Best eSIM for Australia 2026: 5 Top Picks Compared

Looking for the best eSIM for Australia? You’re in the right place. If tracking down a physical SIM at the airport sounds like a hassle, you’re not alone, and that’s why eSIMs have caught on with travelers. You buy a plan, scan a code, and you’re online before you’ve grabbed your bags.

Choosing one is the hard part, and in Australia the choice hinges on a single question almost nobody asks: which network is behind it. Telstra has the widest reach outside the cities, Optus covers the urban corridors well, and most eSIM providers here ride Optus alone. That’s fine for Sydney and Melbourne. Head up the coast or inland and it stops being fine. We spent two weeks testing across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, and here’s what held up.

Best eSIM for Australia 2026: Detailed Comparison

We spent two weeks bouncing between Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane with these eSIMs running on our phones. We tracked download speeds, how well each one held a signal, how quickly it set up, and whether the data plans were worth what we paid. The ones that kept up made the list.

	Saily	Ubigi	Holafly	Airalo	Jetpac
Network	Local partner (undisclosed)	Optus	Optus + Telstra	Optus	Optus
Start Price	$3.39 (1 GB / 7d, with GIZMODO)	$4 (1 GB / 7d)	$3.90 (unlimited / 1d)	$4 (1 GB / 3d)	$3 (4 GB / 1d)
5G	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Unlimited Fine Print	5 GB/day, then 1 Mbps	No speed cap	No speed cap	No speed cap	No speed cap
Tethering	Unlimited	Unlimited	1 GB/day	Unlimited	Unlimited
Standout Feature	Built-in security tools, lounge access	Reusable eSIM, offline top-ups	Two networks, uncapped unlimited data	Wide global coverage	Lounge access, free app data

1. Saily: Best Overall

We bought Saily about a week before travelling, and it activated by itself when we landed. The result was immediate: once we were in Sydney, the 5G icon at the top of our phones told us everything. It was fast and reliable, dropping to LTE only a handful of times in less urban areas.

Our two-week trip ran on the unlimited plan at $48.99, which the GIZMODO code brings to $41.64. One eSIM covered all three of us, since there are no tethering limits. Entry level is 1 GB over 7 days at $3.99, or $3.39 with the code, the cheapest here.

One thing to know before buying unlimited: you get 5 GB per day at full speed, then stay online at 1 Mbps. That’s fine for maps and messaging, less so for a fortnight of streaming. It’s the main reason Holafly exists on this page.

The security tools are unique in this market. The ad blocker saved data, and the virtual location tool let us change our apparent country and unblock sites. NordVPN itself comes with the Ultra plan. In 2026 the app also added airport lounge access and fast-track passes at checkout, and Saily was named “Rising Star” at the MVNOs World Congress in Amsterdam in June.

Setup is simple enough that we never needed support. Saily also sells an Asia and Oceania plan covering Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Japan and at least 18 other countries, which is the smarter buy for a longer run through the region. Take 15% off any plan with the GIZMODO code, and check our Saily coupon page for current offers.

Visit Saily

2. Ubigi: Best for Flexible Plans

Ubigi delivers solid coverage from Optus, sitting mostly on 5G across our two-week test. We saw LTE dips mainly in Brisbane, over the last three days, and even then Ubigi held its speed while streaming Netflix and Prime Video. We used the unlimited plan for 15 days at $45. The entry price is $4 for 1 GB over 7 days.

Tethering is unlimited, so one eSIM covered the three of us. We activated it before the trip with a QR code, and it was live the moment we landed. Our favourite feature is the ability to top up without being online, a rare trick that saves you when the allowance runs dry with no Wi-Fi around, though unlimited data made it moot for us.

Ubigi also supports Windows laptops, which few rivals do, and its support runs 24/7. The app could use a refresh, and being tied to Optus alone means it’s the same story as most of this list once you leave the cities. Otherwise it ticks every box: reliable, fast and cheap.

Visit Ubigi

3. Holafly: Two Networks, and Truly Unlimited Data

Holafly is our favorite travel eSIM for heavy internet use in Australia, and it has an advantage nobody else here does. It runs on Optus and Telstra, two networks, and Telstra has the widest reach in the country by a comfortable margin. On a coastal drive or anywhere inland, that’s the difference between a signal and a shrug. Every other provider on this page is Optus-only.

Every plan comes with unlimited data, and it isn’t expensive: $3.90 per day, dropping to $50.90 for 15 days, under $3.50 a day. Crucially, that data has no daily allowance and no speed cap, unlike Saily’s, which throttles to 1 Mbps after 5 GB. If you’re streaming for a fortnight, Holafly is the one.

