Compare Broadband Providers

Expert broadband tips

Shop around and compare broadband providers

Don't just set and forget your broadband provider and plan. Shop around and switch providers if you find a better deal. Broadband deals can and do change regularly, so check at least annually. Remember – once you've found a new provider, switching can often be as simple as filling out an online form.

Does your plan meet your needs?

It can be tempting to simply opt for the fastest internet plan, but by doing so you might be paying for data speeds that you don't require. If your household's internet usage is limited to one or two people browsing online, and video streaming on a single screen, a 500/100Mbps connection will likely suffice. A more expensive 900/500Mbps plan is more suited to homes with multiple people streaming video, gaming and working online simultaneously.

Check for added value

Many broadband providers offer add-on deals, such as discounted streaming and virus protection, or price reductions for bundling with pay-TV, telco and utility services. Free modems are also available. But always remember to research the deals and add up the savings, to ensure you're securing true value for money.

Best broadband deals in NZ (January 2026)

Mercury is offering six months' free broadband across its broadband plans if you bundle with electricity on a one-year contract:

• Wireless Broadband: 120GB/300GB/1000GB at 18/64Mbps – Total savings: from $414-$474 depending on plan
• Fibre Classic: Unlimited data at 500/100Mbps: $96/m – Total saving: $594
• Fibre Max: Unlimited data: 900/500Mbps: $111/m – Total saving: $690

The savings on offer from Mercury over the one-year period are quite significant. However, when working out if a deal is right for you, make sure you factor in the cost of the power you're offered.

Also, unless you have your own router, Mercury charges $120 for a router, plus a $15 delivery fee.

For the full rundown of the Best Broadband Deals in NZ for January, click here!

Best fibre internet providers in NZ

Here are the top fibre internet providers, as rated by everyday Kiwis, in our 2025 Most Satisfied Customers ratings:

1. Now
2. Nova Energy
3. Skinny
4. Slingshot
5. Sky Broadband
6. Spark
7. 2degrees
8. One NZ

Best fibre internet providers for customer service

For some, finding an internet provider with a reputation for good customer service might be the most important factor when comparing plans. After all, if something goes wrong, you want to feel confident that your provider will be there to help you.

If customer service is important to you, here are the top fibre internet providers, as rated by everyday Kiwis for Customer Satisfaction, in our 2025 Most Satisfied Customers ratings:

1. Now
2. Nova Energy
3. Slingshot
4. 2degrees
5. One NZ
6. Skinny
7. Sky Broadband
8. Spark

What’s a good internet speed?

In New Zealand, fibre broadband is the most popular type of internet plan. And the current standard, 300/100 (300Mbps download speeds/100Mbps upload speeds) is, for most people, a good internet speed.

Fibre 300/100 covers most users' requirements and is easily capable of streaming four simultaneous UHD Netflix streams.

Furthermore, as most broadband providers have fibre 300/100 as their standard option, such plans are usually competitively priced and often come with added discounts and add-ons.

What other options are there?

For faster broadband there are two options:

900/500 fibre plans

For larger households that have one or two heavy internet users, it’s easy enough to upgrade to a 900/500 fibre plan. This doesn't require any extra set-up, but provides you with a heap more bandwidth which may be suitable if:

• Your household is on a 300/100 plan and is facing bottlenecks
• Everyone enjoys streaming separately (all watching Netflix on your own devices at the same time)
• People enjoy online gaming and need minimal lag/latency
• People undertake work/hobbies that involve large projects/file sharing and rendering online
• Everyone is running multiple devices at one (each member is using a laptop, phone and more at the same time)

Or, for smaller households, some providers offer a slower 100/20 fibre plan. Not too long ago this was actually the standard. It was only last year that Chorus upgraded the network, allowing for 300/100 plans to become the new standard speed. So, for smaller households or more casual users, this could be a plenty good internet speed.

For really casual users or those with no access to fibre, a wireless broadband plan could be a good option. Speeds are significantly slower, but plans can be cheaper. They are also simple to set up and fast enough for streaming without issue.

Hyperfibre

Hyperfibre uses the existing fibre network but, through the installation of a special Optical Network Terminal (ONT) in place of your existing fibre box, it can deliver speeds far beyond a standard fibre connection.

