Will it work in the outback?
Outside towns, much of Australia has no signal on any network. The plan works wherever Optus has coverage, so plan long drives with offline maps.
Prices in pounds · for UK travellers
eSIM for Australia from the UK
Sydney, Melbourne, the reef or a long road trip? Compare an Australia travel eSIM in pounds with what your UK network charges for a long trip.
Photo: Dominic Kurniawan Suryaputra on Unsplash
- QR code by emailinstall before you fly
- Keep your UK numberdata-only eSIM
- 24/7 live chatin the Graba SIM app
- Pay your way
Before you buy: straight answers
How much data does a month in Australia need?
About 1 GB a day covers maps, messages and social media. For a month, 20 to 30 GB is comfortable.
Can I use it on a working holiday?
For the first weeks, yes. For a long stay, a local SIM with an Australian number is better for work and banking.
What your trip to Australia costs
Set your trip length and how you use your phone. eSIM bars are data-only plans that cover the whole trip; UK network bars use your UK allowance and include calls and texts. EE and Vodafone don’t publish a price for Australia that we can check, so they aren’t charted.
Sources: O2 roaming (checked 6 November 2026) · Three roaming (checked 6 November 2026) · Airalo fixed-data plans (checked 9 November 2026). Prices change; check before you buy.
Australia eSIM
How long is your trip?
Pick the trip that sounds most like yours. Every plan is data only, paid once, with no contract.
Prices in GBP
Not sure? Answer 3 quick questionsWe’ll show the maths behind our suggestion.
Swipe to compare plans
On every plan here
- Uses Optus, with 5G where available
- Starts when you first connect, so you can install it before you fly
- QR code by emailInstall it in minutes
- Keep your numberData only, your SIM stays in
- 24/7 live chatIn the Graba SIM app
- Pay onceNo contract, guest checkout
More options
Other sizes for different kinds of trip.
- Long weekend1GB · 7 days£2.75
- Light month5GB · 30 days£3.99
- Heavy use50GB · 30 days£62.99
- Long stay50GB · 180 days£103.75
Only need a day?
A day pass gives you full-speed data for one day, then slower data for the rest of the day.
500MB to 10GB a day
From £1.99
See day passesHow we choose these plans
For each trip we pick the current plan that costs the least while lasting the whole trip and gives about 0.3 to 0.7 GB a day, enough for maps, messages and social media. A plan may last longer than the trip. Everyone uses data differently, so check your phone’s recent data use. “Best value” only appears when that plan also costs the least per GB of all the plans that fit.
Arriving in Australia
- SYD Sydney
- MEL Melbourne
- BNE Brisbane
- PER Perth
- CNS Cairns
- ADL Adelaide
- OOL Gold Coast
Signal where people go
- Sydney and Melbourne
- Strong signal across both cities.
- The Great Barrier Reef
- Cairns and Port Douglas are covered; reef boat trips lose signal offshore.
- The Great Ocean Road
- Good in towns; stretches between them have gaps.
- The outback and Uluru
- Mobile coverage is limited outside towns. Carry offline maps on long drives.
- The Gold Coast and Byron Bay
- Well covered along the coast.
Networks our Australia plans use: Optus
Your UK network in Australia
Australia is outside the EU, so Europe roaming deals on UK plans don’t cover it. What each network publishes for Australia, and a week of it:
| Network | What it charges | 7 days | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|
 EE | Varies by plan EE doesn’t publish one price for every country: it prices roaming by destination, plan and start date. Check EE’s roaming tool for Australia. | No published price | EE roaming |
| O2 | O2 Travel £7 a day with the O2 Travel Bolt On: unlimited calls, texts and data, at up to 2 Mbps. | £49.00£7 a day × 7 | O2 in Australia vs eSIM |
| Vodafone | Global Roam zone Australia is in Vodafone’s Global Roam zone. It’s included on Xtra Global Roam plans; on other plans a daily fee applies, which Vodafone shows in its roaming charge checker. | No published price | Vodafone roaming |
 Three | Go Roam Around the World £8 a day in Go Roam Around the World (£5 on plans from 2021 to 2025), or £30 for a 7-day pass. Unlocks your UK calls, texts and up to 12 GB of your UK data. | £30.007-day pass | Three in Australia vs eSIM |
Sources: EE (checked 29 October 2026) · O2 (checked 6 November 2026) · Vodafone (checked 29 October 2026) · Three (checked 6 November 2026). Prices change; check before you buy.
Graba SIM vs Airalo: the same plans, side by side
Plans with exactly the same data allowance and validity for Australia, both data-only and priced in pounds. Coverage and networks can differ, so check the plan details before you buy.
Highlighted: the lower price for each plan. Holafly sells unlimited data only, priced in US dollars, so it isn’t in this like-for-like table.
Sources: Airalo fixed-data plans (checked 9 November 2026). Prices change; check before you buy.
Compare prices for Australia
Know before you go
- Outside towns, much of Australia has no mobile signal on any network. Plan long drives with offline maps.
- Long flights mean long trips: a 30-day plan suits most holidays. If you are staying on a working holiday, a local monthly plan may suit you better after the first month.
- Australia isn’t covered by Europe roaming deals on UK plans. Check your network’s Australia rate before you go.
Crossing a border from Australia?
A Australia plan covers Australia only. This is what your UK network charges next door:
| Going on to | O2 | Three | Vodafone | eSIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealanda combined trip to New Zealand | £7 a day | £8 a day (Go Roam Around the World) | Check Vodafone | New Zealand plans |
Set it up before you fly
- Check your phone is unlocked and supports eSIM on our compatibility page.
- Install the plan at home on Wi-Fi with our iPhone or Android guide.
- When you land at Sydney, switch mobile data to the eSIM and turn on data roaming for it only.
Questions about Australia
Does an Australia eSIM work in the outback?
Only where the network has signal, which is mainly in and around towns and along major highways. Large parts of the outback have no mobile coverage on any network.
Does an Australia eSIM work in New Zealand?
An Australia-only plan covers Australia. For a combined trip, check the plan’s coverage list or add a New Zealand plan.
Is a travel eSIM cheaper than roaming in Australia?
For a week with about 0.7 GB a day, the Graba SIM 5GB, 30 days plan costs £3.99, less than each published UK network option for Australia (the lowest is Three at £30.00). UK network prices include calls and texts; the eSIM is data only.
What do UK networks charge in Australia?
EE: EE doesn’t publish one price for every country: it prices roaming by destination, plan and start date. Check EE’s roaming tool for Australia. O2: £7 a day with the O2 Travel Bolt On: unlimited calls, texts and data, at up to 2 Mbps. Vodafone: Australia is in Vodafone’s Global Roam zone. It’s included on Xtra Global Roam plans; on other plans a daily fee applies, which Vodafone shows in its roaming charge checker. Three: £8 a day in Go Roam Around the World (£5 on plans from 2021 to 2025), or £30 for a 7-day pass. Unlocks your UK calls, texts and up to 12 GB of your UK data.
What if something goes wrong?
Live chat in the Graba SIM app is open 24/7. Email and contact-form requests are answered Monday to Friday.
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