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Optus Prepaid Phone Plans

Optus is one of the biggest phone providers in Australia and while it’s more known for postpaid plans and plans bundled with handsets, it does offer a range of prepaid recharges that could be what you’re looking for. When it comes to its prepaid plans, Optus has a large selection to suit a range of prepaid needs, plus it’s one of the few telcos to offer a ‘daily’ prepaid recharge.

So, what does Optus have to offer when it comes to prepaid phone plans and recharges? We’ll take more of a detailed look below at the different prepaid options available, along with the prepaid devices that you can pick up from Australia’s second largest telco.

Optus Prepaid Plans and Recharges

Optus Prepaid Sim Card

There are four different Optus prepaid plan types to choose from, and each plan is available at a range of different recharge price points:

  • Optus Prepaid Epic Data ($10 to $100 recharges available)
  • Optus Prepaid Epic Value ($10 to $180 recharges available)
  • Optus Prepaid Daily Plus ($10 to $100 recharges available)
  • Optus Prepaid Long Expiry ($10 to $100 recharges available)

Optus provides four main categories of prepaid plans, with the Epic Data and Epic Value plans catering towards regular phone users. Daily Plus plans may appeal to those who like flexibility, and Long Expiry plans could be for those who need a low use or spare phone option. It’s also worth noting that many of these prepaid recharges are only available online, and these may vary if you look to purchase a recharge voucher in stores.

Optus Epic Data Prepaid Recharges

The Optus Epic Data plans are focused on prepaid users that like to use a lot of data. All of these recharges have unlimited SMS, with unlimited standard national calls starting on the $30 recharge and up — the $10 recharge includes up to 100 minutes and the $20 recharge has up to 200 minutes of calls.

These plans really stand out for the huge data inclusions, with 5GB available on the $10 recharge over a 5-day expiry and going up to 60GB on the $100 recharge over a 28-day expiry. Plus, you can roll over any unused data (up to 50GB) when you recharge your plan before the expiry.

For a regular phone user who goes through a lot of data, especially for streaming video, these plans might offer you some great value for money, especially as an alternative to postpaid plans.

You can also choose a range of Add Ons if you’re looking for extra data, international calls and global roaming. For $5, you’ll get 300 minutes of standard calls to 50 select destinations, which expires after 28 days. If you’re travelling to Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore, the UK or USA, you can add on a $20 Data Roaming pack, which includes up to $210 value (around 10GB of data) to use over five days.

The following table shows all published Optus ‘Epic Data’ prepaid plans with unlimited capped-speed data from Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of advertised standard cost, lowest to highest, then by data allowance, largest to smallest. For a complete look at all the phone plans Canstar Blue compares, use our phone plan comparison tool.

Optus Epic Value Prepaid Recharges

Much like the Epic Data plans, the Epic Value prepaid plans are aimed at regular phone users, however the data inclusions are much more modest. These recharges offer unlimited standard national calls and SMS, while the data inclusions start at 500MB and go up to 60GB.

The Epic Value plans are available on longer expiry periods than the Epic Data plans, with the $10 plan on a 21-day expiry, going up to the $180 recharge on a 365-day expiry. These plans are more suited to regular phone users who tend to call and text rather than use a lot of data or stream much video.

While there is no extra streaming data included, you can roll over any unused data (up to 50GB) if you recharge before your expiry. There are add-ons that you can purchase in the form of Extras Credit, which is available as either extra data credit or for international calls, SMS/MMS or global roaming.

You’ll also have access to Add Ons if you’re after more data, international calls and roaming overseas. The International Talk add on is $5 for 300 minutes of standard calls to 50 countries over 28 days, while the $20 Data Roaming pack gives you access to around 10GB of data to use in Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore, The UK and USA, over 5 days.

The following table shows all published Optus ‘Epic Value’ prepaid plans with unlimited capped-speed data from Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of advertised standard cost, lowest to highest, then by data allowance, largest to smallest. For a complete look at all the phone plans Canstar Blue compares, use our phone plan comparison tool.

