The best home wireless internet plans in Australia compared: June 2025

The best home wireless broadband plans are perfect for an internet-reliant household that's looking for an NBN alternative – say if it's unavailable at your address or if it has generally been unreliable. Wireless broadband solutions are available with reasonable prices and consistent quality if this is the case.

You've got a lot of options when it comes to the best home wireless broadband in Australia. I recommend starting with the the best 5G internet plans, as compared to the other internet options we'll get into, 5G broadband offers the best cost-to-speed ratio.

The only problem with 5G is that the major telcos are still in the process of rolling out their 5G networks, and as such the technology might not be accessible to you. If this is the case, other great wireless broadband types are 4G home internet and NBN fixed wireless. The best 4G broadband plans are quite competitive on price and are quite accessible across Australia, however they lack the high speeds of 5G. If you want internet on the go, we'd direct to either the best phone plans in Australia or to a mobile broadband plan.

If you live in a particularly remote part of Australia, we'd recommend hopping on an NBN fixed wireless plan for a fast speed and generally good price. NBN Skymuster (serviced via a satellite connection) is available in other regional parts of Australia where cell towers can't reach. Alternatively, if you don't mind spending a bit extra, Starlink home internet is also an option.

Just be aware that all of these options will generally be slower than the best NBN plans. As NBN operates as a wired network (Skymuster and Fixed Wireless excluding), it'll offer much lower latency when accessing the internet, leading to faster response times in online games and things that require quick data streaming (like video calls).

But if you're looking for a wireless internet solution, and maybe an NBN alternative, I've picked out the best options below.

Best 5G home internet plans

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Adoption of 5G plans across mobile and internet categories is still ongoing, with many telcos not currently offering access to 5G networks, however there's nothing stopping you from picking up a fairly nice 5G home internet plan quite cheaply.

5G plans leverage networks operated by Telstra, Optus and Vodafone to beam internet into your home. If your area is unserviced by a 5G network, you may be interested in 4G broadband, which we'll discuss further down.

Just keep in mind that 5G home broadband isn’t meant to be portable. For internet on-the-go, scroll down to the mobile broadband section.

Best 5G home internet plan

iiNet | 5G home internet | No lock-in contract | AU$49.99p/m (for 6 months, then AU$59.99p/m)

iiNet offers two competitively priced 5G home internet plans, with the entry-level option being our pick of the bunch when it comes to the cheapest on offer. iiNet’s 50Mbps maximum speed plan comes with a discounted price of AU$49.99 per month for the first six months, after which it switches to AU$59.99. There's no data cap, so don’t feel limited with Netflix streaming and gaming. A modem router will be provided to you, and if you cancel your plan, you’ll need to return it to iiNet within 30 days.

Total minimum cost: AU$49.99 (including modem) | Total cost for first year: AU$659.88 | Ongoing yearly cost: AU$719.88    

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Best premium 5G home internet plan

Optus Plus Entertainer Superfast 5G | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$74p/m (for six months, then AU$99p/m)

Optus advertises typical evening speeds of 210Mbps (20Mbps upload), but since there is no cap on the potential maximum, you may find you achieve speeds far greater than this. Due to factors such as your distance from the 5G tower and the line of sight, that typical evening speed isn’t an absolute figure – though the telco offers a 50Mbps minimum speed guarantee with this plan. If you find you do achieve the fast download speeds, it makes this plan competitively priced.

If you cancel within 36 months, you'll need to pay out the cost of the modem (AU$468) minus AU$13 for every month you were connected up to three years.

Total minimum cost: AU$542 (including modem) | Total cost for first year: AU$1,038 | Yearly cost after discount: AU$1,188

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Best 4G home internet plans

It may be slower than other options, but 4G home internet plans are still an attractive option if your home exists outside of 5G coverage range.

4G broadband plans are offered by internet providers which leverage the networks serviced by Telstra, Optus and Vodafone. They're fairly cheap and accessible, but they're nowhere near as fast as 5G or the NBN.

Keep in mind that these plans, while wireless, must stay at your home address. If you want portable internet, then you should consider a mobile broadband option as outlined below.

Best overall 4G home internet plan

TPG | 4G home | Unlimited Data | No lock-in contract | AU$44.99 p/m (first six months, then AU$54.99 p/m)

Offering a similar typical evening speed to many other competitors, TPG is offering the cheapest 4G home internet option at the moment, with a AU$10 p/m discount spanning the first six months of your plan.

This plan includes unlimited data and an included refurbished modem, which must be returned to TPG once your plan comes to an end.

And even though typical evening speeds for this plan are advertised as 16Mbps, maximum speeds are up as high as 20Mbps, making this a perfectly fine plan for casual (non-4K) streaming and casual internet use.

Total minimum cost: AU$44.99 (incl. modem) | Total first year cost: AU$599.88 | Total yearly cost after discount: AU$659.88

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Best premium 4G home internet plan

Optus | 4G home internet | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$59 p/m

Optus offers one of the fastest 4G broadband plans in Australia, with the telco reporting a 16Mbps typical evening download speed (and a 4Mbps upload).

These speeds max out at 25Mbps download and 8Mbps upload, putting this plan well ahead of many competitors.

