Travel to Australia from the UK: Must-know travel advice
Your complete guide for travel to Australia from the UK, including visa entry requirements, visa costs, currency conversion, and safety tips.
What is the best eSIM for Australia? Comparing the top 5 options
Travelling to Australia soon? Using your UK SIM card abroad might not be the most budget-friendly way to stay connected.
Instead, an eSIM can be a great alternative to avoid roaming charges. An eSIM works just like a physical SIM card, but doesn’t require a trip to the store. Plus, many eSIM options allow you to keep your UK phone number, so you won’t miss important calls or messages while you’re Down Under.
In this article, we’ll walk you through some of the top eSIM providers for travelling to Australia in 2025. We’ll break down their features and pricing so you can choose the best fit for your trip.
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Why use an eSIM for travelling to Australia?
Using an eSIM while travelling comes with a range of practical benefits compared to a physical SIM card. Here are some of the main reasons to make the switch:
- Can activate instantly from your phone - no need to visit a store
- Keep multiple plans/numbers at once without swapping cards
- No tiny card to lose or damage
- Can keep your UK phone number
- More environmentally-friendly - no card or packaging
Best eSIM providers for Australia in 2025: 5 options compared
Let’s explore some options and try to find the best eSIM for Australia:
| Provider | Key features | Pricing | Data options | Coverage | Pros/Cons |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ubigi¹ | Data-only plans Data sharing² | £5 – £47 | 1 GB – 25 GB | Optus² | Regional plans available, but there are only five options for Australia eSIMs |
| Airalo³ | Data-only eSIMs Unlimited data option | £0 – £25 | 1 GB – unlimited | Optus⁴ | A variety of data options available, but only one weekly eSIM |
| Saily⁵ | Data-only plans Malicious URL and ad blocking | $3.99 – $71.99 | 1 GB – unlimited | Different local providers | Secure and reliable, but no plans with calls or SMS available |
| Nomad⁶ | Data-only plans Free welcome eSIM | £0 – £41.49 | 1 GB – unlimited | Optus | Fixed and unlimited data eSIMs, but few duration options for unlimited plans |
| Holafly⁷ | Data sharing Customisable plans | £3.79 – £116 | Unlimited | Optus | Unlimited data, but calls and texts aren’t included |
Ubigi
Ubigi has only five Australia travel eSIMs, including between 1 GB and 25 GB of data. They also have plans which can be used in both Australia and New Zealand, as well as regional Oceania eSIMs.¹
These are Ubigi’s Australia eSIM plans:
- 1 GB of data for 7 days - £5
- 3 GB of data for 15 days - £10
- 10 GB of data for 7 days - £20
- 10 GB of data for 30 days - £22
- 25 GB of data for 30 days - £47¹
Their weekly Australia and New Zealand plan has 1 GB of data for £5, while the monthly Oceania eSIM has 1 GB for £18.¹
Ubigi uses the Optus network in Australia. Data sharing is allowed, so you can keep others connected as well.² However, their offering is limited, with no unlimited plans available, which means another provider might be a better fit depending on your needs.
Airalo
Airalo has seven Australia eSIM data-only plans, including one with unlimited data. Prices start at £3.50, while their most expensive plan costs £20.50.³
The network Airalo relies on in Australia is Optus.⁴
Let’s have a look at their Australia eSIM plans:
- 1 GB of data for 7 days - £3.50
- 2 GB of data for 15 days - £6.50
- 3 GB of data for 30 days - £7
- 5 GB of data for 30 days - £9
- 10 GB of data for 30 days - £14
- 20 GB of data for 30 days - £23.50
- Unlimited data for 10 days - £25³
Airalo offers a wide range of data options, from only 1 GB up to unlimited coverage. However, with only one 7-day plan available, their options are generally better suited for longer-term use.
| Airalo eSIM - read our full review |
|---|
Saily
eSIM plans from Saily are another good option, especially because of their additional security features. With Saily, you’re protected from malicious URLs and unwanted ads, helping to ensure a more comfortable user experience.⁵
Saily uses various local networks, which helps maintain a stable and reliable connection. If you run out of data, you can easily top up through their app or enable the auto top-up feature.⁵
Here are Saily’s eSIM plans for Australia:
- 1 GB of data for 7 days - $3.99
- 3 GB of data for 30 days - $7.99
- 5 GB of data for 30 days - $10.99
- 10 GB of data for 30 days - $17.99
- 20 GB of data for 30 days - $29.99
- Unlimited data for 10 days - $34.99
- Unlimited data for 15 days - $48.99
- Unlimited data for 20 days - $59.99
- Unlimited data for 25 days - $65.99
- Unlimited data for 30 days - $71.99⁵
| Read more Saily eSIM review |
|---|
Nomad
Nomad offers both fixed and unlimited data plans for Australia, with prices starting at £4.53. Their most expensive option, a 45-day plan, will set you back £41.49. If you’ve never used Nomad before, you can claim a free 1 GB eSIM and test the network’s stability before committing.⁶
Nomad relies on the Optus network for their Australia eSIMS.⁶
These are their fixed-data options:
- 1 GB of data for 7 days - £4.53
- 3 GB of data for 30 days - £7.54
- 5 GB of data for 30 days - £9.05
- 10 GB of data for 30 days - £11.31
- 15 GB of data for 30 days - £15.09
- 20 GB of data for 45 days - £17.35
- 50 GB of data for 45 days - £41.49⁶
Their unlimited data plans are designed for short stays. Here’s what you can choose from:
- 3 days - £8.30
- 5 days - £11.31
- 7 days - £14.33
- 10 days - £18.86⁶
Nomad can be a suitable option for short holidays, especially when it comes to unlimited plans. However, most of their fixed-data eSIMs are made for longer stays, so it may be worth comparing with other providers.
