Understanding internet speeds can be complicated and confusing, and you might have that one burning question – what is good internet speed and how do you know which speed is right for your home?
Choosing an internet plan for your home can be a difficult decision. But thanks to the introduction of the NBN, customers have more choice, and the ability to select a speed that better reflects their needs. This is good news for consumers, especially if you want a faster internet plan. However, this can be a confusing experience: how do you decide what speed you actually need at home? What actually is a good internet speed?
Let’s take a look at the NBN speeds on offer, and how you can select an NBN plan with an internet speed that best suits your needs.
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NBN offers you might like
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.
What is a good internet speed in Australia?
Firstly, when talking about internet speeds, we’re typically talking about what is a good download speed, as most online activity uses downloads. You can safely say you’re getting a good internet speed if you’re recording download speeds of around 25Mbps. While home internet speeds can get a lot faster, 25Mbps will support most online activity such as HD streaming, basic online gaming, web browsing and general downloading.
However, for an improved experience, it’s worth considering whether more expensive internet plans with download speeds of 50Mbps or more are worth paying extra for, especially if you’re expecting your home internet to support multiple devices and users at the same time.
Test your internet speed with our free tool
How fast are NBN speeds?
Speeds for uploading and downloading content are measured in Megabits per second (Mbps). Each speed tier is measured in Mbps, which determines the number of megabits your internet can download and upload in a second. Currently, NBN offers six different speed tiers. The Mbps listed for each of these speeds is reference to the maximum download and upload speeds that may be experienced on these speed tiers.
- Home Basic I or NBN 12 (previously Basic NBN speed): 12Mbps download, 1Mbps upload
- Home Basic II or NBN 25 (previously Standard NBN speed): 25Mbps download, 5Mbps upload
- Home Standard or NBN 50 (previously Standard Plus NBN speed): 50Mbps download, 20Mbps upload
- Home Fast or NBN 100 (previously Premium NBN speed): 100Mbps download, 20Mbps or 40Mbps upload
- Home Superfast or NBN 250: 250Mbps download, 25Mbps upload
- Home Ultrafast or NBN 1000: 1000Mbps download, 50Mbps upload
When you’re comparing NBN plans, you may notice reference to evening speeds — this might be in the name of the plan itself, or in the provider’s NBN speed guide. The use of evening speeds was introduced by the ACCC to ensure that internet service providers (ISPs) are much more transparent about NBN speeds and to make it easier for consumers to compare and select the right speed tier for their needs. This term refers to speeds during evening peak times (between the hours of 7pm-11pm), which is when there is typically more congestion on the network.
You might find that when you’re looking at a specific plan from a telco, the ‘typical evening speed’ listed, could be less than the maximum download speed available on that speed tier. The ACCC offers a guide for the evening speeds that you can usually expect on the different speed tiers to help you identify if your NBN plan is perhaps not performing as it should be. When choosing a new NBN plan, look for providers that list this ‘typical evening speed’, as this can help you with your NBN plan comparisons.
NBN speeds compared
Once you’ve established what your household internet needs are, it’s time to look at which speed tier will best suit you and your family. The following table includes the four most commonly available NBN speed tiers, and recommendations as to what activities are suitable on these speeds. Keep in mind that these are only a guide — NBN service can differ between providers and due to a range of factors, just as each household’s requirements are different.
| Speeds | Typical evening speeds | Recommended household size | Recommended use | |
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| Home Basic I | 12/1Mbps: 12Mbps download, 1Mbps upload | 7Mbps-12Mbps | 1-2 people, light users | Light web browsing, emails and home phone |
| Home Basic II | 25/5Mbps: 25Mbps download, 5Mbps upload | 15Mbps-25Mbps | 2-3 people light to moderate users | Moderate web browsing, social media browsing, sending emails, SD video streaming, music streaming |
| Home Standard | 50/20Mbps: 50Mbps download, 20Mbps upload | 30Mbps-50Mbps | 3-4 people, moderate to heavy users | HD video streaming, music streaming, online gaming, sharing/uploading photos, video calling |
| Home Fast | 100/40Mbps or 100/20: 100Mbps download, 40Mbps upload or 20Mbps upload | 60Mbps-100Mbps | 5+ people, heavy users | 4K video streaming, downloading large files (faster uploading with 100/40 speeds), online gaming, heavy internet use over multiple devices simultaneously |
| Home Superfast | 250/25Mbps: 250Mbps download, 25Mbps upload | 200Mbps-250Mbps | 6+ people, heavy users | Concurrent 4K video streaming, downloading large files, online gaming, heavy internet use over multiple devices simultaneously, uninterrupted video calls |
| Home Ultrafast | 1000/50Mbps: 1000Mbps download, 50Mbps upload | 200Mbps-700Mbps | 6+ people, heavy users | Concurrent 4K video streaming, uploading/downloading large files, online gaming, heavy internet use over multiple devices simultaneously, seamless high-quality video calls |
Which NBN speed tiers deliver the best internet speeds?
