Short answer: An Australian virtual phone number is a real +61 mobile number that receives SMS in an online account instead of on a SIM card, so it works from any country. eSIM Signal sells Australian virtual mobile numbers online on 3-month plans, with free unlimited incoming SMS, outgoing SMS from your account and no contract. The numbers are SMS only and do not make or receive calls.
Who needs an Australian virtual number?
Australian apps and services are often strict about phone numbers: many sign-up forms simply will not accept a number that does not start with +61 or 04. That catches out a lot of people:
- Working holiday makers who want a number before they fly, so accounts are set up and waiting on arrival
- International students dealing with Australian universities, landlords and apps from overseas
- Former residents who have left Australia but still have Australian accounts, deliveries or super to manage
- Families abroad shopping with Australian retailers or sending gifts home
- Anyone who wants a second Australian number to keep their personal number private on marketplaces and listings
What you get with an eSIM Signal Australian number
- A real Australian mobile number with the +61 country code
- Free, unlimited incoming SMS, shown in your account within seconds
- Outgoing SMS sent from your account, charged per message
- Any available number at no extra cost, or choose a specific one for a small one-off fee
- 3-month plans that renew until you switch renewal off
- No SIM card, no Australian address, no contract
Get an Australian mobile number for SMSGet a number
Before you fly: set it up from home
One of the best uses of a +61 number is getting ahead of the arrival scramble. Instead of spending your first day in Sydney or Melbourne queueing for a SIM before any app will let you sign up, you can arrive with accounts ready.
- Create a free eSIM Signal account and top up your credits by card.
- Buy an Australian number on the Australia page.
- Register it with the Australian apps and services you know you will need.
- Keep reading codes in your account while you are still at home, in transit or on arrival.
Tip: a virtual number handles texts, not internet. For maps, rideshares and banking apps on the way from the airport, add a data plan so your phone is online from the moment you land.
Data in Australia: pair the number with an eSIM
Australia is big and coverage thins out quickly once you leave the cities and main highways. A data eSIM sorted before you fly means you can open your account and read codes at the arrivals hall. Our best eSIM for Australia guide covers Sydney, the Great Barrier Reef, the Outback and how much data a trip really needs.
See Australia eSIM data plans and pricesSee plans
What an Australian virtual number is good for
- Verification codes for Australian apps, shops and online services
- Delivery and appointment texts from couriers, landlords and tradespeople
- Marketplace and classified listings, so buyers text a number that is not your personal one
- Keeping Australian accounts alive after you leave, without paying for a SIM you no longer use
- Testing an app or a website's SMS flow with a real Australian number
What it will not do
- No calls. Australian numbers from eSIM Signal are SMS only. A service that needs to phone you will not work.
- Some services refuse virtual numbers. A few banks, payment and messaging services only accept numbers tied to a SIM from an Australian network. Try the service you care about most first, and keep a bank's own preferred verification method where it offers one.
- It is not a full Australian phone service. For local calls and everyday data while living in Australia, a local SIM or a data eSIM is still the right tool; the virtual number sits alongside it.
Choosing between a number, a local SIM and an eSIM
- Virtual number only: you need a +61 number for texts and codes, but you are not in Australia, or not yet.
- Data eSIM only: you are visiting and need internet, but no Australian service needs your number.
- Both: you are visiting or moving and want codes on a +61 number plus data from day one. This is the most common combination for working holiday makers in their first weeks.
- Local SIM: you are settling for months and want a full local phone service. Even then, a separate virtual number can stay as your "private" number for listings.
For the bigger picture on numbers versus data, see virtual number vs eSIM. For a broad guide to codes, see the virtual phone number for SMS verification.
Common mistakes
- Waiting until you land to sort out a number, then losing a day to queues and paperwork.
- Using your personal number on every listing, then getting texts long after the item has sold.
- Letting the number lapse while it is still linked to an account. Leave renewal on and watch for the reminder email.
- Expecting calls to work. If someone needs to ring you, give them your main number.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get an Australian phone number before I arrive?
Yes. You can buy an eSIM Signal Australian virtual number online from any country and start receiving SMS on it straight away.
Is it a mobile number?
Yes. It is an Australian mobile number with the +61 country code.
Can I use an Australian virtual number for verification codes?
Yes. Incoming SMS are free and arrive in your account within seconds. A few services refuse virtual numbers, so test the one you need first.
How long are the Australian plans?
Australian numbers are currently sold on 3-month plans, which renew for another 3 months until you switch renewal off.
Can I make calls with an Australian virtual number?
No. Our Australian numbers are SMS only: free incoming SMS and outgoing SMS from your account, no calls.
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