Vodafone
Solid in capital cities and major regional centres, where most of its network investment has gone. Coverage thins out faster than Telstra or Optus once you're on smaller regional roads or further from a town.
- Large data allowances relative to price, especially in the first year
- No excess data charges - just slower speeds, not a bigger bill
- eSIM on every current plan
- $5 roaming in 100+ destinations
- No lock-in on SIM-only plans
- Regional and remote coverage clearly behind Telstra and Optus
- Promotional pricing steps up meaningfully after the first 12 months
- Standard ongoing prices are the true comparison point, not the headline offer
Vodafone has spent the years since its rocky early-2010s reputation ("Vodafail" was a real nickname, and it stuck) actually rebuilding the network, and today it's a genuinely reasonable choice for anyone whose life happens mostly in cities and larger regional centres. The catch hasn't changed much: reach past that, and Telstra and Optus both still pull ahead.
Current plans
Vodafone runs three SIM-only plans, all month-to-month with no lock-in, plus a prepaid range.
Plan | Data | First 12 months | Ongoing |
|---|---|---|---|
Small | 65GB | $45/month | $58/month |
Medium | 220GB | $55/month | $68/month |
Large | 420GB | $65/month | $78/month |
All three include unlimited national calls and texts, unlimited international texts, 5G access on compatible devices, no excess data charges, and $5 roaming across 100+ destinations. Medium and Large add unlimited international calls to Zone 1 destinations plus 300 minutes to Zone 2.
Vodafone also runs a prepaid range with 28-day recharges from roughly $13 through to $350, aimed at anyone who wants to avoid a monthly bill entirely. The $40 and $50 Prepaid Plus tiers are a reasonable middle ground: 90GB and 120GB respectively on your first three recharges (settling to a lower ongoing amount after), with Zone 1 international calls included.
The thing to actually budget for is the ongoing price, not the headline offer. $45 for 65GB looks great next to Telstra or Optus, but it becomes $58 after 12 months, which narrows the gap considerably. Compare Vodafone against every other current plan's ongoing price, not its promotional one, on the full comparison table.
Coverage: better than its reputation, still not Telstra
Vodafone's coverage problem is more historical than current, but the reputation has been slow to catch up with the reality. The network has had real, sustained infrastructure investment over the past several years, and in a capital city or a major regional centre, day-to-day performance is genuinely competitive with Optus.
Where it still falls short is the same place every non-Telstra network falls short: smaller regional roads, less-populated areas, and remote Australia. If your postcode is metro or large-regional, this is mostly a non-issue. If it isn't, check Vodafone's coverage map for your actual area before switching, because "much better than it used to be" and "as good as Telstra" are two different claims, and only the first one is true.
TPG runs on the same network
Worth knowing if you're comparing across brands: TPG's mobile plans are an MVNO on the Vodafone network, using the exact same coverage footprint and the identical APN settings. If Vodafone's coverage works for you, TPG's will too, and vice versa. The two brands genuinely compete on price and plan structure, not on underlying network quality, since it's the same network under both labels.
APN settings
Switching to Vodafone, or setting up a new device? Vodafone's APN settings has the exact values you need.
Who Vodafone is actually for
Vodafone suits data-hungry users in cities and large regional centres who want a big allowance without paying Telstra prices, particularly in that first promotional year. The Medium and Large tiers in particular offer more data than most people will use for a price that's hard to match on the bigger two networks.
It's a weaker choice if you're regional or remote, where the coverage gap against Telstra and Optus is real, or if you specifically want price stability, since the step-up after 12 months is worth planning around rather than being surprised by.
The verdict
Vodafone earns a solid rating for value, particularly if you're a heavy data user who'll actually use the size of these plans, but it's held back by two honest issues: coverage that still trails the top two once you're outside a city, and pricing that looks better on the poster than it does on your thirteenth bill. If your life is metro or large-regional and you're comparing on price, Vodafone deserves a look. Just run the numbers on the ongoing price, not the promo, before you commit.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Vodafone a good network in Australia?
- It's solid in cities and major regional centres, where the bulk of its towers sit. It's not the network to pick if you spend real time in smaller regional areas or remote Australia - Telstra and Optus both reach further there.
- Are Vodafone's plan prices the promo price or the real price?
- Check both. Vodafone runs aggressive first-12-month pricing on its SIM-only range, then the price steps up to a higher ongoing rate. Budget for the ongoing number, not the headline offer, or you'll get an unwelcome surprise at month 13.
- Does Vodafone offer eSIM?
- Yes, across its current phone and device range, alongside physical SIM.
- Is TPG the same network as Vodafone?
- Effectively yes. TPG's mobile plans run on the Vodafone network as an MVNO, and share Vodafone's exact APN settings. If Vodafone doesn't reach somewhere, TPG won't either.