The NBN 50 speed tier is the most popular speed in Australia, so download speeds of around 50Mbps can generally be considered ‘good’. This should be more than enough for a decent amount of evening web browsing, social media and video streaming at a high standard, and it is also the fastest speed available to most NBN connection types. The NBN 12 and NBN 25 speed tiers should be equally capable of meeting your more basic internet needs, but in an effort to strike the best balance between speed performance and price, NBN 50 can reasonably be considered the way to go. If faster speeds equal the best speeds to you, then NBN 1000 would offer the best internet speeds on the NBN.
Choosing the best NBN plan for you
Now that you’ve got an idea as to which speed tier will most likely suit your household, you’ll need to compare NBN plans from a range of providers to help you choose the best NBN plan to suit your needs. There is a lot of competition on the market when it comes to NBN providers in Australia. However, not all providers offer plans on all six of the speed tiers, which could help make your NBN plan comparisons a little easier.
To help you choose a NBN plan, we’ll take a look at several options across the four most widely available speed tiers to give you an idea of plans and prices available.
Unlimited NBN 100 Plans
The following table shows a selection of published unlimited NBN 100 plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of standard monthly cost, 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 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, from 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 NBN 25 Plans
The following table shows a selection of published unlimited NBN 25 plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of standard monthly cost, 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 NBN 12 Plans
The following table shows a selection of published unlimited NBN 12 plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of standard monthly cost, 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.
The following tables show a selection of unlimited Home Superfast (NBN 250) plans on Canstar Blue’s database listed in order of standard monthly cost, from lowest to highest. Use our comparison tool to see plans from a range of other providers. This is a selection of products with links to a referral partner.
The following tables show a selection of unlimited Home Ultrafast (NBN 1000) plans on Canstar Blue’s database listed in order of standard monthly cost, from lowest to highest. Use our comparison tool to see plans from a range of other providers. This is a selection of products with links to a referral partner.
How fast is home wireless broadband and mobile broadband?
NBN isn’t the only type of internet service out there. While NBN includes fibre, fixed wireless and satellite services, many providers also offer home wireless broadband and mobile broadband services.
Both home wireless and mobile broadband offer internet connections via a mobile network — the same as the internet connection you get from your phone plan. The big difference between the two internet types is that home wireless broadband (sometimes called 4G or 5G home internet) is designed as an internet service for the home, where multiple devices can connect to the WiFi, and plans often include unlimited data.
Mobile broadband is a portable form of internet. It can come in the form of a data-only SIM card that you insert into your tablet or other device (like a modem or dongle) or as a plan bundled with a portable modem or dongle. These plans will often have smaller data inclusions and are aimed for use in a tablet or for use while travelling or on the go.
Both home wireless and mobile broadband are available as 4G-only plans or 5G plans (where available). Whether you choose 4G or 5G will determine what internet speeds you’ll get on your plan. 5G offers much faster speeds than 4G, however some providers may also cap your internet speeds.
4G home internet plans are typically capped around 20Mbps, while 5G plans might have speeds capped at 50Mbps and around 100Mbps, with the slower plan usually at a cheaper cost. Some plans, especially 5G home internet, might not have speed caps at all and might reach speeds around 300-500Mbps. Mobile broadband plans may also have similar speed caps in place to home wireless plans.
What can I really expect from my internet speed?
The speed tiers are really a guide as to the maximum speed available on that plan: however, the actual speeds you experience could be different as internet speeds can be impacted by a range of things. The same can be said for home wireless and mobile broadband.
Internet speeds can be affected by a range of factors, including the hardware you’re using to connect to the internet, your NBN connection type (how your home is connected to the NBN network), your distance from the server you’re trying to connect to and of course, network congestion and mobile network coverage (in the case of home wireless and mobile broadband). That evening peak busy time between 7pm and 11pm can also have a big impact on the internet speeds you experience, which is why providers are required to list typical evening speeds for NBN plans.
Of course, it’s difficult to determine the actual speeds you’ll receive on your internet plan. When you are signing up to an internet plan, if that provider does not include an indication of speeds you can expect during the evening peak, it’s recommended that you ask for that information. If you feel the speeds you’re experiencing do not match up to what your plan has indicated, you should get in touch with your internet provider.
What internet speed do I need?
When you’re choosing an NBN speed tier and plan, you’ll need to assess your household situation to determine which speed will be the best NBN speed for your household. It’s also a similar decision when you’re looking at home wireless plans and whether you need 4G or 5G home internet.
There are a number of factors that could determine which speed will best suit your needs. As a guide, consider the following:
- How many people are in the house and will they be using the internet simultaneously?
- How many devices require connection to a WiFi network and will they all be used at the same time? (Smart TVs, gaming consoles, mobiles, tablets, computers, smart home assistants, security systems, etc)
- What do you use the internet for? (General web browsing, sending emails, streaming video and music, online gaming, video calls, uploading and downloading large files, etc.)
