Choosing an NBN plan has been made to seem a lot more complicated than it is. The decade-long network rollout, the changes of direction and the constant political sniping have made the NBN seem like it may have been more trouble than it’s worth.
But the fact is, you don’t need to worry about any of that. To get your family connected to a fast, reliable internet connection, there are just a few things you need to consider.
Before you start comparing NBN plans is is essential you know which type of connection you have at your address.
The speed tiers you can access depend on your NBN connection type. All fixed-line connections support NBN 12, NBN 25, and NBN 50. FTTN, FTTC, and FTTB customers can also access NBN 100, the highest speed available on those connections.
If you're on FTTP or HFC, the faster tiers open up: NBN 500, NBN 750, NBN 1000, and the newer NBN 2000.
nbn® is working to move all homes and businesses away from old copper phone lines used in FTTN, FTTB and FTTC connections and are working with the ISPs to upgrade these homes to fast fibre cabling used in FTTP connections.
To see if you're eligible, simply run an address check on an ISP website and order a new service of at least 100Mbps. Your ISP will then coordinate with nbn® to have an installer visit and upgrade the cabling as part of the process of switching you to your new service. See our full guide on how to get FTTP for step-by-step details.
With knowledge of your NBN connection, you can choose between the different NBN speed tiers to find the one that best suits your situation.
As a general rule of thumb, faster NBN speeds are better for larger households. The capacity of an NBN connection determines how many people can use the connection at the same time without experiencing lag.
For example, a couple living together won't need as much capacity as a family of 5 who are all trying to stream video, listen to music, and play video games at the same time.
Once you've determined your speed requirements, the next most important consideration is price. Unlike choosing a mobile plan, where network is a prime deciding factor, most NBN providers offer the same service, so there are fewer reasons to pay a premium.
Though price might be a big determining factor in your NBN choice, there are other reasons to compare, like customer satisfaction and bundling options.
We rate providers on a five-star scale using over 25 points of comparison in four categories (speed, value, features and customer satisfaction). See our recommendations for the best NBN providers based on our criteria.
Internet speed is the core concern when comparing NBN plans as it is the factor of a plan that determines the price you pay. It used to be that we would need to consider how much data we would need each month, but the vast majority of NBN plans include unlimited data nowadays, so speed is the thing to focus on.
Differences in NBN speed is measured in Mbps (Megabits per second) which, let's face it, is a pretty meaningless figure for most of us. Obviously, more megabits means faster speeds but it also means a higher monthly price.
Here’s a look at popular NBN speed tiers, and who they’re suitable for:
NBN 500 is fast becoming the standard speed for NBN services across the country. Following an overhaul in the way nbn® charges the ISPs, customers with FTTP and HFC connections on NBN 100 plans were automatically upgraded to NBN 500 for free, and more homes are moving to NBN 500 as nbn® upgrades old technologies to faster FTTP connections.
If you connect to the NBN with a FTTN or FTTC connection, this is your best bet for lag-free internet. Large families will benefit from the extra capacity over an NBN 50 connection, which means you’ll be able to stream from more devices without slowing down your connection. It also suits the needs of most small-to-medium businesses if they don't have access to FTTP technology yet.
These faster tiers suit households with high bandwidth demands: multiple 4K streams running at once, a home office with high upload requirements, or regular downloads of large files.
For FTTP and HFC customers, NBN 500 is the practical starting point for homes with a FTTP or HFC connection, but NBN 1000 and NBN 2000 sit above that for those who genuinely need the extra capacity.
When NBN providers discuss speeds, they advertise "typical evening speeds" rather than maximum potential NBN speeds (e.g. the tiers listed above).
Typical evening speeds are the busiest hours of network usage (7:00 PM to 11:00 PM) when most Australians are using their home internet connections. This evening time frame is used as a benchmark to compare NBN providers and speeds.
So if you've got a good typical evening speed, you should expect the same, if not better, during the day.
With energy prices and the cost of living on the rise in Australia, we're all feeling the pinch. If you're simply looking for the very cheapest NBN plans on the market, regardless of speed, you'll find just that in the table below.
