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Finder Award winners

2024 Finder Award for Provider of the Year

Tangerine shone across the most popular speed tiers for price and speed. It's always slinging 6-month signup offers and has multiple ways for people to get in touch which is handy, especially if you don't want to get on the phone directly. You can also BYO modem or bundle a home phone line for an additional $10 a month.

Highly commended NBN providers for both categories were Superloop and TPG.

See how we chose the winners

2024 Finder Award for Best NBN Provider for Everyday Use

TPG knocked it out of the park for its competitive pricing and 50Mbps typical evening speed, which is the maximum speed available in this category. You can also sign up for its 6-month NBN 50 plan if you want a modem for $0 and use the live chat feature for support.

Flip and Kogan were highly commended.

See how we chose the winners

2024 Finder Award for Best NBN Provider for Fast Speeds

SpinTel's NBN 100 plan is one of the cheapest around and offers a typical speed of 100Mbps (the maximum available on this speed tier). Together with its well-priced plan, you'll get access to multiple support channels including phone, live chat and WhatsApp or Messenger.

The other finalists include Exetel and Tangerine.

See how we chose the winners

2024 Finder Award for Best NBN Provider for Superfast Speeds

Superloop offers Superfast speeds for just under $100 a month and close to the maximum speed available on an NBN 250 plan. It often runs 6-month signup discounts which makes it stack up extremely well on price vs typical download speed. It also offers the option to boost your internet speed 5 times a month at no extra cost.

Finalists are Exetel and Southern Phone.

See how we chose the winners

2024 Finder Award for Best Budget NBN Provider

Exetel came out on top for value. Its NBN 25 plan, also known as Exetel NBN Everyday, is the cheapest one on offer from the provider and comes with 25Mbps typical evening speeds, the maximum you can get on this speed tier. Plus, we've already established it's one of the more reliable providers around so you know you're getting your money's worth.

Belong and Tangerine are the providers finalists.

See how we chose the winners

2023 Finder Award for Green Broadband Provider of the Year

After being a finalist for the last couple years, Goodtel scored the crown this year for its sustainable practices. It scored well for its low emissions intensity, renewable energy use and high recycling rates.

See how we chose the winners

What our customers are saying

The ability to compare almost all offers on the market allowed me to slash my insurance, electricity, and phone/internet bills! All of the extra cash I have has gone directly into a high percent savings account, that I also discovered on Finder!

Andrew, VIC, Finder Member

I have used Finder to reduce my electricity and home internet bills by a collective $480 per year.

Thomas, NSW, Finder Member

Managed to reduce my power and internet/phone bills simply by comparing the best offers through the comparison tables.

Rick, VIC, Finder Member

How do I switch broadband plans?

1. Compare plans

Compare internet plans to find the right one for your household.

2. Give notice

Give your current provider enough notice that you're switching so you're not paying for 2 bills at once.

3. Sign up

Decide when you want to activate your new plan, sign up and start saving!

"I recently moved house after almost 5 years. It's gotten so much easier to move providers, thankfully. I was set up within the same day of moving in to the new place."

Gary Ross Hunter

Journalist

Learn more about how to compare internet plans from our editor-at-large, Angus Kidman

What types of internet plans can you get?

NBN

The NBN (National Broadband Network) is a network of high-speed fibre optic cables owned by the government and accessible to most Australians. Since it's made up of a mix of technologies, your actual NBN connection type will vary depending on where you live. This is why your address matters so much when buying an NBN plan.

• Availability: Pop your address into our comparison table to see if the NBN is available in your area and compare plans that you can access.

ADSL

ADSL uses copper telephone lines to send data signals. It isn't capable of transferring data as quickly as the NBN. Now that the NBN rollout is officially complete, most Aussies have switched from the old ADSL technology to the NBN.

• Availability: If you want a fixed line connection but don't have the NBN available at your address yet, you'll likely be looking for an ADSL plan.

Mobile broadband

Mobile broadband is the same as the internet access you get with a mobile plan, except you can't make or receive calls or texts. You can stick the data-only SIM in your tablet, Wi-Fi dongle or phone to get online.

• Availability: Mobile broadband is widely available across the country. If you get strong phone signals in your area, then you should be able to access it just fine (since it uses the same mobile networks as your phone).

Home wireless

This works exactly like mobile broadband with some extra features. You usually get a higher data allowance and a bigger modem, making it less portable. A home wireless broadband plan can be seen as an alternative to the NBN offering similar speeds or even faster if you get 5G coverage in your area.

• Availability: This depends on the technology you're after. 4G home broadband is widely available across the country but 5G home internet is still rolling out across Australia. Check network coverage maps to see if you've got access.

How can Finder help you compare internet plans?

🔍 Locate

Enter your address – we'll show you what plans are available for you.

👀 Compare

Filter plans according to your needs and see how they compare.

✅ Sign up

Hit the green 'Go to site' button to get online and connected as soon as possible.

How do I compare broadband plans?

How much are you willing to pay?

Finder research shows the average broadband user spends $75 per month on their internet plan, but your budget might very well be different. The price of your plan will largely depend on what internet speed you're after.

What speed do you want?

This depends on the size of your household and what you're planning to use the internet for. The general rule is that the more people in your home and the more time you're spending on the internet, the faster the speed you'll need.

How much data do you need?

Unlimited is usually recommended if you use the internet regularly. Lighter users can potentially get away with plans that come with a specific data allowance, for example 10–500GB a month. This will save you around $5 a month, but may not be worth it if you think you'll exceed your data limit.

Are you happy to sign up for a contract?

