Compare NBN 500 Plans in Australia

Compare current NBN 500 deals, including introductory offers and ongoing prices, with CheapBills to find a plan that suits your needs and budget.

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What Are NBN 500 Plans?

NBN 500 plans are high-speed internet plans offering maximum wholesale speeds of up to 500 Mbps download and 50 Mbps upload. They can suit Australian households that need more bandwidth for streaming, gaming, working from home and large downloads across multiple devices.

The current NBN 500 tier was introduced in September 2025 when NBN Co upgraded its Home Fast wholesale speed tier from 100/20 Mbps to 500/50 Mbps for eligible FTTP and HFC connections.

Higher-speed NBN services are becoming more common. According to NBN Co. June 2026, 37% of NBN services were on plans with speeds of 500 Mbps or higher, up from 4% a year earlier.

Feature

NBN 500

Maximum download

Up to 500 Mbps

Maximum upload

Up to 50 Mbps

Typical use

Heavy household internet use

Main connections

FTTP and HFC

Data

Often unlimited

Availability

Address and provider dependent

How Fast Is NBN 500?

NBN 500 offers maximum download speeds of up to 500 Mbps, with maximum wholesale upload speeds of up to 50 Mbps.

NBN 500 Speed and Performance

  • Download Speed: Up to 500 Mbps, allowing large files, games and software to download significantly faster than on lower-speed tiers.
  • Upload Speed: Up to 50 Mbps maximum wholesale speed. Provider-advertised typical upload speeds may be lower.
  • Typical Evening Speed: Many providers advertise evening speeds close to 500 Mbps, although performance can vary during peak periods.

Maximum speed is not the only number worth checking. Actual performance can vary because of your provider, network conditions, router, Wi-Fi quality and connected devices.

An internet speed test can help you compare your current connection performance with the speeds advertised by NBN 500 providers.

How Fast Is NBN 500?

Current NBN 500 plans Australia vary in price, typical evening speed, promotional offers and ongoing costs. Comparing the full deal can help you identify better long-term value rather than focusing only on the advertised starting price.

CheapBills works with a preferred panel of internet providers, including Dodo, Optus, TPG, Swoop and MATE. Available providers and NBN 500 deals depend on your address and connection type.

CheapBills can help you compare available NBN 500 plans from its provider panel and find an option that suits your household and budget.

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What Can You Do With 500 Mbps Internet?

A 500 Mbps internet connection gives busy households enough bandwidth to handle several demanding online activities at the same time.

  • Stream in 4K: NBN Co says its 500 Mbps Home Fast II tier can support smooth 4K streaming on 10 or more streaming devices, even when others are online.
  • Download large files: A 10 GB file can download within around 3 minutes under suitable conditions, making large games, software and media downloads much quicker.
  • Play online games: Online and cloud gaming can continue while other household members use the connection. Latency, Wi-Fi and server location can still affect gaming performance.
  • Work from home: Handle video meetings, cloud applications and file transfers while the connection is being used elsewhere in the household.
  • Connect multiple devices: Give smart TVs, laptops, phones, gaming consoles and other connected devices more bandwidth to share.
  • Back up files: The higher upload capacity can help with cloud backups, video uploads and large file transfers.

Who Should Consider an NBN 500 Plan?

An NBN 500 plan may be worth considering when several people or devices regularly compete for bandwidth. This is becoming more relevant as household data consumption grows. NBN Co reported average monthly data usage of 574 GB per premises in FY26, up 13% year on year.

For households with heavier internet demands, NBN 500 can provide additional capacity when streaming, gaming, working and large downloads happen at the same time.

Busy Families and Shared Homes

NBN 500 provides additional capacity when several people need a fast connection at the same time.

Gamers and Heavy Downloaders

The higher download speed can substantially reduce waiting times for large games, updates and other files.

Remote Workers and Content Creators

Higher upload and download capacity can be useful for large file transfers, cloud-based work, backups and other data-heavy tasks.

NBN 100 Users Looking to Upgrade

Eligible NBN 100 users can move from a maximum download speed of 100 Mbps to up to 500 Mbps. Compare current prices to determine whether the additional speed represents good value for your household.

If your internet use is mostly browsing, email and occasional streaming, a lower tier may still provide better value.

How Much Do NBN 500 Plans Cost?

NBN 500 plans typically cost around $80 to $120 per month at standard ongoing rates, with current market averages sitting at approximately $94 to $96 per month. Some introductory NBN 500 deals can bring the starting price down to around $50 to $70 per month, usually for the first 6 to 12 months. 

