These are the best NBN plans and deals available in January

The best NBN plans picked at the start of each month from Australia’s best providers, from cheaper NBN 25 to the fastest NBN 1000 plans.

Nathan Lawrence
Nov 05, 2024
Icon Time To Read12 min read
Updated on January 30, 2025

Unlimited data is standard for home internet plans in Australia, so NBN providers tend to compete on promotional pricing and faster download speeds. NBN speed tiers technically start with NBN 12, but we don’t think that’s fit for purpose for most homes in Australia, which is why our cheapest picks start with more practical NBN 25 plans.

There’ve been some price fluctuations for NBN plans in recent months, particularly for the slower speed tiers. For an NBN 25 plan, typical pricing starts at around $60 per month. NBN 50 plans kick off at roughly $75 per month for regular pricing, while NBN 100 plans normally cost at least around $85 per month. For homes that support faster speed tiers, NBN 250 typical pricing starts at roughly $90 per month, while NBN 1000 plans usually kick off at around $100 each month.

With the price expectations sorted, read on for the best NBN plans in January.

The NBN plans listed below are our top picks for the month from every Australian fixed-line internet plan on the market that we track in our comparison engine. If you’d like to start your own search and compare your options, use our NBN plan search tool.

How we choose the best NBN plans

Our top picks go through a rigorous selection process at the start of each month. The best NBN plans and contenders are evaluated by typical evening speeds, monthly price, first-year value, additional fees and more. All of our category winners and contenders are evaluated next to dozens of other NBN plans. Our overall scores for NBN providers—part of an in-depth comparison schema—also factor into the final decision. Read more about how we review NBN plans.

Best NBN 50 plan

Dodo NBN 50 Unlimited Plan


🔥Deal: Save $20/mth: $63.90/mth for first 12 months, then $83.90/mth.

How we chose this plan:

  • We used dollar-to-speed comparisons to separate cheaper NBN 50 plans for first-year value (capped at $75 per month). Plan features and our in-depth NBN provider schema are used for tie-breaks.

NBN 50 is the most popular speed tier in Australia, which is understandable because it’s a good mix of price and speed. Nowadays, it’s trickier to separate competing NBN 50 plans in terms of speed, with 50Mbps self-reported typical evening download speeds common across internet providers. Upload speeds are self-reported nowadays, too, which is a great way to separate close-competing providers.

Dodo returns again for its first of multiple category wins this month because of a deal that’s too good to ignore. The Dodo NBN 50 Unlimited Plan normally costs $83.90 per month, which is decent typical pricing in this NBN speed tier. But new customers in participating areas pay a $63.90 monthly fee for the first 12 months, which offers great first-year value for the NBN 50 plans in our database. Just sign up by 28 January 2025 to lock in the cheaper pricing (unless the promo is extended). That discounted price comes with 50Mbps download speeds and 17Mbps uploads, plus you can save up to $10 extra per month if you bundle NBN with electricity and gas. For NBN 50 alternatives, consider the Southern Phone NBN Standard plan, which also has 12 months of promotional pricing, or the Mate Ripper NBN 50/20 plan.

What is the best NBN plan?

Icon Quote  Dark
Take it from the experts
“NBN 25 is marginally cheaper than NBN 50, but NBN 50 offers up to twice the speed. Most homes should consider an NBN 50 plan or go to NBN 100 if you need faster download speeds.”
Brodie Fogg
Brodie Fogg
Editorial Lead, Reviews.org

The best NBN plan is the one that pairs well with your monthly internet budget and the speed needs of your home. It might not be the speed tier you settle on, but NBN 50 is the best place to start plan comparisons. NBN 25 plans used to be a cheaper alternative but that’s not necessarily the case anymore, at least not during initial NBN 50 promotional periods. On top of this, the typical monthly pricing for slower NBN plans have gone up in recent times.

NBN 50 internet plans are the most popular type of internet plan in our database because they offer a great mix of price and speed. Most homes can rev up to NBN 100 (or beyond) if they need more megabits-per-second for downloads.

Best cheap NBN (25) deal

Dodo NBN 25 Unlimited Plan


🔥 Deal: Save $20/mth: $48.90/mth for first 12 months, then $68.90/mth.

