Compare NBN Plans
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The best NBN plans with superfast speeds usually come with a hefty amount of data – unlimited in many cases – and this will be reflected by the price you pay. Going for the cheapest deals usually means sacrificing either speed or data. However, if you really do your homework, you’ll be able to find some awesome NBN plans that strike a good balance between speed and data allowance. And fortunately for you, we’ve done the hard work for you.
Before we go into detail, it’s important to understand the difference between the four NBN speed tiers available because they are directly linked to price.
- Tier 1 – 12/1: 12 Mbps download, 1 Mbps upload
- Tier 2 – 25/5: 25 Mbps download, 5 Mbps upload
- Tier 3 – 50/20: 50 Mbps download, 20 Mbps upload
- Tier 4 – 100/40: 100 Mbps download, 40 Mbps upload
As you’ll find, many NBN plans offered by the big service providers will give you the option of upgrading your speed tier for an extra monthly cost.
So let’s take a look at the cheapest unlimited NBN plans on offer from our database with a direct handoff to a provider’s website, covering the four speed tiers. Keep in mind there could be cheaper plans available in your area, so it always pays to check.
| Brand | Features | Max Data**/billing period | Advertised Cost^^/billing period | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
NBN Basic Unlimited (12 month contract)
min. cost $679.88 over 12 months |
Unlimited | $54.99 | Go To Site |
 |
min. cost $57.90 for first month |
Unlimited | $57.90 | Go To Site |
|
min. cost $65.90 for first month |
Unlimited | $65.90 | Go To Site |
 |
min. cost $2,040.76 over 24 months |
Unlimited | $84.99 | Go To Site |
 View all NBN plans listed on Canstar Blue |
**^^View important information | |||
Cheapest NBN plans
As mentioned, there are four NBN speed tiers, all at different price points, of course. You will generally find that the value proposition improves as you move up through the tiers, until you reach the pinnacle of the NBN – 100Mbps downloads. Let’s dive in and see what each speed tier can offer you, again based on the deals on our website with a direct handoff to a provider’s website.
Cheapest NBN 12/1 Plans
NBN Tier 1 speeds may not be a great deal faster than what you’re used to with an ADSL2+ connection, but they should certainly meet the basic internet needs of most households, and you will easily be able to bag a bargain. If you’re now chained to an NBN reality, these plans can offer good prices for those not really fussed about doing much more than some light browsing. While you likely won’t be able to stream Super HD Netflix without any hiccups, this tier should take on most ‘day to day’ duties capably.
Nowadays, there are a few Tier 1 providers offering plans under $50 per month – merely a year ago you would have been struggling to find anything. For the most basic, entry-level plans, expect to pay around $30-$40, but you won’t get much data for your pennies. Expect data to be no more than 100GB. Below are some of the cheapest unlimited data NBN plans listed on our database. And if you’re willing to spend this much, then you might as well look at jumping into Tier 2, because you may find the plans aren’t much more per month!
| Brand | Features | Max Data**/billing period | Advertised Cost^^/billing period | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
NBN Basic Unlimited (12 month contract)
min. cost $679.88 over 12 months |
Unlimited | $54.99 | Go To Site |
 |
min. cost $60 over billing period |
Unlimited | $60 | Go To Site |
 |
min. cost $60 over first month |
Unlimited | $60 | Go To Site |
 |
min. cost $1,679.76 over 24 months |
Unlimited | $69.99 | Go To Site |
| View all NBN plans listed on Canstar Blue |
**^^View important information | |||
Cheapest NBN 25/5 Plans
This speed tier is surprisingly pretty hard to come by these days. Most providers that offer Basic speed tiers immediately jump to the Standard Plus speed tier. However, there are still a few plans out there – many with unlimited data. For unlimited data expect to pay around $70 a month at a minimum. Again, be mindful of setup fees, modem charges and more. There are a few data-capped plans out there, but unlimited data may not be much more per month. Still, it’s a consideration you’ll have to make.
