NBN Showdown: Aussie Broadband vs Superloop

NBN Showdown: Aussie Broadband vs Superloop
Contributor: Alex Choros
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If you’re currently looking for a new internet provider, you’ll want to keep Aussie Broadband and Superloop on your shortlist. When it comes to smaller NBN providers that have made an impact on the market, both Aussie Broadband and Superloop have firmly established themselves as great alternatives to what the bigger names are offering. Regardless of which one you go with, you can score solid peak-hour download speeds on contract-free plans.

However, there are some differences between the two providers, such as service extras and mobile plans. Aussie also recently gave its NBN plans a price overall, with some dropping in price while others increased.

Here’s how Aussie Broadband and Superloop compare when it comes to NBN plans, mobile plans and other extras.

This article has been updated since its original publish date.

Who are these providers?

Aussie Broadband has been around for over a decade and made a name for itself thanks to a combination of consistently high evening speeds and excellent local support.

Superloop has been selling NBN plans for around four years now and acquired Exetel in 2021. The telco has also been in the business of providing wholesale services to other providers for over half a decade. As such, Superloop owns a lot of the infrastructure that other telcos typically rent.

Both Aussie Broadband and Superloop have connectivity at all 121 NBN Points of Interconnect. This means they have full control over their network and capacity.

Aussie Broadband vs Superloop: Speeds

Aussie Broadband vs Superloop: NBN 50 plans

On NBN 50 plans, both providers are currently reporting typical evening speeds of 48Mbps, while Superloop has slightly faster upload speeds of 17Mbps, compared to Aussie’s 16Mbps.

With Superloop, you’ll pay $65 per month for your first six months, and $79 per month thereafter. On Aussie, you’re looking at a flat rate of $85 per month.

All Superloop and Aussie Broadband NBN plans are free from contracts and setup fees.

Aussie Broadband vs Superloop: NBN 100 plans

Aussie Broadband is just a little faster than Superloop when it comes to NBN 100 plans, reporting typical evening speeds of 97Mbps. Superloop reports 95Mbps.

Superloop is the more affordable of the pair, however. With Superloop, you’re looking at $69 per month for your first six months and $85 per month thereafter. On Aussie, you’ll pay $95 per month.

Superloop and Aussie Broadband are two of the few providers that also offer NBN 100/40 plans. Opting for an NBN 100/40 plan increases upload speeds to 40Mbps, up from the standard 20Mbps you’ll find on most NBN 100 plans.

On Superloop, you’ll pay $75 per month for your first six months, and $89 per month thereafter. On Aussie, you’re up for $105 per month if you want faster upload speeds on your NBN 100 plan.

Aussie Broadband vs Superloop: NBN 250 plans

It’s a similar story to NBN 250 plans. On Superloop you’ll pay $85 per month for your first six months, and then $99 per month. On Aussie Broadband, you’re looking at $119 per month.

The providers’ typical evening speeds are also reasonably in line with the previously mentioned NBN tiers, with Aussie reporting 243/21Mbps and Superloop reporting 240/21Mbps.

NBN 250 plans are only available for Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) and Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC) connections.

Aussie Broadband vs Superloop: NBN 1000 plans

If you’re looking for the fastest NBN around, both Aussie and Superloop have NBN 1000 plans. Currently, both providers are reporting typical evening speeds of 600Mbps, with upload speeds of 42Mbps, which makes either plan one of the fastest NBN 1000 connections that are currently available (Southern Phone is the only provider to out-do them with typical evening speeds of 650Mbps).

When it comes to pricing, there’s a major difference. Aussie Broadband is currently charging $129 per month, while Superloop will set you back $99 for your first six months and $109 per month thereafter.

NBN 1000 plans are available to FTTP connections, and over 95 per cent of HFC premises.

Aussie Broadband vs Superloop: Support

If you want to call Aussie Broadband, the provider has local support that you can contact between 8am and midnight (AEST), every single day other than Christmas and Good Friday.

Superloop’s support hours are 8.30 am to 7pm on weekdays, 10:30am to 6:30pm on weekends and public holidays (AEST).

Aussie Broadband vs Superloop: Extras

Superloop’s NBN 50/100/250/1000 plans all include five speed boosts per month. These let you jump up to the next NBN speed tier for 24 hours (from NBN 50 to NBN 100, for example), and extra speed boosts can be purchased for $2 per day. However, technology limitations still apply. For example, if you’re on an FTTN connection with an NBN 100 plan, you won’t be able to speed boost to NBN 250.

If you stay connected to one of Superloop’s NBN plans for at least 18 months, the provider will throw in an Amazon eero 6+ Wi-Fi router as a free gift. However, if you leave Superloop within those 18 months, you’ll need to pay a clawback fee that’s equal to $8 per remaining month (to a total of $144).

Aussie Broadband vs Superloop: Mobile plans

Superloop and Aussie Broadband are now both offering SIM-only mobile plans. Superloop plans are powered by the Telstra network, while Aussie Broadband plans are powered by Optus.

Both providers also offer 5G access but for select plans only. With Aussie, you can access Optus’ 5G network on its 30/80/220GB plans, while Superloop only has access to Telstra’s 5G network from its 55GB plan through to its 150GB plan.

Superloop has bundle discounts on offer: you’ll save $5 on your NBN bill if you add a mobile plan to the same account. You can save an extra $2.50 per month for each additional mobile plan, up to a maximum of $15 per month. Superloop is also offering double data for the first three recharges on its 30GB, 55GB, 100GB and 150GB plans.

Aussie Broadband also offers three bundles for its mobile and NBN plans. Depending on which ones you go with, you can nab an NBN 100 or NBN 250 plan, with up to two mobile SIMs.

Here’s what Aussie’s bundles look like:

  • Starter bundle: NBN 100 plan with a 40GB mobile SIM – $125 per month (down from $135)
  • Value bundle: NBN 100 plan with two 40GB mobile SIMs – $160 per month (down from $175)
  • Speed bundle: NBN 250 plan with two 220GB mobile SIMs – $244 per month (down from $269)


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


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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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