With a whopping 40.4% share of the market, Telstra is undeniably Australia’s most-popular NBN provider – but it’s a long way from being the best value. And while finding the best NBN plan for your household can be a difficult task, switching to basically any other provider is going to save you money – and in the long run, those savings can really add up.
I spend a good chunk of my week searching for the best NBN deals, hunting for plans that offer a mix of both affordability and value. While lots of providers offer short term discounts to tempt you to sign up, cheaper initial monthly spend doesn’t always save you money in the long run if you choose an expensive provider. And moreover, ACCC reports have shown that forking out more to go with a “premium” NBN provider doesn’t guarantee you a better service.
Here at Tom’s Guide, we’re keenly interested in figuring out how to save the absolute maximum on your internet bill, so in that spirit we’ve gathered some of our favourite providers plans’ and calculated their total cost after 1 year, 3 years and 5 years, and compared them to Australia’s most expensive favourite internet provider, Telstra. With savings of up to AU$3,660 on offer at that 5-year mark, it may be time to make the switch to a cheaper provider with service that’s largely indistinguishable from the number one telco.
NBN 1000 plan info
- Telstra | AU$130p/m for six months, then AU$170p/m
Cost after 1 year – AU$1,800; 3 years – AU$5,880; 5 years – AU$9,960 - Superloop | AU$99p/m for six months, then AU$109p/m
Cost after 1 year – AU$1,248; 3 years – AU$3,864; 5 years – AU$6,480 - TPG | AU$104.99p/m
Cost after 1 year – AU$1,259.88; 3 years – AU$3,779.64; 5 years – AU$6,299.40
The graph above represents the fastest speed available in Australia, known as the Ultrafast NBN 1000 tier, and it generally carries a price tag to match. While the cheapest provider at this tier is currently TPG for AU$104.99p/m, our NBN 1000 pick is actually Superloop because it offers higher typical evening speeds than TPG (671Mbps vs 750Mbps) for only AU$4 more per month.
Now admittedly, the 'gigabit' internet you get on this tier is the most expensive, meaning it's where you’ll see the most potential savings when switching from Telstra. However, even at more modest NBN speeds there are big savings to be had by seeking out a cheaper provider.
Savings available across the board
Below, we've calculated the potential savings versus Telstra across other popular speed tiers, starting with NBN 50. Read on to find out how much you can potentially save by switching NBN providers.
NBN 50 plans
According to recent ACCC data, NBN 50 plans remain the most popular in Australia, with 4.45 million active services nationwide. These plans offer up to 50Mbps download speeds during busy evening hours and are best suited to small family households of around 1-4 users.
Comparing Telstra’s NBN 50 plan against some of our preferred alternatives, we found that switching could save you up to AU$1,149 after 3 years, and AU$1,871.40 over 5 years.
NBN 50 plan info
- Telstra | AU$100p/m
Cost after 1 year – AU$1,200; 3 years – AU$3,600; 5 years – AU$6,000 - Flip | AU$59p/m for six months, then AU$69.90p/m
Cost after 1 year – AU$773.40; 3 years – AU$2,451; 5 years – AU$4,128.60 - Superloop | AU$65/pm for six months, then AU$79p/m
Cost after 1 year – AU$864; 3 year – AU$2,760; 5 year – AU$4,656 - Exetel | AU$60.99 for six months, then AU$78.99p/m
Cost after 1 year – AU$839.88; 3 years – AU$2,735.64; 5 years – AU$4,631.40
NBN 100 plans
If an NBN 50 plan doesn't provide enough speed for your internet needs, NBN 100 plans are an excellent choice for families or larger households with multiple devices. Thanks to NBN Co's wholesale pricing cuts, we've seen several 100Mbps plans become significantly more affordable in recent months.
At this speed, jumping ship to a more wallet-friendly provider can save you up to AU$1,089 after 3 years, and AU$1,811.40 in the first 5 years if you switch from Telstra.
NBN 100 plan info
- Telstra | AU$100p/m for six months, then AU$110p/m
Cost after 1 year – AU$1,260; 3 years – AU$3,900; 5 years – AU$6,540 - Superloop | AU$69p/m for six months, then AU$85p/m
Cost after 1 year – AU$924; 3 years – AU$2,964; 5 years – AU$5,004 - Spintel | AU$69p/m for six months, then AU$79.95p/m
Cost after 1 year – AU$893.70; 3 years – AU$2,812.50; 5 years – AU$4,731.30 - Flip | AU$69p/m for six months, then AU$79.90p/m
Cost after 1 year – AU$893.40; 3 years – AU$2,811; 5 years – AU$4,728.60
NBN 250 plans
If you're an avid online gamer or the kind of remote worker who’s working with big files online chances are you already have an NBN 250 plan. and want to,. With theoretical maximum speeds of 250Mbps, there's plenty of bandwidth for you to work, play, download and just generally scroll the internet without a hint of interruptions or lag.
With maximum savings of AU$1,711.50 after 3 years and AU$2,888.70 over five years available to customers, it's almost a no-brainer to shop around for a better deal on your NBN 250 plan.
NBN 250 plan info
- Telstra | AU$115p/m for six months, then AU$135p/m
Cost after 1 year – AU$1,500; 3 years – AU$4,740; 5 years – AU$7,980 - Superloop | AU$85p/m for six months, then AU$99p/m
Cost after 1 year – AU$1,104; 3 years – AU$3,480; 5 years – AU$5,856 - Spintel | AU$75p/m for six months, then AU$85.95p/m
Cost after 1 year – AU$965.70; 3 years – AU$3,028.50; 5 years – AU$5,091.30 - Flip | AU$84p/m for six months, then AU$94.90p/m
Cost after 1 year – AU$1,073.40; 3 years – AU$3,351; 5 years – AU$5,628.60
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