Internet deals: best cheap NBN and wireless plans in Australia (April 2024)

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Best cheap plan
Best family plan
Best gaming plan
Best high-speed plan
Best 5G wireless plan
Best business plan
Best internet bundle deals

The dreaded monthly internet bill can be a big drain on your bank account, but it’s an unavoidable cost if you want to be connected. What is avoidable however, is paying more than you need to.

So, to help you save we’ve rounded up the best internet deals for a variety of uses, from plans for the whole family, business plans and plans to keep up with your online gaming.

Notable new deals

As well as selecting what we think are the best ongoing internet deals available, we’re also highlighting some great-value new discounts. These cover a wide range of speed needs, from NBN 25 right up to NBN 250 plans - but be aware that some of these offers are only available for a limited time, so if you're keen on one we'd get in quick!

NBN 25 deals

Exetel NBN 25: Save $10p/m for first 6 months ($49.99p/m, then $59.99 ongoing - total savings of $60
Tangerine NBN 25: Save $20p/m for first 6 months ($49.90p/m, then $64.90p/m ongoing - total savings $120)

NBN 50 deals

Exetel NBN 50: Save $18.99p/m for the first 6 months ($60.99p/m, then $78.99p/m ongoing - total savings $113.94)
Tangerine Telecom NBN 50: Save $20p/m for the first 6 months ($59.99p/m then $79.99p/m ongoing - total savings $120)

NBN 100 deals

Tangerine Telecom NBN 100: Save $15p/m for the first 6 months ($69.90p/m, then $84.90p/m ongoing - total savings $90)
iPrimus NBN 100: Save $10p/m for the first 6 months ($80p/m, then $90p/m ongoing - total savings $60)

NBN 250 deals

Tangerine NBN 250: Save $20p/m for first 6 months ($84.90p/m, then $104p/m ongoing - total savings $120)
iiNet NBN 250: Save $30p/m for first 6 months ($99.99p/m, then $129.99p/m ongoing - total savings $180)

Best cheap internet deal

Flip | NBN 25 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | $44p/m (first 6 months, then $54.90p/m)

If you’re looking to pay as little as possible for your internet, this NBN 25 plan from Flip is our top pick for the best cheap internet deal. This plan usually costs $54.90 per month but Flip is currently running a deal where you get the plan for $44 per month for the first 6 months. This is a saving of $10.90 per month and $65.40 over 6 months. The plan comes with unlimited data and a typical evening speed of 25Mbps.

Total minimum cost: $44 | Total cost for first year: $593.40 | Yearly cost after discount: $658.80

Best family internet deal

Exetel | NBN 50 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | $60.99p/m (first 6 months then $78.99p/m)

This Exetel NBN 50 plan is our selection if you’re looking for an affordable family internet plan. Costing only $60.99 per month for the first 6 months and $78.99 per month thereafter, this plan comes with unlimited data and 50Mbps typical evening speeds. What makes this plan ideal for families is Exetel’s unique Speed Boost feature which allows customers to boost the speed of their NBN plan five times per month for free. This is perfect if multiple members of the family are using the internet and it’s a bit slower than usual, or you want to download a new-release game quickly. A Speed Boost on this plan will upgrade the speed from 50/20Mbps to 100/40Mbps for 24 hours. Any unused Speed Boosts will roll over (with a limit of 30) and if you run out, you can also purchase additional speed upgrades for just $2 per day.

Total minimum cost: $60.99 | Total cost for first year: $839.88 | Yearly cost after discount: $947.88

Best gaming internet deal

Exetel | NBN 100 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | $68.99p/m (first 6 months, then $84.99p/m)

If you’re an avid gamer and looking for an internet plan to keep up with your needs, this Exetel NBN 100 plan is a good option. For only $68.99 per month for the first 6 months (and $84.99 per month thereafter), this plan comes with unlimited data and 100Mbps/18Mbps typical evening speeds. An NBN 100 plan should be fast enough to keep up with day-to-day gaming, however if you need a speed upgrade, this plan gives customers five free Speed Boosts a month. Those will increase your NBN speed to 250/25Mbps, giving you 24 hours to enjoy extra fast gaming and if you need more than five a month, it only costs $2 per day for extra speed upgrades.

Total minimum cost: $68.99 | Total cost for first year: $923.88 | Yearly cost after discount: $1,019.88

Best high-speed internet deal

Spintel | NBN 250| Unlimited Data | No lock-in contract | $75p/m (first 6 months, then $85.95p/m)

For those who need a blazingly fast internet connection, this Spintel NBN Unlimited 250 plan is a great choice. For the first 6 months this plan will only cost you $75 per month and after the first 6 month period it will revert to a still-competitive price of $85.95 per month. This is a monthly saving of $10.95 and over the 6 month period it is a total saving of $65.70. This plan comes with a super high typical evening speed of 211Mbps and unlimited data and is a no lock in contract so you won’t have to pay a cancellation fee if you change your mind!

Total minimum cost: $75 | Total cost for first year: $965.70 | Yearly cost after discount: $1,031.40

Best wireless internet deal

Optus Plus Entertainer Superfast 5G | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | $89p/m (for 6 months, $99 ongoing + first month free)

This 5G home internet plan from Optus offers the ideal combination of fast internet and unlimited data (which not all 5G plans do) and it only costs $89 per month for the first 6 months – plus you get the first month free. After the first 6 months it costs $99 per month. This plan advertises typical evening speeds of 240Mbps, but because there’s no cap on the download speed, at times it may be significantly faster or a little slower. With this plan you also get a free standard Netflix subscription (valued at $16.99p/m).

