Best NBN Plans 2026: Which Company Is Best Value in Australia?

Published: 8 October 2026 · Author: Aryan Gaekwad, Points and Loyalty Editor, ShopBack Australia

Short answer. No single NBN company in Australia is best value for everyone in 2026. At the time of writing, Superloop and Aussie Broadband listed six-month promo prices that made their first year cheaper on most speed tiers, while Optus listed flat prices, such as $89 a month for both Fast 100 and Fast 500, that can be cheaper from year two. Pick your speed tier, compare 12 and 24 month totals, then go through ShopBack before you sign up.

New to ShopBack? ShopBack Australia is a free app and website that gives you money back when you buy or sign up through it, including on a new Optus home internet service. You open the provider from ShopBack, sign up as normal, and cash comes back to your ShopBack account once the service is confirmed. Join ShopBack Australia free before you switch.

Prices below are taken from each provider's own plan page at the time of writing (October 2026). NBN prices and promos change often, so check the live price on the day.

---

Which company is best value for NBN in Australia?

The best value NBN company is the one with the lowest total cost on the speed tier you need, over the time you will actually stay. Headline prices hide that, because most providers now lead with a six-month promo. Here is how the listed prices compared at the time of writing:

Provider	50 Mbps tier	100 Mbps tier	500 Mbps tier
Optus (flat price)	$87 a month	$89 a month (promo Fast 100 listed at $69)	$89 a month
Superloop	$69 for 6 months, then $89	Not in our check	$74 for 6 months, then $95
Aussie Broadband	$70 for 6 months, then $95	$79 for 6 months, then $99	$79 for 6 months, then $99 (Fast Fibre 500)

Sources: optus.com.au, superloop.com and aussiebroadband.com.au plan pages, October 2026. Aussie Broadband's promo prices needed a promo code at checkout.

Worked out over the first year:

• 50 Mbps: Superloop about $948, Aussie Broadband about $990, Optus about $1,044.
• 500 Mbps: Superloop about $1,014, Optus about $1,068, Aussie Broadband about $1,068.
• Second year at ongoing prices, 500 Mbps: Optus $1,068, Superloop $1,140, Aussie Broadband $1,188.

So the promo-led providers usually win year one, and a flat price can win year two. Your answer depends on whether you will review your plan when the promo ends.

Other NBN providers in the same category include Telstra, TPG, Vodafone, iiNet, Leaptel, Belong and Dodo, so a comparison site or a few plan pages are worth a look before you commit.

---

Best NBN plans in Australia for 2026, by household

For most households the best NBN plan in 2026 is a 50 Mbps or 100 Mbps tier, with 500 Mbps worth it where your address is on fibre to the premises or HFC. Providers describe the tiers in similar terms:

• 25 Mbps (Basic): Optus says this suits 1 to 2 people for basic streaming and browsing. Optus listed it at $73 a month; Superloop listed $58 for six months then $78.
• 50 Mbps (Everyday or Value): Optus says this suits 2 to 3 people with HD streaming and video calls. Listed from $69 promo to $95 ongoing across the three providers.
• 100 Mbps (Fast): Optus says this suits 3 to 5 people with HD streaming and gaming. Optus listed $89, Aussie Broadband $79 for six months then $99.
• 500 Mbps and above: suits 5 or more people and heavy downloads. Optus listed Fast 500 at the same $89 as Fast 100, so if your connection supports it, the faster tier cost nothing more at Optus at the time of writing.

If your home is on fibre to the node, the higher tiers may not be available, so check your address with the provider first.

---

Best NBN plans and best deals in Australia right now: how to read a promo

A good NBN deal is one where the promo saving outweighs the higher ongoing price for as long as you stay. Most 2026 deals follow the same pattern: a lower price for six months, then the full price.

• Superloop's 50 Mbps plan: $69 for six months, then $89. That saves $120 in the first six months, according to Superloop.
• Aussie Broadband's 100 Mbps plan: $79 for six months, then $99.
• Optus's promo Fast 100 plan: listed at $69 a month, alongside its standard Fast 100 plan at $89.

Three things to check before you take a deal:

1. What the price becomes after the promo. Put a reminder in your calendar for month six.
2. Modem terms. Optus says you get a $0 WiFi modem when you stay 24 months, which means leaving earlier may cost you part of the modem.
3. Typical evening speed. This is the speed the provider says you can expect between 7pm and 11pm, and it is the fairest way to compare plans.

