NBN 500 plans: Everything you need to know about this speed tier

Q: Is NBN 500 fast enough for streaming in 4K?

Yes, an NBN 500 plan is plenty fast for streaming in 4K. With an NBN 500 plan you could have six or more 4K Netflix streams running simultaneously.

Q: Is NBN 500 fast enough for gaming?

Yes, with an NBN 500 plan online games should run seamlessly, even when other members of your household are online. Downloads are exceptionally fast. For example, a large game download (130GB) should take around 40 minutes, while a single large game update (20GB) can take as little as 10 minutes.

Alex Choros - Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor

Last updated 20 July 2026

Contents

In this NBN 500 plans guide:

Best NBN 500 plan this month
How fast is an NBN 500 plan?
NBN 500 plans vs. faster plans
What equipment do you need for an NBN 500 plan?
How to upgrade to an NBN 500 plan
FAQs

NBN 500 is one of the fastest new types of NBN plan that rolled out as part of NBN Co's speed upgrades. It's also the cheapest of what we'll call fast NBN plans.

In most cases, NBN 500 effectively replaces NBN 100 for those on Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) and Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC) connection types with five times the speed.

Best NBN 500 plan this month

Each month, our team of experts selects the best NBN plan across each speed tier. Here's this month's pick for best NBN 500 plan:

FTTP, HFC

nbn Home Fast Unlimited Plan

FTTP, HFC

nbn® 500/42 Mbps
Unlimited Data
Deal: Save $240 over 12mths! $74.99/mth for first 12 months, then $94.99/mth. Min cost $84.99 if modem returned. T&Cs apply

$74.99/mth

Min. cost $74.99

Link not supplied

$74.99/mth

Min. cost $74.99

Link not supplied

How we chose this plan

Value for money

We look at the price over 12 months; this factors in the end of any honeymoon discounts.

Typical evening speeds

We consider NBN 500 plans with the fastest download speeds.

Plan features and support

Finally, we consider plans that offer zero-risk trials, the flexibility to bundle home phone plans or networking gear and of course whether they offer local Australian support.

If this plan doesn't suit you, here are some of the most popular NBN 500 plans in the last seven days from our database of 34 internet providers:

Plans with active links

See full results

Dodo Editor's Pick	Dodo FTTP, HFC Editor's Pick nbn500 Unlimited Plan FTTP, HFC nbn® 500/48 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Incl. $30/mth discount for 6 months based on the standard price $92.99/mth. Ends 08.12.26. T&Cs apply. $62.99/mth for first 6 mths, then $92.99/mth Min. cost $62.99 Go to Site*	$62.99/mth for first 6 mths, then $92.99/mth Min. cost $62.99	Go to Site
Tangerine Telecom	Tangerine Telecom FTTP, HFC Speedy Max NBN 500/50 FTTP, HFC nbn® 500/42.5 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $33/mth off for the first 6 mths, $59.90/mth for first 6 mths, then $92.90/mth. Ends 30.10.26 $59.90/mth for first 6 mths, then $92.90/mth Min. cost $59.90 Go to Site	$59.90/mth for first 6 mths, then $92.90/mth Min. cost $59.90	Go to Site
Superloop	Superloop FTTP, HFC Family Max nbn500/50 FTTP, HFC nbn® 500/45 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Incl. $21/mth off for 6 mths! $74/mth for 6 mths, then $95/mth + Bundle & Save $74/mth for first 6 mths, then $95/mth Min. cost $74 Go to Site	$74/mth for first 6 mths, then $95/mth Min. cost $74	Go to Site
amaysim	amaysim FTTP, HFC NBN500 FTTP, HFC nbn® 500/43 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $40/mth off for the first 6 months ($30 NBN Sale + $10 Standard Intro Offer), then $90/mth. Ends 20.10.26 $50/mth for first 6 months, then $90/mth Min. cost $50 Go to Site	$50/mth for first 6 months, then $90/mth Min. cost $50	Go to Site
Belong	Belong FTTP, HFC NBN Fast – Unlimited FTTP, HFC nbn® 500/40 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $36 off for 6 months - $59/mth for first 6 mths, then $95/mth (Offer ends 04.11.26) + Free $80 Mobile SIM $59/mth for first 6 mths, then $95/mth Min. cost $59 Go to Site	$59/mth for first 6 mths, then $95/mth Min. cost $59	Go to Site
Exetel	Exetel FTTP, HFC One Plan 500/50 FTTP, HFC nbn® 500/45 Mbps Unlimited Data $80/mth Min. cost $80 Go to Site	$80/mth Min. cost $80	Go to Site

