As TechRadar's resident NBN expert, I spend a lot of time tracking prices best NBN plans. And although there are often some fantastic Internet offers this may change month to month, one constant I've noticed is how expensive the Telstra plan costs can be.
I've never shied away from using the country's largest telecoms company because of their exorbitant prices, which have long been the most expensive of any NBN provider I follow.
You can imagine the look on my face when I recently remarked that Telstra really decreased prices for the entire range of plans are as high as AU$14 in some cases. Mind you, my shock was very short-lived as despite the discounts, Telstra is still one of the most expensive providers. So it's still hard to recommend it if you're looking for a great NBN plan.
NBN 25
- Telstra price: AU$85 per month.
- Flip Price: AUD 44 per month (first 8 months, then AUD 59.90 per month)
- First year savings: AU$428.40.
The NBN 25 plan provides basic internet access and is best suited for families of one or two who just need to surf the internet, stream the odd HD or 4K videos and browse social networks. Almost all providers offering an NBN 25 plan promise the fastest download speeds at any time of the day, so in my opinion there's no point in signing up for Telstra if you can pay over AU$400 less every year using Flip.
NBN 50
- Telstra price: AU$95 per month.
- Mandarin price: AU$64.90 per month (first 12 months, then AU$84.90 per month).
- First year savings: AUD $361.20.
At the time of writing, NBN 50 is still the most popular choice in Australia, although I expect that to change in the near future given the introduction of NBN 500 plans, which in my opinion offer the best overall value. This Tangerine NBN 50 plan offers enough speed to stream 4K video comfortably, but if you have a large number of connected devices in your home, you'll want to consider a faster plan to ensure you have enough bandwidth to get the job done.
NBN 100 and NBN 500
- Telstra price: AU$99 per month.
- Mandarin price: AU$68.90 per month (first 12 months, then AU$88.90 per month).
- First year savings: AUD $361.20.
I've grouped the NBN 100 and NBN 500 speed tiers together because, generally speaking, telcos now charge the same price for them. It's because NBN 500 is essentially a free speed boost. up to 100Mbps plans available for homes that connect to the fixed network via fiber to the premises (FTTP) or hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC). If your home isn't connected through one of these, then NBN 100 is the fastest option you can get, but you'll pay the same (in general) as customers who can get NBN 500.
Again, Tangerine is the cheapest Telstra alternative in your first year with a 12-month discount available for a limited time – but be quick as it expires on December 14th.
NBN 750
- Telstra price: AU$119 per month.
- Dodo price: AU$79.99 per month (first 12 months, then AU$99.99 per month).
- First year savings: AU$468.12.
I'm still questioning the need for the NBN 750 speed tier. The NBN 500 plan provides more than enough speed for most homes for much less money. And if you want a really fast plan, you have the NBN 1000 option for a small extra cost.
However, if you think this is the ideal rate for you, then Dodo's current 12-month promotion cannot be ignored. The telco only claims typical evening speeds of 700Mbps compared to the top speeds you're promised with Telstra, but with savings of over AU$460, Dodo provides much better bang for your buck.
1000 NBN
- Telstra Price: AUD $129.
- Friends price: AU$99 (first month free).
- First year savings: AUD $459.
The NBN 1000 plan is a great option for power users with a particularly large number of connected devices, or for those who want to multi-task with a lot of data. It's also ideal for gamers looking to quickly load large game files. I've noticed that the average monthly cost of an NBN 1000 plan has dropped slightly over the last 12 months, from A$120 in December 2024 to just over A$115 today.
Buddy's gigabit plan has been my favorite since the provider launched in July 2024 due to its low monthly fee of AU$99. And right now you can get your first month free, making it even more affordable.
As you can see, buying a new NBN plan can potentially save you hundreds of dollars. And as an additional note, Telstra's current prices are listed under the “Christmas Sale” icon, so there is no guarantee that these lower prices will remain permanent. If they return to their previous prices, you can obviously save even more.
