Best NBN 250 plans: the cheapest, fastest and best overall options

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Best NBN 250 plans

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For most Aussie households — big or small — connecting to one of the best NBN plans that offers great value for your hard-earned cash is beyond paramount. If your current plan struggles to keep up with your internet demands, it may be time to consider upgrading to a 'superfast' NBN 250 plan. Accessing theoretical maximum speeds of 250Mbps could significantly enhance your online experience, allowing you to game, stream, or work without lag or interruptions.

If you have the right connection type to support a superfast plan (i.e. FTTP or HFC connections), we've noticed a significant drop in the prices of NBN 250 plans, making them a cost-effective choice compared to an average NBN 100 plan.

Some NBN providers may reach only 240Mbps, while others reach only a maximum of 200Mbps during busy evening hours. With such big discrepancies in potential speeds you can achieve, it’s imperative that you shop around and really understand the plan that you’re signing up for. If you do find a plan advertising typical evening speeds of around 240Mbps, however, we would recommend it, as a 10Mbps difference is unlikely to have as much of a real-world effect as a 50Mbps difference between 250Mbps and 200Mbps.

Currently, four telcos advertise the maximum 250Mbps speeds during busy evening hours — AGL, Swoop, Southern Phone and Telstra — and other telcos like Optus and Superloop average at 240Mbps during peak hours.

We’ve taken speed differences, hidden fees and more into account, as we round up the best NBN 250 plans currently available below. If you’re looking for more ways to save on your monthly internet bill, you can check out our cheap NBN plans guide or if you’re looking to drop down a speed tier, our best NBN plans guide has you covered, too.

Best NBN 250 plans

Best overall NBN 250 plan

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Superloop | NBN 250 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$85 p/m (for 6 months, then AU$99p/m)

Superloop has been one of our top providers as of late, mainly due to its affordability, high speeds and Speed Boost feature. While its NBN 250 plan doesn’t quite reach maximum speeds, it does clock in at 230Mbps during peak hours, which is more than enough to suffice any large household. It also happens to be the second cheapest provider all round over the first 12 months, following Flip’s offering below.

The telco does offer customers five Speed Boost days per month, which allows you to amplify your internet to the next speed tier of NBN 1000 and you can bank a total of 30 days. (Superloop currently advertises typical evening speeds of 700Mbps on the NBN 1000 tier).

Total minimum cost: AU$85 | Total cost for first 12 months: AU$1,104| Yearly cost after discount: AU$1,188

Best fast NBN 250 plan

Spintel | NBN 250 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$75p/m (for 6 months, then AU$85.95p/m)

Advertising 211Mbps during the peak evening hours, this Spintel deal slashes AU$65.70 off over the first six months—before the price increases to AU$85.95. We've highlighted this deal before, as this plan costs the same as an average NBN 100 plan, which is pretty impressive.

The telco has also received some great reviews online, with customers praising the easy installation and friendly support representatives.

Total minimum cost: AU$75 | Total cost of first 12 months: AU$965.70 | Yearly cost after discount: AU$1,031.40

Cheapest NBN 250 plan

Flip | NBN 250 | Unlimited data | No lock-in contract | AU$84 p/m (for 6 months, then AU$94.90p/m)

Flip takes the crown for cheapest NBN 250 plan, although only by around AU$25. Flip's NBN 250 plan (which advertises a typical evening speed of 236Mbps) will set you back just over AU$1,000 for the first 12 months.

And don't assume that a cheap plan means a cheap service, as there's a wealth of positive reviews online at ProductReview.com.au at the time of publishing. If you have the connection type to support NBN 250, but you're not sure if you actually need the faster speeds, Flip's wallet-friendly plan could be the best option for you.

Total minimum cost: AU$84 | Total cost for first 12 months: AU$1,073.40 | Yearly cost after discount: AU$1,138.80

NBN 250 FAQ

How fast is NBN 250?

NBN 250 plans offer a maximum download speed of 250Mbps. However, only four telcos in Australia currently advertise this maximum speed: Telstra, AGL, Swoop, and Southern Phone. All other NBN providers in Australia advertise a range of speeds, from 196Mbps up to 245Mbps, so it’s always good to shop around to find the right balance of speed to monthly cost that works for you.

Can I get NBN 250?

Not everyone in Australia will be able to sign up to an NBN 250 plan. In order to access the superfast speeds, you will need to have either a fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) or hybrid fibre coaxial (HFC) connection type at your property.

However, you will need to pay close attention to which connection(s) each individual internet service provider supports, as some will only support a 250Mbps NBN 250 plan on an FTTP connection and not HFC.

How much is an NBN 250 plan?

The cost of NBN 250 plans varies rather dramatically. The cheapest NBN 250 plan, as we mentioned further up this page, comes from Flip, with prices starting at AU$84 p/m. But, the major telcos such as Aussie Broadband and Telstra charge AU$129 and AU$135 per month, respectively, for their NBN 250 plans, after any introductory discounts.

The average monthly cost of an NBN 250 plan, from our research, comes out to AU$113.33 per month.

Lucy Scotting is a digital content writer for Tom’s Guide in Australia, primarily covering NBN and internet-related news. Lucy started her career writing for HR and staffing industry publications, with articles covering emerging tech, business and finance. In her spare time, Lucy can be found watching sci-fi movies, working on her dystopian fiction novel or hanging out with her dog, Fletcher.

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