Vodafone entered the Australian mobile market in 1992 and over the last three decades has established itself as a generally reliable and competitive telco.
Up until recently, Vodafone’s network coverage lagged behind the other two major telcos in Australia (Optus and Telstra), only covering 96% of the Australian population, compared to Optus’s 98.5% and Telstra's 99.6%. This all changed recently due to TPG Telecom (Vodafone’s owner) and Optus signing a network-sharing agreement, which officially went into effect in late January 2025. This means that the two companies now share regional infrastructure, and as a result Vodafone’s network size has more than doubled (from 400,000 to 1,000,000 square kilometres) and it now reaches 98.4% of the population.
Now that Vodafone’s network is much more expansive it should better suit customers who live in regional areas, who might previously have been worried about not being able to get decent coverage on a Vodafone plan.
In terms of mobile plans, Vodafone offers a wide range of services, including prepaid and postpaid plans, both as SIM-only, or including a handset for postpaid plans.
There are also a few things that make Vodafone stand out from other Australian mobile providers. It stocks quite a comprehensive range of phone brands, for example, including handsets from Samsung, Apple, Oppo and Google and, like Telstra and Optus, is quick to offer new smartphones as soon as they’re released, and often has special preorder offers for the big iPhone and Samsung Galaxy launches.
Vodafone also offers a $5 per day international roaming add on for postpaid customers. This is one of the cheapest offers of its type on the market, making Vodafone a good choice for frequent travellers… provided you’re travelling to countries with Vodafone service, of course.
Vodafone mobile plans comparison
Network: |
Optus network |
5G: |
Yes |
Plan types: |
Prepaid (7, 28, 185 and 365 day) and Postpaid (monthly) |
Cheapest plan: |
$13 for 5GB (7 day prepaid) |
eSIM support: |
Yes |
Data banking: |
Yes, up to 200GB |
Vodafone offers a range of mobile plans, from postpaid SIM-only plans, postpaid plans that include a handset, and prepaid plans. Vodafone has multiple plans available under each of these categories, so you can choose the one that’s right for you.
For example, Vodafone offers three tiers of SIM-only postpaid plans, starting from $49 per month. Here are the pricing and data inclusion details for these (sans any discounts):
If you want a phone with your plan, you can choose one of the above postpaid options and add the device you want, which can be paid off in monthly instalments over 12, 24 or 36 months.
In terms of prepaid plans, Vodafone has multiple options including a 7 day expiry plan, three 28 day expiry plans, one 186 day expiry plan and two 365 day expiry plans. Here are the pricing and data details (before any current discounts):
- 7 day expiry - $13 for 5GB
- 28 day expiry - $40 for 30GB
- 28 day expiry - $50 for 40GB
- 28 day expiry - $60 for 55GB
- 185 day expiry - $180 for 100GB
- 365 day expiry - $250 for 150GB
- 365 day expiry - $350 for 250GB
What is Vodafone’s mobile coverage?
Vodafone’s mobile plans, unsurprisingly, run on the Vodafone network. As mentioned above, Vodafone’s network used to have a smaller reach in comparison to Optus and Telstra, however Vodafone and Optus recently joined forces and now share regional network infrastructure, which has boosted Vodafone’s network to cover 98.4% of the population, from its previous 96%.
This upgrade puts Vodafone much more on par with its rivals - only 0.1% behind Optus’s 98.5% and 1.1% behind Telstra’s 99.5% coverage.
Previously, the 4% of the population that didn’t get Vodafone coverage was predominantly in rural areas, but now due to Vodafone’s much larger network, that gap has closed considerably.
In terms of Vodafone’s 5G network rollout, unlike Optus and Telstra the telco doesn’t yet make any ‘population percentage’ claims, but does say it’s available in more than 3,000 suburbs across Australia.
In comparison, Telstra’s 5G network covers over 85% of the Australian population and Optus’s 5G network claims to cover over 1.4 million Australian households. While Vodafone’s 5G coverage is currently smaller than the other two major telcos, it’s stated that it has plans to end up covering between 81% and 90% off the Australian population by the time it finishes building its network (which as of April 2024, was aiming for a completion date sometime in 2026.)
