Optus offers prepaid plans for customers who need service over periods as short as five days all the way up to a year.
At Finder, we compare the prepaid mobile plan market to help you make the best possible decision. In the prepaid space, providers are highly competitive in their offerings, and increasingly value is rising (especially data inclusions).
Optus' prepaid plan offering is listed below, with further analysis - be sure to filter the results to suit your data, call/text & budget requirements with the "Filter Results" button.
Meet the team Alex Kidman is a multi-award-winning consumer technology journalist and the Tech & Telco Editor at finder.com.au. He's been writing about consumer technology topics for more than two decades.
Info last updated 30 Apr 2019.
Finder's pick added
Top pick added, page reformatted for increased readability.
30 Apr 2019
Plans audited & page updated
Optus prepaid plans audited for accuracy, page reformatted.
With a $30 recharge of Optus' Prepaid Epic Data plan, you get the standard unlimited national talk and text plus a solid 10GB of monthly data. Unused data automatically rolls over up to a maximum of 50GB when you recharge before the expiry date, saving it from going to waste during months of lighter use. To top it off, you get an extra 10GB of streaming data for watching services like Netflix, Stan and ABC iView on the go, saving your regular monthly cap for browsing the web and checking social media.
Optus prepaid plans
What you need to know about Optus prepaid plans
Pros
Flexibility. Optus’ range of prepaid plans are tailored to suit all types of users. Fixed services such as Epic Data or Epic Value offer lots of data for heavy users, or more ad-hoc customers can check out My Prepaid Daily Plus or Optus Prepaid Long Expiry.
Extra data for video streaming. Customers on Epic Data plans can enjoy extra data specifically for streaming Netflix, Stan and ABC iview content (subscriptions required).
Rollover features. If you’ve got extra data on your Epic Data or Epic Value plan, or extra credit on your Optus Prepaid Long Expiry, you can roll it over into your next recharge as long as you do so before expiry.
Cons
28 day expiry on Epic Data plans. 28 day recharge cycles mean that if you keep the same plan for a year, you’ll pay more than you would for a full 30 day cycle.
Long expiry plans have fixed charges. Depending on your usage, because the Long Expiry plans charge flat fees, you could pay more than using other plans with unlimited call/text features.
My Daily Plus kicks in whenever you use your phone. Whether you make one call or a thousand, you’ll be hit with the same charge for using My Daily Plus. If you’re only a light user, that could make it comparatively costly.
What services does Optus Prepaid offer?
Optus offers a variety of prepaid SIM-only plans for you to use. With a prepaid plan, you pay upfront for usage over an expiry period. If you go over your usage, your access ceases but you cannot accrue any larger bills than the sum already paid without your own intervention, so they're a great choice for the budget conscious. The flipside of that is realising that many postpaid plans offer larger data quotas than their prepaid counterparts, although not always.
For data-lovers, Optus offers a range of Epic Data prepaid plans. These plans feature data rollover and all come with an extra 10GB of data on top of their regular cap specifically for use streaming video from Netflix, Stan and ABC iview. This extra data only covers streaming video from those three services and cannot be used for anything else.
Pricing and inclusions for these plans are as follows:
Prepaid Epic Data $10: Up to 100mins talk and unlimited texts, 5GB data, 5 day expiry
Prepaid Epic Data $20: Up to 200mins talk and unlimited texts, 12GB data, 10 day expiry
Prepaid Epic Data $30: Unlimited talk and text, 10GB data, 28 day expiry
Prepaid Epic Data $40: Unlimited talk and text, unlimited standard international calls, 20GB data, 28 day expiry
Prepaid Epic Data $50: Unlimited talk and text, unlimited standard international calls, 30GB data, 28 day expiry
Prepaid Epic Data $60: Unlimited talk and text, unlimited standard international calls, 40GB data, 28 day expiry
Prepaid Epic Data $70: Unlimited talk and text, unlimited standard international calls, 45GB data, 28 day expiry
Prepaid Epic Data $80: Unlimited talk and text, unlimited standard international calls, 50GB data, 28 day expiry
Prepaid Epic Data $100: Unlimited talk and text, unlimited standard international calls, 60GB data, 28 day expiry
If you prefer to stretch your prepaid credit for as long as possible, Optus' Epic Value plans might be more your style. Sporting longer expiries along with data rollover, these plans are available in the following increments:
Prepaid Epic Value $10: Unlimited talk and text, 500MB of data, 21 day expiry.
Prepaid Epic Value $15: Unlimited talk and text, 500MB of data, 28 day expiry.
Prepaid Epic Value $30: Unlimited talk and text, 2GB of data, 42 day expiry.
Prepaid Epic Value $40: Unlimited talk and text, 10GB of data, 42 day expiry.
Prepaid Epic Value $50: Unlimited talk and text, 15GB of data, 42 day expiry.
Prepaid Epic Value $180: Unlimited talk and text, 60GB of data, 365 day expiry.
Optus also offers a simplified daily plan called My Prepaid Daily Plus. This relies on a prepaid recharge that is used in $2 blocks each time you use the service, with varying expiry dates depending on the amount recharged, or until you've used up your credit in $2 per day increments.
My Prepaid Daily Plus $10: Unlimited talk and text, 500MB data a day for $2/day, 30 day expiry.
My Prepaid Daily Plus $20: Unlimited talk and text, 500MB data a day for $2/day, 30 day expiry.
