Optus international roaming costs $5 a day for 5 GB if you’re on a Choice Plus plan, or $10 a day for 1 GB with the Optus Roaming Pass on other postpaid plans. Prepaid customers buy packs instead, from $5 for 1 GB to $45 for 10 GB. All three work in 150+ “Zone 1” destinations, including Bali, Japan, Thailand, the US and the UK. For data alone, a travel eSIM is usually cheaper, from about A$9 for 5 GB.
We sell travel eSIMs (ICY SIM). Optus, Telstra and Vodafone prices are from their websites on 27 October 2026. Our prices are in US dollars at checkout; we convert at US$1 = A$1.42.
- Choice Plus plans: Optus Daily Roaming, $5 for 5 GB for 24 hours, plus unlimited standard calls and texts. It switches on by itself.
- Other postpaid plans: the $10 Roaming Pass, 1 GB and unlimited calls and texts for 24 hours.
- Prepaid: packs of $5 (1 GB, 1 day), $25 (5 GB, 14 days), $45 (10 GB, 28 days) or $75 (15 GB, 186 days).
- Run out of data on Daily Roaming and Optus adds another 5 GB for $5 automatically.
- A one-off eSIM is cheaper for data on most trips longer than a few days.
Optus roaming rates at a glance
| Your Optus plan | Roaming option | Price | Data | Calls and texts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Postpaid Choice Plus | Optus Daily Roaming | $5 per 24 hours | 5 GB (another 5 GB for $5 if you run out) | Unlimited standard |
| Other selected postpaid plans | $10 Optus Roaming Pass | $10 per 24 hours | 1 GB | Unlimited national |
| Postpaid, no pass | Standard Roaming Rates | Pay as you go | Charged per use | Charged per minute |
| Prepaid | International Roaming packs | $5 to $75 | 1 GB to 15 GB | 50–100 texts, 25–100 minutes |
Not sure which plan you have? Open the My Optus app and look under Service. Optus warns that its pay-as-you-go standard rates “may be significantly higher” than a pass, so make sure a pass or pack is on before you leave.
Optus Daily Roaming: the $5 option
This is the best deal Optus has, and it’s only on Choice Plus plans. It starts automatically the first time you use your phone in a Zone 1 destination. You get 5 GB and unlimited standard calls and texts for 24 hours. If you use the 5 GB before the 24 hours are up, Optus charges another $5 for a fresh 5 GB. You get usage alerts by text or email at 50%, 85% and 100%.
At $5 a day, a week costs $35 and two weeks $70. That’s fair for heavy users, but a 10 GB eSIM for the same two weeks is about A$21.
The $10 Optus Roaming Pass
If you’re on another selected postpaid plan, you get the $10 Roaming Pass: 1 GB of data and unlimited national talk and text for 24 hours. Turn it on in My Optus before you go. On some plans with roaming included, the pass starts automatically once your plan’s roaming allowance is used up.
1 GB a day is enough for maps and messages, but not much else. A week is $70 and two weeks $140.
Optus prepaid roaming packs
| Pack | Lasts | Data | Texts | Calls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $5 | 1 day | 1 GB | 50 | Up to 25 minutes |
| $25 | 14 days | 5 GB | 50 | Up to 50 minutes |
| $45 | 28 days | 10 GB | 100 | Up to 100 minutes |
| $75 | 186 days | 15 GB | 100 | Up to 100 minutes |
Prepaid packs only work in Zone 1 destinations. The $25 pack is the best value of the Optus options for a one- or two-week trip if you mostly need data: 5 GB for $25. A 5 GB eSIM costs about A$9 for 30 days.
Optus roaming countries
All three options cover Optus’ Zone 1, which has 150+ destinations. It includes Indonesia (Bali), Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, South Korea, India, Fiji, Vanuatu, Tonga, the United States, the UK and most of Europe. The full list is on the Optus roaming page; check it before you book, as it changes from time to time.
Optus roaming vs a travel eSIM: real trip costs
| Trip | Optus Daily Roaming ($5) | $10 Roaming Pass | Optus prepaid | Travel eSIM (ICY SIM) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 days in Bali | $35 | $70 | $25 (5 GB) | about A$9 (5 GB, US$6) |
| 10 days in Thailand | $50 | $100 | $45 (10 GB) | about A$21 (10 GB, US$15) |
| 14 days in Japan | $70 | $140 | $45 (10 GB) | about A$21 (10 GB, US$15) |
| 10 days in the US | $50 | $100 | $45 (10 GB) | about A$21 (10 GB, US$15) |
Optus’ options include calls and texts, and an eSIM is data only. If you call home with WhatsApp or FaceTime, data is all you need. Prices for each trip are live on our Indonesia, Thailand, Japan and United States pages.
How to stop Optus roaming charges when you use an eSIM
Optus Daily Roaming switches on by itself the first time your Optus line uses the network overseas, so you need to keep your Optus line off mobile data. You can still receive texts on your Optus number, for example bank codes, if your phone holds two lines. Most phones from 2018 onwards do; see our compatible devices list.
- Install your travel eSIM at home on Wi-Fi.
- When you land, choose the eSIM as your mobile data line.
- Turn data roaming off for the Optus line and on for the eSIM.
- To avoid any daily charge, also switch off roaming for the Optus line in My Optus (Service, then Settings, then International roaming), or leave it on only if you need to be reachable.
- Back in Australia, switch mobile data back to Optus.
Cheaper data for your trip
eSIMs for 190+ destinations from US$1.50. Keep your Optus number for texts.
See eSIM prices →When Optus roaming makes more sense
- You’re on Choice Plus and use a lot of data: 5 GB a day for $5 on a short trip is decent.
- You make normal phone calls overseas: unlimited standard calls are included; an eSIM has none.
- A day or two away: $5 to $10 is fine and saves setting anything up.
Optus vs Telstra vs Vodafone roaming
| Carrier | Daily price | Data a day |
|---|---|---|
| Optus Daily Roaming (Choice Plus) | $5 | 5 GB |
| Optus $10 Roaming Pass | $10 | 1 GB |
| Telstra International Day Pass | $10 ($5 in NZ and Pacific) | 2 GB |
| Vodafone $5 Roaming | $5 (up to 90 days a year) | Uses your plan’s data |
On Telstra or Vodafone? Read our Telstra international roaming or Vodafone roaming guide. Going to Bali? Compare plans in the best eSIM for Bali. For the bigger picture, see eSIM vs roaming and the best eSIM for Japan.
