RedEx
RedEx is a roaming eSIM provider designed for international travelers, providing services by utilizing the Spark NZ network, which has the largest number of base stations in New Zealand. Based on actual tests in Auckland Airport and Queenstown city center, its 5G download speeds maintain between 150Mbps and 350Mbps.
This brand does not require KYC identity verification. After purchasing a data package ranging from 3GB to 20GB, users can complete activation within 2 minutes by scanning a QR code. Its average data cost is approximately $3.50 USD/GB.
All plans support personal hotspot sharing; simply turn on the data roaming switch upon landing to connect to the internet.
Features & Limitations
- Network Access: Utilizes Spark NZ infrastructure, providing 5G transmission speeds of 150Mbps-350Mbps in major cities like Auckland.
- Remote Coverage: Automatically falls back to 4G/LTE networks in areas such as the West Coast of the South Island or Milford Sound, with a signal uptime of 95% on main highways.
- Activation Process: Entirely online operation, no passport verification required. Scan the QR Code attached to the email and complete device-side installation within 2 minutes.
- Hotspot Sharing: All data plans have the Tethering function enabled by default, supporting the phone to share the network with tablets or laptops simultaneously.
- Number Assignment: Provides data-only traffic; does not include a local New Zealand mobile number, and does not support traditional voice calls or SMS reception.
- Communication Alternatives: Must use VoIP software such as WhatsApp, FaceTime, or Skype to contact local homestay hosts or book restaurants.
- Network Routing: The IP address shows the service provider’s roaming location, which does not affect the loading speed or normal use of Google Maps and Instagram.
Plans & Pricing
- Billing Model: No monthly fees or contract requirements. One-time billing based on days and data caps with no hidden fees.
- Short-term Low-volume Plan: 1GB / 7 days priced at approximately $5 USD, suitable for travelers who only need to check in upon landing or have a short layover.
- Medium-term Mid-volume Plan: 3GB / 15 days priced at approximately $12 USD, meeting the needs for map navigation and daily social media posting for about a week.
- Long-term High-volume Plan: 10GB / 30 days priced at approximately $25 USD, 15%-20% cheaper than tourist cards with equivalent data at airport physical counters.
- Unit Cost: Depending on the size of the data package purchased, the average cost per GB of data ranges between $2.50 USD and $5.00 USD.
Target Audience
- Suitable for: Short-term international tourists staying in New Zealand for 1 to 2 weeks who mainly rely on data rather than calls and SMS.
- Suitable for: People who prefer to complete network configuration before boarding and refuse to queue for a physical SIM card after landing at Auckland Airport.
- Suitable for: Travelers carrying unlocked iPhone or Pixel devices who need to provide hotspot sharing for other devices like iPads.
- Not suitable for: In-depth self-drivers who need to frequently use local numbers to call landlines for booking restaurants or signing up for Local Tours.
Spark NZ
Spark NZ is New Zealand’s largest local telecommunications operator, with its own network covering 98.5% of the population.
In major cities like Auckland and Wellington, its median 5G download speed is stable at over 250Mbps, while in remote areas like Lake Tekapo or Fox Glacier in the South Island, it can still maintain a 4G connection of 15Mbps to 40Mbps.
Purchasing a Spark NZ prepaid eSIM assigns a local number starting with +64, including local voice and SMS services. With over 1,500 physical stores and partner outlets, it is the preferred network for long-distance self-drive travelers touring the islands.
Features & Limitations
- Network Access: Owns the most widely distributed physical base stations in New Zealand, with a signal coverage rate 15% higher than other operators along State Highway 6.
- Local Number: Every eSIM comes with a standard +64 local mobile number, supporting the reception of bank verification codes and calls to landlines within New Zealand.
- Free Hotspots: Users can connect for free to over 1,000 Spark Free Wi-Fi hotspots located in public phone booths and city centers nationwide, with a daily limit of 1GB.
- Entertainment Services: Some high-end monthly plans include free bundles like half-price Spotify Premium discounts or basic Netflix subscriptions.
