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Which internet provider is the cheapest?

The cheapest internet plan will vary depending on what promotions are on offer at the time.

The table below shows the cheapest unlimited data NBN plans across different speed categories and the cheapest 4G and 5G home wireless broadband plans.

If you're after home wireless internet, your cheapest option is TPG. Its 4G home wireless plan costs $44.99 a month. TPG also offers the cheapest 5G home wireless plan for $49.99 a month for the first 6 months, then $59.99 a month ongoing.

If you're after mobile broadband, the cheapest option in our database is Reward Mobile's 500MB Data Plan for $9.90 per month. Given that's very little data, your best best is to compare mobile broadband plans to find one better suited to your needs.

How do you choose the cheapest internet plan?

While money matters, it's also important to find an internet plan that works for your wallet and your household.

There's no point in getting a cheap deal if you're stuck with a slow internet plan.

Consider these 4 factors when hunting for a cheap internet plan.

Which connection type works best for you?

NBN is the norm in Australia but if you get good mobile coverage in your area, home wireless could be a viable alternative. Home wireless plans are slightly cheaper than NBN plans, with a lot of "first month free" offers to give you a taste of the wireless life.

How much data do you need?

If you can, don't sacrifice data for a lower price if you're a regular internet user. NBN plans usually come with unlimited data, though you'll find a few offering data caps of 10–100GB for about $5 less. On the other hand, cheaper home wireless and mobile broadband plans are often capped so you'll need to be careful with your usage.

Which internet speed should you get?

The NBN offers 6 different speed categories. Faster internet speeds cost you more but are worth it depending on your internet usage and how many people live with you. With mobile broadband and home wireless, you can decide between 4G and 5G speeds based on your budget and whether 5G is available in your area.

Can you bring your own modem?

Plenty of providers offer a BYO modem option to bring down your upfront costs, but there are also some that force you to buy a new one when you first sign up. We recommend to bring your own if you can. Just make sure your current modem is compatible with the new provider. You can chat to them about it online or over the phone.

With these in mind, you're ready to compare plans to find a better deal for your internet at home. You can use the filters on our comparison table to sort by lowest to highest price to find a cheap broadband plan that works for you.

"I'd love to say I'm someone that compares and switches every year but until recently, that wasn't true. I've always thought it would be really complicated (I work in insurance, where sometimes switching less than easy). It was incredibly straightforward and fairly cheap. I'll be comparing and looking to switch every year now."

Gary Ross Hunter

Editor, Insurance

Is there a catch to cheap internet plans?

Cheaper broadband plans often come with slower speeds or lower data allowances.

Speed

Slower internet plans will always be cheaper, more specifically if you're on the NBN. However, cheaper may not be the best option for your home.

• Learn more about finding the right NBN speed for you here.

Data

Some cheaper internet plans also have lower data allowances. This is especially true for home wireless and mobile broadband where data-capped plans are the norm. On the other hand, NBN plans usually come with unlimited data.

While a cheap deal might be appealing, consider whether a limit like 200GB a month is enough for you. If you regularly stream or download large files, you'll need to consider getting more data.

As a starting point, NBN Co has found that the average Australian uses 258GB of data each month at home.

• Tip: If you do come across a data-capped plan, we suggest calculating how much data you use and comparing the price with a similar unlimited data plan. This helps you decide which internet plan is worth signing up for.

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

• Who is the cheapest internet provider?

  The cheapest internet provider changes month to month, but TPG, iiNet and Dodo are often among the cheapest ISPs we compare. To find the cheapest internet provider right now, check out the comparison tables on Finder.

• Which internet connection type is the cheapest?

  Both fixed-line NBN and 5G home wireless are competitive on price for home internet. Both start at around $50 per month for unlimited data at 50Mbps speeds, which is enough for most Aussie households.

• Is it possible to get free internet?

  It's not possible to get free internet without a catch! If you have a phone plan with data included, you've already got a form of mobile broadband, which you can probably hotspot to your other devices. However, you'll eat your data limit and phone battery really quickly. You can also connect to public Wi-Fi networks for free, but they're often slow and not very secure. If you need a reliable internet connection at home, you're better off getting a cheap nbn internet plan.

To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Tim Bennett as part of our fact-checking process.

Written by

Mariam Gabaji

Editor I Tech and utilities expert

Mariam Gabaji is an editor and tech and utilities expert at Finder with 12+ years of experience as a journalist. She's committed to helping households cut through the industry jargon and save money on their bills. Her expertise is often featured in media including the ABC, Yahoo Finance, 9News, 7News, A Current Affair, The Guardian, SBS and Money Magazine. See full bio

Mariam's expertise

Mariam has written 285 Finder guides across topics including:

• Energy
• Mobile
• Broadband
• Consumer tech