Best wireless broadband plans for Australian homes

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The best wireless broadband plans are for Australians who don't have access to a fixed line NBN connection. And that's not necessarily a bad thing, as home wireless internet options have improved vastly throughout the country, enabling more and more people to get online via a fast, stable connection.

If you’re not able to get a good cabled NBN connection, find yourself on the road a lot, or otherwise just want to look the best NBN alternatives, we’re here to help, with this page comparing the best NBN fixed wireless plans as well as 4G and 5G home internet and mobile broadband options.

Noteworthy home wireless deals

We’ve hand-picked our top plan recommendations below, but there are also some excellent discounts now available on NBN fixed wireless, 4G and 5G home internet plans:

Tangerine: save AU$20p/m for 6 months on NBN fixed wireless plans (from AU$59.90p/m)
Spintel: save AU$10p/m for 3 months on 4G home internet (AU49.95 ongoing)
Optus: 4G home internet for AU$59p/m (first month free)
TPG: 5G home internet for AU$64.99p/m (first month free)

Best NBN fixed wireless plans

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If you live in a regional, rural or remote area of Australia, you may not have access to a physical fixed line NBN connection, and that’s where NBN fixed wireless comes in. Just like fixed line NBN plans, fixed wireless connections are also available on different speed tiers:

NBN 12: 12Mbps download / 1Mbps upload
NBN 25: 25Mbps download / 5Mbps upload
NBN 75: 75Mbps download / 10Mbps upload

The NBN providers which offer fixed wireless plans will have different speed tiers available, and different data limits too, so weigh up your needs when comparing options and know what you’re signing up for. Here is our recommendation for the best NBN fixed wireless plan, but you can also view the comparison tool below for more options.

Best NBN fixed wireless plan

Tangerine Fixed Wireless Plus | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$59.90p/m (first 6 months then AU$79.90p/m)

This deal from Tangerine gets you an NBN fixed wireless plan with unlimited data and a typical evening speed of 23Mbps. Maximum speeds are quoted as the top tier 75Mbps and upload speeds are theoretically capable of reaching 10Mbps.

You’ll pay AU$59.90 a month for your first six months on the connection, after which it raises to AU$79.90 a month ongoing, which is still the best option out there for this speed and data combo. Tangerine can provide you with a modem for AU$159.90, or you can bring your own.

Total minimum cost: AU$59.90 | Total cost for first year: AU$838.80 | Yearly cost after discount: AU$958.80

Best 4G home internet plans

While mobile broadband connections are designed to be used on the move, 4G home internet plans give you an alternative to the NBN’s own fixed wireless plans by making use of a mobile network from Telstra, Optus or Vodafone.

The modems provided with these plans will need to stay hooked up in your house, as they’re intended to be used in the home, not while you’re on the road. 4G home internet plans offer much more in the way of data compared to mobile broadband offerings, which you can read about further below.

Best 4G home internet plan

Spintel | 4G home internet | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$39.95p/m (for 3 months, AU$49.95 ongoing)

Spintel is our pick for the best value 4G home internet plan due it offering among the fastest download speeds and being one of the most affordable providers.

We have previously recommended Optus as the best overall pick, as at the time, it was the only provider to deliver the fastest 25Mbps download speeds. Spintel appears to have now improved its service, matching the speeds of Optus, yet charging less each month.

Spintel advertises 25Mbps typical evening download speeds, which ranks it as being one of the fastest providers of 4G home internet. You also only need to pay AU$39.95 per month for the first 3 months of the service and AU$49.95 ongoing.

Other providers tend to offer the first month of the service for free, but the regular monthly payments are higher than Spintel's regular cost. Spintel also promises a 14 day free trial, wherein if you're not totally satisfied with the service, you can cancel without any hidden charges.

You can also choose the option of paying AU$4p/m for the 4G modem, or a one-off upfront fee of AU$210. Both options come with a AU$20 postage fee applied too. If you ever decide to cancel your service, you have 21 days to return the modem (if you're renting it) otherwise you'll be asked to pay out the remainder of the AU$210 upfront cost.

