Cheap NBN plans compared: best deals for as little as AU$39

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(Image credit: NBN Co / Getty Images)
Cheap NBN plans: quick menu

If you’re looking for a cheap NBN plan, there are plenty of great deals available across all NBN speeds, from the popular NBN 50 tier up to lightning-fast NBN 1000 plans. Internet providers will often give you a six-month discount when you first sign up, or sometimes you might get an entire year discounted or your first month for free.

These initial discounts are great ways of getting a cheap NBN plan, but it’s also important to consider costs in the longer term. The NBN plans we’ve recommended on this page are not only cheap when you first sign up, they also remain some of the most affordable options in the market after the initial discount has ended.

It’s also worth noting that in December 2023, NBN Co made some changes to its wholesale pricing, and the result is that some NBN 25 and NBN 50 plans are now slightly more expensive, while some of the fastest NBN plans have gotten a little cheaper. We’ve certainly seen plenty of good discounts this month, with Spintel offering its NBN 250 plan at an insanely cheap price, and even Optus slashing up to AU$240 off fast internet plans. The most up-to-date pricing is now listed on this page, but Flip still remains one of the cheapest providers in the market.

Jump to:
• <a href="#cheap-nbn-25-plan-3" data-link-merchant="#cheap-nbn-25-plan-3"">Cheap NBN 25 – AU$44p/m from Flip (first 6m, then AU$54.90p/m)
• <a href="#cheap-nbn-50-plan-3" data-link-merchant="#cheap-nbn-50-plan-3"" data-link-merchant="#cheap-nbn-25-plan-3"">Cheap NBN 50 – AU$59p/m from Flip (first 6m, then AU$69.90p/m)
• <a href="#cheap-nbn-100-plan-3" data-link-merchant="#cheap-nbn-100-plan-3"" data-link-merchant="#cheap-nbn-50-plan-3"" data-link-merchant="#cheap-nbn-25-plan-3"">Cheap NBN 100 – AU$69p/m from Flip (first 6m, then AU$79.90p/m)
• <a href="#cheap-nbn-250-plan-3" data-link-merchant="#cheap-nbn-250-plan-3"" data-link-merchant="#cheap-nbn-100-plan-3"" data-link-merchant="#cheap-nbn-50-plan-3"" data-link-merchant="#cheap-nbn-25-plan-3"">Cheap NBN 250 – AU$75p/m from Spintel (first 6m, then AU$85.95p/m)
• <a href="#cheap-nbn-1000-plan-3" data-link-merchant="#cheap-nbn-1000-plan-3"" data-link-merchant="#cheap-nbn-250-plan-3"" data-link-merchant="#cheap-nbn-100-plan-3"" data-link-merchant="#cheap-nbn-50-plan-3"" data-link-merchant="#cheap-nbn-25-plan-3"">Cheap NBN 1000 – AU$99p/m from Superloop (first 6m, then AU$109p/m)

Noteworthy cheap NBN deals

All of our plan recommendations are detailed below, but before you check them out, here are some good deals you should know about before deciding on an NBN plan:

Best cheap NBN plans

Cheap NBN 25 plan

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A cheap NBN plan that doesn’t sacrifice speed

FlipNBN 25Unlimited dataNo lock-in contractAU$44p/m (first 6 months, then AU$54.90p/m)

<a href="https://www.flipconnect.com.au/cheap-nbn-plans?utm_source=techradar&utm_medium=cpa&utm_campaign=nbn23&utm_term=value_25?subtag=hawk-custom-tracking" data-link-merchant="flipconnect.com.au"" target="_blank">Flip | NBN 25 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$44p/m (first 6 months, then AU$54.90p/m)

Flip remains our pick for the best cheap NBN 25 plan. Flip has the cheapest intro offer we can find at AU$44 a month for your first six months, which then increases to AU$54.90 ongoing. The regular pricing is very cheap for this tier, with the average cost of NBN 25 plans we monitor coming in at AU$68 a month. Flip’s NBN 25 plan has a typical evening speed of 25Mbps which is enough for up to two people.

