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How to find cheap broadband deals

Do you need fibre?, top picks, how to switch & much more

Chris Knight
Chris Knight | Edited by Gary Caffell
Updated 19 September 2023

Millions blindly overpay for broadband and line rent as costs rocket when promo deals end. So if you're out of contract, check now if you can save £100s/year by switching to our top picks below, or try our Broadband Unbundled tool to compare broadband, line and TV deals available in your area.

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In this guide

Best broadband deals

To benchmark, those out of contract typically pay BT £52/mth and Virgin Media £44/mth for fibre.

10 broadband need-to-knows

These are the golden rules to give you chapter and verse, but if you just want a quick comparison, try our Broadband Unbundled tool.

  • 1. Consider if you really have a need for the fastest speeds – standard speeds are fine for many

    Broadband is the standard way to connect to the internet, but the key differentiator is speed, measured in megabits per second (Mb) – and the faster the speed, generally the pricier it gets.

    • Standard – with average speeds of 10-11Mb. This is the basic level, sometimes called ADSL.

    • Fibre-optic broadband – average speeds of 35-36Mb (though some offer 50Mb). This is delivered through more sophisticated glass or plastic wires before connecting to your home. See fibre deals.

    • Fast fibre-optic – with average speeds around 60Mb. Uses the same fibre wires, it's just faster.

    • Superfast fibre-optic broadband – with average speeds usually above 100Mb. This requires more sophisticated wiring usually direct to your home, and is only available from a limited number of suppliers.

    See our Broadband Unbundled tool for the top deals across all speeds.

    Do I really need fibre-optic broadband?

    Fast fibre is best for heavy users – if you do loads of streaming, online gaming, downloading or have multiple users in your home – as doing lots at the same time slows you down.

    Anything faster is very much a luxury – best if you've a large household with many devices, you stream 4K content or 'normal' fibre isn't fast enough for you.

    If you just use the web for basic tasks, such as emails and the odd bit of browsing, then an average of 11Mb speed should be fine.

    Quick questions

    • If there's a lot of demand, can they slow my speed?

      At peak times or when a lot of people are using the internet at the same time, some providers will prioritise certain traffic, meaning your connection may slow down to ensure everyone receives decent speeds. This is called traffic management.

    • How do I check my broadband speed?

      There are a number of free speed tests online to find what speed you're actually getting, such as Broadband Genie's Speed Test and Ookla's Speedtest.net. Try it at different times of the day to get a range of speeds, as it can vary.

      Regulator Ofcom also has a Coverage Checker, which shows the maximum speeds capable down the line at any postcode, though it won't be precise enough to check your home.

    • How do I boost my broadband speed?

      There are a number of simple checks and fixes if you are struggling speed-wise. There's a full checklist of tips and tricks to get quicker in Broadband Speed Boosting.

    • What is 'unlimited' broadband?

      Almost all deals come with unlimited data now, particularly the deals we feature below and on our Broadband Unbundled tool. This means you can download as much as you want, without the fear of being charged for extra data (each gigabyte). The fact that the best deals have no restriction is good news given our data use has rocketed with catch-up TV, box sets and movie streaming gobbling it up – downloading an episode of Game of Thrones in HD uses up roughly 1GB.

      The other reason for cheer at the competitiveness of unlimited data deals is packages with download limits tend to have costly charges if you go over – BT charges £2.20/GB when you breach the limit.

      Though most new deals offer unlimited data, some legacy packages would still charge for exceeding your allowance.

  • 2. Not all deals are available nationwide... but our comparison tool finds the best deals in YOUR area

    To help you navigate this postcode lottery, our Broadband Unbundled tool shows which best buys are available where you live. Standard-speed broadband is available in the vast majority of the UK, but there are still odd pockets where you can't get it.

