And while price is important, opting for the cheapest plan available doesn’t always mean you’ll be getting the best value for your money.
Finding the best plan means working out not only your monthly budget, but also your data and speed needs. With up to six main NBN speed tiers available to most Aussie consumers, there are hundreds of NBN plans out there to choose from — luckily, Canstar Blue is here to help you sort through what’s on offer.
Best NBN Plans December 2024
- Best Basic NBN Plan Flip Value 12 BYO at $52.90 per month
- Best Everyday NBN Plan Southern Phone Basic NBN 25 BYO at $59 per month
- Best Family NBN Plan Tomi Unlimited NBN Standard at $69.95 per month
- Best Fast NBN Plan Tangerine Speedy NBN at $85.90 per month
- Best Superfast NBN Plan Southern Phone NBN Superfast at $95 per month
- Best Telstra NBN Plan Telstra Upfront Internet Plan Basic at $89 per month
- Best Optus NBN Plan Optus Plus Everyday Basic NBN at $75 per month
- Best TPG NBN Plan TPG NBN12 BYO at $69.99 per month
Sponsored plans
The following table shows a selection of sponsored unlimited data Standard Plus Evening Speed (NBN 50), and Premium Evening Speed (NBN 100) plans on Canstar Blue’s database with links to referral partners..
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1 Month Contract (1 month min. cost $65.90) Typical evening speed of 100Mbps
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Unlimited Data/month |
$65.90 Cost/month |
Go to Site |
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1 Month Contract (1 month min. cost $69) Typical evening speed of 100Mbps
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Unlimited Data/month |
$69 Cost/month |
Go to Site |
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1 Month Contract (1 month min. cost $63.90) Typical evening speed of 50Mbps
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Unlimited Data/month |
$63.90 Cost/month |
Go to Site |
Unlimited Home Standard (NBN 50) Plans
The following table shows a selection of published unlimited NBN 50 plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of standard monthly cost (excluding discounts), from the lowest to highest, and then by alphabetical order of provider. Use our comparison tool above to see plans from a range of other providers. This is a selection of products with links to referral partners.
Unlimited Home Fast (NBN 100) Plans
The table below shows a selection of published unlimited NBN 100 plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of monthly cost, from the lowest to highest, and then by alphabetical order of provider. Use our comparison tool to see plans from a range of other providers. This is a selection of products with links to referral partners.
Best ‘Basic’ NBN Plan
Flip Value 12 BYO
Value score: 8.0
Flip is one of the most consistently lowest-price NBN providers on the market, and one of the few telcos offering plans across all four speed tiers. However, the best value can typically be found in Flip’s unlimited data NBN 12 and NBN 25 plans, which frequently offer discounts on already-cheap standard prices.
Normally priced at $52.90 per month, Flip’s Value 12 plan is currently available for just $39 per month for your first four months when you sign on by December 31, 2024. This plan offers a typical evening speed of 12Mbps during busy hours, and features $0 setup fees and no lock-in contract. You can also add Flip call packs from just $2.95 per month, and a pre-configured modem from $149 upfront plus $20 postage (or $129 upfront, plus postage, for seniors).
What’s good about this plan:
- One of the cheapest unlimited data entry-level NBN plans on the market
- Competitive typical evening speeds
- Flexible plans with no lock-in contract
What to look out for:
- Introductory price ends after four months
- Modem not included, but can be purchased at check-out
- Plans are basic, although extras like call packs are available
The following table shows Flip’s Value BYO plan. Use our comparison tool to see plans from a range of other providers.
Best ‘Everyday’ NBN Plan
Southern Phone Basic BYO
Value score: 8.3
If you’re looking for a step up from basic speed NBN, Southern Phone’s unlimited NBN 25 plan is currently priced at $45 per month for your first 12 months, then $59 per month ongoing, when you sign on by December 10, 2024. However, as this is a no-contract plan you’re free to switch speeds or providers at any time with no cancellation fees.
Along with unlimited data, you’ll get typical evening speeds of 25Mbps between the hours of 7pm and 11pm plus the option to bring your own modem. There’s also no setup fees on this plan.
