NBN Speed Tiers Explained
The NBN uses numbered speed tiers, from NBN25 to NBN2000. Each tier sets the maximum download and upload speed your plan can reach. The NBN sets these tiers — ISPs then package them into retail plans with their own pricing.
The NBN Speed Tier Table
| Tier | Max Download | Max Upload | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| NBN25 | 25 Mbps | 5 Mbps | One or two screens at once |
| NBN50 | 50 Mbps | 20 Mbps | Most households — streaming, working from home |
| NBN100 | 100 Mbps | 40 Mbps | 4K streaming, large file transfers |
| NBN250 | 250 Mbps | 25 Mbps | Heavy households — multiple users, large files |
| NBN500 | 500 Mbps | 50 Mbps | Power households — simultaneous everything |
| NBN1000 | 1000 Mbps | 50 Mbps | Extreme users — huge files, multiple 4K streams |
| NBN2000 | 2000 Mbps | 150 Mbps | Future-proof — very limited availability |
Which One Do I Need?
1–2 people, light use — NBN25 or NBN50
Family of 3–4, regular streaming — NBN50 or NBN100
Multiple heavy users, gaming, content creation — NBN250 or above
What About Real-World Speeds?
The numbers above are maximums — what you actually get depends on:
- Connection type — fibre (FTTP, HFC) tends to deliver closer to the advertised speed. Copper (FTTN, FTTB) and Fixed Wireless vary more with distance and network load
- Time of day — speeds drop during peak hours (7–11 pm) as more people on the same node share bandwidth
- Your router and wiring — an old router or poor in-home cabling can bottleneck speeds
Connection types:
- FTTP — Fibre to the Premises
- HFC — Hybrid Fibre Coaxial
- FTTN — Fibre to the Node
- FTTB — Fibre to the Basement
- Fixed Wireless — wireless signal from a tower to a dish on your roof
- Satellite — signal from a satellite in space
Check our provider pages for real-world speed data and performance reports.
Price Comparison
NBN Tracker lets you compare prices across all tiers and providers. Use the prices page to find the best deal for your tier.