Optus Daily Plus Prepaid Recharges

Opting for the ‘Daily Plus’ recharge means you pay $2 per day and receive 500MB data, plus unlimited calls and texts (data is charged by the kilobyte). Rather than a pay-as-you-go (PAYG) plan, simply recharge with your chosen amount ($10, $20, $30, $45, $60 or $100) and your $2 Daily Level is deducted from your existing credit.

Your Daily Level use will start from the moment you use credit. When you make a phone call, send an SMS or from the moment you start using data, your $2 will kick in and then reset at midnight. If you go over your daily data amount, you’ll automatically be charged the next Daily Level of $2. If you have data running in the background of your device, even if you’re not actively using your device or data, you could find your $2 Daily Level kicks in without you realising. Check your phone settings to ensure apps aren’t using mobile data or running in the background.

This sort of plan might not suit those who use their device every day, but it could be useful for light phone users or if you have a second device that you don’t often use.

Brand Features Max Data**/billing period Advertised Cost^^/billing period
Optus Logo

Daily Plus $10

  • Unlimited national calls & SMS
  • 500MB of data for $2 per day

min. cost $10 over 30 day expiry

500MBMax Data**/billing period $10Advertised Data^^/billing period
Optus Logo

Daily Plus $20

  • Unlimited national calls & SMS
  • 500MB of data for $2 per day

min. cost $20 over 30 day expiry

500MBMax Data**/billing period $20Advertised Data^^/billing period
Optus Logo

Daily Plus $30

  • Unlimited national calls & SMS
  • 500MB of data for $2 per day

min. cost $30 over 186 day expiry

500MBMax Data**/billing period $30Advertised Data^^/billing period
Optus Logo

Daily Plus $45

  • Unlimited national calls & SMS
  • 500MB of data for $2 per day

min. cost $45 over 186 day expiry

500MBMax Data**/billing period $45Advertised Data^^/billing period
Optus Logo

Daily Plus $60

  • Unlimited national calls & SMS
  • 500MB of data for $2 per day

min. cost $60 over 186 day expiry

500MBMax Data**/billing period $60Advertised Data^^/billing period
Optus Logo

Daily Plus $100

  • Unlimited national calls & SMS
  • 500MB of data for $2 per day

min. cost $100 over 186 day expiry

500MBMax Data**/billing period $100Advertised Data^^/billing period
View all mobile plans listed on Canstar Blue

Optus Long Expiry Prepaid Recharges

Whether you’re after a plan for your spare phone or if you’re a light phone user after a cheap and low-maintenance phone plan, the Optus Long Expiry recharges might be what you’re after. These plans are straightforward — simply recharge with credit ($10 to $100 recharges available) and you’re charged for what you use with PAYG rates:

  • Standard national calls are 25c per minute
  • Standard national SMS/MMS are 25c per message
  • Data is 7c per megabyte (charged per kilobyte)

These are relatively cheap rates, which mean your money could potentially go quite far. And with credit lasting up to a year, you can potentially ‘set and forget’ instead of having to worry about recharging every month or so.

Brand Features Max Data**/billing period Advertised Cost^^/billing period
Optus Logo

