Circles.Life Mobile Phone Plans Review
You may not have heard of Circles.Life, but the Singapore-based telco has been making waves internationally – and has been steadily expanding in Aussie market over the past years.
Originally launched back in 2016, the company has since become Singapore’s fastest-growing telco, claiming 5% of the country’s mobile market share by February 2019. Circles.Life has now expanded to Taiwan, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Australia, and offers a unique approach to SIM-only mobile.
If you’re looking for a simple contract-free mobile plan that makes it easy to bring your own phone and keep your existing number, Circles.Life might be worth checking out. Below, we’ve got everything you need to know about Circles.Life’s plans, prices, and perks.
What does Circles.Life offer?
Circles.Life’s SIM-only plans including unlimited standard national calls and SMS, along with data allowances from 6GB up to 160GB, and all opterating on the Optus mobile network. International calls and roaming are also available, but be aware that these aren’t included in your standard monthly price price — these extra costs will be added to your next bill.
If you’re interested in the extras available on Circles.Life plans, we’ve listed several inclusions (and exclusions) in the below table.
| Included on Circles.Life plans? | |
|---|---|
| Entertainment bonuses | |
| Data-free video streaming | |
| Data-free music streaming | |
| International calls/texts | |
| International roaming | |
| Set-up fees | |
| Data overage fees |
Circles.Life mobile network and coverage
As a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO), Circles.Life doesn’t own or operate its own mobile network. Instead, Circles.Life runs on Optus‘ full 4G Plus and 3G networks, which cover 98.5% of Australians. 4G Plus is available to 98.5% of the Australian population and offers super-fast data speeds, both inside major metro locations and in more regional areas.
As Circles.Life uses all of Optus’ 3G and 4G Plus networks, you’ll get the same coverage on a Circles.Life plan as any customers using Optus directly. One exception is Optus’ 5G network, which is currently being rolled out Australia-wide and may not be as widely available. Currently, Circles.Life does not offer 5G plans, although some other MVNOs on the Optus network do.
Features and bonuses
- International calls: International calls are available to a range of countries, but are not included in your monthly plan fee. You’ll need to add on a call pack if you want to make calls overseas.
- International roaming: Roaming outside Australia is available in selected countries and can be switched on via the Circles.Life app. Rates will vary by country and roaming is charged on a per-use basis.
- Referral bonuses: Refer a friend to Circles.Life, and you and that friend will each receive a discount on your plan fees for six months, and 5GB of bonus data for six months.
Circles.Life plans
Circles.Life offers plans on a monthly, no-contract basis, with no set-up fees. It’s also worth noting that Circles.Life regularly runs offers on its plans, such as discounts and bonus data, so if this telco sounds right to you, you might want to keep an eye out for any deals.
The following table shows published Circles.Life postpaid phone plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of cost from lowest to highest. Use our comparison tool to see plans from a range of other providers.
Circles.Life contact details & customer support
- General customer support: 1300 863 004
- The Circles.Life Facebook page
- The Circles.Life Twitter account: @CirclesLifeAU
- Online chat via the Circles.Life website
- Circles.Life app for iPhone and Android
How does Circles.Life compare?
Circles.Life isn’t the only telco offering Optus network coverage at lower prices. The following providers also use the Optus 4G and 3G networks.
- Southern Phone
- Moose Mobile
- Dodo
- Amaysim
- Catch Connect
- Yomojo
- Vaya
- Coles Mobile
- Exetel
- iiNet
- SpinTel
The following table shows a selection of published postpaid plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of lowest standard monthly cost to highest, then by data allowance, largest to smallest. Use our phone plan comparison tool to see all plans available on Canstar Blue’s database. This table includes products with links to referral partners.
Is Circles.Life a good deal?
Circles.Life’s SIM-only plans could be a great deal if you’re looking for a contract-free option that is also straightforward. You can also bring your own unlocked smartphone, and transfer your existing phone number.
However, paying extra for international roaming and calls can add up quickly, and there are plenty of telcos on the market who offer unlimited overseas calls as part of standard plan inclusions.
Overall, Circles.Life offers great value for customers who are happy to avoid the standard phone-on-a-plan contract cycle, and don’t necessarily need included extras such as international calls. But as always, make sure to compare plans and coverage before deciding on a provider – use our comparison tool to find the right plan for you.
About the author of this page
This page was written and is regularly updated by Canstar Blue’s Telco Editor, Tara Donnelly. Having spent over seven years writing for and editing telco comparison websites, she’s an expert in all things phone & internet, including NBN plans, wireless technology, the latest mobile devices and how to find the best deal for your family. She loves to highlight the next best deals, while also flagging the things you need to be aware of.