- Activation Process: Must be operated via the Spark App after arriving in New Zealand, or by providing an original passport for real-name identity registration at a store.
- Device Compatibility: Only supports unlocked devices compatible with eSIM frequency bands; some older Android phones may need to purchase a physical SIM card instead.
- Throttling Mechanism: Unlimited data plans will be restricted to a speed of 1.2Mbps after reaching a certain high-speed data threshold, maintaining only basic web browsing.
Plans & Pricing
- Billing Model: Primarily offers Prepaid Plans calculated on a 28-day basis. Basic content includes data, local calling minutes, and SMS.
- Basic Light Plan: $20 NZD / 28 days includes 1.25GB of data and 200 minutes of local calls, suitable for light users who mainly rely on hotel Wi-Fi.
- Mainstream Mid-volume Plan: $40 NZD / 28 days provides 4GB of full-speed data plus unlimited throttled data, meeting map navigation and streaming needs during a self-drive trip.
- High-capacity Plan: $70 NZD / 28 days includes unlimited 5G data (unthrottled for the first 40GB), suitable for digital nomads who need to frequently open hotspots for remote work.
- Data Rollover: Unused full-speed data can automatically roll over to the next billing cycle (up to 365 days), provided the user renews the basic plan on time.
Target Audience
- Suitable for: Long-distance travelers planning a 3-week or longer in-depth self-drive tour of the islands, visiting natural scenic areas in the South Island such as Queenstown and Milford Sound.
- Suitable for: Tourists who need a +64 local number to contact car rental companies, book motels along the way, or sign up for outdoor activities like helicopter skydiving.
- Suitable for: International students or Working Holiday makers living in New Zealand long-term who need to establish stable local communication records.
- Not suitable for: Transit passengers staying briefly in Auckland for less than 3 days who are unwilling to download local Apps and upload passport photos for identity verification.
One NZ
One NZ (formerly Vodafone NZ) has become the fastest operator in New Zealand cities thanks to its massive investment in 5G network construction. According to OpenSignal test data, its average 5G download speed in Auckland CBD, Christchurch, and Wellington is as high as 320Mbps, with peaks even exceeding 1Gbps.
eSIM plans launched for tourists usually include large data packages ranging from 2GB to 100GB and allow users to roam in Australia (extra fee required). Its App supports 24/7 online customer service, making it ideal for business travelers sensitive to network latency who need HD video calls or online meetings.
Features & Limitations
- High-speed 5G Experience: Has the densest 5G base stations in major metropolitan areas like Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch, with tested download speeds consistently above 300Mbps.
- Satellite Communication Layout: Currently collaborating with SpaceX to promote Starlink satellite-to-cell service, aiming to eliminate remote dead zones and achieve 100% coverage in the future.
- Australia Roaming Advantage: Some plans allow the use of New Zealand data in Australia for $8 NZD per day without changing SIM cards.
- Flexible Prepaid: Offers both Pay Monthly and Prepaid modes. Prepaid users can purchase Data Add-ons via the App at any time.
- Social Media Data Free: Provides data-free packages for social apps like Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat for specific prepaid plans.
- VoLTE HD Calling: Supports VoLTE and Wi-Fi Calling across the board, ensuring clear voice calls even when indoor signals are weak.
- Device Compatibility: Perfectly adapted for iPhone 12 and above and Samsung Galaxy S21 and above series, ensuring the best connection on 5G bands.
Plans & Pricing
- Short-term Tourist Card: $29 NZD / 60 days includes 2GB of data, 200 minutes of NZ/Australia calling, and 200 SMS, suitable for short-term business trips.
- Medium-to-Long Term Large Data: $49 NZD / 60 days includes 10GB of data and unlimited NZ/Australia calling and SMS, meeting map navigation and video call needs for 2-4 weeks.
- Ultra-large Data Plan: $79 NZD / 60 days includes 40GB of massive data and unlimited NZ/Australia calling and SMS, suitable for heavy streaming users or family hotspot sharing.