Are Vodafone's mobile plans good value?
Vodafone’s prepaid plans are generally pretty good value, especially the longer expiry ones (185 days or 365 days) when they’re on special.
Vodafone also offers three tiers of postpaid month-to-month plans, and while these are cheaper than going with the equivalent Telstra or Optus options, they’re still more expensive than similar postpaid plans from many smaller providers. The only plus is that they come with a lot of data, so if you need a large data bank the price per GB isn’t bad. For example, the Medium SIM Only Plan usually costs $68 per month but you can currently get it for $55 per month for the first year, and you get 250GB of data per month. This means that for the first six months, each GB only costs $0.22 which is a very competitive price. After the first six months, each GB costs a still decent $0.31 per GB. However, if you aren’t going to use close to 200GB per month, you’re likely better off finding a cheaper postpaid plan from another provider.
Out of all of Vodafone’s prepaid and postpaid plan options, we have chosen a few to recommend that we think offer very good. Normally, we’d recommend at least one that we suggest you steer clear of because it doesn’t offer great value, however due to Vodafone’s current discounts, we believe that most of its plans offer good value (especially during the first few months when they’re discounted).
Recommended plans:
• Small SIM Only Plan | $45 (for the first 12 months, then $58) | 80GB (for the first 12 months, then 65GB) | Month to month contract
Vodafone’s smallest SIM only plan is currently discounted down to $45 per month and comes with 80GB per month (a bonus of 15GB per month) for the first year. For the first twelve months, this plan offers good value, with each GB only costing $0.56, however after the first year, the price reverts to $58 per month for only 65GB, making it not nearly as good. So if you sign up for this plan, we recommend looking for a cheaper plan after the first year, unless you’re desperate to be on a SIM only plan directly from one of the big 3 providers because Vodafone’s smallest SIM Only plan is cheaper than the equivalent options from Optus and Vodafone. Bear in mind, this deal is only available to new Vodafone customers so if you’re already with Vodafone, you won’t be eligible for it.
Cost and data for the first year: $540 for 960GB
• $350 Prepaid Plus Starter Pack | $350 (for the first 365 days) | 320GB (for first 365 days, then 220GB) | 365 day expiry
Vodafone’s largest long expiry plan costs $350 and normally comes with 250GB but you can currently get a bonus 70GB (a total of 320GB) for the first 365 days. This means that for the first year you’re paying the equivalent of $29.20 per month for 26.67GB per month, which is a pretty competitive price for a decent data allowance (especially for a long expiry plan.) Bear in mind that if you want to renew this plan after the first 365 days, you’ll only get 220GB.
Cost and data for the first year: $350 for 320GB
What is Vodafone's best mobile plan?
Everyone has different needs when it comes to mobile plans – and that makes the word ‘best’ somewhat subjective. That said, some plans are definitely better value than others, so we’ve carefully assessed Vodafone’s range of plans and compared them to find the one that we believe best suits the majority of people’s needs.
As mentioned above, it’s hard to recommend a postpaid plan from Vodafone because (like those from Telstra and Optus) they are on the expensive end of the scale on a cost-per-month basis. Unless you actually require a large amount of data (180 or 360GB), these plans are generally not worth it.
Currently, we believe Vodafone’s best-value plan is the $350 Prepaid Plus Starter Pack which is a 365 day plan which currently comes with a bonus 70GB of data (a total of 320GB) for the first year. With this plan, you are paying the equivalent of $29.17 per month for 26.67GB of data, which is a decent price and data allowance for a long expiry plan. Bear in mind that if you want to renew this plan after the first 365 days, you’ll only get 220GB of data, making it less appealing.
We are aware that not everyone can afford to pay for a 365 day plan upfront, and some people may not want to commit to the same plan for that long. In this case, our top pick for a short expiry Vodafone plan is its Small SIM Only Plan. This month-to-month plan usually costs $53 per month but is currently discounted down to $45 per month for the first year, and it comes with 80GB of data per month (instead of 60GB). Over the first year, this means you are only paying the equivalent of $0.56 per GB which is a competitive price. However, after the first year, this plan is on the more expensive end, so it’s probably worth switching to a cheaper plan. Bear in mind that this offer is only available to new Vodafone customers so if you’re already with Vodafone, you won’t be able to access this deal.
