NBN plans go up in price each year in response to NBN Co's Pricing Roadmap. But the price hikes aren't equal.
A few times now, NBN 50 plans have gone up by more than NBN 100 plans. As such, NBN 50 has gone from a reliable bang-for-buck option to a hard-to-recommend speed tier for many households.
But NBN 50 still has its place. After all, if you don't need NBN 100, then why not save a few bucks a month by sticking with NBN 50? In this guide, we’ll compare the short and long-term pricing of both speed tiers to give you a better idea of which is the best NBN plan for your needs.
NBN 50 vs. NBN 100: Price
Comparing NBN 50 and NBN 100 plans isn't as straightforward as it could be, thanks to introductory discounts. These deals can be a good way to save a little money, but NBN 100 plans often have larger intro discounts than NBN 50 plans from the same provider.
The result can be two plans that are very close in price at first, but with a price gap that opens up after the discount period ends. Even so, the ongoing price of an NBN 100 plan is often still similar to its slower sibling.
To keep things simple, let's start by comparing the plans from five of the most popular internet providers in our database: Aussie Broadband, Dodo, Optus, Superloop, and TPG:
|
#1
|
Dodo
All Fixed Line nbn®
Editor's Pick
nbn50 Unlimited Plan
$57.99/mth
Min. cost $57.99
|
|
#2
|
Superloop
All Fixed Line nbn®
Extra-value nbn50/20
$69/mth
Min. cost $69
|
|
#3
|
TPG
All Fixed Line nbn®
nbn50 Unlimited Plan
$69.99/mth
Min. cost $69.99
Link not supplied
|
|
#4
|
Aussie Broadband
All Fixed Line nbn®
Value nbn - Unlimited
$70/mth
Min. cost $70
Link not supplied
|
|
#5
|
Optus
All Fixed Line nbn®
Optus Everyday nbn®
$82/mth
Min. cost $82
Link not supplied
|
|
#1
|
Dodo
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
nbn100 Unlimited Plan
$62.99/mth
Min. cost $62.99
|
|
#2
|
Superloop
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
Family nbn100/20
$74/mth
Min. cost $74
|
|
#3
|
TPG
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
Editor's Pick
nbn Home Fast Unlimited Plan
$74.99/mth
Min. cost $74.99
Link not supplied
|
|
#4
|
Aussie Broadband
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
Fast nbn - Unlimited
$79/mth
Min. cost $79
Link not supplied
|
|
#5
|
Optus
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
Optus Fast nbn®
$84/mth
Min. cost $84
Link not supplied
|
As you can see, the introductory price for some of these plans are very similar. TPG, Optus and Aussie Broadband all have no difference between the initial monthly cost for their NBN 50 and NBN 100 plans. Dodo only charges $5 per month difference, and Superloop has the largest gap at $8 per month.
Considering NBN 100 offers double the download speeds of NBN 50, this seems like a pretty good deal.
After those introductory discounts end, the ongoing prices do differ, but not by a whole lot. Here's a breakdown of how much you'll pay over the first 12 months for each provider:
| Provider | NBN 50 total cost | NBN 100 total cost | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aussie Broadband | $1068 | $1104 | $36 |
| Dodo | $862.20 | $922.20 | $60 |
| Optus | $1068 | $1128 | $60 |
| Superloop | $888 | $984 | $96 |
| TPG | $959.88 | $1,019.88 | $60 |
If you'd like a more complete look at the wider market, here are the cheapest NBN plans in our database of 34 internet providers:
|
#1
|
Belong
All Fixed Line nbn®
NBN Standard Plus – Unlimited
$55/mth
Min. cost $55
|
|
#2
|
Dodo
All Fixed Line nbn®
Editor's Pick
nbn50 Unlimited Plan
$57.99/mth
Min. cost $57.99
|
|
#3
|
Moose NBN
All Fixed Line nbn®
nbn 50/20 Premium
$59.80/mth
Min. cost $59.80
Link not supplied
|
|
#4
|
Tangerine Telecom
All Fixed Line nbn®
Value Plus NBN 50/20
$64.90/mth
Min. cost $64.90
|
|
#5
|
Swoop
All Fixed Line nbn®
nbn® Home Everyday
$69/mth
Min. cost $69
Link not supplied
|
|
#6
|
Superloop
All Fixed Line nbn®
Extra-value nbn50/20
$69/mth
Min. cost $69
|
|
#7
|
Kogan Internet
All Fixed Line nbn®
Silver Unlimited
$69.90/mth
Min. cost $69.90
|
|
#8
|
TPG
All Fixed Line nbn®
nbn50 Unlimited Plan
$69.99/mth
Min. cost $69.99
Link not supplied
|
|
#9
|
iiNet
All Fixed Line nbn®
nbn50 Liimitless
$69.99/mth
+ $10 Upfront
Min. cost $79.99
Link not supplied
|
|
#10
|
MATE
All Fixed Line nbn®
Ripper nbn 50/20
$70/mth
Min. cost $70
Link not supplied
|
|
#1
|
amaysim
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
NBN100
$50/mth
Min. cost $50
|
|
#2
|
Belong
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
NBN Premium – Unlimited
$59/mth
Min. cost $59
|
|
#3
|
Dodo
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
nbn100 Unlimited Plan
$62.99/mth
Min. cost $62.99
|
|
#4
|
Moose NBN
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
nbn 100/20 Elite
$63.80/mth
Min. cost $63.80
Link not supplied
|
|
#5
|
Tangerine Telecom
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
Speedy NBN 100/20
$67.90/mth
Min. cost $67.90
|
|
#6
|
Kogan Internet
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
Gold Unlimited
$69.90/mth
Min. cost $69.90
|
|
#7
|
iiNet
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
nbn Home Fast Liimitless
$69.99/mth
+ $10 Upfront
Min. cost $79.99
Link not supplied
|
|
#8
|
Swoop
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
nbn® Home Fast
$72/mth
Min. cost $72
Link not supplied
|
|
#9
|
Superloop
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
Family nbn100/20
$74/mth
Min. cost $74
|
|
#10
|
TPG
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
Editor's Pick
nbn Home Fast Unlimited Plan
$74.99/mth
Min. cost $74.99
Link not supplied
|
NBN 50 vs. NBN 100: Speed
Comparing speeds is much more straightforward. NBN 50 plans have a max speed of 50Mbps for downloads and 20Mbps uploads. Standard NBN 100 plans have maximum downloads of 100Mbps and 20Mbps uploads.