    With fibre, it's still being rolled out across the UK, though over 90% should now be able to get it. Most big cities have access, but some rural areas may not. Ultrafast fibre with top speeds of 350Mb is only available to roughly 50% of the UK, while faster speeds are currently only available to a small number.

  • 3. Switching usually means only about two hours of downtime – and most people won't need an engineer to visit

    To switch, it's best to allow for about 10 working days, though if you need an engineer it is partly down to availability (and there could be delays due to the pandemic).

    On the day itself, don't worry if you fear Facebook withdrawal, as you're only likely to be offline for a few hours, or maybe hardly at all. And you can use your mobile data to cover any outage until you get online.

    Here are some more key details:

    • Often, there's no need for an engineer to come round. Only if you need a new line or on some fibre installations. Otherwise, just plug any new kit you're sent in.

      Switching to Virgin Media? 60% of eligible Virgin Media customers won't need an engineer sent round – if you're in that group, it'll tell you BEFORE you sign up. If you're one of the 40% that do, an engineer may need to come into your home or just go to a nearby exchange, but you won't be told which in advance.

    • You don't usually need to tell your current provider. The new firm usually does the communication work unless you're switching to or from Virgin Media – here, you must tell your old provider.

    • Many firms insist you pay to receive their router. Though the cost isn't usually prohibitive and we include router costs (where applicable) in all the deals below.

    More switching FAQs

    • Do I have to contact my old provider and cancel first?

      Mostly no, but it doesn't hurt just to be sure. Moving to or from Virgin Media can be slightly different – see below.

      Switching broadband to and from companies other than Virgin Media: Every major provider except Virgin Media (200+ in total, including BT, Sky and TalkTalk) is on the BT Openreach network. If you're switching between them, when you sign up for a new deal it's the new supplier's job to notify your existing one and cancel the contract. You don't need to do anything else.

      Moving broadband to or from Virgin Media: As Virgin Media runs its own network, the switching process is a little more complicated. You'll need to contact your existing supplier yourself to cancel. It should then give you a termination date, so try to coordinate this with your Virgin Media start date to avoid loss of service. This is a standard process and you should be able to do it without much hassle.

      Switching TV (whether as part of a package or a separate deal): If you're switching broadband, it works as above. If you're switching a TV deal – whether or not it's with the same provider as your broadband – you'll need to call up and cancel the package yourself. Typically you'll need to give 30 days' notice. If you're still in contract, you're also likely to have to pay the remainder of the contract to get out of it. As you have to cancel the old TV deal and sign up to the new one, you'll need to ensure you time it right to avoid paying two TV providers in one month.

    • Before switching, how do I find out what customer service is like?

      Since you'll likely be signing a 12-month, 18-month or even two-year contract, it's worth checking feedback before diving in. We include the results of our latest broadband customer satisfaction poll in our Broadband Unbundled tool, so you can see how each provider ranked with other MoneySavers. For the full results, see our latest broadband customer service poll results.

      Our forum's Broadband board also includes a wealth of feedback, as do sites such as Broadband.co.uk, ThinkBroadband and ISP Review.

    • Do I pay any exit penalties to switch broadband?

      You won't face extra costs if you're no longer under contract (except with Shell – see below), though you may need to give at least 14-30 days' notice depending on your provider.

      If you're still within the minimum term of your contract, you usually have to pay 'early termination fees' to leave. Each provider calculates these differently, but it generally depends on the amount of time left on your contract. They should always be less than the cost of the remaining charges on the contract.

      Shell Energy Broadband will charge £15 if you're leaving it, regardless of whether you're in contract or not. Its T&Cs state: "Regardless of whether you are inside or outside your minimum period, if you terminate or cancel your contract at any time (other than during the cooling-off period) and we are not at fault, you will be charged a cease charge."

      However, if you sign up to Shell Energy Broadband through one of our MSE Blagged deals, you won't be charged this cease charge when you leave (providing you're out of contract when you switch).