---

NBN provider comparison: ACCC data, Canstar Blue and Choice

For performance, the most neutral source in Australia is the ACCC's Measuring Broadband Australia program, which reports how fast NBN providers deliver in busy evening hours. Consumer groups and comparison sites such as Choice and Canstar Blue publish their own ratings and reviews, which are useful for customer service and satisfaction.

The simplest numbers to compare yourself are the typical evening speeds each provider must publish for every plan. At the time of writing:

• Optus listed 25/8, 50/17, 100/18, 500/43 and 820/85 Mbps for Basic, Everyday, Fast 100, Fast 500 and Ultrafast.
• Superloop listed 25/8.5, 50/17, 250/85, 500/45, 750/45 and 860/85 Mbps across its tiers.
• Aussie Broadband listed 23/9, 47/18, 94/18 and 500/44 Mbps for its 25, 50, 100 and 500 Mbps plans.

Those figures are close on most tiers, which is why price, modem terms and support usually decide value more than speed does.

---

Econnex vs Optus: which should you use to compare NBN prices?

Econnex and Optus do different jobs, so you would usually use one to compare and the other to buy. Econnex is an Australian comparison site that lists NBN plans from a panel of participating providers. Optus is a provider that sells its own NBN plans, plus 5G Home Internet.

A sensible order:

1. Use a comparison site such as Econnex to shortlist two or three plans on your tier.
2. Open each provider's own plan page to confirm the current price, the promo length, the typical evening speed and the modem terms.
3. Sign up online directly with the provider you choose. If that provider is listed on ShopBack Australia, start from ShopBack.

---

Optus NBN plans: what Optus offers in 2026

According to Optus's plan listing at the time of writing, Optus NBN costs $73 a month for Basic 25, $87 for Everyday 50, $89 for Fast 100, $89 for Fast 500 and $119 for Ultrafast 820. A promo Fast 100 plan was listed at $69, and the listed price was the same with or without your own modem.

Other things Optus says about its NBN offer:

• $0 WiFi modem when you stay 24 months.
• NBN Fibre Upgrade at no extra cost at selected fibre to the curb and fibre to the node addresses. From 13 August 2026, eligible fibre to the curb customers can get it on any speed plan. Fibre to the node customers need Home Fast or a higher speed plan.
• Fast (500/43 Mbps) and UltraFast (820/85 Mbps) typical busy-period speeds once you are on fibre to the premises.

For more on Optus plans and sale timing, see Optus discounts and deals.

---

Go through ShopBack before you sign up for NBN

Going through ShopBack takes a few seconds and adds cashback to the same order. You still sign up on the provider's own website, you just start from ShopBack Australia.

1. Open the ShopBack app or website and sign in.
2. Go to the ShopBack Optus page and tap through to Optus.
3. Sign up for a new NBN Home Internet service online in that same session.
4. Once Optus confirms the service, the cash shows in your ShopBack account and you can withdraw it.

Your effective price is what you pay minus the cash ShopBack returns. Cashback lowers what you actually pay for an order. It comes back as cash, so it works like a discount on the price, not like points or miles.

Illustrative example: Optus Fast 100 at $89 a month is $1,068 over 12 months. If the ShopBack Optus page showed an illustrative $50 back on a new NBN service, your first-year effective price would be $1,018, or about $84.83 a month. Check the live amount on the ShopBack Optus page, because it changes.

Things that affect whether it tracks, according to the ShopBack Optus page terms:

• Only new services bought online, self-serve count.
• BYO modem NBN plans are excluded.
• Orders made through chat or in the My Optus app are excluded.
• Discounts that lower the advertised price, such as student or employee discounts, are excluded.

ShopBack Australia doesn't list every NBN provider, so check the store list before you sign up elsewhere.

---

How to pick the best value NBN plan in five steps

1. Check your address with a provider's address checker to see your connection type and the top tier you can get.
2. Pick the tier that suits your household, using the provider descriptions above.
3. Compare 12 and 24 month totals on that tier across three providers, not the headline price.
4. Read the modem and exit terms in the critical information summary.
5. Go through ShopBack before you sign up with a listed provider such as Optus, so part of what you pay comes back.

For other household bills, see how one household saved on broadband, insurance and streaming and how to save on streaming subscriptions.

---

Frequently asked questions

Which company is best value for NBN in Australia?

