The best cheap NBN plans this month

Disclaimer: Deals and pricing are only accurate as of the last page update on 19/04/2021.

Some of us just want an internet connection for the most basic tasks; sending emails, checking Facebook and Googling people’s 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, your monthly spend is impacted most by the speed packs offered by Australian ISPs. It’s for that reason that the best NBN plans aren’t necessarily the best for everyone. If you’re one of the many Australians that’s more interested in saving money than time spent downloading, there are plenty of cheap unlimited NBN plans to consider.

Providers like Spintel offers dirt-cheap NBN plans on a discount starting at $39 per month for your basic broadband needs, whereas Tangerine squeezes out the competition for budget-minded speed freaks on NBN 50 and NBN 100. If you’re looking to go even faster on FTTP or HFC, Mate will be your best friend for Superfast NBN 250 while MyRepublic has commandeered the top spot for cheap NBN 1000 deals.

1. Spintel NBN Basic I Unlimited

Cheapest NBN plan overall – unlimited data

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 10Mbps
• Modem: $0 BYO or $69 upfront for supplied NetComm NF10WV Modem

Take a gander at this week’s five cheapest fixed-line NBN plans below for comparison.

2. Tangerine XL Speed Boost Unlimited

Cheapest NBN plan – NBN 50 speed (a little faster)

If you’re after a little extra speed, Tangerine is running another discount on its NBN Standard XL Speed Boost UNLIMITED plan. Using the promo code WHISTLEOUT30 will nab you $15 off per month for the first six months, plus $30 off when you first sign up. All up, that’s $120 in discounts. Tangerine’s XL Speed Boost UNLIMITED plan, as the name suggests, comes with unlimited downloads, as well as 42Mbps typical evening speeds (on average), and technical support around the clock. Tangerine is also one of the few NBN providers that offers a free trial so you can test the service for 14 days without paying a cent.

For comparison, here’s a shortlist of the most popular NBN 50 plans this week.

3. Tangerine XXL Speed Boost Unlimited

Cheap NBN plan – NBN 100 speed (way faster)

Once again, Tangerine NBN wedges its way into our results with its six-month NBN 100 deal. It’s a damn fine deal for an unlimited NBN 100 plan, with typical evening speeds of 83Mbps. But again, that deal is only good for six months, after which you’ll be paying full price for a less competitive plan in this instance. Some people don’t mind switching NBN plans and providers regularly to get the best deal.

There are two plans that have a cheaper monthly cost (Dodo NBN 100 and Spintel Unlimited Premium) but Dodo stings you $120 upfront, and Spintel doesn’t offer the same first-month discount that Tangerine does.

Next up is Superloop’s discounted Fast UNLIMITED NBN plan. For the first six months, Superloop’s plan will cost you $74.95 per month before reverting to $89.95 per month. It’s only a fraction cheaper than Tangerine’s plan but Superloop actually boasts faster typical evening speeds than Tangerine. 90Mbps compared to Tangerine’s 83Mbps typical evening speeds. The extra 5c per month is worth it in our opinion.

4. Mate elite mates Superfast NBN

Cheap NBN plan – NBN 250 speed (superfast)

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 the first 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, Mate’s Elite Mates Superfast plan is the cheapest entry point into NBN 250 at $89 per month for the first 6 months (with additional discounts for bundled phone services). Mate reports typical average evening speeds at 208Mbps, which isn’t incredibly fast as far as 250 plans go.

The second-cheapest NBN 250 plan comes from the big blue itself, Telstra.  Telstra’s Superfast Speed + Unlimited Data plan comes in at a discounted $90 per month ($50 per month off for first 6 months) as well as other perks and bonuses like three months of Binge Standard free.

For comparison, here’s a shortlist of NBN 250 plans sorted by typical evening speeds.

5. MyRepublic Ultra-Fast Plan

Cheap NBN plan – NBN 1000 speed (ultrafast)

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 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 $99 per month (down from $129 per month) for the first 6 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.

After that, the next cheapest 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. It costs $119 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. Kogan’s NBN 1000 plan is technically cheaper at $104.90 per month but it’s only offered to FTTP customers. Aussie Broadband also comes with a little added reassurance, as it reports 600Mbps typical evening speeds for Ultrafast customers, whereas the competition only promises 200-250Mbps.

6. Telstra 500GB Basic II

Cheapest Telstra NBN plan

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. Still, if you’re a Telstra customer who likes to keep everything on the one bill, you can still save on Telstra’s broadband offer by capping your data at 500GB per month on Telstra’s Basic II (25Mbps) plan, which costs $75 per month. After that, the cheapest unlimited NBN plan through Telstra is its Standard NBN 50 plan, which costs $90 per month.

7. Optus Internet Everyday Standard

Cheapest Optus NBN plan

Telstra’s biggest competitor Optus charges the same monthly price for its cheapest plan ($75 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.