The best cheap NBN plans this month

Some of us just want an internet connection for the most basic tasks; sending emails, checking Facebook and Googling reactions to the latest TV show finale.

Before the age of the NBN, the most important choice you had to make when choosing a broadband plan was how much data it included. These days, most plans are unlimited and your monthly spend is impacted most by the speed packs offered by Australian ISPs. That's why the the best NBN plans aren't always the best for everyone. If you’re one of the many Australians that’s more interested in saving money than download speeds, there are plenty of cheap unlimited NBN plans to consider.

For your basic broadband needs, Spintel offers dirt-cheap NBN 12 plans on a discount starting at $39 per month for the first six months (then $49.95 per month). If you need a little more juice, Tangerine is offering its Unlimited Standard Speed (NBN 25) plan for $44.90 per month for the first six months (then $59.90 per month).

Faster again, Spintel makes a return with its NBN Unlimited Plus (NBN 50) plan, which costs $54 per month for the first six months (then $64.95 per month). Lastly, if you want both premium speed and great value, you're looking at spending at least $69 per month on NBN 100, $94.90 per month for Superfast NBN 250 and at least $105 per month for NBN Ultrafast, which isn't cheap, but still the cheapest you'll pay for premium speeds.

This month, our friends at WhistleOut are running an exclusive limited-time deal on Spintel's Unlimited Basic I (12/1) plan. That's a $10.95 per month discount for the first six months. After that, you're monthly bill will revert to the plan's original price at $49.95 per month. After that, you might want to consider switching plans and providers, which is easier than ever on NBN. Here's what Spintel provides on its NBN Basic I plan:

• Discounted price: $39 per month for the first six months
• Monthly price: $49.95 per month after the first six months
• Data: Unlimited
• Speed: NBN Basic I (12/1) with typical evening (7-11pm) download speeds of 12 Mbps
• Modem: $0 BYO or $130 upfront for supplied NetComm NF18ACV Modem

Take a gander at this week's five cheapest fixed-line NBN 12 plans with unlimited data below for comparison.

Next to Spintel, Tangerine is the next most prolific wheeler and dealer of cheap NBN deals. Like Spintel, Tangerine's promotional NBN prices are typically discounted deals on already great value. For example, Tangerine's Standard Unlimited plan comes down to $44.90 per month which is a $15 discount off the plan's regular price, $59.90 per month. Even at $59.90 per month, Tangerine's NBN 25 plan is still one of the cheapest options for that speed tier. For comparison, Kogan charges $63.90 per month for its NBN 25 plan.

• Discounted price: $44.90 per month for the first six months
• Monthly price: $59.90 per month after first six months
• Data: Unlimited
• Speed: 25 Mbps Typical Evening Speeds
• Modem: $0 BYO or from $149.90 upfront for supplied Netcomm NF18MESH Modem

Take a look at the plans below to see how Tangerine's cheap NBN 25 plan stacks up against the competition:

We're starting to speed up now with NBN 50 plans (also known as NBN Standard). NBN 50 is the most popular speed-tier in Australia because it comfortably covers the most common internet needs and then some. You'll only find an NBN 50 plan below $50 per month on the rare occasion that a provider discounts their plans below the threshold but typically, $50 to $60 per month is what you will pay for NBN 50 speeds and unlimited data. This month, Spintel has the best deal on NBN 50 (surprise, surprise). Spintel's NBN 50 deal gets you 50Mbps typical evening speeds and unlimited data at $54 per month for the first six months.

• Discounted price: $54 per month for the first six months
• Monthly price: $64.95 per month after first six months
• Data: Unlimited
• Speed: 50 Mbps Typical Evening Speeds
• Modem: $0 BYO or $130 upfront for supplied NetComm NF18ACV Modem

Take a look at the plans below to see how Spintel's cheap NBN 50 plan compares:

This month, Spintel takes another budget gong with the discount on its NBN Fast 100/20 plan. Currently, Spintel NBN Unlimited Premium plan will cost you $69 per month for the first six months then $84.95 per month thereafter. That plan gets you 100Mbps average typical evening speeds (as reported by Spintel) and unlimited data on a month-to-month contract.

