Best unlimited NBN plans: our expert picks based on speed, price and service

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Finding the best NBN deal that's worth your while can be quite tricky. You'll need to get everything sorted first, like preferred speed tier, monthly budget, and connection type, before diving into detailed NBN plan research.

But another factor of note — and one that most people forget about — is data, especially if you are an online gamer, heavy internet user or often take video calls or meetings from home. Thankfully, the best NBN providers include unlimited data in their home internet plans, especially if you're worried you'll exceed your monthly cap.

Here at Tom's Guide, we believe the best unlimited NBN plans offer full download speeds of their respective tier and come with the lowest monthly price tag. We've also factored in whether the ISPs provide extra perks, such as free streaming subscriptions or phone plan bundling, to determine their overall value.

Even if you don't think you'll use enough data to justify subscribing to an endless supply, an unlimited data plan will help you avoid extra charges or slower download speeds if you exceed your monthly cap.

If you know which speed tier you're after, click the quick links to the left to jump straight to that section.

Best Unlimited NBN 25 Plan

Most Australian homes connected to a fixed line NBN connection should be able to achieve speeds of at least 50Mbps. But some Australian NBN users will get by perfectly on a 25Mbps plan. Particularly good for single person households, NBN 25 plans tend to be among the most affordable.

Flip | AU$39p/m

Flip | AU$39p/m (for 6 months, then AU$59.90p/m)

The best unlimited NBN 25 plan, in our opinion, is this one from Flip. Not only does it offer unlimited monthly data usage, but it's also the cheapest NBN plan to claim the maximum 25Mbps download speeds during the busier evening hours of 7pm to 11pm, coming in at under AU$585 for the first 12 months.

Online reviews also paint a relatively positive picture for Flip, so it's certainly well worth considering if you're looking for an affordable 25Mbps NBN plan.

Total minimum cost: AU$39 | Total cost for first 12 months: AU$593.40 | Yearly cost after discount: AU$718.80

Mate | AU$40p/m using code FUTURE30

Mate | AU$40p/m using code FUTURE30 (for 6 months, then AU$70p/m)

Mate’s Crikey NBN 25 plan is a mammoth deal for an NBN 25 connection. You’ll save AU$30 a month over your first six months — that’s AU$180 — before the price increases to AU$70p/m. With no activation, exit, or change fees, this deal is a steal, especially with a low minimum cost of AU$40.

And if you’re not completely satisfied with your connection, Mate will provide a full refund of your plan fee within the first month.

Total minimum cost: AU$40 | Total first year cost: AU$660 | Yearly cost after discount: AU$840

Best Unlimited NBN 50 Plan

The NBN 50 speed tier accounts for nearly half of all active NBN plans in Australia. The 50Mbps option is more than capable of allowing multiple users to stream and download at the same time, and considering only certain NBN connection types are capable of supporting the faster NBN 100 speed tier and beyond, NBN 50 is the one to go for.

We’ve picked out a few options for the best unlimited NBN 50 plan, including those that are cheap and one that we think offers the best overall value.

Flip | AU$64p/m

Flip | AU$64p/m (for 4 months, then AU$77.90p/m)

Flip offers one of the most affordable 50Mbps NBN plans with unlimited data. Typical evening speeds are advertised as the maximum 50Mbps, and, as is the case for the vast majority of internet service providers (ISPs), there's no lock-in contract, so you are free to leave whenever you wish — just make sure you read the cancellation terms and conditions!

Total minimum cost: AU$64 | Total cost for first 12 months: AU$879.20 | Yearly cost after discount: AU$934.80

Buddy Telco | AU$75p/m

Buddy Telco | AU$75p/m

Advertising 49Mbps downloads and 16Mbps uploads, Buddy Telco's NBN 50 plan is great for up to 3 users with multiple devices.

Despite being a relatively new provider that piggybacks off the premium Aussie Broadband network, Buddy Telco has gathered some positive reviews online, with customers pleased by the easy transition process, fast speeds and attractive prices.

