Mate vs Exetel - Which is the best NBN internet provider?
Exetel and Mate both offer competitive NBN plans, but they appeal to slightly different crowds. Exetel, a long-standing player, often features in reviews as a reliable choice for those prioritising stability, even if it means a slightly higher monthly cost. On the other hand, Mate frequently gets a nod from customers looking for a no-frills, budget-friendly option, with real world feedback suggesting a straightforward experience.
NBN plans from $80.00/mth · Partner
Mate and Exetel are both reputable broadband internet providers in Australia.
Deciding which NBN or wireless internet company to sign up to is not an easy task. To make this process easier we have provided a side by side comparison of Mate and Exetel internet providers in the table below.
Disclaimer: All the data in the table is based on the opinions of people who have submitted reviews to this site over the last 24 months. We screen the reviews very thoroughly to ensure only accurate reviews get through. Please do your own research.
| Criteria | Mate | Exetel |
|---|---|---|
| About |
|
 Partner |
| Mate is a 100% Australian-owned nbn and mobile provider with locally based support, known for simple, competitively priced unlimited plans. | Exetel launched its first broadband service in 2004 and built a name as a low-cost, no-frills ISP. Since 2021 it has been owned by ASX-listed Superloop, which runs the network behind it, while Exetel continues as its own value-focused brand. | |
| Go to Mate | Go to Exetel | |
| Overall Rating | [Not enough reviews] |
4.3
Exetel has an overall rating of 4.3 out of 5 based on 6 reviews. Exetel is a very good broadband internet provider according to our users. |
| Recommended | [Not enough reviews] | 83% of people who have written reviews on this site would recommend Exetel to their friends as a broadband internet provider. |
| Reliability | [Not enough reviews] |
4 Exetel's reliability is rated as very good by our users. Exetel has an overall rating of 4 out of 5 for reliability. |
| Customer Service | [Not enough reviews] |
4.7 Exetel's customer service is rated as excellent by our users. Exetel has an overall rating of 4.7 out of 5 for customer service. |
| Value for Money | [Not enough reviews] |
4 Exetel is rated as very good for value for money by our users. Exetel has an overall rating of 4 out of 5 for value for money. |
| Technical Support | [Not enough reviews] |
4.5 Exetel's technical support is rated as excellent by our users. Exetel has an overall rating of 4.5 out of 5 for technical support. |
| Australian based technical support | [Not enough reviews] | No, Exetel uses a mix of Australian based and overseas call centres for technical support. |
| Call Centre Location | [Not enough reviews] | Exetel uses call centres based in Australia and Sri Lanka. |
| Services Offered | [Not enough reviews] | Exetel offers a range of broadband and internet related services including NBN and 5G internet plans. |
| Cost of 25Mbps NBN Plan with unlimited data |
Mate - Crikey: 25Mbps, unlimited data for $76 per month. |
|
| Cost of 50Mbps NBN Plan with unlimited data |
Mate - Ripper: 49Mbps, unlimited data for $86 per month. Mate - No Dramas Wireless: 48Mbps, unlimited data for $86 per month. |
|
| Cost of wireless broadband plan | ||
| Contact Details |
Mate's phone number is: 13 14 13 and website is: letsbemates.com.au |
Exetel's phone number is: 13 39 38 and website is: exetel.com.au |
| Read Reviews | Read reviews of Mate. | Read reviews of Exetel. |
| Go to Mate | Go to Exetel |
Mate and Exetel NBN25 plans (25Mbps download speed)
|
|
Crikey
NBN - Fixed Line
25 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$76/mth
$51 for first 6 months |
Go to site |
Mate and Exetel NBN50 plans (50Mbps download speed)
|
|
No Dramas Wireless
NBN - Fixed Wireless
48 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$86/mth
$66 for first 6 months |
Go to site |
|
|
Ripper
NBN - Fixed Line
49 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$86/mth
$66 for first 6 months |
Go to site |
Mate and Exetel Ultrafast plans (>100Mbps download speed)
|
One Plan
NBN - Fixed Line
500 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$80/mth | Go to site |
|
|
No Worries Wireless
NBN - Fixed Wireless
90 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$96/mth