Total minimum cost: $576 | Total cost for first year: $1,029 | Yearly cost after discount: $1,188

Best business internet deal

Aussie Broadband | NBN 50 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | $85 per month

This Aussie Broadband business NBN plan costs only $85 per month. This plan comes with unlimited data and 48/17Mbps typical business hours speeds. It’s ideal for small businesses with under 20 people. In addition, Aussie Broadband offers support throughout Australia 7 days a week, so if you’re having problems you will be able to access assistance and get back on track quickly.

Total minimum cost: $85 | Total cost for first year: $1,020

Best internet bundle deals

Some NBN companies offer bundle deals where customers can save a certain amount per month when they bundle their internet with another service such as TV, mobile or energy. Here are our top picks for internet bundle deals:

Best internet + mobile bundle

Flip NBN 50 plan + Flip 20GB Mobile SIM plan | $68.90p/m for first 3 months, then $73.90p/m for next 3 months, then $84.80 p/m ongoing

Like many internet providers, Flip also offers mobile plans, and if you sign up for both you’ll find you can save up to $10 per month off your total bill. For our money, the best internet + mobile combination from Flip is to bundle these two:

This gets you 50Mbps speed home internet and 20GB of data to use on your mobile every month. Bundling gets you an ongoing $5 per month off the SIM plan (or $60 per year), for a total combined cost of $84.80 per month. Flip’s prices are already super competitive, but even better, both these plans also include introductory discounts. So, over the first six months you’ll save an additional $80.40 in total – $15 off your mobile plan and $65.40 off internet.

With that stack of discounts, we reckon this combination of internet and mobile plans is great value – saving you $140.40 in your first year, and then $60 a year on an ongoing basis.

Best internet + energy bundle

Origin Essentials Bundle - NBN plan + electricity plan with $35p/m discount (for 12 months, then $10p/m discount ongoing). Also includes complimentary 12-month Paramount Plus subscription on NBN plan sign up (worth $89.99)

The Origin Essentials bundle lets you combine an Origin NBN plan with an Origin Energy energy plan to save $35 per month for the first 12 months, adding up to $420 in savings vs the regular price.

This deal is available on all NBN plans, and specifically consists of a $25p/m discount applied to your internet bill for the first 12 months, as well as an ongoing discount of $10p/m for bundling your services. The latter will continue running as long as you remain connected to both services.

What also adds to the appeal of this bundle is Origin’s inclusion of a complimentary 12-month subscription to Paramount Plus, valued at $89.99. With that included, that brings your total savings for the first year to $509.99.

Best internet + TV bundle

Foxtel NBN 50 + TV Bundle - $145p/m for first 12 months, then $155p/m

If you’re a Foxtel customer looking for a new NBN plan, this TV + internet bundle may appeal.

For $145p/m for the first 12 months you’ll get:

A Foxtel NBN 50 plan - $85p/m
A subscription to Foxtel Plus - $60p/m for the first 12 months, then $70p/m

The Foxtel Plus subscription includes an iQ5 set-top box and gets you access to over 50 cable channels across genres including entertainment, lifestyle, drama, documentaries, reality and more. With this bundle you will save $10 per month for 12 months, or $120 in total.

FAQs

How fast an internet plan do I need?

The ideal internet speed for each household or business will vary depending on their needs. If you live alone and only use your internet to browse the internet and stream the occasional show or movie, a basic NBN plan such as an NBN 12 or NBN 25 plan should do the job.

A household with 2-3 people with medium internet usage would probably be best suited to an NBN 50 plan while a big family of more than 3 people who tend to use the internet at the same time might want to opt for an NBN 100 plan to avoid buffering or upload issues.

An NBN 250 plan is usually not necessary unless there are 5+ people using the internet to do lots of streaming or serious gaming.

The fastest NBN tier, NBN 1000 is usually best suited for businesses and not necessary for most households.

What is the difference between NBN and 5G home internet?

There are some key differences between NBN and 5G. Here’s a breakdown on the main ones:

NBN and 5G are both types of internet, however they work in different ways. NBN largely runs through a network of high-speed fibre optic cables, while 5G operates on the major telco’s respective cellular networks, just like your mobile phone.

There are also differences in terms of availability. As of December 2023, more than 90% of homes and networks in Australia were able to connect to the NBN, while 5G is less common and is generally only available in bigger cities.

Another difference is that the NBN is government owned, while Australia’s 5G networks are privately owned by Telstra, Optus and Vodafone telcos.

How much data do I need?

These days, most NBN plans come with unlimited data – however some wireless plans come with capped data. If you need to figure out how much data will be enough, a good starting point is about 250GB per person per month.

In 2019 NBN Co found that the average Australian uses 258GB of data each month at home, so if you think you use more than the average Australian, you may want to consider an NBN plan with unlimited data, or a wireless plan that offers more than 300GB of data per month.

What is the cheapest internet provider in Australia?

This is hard to definitively answer, as there’s no single provider that offers the cheapest plan across all varying services. However, it is worth noting that smaller providers such as Exetel, Flip and Tangerine are usually cheaper than the big telcos (Optus, Telstra and Vodafone). 5G home internet plans can also be cheaper than NBN plans, so if 5G is available in your area opting for a 5G plan could save you some money.

Amelia is an Ecommerce Editor at Getprice who specialises in writing about bargain and curating gift guides for all occasions. Her goal is to help make finding the best online discounts as easy as possible. She loves writing about major deals and sales events to help shoppers get the most bang for their buck at sales time.

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