Vodafone Mobile Plans Review: The Verdict
Vodafone offers the best value plans out of The Big Three providers and is hard to beat on international roaming, but if you're not looking for a new phone, you can get better bang for buck from a smaller telco.
What we love
- Great value if you're looking for a new phone
- $5 per day roaming is excellent
- Bundle discounts available
What could be improved
- Less regional coverage than Telstra and Optus
Overall:
Picking a new mobile plan isn't always easy. There are now a whole host of providers to choose from, you're not just limited to Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone. Vodafone has always been a popular choice thanks to its great roaming options, so is definitely worth considering for those who can't wait to get back on a plane, among others. In this review, we'll look at value, support options, and the extras you can get for nabbing your next mobile plan from Vodafone.
Before we start, here's Vodafone's current range of SIM-only mobile plans:
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#1
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Vodafone
$58 Small SIM Only Plan
$45.00/mth
Min. cost $45
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#2
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Vodafone
$68 Medium SIM Only Plan
$50.00/mth
Min. cost $50
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#3
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Vodafone
$78 Large SIM Only Plan
$55.00/mth
Min. cost $55
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Vodafone mobile plans: Value
Judging value can be tricky when it comes to mobile plans. A provider's cheapest plan could be too expensive for what you get, but its most expensive option could represent great data for dollar. Of course, you shouldn't pay for more data than you use.
Based on extrapolated data from the ACCC, the average Aussie is currently using about 30GB per month. To access value, we've looked at how much a telco charges for its cheapest plan that meets that criteria, excluding discounts, promos, and extras.
Here is how Vodafone's cheapest postpaid plan with at least 30GB compares to the competition:
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#1
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Moose Mobile
Moose 23 SIM Only
$14.00/mth
Min. cost $14
Link not supplied
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#2
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Belong
25GB Mobile Plan
$34.00/mth
Min. cost $34
Link not supplied
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#3
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Coles Mobile
$35 Mobile Plan
$35.00/mth
Min. cost $12
Link not supplied
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#4
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Optus
$60 Optus Choice Plus Plan
$39.00/mth
Min. cost $39
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#5
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Everyday Mobile
$40 SIM Only
$40.00/mth
Min. cost $40
Link not supplied
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#6
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Vodafone
$58 Small SIM Only Plan
$45.00/mth
Min. cost $45
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#7
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Telstra
$84 Essential Upfront SIM Plan
$74.00/mth
Min. cost $74
Link not supplied
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Vodafone slides in at the top-end of the price spectrum, but represents better value than Telstra Optus. At the same time, smaller providers tend to get you at least 30GB at a much cheaper rate.
All Vodafone plans are free from excess charges. If you go over your allowance, you'll be able to keep using your service at capped speeds of 2Mbps on Lite plans and 10Mbps on Super plans. Vodafone's Ultra plan has truly unlimited data.
Vodafone coverage
Vodafone's 3G and 4G network currently reaches 96% of the population. 5G is a little more complicated, with the telco saying the next generation network reaches 85% of the population in ten of the nation's biggest cities: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra, the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Wollongong, and the Central Coast.
If you want to check if a certain address has Vodafone coverage, you can use our coverage checker tool to do so.
All you need to do is punch in your address when searching for a new phone plan. After you've done so and hit Search, you can jump straight to the coverage map by tapping See Coverage Map and then tapping Click To Activate Interactive Map.This map will show you what kind of coverage you have in your area. 5G coverage is highlighted using the darkest shade of purple, 4G in the medium shade, and 3G in the lightest.
Coverage maps are only approximate, only show outdoor coverage, and may be impacted by local conditions such as buildings.
Vodafone mobile plans: Support
When looking at support, we consider how many channels a telco has to help its customers, rather than quality. Support quality is hard to quantify; across the team, there are times we've had a fantastic experience with a telco, but times it's been rubbish As such, we're looking at the avenues a telco has in order to try and gauge its investment in support.
Here is how Vodafone's support options compare to the competition:
Vodafone Support Options Compared
| Provider | In-store | Call | Chat | Social | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vodafone | - | - | |||
| Telstra | - | ||||
| Optus | - | ||||
| amaysim | - | ||||
| Circles.Life | - | ||||
| Woolworths Mobile | - | - | - | ||
| ALDI | - | - | - | - | |
| Boost | - | - | |||
| TPG | - |
Vodafone has a wide range of support options, including popping in-store, calling up, or bugging it on social media. You can't email Vodafone however (or use a contact form on its site), and it doesn't have live chat.
