With 15+ broadband providers competing on the same Chorus fibre network, the quality of your physical connection is effectively identical across providers. What you’re choosing is price, customer service, contract terms, and extras like routers and installation.
Best budget: Skinny Broadband — ~$55/month for Fibre 300, no contract
Best value + features: Voyager Broadband — no data caps, good service
Best for power bundling: Electric Kiwi — power + broadband discount
Best premium: Spark — best for complex support needs
Best rural: Starlink — satellite for rural areas without fibre
Best 5G fixed wireless: One NZ — strongest 5G coverage in urban areas
Best Broadband by Category
Best Budget — Skinny Broadband
Skinny is Spark’s budget brand and regularly offers the lowest or near-lowest prices for fibre broadband in NZ. No fancy extras, but fast Chorus fibre for significantly less than major brands.
Plans (2026):
- Skinny Fibre 300: ~$55/month (no contract)
- Skinny Fibre 900: ~$75/month
Why choose Skinny: If price is your priority and you don’t need premium customer support, Skinny consistently delivers. The connection uses the same Chorus fibre as Spark’s flagship plans — only the price and support level differ.
Full Skinny Broadband review →
Best Value with Service — Voyager Broadband
Voyager is an independent, NZ-owned ISP that has built a strong reputation for customer service and no-nonsense pricing. No data caps, no lock-in contracts, and responsive local support.
Plans (2026):
- Voyager Fibre 300: ~$70/month (no contract)
- Voyager Fibre 900: ~$85/month
Why choose Voyager: The combination of competitive pricing, no contracts, no data caps, and consistently high customer service ratings makes Voyager one of the best all-round choices for NZ households.
Full Voyager Broadband review →
Best for Power Bundle — Electric Kiwi
Electric Kiwi offers both power and broadband. Adding broadband to your power account saves ~$5–$15/month on broadband, and you get the same competitive Chorus fibre connection.
Plans (2026):
- Electric Kiwi Fibre 300 (as bundle add-on): ~$60–$65/month
- Electric Kiwi Fibre 900: ~$75–$80/month
Why choose Electric Kiwi: If you’re already on Electric Kiwi power (or considering it), adding broadband is excellent value. The combined bill savings and Hour of Power electricity benefit make EK one of the best-value household utility packages.
Full Electric Kiwi Broadband review →
Best Premium — Spark Broadband
Spark is NZ’s largest ISP and offers the most comprehensive range of broadband products and customer support. More expensive than budget alternatives, but backed by the largest customer service operation and widest range of plan options.
Plans (2026):
- Spark Fibre 300: ~$75–$80/month
- Spark Fibre 900: ~$95–$110/month
- Spark 5G Home Broadband: ~$80–$100/month (where 5G available)
Why choose Spark: If you have complex technical needs, need maximum compatibility, or value access to in-store support at Spark shops nationwide, Spark’s premium is justified. For price-focused households, cheaper options offer the same physical connection quality.
Best Rural — Starlink
For rural New Zealand homes beyond the fibre network, Starlink (SpaceX’s satellite internet) has been genuinely transformative. Unlike the slow, latency-prone satellite services of the past, Starlink delivers speeds of 50–200+ Mbps with manageable latency (~25–60ms).
Plans (2026):
- Starlink Residential: ~$120–$150/month + ~$350–$600 hardware
- Starlink Roam (mobile): ~$175/month
- No data caps
Why choose Starlink: If fibre isn’t available at your address and rural wireless options aren’t adequate, Starlink is now a realistic home broadband solution. The hardware cost is the main barrier, but the monthly pricing competes well with alternative rural options.
Best 5G Home Broadband — One NZ
One NZ (formerly Vodafone NZ) has invested heavily in 5G infrastructure and offers competitive 5G Home Broadband plans — a fixed wireless broadband product using the 5G mobile network rather than a physical fibre connection to the home.
Plans (2026):
- One NZ 5G Home: ~$80–$100/month (where 5G available)
- Comparable speeds to fibre in many areas: 100–400+ Mbps
Why choose One NZ 5G: Useful for homes where fibre installation is complex or delayed. 5G home broadband is wireless — the device plugs into a standard power socket and broadcasts a home WiFi network, with no fibre technician visit needed.
Full One NZ Broadband review →
Quick Comparison Table (2026)
| Provider | Fibre 300 price | Contract | Data cap | Support |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skinny | ~$55/month | None | Unlimited | Online/chat |
| BigPipe | ~$55/month | None | Unlimited | Online |
| Voyager | ~$70/month | None | Unlimited | NZ-based phone |
| Electric Kiwi (bundle) | ~$60–65/month | None | Unlimited | Phone/online |
| Orcon | ~$70/month | None | Unlimited | Phone/online |
| 2degrees | ~$70/month | None | Unlimited | Phone/online |
| One NZ | ~$75/month | None | Unlimited | Phone/online |
| Spark | ~$75–80/month | Optional | Unlimited | Full NZ support |
| NOW | ~$70/month | None | Unlimited | Phone/online |
Prices are approximate and change regularly. Always check the provider’s website for current pricing.
How to Choose a Broadband Provider
- Confirm fibre is available at your address — check chorus.co.nz or your preferred provider’s address checker
- Decide your speed tier — Fibre 300 is sufficient for 95% of NZ households
- Compare total cost — first 12 months including any activation fees or hardware costs
- Check contract terms — most NZ ISPs now offer no-contract plans; be cautious of 12–24 month contracts
- Read reviews — especially for customer service and fault resolution time