How we chose this plan:

  • We used dollar-to-speed comparisons to separate cheaper NBN 25 plans for first-year value (capped at $65 per month). Plan features and our in-depth NBN provider schema are used for tie-breaks.

We consider NBN 25 plans to be the real entry-level home internet option given the slow speeds on offer from NBN 12 plans: up to 25Mbps downloads vs max 12Mbps, respectively. If you don’t mind shifting providers every six months, NBN 50 plans may even have cheaper promotional pricing than NBN 25 typical monthly prices. Regardless, you can save a comparatively decent amount of money by sticking with an NBN 25 plan once regular pricing kicks in.

Dodo takes out its second successive category again thanks to its cross-plan $20 monthly discount. Normally priced at $68.90 per month, new customers in participating areas pay a reduced $48.80 monthly fee for the first 12 months. Just get in by 28 January 2025 unless the deal is extended. That value is difficult to beat, more so given most NBN plan promos typically last six months. If you sign up for this Dodo NBN 25 plan, expect great 25Mbps download speeds and solid 4Mbps upload speeds. You can also potentially save $10 a month by bundling internet with electricity and gas. For NBN 25 alternatives, check out the Southern Phone NBN Basic plan, which also has 12 months of promo pricing and is actually cheaper (albeit Dodo has a higher internal provider ranking than Southern Phone). Additionally, consider the Spintel NBN Unlimited Entry 25 plan.

Best NBN 100 plan

Dodo NBN 100 Unlimited Plan


🔥Deal: Save $20/mth: $68.90/mth for first 12 months, then $88.90/mth.

How we chose this plan:

  • We used dollar-to-speed comparisons to separate cheaper NBN 100 plans for first-year value (capped at $80 per month). Plan features and our in-depth NBN provider schema are used for tie-breaks.

NBN 100 plans are the fastest speed tier available to most fixed-line homes in Australia. If you live in a metropolitan area, you likely have fixed-line NBN. NBN 100 plans come in two flavours: one with max 20Mbps upload and the other with 40Mbps. You really only need an NBN 100/40Mbps plan if you perform a lot of uploading tasks, like syncing large files with the cloud. Otherwise, save money with a cheaper NBN 100/20 plan, like the winner below.

Dodo returns once again for its third consecutive category win this month, thanks to that handy $20-per-month discount. Typical monthly pricing for the Dodo NBN 100 Unlimited Plan is $88.90, which is competitive. But new Dodo customers in participating areas pay a reduced $68.90 monthly fee for the first year. Get in by 28 January 2025 to nab the deal (unless extended). This NBN 100 plan boasts great 100Mbps download speeds and decent 17Mbps upload speeds, too. For NBN 100 alternatives, check out the ever-so-slightly pricier Southern Phone NBN Fast plan or the Tangerine Speedy NBN plan.

Best NBN 250 plan

Dodo NBN Home Superfast Plan


Note: NBN 250 plans are only available to homes with NBN Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC) or Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) technologies.

🔥 Deal: Save $20/mth: $78.90/mth for first 12 months, then $98.90/mth.

How we chose this plan:

  • We used dollar-to-speed comparisons to rank NBN 250 plans in terms of first-year value. Plan features and our in-depth NBN provider schema are used for tie-breaks.

NBN 250 plans are a good choice for a home whose internet speed needs go beyond 100Mbps downloads. For the NBN 250 plans we track, 220Mbps is the slowest typical evening download speed you can expect, which is more than twice as fast as the best NBN 100 download speeds. Basically, an NBN 250 plan is worth considering if NBN 100 isn’t quite fast enough but the thought of an NBN 1000 plan is too expensive.

The term ‘four-peat’ may sound like a term used by a Master of Scotch but, in this case, it’s in reference to Dodo taking out the top four categories on this page. That’s two months in a row now. Admittedly, that run is likely to end unless Dodo extends its promo pricing that’s set to expire on 28 January 2025. For the Dodo NBN Home Superfast Plan specifically, new customers in eligible areas pay a $78.90 monthly fee for the first year before the typical $98.80 monthly cost kicks in. Either price comes with great 250Mbps download speeds and solid 21Mbps upload speeds. For NBN 250 alternatives, check out the 12 months of cheaper promo pricing from the Southern Phone NBN Superfast plan (rated lower than the Dodo winner) or the Spintel NBN Unlimited 250 Plan.