Total minimum cost: AU$59.95 (incl. modem) | Total first year cost: AU$589.40 (incl. postage/excl. modem) | Ongoing cost: AU$599.40 (excl. modem)

Best 5G home internet plans

A growing number of telcos now offer 5G home wireless plans, including Telstra, Optus, TPG, iiNet, Internode, Spintel and Vodafone. As is the case with 4G home internet plans, 5G home internet plans do without the NBN altogether, and make use of the major telco’s mobile towers instead. Because Telstra and Optus have wider-reaching 5G networks, these two providers tend to have the best 5G home internet plans.

Best 5G home internet plan

Optus Plus Entertainer Superfast 5G | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$89p/m (for 6 months, AU$99 ongoing + first month free)

If you want to maximise the fast download speeds that 5G can bring, then this uncapped Optus 5G home internet plan could be for you.

It advertises typical evening speeds of 240Mbps, but because there is no cap on the potential maximum, you may find you achieve speeds far greater than this. If you do manage to achieve closer to gigabit speeds, it actually makes this plan competitively priced. Optus’ 5G network has proven to be a top performer in some reports, so if you live in an area with good coverage and few obstacles,

Also note that you get a standard Netflix subscription (valued at AU$16.99p/m) included with this plan and right now you can also pick up an Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) for just AU$1.

Total minimum cost: AU$576 (includes modem) | Total cost for first year: AU$1,029 | Yearly cost after discount: AU$1,188

Telstra | 5G home internet | 1TB data | No lock-in contract | AU$85p/m (first month free)

Telstra’s 5G home internet plan is one of the most expensive options in the market at AU$85 a month. Telstra says download speeds can range between 50Mbps–600Mbps, though the typical evening speed is quoted as 378Mbps – that’s a cut above the best NBN 250 plans. A drawback of Telstra’s 5G home internet is that it comes with a limited data cap of 1TB per month, which may not be ideal for gamers who frequently download games. For most people though, 1TB should be enough. You’ll get your first month on this plan for free, and if you do decide to leave within 24 months, simply return the modem or pay a non-return fee.

Total minimum cost: AU$0 | Total cost for first year: AU$935 | Yearly cost after discount: AU$1,020

Best mobile broadband plans

Mobile broadband offers people the ability to connect their devices to the internet via mobile data networks owned by Telstra, Optus and Vodafone, instead of through the NBN. But unlike the 4G and 5G home internet plans we’ve outlined above, mobile broadband is designed to be portable, so you can take it with you wherever you go.

There’s a few ways you can get connected to the internet through mobile broadband, and it’s the same whether you want 4G or 5G speeds. Some plans come with portable modems, giving you access to the internet on the move, while others are designed to slot straight into your SIM-compatible device, such as an iPad with 4G capabilities.

Given that Telstra has the largest 4G and 5G networks in Australia, we’d argue that Telstra is a good choice for mobile broadband needs. Mobile virtual network operators (MVNO) which resell access to the Telstra network, such as Belong, are also strong choices. We’ve selected the most well-balanced plans on offer, but the comparison tool below will help you make your choice if it doesn’t suit your needs.

Best cheap mobile broadband plan: our pick

Optus | Mobile broadband | 40GB data | No lock-in contract | AU$20p/m

Optus is our new recommendation for the best cheap mobile broadband plan. It’s now offering double the data, so you’ll get 40GB each month instead of the usual 20GB. You’ll keep receiving 40GB every month for your first 12 months, before it reverts back to the standard amount. If you want to lock in this offer, you’ll need to sign up by May 21. This price only includes a SIM card, but you can add a portable modem for an additional price.

Total minimum cost: AU$20 (excluding modem) | Total cost for first year: AU$240

Best big-data mobile broadband plan: our pick

Belong | Mobile broadband | 100GB data | No lock-in contract | AU$35p/m

If you want a big chunk of data to use while you’re on the go, it’s hard to look past this plan from Belong. You’ll get 100GB a month for AU$35, and because Belong uses parts of Telstra’s 4G and 5G network, you should get decent coverage across the country. Your download speeds are capped at 100Mbps, which is excellent too. Just note this plan comes in the form of a SIM card, so your device will need a SIM card slot.

Total minimum cost: AU$35 | Total cost for first year: AU$420

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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.