There are now three speed tiers available to households that are considered fast NBN plans: NBN 1000, NBN 250 and NBN 100. If you’re unsure what these numbers actually mean, they indicate the top download speed available on each plan.
In reality though, this isn’t always the case. For example, an NBN 1000 plan should in theory be able to reach a top speed of 1000Mbps, but among the limited number of telcos who offer this plan, Telstra is the only provider to report getting close to this number.
Telstra has the fastest consumer-grade NBN 1000 plan you can get, reporting a typical evening speed of 700Mbps. While it doesn’t reach the top speed available during the busy evening period, it is far above the average, which is 454Mbps when you consider all telcos with an NBN 1000 plan. Similarly, most providers who offer NBN 250 plans don’t actually report a typical evening speed of 250Mbps – the average speed sits a fair bit below at 220Mbps.
The number of options can be understandably overwhelming, but we want to help you make the right choice when it comes to choosing a fast NBN plan. We’ve partnered with WhistleOut (opens in new tab) to compare NBN plans from over 30 Aussie providers to make our top picks on this page – you can also skip ahead to the speed you want by clicking on the links below:
Can you get NBN 250 or NBN 1000?
Not everybody will be able to sign up for a high-speed NBN 250 or NBN 1000 plan. These speed tiers are only available on two types of NBN connection – fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) and hybrid fibre coaxial (HFC). If your household is serviced by an FTTP or HFC installation, you should be able to sign up to an NBN 250 or NBN 1000 plan.
Noteworthy fast NBN deals
Below we’ll run through our top plan picks, but first, check out these ace offers currently available on fast NBN plans:
- Exetel: save AU$22.05p/m for 6 months on NBN 100 plan (opens in new tab) (from AU$62.90)
- Optus: save AU$30p/m for 6 months on NBN 250 plan (opens in new tab) (from AU$89)
- Superloop: save AU$25p/m for 6 months on NBN 250 plan (opens in new tab) (from AU$88.95)
- Telstra: sign up to any Telstra NBN plan and receive 12 months of Kayo for free (opens in new tab)
Best fast NBN plans
Best NBN 100 plan
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Our choice for large households and those who want a little extra speed
• NBN 100 plans are the most broadly available fast plans, with the telcos reporting a typical evening speed of 93Mbps on average.
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Best NBN 250 plan
The go-to for lightning-quick broadband
• Availability of NBN 250 plans is now almost on par with that of NBN 100, with telcos reporting a typical evening speed of 220Mbps on average.
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Best NBN 1000 plan
The fastest you can get, but only available in select locations
• The once sparse NBN 1000 tier is growing in availability, with an average typical evening speed of 454Mbps reported by the telcos.
(opens in new tab)Fast NBN plans: major telcos
When it comes to the big three internet providers, these are the best fast plans available:
Telstra's best high-speed NBN plans
• Telstra NBN 100 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$100p/m (first 6 months, then AU$110p/m) (opens in new tab)
Telstra has discounted its NBN 100 plan by AU$10 a month for your first six months, before increasing to AU$110 ongoing. It’s not the best offer we’ve seen, as you could snag this plan for just AU$1 for your first month towards the end of 2022, but this deal saves you AU$60 over six months. Telstra’s NBN 100 plan is the most expensive option on this speed tier, but unlike many of its competitors, it has a top typical evening speed of 100Mbps. A subscription to Kayo Sports is also included for your first 12 months.
• Telstra NBN 250 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$120p/m (first 6 months, then AU$140p/m) (opens in new tab)
Telstra’s got a better deal on its NBN 250 plan, offering a AU$20 discount each month for your first six months. Your internet bill will increase to AU$140 after that initial discount, which makes this NBN 250 plan about AU$20 more than the average monthly price on this speed tier. Telstra is the only provider to have an NBN 250 plan with a maxed-out typical evening speed of 250Mbps, but providers such as Aussie Broadband (opens in new tab) and Origin (opens in new tab) are not too far behind. A 12-month Kayo subscription is also included with this plan.
• Telstra NBN 1000 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$180p/m (opens in new tab)
As you might expect, Telstra has the most expensive NBN 1000 plan on the market at AU$180 a month. The good news is that Telstra quotes a typical evening speed of 700Mbps, which is one of the best claimed-speeds available on NBN 1000. We’ve seen this plan get a AU$20 monthly discount in the past, but it’s currently only available at full price. A 12-month subscription to Kayo Sports is included when you first sign up.
