Optus NBN plans compared

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When you're looking for a new NBN plan, it's understandable that you may look to Optus as it's one of the most recognised names in Australia – and is the third-largest NBN provider behind Telstra and TPG. While it's certainly true that there are cheaper providers than Optus, we still think it's a good choice for your home internet because it’s historically performed well in the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) broadband reporting, often achieving some of the highest average download speeds among the telcos monitored.

While its performance is generally great across the board, our Optus NBN review argued that its NBN 50 plans and NBN 100 plans are too expensive, as competitors such as TPG, Exetel and Superloop can offer a similar service for a cheaper monthly price. We're well aware of the reputation Optus has in Australia too, and while it did suffer a major network outage across its mobile network in 2023, we still consider it a telco that can be recommended.

A notable feature of Optus’ NBN plans is that most come in two variations: the 'Everyday' or 'Family Entertainer'. The 'Everyday' options are Optus’ standard plans and come with a modem with 4G backup. For AU$20 extra each month, you can choose to upgrade to a 'Family Entertainer' plan, which comes with a standard Netflix subscription (valued at AU$18.99p/m), a Wi-Fi booster and McAfee security protection.

Optus’ NBN 25 plan is the only outlier. While it does now come with the company's second-generation Ultra WiFi modem, you can't bundle it with the aforementioned Netflix subscription.

You do get nice perks with Optus NBN plans, but they come at a steeper price than your average internet connection. Learn more about each speed using the links below:

Noteworthy Optus NBN deals

We often see regular price fluctuations across Optus' NBN plans, as the telco may choose to hold a sale at random times throughout the year.

Best Optus NBN plans

Optus NBN 100 plan

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The best option for most people

Optus | 100Mbps | AU$89p/m (for 6 months, then AU$99 ongoing)

We've chosen Optus' NBN 100 plan as being the best option for most people. Not only does it advertise the maximum download speeds during the busy hours of 7pm to 11pm (and an upload speed that's 1Mbps faster than the Telstra equivalent) but its introductory cost currently matches the slower 50Mbps plan.

This is likely due to the rise in wholesale cost of the slower speed tiers, which, while likely annoying for some customers, it does make a faster 100Mbps more enticing.

As mentioned earlier, you can get Optus' 100Mbps plan either as an 'Everyday' or as a 'Family Entertainer' plan. In the case of this 100Mbps plan, however, it's only an extra AU$11 during the first 6 months, and an extra AU$21 in each ongoing month. This extra fee gets you a standard Netflix subscription valued at AU$18.99, along with a Wi-Fi booster and extras to keep all your devices secure online. Stick with Optus over 36 months and you won’t have to pay for the modem either (AU$306). Do note that we've seen the cost of the included Optus modem increase from AU$252 to AU$306, without any obvious changes.

• Total minimum cost: AU$395 (includes modem)
• First year cost: AU$1,128
• Ongoing cost: AU$1,188

• See more: Best NBN 100 plans

Optus NBN 25 plan

The cheapest NBN plan from Optus, but one we can’t recommend

Optus | 25Mbps | AU$75p/m

Optus has had an on/off relationship with an NBN 25 plan. It's offered one, then dropped it on a few occasions. It's now firmly back on the table and also comes with the telco's second-gen Ultra WiFi Modem (previously it could only be had with the first generation). Unlike Optus’ other NBN plans, it’s only available as an 'Everyday' plan – no entertainment extras included here. Ultimately, we can’t give this plan a strong recommendation, as cheaper options are out there with similar speed, such as Flip’s NBN 25 plan.

• Total minimum cost: AU$381 (includes modem)
• Yearly cost: AU$900 (excludes modem)

• See more: Best NBN 25 plans

Optus NBN 50 plan

A popular choice, with one huge caveat

Optus | 50Mbps | AU$89p/m

Optus' NBN 50 plan no longer offers an introductory discount on either the 'Everyday' or 'Family Entertainer' tiers, which is a little disappointing, but we understand if the telco wants to encourage customers to sign up for faster plans.

Because of this, however, it's no secret that there's a huge number of other internet service providers (ISPs) that charge a lot less than Optus for the same speed. It's hard to recommend this Optus NBN plan as well, especially due to the modem cost if you decided you wanted to leave the service within 36 months of joining. If you know you won't leave, this won't be an issue, but it's something to certainly be aware of so as to avoid any nasty bill shocks.

