Top 10 NBN providers and their NBN plans compared

Best NBN providers

1. Tangerine Telcom
2. Belong
3. TPG
4. Aussie Broadband
5. Telstra
6. Kogan Internet
7. Superloop
8. Internode
9. SpinTel
10. iiNet

List generated from the top 10 most popular best NBN providers with WhistleOut Australia visitors in the last month.

Picking an NBN provider can seem like an insurmountable task. There are over 100 NBN providers offering services in Australia, and this list just keeps on growing. Sure, the big guys are all there, but there are also plenty of smaller providers ready to compete for your money.

Our guide is here to help you get on top of this decision. Here's the low-down on the main differences between popular NBN providers, and their most popular NBN plans.

Or you can scroll down to read our tips on how to choose an NBN plan.

Tangerine Telecom may be a relative unknown in the wider world of internet plans, but it's always been a favourite with WhistleOut users thanks to near unbeatable plan pricing. Plans are currently all on offer with a $10 discount for the first six months of service, making them just about the cheapest around right now.

Tangerine plans are value-focused which means there's not much in the way of extras. But all plans are no-contract with no set-up fees which means flexibility is probably the biggest perk.

While customers can jump ship any time they like, they don't seem likely to do so. If you check the customer ratings on Product Review, you'll find they're mostly five stars.

Here are Tangerine's most popular NBN plans. The unlimited data option with NBN 50 (Standard Plus) speeds is the top choice. It comes with no-contract which means there's no commitment.

View all Tangerine NBN plans here.

Owned by Telstra, but operated as a separate business, Belong offers NBN plans at prices Telstra customers can only dream about. Its basic product offering mingles among some of the cheapest plans on the market.

Belong NBN plans all come with unlimited data and the choice of a 12-month contract or no-contract plan.

Belong offers an unusual mix of speed options for NBN customers. You have the choice of Standard Plus (NBN 50), Premium (NBN 100) or what Belong calls 'Starter' NBN. This speed tier doesn't exist across any other NBN providers. It's basically NBN 50, but capped at speeds of 30Mbps.

One area where Belong really excels are in its no-contract options. Rather than slapping you with a hefty up-front fee like some would, Belong simply adds an extra $5 per month to your contract and charges you $60 for a Wi-Fi modem.

Here are Belong's most popular NBN plans. Topping the list is the unlimited data plan with NBN 50 (Standard Plus) speeds. This plan comes with a 12-month contract.

View all Belong NBN plans here.

TPG made its mark on the Australian internet landscape selling cheap ADSL plans, and it's continuing this approach with the NBN. TPG is a competitive NBN provider and has some of the cheapest plans around.

These days, TPG has more than just good prices to recommend it. The cut-price provider has had a streak of wins on the ACCC's NBN speed test program. The consumer watch-dog has consistently found TPG plan speeds during peak times are among the fastest out of all providers tested.

In terms of price, if you just want to get online, TPG will connect you for under $30 a month. This plan only comes with 10GB of data, which means it only suits the lightest of internet users. However, it could be perfect if all you want is to be able to check your email.

Here are TPG's most popular NBN plans. The favourite plan with our readers is the unlimited data NBN 50 (Standard Plus) plan. This plan is offered on an 18-month contract.

View all TPG NBN plans here.

Aussie Broadband is a newer NBN supplier and but has made a name for itself thanks to a combination of consistently high evening speeds and local support. The telco says its customers rarely encounter congestion during peak times, and to prove it, published bandwidth graphs that show how much capacity it has purchased on the network versus how much capacity its customers are using. To date, Aussie Broadband is the only major telco to provide this much transparency around NBN bandwidth and performance.

The company's plans are completely customisable: you can pick from about 15 different data options, ranging from 100GB to unlimited. There are three different options for adding phone calls, and on top of the standard NBN tiers, Aussie Broadband is also one of the few providers that goes beyond NBN 100. If you're lucky enough to have a FTTP NBN connection, Aussie can sell you NBN 150 or NBN 250 speeds.

Here are Aussie Broadband's most popular NBN plans. The most popular option is the NBN 100 / 20 plan with unlimited data. This plan has download speeds equivalent to NBN 100 (Premium) speed plans, but with slower upload speeds. This means the plan is more affordable than other NBN 100 plans.

View all Aussie Broadband NBN plans here.

Telstra is still Australia's biggest telco, and while it isn't the best option for more budget-conscious consumers, this NBN provider is a good choice if you're after quality, reliability, speed, and extras.

Telstra's plans consistently rank among the best in the country for evening speeds, and thanks to changes made earlier in the year, all plans are contract-free which means you can leave at any time without penalty, you just have to pay out any remaining value on your modem.

Telstra plans all come with a smart modem offering 4G back-up in case the NBN goes down. And if you want entertainment with your plan, you can bundle in a Telstra TV 3 set-top box and/or Foxtel.

Here are Telstra's most popular NBN plans. The best choice for most is the unlimited data NBN 50 (Standard Plus) speed plan. The plan is offered on a no-contract basis.

View all Telstra NBN plans here.

The Kogan brand is well-known in Australia as the source of cheap deals on just about anything money can buy - tech, fashion, food, wine, entertainment, furniture, the list goes on. But few Aussies are aware that the cut-price retailer also sells NBN plans.

When it comes to the NBN, Kogan plans are consistently some of the cheapest on the market. And whereas some NBN providers offer cheap prices for only the first few months of service, when you buy a Kogan plan, the sign-up price is for keeps - no takesy-backsies. The exception is its NBN 100 (Premium) speed plan, which is currently offering a $10 discount for the first six months.

