Compare the cheapest broadband deals
You can buy broadband deals without any extras, but packages are often advertised as bundles that include other services in addition to providing internet access. Bundling services will increase the year cost but it could work out cheaper than buying these services individually at standard pricing.
Broadband packages often come with extra benefits as broadband providers try to attract your business. As a result, if you’re a new customer you could enjoy additional one-off perks such as no setup costs, an Amazon gift card or cashback.
While the variation can make navigating broadband packages difficult, it does mean you should be able to find a broadband deal at a cheap monthly cost to suit your needs and your budget.
Cheapest broadband-only deals
Most major
broadband providers
offer a standard broadband package and these are likely to be the cheapest options available. The cheapest broadband deal you’ll find will likely be ADSL broadband, which uses your existing phone line and is the most widely available connection. The downside is that it offers the slowest broadband speed compared to other connection methods. It will also usually come with line rental.
Standard broadband is suitable for light internet users, so it should suffice if you only get online to check emails or do some shopping. If you have multiple devices online at the same time, it might be worth considering a
fibre broadband deal
instead, as well as a good
router
. View our cheapest broadband-only deals using our comparison table below:
Broadband deal
|
Broadband provider
|
Average Speed
|
Contract length
|
Fibre Broadband
|
Plusnet
|
66Mbps
|
24 months
|
M125 Fibre Broadband
|
Virgin Media
|
132Mbps
|
24 months
|
Fibre 2
|
BT Broadband
|
67Mbps
|
24 months
|
Gig1 Fibre Broadband
|
Virgin Media
|
1,130Mbps
|
18 months
|
Some providers, such as Virgin Media, offer equivalent deals with no line rental across all their packages. Virgin Media’s range of fibre broadband speeds, from M50 up to Gig1 Fibre, can be signed up for with or without line rental, though the monthly cost of each deal will vary accordingly.
Cheap broadband and phone deals
Standard broadband still connects users via phone lines and includes line rental, so it has always been common to bundle
broadband and phone deals
together in one package. Though today more sophisticated broadband connection methods are available, most broadband providers still offer broadband deals with phone plans together in a single package, which can be more cost-effective.
Many
broadband packages
offer pay-as-you-go calls as part of the plan, as well as the option to add on inclusive calls. If you’re looking for fibre-optic broadband, however, providers may charge extra for home phones as this type of broadband connection doesn’t require line rental.
Broadband & phone deal
|
Broadband provider
|
Average download speed
|
Contract length
|
Sky Superfast Broadband
|
Sky
|
61Mbps
|
18 months
|
Fibre 65 + Phone line
|
TalkTalk
|
67Mbps
|
18 months
|
Fibre 2
|
Vodafone
|
67Mbps
|
24 months
|
Brilliant Broadband
|
NOW Broadband
|
11Mb
|
12 months
|
It’s important to note that broadband speeds of 11 Mb or lower, such as the ones offered by Plusnet and Shell Energy in this table, are affordable for a reason. For those of us who enjoy streaming or gaming, download speeds of more than 65 or even 100 Mb will be necessary for seamless viewing, depending on how many users you have at one time.
Cheap broadband and TV deals
Rather than paying for your TV and broadband deals separately, bundling these services could save you money in the long term and offer additional perks not always available with individual bundles. Some of the benefits that come with bundling your broadband deal with a TV packages include:
- Discounted rates when you sign up for more than one service with the same provider.
- Perks and extras like cashback, incentives, vouchers and others depending on the deal.
- Simply dealing with one bill from one provider instead of many separate bills for individual services.
Although not every provider offers
broadband and TV deals
, it is worth considering if you like to watch TV rather than streaming services like Netflix and are looking for a long term deal. Broadband and TV providers include
BT
,
NOW
, Virgin Media,
Sky
and TalkTalk.
For those who enjoy streaming online content as well as watching live TV, we recommend a fibre broadband deal with average download speeds of 65 Mbps or more. This should mean you won’t experience buffering while you’re watching. Broadband speeds like these also now come in at a similar monthly cost to more basic packages.
Compare Cheap Broadband Deals
What is the fastest cheap broadband deal?
Broadband speed, particularly download speed, is important to any internet user, but while you may only need a few Mbps to stream a video, who or what you share your bandwidth with is also important. If you live with other people or have several devices that are using the internet (phones, TVs, smart bulbs, etc.), you need to make sure that you don’t go with a low-bandwidth option.
Fibre broadband deals are increasingly affordable and new deals are updated regularly, so it’s well worth comparing packages when your current contract ends. Remember that broadband providers also vary by location as not all of them operate throughout the UK, though major providers like BT, Plusnet and Virgin Media will be available in most areas.
Currently, the cheapest fast broadband deals available are from Virgin Media:
Broadband package
|
Average download speed
|
Minimum term
|
Monthly cost
|
Virgin Media M125
|
108Mbps
|
18-month contract
|
£26
|
Virgin Media M250
|
213Mbps
|
18-month contract
|
£29
|
How do I get a cheap broadband deal in my area?
Comparing broadband deals is the quickest and simplest way to find a cheap
broadband deal in your area
. All you need to do is enter your postcode to see what’s available. To make sure you find the cheapest package, think about the type of internet user you are, as this will determine the download speed you’re likely to need. This will then influence the type of broadband that’s most suitable ? for example, ADSL or a fibre broadband deal.
You should then consider whether or not you want to add other services into your broadband bundle, such as a phone line or TV. If you decide you would like additional services, look out for any special discounts or other offers available. You can also keep admin, and monthly costs down by paying for your broadband deal by direct debit.
In most cases, you’ll need a UK landline to access the internet and your broadband package will usually include a line rental fee, which pays for the maintenance of your phone line.
If you want to avoid paying line rental because you never use your home phone line, there are broadband-only options. For example, Virgin Media is one of the few major providers that offers broadband-only services without as they use their own coaxial cable network to deliver broadband.
If Virgin Media doesn’t operate in your area, other broadband-only alternatives include mobile broadband services. To access the internet this way, you’ll need a separate dongle or personal WiFi device that attaches to your laptop or computer.
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