Does Vodafone support international roaming?
Yes, Vodafone offers international roaming for both postpaid and prepaid mobile customers. Postpaid customers can access Vodafone’s $5 Roaming which lets them use their plans included data, calls and texts in over 100 destinations for an additional $5 per day. If you go over your data allowance, extra data is charged at $5 per GB.
Prepaid customers can purchase Prepaid Roaming Add-ons, which work in over 80 destinations. There are three options available, starting from $5 for 200MB with a 1 day expiry, up to $35 for 2GB with a 7 day expiry.
Alternatively, prepaid customers can choose to use Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) roaming, provided they have enough credit. However PAYG can be quite expensive, with calls costing $1 per 60 seconds, texts charged at $0.75 each, and data at $1 per MB.
Does Vodafone sell phones or other devices?
Yes, Vodafone offers a wide selection of phones, tablets, smartwatches and accessories. Devices can be purchased outright or bundled with a plan and paid off over 12, 24 or 36 months. Vodafone stocks the latest smartphones from leading brands such as Apple. Samsung and Google along with accessories such as headphones, smartwatches and Playstation consoles and controllers. You’ll also find devices from smaller brands such as OPPO, HMD and Motorola.
Vodafone also regularly offers pre-orders on newly announced phones, including the latest iPhones and Samsung Galaxy releases. These pre-orders often come with bonus deals, such as free storage upgrades, discounts or exclusive extras for early buyers.
Should I sign up with Vodafone?
Here’s a breakdown on who we think would benefit from a Vodafone mobile plan and who should probably look elsewhere.
Reasons to sign up
If you travel a lot and use international roaming: Vodafone’s $5-per-day international roaming fee is cheaper than a lot of other deals on the market. In fact, no other provider comes close to Vodafone for cheap international roaming. So, if you’re looking for a postpaid plan with the cheapest international roaming fees, Vodafone is a good choice.
If you want a decent-value 365 day prepaid plan: Vodafone’s $350 Prepaid Plus Starter Pack comes with 320GB of data (an extra 70GB) for the first 365 days. This plan offers good value, however you have to be willing to pay $350 upfront, and you may need to manage your data usage so you don’t run out of GB which (would then require you to recharge early).
Reasons not to sign up
You want a postpaid plan and don’t use a lot of data: Starting at $58 (without a discount), Vodafone’s postpaid plans are on the pricey side, and the data inclusions are large at 65GB, 220GB and 420GB. While the plans are decent value when you look at how much you’re paying per GB, if you don’t need that much data, you’re better off going with a postpaid plan from another provider for a better price.
Vodafone mobile plan FAQs
Where can I get support from Vodafone?
If you are a current customer, you can get 24/7 support through the My Vodafone app. For general customer support, you can also call 1555 from Vodafone mobiles or 1300 650 410 from another phone. There is also a chat icon on the Vodafone website where anyone can get 24/7 support.
How can I check Vodafone’s service coverage in my area?
You can enter your address into Vodafone’s coverage map to see if your area is covered by Vodafone’s 3G, 4G or 5G networks.
What is Vodafone’s cancellation policy?
If you are on a Vodafone postpaid plan, you can cancel or switch your plan without paying a cancellation fee. However, if you are paying off a device, you will need to pay off the rest of the device before you can cancel your plan.
Does Vodafone support eSIM?
Yes, Vodafone offers the option for eSIMs on all plans, and if you are already with Vodafone and want to switch to an eSIM, you can do it via the My Vodafone app.
Does Vodafone offer data rollover?
Yes, Vodafone allows you to rollover unused data (up to 200GB) on a prepaid plan if you recharge before expiry. However, on a Vodafone postpaid plan you can’t keep any unused data, the data allowance will reset each month.
Compare Vodafone's plans with plans from similar providers:
