Optus mobile plans: price, data and value compared

Optus is one of Australia’s biggest telcos and it offers a comprehensive range of mobile phone plans, with lots of prepaid and postpaid options to choose from. 

In terms of pricing, Optus' cheapest postpaid plan costs $49 per month, which includes 30GB of data and unlimited standard national calls and texts. While that’s cheaper than Telstra, Optus is still expensive on a per GB basis when compared with many smaller telcos. There are lots of other plans on the market that offer more data for a substantially lower price. 

However, if you prefer the (theoretical) safety and security that comes with choosing a major provider, or you’re keen on the perks that come with Optus mobile plans, it could be worth it.

Optus mobile plans comparison

Optus offers some unique features with its mobile plans. For example, its postpaid plans come with “endless data”; this means that if you go over your monthly data limit, your download and upload speeds will simply be slowed down to a maximum of 1.5Mbps, so you can continue using the internet (albeit slowly) without having to pay any extra.

Optus postpaid customers also get exclusive perks such as access to Optus SubHub, where you can save 10% per month on the cost of selected subscription services (including Netflix, Prime Video and Binge) if you bring three or more together. You can also receive a sizeable discount of $18 per month on a subscription to Optus Sport, meaning you’ll only pay $6.99 a month instead of $24.99.

If you’re looking for variety, Optus also has a slightly broader selection of plans than most other telcos, including a multitude of prepaid plan options so you can choose the ideal length and data allowance. You can also bundle many of the latest phone models with a plan at Optus.

What is Optus' mobile coverage?

Optus’ mobile network generally provides great coverage, particularly in well-populated metro areas. It does play second fiddle to Telstra in remote and regional locations, where service often depends on population density. Moreover, many smaller towns and regional highways (even major ones) that offer some measure of Telstra coverage have no Optus presence at all. 

Still, Optus’ 3G network does cover an impressive 98% of the Australian population, with 4G services covering 96.6% and (as of April 2023, when figures were last released) its newer 5G network covering 12.1%.

While that 5G figure continues to grow (as it does with Telstra and Vodafone), it’s largely restricted to capital cities at this point, and even then, as of April 2024, there’s no 5G in Darwin and Hobart. When comparing coverage maps, Optus’ 5G network also offers less consistent ‘blanket’ coverage than Telstra or Vodafone – it’s likely that Optus is still being quite tactical with its rollout, as its maps are quite ‘spotty’. In practical terms, what this means is that you’re more likely to roam in and out of 5G areas with Optus than the other two big telcos. 

You can use Optus’ network map to check if your area is covered by the Optus network as well as compare 3G, 4G and 5G access.  

Are Optus's mobile plans good value?

Although Optus’ mobile plans are cheaper than comparative ones from Telstra, they’re quite expensive in general when you compare them with plans from smaller providers. This is especially the case when it comes to its postpaid plans which start from $49 per month. 

Its prepaid plans are better value, especially if you opt for a 186-day or 365-day plan because you end up paying a pretty competitive rate per month and per GB. These are the plans we recommend and the plans we suggest you avoid if you want a good value mobile plan. 

Recommended plans:

•  Optus Prepaid Flex Plus 180GB – $320 (365-day expiry)
This plan offers pretty good value at a reasonable price, especially with the current deal which gets you 260GB for $220 for the first 365 days. 

Optus also has some plans that stand out for being overly expensive, so if you’re determined to sign up for an Optus plan, we recommend avoiding the following options.  

Plans to avoid:

•  Extra Large Optus Choice Plus Plan – $89p/m for 360GB 
Unless you can actually use 360GB of data per month, this plan is very expensive for a postpaid monthly plan and you can find cheaper elsewhere. 

What is Optus' best mobile plan?

The word ‘best’ is subjective because everyone has different needs when it comes to a mobile plan. So, to choose Optus’ best plan we compared all of its offerings and chosen a plan that we think would suit the majority of people’s needs.  

Optus’ best mobile plan: Optus Flex Plus 180GB | 365 days | 260GB (first 3 recharges, then 180GB) | $320 $280 (first recharge, then $320)

The Optus Flex Plus 180GB prepaid plan is a 365-day plan and costs $320, however Optus is currently running a deal where you can pay $220 and get 260GB. This is a great value deal, giving you 21.67GB per month and costing the equivalent of $18.33 per month. For the second and third recharge, the cost of the plan will increase to $320, however you will still get 260GB of data. That means you are paying an equivalent of $26.67 per month for 21.67GB per month, which is still a very decent price. From the fourth recharge, you will only get 180GB, which is only 15GB per month and each gig costs $1.78. Obviously this plan won’t work for you if you can’t afford to pay for it outright, or if you don’t want to commit to a 365-day plan. If you can, though, this plan is one of Optus’ best value options, especially with the discount and extra data you get for the first 365 days.  
Total cost and data for first year: $280 for 260GB 

Best alternative Optus mobile plan: Optus Flex Plus 20GB | 28 days | 60GB (first 28 days, then 40GB on second and third recharge, then 20GB on fourth recharge) | $35 $12 (first 28 days, then $35)

If you don’t want to commit to a 365-day plan, the next best option is Optus’ Flex Plus 20GB plan with a 28-day expiry. This plan usually costs $35 per month and gives you 20GB of data, which costs $1.75 per GB, however this plan is currently on sale for $12 for the first 28 days and you get 60GB of data – meaning each GB costs only $0.20. For the second and third recharge, you pay $35 but you get 40GB, so every GB costs $1.14. From the fourth recharge, you will only get 20GB of data but this plan allows you to roll over any leftover data from the first few months (up to 200GB), giving you a decent data bank to rely on. After you’ve used all the leftover data, you may want to consider switching to a cheaper prepaid plan option.
Total cost and data for first year: $433.25 for 340.7GB

Should I sign up with Optus?

If you absolutely must be on an Optus plan, some options are certainly better than others. Because everyone uses their mobiles differently, we’ve broken down a number of reasons why we think an Optus plan may be a good pick for some people as well as reasons why some people may be better off looking elsewhere.  

Reasons to sign up

You don’t mind spending a bit extra to be with a ‘real’ provider: It’s no secret that mobile plans from the top three telcos are on the more expensive side. However, if you really want to be with Optus and you don’t mind paying a bit of a premium, an Optus plan could be a good option for you. 

You can take advantage of Optus’ endless data on postpaid plans: All Optus postpaid plans come with endless data, which means that if you go over your data allowance, Optus will just slow your download speed to 1.5Mbps so you can continue browsing without extra charges. 

You need a lot of data: Optus’ postpaid plans are generally pricey but, by and large, they do come with a lot of data. For example, the Large Optus Choice Plus Plan ($69p/m) and the Extra Large Optus Choice Plus Plan ($89p/m) come with 220GB and 360GB per month respectively. If you need that much data, these plans may be worth it because the cost per GB is very low – the Large plan costs only $0.31 per GB and the Extra Large plan costs $0.25 per GB. However, if you’re not going to use all the data, you’re better off finding a cheaper plan.  

Reasons not to sign up

You want a competitively priced postpaid plan: Compared to other postpaid plans on the market, Optus’ are quite expensive. While its Small ($49) and Medium ($59) plans are better value than Telstra, you can find similar plans for lower prices from many other providers. 

• Optus discount codes: latest mobile and internet deals and promos

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