| Check out the complete Nomad eSIM review |
|---|
Holafly
Finally, if you’re only considering an unlimited data plan, Holafly might be your best eSIM for Australia. You can customise your plan by selecting the number of days you need, with prices starting at £3.79. The more days you purchase, the lower the daily cost becomes.⁷
Holafly users can share up to 500 MB of data per day via hotspot, making it possible to share your plan with your travel group. In Australia, Holafly uses the Optus network.⁷
Here are some Holafly plans and their prices:
- 5 days - £17
- 7 days - £24
- 10 days - £30
- 20 days - £50
- 90 days - £116⁷
| Read our full Holafly eSIM review |
|---|
How to choose the best eSIM for your Australia trip
To find the best eSIM for Australia, it’s helpful to compare a few key features. Here’s what you should consider before buying a plan:
- Price - compare providers to find a data plan that fits your budget
- Compatibility with your phone - ensure your smartphone is eSIM-compatible
- Data amount - choose a plan with enough data for your trip
- Validity period - select a plan that covers the full duration of your time in Australia
- Network coverage and speed - find a provider that partners with major local networks
How to install and activate an eSIM for Australia travel
Depending on whether you have an iPhone or an Android phone, the installation and activation process is different.
If you have an iPhone, this is how you’ll install your eSIM:
- Go to Settings and tap Cellular or Mobile Data
- Tap Add eSIM and then Use QR Code
- Either Scan the QR Code or tap Enter Details Manually⁸
The activation process for iPhones usually involves the following steps:
- Go to Settings and tap Cellular
- Turn off your Personal SIMs/eSIMs by switching off the Turn On This Line option
- Select your eSIM
- Tap the Turn On This Line option
- Activate Data Roaming
- Go back to Cellular and select Cellular Data
- Select your eSIM as the mobile data line⁸
If you have an Android, follow these steps:
- Go to Settings and tap Connections
- Select SIM Manager and then Add eSIM
- Tap either Scan QR Code or Enter Activation Code
- If you’re entering the code manually, make sure to include LPA and colons
- Tap Add⁸
Finally, here’s how you to activate your eSIM with an Android phone:
- Go to Settings and then Connections
- Tap SIM Manager and turn on your eSIM
- Turn off other SIMs
- Tap your eSIM in Mobile Data
- Go back to Connections and tap Mobile Network
- Turn on Data Roaming for your eSIM⁸
Save on holiday spending in Australia with the Wise card
Choosing the best eSIM for your Australia trip depends on what you’re specifically looking for - whether it’s affordability, data allowances or added features. Ultimately, there’s an option for every need, with some providers offering free eSIMs for new users, and paid weekly options starting at under £4.
As you’re exploring your options, you might also want to look into ways to manage your holiday spending. The Wise card is a convenient choice for your trip to Australia. For a one-time cost of just £7, you can spend and withdraw in over 150+ countries, including Australia. You can also send money to pay for a rental car, accommodation or the like while still in the UK.
With the Wise card, your pounds are automatically converted at the mid-market exchange rate whenever you spend. You’ll just pay a small conversion fee*, or no fee if you already have the currency in your Wise account.
FAQs about using an eSIM in Australia
Let’s answer some frequent questions about using an Australia travel eSIM:
Can I make calls and send texts with an eSIM?
Some eSIM plans include calls and texts, but most only offer data coverage.
What if I run out of data?
If you use up all your data, you’ll either need to buy a new eSIM or top up your existing plan.
Is an eSIM secure?
Yes, eSIMs are more secure than physical SIMs because they can’t be removed or stolen.
Can I keep my original phone number?
You can keep your UK number while using an eSIM. In most cases, you won’t even need to remove your UK SIM while you’re out of the country.
Sources used:
- Ubigi - Australia eSIM
- Ubigi - 1 GB Australia eSIM
- Airalo - Australia eSIM
- Airalo - 20 GB Australia eSIM
- Saily - Australia eSIM
- Nomad - Australia eSIM
- Holafly - eSIM Australia
- Holafly - setting up your eSIM
Sources last checked on date: 06-Aug-2025
*Please see terms of use and product availability for your region or visit Wise fees and pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information.
This publication is provided for general information purposes and does not constitute legal, tax or other professional advice from Wise Payments Limited or its subsidiaries and its affiliates, and it is not intended as a substitute for obtaining advice from a financial advisor or any other professional.
We make no representations, warranties or guarantees, whether expressed or implied, that the content in the publication is accurate, complete or up to date.
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