Best NBN 1000 plan

Southern Phone NBN Ultrafast


Note: NBN 1000 plans are only available to homes with NBN HFC or FTTP technologies.
🔥 Deal: Save $20/mth: $85/mth for first 12 months, then $105/mth.

How we chose this plan:

  • We used dollar-to-speed comparisons to rank NBN 1000 plans in terms of first-year value. Plan features and our in-depth NBN provider schema are used for tie-breaks.

The main reason to consider an NBN 1000 plan is you want no-compromise download speeds ahead of the release of NBN 2000 plans. Upload speeds are only marginally faster than an NBN 100/40 plan (which tap out at 40Mbps uploads), hitting max 50Mbps. But for download speeds, you’re looking at up to 10 times faster than an NBN 100 plan under the right conditions, which means significantly shorter waiting times for large file downloads.

Dodo snagged all of the other NBN categories above, but now it’s Southern Phone’s turn with the same long-lasting-promo trick. Normally priced at a reasonable $105 monthly fee, new Southern Phone customers get a $20 monthly discount for the first year with the NBN Ultrafast plan. That’s $85 per month for 12 months; just get in by 3 February 2025 to score the promotional pricing. All Southern Phone customers using this plan can expect great 860Mbps downloads and 43Mbps uploads. For NBN 1000 alternatives, check out the Spintel NBN Unlimited 1000 plan and the Buddy Telco Zoomy NBN – Unlimited plan.

Most popular Telstra NBN plan

Telstra Upfront Internet Plan Essential


🔥Deal: Get 3 months device protect on Telstra, then $10/mth.

How we chose this plan:

  • We highlighted the most popular Telstra NBN plan on 14 January 2025.

We find there’s a lot of internet search around the best Telstra NBN plans each month. While Telstra hasn’t taken out any of our curated categories above, we did want to acknowledge the NBN provider’s popularity. Telstra NBN plans are generally pricier but typically offer fast download speeds and they all come with a preconfigured Telstra Smart Modem 3.

At the start of the month, the Telstra Upfront Internet Plan Essential was yet again the most popular choice. There was promo pricing at the start of the month—a $95 monthly fee for six months before reverting to its typical $105 monthly cost—for 50Mbps download and 17Mbps upload speeds. Sign up by 10 February 2025 for the discounted pricing. All Telstra NBN plans come with a home phone that includes unlimited calls to Australian local, national and mobile numbers. Alternatively, consider the not-quite-as-popular Telstra Upfront Internet Plan Basic or Telstra Upfront Internet Plan Ultimate options instead.

Please note the most popular Telstra NBN plan below may be different from the one above at different points of this month.

Most popular Optus NBN plan

Optus Plus Everyday Fast NBN


🔥Introductory Offer: Save $60 over 6 months: $89/mth for first six months, then $99/mth.

How we chose this plan:

  • We highlighted the most popular Optus NBN plan on 14 January 2025.

Like Telstra, there are a lot of monthly Google searches for the best Optus NBN plans. We figure this is because people may believe that Telstra and Optus own fibre internet networks that compete with the NBN. That’s not the case, though, and our best NBN plan picks for the main speed tiers are above. Still, Optus NBN plans do come with decent speeds and a preconfigured Optus Ultra WiFi Modem Gen 2.

At the start of the month, the Optus Plus Everyday Fast NBN plan was once again the most popular pick for Optus customers, likely because of an okay special. New sign-ups pay an $89 monthly fee (up from $79) for the first six months instead of the typical $99 monthly cost. This Optus NBN plan boasts great 100Mbps download speeds and 18Mbps upload speeds. Additionally, all Optus NBN customers also get a preconfigured modem-router with 4G backup. For Optus NBN alternatives, the Optus Plus Everyday NBN and Optus Plus Everyday Superfast NBN plans were also popular at the start of the month.

