in this plan is 200GB of data, which equals the equivalent of 16.67GB per month. Unfortunately you won’t be able to access 5G but given the price and the respectable monthly data allowance, we believe it’s a plan worth considering.

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Best big data long-expiry mobile plan

Lebara Large Plan | $300 for 360 days | 425 GB | 360 day expiry
Lebara Mobile’s Large Plan is our top pick for those who want a long-expiry plan on the Vodafone Wholesale Network with as much data as possible. Costing $300 for 360 days, you get an impressive 425GB of data which is the most we’ve seen in a long-expiry plan that runs on the Vodafone network. Monthly, this will cost approximately $24.90 and gives you 35.4GB to use. It also includes access to 5G.

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Compare other mobile plans on the Vodafone Wholesale Network

If a Vodafone plan won’t suit your coverage needs and you’re set on being on the Telstra network, you can still save money by opting for a plan from a Telstra MNVO. We have a guide to Telstra mobile alternatives that will help you get on the Telstra network for less.