- Data Add-ons: If data is exhausted within the plan validity, an additional 2.5GB high-speed data pack can be purchased for $20 NZD, taking effect immediately.
- MyFlex: Allows users to freely combine the required data, minutes, and SMS limits in the App, with minimum monthly consumption starting from just $13 NZD.
Target Audience
- Suitable for: Business people or live-streamers who mainly operate in large cities like Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch and have extremely high requirements for 5G speed.
- Suitable for: Multi-national travelers planning to visit both New Zealand and Australia, hoping for a single card to solve communication in both countries.
- Suitable for: Young tourists accustomed to sharing travel updates on Instagram and Facebook who hope to save on social media data consumption.
- Not suitable for: Backpackers with extremely limited budgets who spend long periods hiking in rural areas or remote national parks and only require basic signal coverage rather than high speed.
2degrees
2degrees is an operator that entered the New Zealand communication market with an affordable strategy. Its 5G network provides an average download speed of 200Mbps in 14 major towns and cities including Auckland and Wellington.
In remote areas where its own base stations do not cover, it maintains 98.5% physical coverage through domestic roaming agreements with other local operators.
The biggest feature of its eSIM prepaid plans is the 100% data rollover mechanism; unused high-speed data can accumulate up to 50GB and be kept for 365 days.
Users can claim 1 hour of free unlimited data every day through the official App, making the overall usage cost 10% to 15% lower than the market average.
Features & Limitations
- Network Access: Deploys its own 5G bands in major cities, with download speeds between 150Mbps and 250Mbps, satisfying smooth 4K video playback.
- Domestic Roaming: After leaving main urban areas, the device automatically connects to roaming agreement networks, providing basic connectivity at 3G/4G speeds on stretches like State Highway 73 in the South Island.
- Free Periods: The Data Clock App allows users to redeem 60 minutes of unlimited full-speed 5G data for free every day, ideal for concentrated downloading of offline maps or series.
- Data Rollover: As long as the basic plan is renewed on time, the remaining local data and calling minutes for the month will automatically roll into the next month, accumulating for up to 1 year.
- Australia Roaming: Pay $8 NZD daily to activate Aussie Roaming within Australia, consuming the data and call allowance within the New Zealand plan.
- Activation Process: After purchasing an eSIM, download the 2degrees App to complete device configuration. Supports keeping existing New Zealand mobile numbers (Port-in).
- Wi-Fi Calling: Fully supports Wi-Fi Calling, allowing calls and SMS via Wi-Fi networks when signals are weak indoors or in basements.
Plans & Pricing
- Billing Model: Offers prepaid plans on a 14-day or 1-month cycle. All plans come with a +64 local New Zealand mobile number.
- Ultra-low Price Entry: $10 NZD / 14 days includes 250MB of data and 100 minutes of local calls, suitable for light contact needs with a very low budget.
- High Cost-performance Monthly Card: $19 NZD / 1 month includes 1.5GB of full-speed data and unlimited SMS. Combined with 1 hour of free daily data, it is sufficient for daily commuting.
- Mainstream Mid-volume Plan: $35 NZD / 1 month provides 5GB of full-speed rollover data, plus unlimited throttled data (up to 1.2Mbps).
- Large Data Plan: $85 NZD / 1 month provides 100GB of full-speed data, switching to a 1.2Mbps basic speed after reaching the cap, suitable for long-term residents without fixed broadband.
Target Audience
- Suitable for: Young people on Working Holidays or international students in New Zealand who are price-sensitive and want to keep unused data.
- Suitable for: Travelers whose itinerary includes both New Zealand and Australia and who wish to use a single prepaid plan for basic communication in both countries.
- Suitable for: Users accustomed to processing large file downloads or video backups during concentrated time periods, making full use of the “1 hour free data daily” benefit.
- Not suitable for: Travelers seeking extreme network stability and the highest 5G peak speeds, who spend most of their time doing outdoor extreme sports in remote alpine areas of the South Island.