Methodology

How we calculate your verdict. Transparency is important to us.

How we calculate your verdict

When you submit your bill, we compare your monthly price against a database of verified internet plans at the same speed tier. Here's what happens:

1. Match your speed tier

We require your speed tier (e.g., NBN 50, NBN 100, NBN 250). We only compare your price against plans at the same speed — we never compare an NBN 50 plan against an NBN 100 plan. This is the foundation of a fair comparison.

2. Filter to widely available plans

Not every plan is available at every address. We only compare against plans classified as "widely available" — those accessible to the vast majority of Australian addresses. Plans that require specific infrastructure or are limited to certain areas are not included in your comparison.

3. Compare to the cheapest plan

We find the cheapest widely available plan at your speed tier. Your verdict is based on the difference between what you pay and that cheapest price:

  • Cheapest: Your price matches the lowest available. Nothing cheaper exists at your speed.
  • Pretty good: You're within $5 per month of the cheapest plan. No immediate change recommended.
  • Overpaying: You're paying more than $5 per month above the cheapest plan. We show you cheaper alternatives and your potential savings.

4. Calculate potential savings

If you're overpaying, we calculate the difference between your price and the cheapest comparable plan, then multiply by 12 to show your estimated annual savings. For example, if you pay $89/month and the cheapest comparable plan is $69/month, that's $20/month or approximately $240/year in potential savings.

We only show savings when we have enough data to be confident. With limited plan data, we take a conservative approach and won't claim you're overpaying.

Confidence and limitations

We show you our confidence level so you know how much weight to give the result. Confidence depends on how many verified plans we found at your speed tier.

  • High confidence (5+ plans): Strong comparison pool. Verdict and savings figures are reliable.
  • Medium confidence (3–4 plans): Reasonable comparison, but the pool is smaller. Results include a "limited data" notice.
  • Low confidence (2 plans): Too few plans for a definitive answer. We take a conservative approach — we won't claim you're overpaying, and we won't show savings figures.
  • Insufficient data (0–1 plans): Not enough verified plans to generate a verdict at all.

When we're not confident, we err on the side of caution. We'd rather say "we're not sure" than give you a misleading answer.

Before any comparison runs, we check our data meets minimum standards:

  • At least 1 widely available plan at your speed tier
  • Plans from at least 2 different providers
  • Every plan links back to its source document
  • No duplicate entries

If any of these checks fail, we won't generate a verdict.

Other factors we don't model:

  • Plans not documented in accessible CIS formats
  • Contract terms, setup fees, or promotional discounts
  • Network quality, customer service, or reliability ratings
  • Future price increases or plan changes
  • Your individual eligibility for certain plans
  • Bundled services (e.g., phone + internet)
  • Actual network performance (speed varies in practice)
  • Geographic availability in your specific area

Data source

Bill Owl uses two primary data sources:

  • Critical Information Summary (CIS) documents — standardised, regulatory-required documents published by internet providers. These contain verified plan pricing, speeds, and terms. CIS documents are our trusted baseline for plan facts.
  • Provider website pricing — we also monitor provider websites for current retail pricing to catch price changes between CIS updates.
  • We collect data directly from provider websites and CIS documents
  • Every plan in our database links back to its source document
  • Our coverage depends on CIS availability and freshness
  • We provide provider website links so you can verify pricing yourself
  • Not all providers publish CIS documents in accessible formats

Affiliate transparency

Bill Owl has no affiliate relationships with any internet provider. We do not receive commission for referrals or plan recommendations. Provider website links are included for verification purposes only, not as endorsements. Our verdict is based purely on CIS-documented pricing.

✓ Our incentive: Help you make an informed decision, not push you to switch.

Disclaimers

Not financial advice. Bill Owl provides estimates for informational purposes only. We are not financial advisors. Always verify current pricing and eligibility directly with providers.

Prices change. Internet plans, pricing, and availability change constantly. Our data reflects CIS documents at the time of collection and may lag current provider offerings.

No warranty. We make no guarantees about accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose. Use at your own discretion.

Not an endorsement. Appearing in our comparison does not imply endorsement of any provider or plan.

Questions?

Bill Owl is a transparent, consumer-first tool. If you have feedback or questions about our methodology, please reach out. We're building this for you.

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