Please note the most popular Optus NBN plan below may differ from the one above at different points of this month.

Most popular TPG NBN plan

TPG nbn Home Fast Unlimited Plan


🔥Deal: Save $10/mth: $79.99/mth for first six months, then $89.99/mth.

How we chose this plan:

  • We highlighted the most popular TPG NBN plan on 14 January 2025.

Telstra, TPG and Optus are big-name internet brands in Australia—responsible for 38.8%, 20.3% and 12.5% of the market share, respectively, according to the ACCC—which is likely why they’re also the ones people search for the most when seeking an NBN plan. As you’ve hopefully seen above, though, there are more competitively priced NBN plans from other providers. TPG plans include a $0 modem-router if you don’t mind committing to a six-month contract (or a $114.95 upfront fee without the contract).

At the start of the month, the most popular TPG plan was once again the NBN Home Fast Unlimited Plan. New TPG customers who sign up to this plan get six months of discounted pricing: a $79.99 monthly fee before the typical $89.99 monthly cost kicks in. Whichever price you’re paying, expect great 100Mbps download speeds and good 17Mbps upload speeds. For other TPG NBN plans, the modem-contract version of the NBN Home Fast Unlimited Plan and the NBN 50 Unlimited Plan were also popular picks at the start of the month.

Please note the most popular TPG NBN plan below may be different from the one above at different points of this month.

What to look for in an NBN plan


There are several key factors to consider before signing up for a new NBN plan or switching from one provider to another.

  • Download speeds: The faster the download speed, the speedier your connection. Unless you live alone or in a home with a couple of people who don’t really use the internet a lot, it’s best to start with NBN 50 and work up. NBN 50 plans aren’t much more expensive than NBN 25 plans, but they are noticeably faster.
  • Upload speeds: Download speeds are, admittedly, more important than upload speeds, but if you're working from home, NBN plans with fast upload speeds are worth considering. For those after faster uploads, consider an NBN 100/40 plan from select providers. Alternatively, for the ultimate mix of download and upload speeds, NBN 1000 plans offer up to 50Mbps upload speeds.
  • Promotional pricing: Some NBN providers offer a discounted rate for new customers. NBN plan promo pricing can make it easier to justify trying out a faster speed tier than the one you need before committing to a higher fee.
  • Typical pricing: If you want a long-term NBN provider, factor in more than just the promo period. An otherwise-good discount might not be worth the short-term savings once you’re paying a lot more for the typical monthly fee.
  • Provider speeds: NBN providers sell internet plans within determined speed tiers. But not all NBN providers offer the same download and upload speeds within those tiers. Alongside NBN providers’ respective self-reported typical evening download and upload speeds, be sure to check what the ACCC has to say about participating providers before you sign up.
  • Extra costs: Contracts on NBN plans are rare these days and best avoided. Most NBN providers let new customers use a bring-your-own (BYO) NBN-compatible modem-router, router or mesh WiFi system. Others offer preconfigured modem-routers or routers for purchase, while others still bundle a modem-router with their plans. Consider the costs involved with paying extra for a provider-recommended NBN networking device as well as potential hardware exit fees if you switch NBN providers.

Which NBN provider is the best?

For us, the best NBN provider is the one that ticks the right boxes in terms of your internet needs. If you’re after great pricing, look for a provider that offers promotional pricing and competitive typical monthly plan fees, like Spintel, Exetel, Swoop, Kogan, Tangerine, Superloop and Amaysim.

Download speeds are typically closely matched for plans up to NBN 100 but there are providers who tend to offer fast plan speeds, including Dodo, Southern Phone and Swoop. Upload speeds and latency are more closely matched but check in with providers tracked by the ACCC for the best typical upload speeds and lowest possible latencies. Even if an NBN provider isn’t part of the ACCC’s ‘Broadband performance data’ program, the results from participating providers are still a great guideline for what to expect from others.

Unlike SIM-only plans, NBN plans aren’t renowned for being particularly feature-rich. That said, while it’s common for providers to let customers use a BYO modem-router or router, you may want a preconfigured NBN-compatible modem-router or router that automatically updates. It also makes it easier for providers to troubleshoot preconfigured networking gear remotely. For that peace of mind, consider NBN providers like Telstra, Optus, iiNet and Internode, all of which offer plans with modem-routers that have 4G backup.

