5G vs NBN in Australia: Which Internet Should You Choose in 2025?
With 5G home internet now widely available across Australian cities and towns, many households are asking whether they should stick with NBN or make the switch to 5G. Both options offer fast and reliable internet, but the right choice depends on your needs for speed, cost, reliability, and performance.
This guide compares 5G home internet and NBN in Australia to help you decide which is better for streaming, gaming, remote work, and everyday use in 2025.
What is NBN?
The National Broadband Network, or NBN, is Australia’s fixed-line internet system. Homes are connected through different technologies such as Fibre to the Premises (FTTP), Fibre to the Node (FTTN), HFC, fixed wireless, or satellite. FTTP offers the fastest and most reliable speeds, while FTTN relies on older copper wiring for the final part of the connection and can be slower.
NBN uses a physical cable connection which keeps speeds consistent even during peak periods. This makes it ideal for households that want stable internet performance for work, study, and entertainment.
What is 5G Home Internet?
5G home internet uses the same mobile network technology as your smartphone. Instead of cables, a modem connects wirelessly to the nearest 5G tower to deliver internet to your home.
The biggest benefit of 5G is convenience. There is no need for professional installation, it can be set up in minutes, and in areas with strong coverage it can achieve extremely fast speeds.
Speed and Latency
NBN speeds are predictable and depend on the plan you choose and the technology available at your address. Common plans offer 50 Mbps or 100 Mbps download speeds, while homes with full fibre connections can access even faster tiers.
5G home internet can deliver download speeds well over 100 Mbps and sometimes much higher in ideal conditions. However, 5G speeds can fluctuate depending on tower congestion, weather, and distance from the tower. This means at peak hour when you may need it most, a busy local tower could slow your connection right down to a crawl.
Latency is also important to consider. NBN typically has stable and low latency because it uses a fixed cable connection. 5G can deliver low latency as well, but it can vary throughout the day. These fluctuations may cause stuttering in video calls, delays in online meetings, or interruptions when gaming.
This means that if you work from home and rely on video calls throughout the day, the consistency of the NBN network provides a more stable experience. Video calls on NBN are less likely to suffer from the small but distracting dropouts that can sometimes occur on 5G connections. However, not all NBN technologies perform the same way. NBN Fixed Wireless and NBN Satellite often have latency levels that are as high as, or even higher than, 5G. If either of these are the only NBN options available at your home, a strong 5G connection may actually deliver better performance for video calls and everyday use.
Cost Comparison
NBN 50 Mbps plans usually start at around $55 to $75 per month, while 100 Mbps plans range from about $75 to $100 per month.
5G home internet plans are priced competitively, typically between $60 and $85 per month for unlimited data. Some providers offer discounts for the first few months or flexible no-contract options that make it easy to try 5G without long-term commitment.
Providers make more money from 5g home internet then they do reselling NBN so this is why they push their 5g products so much on their websites. Where they could make $20-$30 profit per month off an NBN customer, they could be making $50-$60 off selling 5g home internet aswell.
Reliability and Availability
NBN remains the more reliable choice in most situations because it is not affected by tower congestion, signal interference, or bad weather. Once installed, the connection quality rarely changes unless there is a fault on the line.
5G home internet coverage is growing rapidly across Australia and already covers most metropolitan areas and many regional towns. However, coverage can vary street by street, so checking your address on a provider’s coverage map is essential before signing up.
Which Internet Should You Choose?
Out of 5g or NBN (excluding satalite NBN), NBN is the safer choice if you want consistent speeds, stable latency for video calls, Streaming and gaming. It will give a consistent performance no matter the time of day. It is also better suited for households where reliable internet is essential for work or study.
5G home internet is worth considering if you live near a 5G tower with strong coverage, want easy plug-and-play setup without a telephone cable, or you are not a big video caller or gamer and just want a fast service for video streaming and downloading.
5G is also a great choice if there is no NBN line to the residence. For example granny flats or homes on wheels. The availability of Unlimited 5g plans have made accessing fast internet for this situations a breeze.
Final Verdict: 5G or NBN?
For most households in Australia, NBN continues to be the more dependable option in 2025, especially with ongoing upgrades to full fibre connections.
In most cases, you should stick with the NBN network UNLESS you are stuck with NBN Satellite or a poor performing NBN fixed wireless.
If you are unsure whether NBN or 5G is the better choice for your household, contact Churna for a free bill health check and personalised advice. We can compare plans, check coverage at your address, and help you get the best internet option at the lowest possible price.
