The range of fast NBN plans on offer has changed drastically, and there are now three fast tiers available to households: NBN 1000, NBN 250 and NBN 100.
The prospect of hooking up to one of these fast speeds will soon become more accessible as well, as the NBN Co has announced that 1.1 million premises across Australia will receive an NBN fibre upgrade by the end of 2023.
The number of options can be understandably overwhelming, but we want to help you make the right choice when it comes to choosing a fast NBN plan. We’ve offered our top picks on this page, or you can skip ahead by clicking on the links below:
Can you get NBN 250 or 1000?
Before signing up to a high-speed NBN 250 or NBN 1000 plan, there are some factors you should be aware of. These tiers are only available on two types of NBN connection – fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) and hybrid fibre coaxial (HFC).
When it comes to NBN 1000 plans, all FTTP connections can sign up for the 1000Mbps speed tier, but only a select subset of HFC installations are eligible – estimated to be roughly 7% of the total.
Noteworthy fast NBN deals
Below we’re running you through our plan recommendations, but first, check out these ace offers currently available on fast NBN plans:
Best fast NBN plans
Best NBN 100 plan
Our choice for large households and those who want a little extra speed
NBN 100 plans compared
Best NBN 250 plan
The go-to for lightning-quick broadband
NBN 250 plans compared
Best NBN 1000 plan
The fastest you can get, but only available in select locations
NBN 1000 plans compared
Fast NBN plans: major telcos
When it comes to the big three internet providers, these are the best fast plans available:
Telstra's best high-speed NBN plans
• Telstra NBN 100 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$110p/m | Free 12-month Disney Plus subscription
At AU$110 a month, Telstra’s NBN 100 plan is the most expensive you can get on this speed tier. Unlike many of its competitors though, it has a top typical evening speed of 100Mbps.
• Telstra NBN 250 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$140p/m | Free 12-month Disney Plus subscription
Telstra is the only provider to have an NBN 250 plan with a maxed-out typical evening speed of 250Mbps, but you’ll pay handsomely for it. Telstra’s NBN 250 plan is about AU$20 more than the average monthly price on this speed tier.
• Telstra NBN 1000 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$180p/m | Free 12-month Disney Plus subscription
As you might expect, Telstra has the most expensive NBN 1000 plan on the market at AU$180 a month. The good news is that Telstra quotes a typical evening speed of 700Mbps, which is one of the best claimed-speeds available on NBN 1000.
Optus' best high-speed NBN plans
• Optus NBN 100 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$89p/m (first 6 months, then AU$99p/m)
Optus’ NBN 100 plan promises a typical evening speed of 100Mbps, which is the top speed for the tier. It’s initially cheaper than the average price of an NBN 100 plan, but once prices increase after the first six months, it goes above that threshold.
• Optus NBN 250 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$109p/m (first 6 months, then AU$119p/m)
This NBN 250 plan is fairly priced for a big provider – in fact, it costs one dollar less than the average monthly cost. Optus has also increased its reported typical evening speed since our last update, going from 215Mbps up to 240Mbps.
• Optus NBN 1000 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$139p/m (first 6 months, then AU$149p/m
The cost of Optus’ NBN 1000 plan is slightly above average, but you’re getting a decent typical evening speed of 300Mbps for the price. Aussie Broadband also has an NBN 1000 plan for AU$149 a month, but it delivers a download speed of 600Mbps in the evening.
TPG's best high-speed NBN plans
• TPG NBN 100 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$79.99p/m (first 6 months, then AU$89.99p/m)
TPG’s NBN 100 plan sits just below the average cost of all plans on this tier, making it the most affordable option among the three major telcos. Typical evening speeds aren’t as good though, sitting at 90Mbps.
• TPG NBN 250 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$94.99p/m (first 6 months, then AU$124.99p/m)
At AU$124.99 a month, there’s a significant price jump between TPG’s NBN 250 plan and its NBN 100 option, though the initial discount will see you save AU$180 over your first six months. Typical evening speed is quoted at 200Mbps, which is below the average.
• TPG NBN 1000 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$114.99p/m (first 6 months, then AU$144.99p/m)
There’s quite a bit of disparity between claimed typical evening speeds on the NBN 1000 tier. TPG reports a typical evening speed of 250Mbps, but competitors such as Telstra can reach up to 700Mbps. Considering TPG’s NBN 1000 plan costs AU$144.75 a month, we’d argue it’s not particularly good value.
Fast NBN FAQ
What are NBN 1000 real world speeds?
NBN 1000, which the NBN Co refers to as ‘Ultrafast', is the fastest consumer NBN speed tier. The small but growing number of ISPs who offer it typically advise a typical evening speed of 250Mbps – though we’ve seen speed test results that place the figure much higher at 900Mbps.
What are NBN 250 real world speeds?
The second-fastest tier is NBN 250, which the NBN Co refers to as ‘Superfast'. Again, there’s a small number of providers who offer this speed, and most report an average download speed of 215Mbps during the evening hours – though the actual speed does vary among the ISPs, so be sure to read the fine print.
What are NBN 100 real world speeds?
The NBN 100 tier is the most affordable option from the fastest NBN category, and you can expect a typical evening speed of around 90Mbps. While the tiers mentioned above are leaps and bounds ahead in terms of speed, they are also limited in their availability – only FTTP and HFC connections can sign-up to NBN 1000 and NBN 250 in most cases.
NBN 100 is referred to as ‘Fast' by the NBN Co – it’s available for most connection types, and is often the fastest option available for the millions of Australians using fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) technology. You can read more about each connection type here.
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