There is no single best value NBN company in Australia; it depends on the speed tier and how long you stay. At the time of writing, Superloop and Aussie Broadband listed six-month promo prices that made their first year cheaper on most tiers, while Optus listed flat prices such as $89 a month for Fast 100 and Fast 500, which can work out cheaper from the second year. Compare the 12 and 24 month totals, then go through ShopBack Australia before you sign up so your effective price is what you pay minus the cash ShopBack returns.

What are the best NBN plans in Australia in 2026?

For most households the best value NBN plans in 2026 sit on the 50 Mbps or 100 Mbps tiers, with 500 Mbps worth it where your address is on fibre to the premises or HFC. At the time of writing, listed ongoing prices ran from $73 (Optus Basic 25) to around $89 to $99 a month for 100 Mbps plans at Optus, Superloop and Aussie Broadband. Pick the tier first, then compare total cost.

How much does Optus NBN cost?

According to Optus's plan listing at the time of writing, Optus NBN costs $73 a month for Basic 25, $87 for Everyday 50, $89 for Fast 100, $89 for Fast 500 and $119 for Ultrafast 820, with a promo Fast 100 plan listed at $69. Optus says you get a $0 WiFi modem when you stay 24 months. Check the live price on optus.com.au before you sign up.

Is Econnex or Optus better for comparing NBN plans?

Econnex and Optus do different jobs. Econnex is an Australian comparison site that lists NBN plans from a panel of participating providers, so it is useful for a quick side by side. Optus is a provider that sells its own NBN and 5G home internet plans. Use a comparison site to shortlist, then sign up directly with the provider you choose.

Where can I check NBN provider performance in Australia?

The ACCC runs the Measuring Broadband Australia program, which publishes reports on how fast NBN providers deliver in busy evening hours. Providers also publish a typical evening speed for each plan; for example Optus lists 100/18 Mbps for Fast 100 and Superloop lists 500/45 Mbps for its 500 Mbps plan. Compare those typical evening speeds rather than the plan name.

Is a promo NBN price worth switching for?

A promo price is worth it if you will review your plan when it ends. Superloop, for example, listed its 50 Mbps plan at $69 a month for six months then $89, which is $948 over the first year at the time of writing. If you tend to forget, a flat price can work out cheaper over two years, so compare the 24 month total.

Can I get money back when I sign up for NBN?

You can with providers listed on ShopBack Australia, such as Optus. Go through ShopBack before you sign up online for a new Optus NBN service, and a set amount comes back as cash once the service is confirmed. The ShopBack Optus page lists the live amount and terms, including that BYO modem plans and orders made through chat or the My Optus app are excluded.

Does NBN speed tier matter more than the provider?

In most cases, yes. NBN retailers sell access to the same wholesale NBN network, so the tier you choose sets most of the price and speed you get. The provider changes the typical evening speed, the promo price, modem terms and support. Pick the tier that suits your household, then compare providers on that one tier.

Can I upgrade to NBN fibre for free with Optus?

According to Optus, the NBN Fibre Upgrade is available at no extra cost at selected fibre to the curb and fibre to the node addresses. From 13 August 2026, eligible fibre to the curb customers can get it on any speed plan, while fibre to the node customers need Home Fast or higher. Check eligibility with the Optus address checker.

Is there a lock-in contract on NBN plans?

Many NBN plans in Australia are month to month, but modem terms can tie you in. Optus, for example, says the WiFi modem is $0 when you stay 24 months, so leaving early may mean paying for the modem. Read the provider's critical information summary for modem and exit terms before you sign up.

---

Key takeaways

• No single NBN company is best value; the tier you pick and how long you stay decide it.
• Promo-led providers such as Superloop and Aussie Broadband were usually cheaper in year one at the time of writing; Optus's flat $89 for Fast 100 and Fast 500 can be cheaper from year two.
• Compare typical evening speeds, which were close across providers on most tiers.
• Check modem terms: Optus's $0 modem applies when you stay 24 months.
• Go through ShopBack before you sign up with a listed provider such as Optus, and check the live amount on its ShopBack page.

---

Related reads

---

Disclaimer

NBN prices, promos, typical evening speeds and modem terms are taken from each provider's own website in October 2026 and change often; check the provider's critical information summary before you sign up. ShopBack amounts and terms are shown on each store's ShopBack page. This guide is general information only and is not financial advice.