Best NBN provider: which is Australia’s top internet provider?

NBN

With so many options available, finding the best NBN providers in Australia can be tricky, and what constitutes the ‘best’ will be different for everyone. The top NBN provider for you likely depends on two factors: price and internet speed.

Price will likely be a big factor in your decision-making, so we look for good incentives when choosing the best NBN providers. Many providers offer a six-month welcome discount when you first sign up, and occasionally, we see the offer extended to a 12-month discount. To get our ‘best’ tick of approval though, prices must remain competitive after any discount.

The best NBN providers should also have reliable speed, so each telco’s typical evening speed is always factored into our decision making. We also look at the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) broadband reporting data, which monitors select telcos, so we can find the best providers that are delivering on their promised speeds.

Which is the best NBN provider in Australia?

Best overall NBN provider: Flip

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We’ve chosen Flip as the best NBN provider in Australia overall because it manages to deliver great speeds while also offering some of the lowest prices in the market. NBN 50 is the most popular internet plan among Australians, and we recommend Flip’s 50Mbps option as the best NBN 50 plan you can get. It comes with a maxed-out typical evening speed, and prices start at AU$54 a month when you first sign up.

Flip was also awarded 2023’s Broadband Provider of the Year by our colleagues at Mozo.

Flip

Flip | NBN 50 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$54p/m (first 6 months, then AU$64.90p/m)

Flip has the title for best NBN provider in Australia. It has the edge when it comes to its NBN 25 plans and NBN 50 plans, as they’re the cheapest ongoing price we can find in their respective tiers. Flip’s NBN 25 and NBN 50 plans also offer the maximum typical evening speeds available. You’ll pay AU$54 a month for your first half-year on Flip’s 50Mbps option, before prices increase to AU$64.90 a month thereafter.

Total minimum cost: AU$54 | Total cost for first year: AU$713.40 | Yearly cost after discount: AU$778.80

See more: Best NBN 50 plans

Which is the best high-speed NBN provider in Australia?

Best high-speed NBN provider: Exetel

For those who want one of the fastest NBN plans, Exetel is our recommendation for the best high-speed internet provider, and it’ll be a better option if your household has four or more people using the internet at the same time.

Exetel has great introductory prices on its NBN 100 plan and NBN 250 plan, plus excellent ongoing prices too. Exetel has also received top marks in the ACCC’s broadband reporting, outpacing Telstra, Optus and TPG in terms of fastest average download speed. The telco also has an interesting feature on select plans, where you can select five days every month to bump your plan’s speed up to the next tier.

Exetel

Exetel | NBN 100 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$68.99p/m (first 6 months, then AU$84.99p/m)

Exetel’s NBN 100 plan will cost you AU$68.99 a month for your first six months, and while that’s not as great as the March price of AU$62.90, it’s a good deal for what you’re getting. Exetel promises a typical evening speed of 100Mbps, and the Speed Boost feature means you can turbo charge your plan to NBN 250 for five days each month, for free. Considering the average cost in this tier is AU$92 a month, Exetel offers good value for money.

Total minimum cost: AU$68.99 | Total cost for first year: AU$923.88 | Yearly cost after discount: AU$1,019.88

See more: Best NBN 100 plans

Exetel

Exetel | NBN 250 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$83.99p/m (first 6 months, then AU$98.99p/m)

Exetel’s NBN 250 introductory offer will see you pay AU$83.99 a month for your first six months. After that, the ongoing rate is competitive too, now down to AU$98.99 a month (previously AU$108.95). Exetel’s typical evening speed on this tier is 225Mbps, and should you need it, you can also upgrade to NBN 1000 speeds for five days each month (rated at 500Mbps).

Total minimum cost: AU$83.99 | Total cost for first year: AU$1,097.88 | Yearly cost after discount: AU$1,187.88

See more: Best NBN 250 plans

Jasmine Gearie
Ecommerce editor

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.