If you’re looking for an alternative to the big four telcos in Australia, you’ve probably considered two of the most popular MVNO choices: Boost Mobile and Amaysim. But what is the difference between these two solid service provider options?
Unlimited plans
One of the key selling points for both Boost and Amaysim is that both offer offer unlimited calls and SMS/MMS in all plans. Amaysim has several more plans to choose from, while Boost keeps it simple with just $20 and $40 recharge options.
*Note: All plans in the table above are prepaid, but Amaysim does offer the same plans with a postpaid option.
Network vs network
The first and most important difference is that Boost and Amaysim operate on different networks. Boost operates in partnership with Telstra and runs on the
Telstra 4G network. This isn't Telstra fastest 4GX network but it is still blisteringly quick, with download speeds up to 100Mbps.
Amaysim, on the other hand, is an Optus 4G network reseller, meaning that you get all of the coverage benefits of being with Optus. Like Boost, the download speeds you should expect to see as an Amaysim customer are up to a maximum of
100Mbps.
In real world use, both Boost Mobile and Amaysim customers should expect downloads speeds of between 2Mbps - 50Mbps.
While download speeds should be pretty similar on both networks, coverage will be a more important factor to consider, and one which requires a bit of research. Before signing up to either service, make sure to look at coverage maps provided by both companies and be sure coverage reaches the places where you live and work.
Beyond calls and data
International calls: If you have friends and family overseas, then Amaysim is a great option. All Amaysim Unlimited plans, including the cheapest $24.90 option, come with unlimited calls to the 10 most popular calling destinations and unlimited SMS to 32 eligible countries. More expensive plan choices also come with 300-minutes to call the remainder of the 32 SMS countries not included in the unlimited 10.
You can find the full list of eligible countries in our guide to plans with international calls.
Bonus data: Boost Mobile customers can expect a lot of extra data in their plans, especially with Boost's ongoing weekend data plan feature. Each weekend between 9pm on Friday and midnight on Sunday, Boost customers on the $40 ULTD recharge get a bonus 2GB of data to use on top of the standard 3GB per month. This means that the plan comes with a total of 11GB per month, with 8GB to use only on the weekends.
Noteworthy alternatives...
Of course, there are a number of other cheap telco alternatives outside of Boost and Amaysim. Here are a few other to keep in mind.
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