Optus NBN Plans Review: The Verdict
Optus plans sit at the premium end of the pricing spectrum, but your money also gets you a bunch of extras and a wider range of support options than most telcos.
What we love
- Excellent typical evening speeds
- Cheap movie tickets available as an extra
- 4G backup
What could be improved
- More expensive than most providers
- You'll pay a modem fee if you leave within your first three years
Overall:
Signing up for a new NBN plan can be overwhelming. There are more providers than you can count on your fingers, and each has a whole host of options. As one of Australia's biggest telcos, many of us think about Optus when it comes to our communication needs - but is opting for Optus the best choice? In this review, we'll look at value, support options, and the extras you can get for being an Optus customer.
Before we start, here's Optus' current range of NBN plans:
|
Optus
All Fixed Line nbn®
Optus Basic nbn®
$68/mth
Min. cost $68
Link not supplied
|
Optus NBN plans: Value
When looking at NBN plan value, we focus on typical evening speeds an NBN provider advertises and compare them to how much you'll need to pay per month. It's a question of how much speed your dollar buys you and how that stacks up to the rest of the market; we're not factoring in any extras or bonuses just yet. In order to calculate the value, we've looked at NBN 50 and NBN 100 plans, excluding promotional discounts.
Here are Optus' NBN 50 plans compared to the competition:
|
#1
|
Belong
All Fixed Line nbn®
NBN Standard Plus – Unlimited
$55/mth
Min. cost $55
|
|
#2
|
Dodo
All Fixed Line nbn®
Editor's Pick
nbn50 Unlimited Plan
$57.99/mth
Min. cost $57.99
|
|
#3
|
Tangerine Telecom
All Fixed Line nbn®
Value Plus NBN 50/20
$64.90/mth
Min. cost $64.90
|
|
#4
|
Superloop
All Fixed Line nbn®
Extra-value nbn50/20
$69/mth
Min. cost $69
|
|
#5
|
TPG
All Fixed Line nbn®
nbn50 Unlimited Plan
$69.99/mth
Min. cost $69.99
Link not supplied
|
|
#6
|
iiNet
All Fixed Line nbn®
nbn50 Liimitless
$69.99/mth
+ $10 Upfront
Min. cost $79.99
Link not supplied
|
|
#7
|
Aussie Broadband
All Fixed Line nbn®
Value nbn - Unlimited
$70/mth
Min. cost $70
Link not supplied
|
|
#8
|
Optus
All Fixed Line nbn®
Optus Everyday nbn®
$82/mth
Min. cost $82
Link not supplied
|
|
#9
|
Vodafone
All Fixed Line nbn®
Essential+ nbn®
$94/mth
Min. cost $94
Link not supplied
|
|
#10
|
Telstra
Essential Internet Only Plan (Fixed Wireless)
$99/mth
Min. cost $49.50
Link not supplied
|
And here is how Optus' NBN 100 plans compared to the competition:
|
#1
|
Belong
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
NBN Premium – Unlimited
$59/mth
Min. cost $59
|
|
#2
|
Dodo
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
Editor's Pick
nbn100 Unlimited Plan
$62.99/mth
Min. cost $62.99
|
|
#3
|
Tangerine Telecom
Fixed Wireless Value Plus
$63.90/mth
Min. cost $63.90
|
|
#4
|
iiNet
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
nbn Home Fast Liimitless
$69.99/mth
+ $10 Upfront
Min. cost $79.99
Link not supplied
|
|
#5
|
Superloop
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
Family nbn100/20
$74/mth
Min. cost $74
|
|
#6
|
TPG
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
nbn Home Fast Unlimited Plan
$74.99/mth
Min. cost $74.99
Link not supplied
|
|
#7
|
Aussie Broadband
nbn® Fixed Wireless Plus Unlimited
$75/mth
Min. cost $75
Link not supplied
|
|
#8
|
Vodafone
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
Home Fast nbn®
$79/mth
Min. cost $79
Link not supplied
|
|
#9
|
Optus
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
Optus Fast nbn®
$84/mth
Min. cost $84
Link not supplied
|
|
#10
|
Telstra
FTTN, FTTB, FTTC
Premium Internet Only Plan
$99/mth
Min. cost $49.50
Link not supplied
|
Optus is one of the fastest NBN providers around, but it's also on the premium end of the pricing spectrum, The provider reports plan maximums as typical evening speeds for both NBN 50 and NBN 100 plans, ostensibly promising congestion-free connectivity.
This isn't a big deal when it comes to NBN 50 plans; most providers report typical evening speeds of 50Mbps on their NBN 50 offering now. Optus isn't your most expensive choice for NBN 50, but there are plenty of cheaper options promising the same kind of performance.
Typical evening speeds of 100Mbps on NBN 100 plans are a little more impressive, however. Telstra, SpinTel, and Superlooop are the only other major providers making this kind of claim. SpinTel and Superloop are cheaper than Optus, but top-tier performance definitely makes the provider's pricing a bit more palatable if you're tempted by any of its extras.
What are typical evening speeds?
Typical evening speeds refer to the NBN download speeds you can expect during the busiest hours of the day - typically between 7pm and 11pm - due to congestion.
Because of the way the NBN is designed, just paying for an NBN 100 plan doesn't guarantee you'll get those speeds the entire time. If you want great speeds during peak hours, you'll want to look for a provider that reports high typical evening speeds.
Need other NBN terms demystified? Check out our NBN glossary.
It's important to note that while Optus NBN plans are technically contract-free, you'll be hit with a prorated modem fee if you leave within your first 36 months. You don't have the choice of bringing your own model to waive this fee. This fee is equivalent to $7 multiplied by the number of months left in your three-year term, up to a maximum of $252. If you were to leave Optus after a year, for example, you'll need to pay $168.
