Compare NBN plans: speeds, total cost and provider terms

NBN providers compared on terms

These are the terms that decide what a plan costs you beyond the monthly price: the minimum term, whether you can bring your own modem, what happens to the provider's modem if you leave, and the data allowance. We checked each one on the provider's own site and Critical Information Summary on 2 October 2026. Plan prices change weekly, so they aren't in the table; the plan page has the current price.

Two patterns stand out. Telstra, TPG, iiNet and Vodafone tie their modem to a 24-month stay, as Superloop does on selected plans, while Aussie Broadband, Dodo and Belong sell theirs outright or in instalments and Tangerine has a $0 modem while stock lasts; all let you bring your own. And every provider in the table lists unlimited data and month-to-month or no lock-in terms, so the modem is now the main thing that can cost you when you leave.

This table covers nine providers whose terms we could check in full; there are many more. We re-check it every quarter. None of these nine is on nbn's list of Sky Muster providers; see Sky Muster satellite plans for the providers that sell it.

How to judge two providers (for example TPG or Aussie Broadband)

"Who has the best NBN plan?" has no honest one-name answer: the same plan can suit a two-person flat on FTTP and frustrate a family of five on FTTN, and prices change weekly. "Is TPG or Aussie Broadband better?" can be answered for your address, though, and the method works for any two providers. Both sell the same nbn wholesale tiers over the same connection, so compare what differs:

• Typical evening speed for the tier you want. Both publish one for every plan; compare them for the same tier.
• The modem. TPG's is free if you stay 24 months (or bring your own for a data-only service), while Aussie Broadband sells modems outright or lets you bring your own, so there's no modem period to sit out.
• Contract and notice. TPG's plans have no lock-in contract but ask for 30 days' notice to cancel; Aussie Broadband's are month to month.
• The total over 12 and 24 months, including any introductory discount and the modem. Put both plans into the total cost calculator.
• Support and reliability features you value: phone support hours, a 4G or 5G backup, a static IP address, a home phone line or a bundle discount.

The provider that wins on evening speed and total cost for your tier, at your address, is the better choice for you. The same method works for Telstra or Optus, Superloop or Vodafone, or any other pair.

Cheap NBN plans: how to find the lowest total cost

The cheapest NBN plan is usually the one on the lowest tier your household can live with, from a provider running a discount, with a modem you already own. Use the calculator to see what one or two plans cost if you leave after 12 or 24 months, including the modem and any set-up fee.

• Speed tier. Dropping from Home Fast to Home Standard saves money every month; whether it suits you depends on how many people are online at once in the evening.
• Discount periods. A low price for six months then a higher one can cost more over two years than a steady price. Compare the 24-month total.
• Modems. Bringing a compatible modem avoids a hardware charge or an early-exit modem fee; our guide to NBN plans with a free modem or no upfront cost compares every provider's modem terms and shows how "free" modems tie you in. On FTTN and FTTB the modem must be VDSL2-compatible.
• Concessions. A few providers have seniors or concession offers, and eligible Centrelink customers may get Telephone Allowance or Pension Supplement toward phone and internet costs. Our NBN plans for seniors page lists what is verified.

Don't pay for speed your line can't carry. On FTTN, a Home Fast I plan may deliver little more than Home Standard if the copper run is long, so ask the provider what your line can reach before choosing the tier.

How the NBN works

The National Broadband Network is a wholesale network run by nbn co, a Government Business Enterprise, which doesn't sell to the public. Internet providers buy wholesale access and package it into the plans you buy, so nbn sets the technology at your address and the speed tiers, while your provider sets the price, the modem, the support and much of the evening performance. You can't change your technology by switching provider; it changes only when nbn upgrades it, as it is doing for many FTTN and FTTC homes through the full-fibre upgrade.

NBN speeds and connection types at a glance

nbn sells eight fixed-line speed tiers, and the fastest you can order depends on your connection type. The table shows the top tier for each; our guides to NBN speeds and speed tiers and NBN connection types cover every tier and technology.

Tier speeds are wholesale maximums. The figure to compare between plans is the provider's typical evening speed for the tier, which the ACCC's guidance says providers should publish for 7pm to 11pm. The ACCC's final speed report, in June 2026, found fixed-line NBN customers received on average 99.4% of their plan's download speed in that peak.

Read the Critical Information Summary before you sign

Under the Telecommunications Consumer Protections Code, every provider must publish a Critical Information Summary (CIS) for each plan it sells, free of charge, no longer than two A4 pages and separate from the full terms. It is the most reliable place to compare plans line by line, because the headings are set by the code rather than the marketing team.

• A description of the service and what it includes.
• The minimum and maximum monthly charge, and the minimum term.
• The maximum early termination charge and how it is worked out.
• Any hardware you must take (such as a modem) and what it costs.
• What is excluded, how to contact the provider, how to complain, and the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman's details.

The code in force is still the 2019 version, varied in 2022. In March 2026 the ACMA announced it will replace the code with an enforceable industry standard; the 2019 code applies until the standard starts.

Switching NBN provider

Switching is usually quick: sign up with the new provider and give it your AVC ID, and it moves the connection without a technician. Don't cancel the old service first, especially if you have a home phone number to keep, and check whether you owe the old provider anything for the modem. Our step-by-step switching guide covers the details.

Alternatives to a fixed-line NBN plan

A fixed-line NBN connection isn't the only option. In cities, 5G home internet from the mobile networks competes directly with NBN plans; in the bush, nbn's own Fixed Wireless and Sky Muster services sit alongside Starlink.

• 5G home internet: a modem that connects to a mobile network. No nbn installation and easy to move, but speeds depend on signal and congestion at your address.
• Starlink: SpaceX's low-orbit satellite service, sold direct and through Telstra. Much lower latency than geostationary satellite; you buy or rent the dish.
• nbn Fixed Wireless: tower-based NBN for regional areas, upgraded in 2024 with new tiers of up to 400 Mbps where eligible.
• nbn Sky Muster: nbn's geostationary satellite for remote areas, with uncapped-data Plus Premium plans and a low-orbit replacement expected from around mid-2027.

If something goes wrong

Raise a fault or billing problem with your provider first; it deals with nbn on your behalf. If it isn't resolved, the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) is free and independent, and every phone and internet provider in Australia must be a member.

If you are struggling to pay, ask your provider about its financial hardship policy. Since 29 March 2024, an ACMA industry standard requires providers to offer at least six forms of assistance and to use suspension or disconnection only as a last resort.