Telstra NBN plans compared

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Telstra is the largest NBN provider in Australia, offering a high quality service and dependable speeds, plus there are plenty of perks and optional extras on the table as well. With that said, there’s no getting around the fact that Telstra is also the most expensive NBN provider on the market.

We think this is best illustrated by Telstra's NBN 50 plan: it currently costs AU$95 a month, which is AU$20 higher than the average monthly cost of all the NBN 50 plans monitored by TechRadar. In short, other telcos including Optus, TPG and Exetel offer the same speed as Telstra, just at a cheaper price.

While we think Telstra’s NBN 25, NBN 50 and NBN 100 plans are too expensive, we do think there is value to be had with its NBN 250 plan. Telstra’s one of only a few telcos top speeds of 250Mbps in its tier, so it’s better value for money if you’re in a household of five or more people with heavy internet usage.

To help more in your decision-making, we’ve laid out the best Telstra NBN plans below, or you can read our in-depth Telstra NBN review if you want a complete breakdown. If you want to learn more about each Telstra NBN plan, click on the links below to check out the speed you’re after:

Noteworthy Telstra NBN deals

Since wholesale prices were introduced by NBN Co at the end of 2023, Telstra has adjusted the pricing of most of its plans. These changes include increasing the cost of NBN 25 and NBN 50 plans, but decreasing the cost of faster plans, including NBN 100 and NBN 250.

While the changes have had little effect on Telstra's title of most expensive NBN provider, a price reduction should always be welcomed. As such, we consider the plans below to be the highlights of Telstra's current offering.

NBN 100: save AU$15p/m for first 6 months (then AU$110p/m ongoing)
NBN 250: save AU$25p/m for first 6 months (then AU$135p/m ongoing)

Telstra NBN plans

Telstra NBN 100 plan

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The best option for most people

Telstra | NBN 100 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$95p/m (for 6 months, then AU$110 ongoing)

We previously selected Telstra's NBN 50 plan as being the best option for most people, but since the changes to pricing, we now consider the 100Mbps Telstra plan to offer greater overall value.

The six month introductory cost is the same for NBN 100 as it is for the 50Mbps plan, so for the same initial outlay you can double your download speed. Once this introductory period comes to an end, you'll be paying AU$10 more each month than you would on the slower 50Mbps plan.

This ongoing cost does still make Telstra's plan some AU$20 more expensive than the national average (the same can be said for the telco's 50Mbps plan) but if you absolutely must go with the nation's largest provider, this NBN 100 plan is our top pick.

You do get a couple of freebies thrown in, including 2 months of Binge and 4 months of Spotify Premium, but these are only for customers who are new to either service.

Total minimum cost: AU$95 | Total cost for first year: AU$1,230

• See more: Best NBN 100 plans

Telstra NBN 25 plan

The cheapest option, but not great value

Telstra | NBN 25 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$85p/m

This is Telstra’s cheapest NBN offering, but it’s hardly the most affordable plan out there – not when the average monthly cost in this tier is AU$68. You’ll get a top typical evening speed of 25Mbps on this plan, but plenty of other providers offer the same at a cheaper price. It does come with nice inclusions such as a modem with 4G backup, though we still struggle to recommend this plan at the price. If you decide to leave within 24 months, just return the modem or pay a AU$200 non-return fee.

Total minimum cost: AU$80 | Total cost for first year: AU$960

• See more: Best NBN 25 plans

Telstra NBN 50 plan

The most popular speed tier

Telstra | NBN 50 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$95p/m (first 6 months, then AU$100p/m)

The 50Mbps NBN 50 speed tier continues to be the most popular choice in Australia. However, the NBN Co has now introduced higher wholesale pricing at this speed, which NBN providers are now passing onto customers, Telstra included.

This change has seen the regular monthly cost of Telstra's NBN 50 plan hit AU$100, putting it head and shoulders above all other telcos when it comes to cost. The average cost of an NBN 50 plan in Australia is currently AU$80, so we find it hard to recommend this plan at all. The majority of providers will advertise the maximum 50Mbps download speeds during the busier evening hours, so it doesn't make logical sense to us why you would spend more when you don't have to.

