Optus NBN plans compared

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Optus is the third-largest NBN provider in Australia, right behind Telstra and TPG. It’s a good choice for your internet provider 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 and reliability are 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.

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$16.99p/m), a Wi-Fi booster and McAfee security protection.

Optus’ NBN 25 plan is the only outlier, as it's the only one that comes with Optus' first-generation Ultra WiFi modem. While this does give you 4G backup, it doesn't support Wi-Fi 6, which can provide wider, stronger coverage in your home. There’s also no 'Family Entertainer' plan available on the NBN 25 tier, either.

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. That's certainly true as of the time of writing in May 2024, as we've noticed the introductory price on 100Mbps plans and faster increase a few dollars. Optus' NBN 100 plan had an introductory price of AU$75p/m in February 2024, for example, but is now AU$79p/m.

We also saw a saving of AU$40 per month for six months on the NBN 1000 tier in February 2024. As of May 2024, you're only saving AU$30 each month for the first six months.

The telco is still offering good monthly discounts for the first six months, but the "Epic Deals" promotional messaging the telco is spruiking isn't necessarily as 'epic' as it makes out.

Here’s what’s available when you sign up to an Optus NBN plan:

NBN 250: save AU$30p/m for first 6 months (then AU$119p/m ongoing)
NBN 1000: save AU$30p/m for first 6 months (then AU$149p/m ongoing)

Best Optus NBN plans

Optus NBN 100 plan

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The best option for most people

Optus | NBN 100 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$79p/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 is currently cheaper than the slower 50Mbps plan by AU$6 per month.

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. For an extra AU$20p/m (both on top of the introductory cost and regular cost) you can get a standard Netflix subscription, a Wi-Fi booster and extras to keep all your devices secure online, included. 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 (Everyday): AU$385 (includes modem) | Total cost for first year: AU$1,068

Total minimum cost (Family Entertainer): AU$621 (includes modem) | Total cost for first year: AU$1,308

• See more: Best NBN 100 plans

Optus NBN 25 plan

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

Optus | NBN 25 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$70p/m

Optus hasn't always offered an NBN 25 plan, but launched one in 2023. At the time it was only available to those who had their own modem, but now Optus is providing its first-generation Ultra WiFi Modem as part of the package. This modem include 4G backup should anything happen to your main connection. 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$70 | Total cost for first year: AU$840

• See more: Best NBN 25 plans

Optus NBN 50 plan

A popular choice, with one huge caveat

Optus | NBN 50 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$85p/m

The 50Mbps NBN 50 tier is popular in Australia, as it offers a good balance between enough speed for 4K streaming and other online tasks, and value. Now that prices have changed across the board, that's now not so much the case.

Optus' NBN 50 plan is no longer subject to an introductory discount if you opt for the 'Everyday' option. In February 2024 you could get it for AU$75p/m for the first six months, but it has since reverted to a standard AU$85p/m pricing stucture.

If you decide to go with the 'Family Entertainer' however, then you can save AU$10p/m for the first 10 months. Although again, a few months ago from the time of writing, you were able to save AU$20p/m.

All in all, this will still be a good plan to sign up for, you just need to be aware of the modem cost if you decided you wanted to leave the service within 36 months of joining. Unlike most other telcos that simply ask for you to return the modem to them, Optus will instead charge you AU$8.50 for each unused month within the first 36 months. We're not sure why this is, but it's something that's stipulated in its terms and conditions.

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 (Everyday): AU$391 (includes modem) | Yearly cost: AU$1,020

Total minimum cost (Family Entertainer): AU$617 (includes modem) | Total cost for first year: AU$1,200 | Yearly cost after discount: AU$1,260

• See more: Best NBN 50 plans

Optus NBN 250 plan

Lightning-quick broadband for a high-demand household

Optus | NBN 250 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$89p/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$30p/m saving. A AU$180 saving over your first half-year is still commendable, it must be said, we just know it has previously been better.

But you can feel confident going with Optus – the plan comes with typical download speeds of 240Mbps, which is above average for the tier. You can choose between the 'Everyday' and 'Family Entertainer' options to tweak the plan to your needs, with the latter available for an extra AU$20 a month. While the plan comes with no lock-in contract, you will need to pay out the cost of your modem if you leave before a 36-month term. Only available to fibre-to-the-premise (FTTP) and select hybrid fibre coaxial (HFC) households.

Total minimum cost (Everyday): AU$395 (includes modem) | Total cost for first year: AU$1,248 | Yearly cost after discount: AU$1,428

Total minimum cost (Family Entertainer): AU$627 (includes modem) | Total cost for first year: AU$1,488 | Yearly cost after discount: AU$1,668

• See more: Best NBN 250 plans

Optus NBN 1000 plan

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

Optus | NBN 1000 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$119p/m (first 6 months, then AU$149p/m)

Optus’ NBN 1000 plan comes at a premium, but you can get an decent discount of AU$30p/m for your first six months on the service. This has previously been AU$40p/m though, so it's only a silver star for Optus here, instead of a gold star.

You’ll initially pay AU$119 a month for your first six months on this plan, before it bumps up to the standard pricing of AU$149. To give Optus some credit, its advertised typical evening speed figure now clocks in at an impressive 780Mbps, up from 600Mbps in February 2024. This makes Optus the second-faster NBN provider in Australia, behind Swoop.

The 'Everyday' and 'Family Entertainer' options let you tweak the plan to suit your needs, with the latter giving you a standard Netflix subscription, a Wi-Fi booster and McAfee security for an extra AU$20 a month. Whichever you choose, keep in mind you’ll need to pay out the cost of your modem if you leave before a 36-month term. Available to FTTP and HFC connections.

Total minimum cost (Everyday): AU$425 (includes modem) | Total cost for first year: AU$1,608 | Yearly cost after discount: AU$1,788

Total minimum cost (Family Entertainer): AU$661 (includes modem) | Total cost for first year: AU$1,848 | Yearly cost after discount: AU$2,028

• 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$70 a month. For a time, Optus didn't include a modem with this plan, but now offers its first generation Ultra WiFi Modem. This does include 4G backup in case your fixed-line connection suffers an outage, but doesn't support 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. As of August 2022, Optus NBN and mobile customers are now charged AU$6.99 per month for a subscription, while non-Optus users will need to pay AU$24.99 per month to access Optus Sport. The service is particularly good for football fans because it has the rights to Australia’s coverage of the 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

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 retailers. Hailing from the United Kingdom, Max spent a combined five years writing for What Hi-Fi? and Pocket-lint, before moving to Australia in 2018. After a brief stint writing for men’s lifestyle publications, Max is back to working on his first passion of technology.

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