Business NBN Plans & Providers

iiNet is Australia’s best-rated business NBN provider

No matter the industry, every small business needs an internet connection to survive. Whether it’s organising rosters, doing the pay run, emailing staff, operating point-of-sale systems, or ordering products, businesses in Australia can thrive with a solid broadband connection. As they say, a small business is only as good as its communications, and having reliable and fast internet is a sure-fire way to keep communications flowing. So if your small business is less than satisfied with your current internet provider, our 2021 review and ratings may help you find a better deal.

Canstar Blue annually surveys hundreds of business owners and key decision-makers across Australia to find out which broadband providers are consistently delivering, and which are more like a bump in the road. Returning to the number-one spot for the seventh time, and recovering from its 2020 loss to Optus, is frequent favourite iiNet. 

The telco smashed our 2021 ratings, receiving five stars across all categories including overall customer satisfaction. iiNet’s competitive business NBN prices – and range of plan options – have seen the provider continue to dominate our yearly ratings, ahead of industry leaders Telstra, TPG and Optus. 

While no NBN provider is perfect – and it seems reasonable to assume you’ll have the occasional issue with any telco – our ratings are designed as a high-level guide to which providers are getting it right more often than not, and which ones still have work to do.

Best NBN for Business

Here are the best NBN providers for business, as rated by consumers in Canstar Blue’s 2021 review:

1. iiNet
2. TPG
3. Optus
4. Telstra

iiNet has come out on top in our 2021 ratings, achieving the only five-star score for overall satisfaction in this year’s review. In second place was TPG, with last year’s winner Optus in third and Telstra rounding out our list in fourth. Each of the four included providers was rated on a variety of important factors, including customer service, network performance, value for money, clarity and flexibility of contract, and bill clarity. 

Read on for an overview of what the four telcos in our 2021 review have to offer business NBN customers, as well as a list of other providers who market their services to businesses.

Business NBN Plans

There is a diverse range of internet plans on offer for businesses big and small. Here is an overview of what the biggest internet providers in Australia are offering business owners when it comes to NBN.

iiNet Business NBN Plans

iiNet’s small business broadband options include both NBN, VDSL2, fibre and cable connections, with unlimited data and high-speed NBN plans available. Unlimited data plans begin at $79.99 per month for business NBN customers, and include pay-as-you-go calling, a static IP address, and a free Wi-Fi modem on 24-month contracts.

• The first NBN speed offered is the Standard Plus Evening Speed (NBN 50) speed tier, but a boost to Premium NBN 100 is available for an extra $30 per month.
• Customers can add a BizPhone pack to their plan from $29.95 per month, which includes unlimited standard local, national and mobile calls.
• Plans are available on monthly or 24-month contracts, but going contract-free will incur a $79.95 activation fee, plus an $89 modem charge if required.

iiNet blitzed our business broadband ratings for 2021, taking home a perfect five-star result for not only overall satisfaction, but also network performance, value for money, customer service, bill clarity, and flexibility of contract. 

TPG Business NBN Plans

TPG offers small business NBN plans from $69.99 per month at Basic NBN 12 speeds. NBN 50 and NBN 100 options are also available, and all include unlimited data and your choice of a month-to-month or 18-month contract.

• No lock-in contracts incur a $99.95 setup fee, but both contract options come with an included WiFi modem.
• Selected areas may also have access to TPG’s high-speed fibre optic broadband plans, which start at $399 monthly for speeds up to 400Mbps and $799 for 1Gbps.
• Both TPG Fibre and NBN plans also have access to extras such as BizPhone calling, and plans with included unlimited calls are available.

TPG received four stars for overall satisfaction in our 2021 ratings, with a five-star score for network performance, value for money, and bill clarity.

Optus Business NBN Plans

Optus’ small-to-medium business broadband is priced on par with its residential NBN and ADSL plans, with prices beginning from $79 per month for unlimited data. NBN plans include Standard Plus (NBN 50) speeds as standard, with a boost to Premium NBN 100/20 available for an additional $20 per month.

• Internet Ultimate plans include an Optus WiFi Booster and Optus WiFi Secure protection.
• Plans also feature an optional included phone line with pay-as-you-go calling. Business customers can add unlimited standard local, national, and Australia mobile calls to their plan from $10 per month.
• In addition to NBN and ADSL, Optus also offers business mobile broadband and both 4G and 5G internet plans. 

Optus scored three stars for overall satisfaction in 2021, and received four stars for value for money, customer service, and flexibility and clarity of contract.

