The Most Popular NBN Plans, Judged by Actual Customers

The Most Popular NBN Plans, Judged by Actual Customers
Contributor: Alex Choros
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Picking a new NBN plan can be confusing. Do you go with a trusted name or do you pick a smaller provider? What speed do you need? New providers pop up all the time, and it can feel like plans change on a daily basis. There’s a lot to consider.

If you just want a simple answer, it can pay to follow the crowd and get an idea of what everyone else is buying. With that in mind, here are the week’s top five NBN plans according to around one million WhistleOut users (with unlimited data and speeds of NBN 25 as a minimum, because no one deserves to be stuck on an NBN 12 plan).

The five plans below are what most WhistleOut users are interested in, based on the last seven days of activity. Given WhistleOut tracks hundreds of plans from over 25 providers, hitting the top of the charts certainly isn’t easy.

Here are the current champions:

Tangerine Unlimited NBN 50

As one of the cheapest NBN 50 plans around, it’s unsurprising to see Tangerine sit atop the popularity charts. You’ll pay $54.90 per month for your first six months, and then $69.90 per month thereafter. This deal is available until the end of February.

Tangerine’s plans are all contract-free so you can always bail when the discount runs out. In addition, the plan has a risk-free 14-day trial period. If you’re not happy with the plan, you can leave without your first fortnight and get a full refund of plan fees. Tangerine won’t refund any modem purchases, but the telco’s modems are unlocked and can be used with other providers.

Tangerine reports typical evening speeds of 42Mbps on NBN 50 plans.

SpinTel Unlimited NBN 100

SpinTel sits in second place with its NBN 100 promo. You’ll pay $74 per month for your first six months, and $84.95 per month thereafter. Given $84.95 per month is still cheaper than most full price NBN 100 plans, it’s not surprising to see SpinTel so high up the charts. Of course, the plan is contract-free so you’re still free to shop around for a better deal after (or even before) your introductory discount expires.

SpinTel reports typical evening speeds of 90Mbps on NBN 100 plans.

Belong Unlimited NBN Starter

Telstra’s budget brand takes third place for the week with its “NBN Starter” plan. While the plan is technically an NBN 50 plan, speeds are capped at 30Mbps in exchange for a lower monthly fee of $55. That’s 20Mbps slower than what NBN 50 plans are capable of.

30Mbps is however faster than what you’d get on an NBN 25 plan, so this Belong plan isn’t a bad option if you’re not an overly demanding internet user.

You’ll need to sign a 12-month contract for this plan, but you’ll get a modem included at no extra cost. Belong will also throw in $80 of credit for its SIM-only mobile plans.

Tangerine Unlimited NBN 25

Tangerine makes a return in fourth place with its slightly cheaper NBN 25 plan. Once again, your first six months are discounted. You’ll pay $44.90 per month for your half a year with the telco, and $59.90 per month thereafter.

And as with Tangerine’s NBN 50 plan, its NBN 25 plan is contract-free and has a 14-day risk-free trial.

Tangerine reports typical evening speeds of 21Mbps on NBN 25 plans.

Telstra Unlimited NBN 50

Telstra’s premium pricing hasn’t stopped it from charting, taking fifth with its NBN 50 plan. You’ll pay $80 per month for your first six months, and $90 per month thereafter. You’ll also get three months of free access to Binge, and Telstra is currently waiving its $99 connection fee.

The plan is contract-free, but if you cancel within your first 24 months, you’ll need to pay out the remaining value of your modem. This is equivalent to $9 multiplied by the number of months left in the two-year term. The included modem has 4G backup with 25Mbps download speeds in the event of an NBN outage.

Telstra reports typical evening speeds of 50Mbps on its NBN 50 plans, ostensibly making them congestion free.

Alex Choros is Managing Editor at WhistleOut, Australia’s phone and internet comparison website.

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