Optus will also cover the cost of the provided modem if you remain connected for 24 months. If you cancel your plan before this time, you must pay out the modem (AU$9 for each remaining month up to two years).

Total minimum cost: AU$275 | Total first year cost: AU$708

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Best NBN fixed wireless plans

Across a lot of regional and rural Australia, the NBN leverages wireless radio bands to service homes with accessible broadband. This is called NBN fixed wireless, and it's comparable to both 5G and 4G in service, but is ultimately part of the larger national broadband network. If your home is instead serviced by NBN Skymuster, you'll need to look at a seperate set of plans.

Best NBN fixed wireless plan

Tangerine Fixed Wireless Value Plus | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$64.90p/m (first 6 months then AU$84.90p/m)

This deal from Tangerine gets you an NBN fixed wireless plan with unlimited data. Maximum speeds are quoted as 100Mbps and upload speeds are theoretically capable of reaching 20Mbps – though more expensive plans can achieve speeds of 250/20 and 400/40.

You’ll pay AU$64.90 a month for your first six months on the connection, after which it raises to AU$84.90 a month ongoing, which is still the best option out there for this speed and data combo. Tangerine can provide you with an Eero modem router for AU$169.90, or you can bring your own.

Total minimum cost: AU$63.90 | Total cost for first year: $898.80

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Starlink

Starlink arrived for use in Australia back in 2021 and since then it has become a great internet solution if you want fast internet without the NBN – particularly if you live in central Australia and your only other option is NBN’s own Sky Muster satellite network.

Starlink works through Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites, involving hundreds of small satellites orbiting the Earth that mesh together and create a global internet network. The result is high bandwidth broadband across the planet, albeit with higher latency by virtue of the satellite-based technology.

What may turn you off Starlink are the costs. Users need to pay for the equipment that they use to access the Starlink network and then need to pay relatively high monthly costs (compared to the NBN).

According to a September 2023 report from Ookla, Australian download speeds on Starlink achieved a median of 104.92Mbps, with an upload speed media of 11.33Mbps. Latency is the most disappointing part of Starlink, with 59.78ms of latency observed in the company’s report. That high latency would be a nightmare for multiplayer games who want the best experience against other players.

Starlink internet plans and equipment

Every Starlink plan requires the purchase of equipment, which costs RRP AU$549 plus shipping. The standard unlimited Starlink internet plan costs AU$139/pm, though the Residential Lite plan (which is depiroritised and slower during peak hours) starts at AU$99. In areas where there is high demand, such as Greater Sydney and Greater Melbourne (per Whistleout), Starlink also charges a one-off AU$145 congestion fee.

Roaming plans start at AU$80 per month for a data capped plan of 80GB or AU$195/pm with uncapped data.

Starlink equipment can be purchased from Starlink directly or from Australian retailers:

• JB Hi-Fi: Starlink Standard Kit (AU$549)
• Starlink: Starlink Standard Kit (AU$549)

There are different satellite dish types available. These other dishes are much more expensive and are intended for mobile businesses and serious travellers.

The Starlink Mini dish includes the modem-router and dish as one combined gadget:

• JB Hi-Fi: Starlink Mini (AU$449)
• Starlink: Starlink Mini (AU$449)

The Starlink Performance Actuated Kit is more intended for boats, caravaning and mobile businesses, hence the extreme cost of equipment:

• JB Hi-Fi: Starlink Performance Actuated Kit (AU$1,799)
• Starlink: Starlink Performance Actuated Kit (AU$1,799)

Telstra also offers Starlink plans through its satellite internet offering, with max speeds of 50/10Mbps for $125 per month (plus the cost of equipment).

Best mobile broadband plans

While none of these other plans allow for portability and internet on the go, mobile broadband plans do. Think of mobile broadband as an internet plan, like the internet available on your phone via your phone plan provider, without having a phone number attached. These plans leverage 4G and 5G networks serviced by Telstra, Optus and Vodafone.

The world of mobile broadband can get a bit complicated. Some providers will offer mobile broadband as coupled to a specific device or a dongle, while others will offer simply the SIM card, or offer a specialty device as an optional extra. You might want a special, portable modem-router if you’re looking to provide internet to several devices at once, or you might want a SIM if you want on-the-go internet access for your tablet or SIM-capable laptop.

Best cheap mobile broadband plan: our pick

Tangerine | Mobile broadband | 100GB data | No lock-in contract | AU$34.90p/m

If you’re more data-hungry, consider this 5G-capable mobile broadband plan from Tangerine. It gives you 100GB a month to burn through for just AU$34.90 each billing (after an initial AU$5p/m discount for the first 6 months).

Belong uses parts of Telstra’s 5G and 4G networks, though it says download speeds are capped at 100Mbps for both – that still makes it as fast as some of the best NBN 100 plans. You can find Tangerine mobile broadband plans with 200GB and 400GB of data, and these cap speeds at 250Mbps, but you do need to pay a lot more each month.

If you don't already own a mobile broadband router, then Tangerine is happy to sell you one for the rather steep cost of AU$499.

Total minimum cost: AU$34.90 | Total cost for first year: AU$418.80

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