| Brand | Features | Max Data**/billing period | Advertised Cost^^/billing period | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
min. cost $57.90 for first month |
Unlimited | $57.90 | Go To Site |
 |
Unlimited NBN Plan (Month to month contract)
min. cost $238 over the first month |
Unlimited | $58 | Go To Site |
 |
min. cost $134.95 on no lock-in contract |
Unlimited | $75 | Go To Site |
 |
Unlimited Plan – Turbo
min. cost $1,702.55 over 24 months |
Unlimited | $69.90 | |
| View all NBN plans listed on Canstar Blue |
**^^View important information | |||
Cheapest NBN 50/20 Plans
As far as tiers go, stepping up into a Tier 3 plan will see your speeds start to get to a level where you might say “Okay, this is pretty fast”. When it comes to Tier 3 plans, the cheapest deals start at around the $60 mark, but of course these plans will come with a very modest amount of data. For unlimited data, expect to pay around $70 a month at minimum. Overall expect to get a significant boost in speeds, but you’ll also be shelling out a few more pennies for the privilege. To really get the best of this speed tier, you’ll likely want a lot of data to play with, and some low-data plans may not cut it. Here are some of the cheapest Tier 3 NBN plans on our database.
| Brand | Features | Max Data**/billing period | Advertised Cost^^/billing period | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
min. cost $65.90 for first month |
Unlimited | $65.90 | Go To Site |
|
Standard Plus Speed – Unlimited Data
min. cost $70 over billing period |
Unlimited | $70 | Go To Site |
|
Essential+ NBN Plan (Month to month contract)
min. cost $249 over first month |
Unlimited | $69 | Go To Site |
|
min. cost $1,680.76 over 24 months |
Unlimited | $69.99 | Go To Site |
| View all NBN plans listed on Canstar Blue |
**^^View important information | |||
Cheapest NBN 100/40 Plans
This is where you’ll find the best-of-the-best download speeds, which got everything all excited when the NBN first came to fruition. 100Mbps is a speed mostly unprecedented in Australia until now. You’ll be able to download movies in a snap, provided your plan delivers on its promises. HD Netflix viewing should be easy-peasy, and things like video calling across the globe just got a whole lot easier, and less frustrating, with these types of speeds.
Surprisingly, Tier 4 also seems to be where some of the most ‘value’ lies. This is due to new provider MyRepublic offering unlimited data for less than $85 – which is cheaper than many providers. Apart from MyRepublic, other unlimited plan providers are around $90 a month. However, other providers have caught up, and there are a few providers that can give top-tier unlimited data for less than $90 a month, with Vodafone also offering an immensely competitive plan. Here are some of the cheapest on our database.
| Brand | Features | Max Data**/billing period | Advertised Cost^^/billing period | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
min. cost $2,040.76 over 24 months |
Unlimited | $84.99 | Go To Site |
|
min. cost $85.90 for first month |
Unlimited | $85.90 | Go To Site |
|
min. cost $90 over first month |
Unlimited | $90 | Go To Site |
|
Premium NBN (Month to month contract)
min. cost $269 for first month |
Unlimited | $89 | Go To Site |
| View all NBN plans listed on Canstar Blue |
**^^View important information | |||
Is a cheap NBN plan a good move?
Yes and no…
The NBN is a great thing for Australia – who doesn’t want superfast internet speeds at home and at work? However, to get truly impressive speeds, you’ll have to spend over $60 a month. Quite frankly, anything less than Tier 3 isn’t particularly ‘good value’, especially considering the speeds you can get through other deliveries like cable broadband and ADSL2+. The rollout of the NBN in your area might seem like a bit of an anticlimax unless you significantly upgrade your plan, which will likely mean you have to spend more than you currently do.
Take a quick look at the pros and cons to see if a cheap NBN plan is right for you.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| NBN plans can be had for as little as $30 a month | Data allowances are generally very small, around 50GB per month |
| Tier 1 is likely the cheapest and will be adequate for light internet users | You may feel disgruntled about having to pay more for similar speeds as you already experience |
| There are lots of service providers to choose from | Beware set-up fees. Can often be better value to choose a more expensive plan with lower fees |
| Top-speed unlimited plans can be had from around $80 | Many Unlimited plans are easily $90+ a month |
If you’re in an area already with NBN rolled out, then unfortunately you don’t have much choice but to go on an NBN plan, and either go for the cheapest you can get away with – about $30 – and put up with slower speeds, or choose a faster plan but pay significantly more for the privilege and the increased data you’ll find to be using from the faster speeds. Overall, to get the NBN speeds promised, you’ll need to be willing to pay $80 or more for a Tier 4 plan, and for any sizeable amount of data you’ll need to be willing to pay $90 per month at least – in most cases. For some this is simply outrageous, but for others it’s worth the money to be one of the early adopters of a technology that promises the world.
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