Price sensitivity is also visible in Australian broadband discussions. In a May 2026 discussion on r/AussieBroadband, customers discussing an NBN 500/50 price increase frequently raised switching providers, comparing competitor pricing and using new-customer discounts as ways to manage their internet costs.

If you are searching for the cheapest NBN 500 plans, look beyond the advertised monthly rate. Check what the plan costs after the promotion and whether modem charges, minimum costs or contract conditions apply.

A cheap NBN 500 plan should offer good longer-term value, not simply the lowest price for the first few months.

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NBN 500 vs NBN 100 vs NBN 750 vs NBN 1000

NBN 500 sits between NBN 100 and the faster NBN 750 and NBN 1000 tiers. Following NBN Co’s speed-tier changes, the differences between these plans are now much larger than they were previously.

Tier

Maximum Download

Maximum Upload

May Suit

NBN 100 plans

100 Mbps

Up to 20–40 Mbps*

Moderate internet use

NBN 500

500 Mbps

50 Mbps

Heavy household use

NBN 750 plans

750 Mbps

50 Mbps

Heavier simultaneous use

NBN 1000 plans

Around 1 Gbps

100 Mbps

Very high bandwidth needs

NBN 100 upload speeds vary by provider and plan.

The shift towards these faster tiers is already visible. As at 30 June 2026, 37% of NBN services were on plans of 500 Mbps or faster, up from just 4% a year earlier, according to NBN Co’s FY26 results.

The biggest jump in this comparison is from NBN 100 to NBN 500, which provides up to five times the maximum download speed. Moving from NBN 500 to NBN 750 adds another 250 Mbps of maximum download capacity, while NBN 1000 reaches around 1 Gbps and provides higher upload capacity.

More speed does not automatically mean better value. Compare the additional speed with the price difference between tiers when looking for the best value NBN plans.

Can I Get NBN 500 at My Address?

NBN 500 Home Fast is available on eligible FTTP and HFC connections. Your eligibility depends on the NBN technology available at your specific address.

Connection

NBN 500 Availability

FTTP

Available where eligible

HFC

Available where eligible

FTTN

Selected premises may be eligible to upgrade to FTTP

FTTC

Selected premises may be eligible to upgrade to FTTP

The quickest way to check is to enter your property into the NBN address checker, which shows your connection status and available upgrade options.

Someone comparing NBN plans Melbourne, for example, should check their exact property rather than relying on suburb-level availability.

Check NBN availability at my address before choosing a high-speed plan.

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How Do I Upgrade to NBN 500?

If NBN 500 is available at your property, the next step is to choose a participating provider and suitable plan. Properties requiring an FTTP upgrade should confirm upgrade eligibility before switching.

Your equipment matters too. An older router or Wi-Fi setup may limit the speeds experienced by individual devices, even after moving to a faster plan.

Comparing NBN plans Sydney? Available plans and upgrade options can differ by property.

Want help finding your options? Call CheapBills on 1300 786 045 to discuss available NBN plans.

How to Compare NBN 500 Plans With CheapBills

CheapBills makes it easy to compare NBN plans based on your internet needs and budget.

How It Works

  1. Visit CheapBills and go to the NBN comparison page.
  2. Enter your address to see the internet options available at your property.
  3. Answer a few questions about your internet needs.
  4. Enter your details so CheapBills can find suitable options from its provider panel.
  5. Compare your options by price, speed, contract terms and other important features.

When comparing NBN plans Brisbane or elsewhere in Australia, CheapBills can help you compare available options from its preferred provider panel.

Frequently Asked Questions

Have questions about NBN 500? Get quick answers about speed, pricing, setup, data, and plan suitability.

Yes. NBN 500 plans Australia wide are offered by participating providers for eligible connections. Availability should be checked for your specific address.

It varies by provider. Typical evening speed is the speed a provider advertises customers can generally expect during the busy evening period, so compare this figure between plans rather than looking only at the 500 Mbps maximum.

NBN 500 provides substantial household bandwidth for gaming. However, latency, Wi-Fi quality and game servers can also affect gaming performance.

Yes, NBN 500 provides substantial bandwidth for 4K streaming. Netflix, for example, recommends at least 15 Mbps for a single 4K stream, although requirements vary between streaming services.

NBN 750 provides a higher maximum download speed, but NBN 500 may offer enough capacity at a lower cost. Compare the price difference and the amount of speed your household is likely to use.

Not necessarily. However, an older router or Wi-Fi equipment may prevent individual devices from taking full advantage of a 500 Mbps connection.

Yes. Before switching, check your current contract, modem conditions and any applicable charges.

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