Compare Top 3 Cheapest Internet Plans
The Comparison Prices Listed are Based on NBN25 Plans
Crikey Plan
$59 / Month For First 6 Months
Sign Up for Mate
Value Plan
$49.90 / Month For First 6 Months
Sign Up for Tangerine
Simple 25 Plan
$55 / Month With Energy Bundle
See All Sumo NBN Plans
The MATE Crikey plan is currently the cheapest NBN 25 internet plan offer in Australia, for only $45 per month. Other cheap NBN subscriptions are Tangerine Value NBN 25 for $49.90 per month, Sumo Simple 25 for $55 per month, Southern Phone NBN Basic for $55 per month and Skymesh NBN 25 for $59.95 per month.
Skip Ahead to See Plans for Your NBN Plan Speed of Choice:
With most of Australia now connected to the NBN, it's high time you compare NBN plans if you haven’t yet switched over from your old broadband connection.
When people compare NBN plans, they often make the mistake of going for the cheap NBN plans when in actuality, spending a bit more and choosing wisely can make a world of difference.
Your internet is something you will use everyday, and therefore it's best to choose the right plan.
However, we are well aware that there is a lot to consider when comparing broadband offers. To help you with this, we have broken down the factors you need to consider when you find an NBN plan.
Price It’s equally important to consider not just the monthly cost of your NBN service, but also any additional fees, costs, or charges you might need to pay. Often times, cheap NBN plans will include extra fees and recurring costs such as the cost of a phone line (if you choose to get a home phone) or entertainment bundles like Fetch TV. Sometimes if you go for a more expensive plan these charges will be waived. You also need to consider the upfront costs like whether you need to purchase a modem or can bring your own, or any setup or activation fees.
Speed The NBN is divided into different speed tiers. While NBN12 might be suitable for a one-person household with someone who doesn't use the internet a lot, a household of five heavy internet users might need to consider NBN50 or NBN100 plans to ensure everyone can access the internet across multiple devices.
Data Most plans these days come with unlimited data, and choosing a capped-data plan usually wont cost that much less than an NBN plan with unlimited data. However, some providers offer budget-friendly NBN plans with reduced data caps for under $50 per month.
Contract There are plenty of no-contract NBN plans, which are great for renters or if you’re just not sure whether you’ll be happy with your new ISP. However, no contract broadband plans sometimes come with higher upfront fees, which would otherwise be waived if you opt for a 12-month contract or longer.
Connection With the NBN now rolled out across the country, most households are able to connect to some form of the National BNetworkroadband. The NBN isn't your only choice, however. Home wireless broadband can be a great NBN alternative, particularly for those who live in an area with 5G network coverage
Not Sure What Your Broadband Speed Is? Take our Internet Speed Test to see just how fast your current broadband plan is.
Looking for a New Internet Plan for Your Home?
Selectra Can Provide Advice & Help You Find The Best Plan
Selectra Can Provide Advice & Help You Find The Best Plan
However, now that we know which providers actually support high speed internet (and do it well), it's time to take a look at which plans are the best based on each speed category. To make it easier for you to compare NBN plans, we have broken them down into categories based on their maximum speeds.
The speed tiers are as follows:
NBN Speed Tier | What Are These Speeds Good For? |
|---|---|
| NBN 12 12Mbps/1Mbps |
|
| NBN 25 25Mbps/5Mbps |
|
| NBN 50 50Mbps/20Mbps |
|
| NBN 100 100Mbps/40Mbps |
|
| NBN Superfast 250Mbps/25Mbps |
|
| NBN Ultrafast 1000Mbps/40Mbps |
|
In general, all NBN plans are categorized by their maximum achievable download speeds (see NBN plans by speed levels). This is a good rule of thumb to remember when you are looking to compare NBN plans.
Its important to note, however, that these speed tiers only outline the maximum potential speeds a plan can reach. The actual download speed you receive at your house depends on several factors.
What is Typical Evening Speed? Most providers display what is known as “Typical Evening Speed” which is the average download speed you can expect during peak busy hours (generally between 7pm and 11pm). During this time, demand on the National Broadband Network is higher, which can lead to slower download speeds across all households.
