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Compare Internet in Australia | Cheap Home Wireless Broadband & NBN Plans
We’re all relying on home internet a little bit more these days. Whether it’s to work from home, stay connected to friends and family, or just fight boredom. With all of us staying home more, and therefore using more internet, it’s more important than ever to make sure we have a fast, reliable, and affordable connection. If you’re looking to learn more about broadband in Australia, and discover the best internet providers, continue reading below.
Skip Ahead to Compare Internet Plans: Ranked by Speed & Type
The technology used to connect to the internet is changing, with the rollout of the NBN across Australia, the phasing-out of ADSL, and the installation of 5G. There are so many different ways, old and new, to make sure you stay connected, and if you’re not sure about their differences keep reading below.
NBN Broadband
NBN is the latest high-speed internet technology that has rolled out across Australia. While there are different types of NBN connections depending on where you live, the basic idea is the NBN will connect homes to the internet with high-speed fibre optic cables allowing for download speeds of up to 100Mbps, or even more in some instances. With NBN you can choose to get a home phone line, but unlike old ADSL conntections you don't need one.
Home Wireless Broadband in Australia
Unlike other home broadband technologies, home wireless broadband relies on the mobile phone network to connect your home to the internet. A wireless broadband modem connects to whichever mobile network you choose (Telstra, Optus, or Vodafone) and allows for multiple devices including computers, phones, or tablets to connect to it at the same time. While traditional home wireless broadband speeds can get up to 24Mbps, new 5G home broadband can reach well over 100Mbps, making it a faster alternative even to most NBN plans.
Cable Broadband in Australia
Cable broadband is an alternative to NBN and ADSL, which uses an exclusive network of fibre and copper cables to deliver data to households. While faster than traditional ADSL, it’s less reliable than new NBN technology. Telstra and Optus are the two main cable broadband providers, and as NBN becomes more popular, cable is less readily available.
ADSL & ADSL2+ in Australia
Now obsolete, ADSL and ADSL2+ was the older technology used to deliver home internet via the copper telephone wires connected to a house. Since the rollout of NBN, most internet providers have pulled their ADSL plans from their websites and no longer offer them to new customers. If you still have ADSL it’s important to switch over to a different type of broadband soon to avoid losing service.
Looking for a New Internet Plan for Your Home?
Selectra Can Provide Advice & Help You Find The Best Plan
There’s more to choosing cheap NBN plans than just price. This is because the cheapest NBN plan may not always be the best broadband option.
With most households on the National Broadband Network there's a range of cheap options available for everyone. However, purchasing a cheap broadband plan on price alone could leave you with a plan that's not fast enough for your household or could come with data caps that leave you without broadband halfway through the month.
While we all want to get the cheapest internet available, that doesn’t necessarily mean that cheapest is best. It’s important to consider your internet needs, so you’re not stuck with an internet plan that leaves you feeling frustrated.
When searching for cheap broadband plans you will need to consider:
Price - What is your monthly internet budget? The price of your internet service depends on many other factors such as data allowance, speed, and connection type.
Speed - How fast should your internet be? The faster the internet, the more expensive the plan, but bigger households or households with high internet users (gamers, for example) will need a faster internet plan.
In the table below we explain how to compare cheap NBN plans with speed in mind:
However, these speed standards only outline the maximum speeds possible. Most internet service providers display their NBN plans with the average evening speed, this is the estimated average download speed you will actually get during peak busy hours during the evening. Some of the best internet providers have a higher average evening speed than others.
Check Your Broadband Speed Use the Internet Speed Test to find out how fast your internet is, and learn tips and tricks that might speed up your connection.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) releases their quarterly report Measuring Broadband Australia, which details advertised vs actual download speeds from the biggest internet service providers in Australia. Below you can find a table of the top internet providers in Australia, along with the download average percentage of plan speed for all hours, and peak busy hours. This means, for example, if you choose an Optus NBN50 plan, during peak busy hours your download speeds would only be 98.5% of 50Mbps while overall, you would experience download speeds at 99.4% of 50Mbps.
Source: ACCC Measuring Broadband Australia, December 2023, Figure 5. Valid April 2024.
Internet providers are now offering Superfast and Ultrafast NBN speeds to their lineup of broadband plans. These impossibly fast download speeds are only really available if you have an FTTP or HFC connection to your premises, but can deliver speeds of up to NBN250 or even NBN1000 to your home. Plans for Superfast and Ultrafast NBN start around $100 per month, and all come with unlimited data.
Connection type - What type of internet connection do you have available, and what are the available speeds for that connection type?