Long Expiry $10

  • Data 7c per megabyte

min. cost $10 over 45 day expiry

N/AMax Data**/billing period $10Advertised Data^^/billing period
Optus Logo

Long Expiry $20

  • Data 7c per megabyte

min. cost $20 over 90 day expiry

N/AMax Data**/billing period $20Advertised Data^^/billing period
Optus Logo

Long Expiry $30

  • Data 7c per megabyte

min. cost $30 over 186 day expiry

N/AMax Data**/billing period $30Advertised Data^^/billing period
Optus Logo

Long Expiry $40

  • Data 7c per megabyte

min. cost $40 over 186 day expiry

N/AMax Data**/billing period $40Advertised Data^^/billing period
Optus Logo

Long Expiry $50

  • Data 7c per megabyte

min. cost $50 over 186 day expiry

N/AMax Data**/billing period $50Advertised Data^^/billing period
Optus Logo

Long Expiry $60

  • Data 7c per megabyte

min. cost $60 over 365 day expiry

N/AMax Data**/billing period $60Advertised Data^^/billing period
Optus Logo

Long Expiry $70

  • Data 7c per megabyte

min. cost $70 over 365 day expiry

N/AMax Data**/billing period $70Advertised Data^^/billing period
Optus Logo

Long Expiry $80

  • Data 7c per megabyte

min. cost $80 over 365 day expiry

N/AMax Data**/billing period $80Advertised Data^^/billing period
Optus Logo

Long Expiry $100

  • Data 7c per megabyte

min. cost $100 over 365 day expiry

N/AMax Data**/billing period $100Advertised Data^^/billing period
View all mobile plans listed on Canstar Blue

How do Optus prepaid plans compare?

Optus certainly has a large selection of prepaid plans to suit a range of different customer needs, but just how do these plans stack up against other telcos? If you’re looking at prepaid phone plans, there are many MVNOs (in addition to Telstra, Optus and Vodafone) offering lots of data at smaller prices.

The following table includes a list of prepaid phone plans for $50 or under from Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of advertised standard cost, lowest to highest, then by data allowance, largest to smallest. For a complete look at all the phone plans Canstar Blue compares, use our phone plan comparison tool. This table includes products with links to referral partners.

Optus Prepaid Phones

If you’re after a new phone to pair with your prepaid plan, there are a range of devices available to buy outright from Optus:

  • Huawei Y6 from $179
  • OPPO AX5s from $249
  • OPPO AX7 from $299
  • Optus X Lite from $39
  • Optus X Play from $59
  • Optus X Power from $129
  • Optus X Spirit 2 from $99
  • Optus X Start from $79
  • Optus X View from $149
  • Optus X Vista from $199

Optus has quite a few prepaid phones on offer that can be purchased outright. Most are priced at under $200 and are only basic smartphones, but you might find the devices available change from time to time, as Optus has previously offered older iPhone models.

Is an Optus prepaid plan right for me?

Optus has a large suite of prepaid mobile plans, designed to suit a range of users. If your prepaid needs don’t match plans on offer from other telcos, you might find that Optus has the right plan for you. The Epic Data plans offer some good value for money if you’re big on video streaming, but if you plan on making this your regular phone plan, you might want to steer clear of the plans with shorter expiry periods. After all, a $10 plan isn’t as cheap as you might think if you’re recharging four or more times per month.

If you’re looking for a cheap prepaid plan with lots of value, you might find some Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) can offer plans with heaps of value for under $20, even under $10. Some of these might be on shorter expiry lengths, however you can easily pick up a cheap deal that runs on a recharge cycle of around a month.

Many of these plans from the small MVNOs are lacking when it comes to perks. That is where the big telcos do have an advantage and Optus is no exception. When you’re comparing prepaid phone plans, you’ll really need to consider what you’re looking for in a plan. Whether you’re after a super-cheap phone plan, lots of data or a no fuss long-term plan, it’s always best to take a look at what phone plans are available and compare to see which telco has the right prepaid phone plan for you.

Optus Prepaid Phone Plans Summary

Telco Mobile Plan Included Data Recharge Cost Expiry Length
Optus Epic Data $10 5GB $10 5 days
Optus Epic Data $30 10GB $30 28 days
Optus Epic Data $50 30GB $50 28 days
Optus Epic Data $70 45GB $70 28 days
Optus Epic Data $100 60GB $100 28 days
Optus Epic Value $10 500MB $10 21 days
Optus Epic Value $30 2GB $30 42 days
Optus Epic Value $50 15GB $50 42 days
Optus Epic Value $180 60GB $180 365 days
Optus Daily Plus $20 500MB $20 30 days
Optus Daily Plus $45 500MB $45 186 days
Optus Daily Plus $60 500MB $60 186 days
Optus Long Expiry $10 $10 45 days
Optus Long Expiry $20 $20 90 days
Optus Long Expiry $50 $50 186 days
Optus Long Expiry $80 $80 365 days

Compare Prepaid Phone Plans

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