For example, when there is increased demand on the National Broadband Network, this can cause a decrease in download speeds for users. For this reason, Internet providers advertise their plans at average evening speeds, which are the average speeds their plans can reach during the hours of peak demand (7pm - 11pm).
Below you will find a table which shows percentage of maximum achievable download speed each NBN providers' plans can reach during normal hours and off peak hours.
NBN Provider | Percentage of Advertised Speed Reached | Percentage of Speed Reached at Peak Hours |
|---|---|---|
| TPG | 100.0% | 100.9% |
| Optus | 100.0% | 102.4% |
| Telstra | 96.0% | 100.6% |
| iiNet | 97.0% | 98.7% |
| Aussie Broadband | 97.0% | 101.1% |
| Telstra | 96.0% | 100.6% |
| Superloop | 97.0% | 97.6% |
| Vodafone | 94.0% | 96.9% |
| Exetel | 90.0% | 100.8% |
| Dodo & iPrimus | 93.0% | 100.1% |
Source: Australian Competition & Consumer Commission December 2023 Measuring Broadband Australia, Figure 18
Based on the table above, we can see which providers have more reliable speed connections.
Therefore, when choosing an NBN plan based on its speed, its better to go with a provider that has a higher percentage of maximum speed at all hours of the day. This will allow you to stream television shows and play some online games comfortably during the evening when demand on the National Broadband Network is at its peak.
Now that you understand NBN speed better, it is time to decide which speed is best for you and your needs. The speed you choose depends not only on the technology you have, but how much internet you use, and what you use it for. Below, you will find an in-depth description about all the different NBN speed tiers and discover which one best fits your needs:
NBN 12, also known as NBN Basic is, well, the most basic NBN speed tier.
NBN 12 plans can only achieve a maximum download speed of 12Mbps and a maximum upload speed of 1Mbps, which is about the same as the old ADSL technology that once connected Australia. With NBN 12, you can browse the web relatively easily, but probably won’t be able to do a lot of streaming and uploading.
Most NBN 12 plans (as with most NBN plans overall) come with unlimited data. However, if you're looking to keep your broadband budget especially low, you can find NBN 12 plans for as little as $30 per month with limited data caps.
In all honesty, NBN 12 plans can’t be used for much these days but if you’re someone who doesn’t really use the internet then NBN 12 might be perfect for you.
With NBN 12 you can:
When comparing broadband plans, you’ve probably noticed most NBN providers advertise their “Typical Evening Speed” alongside their NBN plans.
With NBN 12 plans, most providers advertise their typical evening speed as 12Mbps, though some advertise 11Mbps or less. At this speed tier, you’ll probably want to choose a provider that promises a full 12Mbps to ensure you can still access the internet during these peak hours.
With download speeds of 12Mbps and only 1Mbps upload speed, NBN 12 is best if you live alone, or with one other person, and are a light internet user with limited smart devices.
If you’re trying to decide if NBN Basic is best for you, ask yourself the following questions:
If you answered yes to these questions, NBN 12 might be a good choice for you. Give our friendly Broadband Experts a call to get yourself set up with a new NBN 12 plan, or let us help you find the best NBN plan for your family.
NBN 25 is the first real step up in terms of download speeds when compared to the old ADSL connections.
An NBN 25 plan has the ability to reach maximum speeds of 25Mbps download speed and maximum upload speeds of 5Mbps though these are not always achievable and some providers’ “Typical Evening Speed” can be far less than a full 25Mbps.
NBN Standard Speed is a great NBN speed tier for small, low-to-medium internet user households.
If your NBN 25 plan is working at full speed, with 25Mbps download speeds and 5Mbps upload speeds, you should be able to:
Of course, it’s important to note that your NBN 25 plan might not be able to reach a full 25Mbps download speed particularly during busy evening hours, and the more devices you have connected to your network at one time the slower your download times will be.
While 25Mbps is the maximum download speed for NBN Standard plans, you’ve probably noticed that most broadband providers advertise their “Typical Evening Speed”
Most NBN 25 plans Typical Evening Speed is between 19Mbps and 25Mbps.