Total minimum cost: AU$44 | Total cost for first year: AU$593.40 | Yearly cost after discount: AU$658.80

• See more: <a href="https://www.techradar.com/au/best/best-nbn-25-plans" data-link-merchant="techradar.com"" data-link-merchant="flipconnect.com.au"">Best NBN 25 plans

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Cheap NBN 50 plan

Best option for most users

FlipNBN 50Unlimited dataNo lock-in contractAU$59p/m (first 6 months, then AU$69.90p/m)

<a href="https://www.flipconnect.com.au/cheap-nbn-plans?utm_source=techradar&utm_medium=cpa&utm_campaign=nbn23&utm_term=value_50?subtag=hawk-custom-tracking" data-link-merchant="flipconnect.com.au"" target="_blank">Flip | NBN 50 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$59p/m (first 6 months, then AU$69.90p/m)

Flip recently increased the cost of its NBN 50 plan – along with several other providers – but its new price of AU$69.90 a month is still one of the cheapest available. Flip’s intro price is even better at AU$59 for your first six months, and you get top typical evening speeds of 50Mbps. When the average cost of an NBN 50 plan is AU$80, it’s easy to see why Flip stands out with its cheap intro discount and affordable ongoing price.

Total minimum cost: AU$59 | Total cost for first year: AU$773.40 | Yearly cost after discount: AU$838.80

• See more: <a href="https://www.techradar.com/au/best/best-nbn-50-plans" data-link-merchant="techradar.com"" data-link-merchant="flipconnect.com.au"">Best NBN 50 plans

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Cheap NBN 100 plan

A bump in speed for larger households

FlipNBN 100Unlimited dataNo lock-in contractAU$69p/m (first 6 months, then AU$79.90p/m)

<a href="https://www.flipconnect.com.au/cheap-nbn-plans?utm_source=techradar&utm_medium=cpa&utm_campaign=nbn23&utm_term=value_100?subtag=hawk-custom-tracking" data-link-merchant="flipconnect.com.au"" target="_blank">Flip | NBN 100 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$69p/m (first 6 months, then AU$79.90p/m)

Flip is our recommendation for best cheap NBN 100 plan. Prices start at AU$69 for your first six months, before increasing to an ongoing rate of AU$79.90 a month. At that price, Flip’s plan is significantly cheaper than the average cost of NBN 100 plans, which currently sits at about AU$91 a month. Flip has a typical evening speed of 97Mbps, which is a smidge below the maximum of 100Mbps.

Total minimum cost: AU$69 | Total cost for first year: AU$893.40 | Yearly cost after discount: AU$958.80

• See more: <a href="https://www.techradar.com/au/best/best-nbn-100-plans" data-link-merchant="techradar.com"" data-link-merchant="flipconnect.com.au"">Best NBN 100 plans

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Cheap NBN 250 plan

For super-fast internet, consider this

SpintelNBN 250Unlimited dataNo lock-in contractAU$75p/m (first 6 months, then AU$85.95p/m)

<a href="https://techradar.whistleout.com.au/Transact?pai=2&si=454&gi=1792&pi=13311&ct=0&ci=17106&byo=true&ai=42&ppt=0&subtag=hawk-custom-tracking&r=hawk-article-url" data-link-merchant="whistleout.com.au"">Spintel | NBN 250 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$75p/m (first 6 months, then AU$85.95p/m)

Spintel’s NBN 250 plan is insanely cheap, starting at just AU$75 a month for your first six months on the service. That makes it about the same price you’d pay for an NBN 50 plan, and you’re getting more than double the speed with Spintel. Even once the intro offer ends, Spintel’s standard pricing of AU$85.95 a month is the cheapest we can find in this speed tier. Spintel’s typical evening speed is currently 211Mbps, so if you want something faster, you’ll need to consider more expensive alternatives such as <a href="https://techradar.whistleout.com.au/Transact?pai=2&si=581&gi=2156&pi=12425&ct=0&ci=10585&byo=true&ai=42&ppt=0&subtag=hawk-custom-tracking&r=hawk-article-url" data-link-merchant="whistleout.com.au"" data-link-merchant="whistleout.com.au"">Superloop.