In other words, standard NBN 100 plans have double the maximum download speeds of NBN 50, but the same 20Mbps upload speeds.
As for real-world performance, plans in both speed tiers generally operate at or close to their maximum download speeds. Most provides report typical evening download speeds of 50Mbps for NBN 50, but you might see as low as 47Mbps. NBN 100 plans tend to operate between 98Mbps and 100Mbps, though you might see reported typical evening speeds as low as 95Mbps. In either case, you're unlikely to notice a few megabits per second here and there.
Upload speeds less commonly reach their maximum, but most providers report typical evening speeds of between 17Mbps and 20Mbps.
The main speed difference you might see between the two depends on your connection technology. Most fixed-line NBN connections can handle either speed tier, but many FTTN connections can struggle to reach NBN 100.
The ACCC's most recent Measuring Broadband Australia report found, on average, an NBN 100 plan delivered via FTTN performed about 15Mbps slower than other connection technologies. But some FTTN connections can't even handle anything faster than NBN 50, depending on their location.
If you're wondering what different download speeds might mean to you, here's a look at some example download times:
See how download times compare across NBN speed tiers. Choose what you're downloading:
NBN 50 vs. NBN 100: Which is best?
If you're happy to switch providers and chase introductory discounts (which we recommend), NBN 100/20 plans offer significantly better value than an NBN 50 plan from the same provider. They're sometimes even the same price, meaning you get double the download speed for free.
The possible exception is if you have an FTTN connection. Most FTTN households should be able to get faster speeds than NBN 50, but you won't necessarily double your downloads with NBN 100. Instead, you might see closer to 85Mbps.
Ongoing costs are a little different. After intro discounts end, NBN 100/20 plans are often around $10 per month more expensive. So if you don't think you need the extra download speed, there's no point paying for it.
But even if you don't want to switch providers, you can always start out on an NBN 100 plan then ask to be downgraded to NBN 50 once the deal ends. This can also give you a good indication of whether NBN 100 download speeds are actually useful to you – if you don't notice a difference, you may as well go it slow.
How to pay less for your internet plan
When looking at for the cheapest internet plan that suits your needs, there are two pricing factors:
- Introductory discounts
- Ongoing price
Introductory discounts for new customers are common. They typically last six months, after which the price increases. Given there are no lock-in contracts anymore (assuming you don’t have hardware like a ‘free’ WiFi modem to pay off), the best way to save money on your NBN bill is by hopping between providers to surf those intro deals.
This isn't as much of a hassle as you might think. Switching internet providers is usually super easy these days – you can bring your old modem router (WiFi modem) and most NBN providers don’t charge cancellation or initial setup fees. All it costs you is a little time maybe twice per year and you can save hundreds of dollars.
The ongoing price is whatever you pay per month after an introductory discount period ends – or it’s just the standard monthly price, should no such discount be available. The ongoing price is important if you don’t plan on chasing those intro offers. But NBN plan prices tend to go up in or around July every year, at which point the ongoing price will likely increase.
|
#1
|
TPG
Editor's Pick
5G Home Broadband Premium
$34.99/mth
Min. cost $34.99
Link not supplied
|
|
#2
|
iiNet
5G Home Broadband Premium
$49.99/mth
Min. cost $49.99
Link not supplied
|
|
#3
|
Vodafone
5G Home Internet Premium Plan
$60/mth
Min. cost $60
Link not supplied
|
|
#4
|
Optus
Optus Plus Everyday Fast 5G
$64/mth
Min. cost $64
Link not supplied
|
|
#5
|
Yomojo
5G Internet 100
$84.90/mth
Min. cost $84.90
Link not supplied
|
Alex Angove-Plumb
Digital Content Editor
Find a better internet plan
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