Data - Most broadband providers offer unlimited data on their NBN plans, while home wireless broadband plans can include up to 1000GB of data per month. Likewise, if you rarely use the internet, it might not make sense to pay more for data you won’t use.
Availability - Is the right provider and broadband connection available to your home? Always check availability when choosing a new broadband plan.
Discounts - Most broadband providers have limited-time discounts and deals on their internet plans. These might be a free modem or $0 activation if you sign a 12-month contract or a discounted monthly cost for the first 6 months. Always read the fine print so you know exactly how much you can expect to pay, for the duration of your service.
Contract - While most ISPs offer broadband plans without a contract, giving you the flexibility to compare and switch plans, you might be able to save more if you choose a 6-month, year-long, or even 24-month contract by scoring a free modem or reducing your activation & setup costs.
NBN broadband is now the standard across Australia, with almost everyone able to get NBN in their homes and businesses. With NBN, Australians have the power to choose the best plan, speed, and price for their households, and you can compare the cheapest NBN plans, by speed, by reading more below.
Cheap NBN Plans: Basic NBN 25
NBN25, also known as NBN Basic II or NBN Standard, is a great broadband speed for smaller households of 1-2 people who often browse social media, check their emails, and stream videos in standard definition. Below you’ll find a selection of some of the cheapest NBN Basic II plans available in Australia, with the monthly cost, any discounts available, and contract terms.
$10 / month For first month if you sign up before 31 July 2023 $65 / month after
25 Mbps
$0 activation 12-Month Contract
Source: Providers individual websites. Actual offers may vary. Actual speeds may vary. This comparison does not include all providers, products, or plan features. Typical evening speed 7pm-11pm and subject to change. Valid April 2024.
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Cheap NBN Plans: Standard NBN 50
NBN Standard, or NBN50, is a great broadband speed for larger households of 3-4 people who are high internet users or have multiple different devices connected at once. With NBN50 you can stream HD videos, play video games online, and browse social media across multiple devices. Here you’ll find a selection of some of the cheapest NBN50 plans on the market, to help you choose the best internet plan.
Here is a List of the Cheapest NBN 50 Plans:
Selectra's Recommendation: Cheapest NBN Standard Plans
$0 modem if you stay for 24 months Month-to-month plan
Source: Providers individual websites. Actual offers may vary. Actual speeds may vary. This comparison does not include all providers, products, or plan features. Typical evening speed 7pm-11pm and subject to change. Valid April 2024.
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Cheap NBN Plans: Fast NBN 100
If you live in a household with multiple high-internet users, NBN100 is a great broadband speed to ensure everyone can connect multiple devices to stream, game, binge, and browse at the same time. Below you’ll find some of the cheapest NBN100 broadband plans, with any current discounts, additional costs, and contract lengths, to help you find the cheapest broadband plan for you.
Here is a List of the Cheapest NBN 100 Plans:
Selectra's Recommendation: Cheapest NBN Fast Plans
$0 modem if you stay for 24 months Month-to-month plan
Source: Providers individual websites. Actual offers may vary. Actual speeds may vary. This comparison does not include all providers, products, or plan features. Typical evening speed 7pm-11pm and subject to change. Valid April 2024.
See important informationclose
Looking for a New Internet Plan for Your Home?
Selectra Can Provide Advice & Help You Find The Best Plan
NBN Superfast is one of the newest plan speeds available on the National Broadband Network. With up to 250Mbps download speeds, these plans are great for heavy internet users who don't want to be slowed down by speed.
If you have a large household with multiple devices and people who work online, study online, and stream television, then an NBN Superfast plan should be fast enough for you and for your household.
Here is a List of the Cheapest NBN Superfast Plans:
$88.95 / month first 6 months $108.95 / month after
240Mbps
BYO modem +$140 modem upfront
Source: Providers individual websites. Actual offers may vary. Actual speeds may vary. This comparison does not include all providers, products, or plan features. Typical evening speed 7pm-11pm and subject to change. Valid April 2024. NBN Superfast is not available for all connections.
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Cheapest NBN Ultrafast Plans
NBN 1000, otherwise known as NBN Ultrafast, is the fastest available NBN speed tier and is one of the newest technologies on the market.
While NBN Ultrafast has maximum potential speeds of up to 1000Mbps, due to its novelty, most connections can’t handle these speeds yet. However, the rollout is in progress, and for households who need such broadband speeds, more NBN 1000 plans regularly come available.