What’s good about this plan:
- Typically low prices even outside of introductory period
- Flexible plans with no lock-in contract
- Unlimited data
What to look out for:
- Introductory price is for 12 months only
- BYO modem but add-on modems available
- Basic plan but extras like home phone are available
The following table shows Southern Phone’s Basic NBN 25 BYO plan. Use our comparison tool to see plans from a range of other providers.
Best ‘Family’ NBN Plan
Tomi Unlimited NBN Standard
Value score: 9.3
Tomi’s Standard plan comes out as the best-value option on our site if you’re looking for NBN 50 with unlimited data, at $59.95 per month for your first six months (normally $69.95). With typical evening speeds of 48Mbps during peak periods, Tomi offers fast speeds alongside flexibility and value.
All plans are available month-to-month and contract-free, with no setup or activation fees. While this plan is BYO modem, you’re free to purchase a pre-configured device at the checkout.
What’s good about this plan:
- Great price for unlimited data NBN 50 speed
- No lock-in contract
- Grood typical evening speed
What to look out for:
- Introductory price ends after six months
- Modem not included on month-to-month plans, but can be purchased at check-out
- Free modem requires a 24-month contract
The following table shows Tomi’s Standard Unlimited plan. Use our comparison tool to see plans from a range of other providers.
Best ‘Fast’ NBN Plan
Tangerine Speedy NBN
Value score: 9.2
Tangerine offers a wide range of NBN plans across multiple speed tiers, including its NBN 100/20 option. This unlimited data plan includes a standard monthly price of $85.90, but is currently discounted to $60.90 per month for your first six months.
This plan includes no lock-in contract, and a typical busy hour speed of 95Mbps. If you have your own NBN-ready modem, this plan is available BYO.
What’s good about this plan:
- Highly competitive price for a NBN 100/20 plan
- No lock-in contract
- No setup fees
What to look out for:
- Discount expires after six months
- Plan only available to FTTP and limited HFC connections
- Modem not included, but can be added at checkout
The following table shows Tangerine’s Speedy NBN plan. Use our comparison tool to see plans from a range of other providers.
Best ‘Superfast’ NBN Plan
Southern Phone NBN Superfast
Value score: 8.7
If you’re on a compatible NBN connection type, Southern Phone’s superfast plan offers unlimited data on the extra-fast NBN 250 speed tier, which includes download speeds of up to 250Mbps and uploads to 25Mbps. This plan is normally priced at $95 per month, but is currently $75 per month for your first 12 months for new customers who sign up by December 10, 2024.
SpinTel’s plan offers typical busy hour speeds of 250Mbps, and at $95 per month is one of the cheapest options for homes than need a plan faster than NBN 100. All plans are contract-free, and customers can bring their own modem or add hardware at the check-out.
What’s good about this plan:
- NBN 250 tier at a competitive price
- Flexible plans with no lock-in contract
- Fast typical evening speed
What to look out for:
- Introductory price ends after 12 months
- Customers can bring their own modem, but may need a premium model to take advantage of extra-fast speeds
- Plan is only available to FTTP and selected HFC connections
The following table shows Southern Phone’s NBN Superfast plan. Use our comparison tool to see plans from a range of other providers.
Best Telstra NBN Plan
Telstra Upfront Internet Plan Basic
Value score: 6.8
Telstra’s best-value NBN option is also its cheapest, coming in at $89 per month. This plan includes unlimited data and download speeds of up to 25Mbps, along with an included Telstra Smart Modem 3 that’s free when you remain connected for 24 months.
New customers can currently claim a range of extras with this plan, including four months of Spotify Premium, two months of BINGE streaming, and three months of Telstra Device Security. This plan also comes with no connection fee or lock-in contracts.
What’s good about this plan:
- Good peak hour performance
- No lock-in contract
- Lots of extras at sign-up
What to look out for:
- One of the more expensive plans for this speed tier
- No BYO modem option
- Can leave at any time, but must return modem if within 24 months
The following table shows Telstra’s Basic NBN plan. Use our comparison tool to see plans from a range of other providers.