• Total minimum cost: AU$395 (includes modem)
• Yearly cost: AU$1,068

• See more: Best NBN 50 plans

Optus NBN 250 plan

Lightning-quick broadband for a high-demand household

Optus | 245Mbps | AU$99p/m (first 6 months, then AU$119p/m)

Optus has previously cut the cost of its NBN 250 plan by a huge AU$34 a month for the first six months, but that has since changed to become just a AU$20p/m saving.

But you can feel confident going with Optus – the plan comes with typical download speeds of 245Mbps, which is above average for the tier. It also promises 22Mbps upload speeds, which is great for video calls and uploading files to online storage. Remember that this plan is only available to fibre-to-the-premise (FTTP) and select hybrid fibre coaxial (HFC) households.

Total minimum cost: AU$405 (includes modem)
First year cost: AU$1,308
Ongoing yearly cost: AU$1,428

• See more: Best NBN 250 plans

Optus NBN 1000 plan

The fastest internet there is, if it’s available in your area

Optus | 780Mbps | AU$109p/m (first 6 months, then AU$129p/m)

Optus’ NBN 1000 plan used to be one of the better ones in our opinion, but that was at a time when only a small handful of providers claimed faster download speeds. It's now the case that a good majority of NBN providers quote faster than Optus' plan – around 800Mbps as a minimum, but increasing to 900Mbps. It's not terribly priced, but again, it's pretty easy to spend a lot less.

As with other plans, Optus' NBN 1000 plan is available as a Family Entertainer too.

Total minimum cost: AU$415 (includes modem)
First year cost: AU$1,428
Ongoing yearly cost: AU$1,548

• See more: Best NBN 1000 plans

Optus NBN FAQ

What is the cheapest Optus NBN plan?

The cheapest NBN plan that Optus offers is an NBN 25 plan, which will set you back AU$75 a month. For a time, Optus didn't include a modem with this plan, but now offers its second-generation Ultra WiFi Modem. This includes 4G backup in case your fixed-line connection suffers an outage, and support for Wi-Fi 6, which can help to deliver a wider, stronger network coverage in your home.

Does Optus provide NBN?

Optus has a good variety of options when it comes to getting your internet. An NBN connection is the most popular, and it’s proven to be a reliable service, given its consistently good performance in the ACCC’s broadband reporting.

But there are also 4G and 5G home internet options on the table, and Optus offers some of the best wireless broadband in Australia. These could be a better option for you if the NBN cabling in your area isn’t up to scratch. If you want a portable internet option, Optus offers mobile broadband plans too.

How do I contact Optus NBN?

Optus offers help online, through its app or over the phone. Its online messaging service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, while its phone hours vary depending on what you need help with. To see a full list of numbers and support services, head to the Optus website.

Can I get Optus Sport?

We’ve got some bad news for football fans, Optus is no longer offering Optus Sport for free for Optus customers. As of August 2023, Optus NBN and mobile customers are now charged AU$9.99 per month for a subscription, while non-Optus users will need to pay AU$24.99 per month to access Optus Sport. Despite the cost, the service is particularly good for die-hard football fans because it has the rights to Australia’s coverage of the English Premier League, the Euros and the FIFA Women’s World Cup live and on-demand.

How to check if Optus NBN is down

If you’re experiencing an outage with your Optus NBN, you’ll first want to figure out if it’s just you, or if it’s down for everyone. Optus has a service status page you can check as your first port of call, though you’ll need to use your phone, or another device with its own connection to visit the page. If Optus’ own website is down, we’d recommend checking the independent site Down Detector. For further help, we have a dedicated guide to NBN outages.

Telstra vs Optus NBN: Australia’s two biggest telcos go head-to-head

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Max is a senior staff writer for TechRadar who covers home entertainment and audio first, NBN second and virtually anything else that falls under the consumer electronics umbrella third. He's also a bit of an ecommerce fiend, particularly when it comes to finding the latest coupon codes for a variety of publication. He has written for TechRadar's sister publication What Hi-Fi? as well as Pocket-lint, and he's also a regular contributor to Australian Hi-Fi and Audio Esoterica. Max also dabbled in the men's lifestyle publication space, but is now firmly rooted in his first passion of technology.