With maximum achievable download speeds of 25Mbps and upload speeds of 5Mbps, NBN 25 is generally seen as a good starting point for households of 1-2 light-to-moderate internet users, and as one of the cheapest NBN speed tiers, you won’t break the bank by signing up for an NBN 25 broadband plan.
If you’re trying to decide if NBN 25 is the right speed tier for you, consider your typical internet habits and the number of devices you have connected to the network at any one time.
Questions to ask yourself when comparing NBN 25 plans should include:
If you answered yes to most of these questions, NBN 25 might not be quite enough for you. However, for smaller households of light-to-moderate internet users who want to save on their monthly broadband bill, NBN 25 can be the perfect speed tier.
NBN 50 is seen as a big jump from the old ADSL connections and can handle most typical households with multiple people and devices.
An NBN 50 plan has the ability to reach maximum download speeds of 50Mbps, and maximum upload speeds of 20Mbps. However, thanks to what’s known as “Typical Evening Speed” this might not always be the case.
As a big step up from NBN 25, NBN 50 plans allow most people to do most things online.
With your NBN 50 plan, you will be able to:
Of course, this varies depending on your household and provider. If you have multiple heavy internet users on one network (for example two parents who work from home, and two kids who game online frequently while also watching Netflix, streaming music, or using their phones) NBN 50 might not be fast enough for you.
NBN 50 plans have a maximum download speed of 50Mbps, but oftentimes (more often than not) your plan won’t reach these maximum speeds.
Most NBN 50 plans Typical Evening Speed is between 40Mbps and 50Mbps, though some providers advertise speeds as low as 38Mbps.
As far as NBN speeds are concerned, NBN 50 is arguably one of the best NBN plans for medium-sized households who don’t want to be fighting over bandwidth, without paying a steep price for one of the faster NBN speed tiers. As a result, NBN 50 plans have become some of the most popular NBN plans around.
If you’re trying to decide if NBN 50 is the right plan speed for you, it’s best to consider your typical internet habits and the number of people and devices connected to your network at any one time.
To find out if NBN 50 is right for you, ask yourself the following questions:
If you answered yes to most of these questions, give our friendly Broadband Experts a call to get your household set up with NBN 50 today or let us help you find the perfect NBN speed for your family.
NBN 100 is the fastest standard speed tier available on the National Broadband Network, and a big jump from the more budget-friendly NBN 25 and NBN 50 plans.
NBN 100 plans have a maximum theoretical download speed of 100Mbps and are a comfortable NBN speed tier for most larger households and heavy internet users.
When it comes to NBN 100 plans, you can find two different upload speeds:
If you're a large household that mostly streams, or watches videos online, NBN 100/20 is probably enough. However, households where people frequently upload large files, stream online, or upload to Youtube might find NBN 100/40 plans a better option. It's important to note that NBN 100/20 plans generally cost a bit less than NBN 100/40 plans.
NBN 100/40 plans are a great choice for people who frequently use the internet to download and upload large files, or for large families with multiple heavy internet users. With an NBN 100/40 plan, you can quickly download and upload large files. This includes:
However, if you're not frequently video-conferencing, uploading files, or using Youtube or Twitch, NBN 100/20 is an equally good choice for large households.
While NBN 100 can achieve a maximum download speed of 100Mbps, this might not always be the speed your plan can reach. This is known as “Typical Evening Speed” and refers to the busiest evening hours when demand on the network is at its highest. When this occurs, your own NBN speeds might be reduced.
Choosing the right NBN speed tier is important - too slow and your household is fighting over bandwidth, but too fast and you’re paying for more broadband than you actually need.
NBN 100 plans are best for larger families or households, with multiple heavy internet users.
If you’re trying to decide if NBN 100 is right for you, consider the following questions:
If you’ve answered yes to most of these questions give our friendly Broadband Team a call to get set up with a new NBN 100 plan or, if you need some more advice, give us a call to discuss which NBN speed is best for your household.
NBN 250, also known as NBN Superfast or NBN Home Superfast, is one of the fastest speed tiers available on the National Broadband Network.
