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Best international roaming plans: Comparing Australian carriers
Discover the best international roaming plans for Australians from Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone AU, and a digital solution from Holafly.
Planning a trip from Australia? Beyond the usual essentials, you need a solid internet connection to navigate and stay connected. This blog covers the best international roaming plans for Australian tourists, including travel passes, prices, eligible destinations, and more. We’ll even touch on the convenience of using a Holafly travel eSIM for peace of mind abroad.
Connect to the fastest networks
The best international roaming plans for Australians
As a tourist travelling from Australia, you have a few options to stay connected abroad with major Australian carriers: Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone AU. While roaming-inclusive monthly plans are convenient, they are pricey and keep getting more expensive each month.
These carriers offer international roaming passes or packages with fixed/varied durations – a slightly cheaper alternative to monthly plans for data usage abroad. In the following sections, we’ll compare Telstra international roaming, Optus plans, and Vodafone’s roaming services to help you find the best roaming plan to suit your travel needs and avoid pay-as-you-go rates.
Telstra international phone plans
You can use Telstra international roaming plans on both the Telstra eSIM and physical Telstra SIM card plans.
Telstra Day Pass
You can only access this international roaming plan if you’re on Upfront or non-Upfront plans. There are three different day passes, split based on geographical zones:
- Zone 1: 2 GB, unlimited talk, unlimited text for $5 AUD/day
- Zone 2: 2 GB, unlimited talk, unlimited text for $10 AUD/day
- Zone 3: Unlimited talk and unlimited text for $10 AUD/day
Zone 3 day passes are available only to Upfront Telstra plan users. The destinations also do not include data roaming allowances, only calls and texts.
Telstra Pre-paid International Packs
If you’re on a Telstra pre-paid mobile plan, you can get any of these pre-paid roaming packs on the My Telstra app. However, they’re available in only 38 countries.
- Pack 1: 3-day validity, 400 MB, 15 minutes, and 15 SMS for $10 AUD
- Pack 2: 7-day validity, 2 GB, 25 minutes, and 25 SMS for $15 AUD
- Pack 3: 14-day validity, 4 GB, 50 minutes, and 50 SMS for $25 AUD
Optus international phone plans
If you’re a postpaid user, Optus international roaming services offer two main options. Users with prepaid plans are offered a separate roaming plan. You can avail these data roaming plans regardless of whether you’re on an Optus eSIM or have a physical SIM card.
Optus Daily Roaming
This is Optus’ main roaming plan, available to those on the Optus Choice Plus, Optus Plus Family, Optus Plus Promo, and Business Choice Plus plans.
With this option, you can use your mobile phone in over 110 Zone 1 destinations and get a daily allowance of 5 GB of data, unlimited calls, and texts for $5 AUD/day. You’ll automatically be charged $5 AUD if you exceed the daily 5 GB limit.
Optus Roaming Pass
For those not eligible for Optus Daily Roaming, you can get an Optus Roaming Pass (on certain postpaid plans). This pass is valid for 24 hours in 110+ Zone 1 destinations. For $10 AUD/day, you’ll get 1 GB of data allowance per 24 hours and unlimited calls and texts.
Prepaid Roaming packs
If you have a prepaid SIM/eSIM, Optus offers four add-on features or international roaming packs:
- Talk, Text Data pack 1: 1-day validity, 1 GB, 100 minutes, and 100 calls for $5 AUD in Zone 1 countries
- Talk, Text Data pack 2: 7-day validity, 7 GB, 700 minutes, and 100 calls for $35 AUD in Zone 1 countries only
- Travel Credit: $10 AUD for 14 days
- Data Only: 14-day validity, 1 GB for $20 AUD available in only 10 countries
Vodafone AU international phone plans
Vodafone AU roaming services offer two main roaming plans on both the Vodafone AU eSIM and physical SIM card.
$5 Roaming
You’re only eligible for this roaming plan if you’re on a Vodafone Infinite, Plus, or Infinite Data plan. With this, you can use your existing plan and its talk, text, and data allowances in over 100 destinations for $5 AUD extra daily.
You can add 1 GB for $5 AUD if you use up all your included allowances.
Prepaid Roaming Add-ons
You can choose from three international roaming plans if your last payment plan was Prepaid Plus or Pay and Go:
- Add-on 1: 1-day validity, 200 MB, 25 minutes, and 30 texts for $5 AUD
- Add-on 2: 3-day validity, 750 MB, 90 minutes, and 120 texts for $15 AUD
- Add-on 3: 7-day validity, 2 GB data, 200 minutes, and 300 texts for $35 AUD
Amaysim international roaming plans
Amaysim international roaming packs are available on both SIM cards and the Amaysim eSIM:
- Small talk: 100 minutes and 100 texts for $20 AUD (valid for 365 days)
- The works: 50 minutes, 30 texts, and 2 GB data for $25 AUD (valid for 365 days)
- Just gigs: 6 GB for $50 AUD (valid for 365 days)
- The epic: 100 minutes, 60 SMS, and 9 GB for $70 AUD (valid for 365 days)
These packs will cover you in 120+ destinations:
| Eligible destinations for Amaysim international roaming packs | Afghanistan, Albania, Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Bermuda, Burkina Faso, Bolivia, Bonaire, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cayman Islands, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cook Islands, Croatia, Curaçao, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Faroe Islands, Fiji, Finland, France, French Guiana, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Greenland, Grenada, Guam, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guernsey, Haiti, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Isle of Man, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jersey, Jordan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Laos, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Macedonia, Malaysia, Malta, Martinique, Mexico, Moldova, Montserrat, Montenegro, Morocco, Myanmar, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Samoa, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Martin, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Tahiti (French Polynesia), Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Turks and Caicos, US Virgin Islands, USA, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Vatican City, Vietnam. |
Kogan international roaming plans
Kogan offers 1-day, 3-day, and 7-day international roaming packs that include data, voice calls, and texts for 30 eligible destinations.