Setup was easy and it activated on arrival. Its 24/7 support is the fastest we’ve tested, replying in 10 to 15 seconds.

The one real drawback is tethering: 1 GB per day, so a group needs at least two eSIMs. That’s still twice the 500 MB Holafly allows in most other countries.

4. Airalo: Cheap 5G in Australia

Airalo throws in SMS and calls on its eSIM for Brazil, but not in Australia, where it’s data-only. Its plans scale to unlimited data, and since it works with Optus, 5G is available nearly all the time. It was fast and consistent, with speeds sitting at the mid-to-high end of 5G throughout.

The pricing is what we liked most. We tested the unlimited plan for 15 days at $40, ten dollars under Holafly, and it delivered. Short trips start at $4 for 1 GB over 3 days. Tethering is unlimited and top-ups are one tap away in the app.

Airalo offers multiple support channels, WhatsApp included, but it’s slower than Holafly, typically a minute or two. Longer plans, 30 days and beyond, cost more than we’d like, so treat Airalo as the short-to-medium trip option.

5. Jetpac: Useful Travel Perks

Jetpac closes the list with the travel perks nobody else bundles: unlimited data for Grab, Uber, Google Maps and WhatsApp Chat that keeps working after your allowance runs out, plus optional lounge access for up to 6 people. It rides Optus and stays mostly on 5G, quick enough for anything.

We didn’t run precise speed tests on it, but the experience was good, especially for 4K streaming. We used the 14-day plan with unlimited data at $31, the cheapest fortnight on this page. Short visits start at $3 for 4 GB over one day.

Jetpac doesn’t reinvent anything. It works well, costs little and bundles useful perks, and it covers 200+ locations. We’d like faster support and some security features: Jetpac includes a VPN on its eSIM for China, but not here.

Conclusion: Which eSIM for Australia Should I Use?

The best eSIM for Australia depends on your trip, and above all on how far off the grid you’re going. Saily takes our top spot for city travel: cheapest entry at $3.39, reliable 5G, uncapped tethering, and security tools that keep you safe on hotel and café Wi-Fi.

But if your route leaves the coast, look hard at Holafly. It’s the only provider here running on Telstra as well as Optus, and Telstra is what keeps you connected in the parts of Australia where the map goes empty. Its unlimited data never throttles, either.

Ubigi is the flexible pick with offline top-ups, Airalo the cheap 5G one, and Jetpac the best value on a fortnight with lounge perks thrown in. Match one to your budget and your route, and you’ll be online the moment you touch down.

Get Saily: Best Australia eSIM

See Ubigi’s Australia plans

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best eSIM for Australia?

Saily is the best eSIM for Australia overall. It starts at $3.99, or $3.39 with the GIZMODO code, with unlimited data for 15 days at $48.99 ($41.64 discounted). It delivers 5G, uncapped tethering, an ad blocker, a virtual location tool and airport lounge access in the app. Holafly is the better pick if your trip takes you outside the cities.

Which network is best for an eSIM in Australia?

Telstra has the widest coverage in Australia, particularly in rural and remote areas, followed by Optus. Holafly is the only provider here that reaches both Telstra and Optus. Ubigi, Airalo and Jetpac all run on Optus alone, which is fine along the urban corridors but weaker once you head inland.

Which eSIM has truly unlimited data in Australia?

Holafly. Its unlimited plans have no daily allowance and no speed cap at any point, which makes it the pick for heavy streamers. Saily’s unlimited plans give you 5 GB per day at full speed and then throttle to 1 Mbps, which is fine for maps and messaging but limiting over a two-week trip.

What is the cheapest eSIM for Australia?

Saily has the cheapest entry plan at $3.39 for 1 GB over 7 days with the GIZMODO code. For a fortnight of unlimited data, Jetpac is cheapest at $31, followed by Airalo at $40, Ubigi at $45 and Saily at $41.64 with the code.

Can I call and text with an eSIM in Australia?

Not with any of the five. Saily, Ubigi, Holafly, Airalo and Jetpac all sell data-only plans for Australia. Airalo includes calls and SMS in some other countries, such as Brazil, but not here. WhatsApp and FaceTime cover calls and texts over your eSIM data instead.

Can I share my eSIM data with other devices in Australia?

Saily, Ubigi, Airalo and Jetpac all allow unlimited tethering, so one plan can cover a group. Holafly is the exception, capping hotspot use at 1 GB per day, which means a group of three would need at least two eSIMs.