  • 4. At least 50% of customers must get the advertised speed at peak times

    It's important to understand that these advertised speeds are based on the average speed received by at least 50% of a provider's current customer base between 8pm and 10pm – when most people are online.

    Most have signed up to a code of practice committing to give a personalised estimate and a minimum guaranteed speed before you sign up. So since 1 March 2019, if your speeds drop below this minimum for three consecutive days, you can ask your provider to check for a fault – and get it fixed if so. See our Boost Broadband Speed guide for how to check your speed.

    If it remains unresolved for 30 days, you should be able to exit your contract penalty-free. This applies both to broadband-only deals AND packaged deals that include TV and a landline phone, provided you bought them at the same time as the broadband. If you're unhappy with your provider, try free complaints handling tool Resolver.

    If you signed up before 1 March 2019, you may still be able to exit your contract penalty-free – though there's no time limit for providers to fix your speed issues, and you wouldn't be able to get out of a bundled TV deal.

  • 5. If something goes wrong, you could be due compensation

    Ten providers – BT, EE, Hyperoptic, Plusnet (including John Lewis), Sky (including Now Broadband), TalkTalk, Virgin Media, Vodafone, Utility Warehouse and Zen – have signed up to regulator Ofcom's automatic compensation scheme, which means customers could get money back from their broadband/landline provider when certain things go wrong. Ofcom says it covers 90% of broadband users.

    • If your landline or broadband stops working and is not repaired within two working days of reporting it, you'll receive £9.33, and then £9.33 for each day it remains unfixed.

    • If your new landline or broadband service is not up and running on the day promised, you'll receive £5.83 for each calendar day it's delayed, including the missed start date. There's no limit on this, so you'll keep accruing the compensation until it's sorted.
       
    • If an engineer doesn't arrive for an appointment as scheduled, or it's cancelled with less than 24 hours' notice, you'll receive £29.15.

    Note: Figures correct as of April 2023.

    If you are due compensation, it's automatically paid as bill credit within 30 working days of the issue. If you choose to leave your provider while you still have bill credit to spend or before you get it, this will be refunded to the bank account you use to pay your direct debit or sent as a cheque.

    Quick questions

    • Should I opt for a provider that hasn't signed up?

      So far, only the biggies are signed up to the scheme (which covers 90% of customers), but the biggies aren't always the cheapest. This opens up the question of whether to stick with a compensation scheme provider. Here's Martin's view...

      "There is a huge price difference between the very cheapest providers and what most people pay. Someone on an ongoing BT standard broadband contract can save £400/year switching to the cheapest.

      "Provided that company has a decent service record, I wouldn't pay a big premium for the compensation. Especially as I hope that quite soon most competitive providers will join it. Yet if a compensation scheme member is cheap, pounce on it."

    • How do I complain if my provider hasn't signed up?
      Whether or not your provider has signed up to the code, you should still complain if you have issues. A company can't try to fix problems if you don't report them.
      To help, there's a free tool offered by a firm called Resolver that can draft your complaint and manage it too. If the complaint isn't sorted, Resolver can escalate it to the free Communications and Internet Services Adjudication Scheme (CISAS) or Ombudsman Services, depending on the company you're complaining about.

  • 6. You can get broadband without the phone line, but it'll likely cost more

    Most broadband packages require you to have a line as the broadband is ultimately delivered down it. However, most providers still make you take out a standard line rental deal as if you'd use the phone rather than a discounted price for broadband only.

    There are a limited number of broadband-only deals, mainly from Virgin Media and BT, but these are usually expensive (though when it has a hot deal, we'll feature it below) so it's almost always cheaper to get a broadband and landline package. Of course, you could just get the line and simply not use it.

  • 7. Don't want to switch? Broadband and phone firms are among the easiest to haggle with

    Switching usually nets you the cheapest prices, but if you are out of contract – or nearing the end of your contract – you could try to haggle your price.

