Vodafone has become the last of the big three to raise mobile prices in 2026, adding $5 a month to every postpaid plan for new customers — softened with a little extra data. The bigger question is the one Vodafone’s history forces you to ask: how long before existing customers get the same letter?
The short version:
- All three Vodafone postpaid plans are up $5 a month for new customers — an extra $60 a year.
- Each tier gained 5–20GB of data as a sweetener.
- Existing customers are exempt for now — but the last time Vodafone said that, existing-customer notices followed within weeks.
- Vodafone is still the cheapest of the big three — the gap is just thinner.
The New Prices, Side By Side
| Vodafone plan | Was | Now | Data |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small | $53 | $58 | 65GB (up from 60GB) |
| Medium | $63 | $68 | 220GB (up from 200GB) |
| Large | $73 | $78 | 420GB (up from 400GB) |
A Vodafone spokesperson told WhistleOut the rise supports “continued investment in our technology, security and digital capabilities” — and, on existing customers: “When we make changes which impact existing customers, we always inform those customers first.”
Why Existing Customers Shouldn’t Relax
WhistleOut’s reporting flags the precedent that matters: in January 2024, Vodafone announced a postpaid rise with the same new-customers-first framing — and existing customers began receiving their own price-rise notices the following month. That’s not a guarantee it repeats, but it’s the pattern on record. Vodafone also lifted prepaid prices in April, and raised postpaid by $4 in July last year. Annual July rises are becoming a rhythm.
Is Vodafone Still The Cheap Big-Brand Option?
Yes — narrowly. On entry plans, Finder’s comparison puts the majors here:
| Carrier (entry postpaid) | Price | Data | Cost per GB |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vodafone Small | $58 | 65GB | $0.89 |
| Optus (equivalent) | $60 | 60GB | $1.00 |
| Telstra (basic) | $74 | 50GB | $1.48 |
All three majors have now raised prices in 2026 — Telstra and Optus moved in March, per WhistleOut. The “cheap big-brand plan” is quietly vanishing as a category. What hasn’t vanished: the budget operators renting the exact same three networks, most of which haven’t matched these rises. Same towers, same signal, smaller logo, less money.
Your Move
If you’re with Vodafone: watch your inbox over the coming weeks, and know your exit is penalty-free on a month-to-month plan. If you were eyeing Vodafone for the price edge: it still exists, but compare it against the MVNOs on the same network before you sign. Live pricing across every network:
Our guide to the cheapest SIM-only plans in Australia breaks the budget options down network by network, here’s where we draw the line on plan pricing, and if you do jump ship, switching takes under a day with your number intact.
