Looking for Optus mobile coverage? We don't blame you! With coverage for 98.5% of the Australian population, the Optus network is an affordable option for most Australians.
But what you might not know is that Optus shares its network with a number of smaller providers called Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs). Optus gives these partners full access to its 4G network and some even offer plans on the Optus 5G network. So if you know that you get good Optus coverage in your area you should have the same experience with any of its smaller MVNOs.
Choosing an Optus MVNO for your phone plan can get you cheaper access to the Optus mobile network. But when you take all Optus MVNOs into account, there are hundreds of plans to consider. So we’re here to help with our top picks for the best value plans backed by Optus. But first, for comparison, we've included the best plans directly from Optus below.
Optus network plans: $20 and under
- Most popular $20 and under per month (for at least six months after signing up)
- Unlimited talk and text
- SIM-only, prepaid and postpaid mobile plans on the Optus network
For those who are shopping around for a cheap mobile plan for kids, $20 per month is quite affordable. Plus if you manage to nab a 30-day recharge as opposed to 28 days, you'll save yourself one extra recharge per year.
Optus network plans: $30 and under
- Most popular $30 and under per month (for at least six months after signing up)
- Unlimited talk and text
- SIM-only, prepaid and postpaid mobile plans on the Optus network
For $30 you can expect to get an Optus-powered plan with up to 60GB of data. And while some plans offer enticing promo deals, if you're on a non-contract plan after your six months you are free to jump ship to the next best deal on the market.
Optus network plans: $40 and under
- Most popular $40 and under per month (for at least six months after signing up)
- Unlimited talk and text
- SIM-only, prepaid and postpaid mobile plans on the Optus network
Yes, you really can get an Optus plan for under $40. There are a number of affordable options available, whether it's from an MVNO or Optus themselves. These plans are a great option if you need more data and are able to stretch your budget that little bit extra.
Plans from Optus
If you want to cut out the middleman and get your Optus coverage from the source, the plans above are your key options. By choosing Optus directly, you will also get perks like a discount on Optus Sport. Prepaid customers pay $12 for 28 days instead of $24.99 per month. Optus Sport's $6.99 per month rate is reserved exclusively for postpaid customers.
Optus network resellers: A closer look
As you can see, there are plenty of Optus MVNOs to choose from across a wide range of prices. Some of them have even made it into our best mobile plans list. But who are these providers and what do they have to offer? We've taken a closer look at what they have to offer.
Provider | Plan Types | 5G plans | Highlighted features |
---|---|---|---|
amaysim | Prepaid Plans | Yes - Selected plans | Unlimited data banking, long expiry plans |
Aussie Broadband | No Contract Plans | Yes - Selected plans | Internet bundles, data sharing on 4G plans |
Catch Connect | Prepaid Plans | Long expiry plans, easy-to-use app | |
Circles.Life | No Contract Plans | Big data deals, great support options | |
Coles Mobile | No Contract & Prepaid plans | International calls, long expiry plans, exclusive offers | |
Dodo | No Contract Plans | No frills for greater value | |
iPrimus | No Contract Plans | Mobile and internet bundling discounts | |
Moose Mobile | Contract and No Contract Plans | Australian-owned and operated, eco-friendly | |
Southern Phone | No Contract Plans | Yes - Selected plans |
Offers phones with plans, certified carbon neutral |
SpinTel | No Contract Plan | Yes - Selected plans | Award-winning provider |
Yomojo | Prepaid | Family bundling discounts, data and credit alerts |
amaysim
Not only does amaysim offer great data for dollar value, but its plans also come with some of the best international calling offers around. Monthly prepaid plans come with unlimited international calls to selected countries; the greater your budget, the more countries you can call.
amaysim now also offers long-expiry prepaid plans with the ability to sign up for six months or a year's worth of service upfront. While amaysim used to be Australia's biggest small provider, it is now owned by Optus. However, it still operates as an independent brand.