    As there's stiff competition, companies are frantic to keep hold of customers. That is why in our polls on haggling with service companies, communication providers are frequently among the easiest to haggle with.

    In our December 2021 survey of 5,500+ MoneySavers, more than 70% who tried had success with BT, Sky, TalkTalk and Virgin Media. For top tips, see our Haggle with Service Providers guide.

  • 8. Struggling financially? Lower your costs with help from your broadband provider

    It's worth speaking to your broadband provider as soon as possible if you're going to have trouble meeting your monthly bill. Some of the large providers have schemes in place to help customers who've encountered financial problems.

    A number of providers, including BT, Sky and Vodafone, have told us they'll help those who are struggling to pay their bills. They haven't given us specifics about what help they'll provide, but they've asked anyone affected to contact them as soon as possible to discuss their options.

    This follows regulator Ofcom telling firms they must do all they can to keep people's broadband running.

    Ofcom told us: "Providers should only commence debt collection activities after a sufficient period of time (for example, at least three months) to allow consumers to get help and only disconnect consumers as a last resort. We have called on providers to revisit their debt and disconnection practices, to ensure sufficient support is offered to customers who may be struggling to pay their bills."

  • 9. Some providers offer 'social tariffs' for those on certain benefits

    Social tariffs are discounted broadband and mobile deals for people on universal credit and other benefits.

    Currently, more than 10 major broadband providers offer social tariffs for those on certain benefits. However, according to regulator Ofcom, while they are available to an estimated 4.2 million households, only 220,000 (5%) have signed up to one. Ofcom says this means millions are missing out on an average annual saving of £144 each.

    We've a round-up of all the social tariffs below and full qualifying criteria (plus info on a different scheme for jobseekers from TalkTalk). 

    Compare social tariffs

  • 10. Be warned, some firms hike prices a little during your contract

    Under rules from regulator Ofcom, if the contract was taken out after 23 January 2014, and your landline, broadband or mobile (but not TV) firm raises prices without warning you before you signed up, then you are allowed to leave penalty-free.

    But do check the T&Cs, as providers may state in there that they reserve the right to hike prices, which would count as a warning.

    Price changes are usually made in line with inflation between February and April each year, using either the Retail Prices Index (RPI) or Consumer Prices Index (CPI) measure of inflation.

    But recently, some firms have changed the way they raise prices each year, opting to increase by inflation plus a percentage amount on top. We've seen such recent announcements from biggies including BT, EE, Plusnet, Shell Energy, TalkTalk and Vodafone. 

    If a provider hikes your monthly bill and its T&Cs don't allow this, then you can leave your contract penalty-free.

    If it happens without warning, all you have to do is tell your provider within 30 days of getting notification from it, and you can then leave penalty-free. That said, only do so if you can find a better price.

Top deals: Standard speed broadband with line rental

We've got our pick of the best deals for new customers of each firm below, but to find out what's available in your area – and to compare more options – try Broadband Unbundled, our broadband, phone line and TV comparison tool.

Important. Most firms have yearly price rises written into their contracts. Where we know details of an upcoming rise, we've factored it into the equivalent cost, but those on 18-month or 24-month deals will likely see multiple rises, so over the contract it's likely to be slightly more than shown.

Standard speed broadband (10-29Mb) – what we'd go for

Right now, if you just want standard speeds, our top pick is Shell Energy. It's £9.95 upfront, then £17.99/month. If you factor in the upfront cost it's equivalent to £18.55/month over the 18-month contract.

PROVIDER & AVG SPEED EQUIV COST (1) HOW IT WORKS

Shell Energy*

11Mb

 

 £18.55/month

Cheap standard broadband. Via this Shell Energy* link, it's £9.95 upfront, then £17.99/month. Factor in the upfront cost and it's equivalent to £18.55/month over the 18-month contract.