$71 for first 6 months |
Go to site |
|
|
No Worries
NBN - Fixed Line
97 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$96/mth
$71 for first 6 months |
Go to site |
|
|
No Worries
NBN - Fixed Line
485 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$96/mth
$71 for first 6 months |
Go to site |
|
|
You Beaut
NBN - Fixed Line
97 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$106/mth
$81 for first 6 months |
Go to site |
|
|
Fair Dinkum
NBN - Fixed Line
713 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$121/mth
$96 for first 6 months |
Go to site |
|
|
Fair Dinkum Wireless
NBN - Fixed Wireless
95 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$121/mth
$96 for first 6 months |
Go to site |
|
|
Flamin' Fast
NBN - Fixed Line
913 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$126/mth
$101 for first 6 months |
Go to site |
|
|
Scorchin' Fast
NBN - Fixed Line
1831 Mb/s
Unlimited data
|
$166/mth
$141 for first 6 months |
Go to site |
Summary of Mate and Exetel comparison
Please note that summary below is based on reviews submitted to this website and represents the views of the people who wrote the reviews.
- Overall: Exetel rates higher overall than Mate does.
- Recommended: Exetel is more highly recommended than Mate.
- Reliability: Exetel rates higher for reliability than Mate does.
- Customer Service: Exetel rates higher for customer service than Mate does.
- Value for Money: Exetel rates higher for value for money than Mate does.
- Technical Support: Exetel rates higher for technical support than Mate does.
How to decide between Mate and Exetel? - next steps
- Read reviews of Mate and Exetel to see what people think of these companies
- Visit the website of each company and do some of your own research - Mate and Exetel
- Decide how fast your connection need to be and how much data you need then use our broadband plan finder to narrow down the list of plans and find the best plan that suits your budget
- Choose the plan that best suits your needs and budget. Remember, that you can easily change plans but changing broadband internet providers is more difficult so it is really important that you choose a solid internet provider.
Frequently asked questions about Mate vs Exetel
Is Mate better than Exetel?
Exetel has 6 verified reviews on Oz Broadband Reviews and an overall rating of 4.3 out of 5. Mate has fewer than 5 reviews so we don't yet show an aggregate rating. Read the individual reviews above to form your own view.
Which has better customer service, Mate or Exetel?
Exetel scores 4.7 out of 5 on customer service vs Mate's 2.3, based on verified reviews on Oz Broadband Reviews. If onshore support matters, Mate's call centre is based in Australia and Exetel's is based in Australia and Sri Lanka.
What plans do Mate and Exetel offer?
Mate offers 11 NBN plans. Exetel offers 1 NBN plan. See the full plan tables above for prices, speeds and data limits.
Where are Mate and Exetel's call centres?
Mate's customer support is based in Australia. Exetel's customer support is based in Australia and Sri Lanka. Call centre location can affect support hours and accent comprehension if onshore support is important to you.
How do I switch from Mate to Exetel (or Exetel to Mate)?
Switching NBN providers in Australia is straightforward. The new provider handles the transfer once you sign up and provide your address. There's usually no contract overlap if your current plan is month-to-month, but check for early termination fees on contracted plans. Phone numbers can usually be ported, and the service typically continues uninterrupted on the same NBN line.
What customers say
About Mate
They're generally okay and pretty stable. They aren't great at notifications about planned outages u til they've already started half the time.
My internet keeps dropping out so I wanted to change to nbn to the house rather than the curb. When you try to call this company you are on hold for…
About Exetel
I love the Exetel One NBN Plan. The value proposition is great, it's $80 a month offering 500/50 speeds. You have the ability to reduce the monthly…
Speed and reliability is good, never had any issues with service itself. One benefit that Exetel provides that I've not seen any other NBN provider…
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