Best Broadband Plans in New Zealand Compared: It Is All the Same Fibre

The fibre optic cable running to your house is owned by Chorus or a local fibre company. Spark, One NZ, 2degrees, Skinny, Slingshot, and MyRepublic all lease access to that same cable and sell you a connection over it. The internet you get is the same speed on the same physical infrastructure regardless of which provider you choose. The differences are pricing, customer service, and the router you are sent.

This is the most important thing to understand about broadband in New Zealand. There is no such thing as a "faster" provider on the same fibre plan. A Skinny Fibre 100 connection is 100Mbps down on the same Chorus network as a Spark Fibre 100 connection. The cheaper provider is not cutting corners on speed.

The Price Leaders

Skinny Fibre 100 (100Mbps down, 20Mbps up): NZ$65 per month. Unlimited data. No lock-in contract. BYO modem or NZ$99 for a modem. The cheapest fibre plan from a major network brand. Skinny is owned by Spark and uses Spark's network.

2degrees Home Fibre 100: NZ$70 per month. Unlimited. No lock-in. Competitive pricing with good customer support. Bundle with 2degrees mobile for NZ$10 off per month.

MyRepublic Broadband Everyday: NZ$68 per month. Unlimited. No lock-in. A consistent discount option, though customer experience has been mixed in the past.

Spark Starter Fibre 100: NZ$75 per month. Unlimited. No lock-in. Biggest support network, physical stores, and bundles with Netflix. The premium over Skinny for the same fibre connection is NZ$10 per month — NZ$120 per year for the brand name.

One NZ Broadband Fibre 100: NZ$75 per month. Unlimited. Similar positioning to Spark — same core product, plus in-store support and mobile bundles.

Slingshot Fibre 100: NZ$62.99 per month. Unlimited. A newcomer to the value end of the market, undercutting Skinny slightly. Slingshot is owned by 2degrees and runs on the same Chorus fibre network. Worth checking if the lower price is available at your address.

Should You Bundle?

Bundling broadband with mobile is a common strategy in New Zealand. Spark, One NZ, and 2degrees all offer discounts for taking both services. A typical bundle saves NZ$10 to NZ$15 per month compared to pricing broadband and mobile separately.

The catch is that the mobile plan in the bundle is usually the provider's standard plan, not the cheapest option. If you bundle 2degrees broadband with a 2degrees mobile plan, you save NZ$10 per month but the mobile plan might be NZ$15 per month more than Skinny's equivalent. You can end up paying more for the bundle than for separate best-of-breed providers.

The rule is: price broadband and mobile independently first, then check the bundle total. Only choose the bundle if the combined cost is lower than the sum of the two cheapest individual plans.

Faster Plans

Fibre 300 (300Mbps down): roughly NZ$70 to NZ$85 depending on provider. Suitable for households with multiple people streaming, gaming, or working from home simultaneously. Fibre Max (up to 1000Mbps): roughly NZ$90 to NZ$130. Overkill for most households but worth considering for large families with heavy usage.

Wireless as an Alternative

Wireless broadband — 4G or 5G — is an option for areas without fibre, apartments without fibre connections, or renters who cannot commit to a 12-month contract. Skinny Wireless Unlimited 4G is NZ$55 per month. 2degrees Wireless 4G Essential is NZ$65. Speeds depend on network congestion and signal strength. Not a substitute for fibre in terms of peak performance, but fine for browsing, streaming, and video calls.

Checking Availability

Before choosing any broadband plan, check what is available at your address. Chorus has a fibre availability checker on its website. Enter your address and it tells you whether fibre is connected, available but not yet connected, or not available. If fibre is at your address, you can order a fibre plan from any provider and installation is typically free. If fibre is not available, you are limited to wireless broadband or VDSL over the copper network, which tops out at about 70Mbps.

The Fibre 300 versus Fibre Max decision comes down to household size. A single person streaming Netflix, browsing, and working from home does not need more than Fibre 100. A family of four with two adults working from home, kids streaming, and gaming across multiple devices will benefit from Fibre 300. Fibre Max is only worth it for households with very heavy usage or specific needs like large file uploads for creative work.

Contract Terms and Promotions

Most New Zealand broadband plans are now no-lock-in, meaning you can leave without penalty after 30 days' notice. This is a recent shift — previously, 12-month contracts were standard with early termination fees of NZ$150 or more. The no-lock-in model means you can switch providers freely to chase the best deal. Some providers still offer promotional pricing for the first six or twelve months — a reduced rate that then increases to the standard price. If you take a promotion, set a calendar reminder to re-check pricing when the promotion ends.

Modem costs vary. Some providers include a modem for free on certain plans, others charge a monthly rental or a one-off fee. If you already own a compatible modem, look for BYO modem plans, which typically save NZ$5 to NZ$10 per month.