Now Broadband

11Mb

 £20.84/month Cheap standard broadband with 'good' service. Via this Now Broadband* link, it's £10 delivery fee, then £20/month. Factor that in and it's equivalent to £20.84/month over the 12-month contract.
Note: Some firms increase prices in line with inflation annually, so prices could change mid-contract. (1) To compare, we use 'equivalent prices' – adding all fixed costs, deducting any promo cash/vouchers and averaging over the contract.

Top deals: Fibre broadband with line rental

We've got our pick of the best fibre broadband deals for new customers of each firm below, but to find out what's available in your area and compare further options, try Broadband Unbundled, our broadband, phone line and TV comparison tool.

Important. Most firms have yearly price rises written into their contracts. Where we know details of an upcoming rise, we've factored it into the equivalent cost, but those on 18-month or 24-month deals will likely see multiple rises, so over the contract it's likely to be slightly more than shown.

Fibre broadband (30-55Mb) – what we'd go for

Right now, if you want standard fibre, there's this Shell Energy deal via Broadband Genie. It's £9.95 upfront, then £22.99/month, but you'll be able to claim an £85 Amazon, JustEat or Love2Shop voucher within four months. If you'd have spent there anyway, factor it in and it's equivalent to £18.83/month over the 18-month contract.

PROVIDER & AVG SPEED EQUIV COST (1) HOW IT WORKS

Shell Energy*

38Mb

 £18.83/month

Cheapest fibre. Via this Broadband Genie Shell Energy* link, it's £9.95 upfront, then £22.99/month, plus you can claim (don't forget) an £85 Amazon, JustEat or Love2Shop voucher within four months. If you'd have spent there anyway, factor it in and it's equivalent to £18.83/month over the 18-month contract.

Ends 11.59pm Sun 24 Sep.
Zen
31Mb		 £30.84/month Not the cheapest, but scores 9.6/10 in our customer service poll. Go via this Zen link and it's £15 upfront, then £30/month, Factor in the upfront, and it's equivalent to £30.84/month over the 18-month contract. 
Note: Some firms increase prices in line with inflation annually, so prices could change mid-contract. (1) To compare, we use 'equivalent prices' – adding all fixed costs, deducting any promo cash/vouchers and averaging over the contract.

Top deals: Fast fibre broadband

If you're happy to pay more, you can get fibre with speeds from 55Mb. If you've a large family with many devices, or you're into streaming 4K content – or just impatient – this could be for you.

We've got our pick of the top fast fibre deals for new customers of each firm below, but to find out what's available in your area and compare other options, try Broadband Unbundled, our broadband, phone line and TV comparison tool.

Important. Most firms have yearly price rises written into their contracts. Where we know details of an upcoming rise, we've factored it into the equivalent cost, but those on 18-month or 24-month deals will likely see multiple rises, so over the contract it's likely to be slightly more than shown.

Fast fibre broadband (55Mb+) – what we'd go for

 

Our top pick at this speed is this Shell Energy deal via Broadbandchoices. It's £9.95 upfront, then £24.99/month for 67Mb, but you'll be able to claim (don't forget) a £110 Amazon, M&S, Tesco or Sainsbury's voucher within four months. If you'd have spent there anyway, factor it in and it's equivalent to £19.44/month over the 18-month contract.

If you want even faster speeds, there's this Vodafone 100Mb deal via Broadbandchoices. for slightly more. It's £25/month, but you'll be able to claim (don't forget) a £155 Amazon, M&S, Tesco or Sainsbury's voucher within four months. If you'd have spent there anyway, factor it in and it's equivalent to £21.55/month over the 24-month contract.

PROVIDER & AVG SPEED EQUIV COST (1) HOW IT WORKS

Shell Energy*

67Mb

Top pick

 £19.44/month

Cheapest fast fibre. Via this Broadbandchoices Shell Energy* link, it's £9.95 upfront, then £24.99/month, plus you can claim (don't forget) a £110 Amazon voucher within four months. If you'd have spent there anyway, factor it in and it's equivalent to £19.44/month over the 18-month contract.