Best Optus NBN Plan
Optus Plus Everyday Basic NBN
Value score: 6.7
Optus’ NBN 25 plan is priced at $75 per month and includes typical evening download speeds of 25Mbps, making it a reliable option for customers considering this speed tier. The plan includes unlimited data, no lock-in contract, and features Optus’ Ultra WiFi Gen 1 modem (which is free if you remain connected for 36 months).
Optus NBN customers also have access to extras such as Optus SubHub and the telco’s Living Network, which comes with home troubleshooting via a real-time dashboard.
What’s good about this plan:
- No lock-in contract
- No set-up fees
- Great typical evening speeds for this speed tier
What to look out for:
- Modem fees apply if you cancel within 36 months
- Cheaper plans available at this speed
- Less features than more expensive Optus NBN plans
The following table shows Optus’ Everyday Basic NBN plan. Use our comparison tool to see plans from a range of other providers.
Best TPG NBN Plan:
TPG NBN12 BYO
Value score: 7.7
TPG’s entry-level, $69.99 NBN plan is available on the NBN 12 speed tier, which is best suited to lower-usage homes. This plan offers unlimited data, plus a typical peak hour evening download speed of 12Mbps. Right now, new customers will pay $59.99 per month for their first three months.
If you’re thinking of combining internet with mobile, you can claim 50% off TPG mobile plan fees for your first six months with this plan. TPG also gives customers a choice between BYO modem, adding one to your plan for $114.95 upfront, or committing to a six-month contract and scoring your modem free.
What’s good about this plan: What to look out for:
The following table shows TPG’s NBN12 BYO plan. Use our comparison tool to see plans from a range of other providers.
More expert picks courtesy of our Value Rank formula
Which NBN speed do I need?
We’ve got a complete breakdown on each speed tier in our guide to NBN speeds, but essentially — NBN 12 is the slowest (and cheapest) option, with NBN 100 being the fastest (and most expensive) of the four main speed levels on offer to most households. There are also some ‘ultra-fast’ plans available to customers with Fibre to the Premise or Hybrid Fibre Coaxial connections, which you can find out more about in our NBN 1000 guide.
Not every provider will offer each speed, and not every customer will be able to connect to the fastest NBN 100, NBN 250 and NBN 1000 plans — the speeds available to you will depend on the connection type at your address, although most homes can connect to NBN 12, NBN 25 and NBN 50.
Here’s how each speed tier varies.
- Downloads of up to 12Mbps/uploads of up to 1Mbps
- Good for small households and light users
Standard Evening Speed (NBN 25)
- Downloads of up to 25Mbps/uploads of up to 5Mbps
- Good for streaming and households of 2-3 people
Standard Plus Evening Speed (NBN 50)
- Downloads of up to 50Mbps/uploads of up to 20Mbps
- Good for HD streaming, heavier use and online gaming
Premium Evening Speed (NBN 100)
- Downloads of up to 100Mbps/uploads of up to 40Mbps
- Good for ultra-HD streaming and gaming, big households, and data-intensive use
How much data do I need?
Unlike the days of ADSL and dial-up, data use is less of a concern on NBN plans. Most plans include unlimited data as standard, with no on-peak or off-peak periods and no shaping (slowing down) of data speeds once you exceed a monthly allowance.
You may be worried about how much data you need on an NBN plan, but even entry-level prices and speeds should generally offer unlimited gigabytes, meaning you can stream, download, and upload to your heart’s content with no restrictions.
Should I get an NBN plan?
There’s no two ways about it – getting on the NBN is a must in Australia. While it may have been a choice in years gone by, the government’s rollout of the National Broadband was pushed with the intention of the NBN being the new normal. The amount of available plans, as well as its relative consistency and speeds, makes an NBN plan a must-have.
Who is the best NBN provider?
According to Canstar Blue’s rankings of NBN providers, Origin customers topped the list for Overall Satisfaction, whereas SpinTel beat out the competition in the Value for Money category. Head to the official rankings of Australia’s Best Rated NBN Providers to learn more.
Our Value Score methodology: How do we rank the best NBN plans?