Hot tip: Deal hop and save

Keep an eye out for introductory deals. Many (perhaps most) NBN providers offer new customers a lower price for the first six or so months, after which the fee increases to an "ongoing" price. You can often save a lot by changing internet providers a couple of times per year.

How fast is an NBN 500 plan?

NBN 500 plans come with a maximum download speed of 500Mbps. Most NBN providers in our database report typical evening download speeds in line with the maximum. Essentially, that means that during the busiest period of the day (between 7pm and 11pm) you shouldn't see much variation in your download speed. NBN 500 plans have maximum upload speeds of 50Mbps, but it's more common to see typical evening upload speeds between 40 and 42Mbps.

Here is a list of common file downloads and how much they differ across the many NBN speed tiers.

See how download times compare across NBN speed tiers. Choose what you're downloading:

NBN 12

1 min

NBN 25

33 sec

NBN 50

16 sec

NBN 100

8 sec

NBN 500

Instant

NBN 750

Instant

NBN 1000

Instant

NBN 2000

Instant

NBN 12

1 hour, 11 min

NBN 25

34 min

NBN 50

17 min

NBN 100

8 min

NBN 500

1 min, 43 sec

NBN 750

1 min, 8 sec

NBN 1000

51 sec

NBN 2000

26 sec

NBN 12

3 hours, 58 min

NBN 25

1 hour, 54 min

NBN 50

57 min

NBN 100

28 min

NBN 500

5 min, 43 sec

NBN 750

3 min, 49 sec

NBN 1000

2 min, 51 sec

NBN 2000

1 min, 25 sec

NBN 12

20 hours

NBN 25

9 hours, 30 min

NBN 50

2 hours, 40 min

NBN 100

1 hours, 20 min

NBN 500

28 min, 36 sec

NBN 750

17 min, 46 sec

NBN 1000

14 min, 18 sec

NBN 2000

7 min, 9 sec

These times assume you're able to download files at your connection's maximum speed, but there are numerous factors that could affect this, many of which are outside your control.

Take our quiz to see what NBN speed tier we recommend for your household.

NBN SPEED TIER CHECK

Are you on the right NBN speed?

How many users are in your household?

Besides basic browsing, what else do you do?

What is your NBN technology type?

Find my NBN technology type

This is a guide only. The right plan for your home or business can vary on your modem and home set-up.

NBN 500 plans vs. faster plans

Hybrid-Fibre Coaxial (HFC) and Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) customers have a whole range of fast NBN speeds available to them. From NBN 500, you can rev up to NBN 750 or you can technically double your speed to NBN 1000.

There are also a couple of NBN 2000 plans available in market, but these are very expensive compared to everything else and probably way more speed than a household could ever need.

The main differences between these three NBN speed tiers (NBN 500, NBN 750 and NBN 1000) is the difference in download speeds and even then you're really only saving minutes between these tiers compared to the hours downloads can take at lower speeds. There's no difference in day-to-day usage like browsing the web, streaming or gaming because these faster plans don't have low latency (or ping).

Another difference in price. With discounted pricing NBN 500 plans start around the $60 to $70 mark, NBN 750 plans start from around $70 to $80, and NBN 1000 plans starting prices range from between $90 and $100.

NBN Co data shows that NBN 500 is by far most popular speed tier among households that can get the faster speeds, followed by NBN 1000 and then NBN 750. It makes sense that most households who want more speed will foot the bill for NBN 1000 and skip NBN 750 entirely.

