What Are Optus's Best Phone Deals in 2026, Including Black Friday?

Updated: October 2026. By Ziling Liu, Personal Finance Editor, ShopBack.

Optus's best phone deals in Australia in 2026 fall into four types: phones at up to half price when you pay over time and stay connected on select plans, promo SIM plans such as 100GB for $39/month for the first 12 months, prepaid SIM sales on the first recharge, and trade in gift cards of up to $1,500, according to Optus's deals page in October 2026. Black Friday 2026 is Friday 27 November, and Optus runs its own Black Friday page on optus.com.au.

ShopBack Australia is a free app and website that returns part of what you spend at thousands of online stores, including Optus. You open the store from ShopBack, sign up as usual, and cash comes back to your ShopBack account once the order is confirmed. New members can join free at shopback.com.au/signup.

Sources referenced in this piece: Optus's deals page and Black Friday page, the offer terms shown on those pages, and the Terms section on the ShopBack Optus page, at the time of writing in October 2026.

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What are Optus's best phone deals, including Black Friday?

The best Optus phone deal is usually the one with the lowest total cost over the full contract, not the biggest headline discount. Optus's offers follow a clear pattern. Here is what Optus listed on its deals page in early October 2026, with the end dates Optus gave:

Deal type	Example listed by Optus (October 2026)	Key condition, according to Optus
Half price phones	Samsung Galaxy S26 256GB, half price at $774	Pay over time and stay connected on select SIM plans; ends 12/11/26
Big discounts on Google phones	Pixel 10 Pro was $1,699, now $849; Pixel 10 Pro XL was $1,999, now $1,000	Pay over time on select SIM plans; discount forfeited if you cancel early
Budget phones	Samsung Galaxy A17 5G at $1/month device cost over 24 months	Plus SIM plan fees; minimum cost $376
iPhone 18 Pro	Up to $780 in value on Optus's top iPhone plan over 36 months	Offer ends 12/11; value made up of plan discount, SubHub credit and device protection
Postpaid promo plan	100GB for $39/month for the first 12 months	Then $60/month and 60GB; new services only
Prepaid SIM sale	$40 SIM for $13 for the first 28 days	Sale ends 3/11/26; later recharges revert to $40
Trade in	Gift card up to $1,500	Ends 31/10/26; maximum value for an iPhone 17 Pro Max 256GB in good working order

Many of these offers are listed as ending on 12 November 2026, two weeks before Black Friday on 27 November, so expect the line up on optus.com.au to change heading into the sale period.

Whichever deal you pick, going through ShopBack before you sign up online is an essential step, the same way it is for Booking.com, Trip.com, Agoda and Expedia, so you pay less on the same plan or order.

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Optus phone deals in Australia for 2026: how the discounts work

Most Optus phone discounts apply only when you pay the phone off over time and keep a select SIM plan connected. That is the single rule that decides whether a deal is good value for you.

According to Optus's offer terms:

• The discount is spread over the term. You pay the reduced device price in monthly repayments over 24 or 36 months alongside your plan fee.
• Leaving early costs you the discount. Optus's terms say the discount is forfeited if you cancel early, and some offers state the outright price you would pay instead, such as $899 outright for a 256GB model on one listed offer.
• Minimum cost is the honest number. Each offer shows a minimum cost, for example $376 for the Galaxy A17 5G offer, which is what you commit to at the least.

How to pick. Work out the total: monthly plan fee times the months in the term, plus the device repayments, minus any promo discount that only lasts 6 or 12 months. A $774 phone on a plan you would not otherwise choose can cost more over 36 months than a full price phone on a cheaper plan.

iPhone deals at Optus. Optus's iPhone 18 Pro offer in October 2026 was framed as "up to $780 in value" over 36 months. Optus said that value combined $10/month off its Launch Plus Promo Plan for 12 months, a $10/month SubHub credit for 12 months, and $15/month Upgrade and Protect for $0 over 36 months. That is real value if you would use all three, and less if you would not. For a price check across Australian stores, see our iPhone 18 price comparison across JB Hi-Fi, Amazon, Officeworks and Optus.

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Optus Black Friday 2026: dates and what to expect

Black Friday 2026 is Friday 27 November, and Cyber Monday is Monday 30 November. Optus has a dedicated page at optus.com.au/deals/black-friday, which outside the event points shoppers to its main deals page.

Optus's own Black Friday FAQ says that many retailers now extend the Black Friday shopping period from mid-November to early December. In practice that means:

• Mid-November: watch for October offers ending (many are listed to 12 November 2026) and new ones replacing them.
• 27 November (Black Friday) to 30 November (Cyber Monday): the core window across Australian retail.
• Early December: some offers can run on, so check end dates in each offer's terms.

