The best cheap NBN plans this month

Disclaimer: Deals and pricing are only accurate as of the last page update on 12/01/2021.

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. Here are the best cheap NBN plans currently available in Australia.

Cheapest NBN plan overall – unlimited data

Spintel NBN Basic I Unlimited

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.

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

Superloop Unlimited 50/20 Plan

If you’re after a little extra speed, Superloop is offering its NBN Standard Unlimited UNLIMITED plan at a limited-time discount. The $20 per month discount gets you unlimited data and NBN Standard (50/20)  at $58.95 per month for the first six months before reverting to $78.95 per month.  Still a relative newcomer in the Australian broadband market, Superloop biggest selling point is its typical evening speeds, which run loops around some of the competition. For example, you can technically get Belong NBN’s “Standard” tier plan for cheaper but it’s capped at 30Mbps, whereas Superloop reports its customers can expect around 44.4Mbps during busy hours (7-11pm).

Cheap NBN plan – NBN 100 speed (way faster)

Tangerine XXL Speed Boost Unlimited

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 regularly to get the best deal.

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.

Cheap NBN plan – NBN 250 speed (superfast)

Superloop UNLIMITED NBN 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, MyRepublic’s Unlimited NBN Superfast Flexi plan is the cheapest entry point into NBN 250. However, that plan is only available to FTTP customers and reports typical evening speeds of 150Mbps. Whereas Superloop’s offer is currently discounted to the same price for the first six months but is available to FTTP and HFC customers and reports typical evening speeds of 215Mbps (which is more in-line with what you should expect from Superfast NBN). After the first six months, that plan reverts to $129 per month, which is a less attractive offer, but again, it’s month-to-month so nothing is keeping you locked to Superloop.

The second-cheapest NBN 250 plan comes from the reigning champ of cheap NBN deals, Tangerine. Tangerine’s XXXL Speed Boost Unlimited Plan will set you back $109.90 per month for the first 6 months (before reverting to $119.90 per month). Tangerine’s NBN 250 plan is a flexible month-to-month arrangement, except Tangerine takes it one step further with its 14-day risk-free trial.

Cheap NBN plan – NBN 1000 speed (ultrafast)

Kogan nbn1000 Diamond Unlimited

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.

Kogan Internet is currently running a deal on its nbn1000 Diamond Unlimited plan for the lucky few who can get it. At $134.90 per month, it’s a good deal cheaper than the competition, but that promotional cost will only last six months. After that, you’ll pay the full price of $148.90 per month for Kogan’s NBN 1000 dealio.

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 $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.