Here's a look at NBN 500, NBN 750 and NBN 1000 plans sorted by lowest price over 12 months:

Plans with active links

See full results

Kogan Internet	Kogan Internet FTTP, HFC Gold Plus Unlimited FTTP, HFC nbn® 500/42 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Incl. $16/mth off for 12mths. $69.90/mth for first 12 months then revert back to $85.90/mth. Offer available until withdrawn. $69.90/mth for first 12 mths, then $85.90/mth Min. cost $69.90 Go to Site	$69.90/mth for first 12 mths, then $85.90/mth Min. cost $69.90	Go to Site
amaysim	amaysim FTTP, HFC NBN500 FTTP, HFC nbn® 500/43 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $40/mth off for the first 6 months ($30 NBN Sale + $10 Standard Intro Offer), then $90/mth. Ends 20.10.26 $50/mth for first 6 months, then $90/mth Min. cost $50 Go to Site	$50/mth for first 6 months, then $90/mth Min. cost $50	Go to Site
Tangerine Telecom	Tangerine Telecom FTTP, HFC Speedy Max NBN 500/50 FTTP, HFC nbn® 500/42.5 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $33/mth off for the first 6 mths, $59.90/mth for first 6 mths, then $92.90/mth. Ends 30.10.26 $59.90/mth for first 6 mths, then $92.90/mth Min. cost $59.90 Go to Site	$59.90/mth for first 6 mths, then $92.90/mth Min. cost $59.90	Go to Site
Belong	Belong FTTP, HFC NBN Fast – Unlimited FTTP, HFC nbn® 500/40 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $36 off for 6 months - $59/mth for first 6 mths, then $95/mth (Offer ends 04.11.26) + Free $80 Mobile SIM $59/mth for first 6 mths, then $95/mth Min. cost $59 Go to Site	$59/mth for first 6 mths, then $95/mth Min. cost $59	Go to Site
Dodo Editor's Pick	Dodo FTTP, HFC Editor's Pick nbn500 Unlimited Plan FTTP, HFC nbn® 500/48 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Incl. $30/mth discount for 6 months based on the standard price $92.99/mth. Ends 08.12.26. T&Cs apply. $62.99/mth for first 6 mths, then $92.99/mth Min. cost $62.99 Go to Site*	$62.99/mth for first 6 mths, then $92.99/mth Min. cost $62.99	Go to Site
Flip	Flip FTTP, HFC Unlimited Fast Speed nbn500 FTTP, HFC nbn® 500/42 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Incl. $19.90/mth off for 6 months - $69/mth for first 6mths then $88.90/mth. New customers only. Ends 31.10.26. T&Cs apply. $69/mth for first 6 mths then $88.90/mth Min. cost $69 Go to Site	$69/mth for first 6 mths then $88.90/mth Min. cost $69	Go to Site