While standard NBN speeds include 12Mbps, up to 100Mbps, NBN Superfast more than doubles this, giving certain residential NBN customers the ability to reach download speeds of up to 250Mbps.
NBN Superfast, as the name suggests, is super fast.
NBN Superfast plans can reach maximum download speeds of up to 250Mbps, and usually offers maximum upload speeds of 25Mbps. This makes it a great choice for internet-heavy households, where multiple members might want to stream Netflix, play video games online, work from home with video conferences, and listen to music across multiple devices at the same time.
Having an NBN 250 plan means you can download almost anything at lightning-fast speeds.
At its maximum potential, an NBN Superfast plan can allow your household to:
Of course, there are some factors that could influence exactly how fast your NBN 250 plan allows you to download, such as your ISPs “Typical Evening Speed”.
It’s important to remember that NBN 250 plans only have a maximum potential download speed of 250Mbps.
When it comes to NBN 250, most providers’ typical evening speeds are between 215Mbps and 240Mbps. The good news? With such fast download speeds, you probably won’t notice much of a slowdown during these peak busy hours and will be able to stream, upload, browse, watch, game, and scroll without much problem.
NBN 250 is only available at certain NBN connections. If you have a Fibre-to-the-Premise (FTTP) connection or HFC connection at your home, then you’re probably eligible for NBN Superfast.
This is due to the NBN technology currently being used across the country. Other NBN connections, such as Fibre-to-the-Node (FTTN) or Fibre-to-the-Curb (FTTC), are simply unable to handle such fast broadband speeds as they still utilise some of the old copper telephone wires ADSL broadband once used.
With the National Broadband Network rolled out across most of the country, NBN Co is now working to upgrade these slower NBN connections. However, if you absolutely cannot wait for an upgrade to FTTP, you can apply for an upgrade (either on your own or as a group switch) though this can cost well over $10,000 and take more than 6 months to complete.
Looking for an NBN Alternative? Compare 4G and 5G Home Wireless Broadband Plans
NBN 250 plans are the second-fastest NBN speed tier available and, as one of the most expensive plan options, might not be for everyone. While NBN Superfast is a great choice for heavy internet users, if you’re not one then NBN 250 is generally unnecessarily expensive.
If you’re considering NBN 250, you should ask yourself the following questions:
If you answered “yes” to these questions, give our friendly Broadband Experts a call to get your household signed up to an NBN Superfast plan today or let us help you find the perfect NBN plan for your internet habits and household.
Note About NBN 250 Upload Speeds While NBN 250 has faster download speeds, NBN 100/40 offers faster upload speeds. If you’re frequently uploading large files or frequently live stream (such as Twitch, Skype, or Youtube) NBN 100/40 might be a better option for you.
NBN 1000 is the fastest NBN speed tier available in the country.
Also known as NBN Home Ultrafast, NBN Ultrafast, or Gigabit NBN, NBN Ultrafast is capable of reaching maximum download speeds of 1000Mbps (equal to one whole gigabit).
While NBN Ultrafast is the fastest NBN speed tier available, it’s also the most expensive, and only available at certain NBN connections, so it’s definitely not for everyone!
What's the Difference Between NBN 1000 and NBN Ultrafast? NBN 1000 and NBN Ultrafast are both names for the same NBN speed tier, which can reach maximum theoretical speeds of up to 1000Mbps. This is also known as Gigabit NBN, or NBN Home Ultrafast.
NBN Ultrafast offers a maximum theoretical download speed of 1000Mbps (1Gbps, giving it the name Gigabit NBN), and a maximum upload speed of up to 50Mbps.
However, not every NBN provider that offers NBN Home Ultrafast advertises these speeds. NBN 1000 is the most varied of NBN speed tiers, with providers offering anywhere from 250Mbps maximum download speeds, up to 700Mbps maximum download speeds. This makes it all the more important to compare NBN plans, so you can ensure you’re getting the best plan for your household needs.
NBN Ultrafast, with its full gigabit maximum download speed, can be used for almost anything.
At its maximum download speed, NBN 1000 can:
The long story short is for most downloads, you’ll be able to watch or listen in under a minute, and play a massive video game in less than half an hour. For audiophiles, movie buffs, and intense gamers, this could be a game-changer.
