Best gaming internet plans in Australia

It's important to compare plans from different ISPs to find the best value for your needs. Many ISPs offer no lock-in contracts, allowing you to switch providers if you're not satisfied with your current plan.

Switching nbn® providers should be relatively easy if you already have the necessary equipment installed at your address.

What makes a good gaming internet plan?

The best nbn® for gaming delivers three things:

• Enough speed for downloads and household background use
• Low enough latency for responsive gameplay
• A provider that delivers consistent performance during the evening hours you are most likely to be online.

Speed matters, but it is not the only consideration to make. The ACCC says that high latency can affect online experiences. This includes gaming, and that higher packet loss can disrupt the user experience (ACCC, 2025). 

Most online games use very little bandwidth during actual play. The bigger strain comes from everything happening around the game. This includes game updates, installs, other people streaming, voice chat and simultaneous device use.

Best nbn® speed tiers for gaming

Speed tier matters most for downloads, updates and keeping the whole household from crowding the connection. For gameplay itself, what you need is headroom and stability, not necessarily the fastest possible tier.

Typical evening speed ranges are based on ACCC Measuring Broadband Australia data for the December 2025 quarter. It found fixed line nbn® providers averaged 100.6% of advertised speeds during busy hours (ACCC, 2025). For more detail on speed tiers and what they mean day to day, see our internet speed guide for gaming.

The best thing you can do is compare nbn® plans for gaming before you choose.

Why connection type matters for gaming

nbn® connections have a direct effect on stability, consistency and latency. These three things shape real-time gaming performance. For gaming-sensitive households, FTTP is the strongest recommendation with high speeds during peak hours. 

You don't necessarily need an nbn® 1000 plan to game, either. Whether you are on an nbn® 50 plan or want to upgrade, it helps to compare nbn® connection types.

NBN Co explicitly links FTTP with consistent speeds, minimal interruptions and lower latency (NBN Co, n.d.).

Connection type	Gaming suitability	What to know
FTTP	Excellent	Best consistency at the lowest latency. Access to the full speed range up to nbn® 1000
HFC	Very good	Strong performance where network is well maintained.
FTTC	Good	Solid performance on most properties.
FTTB	Good	Capped at nbn® 100 on most buildings due to internal wiring.
FTTN	Mixed	Performance varies by distance from the node. Eligible for compulsory FTTP upgrade from 2027.
Fixed wireless	Moderate	Useful in regional areas. ACCC data  shows lower and more variable busy-hour performance.
Satellite	Poor	High latency makes fast-paced, real-time gaming difficult.

If your address is currently on FTTN or FTTC, the move to fibre to the premises FTTP is no longer optional. Your internet connection can be upgraded when you switch to FTTP. NBN Co's Targeted Upgrade Program makes FTTP upgrades compulsory for selected FTTN and FTTC addresses. 

Eligible homes will be contacted by their provider from 1st July 2027. Copper service shutdowns begin January 2028 (NBN Co, 2026). 

The speed plan requirement has been removed, so you can upgrade on your current plan with no infrastructure cost. For gaming households, this is worth getting ahead of. FTTP unlocks access to faster speed tiers and delivers the consistent, lower-latency performance that gaming benefits from most.

Check your FTTP upgrade eligibility at your address

Best internet providers for gaming

Not all providers perform the same on the same speed tier. The ACCC Measuring Broadband Australia data shows real-world performance by provider and plan. Consumers on similar tiers can still see different outcomes depending on congestion and network management (ACCC, 2025).

For gaming, provider differences show up in evening responsiveness, fewer lag spikes and more consistent busy-hour performance. When comparing providers, look for strong typical evening speeds and transparent key facts information. 

Telcos are required by ACMA to provide key fact sheets. These should cover busy period download speeds, plan use cases and factors affecting speed (ACMA, 2026).

Telstra has broad national coverage and offers 4G backup on its Smart Modem. 

Compare Broadband does not sell Telstra directly. If you want to see what alternatives are available at your address, our plan comparison tool shows your options.

Gaming plans by platform

The platform changes some specific expectations, but the fundamentals stay the same: stability and low latency matter most.

Cloud gaming is where both speed and latency become most demanding. The demand comes from gameplay being streamed in real time. If cloud gaming is central to your household, comparing FTTP plans is worthwhile..

Compare gaming internet plans at your address

References

• ACCC (2025) Measuring Broadband Australia -- Report 31 (December 2025 Quarter). Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. https://www.accc.gov.au/consumers/phones-internet/broadband-speeds
• ACCC (n.d.) Broadband speed advertising. Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. https://www.accc.gov.au/business/advertising-and-selling/advertising-and-selling-guide/product-and-service-specific-guidelines/telecommunications-industry/internet-service-providers/broadband-speed-advertising
• ACMA (2026) Choosing an NBN plan. Australian Communications and Media Authority. https://www.acma.gov.au/choosing-nbn-plan
• Infrastructure (2023) Bandwidth Capacity and Demand Report (BCARR). Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts. https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/media-communications/internet/national-broadband-network/bandwidth-capacity-and-demand-report
• NBN Co (n.d.) Network technology types. nbn. https://www.nbn.com.au/learn/nbn-technology-types
• NBN Co (2026) Targeted Upgrade Program. nbn. https://www.nbn.com.au/connect/upgrades
• TIO (2025) Telecommunications complaints data. Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman. https://www.tio.com.au/publications
• Canstar (2026) Aussies forced to upgrade NBN connection -- or be cut off from the network. Canstar. https://www.canstar.com.au/news/nbn-targeted-fibre-upgrade/