Speaking of peace of mind, those after an NBN provider with lots of support pathways should consider Optus, Telstra, iiNet and Vodafone. While customer-review sites tend to be a haven for those venting about their negative experiences, we’ve tracked great reported customer satisfaction for Aussie Broadband, Kogan Internet, Moose NBN and Tangerine.

If you’re after a single NBN provider pick, Tangerine is our current favourite.

How much should I pay for NBN?

NBN 50 is the most popular speed tier and the one we recommend most homes start with for comparisons. Promotional pricing starts at around $50 but expect to pay at least $70 a month for a competitively priced cheaper NBN 50 option in terms of typical costs.

The cheapest NBN plans in our comparison engine start at around $40 with promotional pricing and closer to $60 per month typically for an NBN 25 plan. NBN 100 plans compete around the $60–$70 mark for promo pricing but are upwards of $80 for cheap typical monthly pricing.

You might find cheap NBN 250 promotional pricing under $80 but expect to normally pay closer to $100 per month for most of the cheaper NBN 250 plans. NBN 1000 plans are around $90–$100 during promotional periods but cost more than $100 during a typical month.

Here’s how much you should expect to pay for each NBN speed tier in terms of standard pricing (for the plans in our comparison engine).

  • Satellite NBN: Monthly prices from $39.95
  • Fixed Wireless NBN: Monthly prices from $59.99
  • NBN 12: Monthly prices from $59.80
  • NBN 25: Monthly prices from $59.95
  • NBN 50: Monthly prices from $76.95
  • NBN 100: Monthly prices from $78.90
  • NBN 250: Monthly prices from $85.95
  • NBN 1000: Monthly prices from $99

Which NBN provider is the cheapest?

The cheapest NBN provider may change month to month, depending on whichever promotional pricing is the lowest per speed tier. Generally, Tangerine, Exetel, Spintel, Superloop and Dodo compete on promotional pricing for popular speed tiers. In terms of the typically cheapest regular monthly pricing, consider Spintel, Tangerine, Kogan and Mate.

Follow the link for the best internet deals of the moment.

NBN frequently asked questions

Is NBN 25 fast enough to stream Netflix?

Yes, NBN 25 is fast enough to stream all Netflix content, including 4K movies and TV shows. Netflix needs at least 15Mbps download speed for 4K content per device. So if you want to watch 4K Netflix content on four screens in your home, you’d need at least 60Mbps of available download speed for smooth streaming. Practically speaking, you’d need an NBN 100 plan for that four-streams scenario.

How do I upgrade to FTTP?

If your NBN plan speeds aren’t up to snuff, you should first consider a faster plan. Already have an NBN 100 plan? You can only shift to NBN 250 and NBN 1000 plans if your home is connected either via FTTP or HFC technologies. If you’re not in one of those homes, use the link below to see if your address is eligible for an upgrade from another NBN technology type to FTTP.

Can I bundle my NBN with other services?

Some NBN providers offer discounts for bundling your NBN with other services. For example, you could get a discount for: While a discount may sound nice, you’re still paying for two services to get a bundle discount, so make sure both services work for you first.

Are there discounted NBN plans for seniors?

Discounts for older adults are available for mobile phones but are less common for NBN providers. Check in with a prospective NBN provider to see if they have a discount available at the time of sign-up.

How much data do I need on an NBN plan?

Most NBN fixed-line plans come with unlimited data these days. There are, however, data caps for NBN Sky Muster satellite and some Fixed Wireless NBN plans. Note that unlimited-data plans typically come with a fair-use policy, technically restricting how much you can download in a month, but this won’t impact most regular internet users.

Nathan Lawrence
Written by
Nathan Lawrence has been banging out passionate tech and gaming words for more than 11 years. These days, you can find his work on outlets like IGN, STACK, Fandom, Red Bull and AusGamers. Nathan adores PC gaming and the proof of his first-person-shooter prowess is at the top of a Battlefield V scoreboard.

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