Optus' best high-speed NBN plans
• Optus NBN 100 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$79p/m (first 6 months, then AU$99p/m) (opens in new tab)
Optus has introduced a AU$20 discount for your first six months on this plan, so you can save AU$120 over your first half-year. Optus’ NBN 100 plan promises a typical evening speed of 100Mbps, which is the fastest speed available for the tier. It’s initially cheaper than the average price of an NBN 100 plan, but once the cost increases after the first six months, it goes above that threshold.
• Optus NBN 250 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$89p/m (first 6 months, then AU$119p/m) (opens in new tab)
Optus is offering a AU$30 discount each month for your first six months on this plan, which will save you up to AU$180. Even once the initial discount ends, this NBN 250 plan is fairly priced for a big provider, as it costs two dollars less than the average monthly cost of AU$121. Optus has also increased its reported typical evening in recent months, going from 215Mbps up to 240Mbps.
• Optus NBN 1000 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$119p/m (first 6 months, then AU$149p/m) (opens in new tab)
This plan is now AU$119 a month for your first six months, which is a AU$30 discount on the usual price. While the standard price of Optus’ NBN 1000 plan is slightly above average, you’re getting a good typical evening speed of 400Mbps (up from 300Mbps). Aussie Broadband (opens in new tab) has an NBN 1000 plan for AU$149 a month, but it delivers a faster download speed of 600Mbps in the evening.
TPG's best high-speed NBN plans
• TPG NBN 100 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$79.99p/m (first 6 months, then AU$89.99p/m) (opens in new tab)
TPG’s NBN 100 plan sits just below the average cost of all plans on this tier, making it the most affordable option among the three major telcos. Typical evening speeds aren’t as good though, sitting at 90Mbps.
• TPG NBN 250 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$94.99p/m (first 6 months, then AU$124.99p/m) (opens in new tab)
At AU$124.99 a month, there’s a significant price jump between TPG’s NBN 250 plan and its NBN 100 option, though the initial discount will see you save AU$180 over your first six months. Typical evening speed is quoted at 210Mbps, which is below the average.
• TPG NBN 1000 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$114.99p/m (first 6 months, then AU$144.99p/m) (opens in new tab)
There’s quite a bit of disparity between claimed typical evening speeds on the NBN 1000 tier. TPG reports a typical evening speed of 450Mbps, but competitors such as Telstra can reach up to 700Mbps. Considering TPG’s NBN 1000 plan costs AU$144.99 a month, we’d argue it’s not particularly good value.
- Telstra vs Optus NBN: who has better broadband?
Fast NBN FAQ
What are NBN 1000 real world speeds?
NBN 1000, which the NBN Co refers to as 'Ultrafast', is the fastest consumer NBN speed tier. The small but growing number of internet service providers which offer NBN 1000 plans advise a typical evening speed of 454Mbps on average, which is quite low considering the top speed available on these plans is 1000Mbps. Outside of the peak busy period, we’ve seen real-world speed test results that are much higher at 900Mbps, though still not reaching the maximum amount.
What are NBN 250 real world speeds?
The second-fastest tier is NBN 250, which the NBN Co refers to as 'Superfast'. Again, there’s a small number of providers who offer this speed, but it’s slightly larger than the number who offer NBN 1000 plans. On average, the telcos with these plans report an average download speed of 220Mbps during the evening hours. As with NBN 1000, actual speed does vary among the ISPs on NBN 250 plans, so be sure to read the fine print.
What are NBN 100 real world speeds?
The NBN 100 tier is the most affordable option from the fastest NBN category, and you can expect a typical evening speed of 93Mbps on average. While the tiers mentioned above are leaps and bounds ahead in terms of speed, they are also limited in their availability – only FTTP and HFC connections can sign up to NBN 1000 and NBN 250 in most cases.
NBN 100 is referred to as 'Fast' by the NBN Co – it’s available for most connection types, and is often the fastest option available for the millions of Australians using fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) technology. If you want the top typical evening speed of 100Mbps for your NBN 100 plan, only a select few providers offer it: Telstra, Optus, Exetel, Pennytel and Spintel.
You can read more about each connection type here (opens in new tab).