Telstra Business NBN Plans

Small business broadband from Telstra begins at $100 per month for unlimited data for both NBN and ADSL customers. Plans are available on a casual month-to-month basis, and new customers will receive a Telstra Smart Business Modem with 4G mobile broadband backup. However, cancelling your service within 24 months means you’ll need to pay out the remaining cost of your modem. 

• NBN customers receive Standard Plus (NBN 50) speeds as standard, but can add a Premium (NBN 100) speed boost where available.
• Business broadband and calling pack bundles begin at $125 per month and include unlimited data at NBN 50 speeds, plus phone line and unlimited standard local, national and mobile calls, plus unlimited calls to selected countries.
• Plans include a static IP address and 24/7 support.

Telstra was rated three stars for overall satisfaction in our 2021 review, and received five stars for flexibility of contract and four stars each for network performance and bill clarity.

List of Business NBN Providers

If you’re looking for a broadband provider to service your business – whether it’s from home, the office, or anywhere in between – here is a list of telcos marketing services in your direction:

• Aussie Broadband
• Bendigo Telco
• Exetel
• iiNet
• Internode
• MyRepublic
• Optus
• Southern Phone
• SpinTel
• Start Broadband
• Superloop
• Telstra
• TPG
• Vodafone
• Westnet

What did we learn about business NBN customers?

Canstar Blue’s 2021 survey of business broadband customers has revealed the extent to which many are incredibly reliant on fast, reliable internet to operate efficiently.

• 67% of respondents said fast internet is crucial to their business.
• 29% regularly suffer from slow or unreliable internet.
• 39% have had an internet outage affect their business.
• The average monthly broadband cost to businesses is $210.

So, many businesses are still experiencing challenges with their broadband connections. Are they happy with their current provider and plan?

• 45% of respondents admitted they could probably find a better deal if they shopped around.
• 24% said they are currently considering switching internet providers.
• 34% said they experienced problems when their business originally switched over to the NBN.
• 58% stayed with the same provider when switching to the NBN.

Choosing an NBN plan for your business

No business should have to put up with a subpar NBN plan. Often, the internet is the lifeblood of a business, and having a lacklustre plan can be both frustrating and financially impairing. This year, two providers in our annual review were rated five stars in terms of network performance – iiNet and TPG.

If value for money is a key factor in finding a NBN plan, liiNet and TPG each scored five stars for value in our 2021 ratings, followed by Optus with four stars and Telstra with three. In terms of customer service, only iiNet was rated five stars, and iiNet and TPG each received five stars for bill clarity. 

What’s most important to business owners will vary, but our ratings provide a guide as to which telcos are keeping customers happy across various categories.

MYOB Accounting Software

Looking to make dollars and cents of your personal or small business finances? MYOB’s accounting software includes options for invoicing, payroll, expenses and more. For more information on the featured plans below, click the button below to be referred to MYOB’s site or see how MYOB compares to other accounting software.

Business Lite For businesses getting started with accounting software Track income and expenses Create and send invoices and quotes Manage tax and basic reports Connect up to 2 bank accounts Optional Payroll: $1.50/mth per employee. Pay up to 2 employees 30-day free trial available 50% off for first 3 months. New customers only. T&Cs Apply.

from $12.00/month min. cost $24.00 $12.00 over 1 month

Go to site

Business Pro For growing business taking the next step and employing more people Track income and expenses Create and send invoices and quotes Manage tax and advanced reports Connect unlimited bank accounts Optional Payroll: $1.50/mth per employee. Pay unlimited employees 30-day free trial available 50% off for first 3 months. New customers only. T&Cs Apply.

from $25.00/month min. cost $50.00 $25.00 over 1 month

Go to site

Business AccountRight Plus Online or offline accounting software with job tracking and inventory Track income and expenses Create and send invoices and quotes Manage tax and advanced reports Connect unlimited bank accounts Track jobs with budgets Manage inventory and bill by time* Included Payroll: No additional cost. Pay unlimited employees 30-day free trial available 50% off for first 3 months. New customers only. T&Cs Apply.

from $60.00/month min. cost $120.00 $60.00 over 1 month

Go to site

*^View important information

About the author of this page

This page was written and is regularly updated by Canstar Blue’s Telco Editor, Tara Donnelly. Having spent around a decade writing for and editing telco comparison websites, she’s an expert in all things phone & internet, including NBN plans and how to find the best deal for your family. She loves to highlight the next best NBN deals, while also flagging the things you need to be aware of. Tara also acts as a spokesperson for Canstar Blue.

Compare Business Phone Plans