• Discounted price: $69 per month for the first six months
• Monthly price: $84.95 per month after the first six months
• Data: Unlimited
• Speed: Fast NBN 100 (100 Mbps average typical evening speeds)
• Modem: $0 BYO or $130 upfront for supplied NetComm NF18ACV Modem

Below you'll find more of the cheapest NBN 100 plans so you can see how they stack up against Spintel's limited-time offer.

With the advent of gigabit Internet in Australia, we're connecting with unprecedented broadband speeds (at least in Australia). But going faster never comes cheap and most NBN 250 and NBN 1000 plans have pricing that breaks the $100 barrier. So if you are one of the lucky few FTTP or HFC customers who are eligible for Superfast or Ultrafast NBN, finding a bargain has never been more important.

As it stands, Tangerine's XXL Speed Boost Unlimited plan is the cheapest entry point into NBN 250 at $94.90 per month on a month-to-month contract. After six months, that reverts to $109.90, which is still on the cheaper side for this speed tier. Tangerine reports typical average evening speeds at 205Mbps, which isn't incredibly fast as far as 250 plans go.

• Discounted price: $94.99 per month for the first six months
• Monthly price: $109.90 per month after the first six months
• Data: Unlimited
• Speed: NBN Superfast 250/25 (205 Mbps average typical evening speeds)
• Modem:$0 BYO or from $149.90 upfront for supplied Netcomm NF18MESH Modem
• Availability: Only available to select FTTP and HFC customers

If speed is more important to you, here's a shortlist of NBN 250 plans sorted by typical evening speeds.

Compared to NBN 250, far fewer providers have dared to dip their toes into the pool of gigabit 1000Mbps broadband here in Australia. Of course, these plans aren't cheap by anyone's standards, but these are your least expensive options if you are trialling ultrafast NBN.

MyRepublic is currently running a discount on its unlimited NBN 1000/50 plan at $105 per month (down from $135 per month) for the first six months, making it the cheapest entry point to NBN 1000. NBN 1000 plays by the same rules as NBN 250 in that it's only available to select FTTP and HFC customers.

• Discounted price: $105 per month for the first six months
• Monthly price: $135 per month after the first six months
• Data: Unlimited
• Speed: NBN Ultrafast 1000/50 (350 Mbps average typical evening speeds)
• Modem: $0 BYO or $159 upfront (or $5 per month over 24 months) for supplied TP-Link Archer VR1600v
• Availability: Only available to select FTTP and HFC customers

After that, the next best NBN 1000 plan comes from customer-favourite Aussie Broadband. Aussie's Home Ultrafast Unlimited Power House NBN plan will let you fly as close to the gigabit sun as possible without any contract or strings attached. There are cheaper NBN 1000 plans but behind Telstra, Aussie Broadband offers the biggest promise on NBN 1000, advertising typical evening speeds of 600Mbps (compared to the 250Mbps promise offered by other providers).

It costs $149 per month, and considering Aussie Broadband's outstanding reputation and award-winning customer support, it might be your best long-term NBN 1000 option if you are sticking around for longer than six months.

Australia's leading mobile provider charges a premium for its services and unlike the mobile market, there are fewer reasons to favour Telstra NBN over the competition. Telstra's cheapest unlimited plan currently clocks in at $80 per month. That comes with unlimited data and NBN Standard speeds (25 Mbps average typical evening speeds) with no contract. You can also dodge the $99 connection fee if you sign up online.

Take a look at Telstra's most popular NBN plans below.

Telstra's biggest competitor Optus charges a similar monthly price for its cheapest plan ($79 per month) with one key difference: the Optus offer includes unlimited data and Standard NBN 50 speeds. The next cheapest plan from Optus is the Internet Entertainer bundle, which offers the same broadband inclusions as Everyday Internet with added entertainment bonuses like Optus Sport and a Fetch Mighty box.