The technology can potentially deliver speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second, hyperfibre plans usually come with three speed options:

• 2000Mbps download/upload
• 4000Mbps download/upload
• 8000Mbps download/upload

Despite the impressive technology, hyperfibre plans are overkill for most household needs, and are best suited to data-heavy business applications.

Note that to make use of hyperfibre over wi-fi, you'll also need a compatible router. For more on hyperfibre and what's available in NZ check out our story What Is Hyperfibre Broadband?

Broadband speeds by type

Average speeds and latency for different types of broadband, according to the latest Measuring Broadband New Zealand Report. 5G Wireless according to the latest Opensignal Mobile Network Experience Report.

Slow internet? What's the solution?

Are you the problem?

First, it pays to run an internet speed test. Start by connecting a device straight into your router with a LAN cable. This will reveal if it's a problem with your internet supply.

Then run the test on multiple devices in different parts of your home. If the problem isn't restricted to just one area of your home, or a particular device, it could be that your household's data demands are too demanding for your internet plan (particularly if you're not on fibre).

For example, 4G fixed wireless only hits around 40Mbps, which can struggle with even a single UHD Netflix stream. Although if you're on fibre 300 and above, it's unlikely you're too demanding for your internet connection, unless you're really pushing your bandwidth. For even fibre 300 can stream four UHD Netflix shows simultaneously without issue.

If the speed tests reveal your internet is, indeed, the problem, and your speeds are below where they should be, there are a few common reasons for this. Note that the problem could be a combination of a few issues:

Your router is in a bad spot

Wi-fi routers aren't the prettiest of devices. As a result, many of us tuck them away out of sight, or set them up in little-used rooms. But this is going to hinder your internet connection. When it comes to a strong wi-fi signal, walls and distances aren't your friends.

Place your router high up, in an unobstructed location, and near your demanding devices, such as computers, smart TVs and gaming consoles.

You may need a wi-fi extender or mesh routers

Depending on the size of your property (or the density of your walls), it may be that one router isn't up to the job. If your wi-fi is flying next to the router, but stuttering down the hall and in your bedroom, it may just be the signal is struggling to reach that far.

Wi-fi extenders can help. These don't extend your wi-fi per se, rather they use your existing wi-fi connection to broadcast their own one. As a result, you'll have more than one wi-fi network in your home. Your regular network, and the one broadcast by the extender(s).

Mesh routers, on the other hand, deliver a single cohesive wi-fi network that utilises a main router and then several nodes to boost the network around the home.

Mesh routers provide a better internet experience, but are more expensive than wi-fi extenders. However, some providers offer mesh routers as part of their broadband plans.

Is your router old?

Router technology is constantly improving. An old router might still connect you to wi-fi, but it may do so at a slower rate. It can also leave your connection open to security risks, and might lack features that could improve your connection.

Modern routers feature a host of features that can improve your home's wi-fi experience, such as:

• Beamforming: detects device locations and focuses wi-fi signals to where they are needed
• Quality of service: allows you to prioritise the connection quality of certain devices over others
• Band steering: steers dual-band devices to the less congested network

If your router is getting old, it could be time to upgrade.

Are you crowding the bandwidth/using the wrong option?

If your router has two networks for you to choose from – 2.4GHz and 5GHz – (as most routers do) this means you have a dual-band router.

Your router uses radio frequencies to transmit internet to your devices, and 2.4GHz and 5GHz refer to the frequency of those radio signals. To get the best out of your wi-fi connection, you need to utilise both in the correct way:

• 2GHz is the slower of the two, but the signal travels further
• 5GHz offers better speeds, but only over short distances

For this reason, it pays to set up your router close to your most demanding devices (gaming consoles, smart TV, work computers, etc.) so they can utilise the 5GHz network.

You can then connect most other things on 2GHz, which is perfect for devices far from the router, as well as things that don't require much bandwidth. For example, most smart appliances can happily stay on 2GHz, even if they are close to the router.

Furthermore, try plugging demanding devices directly into the router via LAN cables. Not only does this improve the connection to those devices, but it frees up bandwidth for wireless devices. However, this may be impractical if your ONT and router are away from your bandwidth-hungry devices.