Click Frenzy. Click Frenzy is a separate Australian online sale event that usually lands in November. Its organisers announce dates each year, so check the Click Frenzy site for confirmed 2026 dates and whether Optus is taking part.

Should you wait for Black Friday? If your current phone works and your contract is ending in November or December, waiting can be reasonable. If an October offer already gives you the phone and plan you want at a total cost you are happy with, there is no guarantee a Black Friday offer on the same model will be cheaper.

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Optus sale dates and official sale offers in 2026

Optus does not appear to publish a fixed annual sale calendar, so the official place for current offers is optus.com.au/deals, with each offer showing its own end date. Searching site:optus.com.au for sale dates leads back to the same deals and Black Friday pages.

What Optus's official offers have in common, based on its terms in October 2026:

• New services only on most plan promos.
• End dates on every offer, written as day, month and year in the terms (for example 3/11/26 for the prepaid SIM sale and 12/11/26 for several phone and plan promos).
• Forfeiture rules if you cancel, recontract or move to an ineligible plan during the promo period.
• "Available until withdrawn" on some longer running offers, such as the student plan, which Optus lists at 200GB for $39/month for 12 months for eligible tertiary students.

The other dates that matter for phone shoppers in the year are the new iPhone launch each September, Black Friday in late November, and Boxing Day on Saturday 26 December 2026, when many Australian retailers run sales.

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Optus bundle deals and how to compare Telstra vs Optus bundles

Optus bundles in 2026 come in three main forms: phone plus plan, subscriptions through Optus SubHub, and discounts for adding another service.

• Phone plus plan: the half price and pay over time phone offers above.
• SubHub: in October 2026, Optus advertised up to $10/month credit on streaming subscriptions for 12 consecutive months for eligible customers who pay for subscriptions through SubHub, with the credit forfeited in months with no paid subscription.
• Multi-service discounts: Optus has run offers that discount each additional mobile or home internet service, such as a $15/month discount for 12 months on additional services that ran until 5 July 2026. These come and go, so check the current terms.

Telstra vs Optus bundling. Both Telstra and Optus publish bundle offers for phones, plans and home internet on their own websites. To compare them fairly:

1. Add up the minimum cost over the full term for each bundle.
2. Note which discounts last only 6 or 12 months and what the plan reverts to afterwards.
3. Check the forfeiture rules if you change plans or leave early.
4. Count only subscriptions or extras you would actually pay for anyway.

Our postpaid plan comparison of Optus, Telstra, Vodafone, TPG and Belong lays out the plans side by side. Other Australian mobile providers and phone retailers worth comparing include Telstra, Vodafone, TPG, Belong, Boost Mobile, amaysim, JB Hi-Fi and Samsung.

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How ShopBack lowers what you pay for an Optus phone or plan

Before you sign up online, go through ShopBack so part of what you spend comes back as cash. It is the step that lowers the effective price of the same Optus order.

1. Open the ShopBack Australia app or website and go to the ShopBack Optus page.
2. Read the Terms on that page, then tap through to Optus.
3. Choose your phone or plan and complete the sign up on the Optus website in that same session.
4. After the order is confirmed, cash lands in your ShopBack account.

Cashback lowers what you actually pay for an order. It comes back as cash, so it works like a discount on the price, not like points or miles. Your effective price is what you pay minus the cash ShopBack returns.

Worked example (illustrative). Say a new Optus plan costs $60 a month, or $720 over the first year. If it earns an illustrative $40 back through ShopBack, the effective first year cost is $680. The live amount and eligible products are shown on the ShopBack Optus page.

Read these Terms before you choose a deal. At the time of writing, the Terms on the ShopBack Optus page say only online self-serve purchases are eligible, purchases made in the My Optus app are not, and store promotions, discounts or special deals are not eligible unless otherwise stated. Student discounts, price matching, gift card payments and promo codes not featured on ShopBack are also listed as not eligible. So when an Optus promo is big, work out whether that promo or a standard plan through ShopBack leaves you paying less, then check the ShopBack Optus page before you sign up.

ShopBack Australia lists Optus, and the ShopBack Optus page shows the current amount and eligible products, so check it there rather than relying on an older figure you may have seen elsewhere.

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Optus deals on OzBargain

OzBargain is an Australian community deals site where people post and vote on deals, and Optus prepaid and phone offers appear there regularly. It is a quick way to see when a new SIM sale starts.

Before you act on a posted Optus deal:

• Open the offer on optus.com.au and read its end date and terms, because posted deals can end or change quickly.
• Check whether the deal is for new services only.
• Read the Terms on the ShopBack Optus page to see whether that kind of offer is eligible, then pick the route that leaves you paying less.