The best internet speeds for different household types
Smaller households might be content with the slowest NBN speeds — Home Basic I or Home Basic II. For home wireless plans, 4G speeds or a speed-capped 5G plan, should suit your needs. However, this does depend on the types of activities that you commonly do online.
For smaller households that only use the internet for the absolute basics like emails, phone calls and simple web browsing, a plan with NBN 12 (Home Basic I) speeds will most likely be suitable for you. If you do a little bit more than that, such as more general web browsing, social media, streaming music and even streaming Standard Definition (SD) videos, you’d be best looking at a NBN 25 (Home Basic II) plan. NBN 25 is also a better option if you have more than one person using the internet at the same time, while NBN 12 might not be able to handle multiple users at once.
If you’re a small household, play online games, and like watching High Definition (HD) or even 4K videos, you might need to invest in a faster speed plan, such as NBN 50 or even NBN 100. Just because you have a smaller household doesn’t mean a slower speed will be best for you, as some users — whether a one or two person household — might prefer to be on a faster plan for that faster performance.
If you’re a household of three or four people who are all online simultaneously with a number of different devices, the NBN 50 speed tier is most likely your best option. This speed is recommended for HD video streaming, downloading files, working from home and online gaming, in addition to the basics like web browsing and social media. This is especially suitable if multiple users are watching videos, playing games or doing other high-intensity activities at the same time.
Of course, if only a couple of those household members use the internet (and are mostly moderate users), a slower speed could be a better option. Overall, it’s more how you use your NBN plan, rather than household size, that determines which speed you need.
The NBN 50 speed tier is the most commonly available speed tier, and is also accessible by most NBN connections. For some NBN connection types, this is the fastest speed option you can sign up to.
For home wireless plans, larger households with lighter usage needs, may find a 4G home internet could be fast enough, but you’ll most likely need a 5G home internet plan. Some providers offer 5G home internet plans with speeds capped at 50Mbps, which could be fast enough for your household’s needs.
For households of over four people, especially large families with five or more people online simultaneously, the best NBN speed tier is typically NBN 100 or faster. It’s also recommended for downloading large files and streaming video in 4K. Typically if you have several devices using the internet at once, all performing moderate to heavy internet activities like video streaming, gaming and social media, this is most likely the best speed option for you.
The faster NBN speed tiers, NBN 250 and NBN 1000, are designed for large households with high internet usage needs. If you want a smoother gaming performance, high quality video calls and quicker file downloads, one of these faster speeds will best suit your needs. Keep in mind that you’ll need a certain NBN connection type to access faster NBN speeds.
If you’re after a home wireless internet plan, 5G home internet will be the best option, but keep an eye on speed-capped plans, as you’ll want a 5G home internet plan with a minimum of 100Mbps speeds.
If you’re renting, there are few things to consider when choosing an internet plan, especially in a share house. If there are going to be multiple people, whether you’re family or flatmates, consider the online activities of these users to help determine which home wireless speed or NBN speed tier will most likely match your needs.
Once you’ve determined which speed will best suit your household, when you compare plans from a range of providers, you might want to look for plans that are month-to-month and not tied to a contract. This gives you the freedom to cancel as needed, or move to another plan that better suits.
Keep an eye on any modem inclusions where you’re required to stay connected to the plan for a set amount of time. Typically if you cancel your plan before that set period (such as six, 12, 24 or 36 months), you’ll need to pay off your remaining modem fees or return the modem.
Naturally, anyone who plays online games will require faster internet speeds. Not only to support the demands of online gaming, which can be bandwidth-intensive, but also for downloading game files and updates. NBN 50 is the speed tier recommended by NBN Co for playing basic online games, however a small household with only one person playing basic online games might be able to manage with NBN 25. For more intensive online gaming and regular game downloading, smaller households may want to look at NBN 100 speeds or faster, if available.
Larger households with even greater internet needs, such as several household members playing online games, may want to look at NBN 100, 250 or even 1000 speeds. For home wireless, an un-capped 5G home internet plan may be best, or you can look at alternatives like Starlink satellite internet.
Another thing to look out for is how providers tailor their NBN plans for gamers. Some providers might generally optimise NBN plans for gaming, while others might offer special plans or tools to help improve your online gaming performance. While this might end up costing you more on your internet bill, if these are features you’re interested in, take a look to see what suits your budget best.
Typically, seniors in small households might find the slower NBN speeds to best suit their internet usage. If you only use your home internet every now and then for basic tasks like checking emails, phone calls and web browsing, you might find a plan on NBN 12 or 25 to be best suited for your needs. Seniors with greater needs like streaming HD videos and making video calls, might want to consider NBN 50.
Some providers also offer special seniors NBN plans, which might be cheaper, have smaller data inclusions or feature other services like home phone built in. Some of these plans may require you to show your seniors or pensioners card on sign up.
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