If you pick one of Optus' Ultimate plans that also include a WiFi booster, the early exit fee rises. You're looking at $13 multiplied by the number of months left in your three-year term, up to a maximum of $468.
Optus' NBN modem isn't locked, but there are specific settings that can't be reconfigured. This means it might not work with all other NBN providers. In addition, the Optus NBN modem can't be used for phone calls with other NBN providers, and 4G backup will not work if you leave Optus.
Optus NBN plans: Support
When it comes to support, we look at how many channels a telco has to help customers, rather than quality. Support quality is difficult to gauge in a meaningful way; across the team, there are times we've had a really great experience with a telco, but times it's been awful. Instead, we're looking at the number of avenues a provider has in order to try and gauge their investment in support.
Here is how Optus' support options compare to the competition:
| Provider | In-store | Call | Chat | Social | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aussie Broadband | - | ||||
| Belong | - | - | - | ||
| Dodo | - | ||||
| Exetel | - | - | |||
| iiNet | - | ||||
| Internode | - | - | - | ||
| iPrimus | - | - | |||
| Kogan | - | - | - | ||
| MATE | - | ||||
| Moose | - | - | |||
| MyRepublic | - | ||||
| Optus | - | ||||
| Origin | - | ||||
| SpinTel | - | - | |||
| Superloop | - | ||||
| Tangerine | - | ||||
| Telstra | - | ||||
| TPG | - | - | |||
| Vodafone | - |
Last updated 3 November 2022
Optus ticks almost every box when it comes to support options. You can call up, you can use web chat via its site and app, you can bug the telco on Facebook and Twitter, or you can go into a store. The only option we'd expect to see that Optus doesn't offer is a contact form.
Optus NBN plans: Extras
Optus NBN plans come with a host of extras that could help sweeten the deal. Here's how the extras you'll get compare to other NBN providers:
| Provider | Perks program | Streaming offers | 4G Backup | Bundle discount | Referral bonus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AGL | - | - | - | - | |
| Aussie Broadband | - | - | - | ||
| Belong | - | - | - | - | |
| Dodo | - | - | - | - | |
| Exetel | - | - | - | - | |
| iiNet | - | - | - | - | |
| iPrimus | - | - | - | - | |
| MATE | - | - | - | ||
| Optus | - |
- | - | ||
| Origin | - | - | - | - | |
| SpinTel | - | - | - | ||
| Superloop | - | - | - | ||
| Tangerine | - | - | - | - | |
| Telstra | - | - | |||
| Vodafone | - | - | - |
Last updated February 2026
To start, you'll get 4G backup through the Optus Ultra WiFi Modem. If your NBN carks it, you'll be able to stay online via the Optus 4G network. You'll be limited to download speeds of 25Mbps, however, which is equivalent to an NBN 25 plan.
In April this year, Optus scraped the majority of its perks program, but its most useful feature is still kicking around: cheap movie tickets. All Optus NBN customers can get discounted movie tickets through Hoyts. You'll pay $12.50 per ticket, no matter what day or time. Surcharges apply for Xtremescreen, IMAX, and 3D sessions. If you're after a LUX ticket, you'll pay $27.
Just be aware that you can only buy ten standard tickets per day or four LUX tickets. There's also a set allocation of Optus tickets available per session, so there's a chance you might miss out if the flick you're looking to see is popular with other Optus customers.
Optus also has a couple of streaming extras. To start, all Optus NBN customers get an Optus Sport subscription at no extra cost. As the name suggests, Optus Sport is Optus' streaming service for sports, but it now also includes fitness workouts.
Optus NBN customers can also add-on Fetch TV to their plan. You can pick between the Fetch Mighty and Fetch Mini set-top boxes, billed at $15 per month and $5 per month respectively. The boxes themselves can be used to access your streaming services, and in the case of the Mighty, record TV. You won't be able to access Fetch TV content without paying for premium channel packs. These start at $6 per month, or you can get all four for $20 per month.
Note that Optus customers don't save on channel pack pricing, and you'll need to return your Fetch set-top box if you leave Optus.
Where Optus customers can save money on streaming however is with SubHub. SubHub lets you get your subscription services through Optus, in exchange for a discount. If you've got two services, you'll save 5% on your total services bill, which rises to 10% with three. At present, SubHub's service options are pretty limited, but Optus says they'll grow by the end of the year.
One extra Optus doesn't offer is a discount or bonus for bundling your NBN with your mobile plan. This perk is becoming increasingly prevalent, with providers such as Vodafone, TPG, and iiNet all rewarding customer loyalty with discounts or extras.
Optus NBN FAQ
How fast are Optus NBN plans?
Optus sells plans configured on four different speed tiers: NBN 50, NBN 100, NBN 250, and NBN 1000. You can find more information on NBN speeds here.
Do I need to buy a new modem to sign up for Optus?
Optus requires all customers to get a new modem when you sign-up for a plan. You can still use your own modem or router if you have a compatible device, but you'll miss out on features like 4G backup.
What happens if I want to cancel my Optus NBN plan?
Optus NBN plans are now all no-contract. However, if you leave within your first 36 months, you'll need to pay a prorated modem fee. This is equivalent to $7 multiplied by the number of months left in your three-year term.
Do Optus NBN plans include calls?
Optus NBN plans don't include calls out of the box, but you have two options. You can add on a landline for $0 per month and pay as you go for calls, or add on a $10 per month pack which gets you unlimited calls to local, national, and mobile numbers.
Want more information about the NBN?
Got questions? We've got answers. Whether you want to know what the NBN is, how to connect, if you have to connect, how much it will cost, what the alternatives are, or something else entirely, check out our complete guide to the NBN.
Alex Choros
Find a better internet plan
Thousands of internet plans unpacked. All the facts. No surprises.
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