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
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 - $12 for 5GB
- 28 day expiry - $35 for 25GB
- 28 day expiry - $45 for 35GB
- 28 day expiry - $55 for 50GB
- 185 day expiry - $160 for 90GB
- 365 day expiry - $250 for 150GB
- 365 day expiry - $320 for 220GB
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. Currently, its best-value plan is definitely the $250 Prepaid Plus Starter Pack which is a 365-day plan that currently gives you 250GB (including a bonus 100GB) for the first three recharges. With this plan, you are only paying the equivalent of $20.83 per month for 20.83GB (so exactly $1.00 per GB), which is a very competitive price for a 365-day plan. Without that current deal, however, you’ll pay $250 for 150GB of data, which makes it less appealing.
If you want a plan with a shorter expiry term, Vodafone’s $35 Prepaid Plus plan is a good contender. This plan has a 28-day expiry and gives you 60GB for the first six recharges, which is very competitive since you are only paying $0.58 per GB. However, from the seventh recharge, you only get 25GB, which jumps the price up to a less-palatable $1.40 per GB. The good news is that you can rollover any leftover data (up to 200GB) when you recharge your plan before expiry. This means that you can save up any leftover data from those first six recharges to give you a nice amount of backup data. However, if you do end up using all that banked data, we’d suggest looking for a better value plan with more than 25GB of data for under $35.
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 costs $49 per month (including a discount for the first 12 months, then increasing to $59 per month) and thanks to a ‘double data’ promo you currently get 360GB a month for as long as you stay connected. For the first 12 months, you are only paying a very low $0.14 per GB. However, if you aren’t going to use close to 360GB per month, you’re likely better off finding a cheaper postpaid plan from another provider.
Recommended plans:
• $250 Prepaid Plus Starter Pack | $250 $149 | 365 day expiry | 240GB (for first 365 days, then 150GB)
This plan is already good value, costing only $20.83 per month, however with the current deal, it becomes even better value, dropping to $12.42 per month, for 20GB of data instead of 12.5GB.
• $35 Prepaid Plus Starter Pack | $35 | 28 day expiry | 60GB (on first six recharges, then 25GB)
This postpaid plan gives you 60GB for the first 6 recharges, which means you’ll be paying a very competitive $0.58 per GB. You can also rollover leftover data and continue to use it after the first six recharges.
Plans to avoid:
• Large SIM Only Plan | $59 per month (for the first 12 months, then $69 per month) | 720GB (including 360GB of bonus data)
While you get a whopping 720GB per month with this plan for as long as you stay connected, unless you actually need that amount (and in which case it is excellent value and you won’t find this amount of data for this price anywhere else), there’s no need to be paying $59 per month when you can find cheaper options elsewhere.
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. Unless you don’t mind spending a bit more money or you need a large amount of data (180 or 360GB), these plans are generally not worth it.
So, for the ‘best’ overall plan for most people, we’ve selected Vodafone’s $35 Prepaid Plus Starter Pack. This prepaid plan has a 28 day expiry and comes with 60GB of data for the first six recharges – that includes a bonus of 35GB per recharge. That makes it solid value during that promo period, costing you only $1.25 per day and $0.58 per GB. The seventh recharge drops the data down to 25GB (a less-competitive $1.40 per GB) but the good news is that you can roll over any unused data up to 200GB as long as you keep recharging before expiry. This means that if you have any data leftover from those first six recharges, you can keep it and use it as required. However, once you have used all the extra data, it may be worth switching to another plan or provider to get better value for your money.
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 $250 Prepaid Plus Starter Pack currently comes with 250GB of data (an extra 100GB) on the first three recharges. This plan costs the equivalent of $20.83 per month for 20.83GB per month which is a decent price for an adequate amount of data for most people. However, you have to be willing to pay $250 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). The bonus data with this deal carries on for three recharges, but after that third recharge we’d recommend looking for a better deal because you’ll only get 150GB to use.
Reasons not to sign up
You want a postpaid plan and don’t use a lot of data: Starting at $49, (without a discount), Vodafone’s postpaid plans are on the pricey side, and the data inclusions are large at 50GB, 180GB and 360GB. 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 plans 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.