Vodafone mobile plans: Extras
Vodafone is pretty generous when it comes to mobile perks. Here's how the available extras compare to other mobile providers:
Vodafone Extras Compared
| Provider | Perks Program | International Calls | 5G | Discount Bundles | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vodafone | - | ||||
| Telstra | - | ||||
| Optus | - | ||||
| amaysim | - | - | - | - | |
| Circles.Life | - | - | - | - | - |
| Woolworths Mobile | - | - | - | ||
| ALDI | - | - | - | - | |
| Boost | - | - | - | ||
| TPG | - | - | - |
Vodafone offers 5G on all its postpaid and prepaid mobile plans at no extra cost, but the coverage situation is a little tricky.
Vodafone says its 5G network reaches 85% of the population in ten of the nation's biggest cities: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra, the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Wollongong, and the Central Coast. About two-thirds of this coverage relies on standalone 5G (5G that doesn't also require 4G to establish a connection), however, which means devices will need a software update to support it.
At time of writing, Vodafone said no phones currently support the standalone portion of its 5G network, but patches are imminent. The Galaxy S21 will be the first to be enabled, "within weeks".
All Vodafone postpaid plans include at least 100 minutes of international calls, but the more you spend, the more minutes you'll get access to. More expensive plans also get you calls to extra destinations.
Vodafone has the most affordable international roaming offer out of any major telco: you'll pay just $5 per day to use your local inclusions overseas in around eight countries. You're able to use $5 roaming for up to 90 days in a calendar year.
Vodafone is also one of the few big telcos that reward you for loyalty. All Vodafone mobile customers can save $15 per month on any Vodafone NBN plan, or $5 per month on any Vodafone 5G home internet plan.
In addition, if you have two or more mobile plans on your account, you'll save on your total monthly mobile bill. You'll save 5% for each plan after your first, up to a maximum of 20% with five plans on your account. Postpaid mobile, tablet, and mobile broadband plans are all eligible for this discount.
Vodafone customers can also add a PlayStation 5 to their plan. You'll pay the retail price of the PlayStation 5 model you pick divided over, 12, 24, or 36 months. This offer is however only available to Vodafone customers with at least one postpaid mobile plan and a Vodafone NBN, 4G, or 5G internet plan. You'll need to go to a Vodafone store or call up to take advantage of this offer. If you cancel your Vodafone plan, you'll need to pay out the remainder of your PlayStation 5 in one hit.
Vodafone mobile plans: Devices
Vodafone has a whole host of phones available a plan, including new devices from Apple, Samsung, and Google. Here are a few popular options.
iPhone 18 Pro 256GB
- 6.3 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 48MP, 48MP, 48MP
- Front Camera: 18MP
Galaxy S26 Ultra 256GB
- 6.9 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 200MP, 10MP, 50MP, 50MP
- Front Camera: 12MP
Pixel 11 Pro XL 256GB
- 6.8 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 50MP, 48MP, 48MP
- Front Camera: 42MP
Moto edge 50 Fusion 5G
- 6.7 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 50MP, 13MP
- Front Camera: 32MP
Find N6 5G
- 8.12 inch display
- Rear Cameras: 200MP, 50MP, 50MP
- Front Camera: 20MP
See all phones available on Vodafone here.
Phones can be paid off over 12, 24, or 36 months.
Vodafone mobile FAQ
What happens if I want to cancel my Vodafone mobile plan?
Vodafone's postpaid mobile plans are contract-free, so you can leave anytime - regardless of whether you go SIM-only or buy a new phone. If you got your phone through Vodafone, you will need to pay out the remainder of your monthly handset repayments when you leave.
Do Vodafone mobile plans include international calls?
All Vodafone postpaid plans include at least 100 minutes of international calls to select destinations.
What about a Vodafone-powered provider?
If you're thinking about Vodafone, there are also other plans from smaller providers powered by the Vodafone network that offer the same kind of coverage at a lower price. Here are some of the most popular plans from Vodafone powered providers right now:
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#1
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TPG 
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Link not supplied
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#2
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felix mobile 
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#3
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Kogan Mobile 
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#4
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iiNet 
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Link not supplied
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#5
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Lebara Mobile 
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Link not supplied
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These plans are 4G only.
Alex Choros
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