While pricing is always a major consideration, there’s more to finding the best NBN plan than simply looking for the cheapest deal. In addition to comparing on pricing alone, Canstar Blue also gives you the opportunity to sort and search for plans based on our unique Value Score, thanks to Value Rank.
Value Scores range from 1 to 10, with a higher score indicating a better value NBN product. The Value Score consists of a Price Score and Feature Score: the Price Score accounts for 70% of the overall ranking, with the Feature Score contributing to 30%.
Price Score
Price Scores are calculated by comparing a plan’s minimum cost per period to the cost of other plans available in the market over one, 12, and 24 months. Minimum cost equals the monthly cost, plus the cost of modem and delivery and any other setup or contract fees, minus any discounts or credits for that period. Using these values, Canstar Blue calculates and assigns a Price Score of between 0 and 100 to each plan.
Feature Score
The Feature Score compares more than 100 features found on fixed line NBN plans, which are grouped into the following three categories:
- Customer Service and Support (40% of score): Availability of support through call centres, in stores, in-home, online, self-service, and other channels.
- Inclusions (35% of score): Typical speeds and data inclusions.
- Billing and Payments (25% of score): Payment, statement, and billing frequency and options.
Scores of between 0 and 100 are given for each of the three categories; these are rounded to the nearest whole number when comparing plans on a Canstar Blue NBN search result. The Value Score, Pricing Score and Feature Scores of plans are re-calculated daily, with changes then reflected on our comparison tool, so you can be sure you’re seeing the best deals and best NBN plans in real time.
About the author
As Canstar Blue’s Telco Editor, Tara Donnelly covers the internet and mobile sectors – topics she’s spent a decade focused on, alongside consumer technology, within the comparison industry. Her telco expertise has seen her appear in national media including 9 News, 7 News, Sunrise, the ABC and The Sydney Morning Herald. You can follow Tara on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Frequently Asked Questions
How we pick the best plans
- Best Basic NBN Plan: The best-ranked NBN plan at NBN 12 speeds, as determined by Canstar Blue’s Value Score.
- Best Everyday NBN Plan: The best-ranked NBN plan at NBN 25 speeds, as determined by Canstar Blue’s Value Score.
- Best Family NBN Plan: The best-ranked NBN plan at NBN 50 speeds, as determined by Canstar Blue’s Value Score.
- Best Fast NBN Plan: The best-ranked NBN plan at NBN 100 speeds, as determined by Canstar Blue’s Value Score.
- Best Superfast NBN Plan: The best-ranked NBN plan at NBN 250 speeds, as determined by Canstar Blue’s Value Score.
- Best Telstra NBN Plan: The best-ranked unlimited Telstra NBN plan, as determined by Canstar Blue’s Value Score.
- Best Optus NBN Plan: The best-ranked unlimited Optus NBN plan, as determined by Canstar Blue’s Value Score.
- Best TPG NBN Plan: The best-ranked unlimited TPG NBN plan, as determined by Canstar Blue’s Value Score.
In the event that two or more plans have the same value score in any given category, the cheapest option will be featured.
The absolute cheapest NBN plan on our database is TPG’s entry-level NBN 12 offering, which is priced at $29.99 per month. However, this plan only includes 10GB of data monthly, so is suitable for only very light internet users, and is likely aimed at customers who need an NBN connection to use their home phone.
If you want cheap NBN plans with unlimited data, expect to pay around $45 per month as standard for plans on the basic NBN 12 speed tier. Keep an eye out for introductory offers that give you new customer discounts, and can save you around $10 per month for the first six or 12 months of your plan.
The fastest speed tier available to residential NBN customers is NBN 1000, which offers download speeds up to 1000Mbps, or one gigabit. However, these plans are only available to homes with certain NBN connection types – either Fibre to the Premises (FTTP), or selected Hybrid Fibre Coaxial connections (HFC).
For everyone else, the fastest NBN plans on offer are usually NBN 100, or even NBN 50 depending on your location and connection type. While NBN 1000 and even NBN 250 plans offer excellent speeds, they’re also expensive, so customers in search of good value and lower prices may prefer to stick with NBN 100 or lower.
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