While the maximum theoretical download speed of NBN Ultrafast is 1000Mbps, this doesn’t mean you will always achieve 1000Mbps download speeds.
It’s important to note that when it comes to NBN Ultrafast plans, this speed tier is quite new and not all providers are capable of providing an accurate typical evening speed. In addition, some providers offer NBN Ultrafast plans, but their maximum speed might not be a full 1000Mbps.
If you’re a household with NBN Ultrafast, you can generally expect a typical evening speed between 215Mbps and 250Mbps, though some providers advertise download speeds of up to 700Mbps.
The good news is at this speed tier, unless you’re using your broadband network to frequently download and upload multiple massive files, you probably won’t notice much of a difference between peak and off-peak speeds.
NBN 1000 is only available at certain types of NBN connections.
Not every home has the same type of NBN connection, and not every connection is capable of achieving high-speed broadband such as NBN Ultrafast. However, If your home has a Fibre-to-the-Premise (FTTP) or Hybrid-Coaxial Fibre connection, then you’re probably eligible for NBN Ultrafast.
Due to the use of mixed broadband technologies in Australia other NBN connections such as Fibre-to-the-Node (FTTN) or Fibre-to-the-Curb (FTTC), which still utilise some of the old copper telephone wires from the antiquated ADSL connections, cannot handle such fast download speeds.
With the National Broadband Network rolled out across most of the country, however, NBN Co is working to now upgrade these slower connections.
If you absolutely cannot wait for NBN Co to upgrade your current NBN connection, and get NBN 1000, it is possible to apply for an upgrade either on your own or as a group switch with neighbours. It should be noted, though, that this can easily cost you well over $10,000 for the upgrade and can take more than 6 months to complete.
As the fastest NBN speed tier currently available, and also the most expensive, NBN 1000 is not for everyone.
Most households, even large households, will find that other speed tiers such as NBN 50, NBN 100, or NBN Superfast, are perfectly suitable for their day-to-day internet habits.
If you’re considering whether gigabit NBN is right for you, you need to ask yourself some of the following questions about your internet habits and household:
If you answered yes to these questions, call our friendly Broadband Experts and get your household set up with an NBN 1000 plan today, or let us help you find the perfect NBN speed tier for you, today.
NBN for Seniors and Pensioners Discover discounted NBN plans for seniors and pensioners
Now we have finally come to the good part! Now that you have an idea of what each speed is good for, below you can now begin to compare NBN plans using our complete list of plans in each speed category:
Below you can compare NBN plans at each speed tier:
NBN 25 is a bit faster than NBN 12 meaning that its a good option to consider if you are looking for a cheaper internet deal, but need a bit more bandwidth.
NBN 25 plans have maximum download speeds of 25Mbps and are suitable for those who want to stream standard quality videos, browse the internet, and check social media. NBN25, or NBN Standard, is enough speed for an average household of 1-3 low or moderate internet users.
Below we have created a table to help you compare NBN plans for NBN 25 in Australia:
Mate Crikey Plan
Tangerine Value Plan
Kogan Bronze Plan
Sumo Simple 25 Plan
Southern Phone NBN Basic Plan
Skymesh NBN 25 Plan
Vodafone NBN 25 Plan
TeleChoice Essential Plan
More Telecom Value Plan
If you are looking for a plan that is suitable for a whole family where everyone can use the internet freely, its best to compare NBN plans in the NBN 50 range and up.
While saying NBN 50 is suitable for an "average family" with "normal internet use" may not be the most accurate way of putting it, NBN 50 offers enough bandwidth to do most of the tasks that we use the internet for nowadays, and still leave some left over for other users.
In other words, NBN 50 (Standard Plus) is suitable for households with 2-4 frequent internet users who like to stream HD videos on youtube or Netflix, browse social media, and do some light online gaming in standard definition.
