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Best eSIM for Australia

We compare 19 plans from 6 eSIM providers for Australia, in pounds, show what your UK network would charge instead, and share the local mobile tips worth knowing.

Prices last checked 25 September 2026

eSIMs from£3.0119 plans · 6 providers

Quick answers

  • The cheapest data plan here is £3.01.
  • Best value for a longer stay: Nomad 10GB for 30 days, £11.32.
  • Unlimited data from Airalo: £50.18 for 30 days.
  • Australia is outside the EU, so the big UK networks charge about £7 to £8 a day here.
  • No restrictions: WhatsApp, FaceTime and other app calls work normally over Australian mobile data and Wi-Fi.
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Prices

Australia eSIM prices compared

All 19 plans we track, cheapest first within each length.

ProviderDataLastsPrice (approx. in £)
SailyOptus 1GB 7 days £3.01US$3.99 · £3.01/GB Go to Saily Provider link
NomadOptus, Telstra 1GB 7 days £3.02US$4.00 · £3.02/GB Go to Nomad Provider link
UbigiOptus 1GB 7 days £3.02US$4.00 · £3.02/GB Go to Ubigi Provider link
Sim Local 3GB 7 days £5.85US$7.75 · £1.95/GB Go to Sim Local Provider link
NomadOptus, Telstra 5GB 30 days £7.55US$10.00 · £1.51/GB Go to Nomad Provider link
SailyOptus 5GB 30 days £8.29US$10.99 · £1.66/GB Go to Saily Provider link
Sim Local 5GB 30 days £8.49US$11.25 · £1.70/GB Go to Sim Local Provider link
NomadBest value 10GB+Optus, Telstra 10GB 30 days £11.32US$15.00 · £1.13/GB Go to Nomad Provider link
Show all 19 Australia tariffs
ProviderDataLastsPrice (approx. in £)
UbigiOptus 10GB 30 days £12.07US$16.00 · £1.21/GB Go to Ubigi Provider link
SailyOptus 10GB 30 days £13.57US$17.99 · £1.36/GB Go to Saily Provider link
Sim Local 10GB 30 days £13.58US$18.00 · £1.36/GB Go to Sim Local Provider link
AiraloOptus Unlimited 3 days £8.68US$11.50 Go to Airalo Provider link
HolaflyOptus, Telstra Unlimited 3 days £8.98US$11.90 Go to Holafly Provider link
NomadOptus, Telstra Unlimited 7 days £18.86US$25.00 Go to Nomad Provider link
AiraloOptus Unlimited 7 days £20.00US$26.50 Go to Airalo Provider link
Sim Local Unlimited 7 days £20.37US$27.00 Go to Sim Local Provider link
HolaflyOptus, Telstra Unlimited 7 days £20.75US$27.50 Go to Holafly Provider link
AiraloOptus Unlimited 30 days £50.18US$66.50 Go to Airalo Provider link
HolaflyOptus, Telstra Unlimited 30 days £55.76US$73.90 Go to Holafly Provider link

Prices checked 25 September 2026. Most travel eSIM companies charge in US dollars, even to UK customers, so your bank converts the price when you pay. We show pounds at that day's rate (US$1 = £0.75458) with the dollar price underneath.

Price per GB in Australia

Each provider's best-value 30-day plan of 5GB or more, as a price per GB. Lower is better; orange = cheapest.

Nomad£1.13
Ubigi£1.21
Saily£1.36
Sim Local£1.36
Roaming

What UK networks charge in Australia

A week in Australia: what it costs

7 days of data on each UK network's roaming (where there's a daily price) against the cheapest 5GB+ eSIM (Nomad). Orange bar = eSIM.

EE£56
Vodafone£56
Three£56
O2£49
iD Mobile£35
Sky Mobile£14
Cheapest eSIM£7.55
Your networkPer dayA weekDetails
EE£8 a day£56Zone 2 24h pass £8, buy on arrival Check with your network
O2£7 a day£49O2 Travel bolt-on £7/day (Ultimate plans include some destinations) Check with your network
Vodafone£8 a day£56Global Roam Zone C/D, approx £8/day Check with your network
Three£8 a day£56Go Roam Around the World Extra £8/day (£7 on older plans), 12GB
giffgaffAdd-ons only–no daily pass; travel data add-on 1GB/5GB/10GB, 30 days, approx £6-£15 per GB tier
SMARTYAdd-ons only–PAYG by band (Roaming 1 e.g. US/TR 10p/MB, higher bands up to £5/MB) Check with your network
iD Mobile£5 a day£35Roam Beyond add-on from £5 (2GB, 1 day) Check with your network
VOXIAdd-ons only–ROW1 PAYG: 12p/MB, 60p/min
LebaraAdd-ons only–add-on 1GB/8 days £5 or 3GB/15 days £15 Check with your network
Tesco MobileAdd-ons only–not Home From Home; data 1p/MB
Sky Mobile£2 a day£14Roaming Passport £2/day (£10 for 5 days), 25GB fair use
Lyca MobileAdd-ons only–PAYG rates / country bundles, not checked Check with your network

Checked 25 September 2026. Roaming prices depend on your exact plan and when you joined, so check with your network before you travel.

Local know-how

Mobile in Australia: what to know

Mobile networks

TelstraBest coverage, especially regional and outback; won Opensignal's Coverage Experience award five times running.
OptusFastest download speeds in Opensignal's October 2025 report.
Vodafone (TPG Telecom)Best consistent quality in Opensignal's tests, with regional coverage boosted by sharing Optus sites.

Coverage

Cities and towns are well covered, but large parts of the outback have no mobile signal at all; Telstra reaches furthest, and universal outdoor satellite text and voice coverage isn't due until December 2027.

Wi-Fi

Free Wi-Fi is available at major airports, public libraries, shopping centres, McDonald's and Starbucks, and in some city centres such as Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth (with daily data limits), but Sydney has no citywide network.

WhatsApp and FaceTime calls

No restrictions: WhatsApp, FaceTime and other app calls work normally over Australian mobile data and Wi-Fi.

Buying a local SIM

Easy but ID is checked: you register with your passport and an Australian address such as your hotel, often online, and Telstra accepts international passports. Buy from Telstra, Optus or Vodafone shops, Coles, Woolworths, petrol stations or airports. Prepaid recharges cost about AUD 44 to 45 for 28 days, and supermarkets often discount starter kits.

Emergency number

000 (112 also works from mobiles)

Tips for UK travellers

  1. Check your phone before you fly: since the 3G switch-off in October 2024, Telstra blocks overseas phones that can't make VoLTE emergency calls.
  2. For road trips, Telstra is the network to have, as it has the widest regional and outback coverage.
  3. Download offline maps and tell someone your route before remote outback drives, as many areas have no signal.
  4. Dialling 112 on a mobile also reaches emergency services, but it gets no priority over 000.
FAQ

Common questions

Will my UK phone work in Australia?

Only if it supports 4G calling including VoLTE emergency calls; otherwise Australian networks such as Telstra will block it.

Do I need a passport to buy a SIM card in Australia?

Yes. Prepaid SIMs need ID verification before activation, and Telstra accepts an international passport.

Does 112 work in Australia?

Yes, 112 works from mobile phones and connects to the same emergency service as 000, which remains the main number.

More destinations

Going somewhere else too?

Add more stops in the trip finder to see if a multi-country eSIM is cheaper.

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