Optus vs Telstra vs Vodafone: what is the best network in Australia?

Telstra's coverage is still the most reliable option for many Australians living outside of heavily populated areas, as coverage in remote Australia can be patchy at best. But over the last decade, the gap between Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone's coverage has narrowed significantly.

Now, more than ever, Australians who once had Buckley's chance of receiving a signal with smaller, more affordable networks might find Optus and Vodafone a reliable alternative. If you find that you do need access to the Telstra network, you could easily find yourself a viable budget alternative to the network with the best mobile coverage in one of the many providers that use Telstra's wholesale network, such as ALDI Mobile and Woolworths Mobile, which covers around 98.8% of the population.

There are a few steps you can (and should) take before committing to a new network if you're struggling to get coverage or merely looking to switch to a more affordable provider.

Now that you know how much coverage each major telco offers, the next questions is how much you're willing to pay to access the coverage provided by each of Australia's mobile networks?

Telstra is still the prime candidate for the best mobile coverage, but Optus network coverage is nothing to scoff at and Vodafone's plans can often offer almost the same amount of value. Be sure to carefully consider each provider's perks and features before making a decision either way.

To make finding your answer to this question of who comes out on top when you compare Telstra to Optus and Vodafone a little bit easier, here's a quick round-up of the big three telcos' most popular SIM plans. It should help give you an idea of how much going with a given network will cost and the call and data inclusions that going with either Telstra, Vodafone or Optus will get you.

Still stumped? Be sure to read on for more specifics on Telstra mobile coverage, Vodafone mobile coverage and Optus mobile coverage plus everything else you need to know about how Australia's big three providers compare when it comes to 4G coverage maps and coverage maps.

Telstra's market-leading mobile coverage is the very reason many Australians choose to pay a premium for the provider's plans. For years, Telstra's title has gone unchallenged, and rightly so. Before we dig into the details, here's a quick look at the telco's Upfront SIM-only plans so you have a sense of how much it costs to get access to the mobile coverage that comes with a Telstra mobile plan.

Prefer to go prepaid? Here's a look at prepaid plans that come with Telstra mobile coverage.

The Big T isn't the only game in town if you want access to the largest mobile network in Australia though. At the time of writing, there are only two mobile providers with access to the full Telstra network: Telstra itself and Boost Mobile, which was recently bought by Telstra.

In addition, there are a dozen or so Telstra MVNO providers who piggyback off the network. These providers offer mobile service via the Telstra Wholesale Network at a cheaper price.

The full Telstra 4G network covers 99.7% of the Australian population, while the Telstra Wholesale 4G network is only slightly behind at 98.8%. This difference in size amounts to less than a single percentage point. That means the Telstra Wholesale network has the second largest mobile coverage in Australia, just ahead of Optus.

Even if this more limited version of Telstra coverage covers less ground than the full network, it is still larger than what you can expect from a mobile plan operating on the other major networks when it comes to 4G coverage.

For 5G, there's a much bigger disparity between the full and Wholesale networks. The full Telstra network covers 91% of the population with 5G coverage, whereas the Telstra Wholesale network covers just 75%.

The disparity is enough that Optus' 5G coverage is bigger with its 80.5% 5G mobile coverage. Vodafone doesn't publish clear 5G stats, so it's tough to tell how its 5G compares.

If that's good enough for you and you're happy with second place when it comes to getting the best mobile coverage in Australia, here's a rundown of the most popular plans on providers who use the Telstra network.

Most MVNOs have limited access to the Telstra network. However, as previously mentioned, Boost Mobile is the one exception. As a result, the Boost Mobile coverage map is identical to the one that applies to Telstra mobile customers. You can even get 5G on select plans. For a sense of what signing up to Boost Mobile might cost, take a look at the widget below.

If you're not completely satisfied with either Optus mobile coverage or Vodafone mobile coverage, it might be time to consider switching to the big blue or a Telstra-powered MVNO like MATE.

Before you do though, make sure to check out the mobile coverage map below to find out whether Telstra offers sufficient coverage in your area. If your area is swimming in a sea of purple, you should have no issue accessing Telstra's 4G network. Our map also includes Telstra 5G coverage, which now covers over 91% of the population.

Next up, we've got Australia's second-largest mobile provider, Optus.

Optus claims it covers 98.5% of populated Australia. Put next to Telstra's 99.7% coverage, that might not seem like much of a difference. But if we apply those percentages to Australia's total population, the gap starts to look more pronounced.

The same can be said of the difference in price between the two biggest providers of mobile coeverage in Australia. Take a look at the widget below for a sense of how much a postpaid plan that comes with Optus coverage will cost you.

Prefer to save and keep your costs under control by paying ahead of time? Here's a quick rundown of prepaid phone plans that come with Optus mobile coverage.

As with those piggybacking on Telstra's network, Optus MVNOs have the same coverage as Optus. Because of this, there's no reason not to compare plans between the two. Best case scenario: It might save you a chunk of change. Optus' MVNO partners even have access to the full Optus 5G network rather than the more limited version of it that Telstra offers to its MVNOs.

The only thing you don't get access to with Optus MVNOs are perks like a discounted rate on Optus Sport or the ability to bundle in a new phone. If you're eyeing up an MVNO like Amaysim then it might be worth asking how valuable these inclusions really are. To give you a sense of how much you might end up paying, here are the most popular plans with other providers on the Optus network with 10GB of data or more.

Theoretically speaking, the Optus network reaches 256,900 less people than Telstra. If you're on those unlucky individuals, the absence of coverage from the best mobile network in Australia can sometimes feel like a personal attack. Thankfully, it's easy to know if you're one of the unlucky few ahead of time. There's no need for stressful guesswork when you can search your area in the Optus coverage map below.

Take a look and see if your hometown has significant Optus 4G coverage (or even Optus 5G coverage, if you're lucky) with the provider. By default, the Optus mobile coverage map below will show you 5G. However, you can see if your area has 4G network coverage by checking the 4G box. 

Lastly, there's Vodafone. It's no secret that network footprint for Vodafone coverage pales in comparison to Telstra and Optus. However, the difference between this provider and its rivals isn't nearly as large as it once was when it comes to both 4G mobile coverage.

Back in January 2025, Vodafone inked a new partnership with Optus that doubled the footprint of the former provider's mobile network. As a result, the overwhelming majority of Australians can get a reliable signal on Vodafone in many places that they once couldn't.

That benefit even extends to the various MVNOs (such as TPG and Kogan Mobile) who rely on the same network for Vodafone mobile coverage. Like Optus, the coverage of Vodafone's MVNOs is the identical for both its 4G network and 5G network.

Confident with that coverage? Then take a look at Vodafone's postpaid mobile plans.

For some customers a prepaid plan with Vodafone mobile coverage might make more sense. For a snapshot of what the options look like, check out the widget below.

Still not sure? No worries. It's best to trial a Vodafone MVNO prepaid or month-to-month SIM plan for a little while anyway. If you're not happy with the Vodafone coverage you're paying for, you can always cancel (or, in the case of prepaid, stop paying for recharges) and jump ship to another network.

In the meantime, here's a healthy mix of prepaid and SIM-only deals from other providers that use the Vodafone mobile network.

If you're still worried about whether you have Vodafone coverage in your area, take a look at your stomping ground in the coverage map below. There are still other factors that might impact your signal, but the map below is a reliable indication of Vodafone coverage in Australia.

If your address (and the places you regularly visit) are covered in purple, you should be good to go. You can also check if your area is one of the few with Vodafone 5G coverage by checking the 5G box.