Stay online in Australia from the moment you land in Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane. Install a data eSIM before the long flight, skip the SIM counter in arrivals, and keep your usual number for calls and texts while you use maps, Uber and messaging apps.
Australia eSIM
Australia eSIM plans
Every plan is data only, priced in US dollars, with no contract and nothing to return.
Our picks
Three plans we would buy ourselves, by the trip you are taking. Every plan we sell is listed below.
Short trip
4.2 GB
0.6 GB a day
7 days
A week or so away: maps, messages, rides and the odd video call.
$1.19 per GB
$4.99
Buy this planLong trip
22.5 GB
1.5 GB a day
15 days
Two weeks or more, with room for photos, streaming and work email.
$0.58 per GB
$12.99
Buy this planHeavy use
Unlimited data
15 days
You stream, work online or share your connection every day.
Full speed for the first 5 GB each day
$27.99
Buy this plan
Fixed data
One allowance for the whole trip, used at your own pace.
Daily data
A fresh allowance every day, slower above it until the next day.
Unlimited data
No cap on data, with a fair-use speed limit after heavy daily use.
Also covered by Asia Pacific
One eSIM that also works in the other countries of the bundle, for a trip that crosses borders.
See every country in Asia Pacific
Also covered by Australia and New Zealand
One eSIM that also works in the other countries of the bundle, for a trip that crosses borders.
Also covered by Global (170 countries)
One eSIM that also works in the other countries of the bundle, for a trip that crosses borders.
See every country in Global (170 countries)
Also covered by Global (75 countries)
One eSIM that also works in the other countries of the bundle, for a trip that crosses borders.
See every country in Global (75 countries)
No eSIM, no charge. If your payment goes through and we cannot issue your eSIM, we refund you in full. Refund policy
Real people. A person answers every day, 07:00 to 23:00 Paris time, within 2 hours. How we look after you
Safe checkout. Secure payment by Stripe. Cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay.
Local networks. See which ones it uses in Australia
Which Australia plan fits your trip
Australia plans come in three shapes. The plan cards above show the days and data on sale:
- Daily data suits steady use: maps, ride-hailing, messaging and photos every day.
- Fixed data gives one large allowance for the whole trip, to use heavily one day and lightly the next, which suits road trips with long offline stretches.
- Unlimited suits heavy users and remote work. A fair-use policy applies; the plan details say how.
See fixed, daily or unlimited for how each type behaves.
Coverage beyond the cities
Coverage is strong in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and along the east coast to Cairns. Australia is vast, though: on outback highways, in national parks and on stretches of the Great Ocean Road and the Nullarbor, there can be hundreds of kilometres with no signal on any network. Download offline maps, tell someone your route, and carry a paper map on remote drives. On the Great Barrier Reef, boats lose signal once they are well offshore.
Arriving at the airport
Install the eSIM at home on Wi-Fi a day or two before you fly: from Europe it is a long journey, and the eSIM can wait in your phone. When you land in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or Perth, turn on data roaming for the eSIM line only and keep it off on your usual SIM. You can then book a ride, check the train into town or message your hotel straight away.
How much data do you need?
A typical traveler using maps, ride-hailing, messaging and photos uses about 1 GB a day. Video calls, streaming and sharing your connection with a laptop push that up. On a road trip, a fixed allowance stretches further, because the offline days use nothing.
Visiting more than Australia?
The Asia Pacific plan and the global plans cover Australia together with other destinations in one install. They suit a trip that continues to New Zealand or across Asia: check the country list on the plan before you buy.
Networks in Australia
Australia has three mobile networks: Telstra, Optus and Vodafone. All three cover the cities and the main coastal towns well, and Telstra reaches furthest into the regions and the outback. A travel eSIM connects to one of them as a roaming partner, which is why data roaming must be on for the eSIM line. The partner network can differ from plan to plan, so check the plan details, or ask us at support@esimlounge.com before you buy, especially for a road trip far from the coast.
How to install your eSIM
Install it at home before you fly, then switch it on when you land.
Check your phone
Your phone must support eSIM and be carrier unlocked. Most phones from the last few years do.
Scan the QR code
Scan the code from your email while you still have Wi-Fi at home. It takes about two minutes.
Switch on when you land
Turn on the eSIM line and data roaming for it. Keep your usual SIM for calls and texts if you like.
Australia eSIM questions
Does the eSIM work in the outback?
In towns and along the main highways near them, usually yes. Between towns there can be long stretches with no signal on any network. Download offline maps and tell someone your route before a remote drive.
Does it work on the Great Barrier Reef?
In Cairns, Port Douglas and the Whitsundays, yes. On a reef trip, boats lose signal once they are well offshore, and come back into range as they return.
Is an eSIM better than buying a SIM at the airport?
For data, it is simpler: you set it up at home, skip the counter after a long flight and keep your usual SIM in the phone. A local SIM gives you an Australian phone number, which a travel eSIM does not. If you need a local number, buy one; for maps and messaging, the eSIM does the job.
Will I keep my phone number?
Yes. Your usual SIM stays in the phone for calls and texts, and the eSIM carries your mobile data. Keep data roaming off on your usual SIM to avoid roaming fees.
When does the plan start counting days?
On most plans the days start when the eSIM first connects to a network in Australia, not when you install it. The plan details say how yours works.