Total minimum cost: AU$75 | Total cost for first year: AU$965.70 | Yearly cost after discount: AU$1,031.40

• See more: <a href="https://www.techradar.com/au/best/best-nbn-250-plans" data-link-merchant="techradar.com"" data-link-merchant="whistleout.com.au"" data-link-merchant="whistleout.com.au"">Best NBN 250 plans

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Cheap NBN 1000 plan

The fastest you can get, but only available in select locations

SuperloopNBN 1000Unlimited dataNo lock-in contractAU$99p/m (first 6 months, then AU$109p/m)

<a href="https://techradar.whistleout.com.au/Transact?pai=2&si=581&gi=2156&pi=12810&ct=0&ci=13407&byo=true&ai=42&ppt=0&subtag=hawk-custom-tracking&r=hawk-article-url" data-link-merchant="whistleout.com.au"">Superloop | NBN 1000 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$99p/m (first 6 months, then AU$109p/m)

The cheap price on this NBN 1000 plan is frankly incredible. Not only is Superloop offering your first six months for AU$99 each, but once the introductory discount is over, your ongoing cost only increases to AU$109 a month. That’s cheaper than the previous ongoing price of AU$119. Superloop has also updated the typical evening speed on this plan, as it’s increased from 600Mbps up to 700Mbps, putting it on par with Telstra. If you want lightning-fast internet at a bargain price, this is the deal to get.

Total minimum cost: AU$99 | Total cost for first year: AU$1,248 | Yearly cost after discount: AU$1,308

• See more: <a href="https://www.techradar.com/au/best/best-nbn-1000-plans" data-link-merchant="techradar.com"" data-link-merchant="whistleout.com.au"">Best NBN 1000 plans

Cheap NBN FAQ

Are cheap NBN 12 plans worth it?

In general, we don’t recommend signing up to an NBN 12 plan. Among the internet providers we monitor, the current average price of NBN 12 is AU$62.21 while the average cost of an NBN 25 plan is slightly more at AU$69.02. It’s a small increase for double the speed, so we don’t think cheap NBN 12 plans are worth it at all – you’re much better off with a cheap NBN 25 plan.

Here’s a look at some of the cheapest NBN 12 plans if you’re curious:

What is the cheapest NBN service?

The cheapest NBN service we’ve found comes from Flip, with an NBN 12 plan that starts at AU$39 a month for your first six months. While it’s the cheapest NBN plan available, it’s not one we would recommend, because we don’t recommend NBN 12 plans in general. Instead, if you want an NBN service that’s worth using, we suggest checking out Flip’s NBN 25 plan which starts at AU$44 a month for your first six months, and gets you double the speed.

What are the cheapest NBN plans from the major telcos?

Telstra, Optus and TPG are more expensive than the budget internet providers, so their cheapest NBN plans may not be cheap compared to the likes of Flip, Spintel and Tangerine. Here is the most up-to-date pricing on the cheapest NBN plans from each major telco:

 Telstra: AU$85 a month for NBN 25 (no discount)

 Optus: AU$70 a month for NBN 25 (no discount)

 TPG: AU$64.99 a month for NBN 12 (no discount) or AU$69.99 a month for NBN 25 (no discount)

Among the three major telcos, TPG is the most affordable and generally offers the best value for money. As we noted in our TPG NBN review, the telco’s NBN 25 and NBN 50 plans are particularly good value as they offer the maximum download speeds available in each tier at a reasonable price.

Are cheap NBN plans worth it?

Cheap NBN plans are worth it if saving money is your top priority, and there’s great deals to be had across all NBN speeds. However, before signing up to a cheap NBN plan, there are some aspects to consider:

How long the discount lasts:

Most NBN providers will offer you a discount for your first six months on the service – sometimes you can even get a cheaper rate for up to 12 months. Once the initial discount ends, consider whether the ongoing cost still makes it a cheap NBN plan. If not, you can always switch to another provider, which is best if you’re not locked into a contract or paying off any hardware.

Can you BYO modem:

Practically all NBN providers will ask if you’d like to include a modem with your new NBN plan, but if you already have one, you’ll save a good amount of money by reusing it whenever you switch telcos. You’ll likely need to reconfigure your modem to your new internet provider’s settings, but it’s pretty straightforward and the telco should give you instructions on how to do so.

What features are you missing out on:

A cheap NBN plan is often missing some of the more premium features of the major telcos, such as a modem with 4G backup or streaming add-ons. If you can do without these extras, you’ll likely spend less on your internet bill.

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.