Best Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus plans in Australia

Details of the Samsung Galaxy S21 lineup have been trickling in over the past few months, but finally, after so much speculation, we can finally get our hands on the tech giant's shiny new toys. The new family consists of the base model S21, the middle child S21 Plus and the big kid S21 Ultra. All three run on the same speedy Exynos 2100 processor, are 5G enabled and boast an impressively smooth 120Hz screen refresh rate.

At the middle of the pack, the Galaxy S21 Plus is a great choice for those who don't need the expensive, top-of-the-line S21 Ultra but are looking for a little more battery life and room to play with than the standard S21.

Here's a quick breakdown of the key differences between the three before we get into the nitty-gritty.

At the time of writing, the Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus is currently available through Telstra, Optus, Vodafone and Woolworths Mobile. Preorders of the S21 and S21 Plus will also come with a bonus pair of Galaxy Buds Live wireless headphones. Check out what Galaxy S21 Plus plans are on offer below.

128GB model

256GB model

Telstra is certainly not the cheapest carrier in Australia, but their Samsung S21 plans do come with some perks that make the expense far more palatable.

Firstly, Telstra has the most extensive coverage in the country, covering up to 99.2% of the population with 4GX connectivity and the fastest 5G rollout of the big three - however, 5G access is only included for customers with a $65 Medium plan or above.

In our review of Telstra's mobile plans, they scored big on included features, such as data-free Apple Music streaming (subscription not included) and data-free streaming of AFL, AFLW, NRL, Netball and the Hyundai A-League. There's also the Telstra Plus rewards program, which allows you to trade points earned by simply being a customer for goodies like speakers, gaming accessories, smartwatches and more.

On the downside, customer reviews for Telstra's support aren't exactly the best in the biz (just 1.4 stars on Product Review), despite having basically every customer service channel known to man.

128GB model

256GB model

Optus has made some great strides in recent years to make their network more attractive than ever. All their Samsung S21 Plus plans come with generous full-speed data inclusions and (finally) no excess data charges in Australia, plus the usual unlimited talk and text. With coverage for up to 98.5% of the population, it's just behind the big T, but with the added bonus that 5G access is included in all plans - not just those above a certain price point.

For sports lovers, if you opt for a Medium or higher Optus Choice Plan, you'll also get an Optus Sport + Fitness subscription included at no extra cost. As we discovered in our standalone review, Optus Sport is fantastic if you're a big soccer fan, but kind of useless if you're after any other sports. Optus Fitness, on the other hand, is a relatively new addition that allows you to stream 120 dance, yoga and pilates videos.

Unfortunately, like Telstra, Optus hasn't got the most stellar customer reviews with a dismal average of 1.4 stars on Product Review. However, they do have a bunch of contact options for when you do have an issue.

128GB model

256GB model

It may not have the same perks and coverage as Telstra and Optus, but Vodafone's Samsung S21 Plus plans certainly shouldn't be ruled out. Vodafone still covers a massive 96% of the population, and its 5G rollout is well underway, with access included for all plans - even prepaid.

Their plans typically represent great value and are packed with juicy perks, like discounts for bundling multiple plans, bonus data, a tiered-speed infinite data system ranging from 2Mbps to 25Mbps. All plans also currently include free three-month memberships for Amazon Prime and Amazon Music Unlimited.

As with the other big telcos, Vodafone's customer reviews aren't amazing at an average of just 1.6 stars on Product Reviews - marginally better than Telstra and Optus' scores.

128GB model

256GB model

It's the only MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) offering Galaxy S21 Plus plans, and the fresh food people's handset deals are pretty damn fresh. Woolworths Mobile runs on the Telstra wholesale network, which covers 98.8% of the Australian population (even more than Optus and Vodafone), but sadly doesn't offer 5G just yet.

Woolies' plans tend to offer great bang for buck, with plans from $25 for 18GB (plus handset fees). While they're not quite as feature-packed as those on offer by the big three, they all include unlimited talk and text and, perhaps most enticingly, 10 per cent off one shop per month at Woolies, which could feasibly cover the cost of your plan.

128GB model

256GB model

Appearance-wise, the Galaxy S21 Plus is basically the perfect blend of its big and little siblings. It's got the subtler rear camera bump and some of the colour selection of the base model S21, but with a big, beautiful display closer to that of the S21 Ultra.

For this lineup, Samsung has introduced their new 'blade bezel', which has shrunk the screen's bezels even further, almost ditching them completely. Despite this, the display itself is the same size as that of the S20 Plus at 6.7 inches. It also retains the same 1440x3200 FHD+ resolution, AMOLED panel and dynamic120Hz screen refresh rate. One new feature, however, is the Eye Comfort Shield, which automatically adjusts the blue light emitted by the device based on the time of day, content you're watching and when you've set your bedtime.

The S21 Plus comes in three colours: Phantom Silver, Phantom Black, and Phantom Violet, all of which are coated in a haze finish.

On the front of the S21 Plus, you'll also find a 10MP hole-punch selfie camera - the same as the S21 and the S20 lineup before it, however, you'll need to upgrade to the S21 Ultra if you'd prefer the huge 40MP front shooter.

Around back, Samsung has redesigned the rear camera bump, making it appear to almost wrap around the top left of the phone's back from the front. Under the hood, though, the camera setup is essentially the same as last year's S20: 12MP ultra-wide, 12MP main and 64MP telephoto. The only thing different this year is that Samsung has done away with the time-of-flight (ToF) sensor found on the S20 lineup.

While the hardware is much the same, Samsung has reworked its photography software. First up, there's the improved 8K Snap, which allows the user to capture ultra-clear stills from their 8K video footage. Speaking of, videos will be much smoother with Super Steady video and at an improved 60fps, and more professional looking thanks to Director's View. Space Zoom has also received an upgrade, with new Zoom Lock minimising shaky hands to capture clearer snaps at 30x zoom.

Samsung has boosted the battery capacity of the Galaxy S21 Plus to 4,800 mAh, up from 4,500 in last year's S20 Plus. This sounds like a decent battery life increase on paper, however, real-world tests may prove otherwise, so we won't know for sure how it compares until we can get our hands on one.

Prefer not to be tied to a carrier? Check out the table below for the best outright prices we could find on the Galaxy S21 Plus. Interestingly, while the base model S21 and the exxy S21 Ultra are both slightly cheaper than their predecessors, the starting price for the S21 Plus is actually $50 higher. However, if you preorder your device, you'll also get a bonus pair of Galaxy Buds wireless headphones.

Once you've ordered your phone, simply pop in your existing SIM card or check out one of the great value SIM-only plans below.