Our comparison engine features plans from over 30 NBN providers and the list below represents the very cheapest NBN Internet plans in our database.
There are a whole host of NBN providers out there, each with their own unique plans and perks. Finding the right provider for you comes down to weighing up factors such as price, reliability, perks and whether or not you’ll need to supply your own modem. Here’s a rundown of some of the most popular NBN providers in Australia.
The last thing to keep in mind when choosing an NBN plan is that switching from one provider to another is usually a simple, painless process. In the past, changing internet plans could take 10 business days and involve several hours of downtime as a technician manually switched you over.
It used to be a battle of Telstra vs. Optus for your internet needs, but these days, most NBN connections can be switched remotely and it can be a same-day process. For example, a person in our team signed up for a new NBN plan during his lunch break one day and was moved to the new provider's network before he got home that evening.
This is important to know because the majority of NBN plans have no long-term contract commitments. Most plans are month-to-month. To take advantage of this, you need to be ready to switch at any time. If you are not happy with the service: switch. If you regularly compare plans and spot a better deal: switch. If you sign up for a short-term promotion and it expires: switch.
NBN plans are changing all the time, and in both directions, so you shouldn’t feel like you are stuck paying for something you no longer want. Jump online, find a better deal, and move on. If you still think you are having the best deal, keep you NBN provider, even if you move out.
This depends on which provider you choose. Some providers include a modem or router with their NBN plans, while others are BYO modem or router. Check out our guide for a look at which NBN providers supply modems.
No, you don't have to pay to switch providers. If you have your own modem, switching providers is usually a seamless process.
If your new provider supplies you with a new modem, you won't have to pay upfront. Just be aware that if you cancel your plan, you'll likely either have to return your modem or pay a fee.
The good news is, most NBN plans these days offer unlimited data. We highly recommend sticking to unlimited data plans, as they offer the best value, and you won't have to keep track of your data usage.
Yes. NBN Co's wholesale prices increase on 1 July 2026 in line with CPI. Most retail providers are expected to pass these on, with increases typically ranging from $2–6 per month depending on the plan and provider. Telstra has confirmed retail increases of around $4–5 per month on lower and mid-tier plans. Not all providers are passing on the same amounts, and some premium fibre tiers may be unaffected. Comparing plans before your provider's price change takes effect is the best way to make sure you're still on good value.
NBN 250 hasn't been discontinued exactly, but for most households it's been superseded. As part of NBN Co's September 2025 speed upgrades, FTTP and HFC customers previously on NBN 250 were automatically moved to NBN 750 at the same price — three times the speed for no extra cost. If you're on FTTN, FTTC, or FTTB, NBN 250 may still be available through some providers, but it's no longer a standard tier.
Most Australians on FTTN connections are now eligible, or will be shortly, to upgrade to full fibre for free. NBN Co and the federal government have committed $3.8 billion to upgrade around 95% of remaining FTTN premises to FTTP by 2030. Check your eligibility at nbnco.com.au or through your current provider.
If you find you're not getting your plan's advertised speeds, the solution could be as simple as relocating your modem. Check out our guide on how to speed up slow NBN.
If you're in an area with solid 5G coverage, our testing has found that 5G home internet often delivers faster speeds than NBN at a lower price. Coverage is the variable to check first, because 5G availability in Australia is still patchy outside metro areas.
For online gaming, NBN has an advantage: fixed-line connections consistently stay under 10ms latency, while 5G runs closer to 20ms.
Starlink is also worth knowing about if you're in a regional or remote area where fixed-line NBN isn't available. According to the ACCC's Measuring Broadband Australia report, Starlink averages around 197Mbps during peak hours — well ahead of Sky Muster satellite NBN on both speed and latency. The trade-off is higher latency (25–60ms) compared to any fixed-line NBN connection, and upfront hardware costs.
Sources:
NBN Co Accelerate Great announcement, September 2025;
ACCC Communications Market Report, December 2025 (June 2025 quarter data);
ACCC Measuring Broadband Australia Report 33, March 2026;
WhistleOut Starlink Australia guide (June 2026);
NBN Co FTTN upgrade program progress report (September 2025);
NBN Co wholesale price announcement, May 2026.
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