Here are Kogan's most popular NBN plans. They all come with unlimited data, no contract and no set-up fees. Everyone's favourite right now is the NBN 100 (Premium) speed plan with unlimited data. 

View all Kogan NBN plans here.

Superloop is one the newest kids on the block when it comes to NBN. While it's easy to think of Superloop as just another NBN provider, it stands out from the crowd thanks to its own robust infrastructure. 

It’s one of the few telcos with a physical connection to every NBN Point of Interconnect, and it owns a whole lot of subsea cable capacity and domestic fibre, something that other providers often have to rent. Essentially, Superloop has far greater control over its network than most providers, which helps with faster speeds as well as troubleshooting.

Here are Superloop's most popular NBN plans. The NBN 100 / 20 option is the hottest right now, with unlimited data and no contract.

View all Superloop NBN plans here.

Internode is a longstanding Australian internet service provider that has historically been favoured by the enthusiast market. The company's positive reputation eventually led to it being acquired by iiNet, who in turn was acquired by TPG in 2015.

While Internode may have new corporate masters, it still offers a number of niche features to appeal to its original base. An extra $10 per month gives you a static IP address (which is ideal if you're running a server at home or need to remotely access your devices at home while on the go).

Internode is also one of the few Australian providers that offers Fetch TV services. On a six-month contract, Internode will throw in a Fetch Mini set-top box for no extra cost. Channel packs can then be added for $6 each, or alternatively, you can pay $20 per month for the set-top box and all four channel packs.

Here are Internode's most popular NBN plans. The NBN 50 (Standard Plus) plan with unlimited data on a 6-month contract is the choice for most.

View all Internode NBN plans here.

SpinTel plans are known for their value and flexibility. Rather than choose a plan off-the-shelf, as it were, with SpinTel you can build your plan from scratch, by choosing your plan speed, data, contract terms and whether you want a home phone.

With SpinTel plans you can choose a lower monthly data allowance to keep the cost down if you're not a big internet user, and you can choose from a no-contract plan or a 6-month contract. While other NBN providers will charge extra set-up fees if you choose a no-contract plan, SpinTel won't hit you with extra fees upfront, but you may end up with a lower monthly data allowance, or miss out on free plan credit that comes with choosing a contract plan.

Here are SpinTel's most popular NBN plans. The top choice is the unlimited data plan with NBN 50 (Standard Plus) speeds on no-contract.

View all SpinTel NBN plans here.

iiNet used to be Australia's internet darling, with a stellar reputation for customer service. Its 2015 TPG takeover ruffled a couple of feathers, but the telco has nonetheless maintained high scores for customer satisfaction across Choice and Roy Morgan surveys, among others. 

With prices starting from $59.99 per month for fixed line service, iiNet offers a variety of speed and data options, including unlimited data on almost every fixed line plan. 

If you're signing on for iiNet internet, your plan will also include pay-as-you-go calls. Or you can add an unlimited call pack for Australian landline and mobile numbers for $5-$10 extra. On top of that, you can also add an international call pack for $10 per month, featuring unlimited calls to landlines in 20 countries. 

If you're signing up for a six-month contract, iiNet will throw in a Fetch TV Mini set-top box for no extra cost on most plans. The box itself will give you access to 30 free movies each month, but you will need to pay extra to add TV channel packs. Your first pack is $6 per month, and each additional pack costs an extra $6 per month. If you want all four packs, you can get them for $20 per month. This goes up to $25 per month on a no-contract plan.

Here are iiNet's most popular NBN plans. The best choice for most is the unlimited data plan with NBN 50 (Standard Plus) speeds on a 6-month contract.

View all iiNet NBN plans here.

How to choose an NBN provider?

All NBN providers are technically reselling access to the same service. No matter which provider you go with, they'll use the same infrastructure to connect you to the wider National Broadband Network. 

This makes it easier to compare NBN providers on a level playing field. Instead, you'll want to focus on price, speed, data, and other inclusions. When weighing up whether an NBN plan is right for you, you should consider the following:

• The speed of the connection: Slower NBN 12 plans will always be cheaper than faster NBN 25, NBN 50, or NBN 100 plans. Unless you really want to save money, NBN 50 plans are the current sweet spot in terms of value. 
• Evening speeds: While all NBN plans are based on set speed tiers, performance from provider to provider can vary - especially during peak hour. NBN providers now disclose what kind of download speeds you can expect from your connection during busy hours. This is referred to as "evening speed". Providers with faster evening speeds are typically buying more capacity from the NBN, and as such, their plans tend to be more expensive.  Read more about NBN evening speeds here.  
• The amount of data included: Unlimited data NBN plans offer peace of mind, but you may be able to save some money with a plan that has a smaller data allowance if you're not a heavy internet user. That being said, many providers simply offer unlimited NBN plans these days, with no other options. 
• Included phone calls: If you need a home phone, there are plenty of NBN plans with included calls to Australian phone numbers. Out of the box, many plans have "pay as you go" calling, which means you pay per phone call. If you use your phone a lot, you might want to look at a plan with unlimited calls. Many providers will let you add on "unlimited local calls" for a small additional monthly fee. 
• Bundled entertainment: Certain providers can add pay TV services like Foxtel or Fetch TV to your monthly bill. 
• Contract length: If you'd prefer to avoid a long-term contract, many providers now offer month-to-month plans. However, signing up for a month-to-month plan often means paying setup or hardware fees, which telcos tend to waive when you commit to a longer term contract.