Ends 11.59pm Sun 24 Sep.

Vodafone*

67Mb

 £21.05/month

Cheap fast fibre plus 'good' service. Via this Broadbandchoices Vodafone* link, it's £25/month, plus you can claim (don't forget) a £95 Amazon, M&S, Tesco or Sainsbury's voucher within four months. If you'd have spent there anyway, factor it in and it's equivalent to £21.05/month over the 24-month contract.

Ends 11.59pm Sun 24 Sep.

Now Broadband

63Mb

 £22.84/month Cheapest fast fibre with 'top' service. Via this Now Broadband* link, it's £10 upfront, then £22/month. Factor in the upfront cost and it's equivalent to £22.84/month over the one-year contract.

Vodafone*

100Mb

Top pick

 £21.55/month

Cheapest superfast fibre plus 'good' service. Via this Broadbandchoices Vodafone* link, it's £25/month, plus you can claim (don't forget) a £155 Amazon, M&S, Tesco or Sainsbury's voucher within four months. If you'd have spent there anyway, factor it in and it's equivalent to £21.55/month over the 24-month contract.

Ends 11.59pm Sun 24 Sep.

Virgin Media*

132Mb

£22.06/month

 

Cheap superfast fibre. Via this Virgin Media* link, it's £26.50/month, plus you get an automatic £80 bill credit. Factor that in and it's equivalent to £22.06/month over the 18-month contract.

Ends 11.59pm Thu 21 Sep.
Cuckoo*
100Mb		 £39.99/month Not the cheapest, but scores 9.9/10 in our customer service polls. Via this Broadbandchoices Cuckoo* link, it's a straight £39.99/month over the 12-month contract.
Note: Some firms increase prices in line with inflation annually, so prices could change mid-contract. (1) To compare, we use 'equivalent prices' – adding all fixed costs, deducting any promo cash/vouchers and averaging over the contract.

Cashback sites may pay you for signing up

It's often possible to grab extra cashback on top when you sign up for a broadband contract. To get it, you need to sign up via a specialist cashback website rather than directly with the provider. Cashback websites use affiliate links to generate revenue, so if they get paid when you sign up, you'll get paid.

Unfortunately, this cash is never guaranteed, as sometimes cashback sites don't track deals in progress, and they don't pay out on top of other offers that might be available (such as our Blagged deals). So if there are no cheaper deals about elsewhere, it's generally best to pick the right package first and view any cashback as an added extra. To find out more about how these sites can pay you, and how you can make the most of them, read our Top Cashback Sites guide.

How to complain about your broadband provider

The broadband industry doesn't have the best customer service reputation and while a provider may be good for some, it can be hell for others. Common problems include installation dates not being met, limited service or slow speeds, incorrect billing and more. 

It's always worth trying to call your provider to sort the issue first, but if not then you can use free complaints tool Resolver. The tool helps you manage your complaint, and if the company doesn't play ball, it also helps you escalate your complaint to the free Ombudsman (or CISAS if you're complaining about Vodafone or Sky).

Broadband FAQs

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If a link has an * by it, that means it is an affiliated link and therefore it helps MoneySavingExpert stay free to use, as it is tracked to us. If you go through it, it can sometimes result in a payment or benefit to the site. It's worth noting this means the third party used may be named on any credit agreements.

You shouldn’t notice any difference and the link will never negatively impact the product. Plus the editorial line (the things we write) is NEVER impacted by these links. We aim to look at all available products. If it isn't possible to get an affiliate link for the top deal, it is still included in exactly the same way, just with a non-paying link. For more details, read How this site is financed.

Duplicate links of the * links above for the sake of transparency, but this version doesn't help MoneySavingExpert.com: 

Broadbandchoices, Broadband Genie, Shell Broadband, Plusnet, John Lewis, Vodafone, TalkTalk, Resolver, BT

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