A Telstra plan does come with the added benefit of 4G backup if your fixed line connection happens to suffer an outage, but Optus offers this too, and charges AU$15 less each month.

Total minimum cost: AU$95 | Total cost for first year: AU$1,170 | Yearly cost after discount: AU$1,200

• See more: Best NBN 50 plans

Telstra NBN 250 plan

Exceptionally fast broadband for high-demand users

Telstra | NBN 250 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$110p/m (first 6 months, then AU$135p/m)

You can save AU$150 on your first six months with Telstra’s NBN 250 deal. The AU$25 monthly discount will bring your internet bill down to AU$110 a month for your first six months, then AU$135 a month thereafter – which still represents a roughly AU$20 premium over the national average.

This plan has a typical evening speed of 250Mbps, and Telstra is one of only a few providers quoting this maxed-out speed in the tier. You can return your modem or pay a AU$200 no-return fee if you choose to leave within the first months of signing up. Only available to fibre-to-the-premise (FTTP) and select hybrid fibre coaxial (HFC) connections.

Total minimum cost: AU$120 | Total cost for first year: AU$1,560 | Yearly cost after discount: AU$1,680

• See more: Best NBN 250 plans

Telstra NBN 1000 plan

The fastest you can get, but only available in select locations

Telstra | NBN 1000 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$170p/m

Residential NBN doesn’t get any faster than this, and frankly, this kind of plan will be overkill for most people. There isn’t a discount available on this plan, and at AU$170 a month, it’s by far the most expensive NBN 1000 plan in the market – and AU$35 more each month than the national average.

But, Telstra's NBN 1000 plan is the outright fastest, with a typical evening speed of 700Mbps, while its closest competitors (Optus, Aussie Broadband and Origin) all reach 600Mbps. If you leave Telstra within 24 months, just return your modem or pay a AU$200 no-return fee. Only available to FTTP and select HFC.

Total minimum cost: AU$170 | Total cost for first year: AU$2,040

• See more: Best NBN 1000 plans

Telstra NBN FAQ

How much does Telstra NBN cost?

At their standard prices, the options you have to choose from in Telstra’s NBN range includes: NBN 25 for AU$80 a month, NBN 50 for AU$95 a month, NBN 100 for AU$110 a month, NBN 250 for AU$140 a month and NBN 1000 for AU$180.

Can I get Telstra NBN?

Yes, but not all NBN connection types will have access to Telstra’s higher speed tiers. To find out what connection type is available at your address, you can simply check your address on Telstra’s website. Doing this will also tell you the maximum speeds available at your location, and you may find that Telstra restricts what NBN plan you can sign up to based on your address.

This is a good thing, because it means you won’t be paying for a service that can’t be delivered to your home. This feature was introduced after the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) took Telstra, Optus and TPG to the Federal Court, after it found that each telco had made false statements to customers regarding how fast their NBN plans were capable of reaching.

It’s worth noting that Telstra’s NBN 250 and NBN 1000 options are only available to those with a FTTP or a HFC connection. You can read more about each connection type here.

What perks come with Telstra NBN?

Other than reliability, what kind of perks can you expect with Telstra NBN? Well, all plans come with the Telstra Smart Modem 3, which is enabled with Wi-Fi 6 and 4G backup, so you can connect to the internet through the telco’s mobile network if there’s an NBN outage.

Telstra is also offering a two-month subscription to Binge and a four-month subscription to Spotify Premium. But these services can only be taken advantage of by customers who haven't previously signed up to them. Considering a good proportion of people will have likely signed up to Spotify at some point, this may not be the best freebie out there.

You’ll also earn Telstra Plus points to redeem on a broad range of tech at its Rewards Store. There are also optional entertainment extras you can add-on to your plan, such as Xbox All Access and Foxtel, though they come at an additional cost.

Telstra vs Optus NBN: who has better broadband?

Jasmine Gearie is an Ecommerce Editor at TechRadar Australia, with a primary focus on helping readers cut through the jargon to find the best mobile and internet plans for their needs. She crunches the numbers to maintain dedicated guides to the latest phones, NBN and broadband plans of all types, and covers the important telco industry news. She also hunts down tech deals on laptops, phones, gaming consoles and more, so readers know where to buy the products they want for the cheapest prices.

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