Aussie Broadband
For years now Aussie Broadband has been making a name for itself in the NBN space thanks to consistently high evening speeds and great local support. Now the telco offers mobile service discounts if you also take up an internet bundle with Aussie Broadband.
Plans also come with the option to share data with others on the same Aussie Broadband account, and if you want 5G connectivity, that's available too, albeit only on select plans.
Catch Connect
Catch Connect mobile plans don't come with many bells and whistles, but they offer one thing that's hard to look past - great data-for-dollar value. If you're looking for a 30-day expiry plan on a budget, Catch offers some compelling deals. And if you like long expiry plans, Catch offers great value on 90-day and 365-day plans as well.
Circles.Life
Launched locally in 2019, this telco from Singapore has fast become a favourite mobile provider among deal-savvy Australians thanks to its famous 100GB plan deals. They're not always available, and they're not always exactly the same price. But if you're looking for plenty of data at a budget-friendly price, then Circles.Life is a provider to watch.
Coles Mobile
Joining the ranks of supermarkets offering phone plans is Coles Mobile. At the time of writing, Coles Mobile offers both postpaid and prepaid plans. Its plans come with a couple of handy perks like unlimited standard international calls and texts to selected countries, data rollover and access to Optus' 4G network.
Dodo
Dodo Mobile is another no-frills operator on the Optus mobile network. Depending on your budget, you can get a data mobile plan with an impressive amount of data and larger plans also come with international calling minutes to selected countries.
iPrimus
iPrimus is among the more expensive providers on the Optus mobile network. However, the plans also come with plenty of data to play with.
iPrimus plans also come with some international calling inclusions to selected countries, depending on which plan you choose.
Moose Mobile
Moose Mobile is an online-only provider that sells affordable SIM-only phone plans without unnecessary bells and whistles. This Queensland-based telco is known for its affordable plans with data allowances reaching up to 70GB. And with prices starting from less than $9 a month, you can see why Moose Mobile are a popular choice for those looking for a cheap SIM-only phone plan.
Southern Phone
Southern Phone is one of the few MVNOs in Australia that offers plans with phones included, as well as SIM-only options. If you're interested in signing up with Southern Phone you could grab a plan with a range of brand-new Samsung Galaxy devices as well as refurbished models.
And good news if you're environmentally conscious: Southern Phone is certified by Climate Active, meaning they're carbon neutral.
SpinTel
SpinTel is an Australian-owned company that's been around since the '90s and was one of the first companies to offer home internet in Australia. They've since expanded to broadband and of course, mobile plans.
SpinTel offers a number of flexible, no-contract mobile plans, with access to the Optus 3G and 4G networks. If you've got a 5G compatible device, SpinTel also offers 5G coverage on selected plans.
Yomojo
Yomojo is an Optus network provider focused on families. This tiny telco offers family bundles that allow you to receive discounts off your monthly bill by adding more services to your account. There are also kids mobile plans with small data amounts at cheap prices so you can keep in touch with your children without blowing the budget on big data allowances.
Optus coverage map
The Optus network coverage caters to 98.5% of the Australian population, and all Optus resellers have access to this full network. The only difference is that most providers have chosen not to take up 5G as of yet, but apart from that, all Optus-powered providers have access to the 3G and 4G networks.
Optus network plan FAQs
Which phone providers use the Optus network?
The phone providers currently operating under the Optus network include:
- amaysim
- Aussie Broadband
- Catch Connect
- Circles.Life
- Coles Mobile
- Dodo
- iPrimus
- Moose Mobile
- Southern Phone
- SpinTel
- Yomojo
Does amaysim use Optus?
Yes, amaysim is on the Optus network.
What are the benefits of being with Optus over an Optus reseller?
Being a direct Optus customer comes with a number of benefits over signing up with an Optus MVNO. These include discounted access to Optus Sport, $5 for 5GB of roaming data when travelling overseas, contract-free plans and new handsets available on either a 12, 24 or 36-month plan. Higher-priced plans also include unlimited international calls to select locations.
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