My Prepaid Daily Plus $30: Unlimited talk and text, 500MB data a day for $2/day, 186 day expiry.
My Prepaid Daily Plus $45: Unlimited talk and text, 500MB data a day for $2/day, 186 day expiry.
My Prepaid Daily Plus $60: Unlimited talk and text, 500MB data a day for $2/day, 186 day expiry.
My Prepaid Daily Plus $100: Unlimited talk and text, 500MB data a day for $2/day, 186 day expiry.
If what you're after is a simple long expiry plan, Optus' My Prepaid Long Expiry may suit. Like the Daily Plus plans, you pay a credit fee upfront for a longer expiry period, with higher credit tiers enjoying longer expiry times. It's then a question of your usage, with each call, text and data usage accrued against your credit.
My Prepaid Long Expiry $10: 25c/min standard calls, 25c/text, 7c/MB data, 45 day expiry.
My Prepaid Long Expiry $20: 25c/min standard calls, 25c/text, 7c/MB data, 90 day expiry.
My Prepaid Long Expiry $30: 25c/min standard calls, 25c/text, 7c/MB data, 186 day expiry.
My Prepaid Long Expiry $40: 25c/min standard calls, 25c/text, 7c/MB data, 186 day expiry.
My Prepaid Long Expiry $50: 25c/min standard calls, 25c/text, 7c/MB data, 186 day expiry.
My Prepaid Long Expiry $60: 25c/min standard calls, 25c/text, 7c/MB data, 365 day expiry.
My Prepaid Long Expiry $70: 25c/min standard calls, 25c/text, 7c/MB data, 365 day expiry.
My Prepaid Long Expiry $80: 25c/min standard calls, 25c/text, 7c/MB data, 365 day expiry.
My Prepaid Long Expiry $100: 25c/min standard calls, 25c/text, 7c/MB data, 365 day expiry.
What extras does Optus Prepaid Mobile offer?
Prepaid plans are usually relatively bare bones, with the best extras reserved for Optus contract customers. Optus is relatively generous in this regard, with a variety of extras, predominantly for customers on the Epic Data plans. They currently include extra data exclusively for streaming popular streaming TV services Netflix, Stan and ABC iview. Recharging an Epic plan within the expiry period also allows you to roll over any unused data quota up to a maximum of 50GB.
The Optus Prepaid Long Expiry Plan has a similar rollover feature, but rather than data, you can rollover unused credit up to $500 if you recharge within your expiry period.
Optus prepaid recharge options
Different Optus prepaid plans have different expiry periods, and it’s worth noting if there are bonuses, such as data or credit rollover if you recharge within your expiry period. Here’s how you can recharge your Optus prepaid services:
Optus provides the ability to purchase recharges through its web portal for customers. You can recharge your own mobile phone, or any number associated with an Optus prepaid mobile account. Optus accepts payments via Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB Card, PayPal, via Internet Banking or from a pre-purchased voucher.
Optus provides a dedicated free to download app for iOS (download it here) or Android (download it here) mobile customers to recharge their mobile services on the go.
You can use Optus’ prepaid payment portal to pay directly via PayPal if that’s your payment method of choice.
Optus provides a system for fast, voucherless recharges at any 7-Eleven store nationwide. This involves setting up a dedicated QR code for your particular number, and then asking for a Scan and Go recharge instore. You scan the code, and it automatically applies the recharge to your prepaid account. You can find out more about Optus Scan and Go Recharge here.
You can recharge your phone by dialling 555 from your prepaid handset. This is a free call.
Recharge vouchers can be purchased for Optus prepaid services at many large retail outlets, as well as at any Optus store itself.
Optus has a facility for you to store credit card details pertaining to your prepaid service so that it automatically recharges your prepaid balance at a set expiry period. As with any automatic recharge, it’s up to you to keep an eye on what it’s doing if you’re not using an Optus service any more, as it will continually bill unless you adjust it.
Alex Kidman is the tech and telco editor at Finder. He's been a technology writer with experience spanning more than 20 years, writing and editing at Gizmodo, CNET, PC Magazine, Kotaku and many more. Alex has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of New England and a serious passion for retro gaming.
See how Optus's Internet speeds stack up against the competition when streaming Netflix, watching YouTube and downloading during the busy evening period.
I bought OptusYes $2 recharge Sim. I prepaid $10 via voucher and didn’t use it up as never could get data service. I have since left Australia and removed the SIM card. Must I cancel the account, & if so, how? Optus website has no info for cancelling prepaid SIMs.
Thanks for your advice.
As you’ve used a prepaid service there’s no specific requirement to cancel the SIM per se; Optus will simply allow the credit to expire (your only cost, and you’ve already paid it) but shouldn’t charge anything extra beyond that, as is the nature with prepaid services.
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I bought OptusYes $2 recharge Sim. I prepaid $10 via voucher and didn’t use it up as never could get data service. I have since left Australia and removed the SIM card. Must I cancel the account, & if so, how? Optus website has no info for cancelling prepaid SIMs.
Thanks for your advice.
Hi NotAussie,
As you’ve used a prepaid service there’s no specific requirement to cancel the SIM per se; Optus will simply allow the credit to expire (your only cost, and you’ve already paid it) but shouldn’t charge anything extra beyond that, as is the nature with prepaid services.
Regards,
Alex.