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 telco’s 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, a Wi-Fi booster and McAfee security protection.

Optus’ NBN 25 plan is the only outlier, as it requires you to bring your own modem, meaning you’ll miss out on the Optus-supplied modem with 4G backup that comes on the higher tiers. There’s also no 'Family Entertainer' plan available on the NBN 25 tier. All in all, we wouldn’t recommend signing up to Optus’ NBN 25 plan.

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

Optus’ high-speed NBN plans are currently available with a small monthly discount.
Here’s what’s available when you sign up to an Optus NBN plan:

NBN 100: save AU$20p/m for first 6 months (then AU$99p/m ongoing)
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 50 plan

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The best option for most people

Optus | NBN 50 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$79p/m

Optus’ NBN 50 plan gets you typical download speeds of 50Mbps for AU$79 a month. While this NBN 50 plan does sit at the pricier end of the market, it’s a well-performing service with two variations available. The 'Everyday' plan comes with the telco’s modem with 4G backup, while the 'Family Entertainer' plan, which is AU$20 more each month, comes with a standard Netflix subscription, 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$252).

Total minimum cost (Everyday): AU$331 (includes modem) | Total cost for first year: AU$948

Total minimum cost (Family Entertainer): AU$557 (includes modem) | Total cost for first year: AU$1,128

• See more: Best NBN 50 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$69p/m

Optus recently launched this NBN 25 plan, but it’s only available to those who bring their own modem. You’ll need to configure it yourself, and it means you’ll be going without the Optus-supplied modem that comes with 4G backup. 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$69 | Total cost for first year: AU$828

• See more: Best NBN 25 plans

Optus NBN 100 plan

For large households who want fast downloads and 4K streaming

Optus | NBN 100 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$89p/m (first 6 months, then AU$99p/m)

Competition is tighter in the NBN 100 tier, and Optus has dropped the price of its plan down to AU$89 a month for the first six months. Once the initial discount ends though, your plan will jump to AU$99 each billing, which is at the higher end of the market. You’ll have the choice between the standard 'Everyday' plan which comes with Optus’ modem with 4G backup, or the 'Family Entertainer' plan. It costs an extra AU$20 a month, and comes with a standard Netflix subscription, a Wi-Fi booster and device security from McAfee. Optus quotes a typical evening speed of 100Mbps in the evening hours, and if you stick with the telco over 36 months, you can keep the modem for free.

Total minimum cost (Everyday): AU$341 (includes modem) | Total cost for first year: AU$1,128 | Yearly cost after discount: AU$1,188

Total minimum cost (Family Entertainer): AU$577 (includes modem) | Total cost for first year: AU$1,368 | Yearly cost after discount: AU$1,428

• See more: Best NBN 100 plans

Optus NBN 250 plan

Lightning-quick broadband for a high-demand household

Optus | NBN 250 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$99p/m (first 6 months, then AU$119p/m)

Optus has cut the cost of its NBN 250 plan by AU$20 a month for your first six months, so you’ll save AU$120 over your first half-year. 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$351 (includes modem) | Total cost for first year: AU$1,308 | Yearly cost after discount: AU$1,428

Total minimum cost (Family Entertainer): AU$587 (includes modem) | Total cost for first year: AU$1,548 | 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$129p/m (first 6 months, then AU$149p/m)

Optus’ NBN 1000 plan comes at a premium, but luckily you can get a discount for your first six months on the service. You’ll initially pay AU$129 a month for your first six months on this plan, before it bumps up to the standard pricing of AU$149. Typical evening speeds now clock in at 600Mbps, which is a nice gain from its previous figure of 400Mbps. 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$381 (includes modem) | Total cost for first year: AU$1,668 | Yearly cost after discount: AU$1,788

Total minimum cost (Family Entertainer): AU$617 (includes modem) | Total cost for first year: AU$1,908 | 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 a freshly launched NBN 25 plan, which will set you back AU$69 a month. Despite being the most affordable option from the telco, we can’t recommend it because Optus has stripped out all the perks it offers in other plans, such as its modem with 4G backup. When you also consider that this plan is more expensive than the average monthly cost of others in this tier, it’s clear to see it’s not worth your money.

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.

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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.