Most providers these days offer no lock-in contracts, so if you do sign up for a contracted plan, make sure there's something in it for you. This could be a free modem or a plan discount.

Do you have a preferred provider?

While we recommend keeping your options open when comparing, we know that not all providers are created equal. Your choice of internet provider matters for things such as customer service, tech support and reliability of advertised speeds.

Which internet speed is right for me?

NBN 12

Good for a single-person home with basic internet needs such as browsing, social media and light streaming.

NBN 25

Suited to 1- or 2-person households that want to browse, stream and work from home.

NBN 50

Best for a 2- to 3-person household with medium internet usage such as streaming Netflix, browsing, downloading files and taking Zoom video calls.

NBN 100

For 3-4 people who are simultaneously online. You can avoid buffering internet issues while streaming, working from home or uploading and downloading files.

NBN 250

This could suit households with 5+ people that watch multiple 4K streams, are mostly working from home or are serious gamers.

NBN 1000

Mostly suited to small businesses rather than your regular family home, unless there are lots of people in your household with very heavy internet usage.

Did you know?

While most Australians are on an NBN 50 plan, Finder's Consumer Sentiment Tracker found that those on an NBN 100 plan are more satisfied than on any other speed tier. If your budget allows, getting a faster plan could mean less hassle with slow internet speeds, especially if you're in a working-from-home household.

Are internet bundles worth signing up for?

Home phone and internet bundles

TV and internet packages

NBN and mobile bundles

Electricity and internet bundles

Why compare broadband internet with Finder?

Our data useage is bonkers. Whether you're Zooming solo or a house full of gamers, we know getting the most speed for the least buck is top of your list.

Obsessed with offers. With over 300 options from over 50 internet providers, you could go website to website and find them yourself. Or, you could let us nerd out for you - see them in one place live 24/7.

No mark ups. You get the same rates as going direct, heck sometimes you even score better as we put in the yards to bring you exclusive offers.

Frequently asked questions

• Which is the best plan for using the internet?

  Each month we select internet plans across 5 categories that we think offer the best bang for your buck. Check out the full list of this month's best internet plans.

• Who is the cheapest home internet provider?

  These days you can pay under $50 for a cheap internet plan from providers such as Flip, Tangerine and SpinTel. Here's our roundup of the cheapest home internet providers.

• What is the cheapest unlimited internet plan?

  It's easy to get unlimited internet without paying an arm and a leg. Prices start at $39 a month. Check out all your options for unlimited Internet plans to decide which one is best suited to your household.

• Do I need a new modem if I switch broadband plans?

  This will depend on the type of internet plan you sign up to. For NBN, it's common for providers to offer a BYO modem option (as long as it's compatible with their service). However, for home wireless broadband, you will always need a new modem if you switch internet plans.

• What is a good internet speed for gaming?

  Around 25Mbps speeds could suffice if your internet usage besides gaming is light and you're maybe sharing the bandwidth with one other person. Around 50Mbps is usually a safer bet if you have multiple users sharing the same internet connection.

  Check out our top picks for the best internet plans for gaming.

• What speeds do I need to stream Netflix?

  Netflix supports streaming at 1.5Mbps, but this is less than standard definition and the video quality will likely be blurry and pixelated. Around 3Mbps is decent for standard definition, 5Mbps for high definition and 25Mbps for ultra HD (4K).

  Keep in mind that if you're streaming Netflix on multiple devices (for example, housemates all on their own laptops, kids streaming on their iPads), you'll need to make sure your internet speed can cope with the extra traffic.

• Do I need a phone line to get internet?

  You don't need a phone line to get connected to the NBN or any other wireless broadband connection.

  However, you can choose to add a home phone line to most NBN plans should you wish to. Check out home phone and internet bundles.

• Will I get charged a set-up fee on my internet plan?

  This will vary between providers, but it's now less common to charge a set-up fee when you're switching internet providers.

• What is the best internet in Australia?

  Aussie Broadband and TPG are among the most highly rated for speed and reliability. Plans from Optus and Telstra also perform well in urban areas with competitive speeds.

• Which broadband has the best service?

  Aussie Broadband is known for exceptional customer service, offering local support centres based in Australia and high network uptime. Optus also scores well in metro regions with its premium support packages.

• How to choose the best wifi plan?

  Look for plans that offer the best value for money based on your usage. For streaming a moderate amount – a handful of devices at a time – go for an NBN 50 or NBN 100 plan. If you have mulitple people and devices connected, like smart phones, watches, ipads, laptops and computers with other household appliances, you may need a higher speed. Check for providers with no speed throttling, good customer reviews, and promotions.

• Which Wi-Fi plan is best for home?

  For households with multiple users, NBN 100 or NBN 250 plans from providers like Aussie Broadband or Telstra are ideal to support multiple streaming and online activities.

• What is Australia's fastest internet?

  NBN 1000 (gigabit) plans are the fastest available, offering speeds of up to 1000 Mbps. Providers like Superloop and Aussie Broadband offer these high-speed plans in select areas.

• How to choose the best WiFi plan?

  Look for plans that offer the best value for money based on your usage. For streaming a moderate amount – a handful of devices at a time – go for an NBN 50 or NBN 100 plan. If you have mulitple people and devices connected, like smart phones, watches, ipads, laptops and computers with other household appliances, you may need a higher speed. Check for providers with no speed throttling, good customer reviews, and promotions.

• How much does internet cost per month in Australia?

  Internet plans in Australia typically cost between $60 to $130 per month, depending on the speed and data limits. Basic NBN 50 plans start from around $60 monthly.