Below we have created a table with all the NBN 50 plans in Australia in order to help you better compare NBN plans:
Kogan Silver Plan
Tangerine Value Plus Plan
Sumo Savvy 50 Plan
Vodafone NBN 50 Plan
Southern Phone NBN Standard Plan
Mate Ripper Plan
Skymesh NBN 50 Plan
TeleChoice Fast Plan
More Telecom Value Plan
NBN Premium plans have download speeds of 100Mbps and are best for large households with high-internet users who enjoy HD online gaming, own multiple devices, and frequently have multiple people gaming, streaming videos, and on video-chat all at the same time.
Tangerine Speedy Plan
Southern Phone NBN Fast Plan
Mate No Worries Plan
Kogan Gold Plan
Vodafone Home Fast Plan
TeleChoice Very Fast Plan
Sumo Premium 100 Plan
More Telecom Fast Plan
Skymesh NBN Fast Plan
NBN Superfast is only available for certain types of NBN connections, but is one of the fastest NBN plans on the market with maximum speeds of 250Mbps.
Professional gamers and other high-internet users will find there is little wait when it comes to downloading content.
To help you choose the best NBN superfast plan we have created the following list:
Mate You Beaut Plan
Tangerine Super Speed Plan
Southern Phone Superfast Plan
Kogan Platinum Plan
Vodafone Home Superfast Plan
TeleChoice Superfast Plan
More Telecom Superfast Plan
Finally, NBN ultrafast is the fastest connection around and reaches speeds of up to1000Mbps. That's an entire gigabite, which is one reasone NBN Ultrafast is only available in some locations as it continues to be rolled out across Australia.
Apart from fast download speeds, NBN ultrafast also has the fastest upload speeds which makes it a great option for professional stremers and gamers.
To help you compare internet plans with Ultrafast speeds, we have created the following comparison table:
Mate Fair Dinkum Plan
Tangerine Ultra Speed Plan
Southern Phone Ultrafast Plan
Kogan Diamond Plan
Vodafone Home Ultrafast Plan
More Telecom Ultrafast Plan
The best internet provider in Australia depends on what kind of internet you are interested in, whether it's an NBN plan or a home wireless plan. It’s important to consider your internet needs, so you’re not stuck with an internet plan that leaves you feeling frustrated. When comparing the best internet providers, it’s important to also consider factors such as customer service, discounts, contracts, and price. The most popular providers in Australia are Aussie Broadband, Telstra, Optus, Tangerine, Mate, Kogan, Skymesh, Southern Phone and Vodafone. It is recommended to research and read reviews from other customers to make an informed decision before signing up for a new internet plan. The goal is to find the right balance between price and quality that works best for your needs.
If you are looking for the fastest internet plan, you are better off choosing one of the providers who have the highest percentage of speed reached. This will ensure you are getting the speeds you pay for. NBN 1000, or 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. For now, NBN Ultrafast is the best choice for the fastest internet plans. We have ranked Superloop as the best ultrafast NBN option in our list of the best NBN plans, with average evening speeds reaching up to 600Mbps.
We recommend choosing what is best for you, but the best NBN plan for an NBN superfast connection is with Vodafone if you have your own modem.
Vodafone is known to run between 95.7% and 99.3% speed accuracy. The Vodafone Home superfast NBN plan clocks in at around 450mbps and starts at $100 per month for the first 12 months (only for customers with an existing phone plan), then it increases to $110 / month. Customers without an existing Vodafone plan can expect to pay $115 per month for 12 months, then $125 per month. This price is higher than some of the others on the list. However, with Vodafone, you also get around 200mbps more than with the other providers.
Choosing the best NBN plan for a family is relatively straightforward. Households of 3 or more, with kids who probably like to stream Netflix or YouTube, play games online, and maybe even study and go to school online, with parents who might be working from home too, often need faster NBN than smaller households who might not use the internet as much.
When choosing the best family NBN plan, it's especially important to consider:
Most average families can get by with a broadband plan of 50Mbps download speeds / 5Mbps upload speeds. However, larger households, particularly those with gamers, those who might stream multiple videos online at once, or those who might have more than one person video conferencing or working from home, will need a faster broadband speed. Depending on your household’s needs, one NBN speed tier might be better than the other. While single-person households might do well with NBN 12, bigger households should consider NBN 50 or NBN 100 to ensure enough bandwidth for every device.
Click below to find a better deal for your home!
