Here Are the Fastest NBN Plans Around Right Now

Here Are the Fastest NBN Plans Around Right Now
Contributor: Alex Choros
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Not all internet providers are equal – especially when it comes to the NBN. Buying a fast NBN plan should be simple, but there’s a whole range of factors that can affect just how fast your connection is.

Telcos try to give you an idea of how fast their NBN plans are by reporting typical evening speeds. That is, the kind of speeds you can expect during the busiest hours of the day – between 7pm and 11pm. The faster a provider’s evening speeds, the more reliable your connection will be during the times you use it most.

Evening speeds can change, however, and they often do. Aussie Broadband and Superloop now both report slower typical evening speeds on some tiers than they did just a few months ago, for example.

To help you pick a provider that delivers the speeds you’re after, we’ve rounded up some of the fastest plans around, based on the most recent evening speed data major ISPs have released.

The fastest NBN 1000 plans

If you’ve won the NBN lottery and can get NBN 1000, Telstra has the fastest plan around from any major provider. Big T reports typical evening speeds of 700Mbps.

You’ll pay $170 per month for your first six months, and $180 per month thereafter. The plan is contract-free, but you’ll need to pay out a modem fee if you leave within your first two years. This is equivalent to $9 multiplied by the number of months left in your term. You’ll also score a free year of Disney+, and free three months of Binge.

Aussie Broadband is up next, reporting 600Mbps during peak hours. Aussie bills $149 per month for its NBN 1000 plan. You can currently get your first month for free with the promo code FASTMONTH. If you’re not happy, you can always leave Aussie without paying a cent, as all its plans are contract-free.

Superloop follows, with typical evening speeds of 500Mbps. This plan has a few catches, however. Superloop advertises it as an NBN 500 plan, meaning you’ll never see speeds faster than 500Mbps. It also comes with a 3TB allowance, rather than unlimited data. If you go over this, you’ll be capped to speeds of 100Mbps. Superloop bills $119.95 per month for your first six months and $139.95 per month thereafter.

MyRepublic places fourth with typical evening speeds of 350Mbps. The plan is also one of your cheaper options if you’re after gigabit connectivity. You’ll pay $99 per month for your first six months and $105 per month thereafter. That’s cheaper than most NBN 250 plans.

NBN 1000 plans are only available to FTTP NBN connections and over 90 per cent of HFC connections.

The fastest NBN 250 plans

Telstra also takes out the top spot when it comes to NBN 250 plans, reporting typical evening speeds of 250Mbps. The plan is on the pricier side, however. You’ll pay $125 per month for your first six months and $140 per month thereafter. Once again it’s worth noting that Telstra’s plan may be contract-free, but you’ll pay a prorated modem fee if you leave in your first two years. As with Telstra’s NBN 1000 plan, you’ll get a free year of Disney+, and free three months of Binge.

Aussie Broadband is a hair behind with typical evening speeds of 243Mbps and charges $129 per month. Once again, you can score your first month free using the promo code FREEMONTH. This plan is entirely contract-free.

Superloop is up next, reporting typical evening speeds of 240Mbps. You’ll pay $99.95 per month for your first six months, and $119.95 per month thereafter. The plan is contract-free, so you’re always free to leave after your discount runs out.

Exetel has recently started offering NBN 250 plans and reports a still respectable 225Mbps during peak hours. You’ll pay $105 per month for your first year, which then jumps up to $125 per month thereafter.

One of your cheapest options for NBN 250 comes from MyRepublic, where you’re looking at $89 per month for your first six months and $99 per month thereafter. MyRepublic reports typical evening speeds of 200Mbps.

You can only get an NBN 250 plan If you’ve got a FTTP or HFC NBN connection.

The fastest NBN 100 plans

Four NBN providers report typical evening speeds of 100Mbps of their NBN 100 plans: SpinTel, Exetel, Optus and Telstra. This means you should never encounter congestion, no matter the time of day.

SpinTel is the cheapest out of the bunch, charging $69 per month for your first six months, and $84.95 per month thereafter. Even at full price, that’s one of the cheapest NBN 100 plans around.

Exetel is more expensive, billing $80 per month for your first year, and $95 per month thereafter.

Optus follows at $89 per month for your first six months, and $99 per month thereafter. Just be aware you’ll get hit with a modem fee if you leave within your first 36 months. This works out to be $7 per month for each month remaining in your three-year term.

Finally, Telstra is the priciest out of the four, charging $100 per month for your first six months and $110 per month thereafter. As aforementioned, Telstra’s plans carry a modem fee if you leave within your first 24-months. You do get the year of Disney+, and free three months of Binge as a bonus, however.

Aussie Broadband sits in second place with typical evening speeds of 97Mbps, which is still pretty damn solid. Aussie Broadband charges $99 per month for its NBN 100 plan, but you can get your first month free with the promo code FASTMONTH.

If you’re looking for one of the cheapest options full stop, MyRepublic is worth considering. You’ll pay $69 per month for your first month, and $79 per month thereafter. MyRepublic reports typical evening speeds of 93Mbps.

The fastest NBN 50 plans

Evening speeds barely matter anymore when it comes to NBN 50 plans, with many providers now all reporting 50Mbps during peak hours.

SpinTel is one of your cheapest options at $54.90 per month for your first six months, and $64.95 per month thereafter. At full price, that’s cheaper than the vast majority of non-discounted NBN 50 plans.

Exetel is also worth a shout out: you’ll pay $65 per month for your first year, and $75 per month thereafter. Most other discounts only last for six months.

And if you’re a Vodafone postpaid mobile customer, you can save $15 per month on its NBN 50 plan. While it normally goes for $80 per month, the discount drops it to $65.

It’s important to be aware that typical evening speeds disclosed by NBN providers are just an indication of the speeds you can reasonably expect during peak hours. Other factors can still affect the speeds you get at home. These can include the technology you’re using to connect to the NBN, the hardware in your home and any abnormally high usage in your area.

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


The Cheapest NBN 50 Plans

Here are the cheapest plans available for Australia’s most popular NBN speed tier.

At Lifehacker, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you'll like too. We have affiliate and advertising partnerships, which means we may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. BTW – prices are accurate and items in stock at the time of posting.

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