Plans with active links

See full results

SpinTel	SpinTel FTTP, HFC Home Turbofast 750/50 FTTP, HFC nbn® 750/42 Mbps Unlimited Data WhistleOut Special: Includes $25.95 off your plan for first 6 months! $69/mth for first 6 months, then $94.95/mth. $69/mth for first 6 mths, then $94.95/mth Min. cost $69 Go to Site	$69/mth for first 6 mths, then $94.95/mth Min. cost $69	Go to Site
Kogan Internet	Kogan Internet FTTP, HFC nbn750 Platinum Unlimited FTTP, HFC nbn® 740/42 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Incl. $10/mth off for 12mths. $84.90/mth for first 12 months then revert back to $94.90/mth. Offer available until withdrawn. $84.90/mth for first 12 mths, then $94.90/mth Min. cost $84.90 Go to Site	$84.90/mth for first 12 mths, then $94.90/mth Min. cost $84.90	Go to Site
Dodo	Dodo FTTP, HFC nbn Home Superfast Plan FTTP, HFC nbn® 740/49 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Incl. $30/mth discount for 6 months based on the standard price $99.99/mth. Ends 08.12.26. T&Cs apply $69.99/mth for first 6 mths, then $99.99/mth Min. cost $69.99 Go to Site*	$69.99/mth for first 6 mths, then $99.99/mth Min. cost $69.99	Go to Site
Flip	Flip FTTP, HFC Unlimited Super Speed nbn750 FTTP, HFC nbn® 640/42 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Get $16.90/mth off for 4 months - $78/mth for first 4mths then $94.90/mth. New customers only. Ends 31.10.26. T&Cs apply. $94.90/mth $78/mth for first 4 mths then $94.90/mth Min. cost $78 Go to Site	$94.90/mth $78/mth for first 4 mths then $94.90/mth Min. cost $78	Go to Site
Superloop	Superloop FTTP, HFC Megaspeed nbn750/50 FTTP, HFC nbn® 750/45 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Incl. $25/mth off for 6 mths! $74/mth for 6 mths, then $104/mth + Free eero 7 modem when you stay for 24 mths + Bundle & Save $79/mth for first 6 mths, then $104/mth Min. cost $79 Go to Site	$79/mth for first 6 mths, then $104/mth Min. cost $79	Go to Site
amaysim	amaysim FTTP, HFC NBN750 FTTP, HFC nbn® 680/43 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Special Intro Offer - Includes $10/mth off for the first 6 months, $90/mth for first 6 months, then $100/mth $90/mth for first 6 mths, then $100/mth Min. cost $90 Go to Site	$90/mth for first 6 mths, then $100/mth Min. cost $90	Go to Site

Plans with active links

See full results

amaysim	amaysim FTTP, HFC NBN1000 FTTP, HFC nbn® 820/85 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $40/mth off for the first 6 months ($30 NBN Sale + $10 Standard Intro offer), then $100/mth. Ends 04.10.26 $70/mth for first 6 months, then $110/mth Min. cost $70 Go to Site	$70/mth for first 6 months, then $110/mth Min. cost $70	Go to Site
SpinTel	SpinTel FTTP, HFC Home Ultrafast 1000/100 FTTP, HFC nbn® 1000/100 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $28.95 off your plan for first 6 months! $76/mth for first 6 months, then $104.95/mth. $76/mth for first 6 mths, then $104.95/mth Min. cost $76 Go to Site	$76/mth for first 6 mths, then $104.95/mth Min. cost $76	Go to Site
Belong	Belong FTTP, HFC NBN Ultrafast – Unlimited FTTP, HFC nbn® 875/80 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $35 off for 6 months - $75/mth for first 6 mths, then $110/mth (Offer ends 04.11.26) + Free $80 Mobile SIM $75/mth for first 6 mths, then $110/mth Min. cost $75 Go to Site	$75/mth for first 6 mths, then $110/mth Min. cost $75	Go to Site
Kogan Internet	Kogan Internet FTTP, HFC nbn1000 Diamond Unlimited FTTP, HFC nbn® 850/85 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Incl. $14/mth off for 12mths. $94.90/mth for first 12 months then revert back to $108.90/mth. Offer available until withdrawn. $94.90/mth for first 12 mths, then $108.90/mth Min. cost $94.90 Go to Site	$94.90/mth for first 12 mths, then $108.90/mth Min. cost $94.90	Go to Site
Dodo	Dodo FTTP, HFC nbn Home Ultrafast Plan FTTP, HFC nbn® 800/92 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Incl. $30/mth discount for 6 months based on the standard price $109.99/mth. Ends 08.12.26. T&Cs apply $79.99/mth for first 6 mths, then $109.99/mth Min. cost $79.99 Go to Site*	$79.99/mth for first 6 mths, then $109.99/mth Min. cost $79.99	Go to Site
Superloop	Superloop FTTP, HFC Lightspeed nbn1000/100 FTTP, HFC nbn® 860/85 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Incl. $25/mth off for 6 mths! $89/mth for 6 mths, then $114/mth + Free eero 7 modem when you stay for 24 mths + Bundle & Save $89/mth for first 6 mths, then $114/mth Min. cost $89 Go to Site	$89/mth for first 6 mths, then $114/mth Min. cost $89	Go to Site