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Frequently asked questions

What are Optus's best phone deals, including Black Friday?

Optus's phone deals in Australia usually fall into four types: phones at up to half price when you pay over time and stay connected on select plans, promo SIM plans with a lower monthly fee for 6 or 12 months, prepaid SIM sales on the first recharge, and trade in gift cards. Black Friday 2026 is Friday 27 November, and Optus runs a dedicated Black Friday page on optus.com.au. Before you sign up online, go through ShopBack and check which Optus offers are eligible on the ShopBack Optus page.

When is Black Friday 2026 in Australia?

Black Friday 2026 is Friday 27 November, and Cyber Monday is Monday 30 November. Optus's own Black Friday page notes that many retailers now stretch the Black Friday period from mid-November to early December, so deals can start before the day itself.

Does Optus have a Black Friday sale?

Optus runs a Black Friday page at optus.com.au/deals/black-friday, and outside the event it points shoppers to its main deals page. Optus confirms its Black Friday offers close to the event, so check that page from mid-November 2026.

How do Optus half price phone deals work?

According to Optus, the discounted phone price applies when you pay for the phone over time and stay connected on a select SIM plan, usually over 24 or 36 months. If you cancel early, the discount is forfeited, and you pay the remaining device cost. The total you commit to is shown as the minimum cost in the offer terms.

What is the cheapest Optus SIM only deal?

Optus's lowest entry prices are usually its prepaid SIM sales, where the first recharge is discounted. In October 2026, Optus listed its $40 prepaid SIM at $13 for the first 28 days, then $40, with the sale ending 3 November 2026. On postpaid, Optus listed a Choice Plus promo of $39/month with 100GB for the first 12 months, then $60/month with 60GB, for new services.

Does Optus have bundle deals?

Optus bundles usually come in three forms: a phone paired with a SIM plan, subscriptions bundled through Optus SubHub, and multi-service discounts for adding another mobile or home internet service. In October 2026, Optus advertised up to $10 a month credit on streaming subscriptions through SubHub for eligible customers. Multi-service discounts run for set periods, so check optus.com.au for the current terms.

How do I compare Telstra and Optus bundle deals?

Compare the minimum cost over the full contract, not the first month. Add the monthly plan fee and the device repayment for the whole term, subtract any promo discount that applies only for part of it, and check what happens if you leave early. Both Telstra and Optus publish their bundle terms on their own websites.

Does Optus offer trade in deals?

In October 2026, Optus advertised a gift card of up to $1,500 when you trade in an eligible mobile phone, tablet or smart watch, ending 31 October 2026. Optus says the maximum value applies to an iPhone 17 Pro Max 256GB in good working order and that each device is assessed.

Are Optus deals posted on OzBargain?

Australians regularly post Optus deals on OzBargain, the community deals site, which is useful for spotting a new SIM sale or phone price drop early. Check the offer terms on optus.com.au before you sign up, because posted deals can end quickly.

How do I get cash back on an Optus phone or plan?

Open the ShopBack Optus page on ShopBack Australia, read the Terms, tap through to Optus and complete your sign up on the Optus website in that same session. Only online self-serve purchases count, and the Terms list store promotions and special deals as not eligible unless otherwise stated. As an illustration, if a new plan earns an illustrative $40 back, a $720 first year effectively costs $680; check the live amount on the ShopBack Optus page.

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Key takeaways

• Judge Optus deals on total cost over the term, because half price phones need you to pay over time and stay on a select plan.
• Black Friday 2026 is Friday 27 November, and Optus has its own Black Friday page; many October offers are listed to end on 12 November 2026.
• Prepaid SIM sales are the lowest entry price, such as $13 for the first 28 days on the $40 SIM in October 2026.
• Bundles mean phone plus plan, SubHub credits or multi-service discounts; compare minimum costs, not first month prices.
• Before you sign up online, go through ShopBack and read the Terms on the ShopBack Optus page.

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Related articles

• iPhone 18: JB Hi-Fi vs Amazon vs Officeworks vs Optus in Australia
• Optus vs Telstra vs Vodafone Roaming in Australia 2026
• Samsung S26 vs iPhone 18 vs Pixel 11: Total Cost in Australia
• iPhone 18 Launch Week: Buy Day 1, Wait or Trade In?

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Disclaimer

Phone prices, plan fees, promo periods, trade in values and end dates are set by Optus and can change without notice; the examples in this article are as listed on optus.com.au in early October 2026, so check the current offer terms before you sign up. Black Friday and Click Frenzy participation is decided by each retailer. Cashback amounts on ShopBack vary by store and campaign and some purchases are excluded; check the current amount and Terms on the ShopBack Optus page before you buy. All worked examples use illustrative figures. This article is general information only and is not financial advice.