- 1-Day Pack: 1 GB, 50 minutes, and 50 texts for $10 AUD
- 3-Day Pack: 2 GB, 100 minutes, and 100 texts for $25 AUD
- 7-Day Pack: 5 GB, 150 minutes, and 150 texts for $45 AUD
Eligible destinations include:
- Asia: China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam
- Europe: Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom (UK)
- North & South America: Canada, United States of America (USA), Brazil, Chile
- Oceania: New Zealand, Fiji
- Middle East: Saudi Arabia
- South Asia: Sri Lanka
Kogan also offers separate international call packs with varying voice minute allowances for specific destinations. Check out our Kogan international roaming guide for the exact locations.
Australian roaming zones and coverage
When considering the best international roaming plans, one of the main factors affecting roaming costs is the zone your destination falls under. Australian carriers like Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone AU divide destinations into roaming zones, which determine how much you’ll pay for data, calls, and texts abroad.
This can get confusing as many travellers mix up zones, leading to unexpected roaming charges or exceeding daily roaming caps. To simplify things, we’ve created dedicated roaming guides that explain how international roaming works and break down roaming options and coverage by country, so you can choose the best roaming plan.
- Europe (Central & Western): Roaming in Europe, roaming in Portugal, roaming in France, roaming in Italy, roaming in Spain, roaming in the UK
- North America: Roaming in the USA, roaming in Canada, roaming in New York, roaming in Mexico
- South America: Roaming in Peru
- Asia: Roaming in Japan
- Southeast Asia: Roaming in Malaysia, roaming in Thailand, roaming in Singapore, roaming in Indonesia
- Middle East: Roaming in Saudi Arabia, roaming in Egypt, roaming in Morocco
- Oceania: Roaming in New Zealand
Tips for choosing the best SIM plan for international roaming
The best international roaming plan for you should definitely suit your budget, but don’t overlook convenience, coverage, and control over your plan.
Opt for a travel eSIM instead
Many travellers are now turning to digital travel solutions like an eSIM for a simpler and more cost-effective way to stay connected. Travel eSIMs like Holafly eliminate roaming worries, letting you enjoy unlimited data in over 200 destinations at a fixed, upfront cost.
Plus, you can customize your eSIM plan according to your trip and never pay for more than you need. All you need is an eSIM-compatible phone! If you have a dual SIM phone, you can keep your Australian phone number active for calls and texts while using local data abroad.
An eSIM you can rely on
Join over 15 million Holafly customers and get connected with our trusted, global services.
Study your provider’s FUP and mobile network coverage
Every carrier has a Fair Use Policy and specific network coverage for roaming destinations. These often limit your total mobile data inclusions or throttle speeds once you exceed a certain threshold for traveling internationally.
This means you won’t have access to high-speed data after you cross a specific limit. Knowing exactly what you’re paying for will help you avoid unexpected slowdowns or charges while roaming.
Calculate your trip’s data needs
Use our data calculator to determine how much data you’ll need rather than just settling for the daily data allowance. A plan that only offers 1 GB of data every day may become expensive if you need to buy multiple passes or exceed your daily allowance, especially if you use data-heavy apps.
Enjoy unlimited data for less with Holafly’s eSIMs
Navigating roaming zones, fair use policies, and daily data caps adds unnecessary stress to any trip. A Holafly eSIM gives you unlimited data, 5G speeds, and 24/7 customer support across 200+ destinations, activated instantly with a QR code scan before you travel.
For frequent Australian travellers, Holafly Plans offers a monthly subscription with unlimited data and unlimited hotspot in more than 160 destinations, with no long-term contracts.
That’s not all. At Holafly, we make travel easy by including Always On: 1 GB of monthly backup data at no extra cost. From long-haul layovers to unexpected stops in a country your plan doesn’t cover, simply keep your Holafly eSIM installed to use your Always On backup data. Heading to New Zealand too? Check out Holafly’s eSIM for New Zealand.
Data that travels with you
FAQs on the best international roaming plans for Australians
The best international roaming plan for a tourist travelling from Australia depends on your internet, calling, and texting needs. Every major mobile provider in Australia offers a variety of plans tailored to fit different traveler requirements. Choose a plan that best fits your needs.
Australian telecom companies, such as Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone AU, offer local SIM cards with passes and prepaid packs to help users stay connected overseas. Check out each individual provider above to determine the best Australian SIM card for you.
Disclaimer: The data in this article is accurate as of July 30, 2026, and is subject to change.
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Born and raised in Queens, New York, I'm a Psychology graduate with a passion for writing that I've been nurturing since 2019. Over the years, I've enjoyed creating meaningful content across various niches, including sports, hospitality, and career development. At Holafly, I focus on crafting useful and inspiring pieces to make your adventures more effortless. One of the best perks of this role? Creating travel content always seems to inspire my next vacation destination!