Curious about other speed tiers? Here's a breakdown of how many users can fit comfortably on each NBN speed tier and the speeds you can expect from each:

Speed tier	Best for	Max. speeds
NBN 12	Lone, low internet users	12Mbps
NBN 25	Budget pick for 1-2 people	25Mbps
NBN 50	All-rounder for small households of 2-4 people	50Mbps
NBN 100	For WFH and larger households	100Mbps
NBN 250	Faster speeds for WFH and larger households	250Mbps
NBN 500	Seamless internet experience when everyone is online	500Mbps
NBN 750	Even faster speeds for simultaneous use	750Mbps
NBN 1000	The fastest speeds you can get for less than $100 per month	1000Mbps
NBN 2000	The fastest speeds you can get right now, at a premium	2000Mbps

_{Note: Speed tiers above NBN 100 are only available at premises with FTTP and HFC connection types.}

What equipment do you need for an NBN 500 plan?

If you haven't upgraded your modem or router for a while, there's a chance you may need new networking hardware to get the maximum speeds an NBN 500 plan is capable of. WiFi 5 may be fast enough for 1Gbps speeds, but if you're buying a new device, you'll want WiFi 6 at a minimum. There are now also more affordable WiFi 7 routers on the market. If you're still using a WiFi 4 modem or router (also known as WiFi 802.11n), you'll definitely want to upgrade.

How to upgrade to an NBN 500 plan

If you weren't automatically upgraded from an NBN 100 plan that may not be the case forever.

Since the end of 2025, over five million Fibre to the Node (FTTN) and Fibre to the Curb (FTTC) addresses are able upgrade to FTTP for free. Rather than upgrading all customers automatically, NBN Co delivers the upgrade on request once the technology is live in a given area.

NBN TECH TYPE CHECKER

Find your NBN Technology Type

Some fixed-line NBN plan availability depends on your technology type. Check your address to find out yours.

Your address will be used to check against the nbn’s technology type database. It will not be stored by us.

If you're already eligible for an upgrade, all you need to do to trigger the upgrade is order an NBN 500 plan or faster. Upgrading to FTTP will allow FTTN and FTTC customers to get an NBN 500 plan. Read more about the process of requesting a free FTTP upgrade here.

Looking further forward, a further 622,000 FTTN premises will become eligible for a free upgrade by 2030. Most of these will be able to upgrade to FTTP, but 5% of these remaining premises may be upgraded to a different technology type.

Unfortunately, there's no free upgrade pathway at the moment for Fibre to the Building (FTTB) customers.

FAQs

Is NBN 500 fast enough for streaming in 4K?

Yes, an NBN 500 plan is plenty fast for streaming in 4K. With an NBN 500 plan you could have six or more 4K Netflix streams running simultaneously.

Is NBN 500 fast enough for gaming?

Yes, with an NBN 500 plan online games should run seamlessly, even when other members of your household are online. Downloads are exceptionally fast. For example, a large game download (130GB) should take around 40 minutes, while a single large game update (20GB) can take as little as 10 minutes.

Is NBN 500 fast enough for working from home?

Yes, an NBN 500 plan is fast enough for households working from home. Video conferencing apps such as Zoom or Google Meet should work well even if others are online simultaneously. The extra bandwidth available on an NBN 500 plan is especially useful if you need to download or upload large work files.

Alex Choros

Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor | X | Instagram | Threads | LinkedIn

Alex Choros is the Managing Editor of WhistleOut Australia and an award-winning journalist. He's been writing about consumer technology for over a decade and is an expert on the Australian telco sector, to the point where he knows far too many phone and internet plans by heart. In addition to leading the WhistleOut editorial team, Alex is responsible for ruining the office Sonos with his troubled taste in music.

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