The demand for reliable connectivity has never been greater this year. For most households, having a fast internet connection is no longer optional as work-from-home setups are customary these days. Furthermore, people are becoming more dependent on online services, which include shopping through e-commerce websites, buying food through restaurant delivery apps, and paying bills or sending money through online bank transfer services. In entertainment, watching movies and TV series via streaming services like Netflix is now a popular trend.
According to an annual overview of the global state of digital usage, as of January 2020, there were 22.31 million internet users in Australia. Statistics also shows the internet penetration stood at 88% and social media at 71% at the start of the year.
In a country relying on digital technology, people are faced with the struggle of choosing between a range of internet providers and NBN plans. Although everybody wants the fastest connection that could cater to all types of browsing needs, not everybody is willing to pay top dollar for it.
To help you compare NBN plans and find the perfect one that suits your budget and needs, we have compiled the cheapest plans according to the main speed tiers. But before that, here are the 6 NBN speed tiers with their maximum download and upload speeds.
- NBN12 Basic I: 12 Mbps download, 1 Mbps upload
- NBN25 Basic II: 25 Mbps download, 5 Mbps upload
- NBN50 Standard: 50 Mbps download, 20 Mbps upload
- NBN100 Fast: 100 Mbps download, 20 or 40 Mbps upload
- NBN250 Superfast: 250Mbps download, 25Mbps upload*
- NBN1000 Ultrafast: 1000Mbps (1Gbps) download, 50Mbps upload*
*Access to NBN 250 and NBN1000 may be limited in some locations and plans on these speed tiers are very expensive. Thus, we have crossed them out of our list.
Cheapest NBN Plans at 12Mbps
The following are entry-level plans that can meet your very basic internet needs, such as general web browsing and checking of daily emails. It’d be difficult to binge-watch your favourite Netflix series, but hey, it’s a start.
- Flip Value 12
- Typical evening speed at 10Mbps
- Unlimited data per month
- AUD 44.90 per month
- MATE good mates
- Typical evening speed at 10Mbps
- Unlimited data per month
- AUD 59.00 per month
- Barefoot Mid
- Typical evening speed at 19Mbps
- Unlimited data per month
- AUD 59.00 per month
- TPG NBN12 SL Bundle
- Typical evening speed at 11.2Mbps
- Unlimited data per month
- AUD 59.99 per month
Cheapest NBN Plans at 25Mbps
If you’re fond of streaming or downloading videos, these NBN plans suit you. However, your connection might struggle during peak hours.
- Tangerine Standard Speed
- Typical evening speed at 21Mbps
- Unlimited data per month
- AUD 49.90 per month
- MyRepublic Unlimited NBN Standard – 12 months
- Typical evening speed at 15Mbps
- Unlimited data per month
- AUD 59.00 per month
- Kogan Bronze Unlimited
- Typical evening speed at 20Mbps
- Unlimited data per month
- AUD 57.90 per month
- iinet NBN25 Limitless 6 Month Plan
- Typical evening speed at 21.3Mbps
- Unlimited data per month
- AUD 69.99 per month
- Internode NBN Silver Unlimited
- Typical evening speed at 23Mbps
- Unlimited data per month
- AUD 69.99 per month
Cheapest NBN Plans at 50Mbps
These standard plans are probably the most popular. The NBN50 speed tier is ideal for general household use and good for high-definition video streaming and online gaming.
- Belong Unlimited Standard Plus
- Typical evening speed at 40Mbps
- Unlimited data per month
- AUD 65.00 per month
- MyRepublic Unlimited NBN Essential – 12 months
- Typical evening speed at 43Mbps
- Unlimited data per month
- AUD 69.00 per month
- Tangerine XL Speed Boost
- Typical evening speed at 42Mbps
- Unlimited data per month
- AUD 59.90 per month
- TPG NBN50 SL Bundle
- Typical evening speed at 46Mbps
- Unlimited data per month
- AUD 69.99 per month
- Dodo NBN50
- Typical evening speed at 41Mbps
- Unlimited data per month
- AUD 70.00 per month
- Kogan Silver UNLIMITED BYO
- Typical evening speed at 40Mbps
- Unlimited data per month
- AUD 63.90 per month
- iinet NBN50 Limitless
- Typical evening speed at 46.7Mbps
- Unlimited data per month
- AUD 74.99 per month
- Southern Phone NBN Unlimited Turbo
- Typical evening speed at 38Mbps
- Unlimited data per month
- AUD 75.00 per month
- Aussie Broadband Everyday
- Typical evening speed at 43Mbps
- Unlimited data per month
- AUD 79.00 per month
Cheapest NBN Plans at 100Mbps
Although most of the included NBN plans here are more expensive than the previous ones mentioned, this speed tier offers the best performance when it comes to speed. You can watch your favourite online movies on HD, video call your friends all day long, download tons of TV series, or upload your YouTube videos in a snap.
- Tangerine XXL Speed Boost
o Typical evening speed at 83Mbps
o Unlimited data per month
o AUD 74.90 per month
- Kogan Gold UNLIMITED
o Typical evening speed at 80Mbps
o Unlimited data per month
o AUD 78.90 per month
- Aussie Broadband Family
o Typical evening speed at 86Mbps
o Unlimited data per month
o AUD 99.00 per month
- MyRepublic Unlimited NBN 100/20 – 12 months
o Typical evening speed at 83Mbps
o Unlimited data per month
o AUD 89.00 per month
- TPG NBN100 SL Bundle
o Typical evening speed at 80.1Mbps
o Unlimited data per month
o AUD 89.99 per month
- Southern Phone NBN Max Unlimited
o Typical evening speed at 76Mbps
o Unlimited data per month
o AUD 95.00 per month
- iinet NBN100 Limitless 6 Month Plan
o Typical evening speed at 83.6Mbps
o Unlimited data per month
o AUD 99.99 per month
- Internode NBN Platinum Unlimited
o Typical evening speed at 78Mbps
o Unlimited data per month
o AUD 99.99 per month
You might come to a conclusion that anything less than NBN50 is not worth your attention. However, remember that higher speed tiers may be too much for a small household. If there are only two of you in a household, consider an NBN12 or NBN25 as it may help you save on expenses. When you start fighting each other over the internet connection, you can always ask for an upgrade anyway.
It is also highly recommended to watch out for upfront fees like setup costs, modem costs, and other additional products and services before choosing your NBN plan. Also, there are plans with contract terms you might want to reconsider.
In the end, it is up to you to decide. Just don’t forget to research for more information and read reviews from current or former subscribers before signing up a deal with an NBN provider. After all, the cheapest is not always the worst and the pricey is not always the best.
