Internet plans for content creators: How to choose

A home broadband plan gets us connected to the world wide web for all our internet needs. But for those that rely on the internet to produce an income, the performance of that home broadband connection is all the more important.

Content creators may require internet speeds sufficient to upload data across the web, and a data cap that won’t restrict the amount of data they can transfer in a month. Whether you’re an Instagram model or a Tiktok star, we’ve rounded up some plans that might suit the needs of content creators of any size.

If you’re posting content from your home internet connection, you’re going to need it to meet the needs of your career. Posting a few photos to Instagram a month is obviously going to use a lot less data than uploading a dozen hour-long youtube videos over the same time. So always keep in mind that your needs might differ to other content creators.

For starters though, we’re going to talk about upload speeds. When searching for an NBN plan, you’ll probably notice they’re all advertised with a number value behind them such as ‘NBN 50’. That number after the NBN stands for the maximum download speed you’ll see on your chosen plan. Common download speeds offered include 12, 25, 50 and 100, although a range of other speeds are offered. Your download speed is responsible for bringing data into your home, so for a content creator you’ll also need a fairly high upload speed in order to send data out whenever you post your content.

Upload speeds are less publicised, so you may need to dig a little bit in your plan information to find exactly what you’re being offered. They’re also frequently a decent amount less than your download speed, even at the top end. An NBN 1000 plan, the fastest download speed currently on the market, will likely see upload speeds capped at 40mbps or 50mbps. One reason for this is that most homes will have several devices working concurrently that rely on the ‘download’ speed, as opposed to the ‘upload’ speed. An NBN 12 plan would commonly feature an upload speed of around 1mbps: so keep in mind while the download speed may be less of a focus, there is usually a correlation between the download and upload speed offered.

If you’re a streamer, you probably have the most need for a stable upload speed. Even still, you’ll only need somewhere between a 3-6mbps upload speed to see a stable stream.

For those only uploading content rather than live streaming, the upload speed of your plan will determine how quickly your content gets online. Rather than needing a certain speed for a consistent stream, you’ll just need to find an upload speed that gets your content out to the public efficiently. A plan with a higher upload speed might cost you more, but if you need your content in the world ASAP it might be worth it.

‘Data caps’ - or the limit of data you’re allowed to transfer over the network over a period - are an important consideration for anyone with a home internet plan. We tend to think of how much data we will use watching our favourite shows on Netflix or playing video games. Those that frequently upload content also need to consider the size of what they’re putting online, as it will all count towards any data cap you may have.

Some providers have plans that offer unlimited data every month, which may be worth considering if you’re uploading a lot of large files frequently, but unlimited data caps aren’t standard across the board. From plans with as little as 1Gb of data per month all the way up to those unlimited data caps, plans range in size to meet the needs of a number of different consumers.

Depending on what kind of content you’re uploading, you’ll find yourself needing a different amount of data. Uploading a photo to Instagram takes about 2-4mb of data per picture, while browsing your Instagram feed uses roughly 0.5mb of data per photo you load. It’s important to take into consideration both the data you’ll be uploading as well as what data your devices will be downloading when finding a plan for your needs.

Those uploading large files frequently or those streaming content will find themselves using more data for tier content. Live streaming uses roughly 1.5Gb per hour for a 1080p (Hd) stream. The size of videos vary according to their length and quality but are also quite a large file type generally.

Based on your own needs, you’ll find plans that suit you. If you’re planning on frequently uploading large files, an unlimited data plan might be worth considering. For example, if you’re only uploading photos on a semi-regular basis, you might find a 100Gb data cap plenty to suit your needs. Think about your data needs to make the best choice for you.

Three plans took home awards in this year’s Mozo Experts Choice NBN Awards for creators. We’ve collected them below to give you a bit of information about each.

Mate. Soulmates fast +

• 83mbps typical evening download speed
  
• Unlimited data
  
• $79 per month
  

The Soulmates fast + plan with Mate offers unlimited data and a 40mbps upload speed for creators looking to upload or stream data fast and effectively. The plan features typical evening download speeds of 83mbps ideal for larger households with multiple devices connected. The plan took home an award in Mozo’s Creator (NBN 100/40) category, finding the best plans for creators and professionals using their home broadband connection frequently with high data needs.

Accord with Officeworks Ultra Fast

• 80mbps typical evening download speed
  
• Unlimited data
  
• $90 per month
  

Accord with Officeworks’ Ultra Fast NBN offers a high speed connection for streaming, working, downloading or accessing different types of media. The plan comes with a typical evening speed of 80Mbps and is ideal for larger households which use the internet from multiple devices simultaneously. It’s Accord’s highest speed NBN tier and took home an award in Mozo’s Creator (NBN 100/40) category this year, which identifies NBN plans suited to creatives and professionals who are using their home broadband at higher capacities.

Tomi Unlimited NBN Hyper

• 80mbps typical evening download speed                         
• Unlimited data
  
• $84.90 per month
  

Tomi’s NBN Hyper plan was another winner in Mozo’s Creator category this year (NBN 100/40) with an unlimited data cap and high upload speeds for content creators or others frequently uploading. With 80mbps typical evening download speeds, the plan has speeds suitable for larger households that plan to have a number of devices concurrently connected.

Looking to compare internet providers? Head over to our broadband hub for a range of plans available in your area.

Looking to compare internet providers? Head over to our broadband hub for a range of plans available in your area.