Here is a List of the Cheapest NBN Ultrafast Plans:
$119.99 / month first 6 months $149.99 / month after
450Mbps
BYO modem $0 modem if you stay connected for 24 months. Max $192 modem payment if leave early
Source: Providers individual websites. Actual offers may vary. Actual speeds may vary. This comparison does not include all providers, products, or plan features. Typical evening speed 7pm-11pm and subject to change. Valid April 2024. NBN Ultrafast is not available for all connections.
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Compare Cheap Home Wireless Broadband Plans
If you’re looking for an alternative to the NBN, home wireless broadband is a good choice. Rather than a fixed wireless network (like the NBN or ADSL), home wireless broadband uses the mobile broadband network to connect the devices in your home to the internet. While 4G home wireless broadband speeds aren’t quite as fast as NBN, new 5G home wireless broadband plans perform as well as, if not better than, the NBN.
Cheap 4G Home Wireless Broadband
All three major network operators in Australia provide 4G connections. 4G broadband is an excellent alternative to a traditional fixed line broadband connection - designed to replace your traditional fixed line connection; whether it's ADSL, Cable, or NBN.
$39.95 / month First three months $45.94 / month after
25 Mbps
$0 activation and a $0 modem if you stay for 24 months 12-month plan with unlimited data
Origin
$74.00 / month
24 Mbps
Free modem if you stay for 12 months 12-month plan with unlimited data
Source: Providers individual websites. Actual offers may vary. Actual speeds may vary. This comparison does not include all providers, products, or plan features. Typical evening speed 7pm-11pm and subject to change. Valid April 2024. NBN Ultrafast is not available for all connections.
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Cheap 5G Home Wireless Broadband
While it’s slowly getting rolled out across the country, 5G isn’t available everywhere just yet. But if you’re one of those who already live in a place with 5G access, you might be able to get 5G home wireless broadband. Currently, only Optus, and Spintel on the Optus 5G Network, offer 5G home wireless but their 5G plans are comparable to even some of the fastest NBN plans.
$0 modem when you stay connected for 24 months + first month free 24-month plan with 1TB data
Source: Providers individual websites. Actual offers may vary. Actual speeds may vary. This comparison does not include all providers, products, or plan features. Typical evening speed 7pm-11pm and subject to change. Valid April 2024.
Looking for a New Internet Plan for Your Home?
Selectra Can Provide Advice & Help You Find The Best Plan
The cheapest NBN plan depends on what you’re looking for. It is best to consider NBN plans by examining speed, cost, data, contract and inclusions. In terms of the cheapest plans, Flip offers the best NBN plans on a budget. They are all great deals depending on how much you are willing to spend.
Is 5g Better than NBN Australia?
While the NBN now covers most Australians, it isn’t the only broadband choice. Home wireless broadband is a great NBN alternative, connecting households to the internet through the use of the existing mobile networks. Unlike NBN, which usually requires a technician to assist with the setup and can take a few days to get connected, home wireless broadband is plug-and-play. Simply order your modem, choose your plan, and plug it in once delivered. 5G home internet is certainly an attractive option, but it’s important to do your research before switching, as the 5G network is still in its infancy in Australia. If you’re dead-set on switching to 5G home wireless broadband, consider finding a plan with no lock-in contract in case it isn’t quite right for you.
Who are the Cheapest Internet Providers in Australia?
Tangerine and Flip consistently offer the cheapest options for internet plans with NBN25, NBN50 and NBN100 speeds. Tangerine Telecom is an NBN Internet Provider and a mobile phone provider operating all across in Australia.
Their mobile coverage is highly rated and runs on the Telstra network. Tangerine’s cheap prices, fast speeds and big data allowances all make it an attractive option for NBN and mobile services.
Flip Broadband is best known for its budget NBN plans, offering some of the cheapest no-contract, unlimited data NBN plans on the market.
So, if you are looking for the cheapest internet plan in Australia, it is a good idea to start your search with one of these providers
Which is Better, NBN or Wireless Broadband?
While the NBN now covers most of Australia, it isn’t the only broadband choice. Home wireless broadband is a great NBN alternative, connecting households to the internet through the use of the existing mobile networks.
Home wireless broadband is seen as the most popular alternative to the NBN. The biggest difference between home wireless broadband and the NBN is that home wireless broadband is, well, wireless. Unlike the NBN, which often requires a visit from a technician to get your broadband set up at home, you can just unbox your home wireless broadband modem, plug it in, and connect. Choosing between NBN or wireless broadband depends on a range of factors, from availability to price, so be sure to compare all your internet options before choosing one for your household.