Total minimum cost: AU$75 | Total yearly cost: AU$900

Best Unlimited NBN 100 Plan

NBN 100 plans offer theoretical maximum download speeds of 100Mbps, and is the fastest achievable tier for all NBN connection types. The NBN Co is keen to get more Australians connected to 100Mbps NBN plans, and as a result, is still in the process of rolling out a free fibre upgrade program.

You'll find that not all NBN providers advertise the maximum 100Mbps download speeds during the busier evening hours, but most do come close. Of the ones that do come close, they can also be more affordable, and you may decide that the cost saving outweighs losing out on a few megabytes.

Dodo | AU$65.90p/m

Dodo | AU$65.90p/m (for 6 months, then AU$88.90p/m)

Serving up exceptional value is Dodo's NBN 100 plan. Thanks to a current WhistleOut exclusive discount, which saves a massive AU$23p/m for the first six months — that's AU$138 total — it's one of the most affordable NBN 100 plans in Australia.

Best of all, Dodo advertises the full 100Mbps download speed during the busier evening hours, and you get unlimited data, which is pretty neat.

Total minimum cost: AU$65.90 | Total cost for first 12 months: AU$928.80 | Yearly cost after discount: AU$1,066.80

SpinTel | AU$76p/m
Cheapest Provider

SpinTel | AU$76p/m (for 6 months, then AU$86.95p/m)

SpinTel features again in our NBN 100 category, as it offers sensational value for a low cost. Across all NBN 100 plans, the offering has a first-year price of a modest AU$977.70 and one of the cheapest ongoing costs after the introductory discount ends.

There’s little in the way of extra features with this plan – which will likely go some way to explaining the low cost – but if you’re just searching for a no-frills NBN plan to get you connected, Spintel is well worth your attention.

Total minimum cost: AU$68 | Total first year cost: AU$977.70 | Yearly cost after discount: AU$1,043.40

Best Unlimited NBN 250 Plan

Through our partnership with WhistleOut, we can determine several NBN providers offer the full 250Mbps download speeds on an NBN 250 plan, including Telstra, Superloop, Swoop, Origin and Southern Phone. However, these NBN plans are either incredibly expensive, the provider(s) have negative reviews or there are just better value alternatives, such as the plan from Spintel we've mentioned below.

Dodo | AU$78.90p/m

Dodo | AU$78.90p/m (for 6 months, then AU$98.90p/m)

Dodo's Superfast plan savings do come in at AU$120 for the first 6 months, which is no surprise here. But what's mighty impressive about this offer is that its ongoing rate is well under the average of AU$105.66 for the tier.

And it only costs AU$1,186.80 per ongoing year after the discount ends. We find this fee to be relatively modest, especially when compared to competitors' exorbitant costs, like Telstra's AU$1,560 or Optus' AU$1,428 yearly rates.

Like other 250Mbps plans, Dodo's deal is only available for customers with FTTP and HFC addresses.

Total minimum cost: AU$78.90 | Total first year cost: AU$1,066.80 | Yearly cost after discount: AU$1,186.80

Best Unlimited NBN 1000 Plan

Despite NBN making 1Gbps speeds available on the NBN 1000 speed tier, you’re unlikely to be able to get the full gigabit download speeds from your NBN provider. However, some providers are getting closer to that magic number, with several advertising speeds over 750Mbps, which is pretty astonishing.

Superloop | AU$85p/m

Superloop | AU$85p/m (for 6 months, then AU$109p/m)

Right now, Superloop's 1Gbps plan has been slashed by a massive AU$24p/m over the first six months, offering a nice AU$144 discount.

Advertising lightning-fast speeds of 860Mbps in the busy evening hours, Superloop's speed claims are some of the fastest available on the tier, coming in just behind Flip's 900Mbps, Swoop's 890Mbps and Buddy Telco's 875Mbps.

This deal offers incredible value for money, as the AU$85p/m cost is far cheaper than some of the major telcos’ 50Mbps plans — and delivers 17.2 times the maximum speeds. If you need all the megabits, Superloop's got ‘em.

