How To Choose The Right NBN Speed

When choosing an NBN plan, it can sometimes be hard to work out your priorities. Should you concentrate on a fat, juicy data limit, a proven track record for reliability, speed or affordability?

Naturally, you should aim to combine all of the above in a way that matches your usage levels. Here are the best options for each type of user.

Most Australian NBN plans are grouped into three main tiers – NBN 25, NBN 50 and NBN 100. As you’d expect, the main differentiator is speed, with the higher number providing a faster connection for a higher price. But which speed tier do you actually need? Naturally the answer changes depending on the individual.

If you’re not sure, keep reading to discover what’s possible on the three main plan types. We’ve also included a list of the most affordable plans in each tier.

[referenced url=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2017/07/how-to-monitor-your-own-nbn-speeds/” thumb=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2017/07/NBN-3-410×231.jpg” title=”How To Monitor Your Own NBN Speeds” excerpt=”The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has pledged to get tough on any Internet Service Providers that mislead consumers about National Broadband Network speeds. But how do you know if you’re getting a good deal when you connect to the NBN? How do you know if you’ll be getting the high-speed connection you were promised?”]

For basic users: NBN 25

NBN 25 is your standard basic plan for people who you want a functional internet package. It comes with a maximum 25 megabits of download speed and five megabits of upload speed so it’s going to be a bit touch and go with anything other than small file uploads like document attachments.

Consistent video streaming and gaming will also likely be a bit tough unless there’s only one person attempting it at once and you’re getting some good evening speeds. You’ll likely be able to achieve HD quality on Netflix but there’s an extremely low chance of getting 4K quality, according to Netflix’s own recommendations.

But if all you need is the bare bones, here are the best NBN 25 plans.

For casual users: NBN 50

NBN 50 is the standard speedy plan offering up to 50 megabits of download speed and up to 20 megabits of upload speed. In reality, you usually get less than that with most plans hovering around 40Mbps during peak usage times.

Nevertheless, it remains a great option for casual internet users and should be able to handle most of the things we’re accustomed to in 2019 without too many issues (provided your connection is stable.) You’ll be able to stream HD video and play online multiplayer games with limited buffering. If you’re in a house with only a few people (let’s say three) and you’re all pretty strenuous internet fiends, NBN 50 should be able to handle you. Larger households with less web-intensive beings might also find it’s perfectly acceptable level of internet.

Without further ado, here are the speediest NBN 50 plans all with unlimited data packages.

For intensive users: NBN 100

If NBN 50 just isn’t cutting it for you, you can upgrade to the NBN’s de facto top-tier offering (there are higher speeds, but they’re uncommon). NBN 100 packages come with 100 megabits of download and 40 megabits of upload speed and are great for people needing a bit of boost in their upload speeds. These packages tend to favour people working from home as well as those who need higher upload speeds like content creators and others working in digital industries.

Check out the best NBN 100 offerings below.

[referenced url=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2019/09/the-five-most-popular-nbn-plans-according-to-whistleout-users/” thumb=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2017/08/internet-connection-with-wlan-router-in-home-office-184999273_1256x838-410×231.jpeg” title=”The Most Popular NBN Plans Of The Month [Updated]” excerpt=”Choosing an NBN plan is a bit like playing Russian roulette – while the odds are generally stacked in your favour, there’s a pretty big chance something horrible will happen. It therefore pays to look at what other customers are buying to get an idea of what’s popular. With that in mind, here are the top five NBN plans according to around a million WhistleOut users.”]

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