Total minimum cost: AU$85 | Total first year cost: AU$1,164 | Yearly cost after discount: AU$1,308

Buddy Telco | AU$99p/m

Buddy Telco | AU$99p/m

Buddy Telco’s Zoomy NBN 1000 plan advertises an impressive 875Mbps downloads and 41Mbps uploads during the busy evening hours of 7pm to 11pm. Do note though, that this plan is available for HFC and FTTP addresses only. Despite having slower speeds than some other providers on this tier, the plan has a yearly cost of just AU$1,188, which makes it the cheapest NBN 1000 plan right now.

If you need faster speeds, you could consider Superloop's NBN 1000 option for a similar ongoing pricepoint and 811Mbps advertised speeds.

Total minimum cost: AU$99 | Yearly cost: AU$1,188

NBN FAQ

What is the NBN?

The National Broadband Network (NBN) is Australia’s national infrastructure for phone and internet services. As a government initiative, it was first proposed in 2007 and as of 2020, NBN Co. had completed the rollout. NBN services are now available to virtually all Australians, although not all can access a fixed-line service. For those who can't, a fixed-wireless service, which uses towers emitting 4G signals should be available, or satellite internet services.

Which NBN speed is best for me?

NBN offers six main speed tiers for consumer connections. There are official names for these (ranging from ‘Basic 1’ to ‘Ultrafast’) but most providers refer to them as a number, relating to the expected download speed. The speed of internet service you can achieve at your property is determined by the physical connection type you have.

The six main NBN speed tiers available are:

NBN 12 (Basic 1): 12Mbps download | 1Mbps upload | All NBN connection types | 1 user | NBN 12 is best suited for a single-person household. Even then, the 12Mbps maximum download speed is only going to be good for browsing the internet, sending emails and watching video content in up to 1080p quality. If you want to stream 4K video content (or to multiple devices simultaneously) on services like Netflix, then NBN 12 likely won't be fast enough.

NBN 25 (Basic II): 25Mbps download | 5Mbps upload | All NBN connection types | 1-2 users | With NBN 25, up to two people can comfortably browse the internet at the same time and stream a range of music and video content in up to 1080p quality. You may be able to watch 4K streaming video, but only on a single device at a time.

NBN 50 (Standard): 50Mbps download | 20Mbps upload | All NBN connection types | 2-4 users | The most popular NBN speed tier, NBN 50 is designed to allow up to four users to browse, stream and download content with ease. NBN 50 is also a good speed tier for people needing to use video chat a lot at home. NBN 50 is the most popular NBN plan in Australia.

NBN 100 (Fast): 100Mbps download | 20Mbps upload | All NBN connection types | 5+ users | Well suited to 4K video streaming and allowing for multiple users to be online at the same time. While all NBN connection types are theoretically capable of achieving 100Mbps speeds, those with FTTN connection types may struggle, depending on the distance of the premises from the node.

NBN 250 (Superfast): 250Mbps download | 25Mbps upload | FTTP, HFC connections | 5+ users | Incredibly fast internet speeds that allows multiple users to stream 4K video content and download large files at the same time.

NBN 1000 (Ultrafast): 1000Mbps download | 50Mbps upload | FTTP, HFC connection | 5+ users | Currently the fastest possible NBN speed tier, although very few telcos actually achieve the full 1000Mbps download speeds, especially during the evening.

What does 'typical evening speed' mean?

You'll see the term 'typical evening speed' advertised against all NBN plans (we've mentioned it a lot in this article, too). This refers to the average download speed you can expect to realistically achieve during the identified peak evening hours of 7pm - 11pm.

Different NBN providers may advertise different typical evening speeds, so be sure to keep an eye out for this figure when searching for a new plan. On speed tiers ranging up to NBN 100, the typical evening speed figure is less important than it used to be, since most will deliver the full amount.

The speeds realistically achievable in Australia have improved in recent years, and you'll now find some internet service providers will advertise the maximum possible speed of the NBN tier you're on. In some cases, your evening speed could actually exceed the theoretical maximum limit of your tier.

Lucy Scotting
Staff Writer

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.