How To Choose The Best Broadband Provider

Internet Providers Explained

Signing up with a new broadband provider is a financial commitment that could last as long as two years. Leaving a broadband contract before the minimum term is up usually means paying a cancellation fee - which can be hefty.

So, it pays to take a bit of time over the initial decision. Here are some valuable tips that can help you to choose your broadband provider.

Which broadband works best for you?

Everyone has different reasons for needing broadband and your needs will vary too.

If you're on a low income, keeping costs down is your priority. Check out our cheap broadband deals. If you're on means-tested benefits, including Universal Credit, it's possible that you could qualify for a discounted rate with social tariff broadband.

If watching telly or films is how you unwind, compare TV and broadband deals. It usually costs less to combine the services in one deal rather than buying your TV channels separately.

If you need broadband to run your own business, consider a business broadband deal. It's worth paying a bit more for powerful upload speeds, dedicated tech support and security features to protect your business data.

If you're at university or college, you'll need a student broadband package that lets you share bandwidth with housemates and doesn't lock you in for too long.

Senior citizens are savvy shoppers and more likely to value a landline. Check out our guide to broadband for pensioners.

Or perhaps you're part of a big, bandwidth-hungry household where lots of people want to game and stream. Find out what broadband speed you need to keep everybody happy.

How to choose a broadband provider

The good news is that there are plenty of good internet providers in the UK, so you have lots of choice.

Your first step is to put your postcode into our address checker and tell us who you're currently with. Then we can show you deals from all the internet providers on our panel. Here's a quick guide to some of the bigger names.

Plusnet

This BT subsidiary plays up its Sheffield roots to create a down-to-earth image. Full fibre speeds go up to over 900Mbps - just below the gigabit broadband category. As of June 2025, Plusnet has a two-star rating on Trustpilot. That qualifies as ‘Bad’.

Vodafone

You might still think of it as a mobile phone company, but Vodafone home broadband is becoming better-known. The very fastest deal will give you 2.2Gbps, which is 2,200Mbps. There's a wide range of speed categories below that, most of which are fast enough for anybody.

BT

There's a range of different speeds and add-ons with this provider. BT are working hard to get their customers on a speedy connection where possible. If you're already with BT broadband and currently on hybrid fibre, they will upgrade you to full fibre for free.

Virgin Media

Virgin's cable network is a great alternative to fibre if you want a fast connection. Coverage isn't as extensive, though - use our postcode checker to see if Virgin is available where you live.

Sky Broadband

Sky is probably better known for its digital TV than its broadband service. If you want specific Sky channels on your telly, see if you can save by getting your broadband and TV channels in one deal. As of June 2025, Sky Broadband has a rating of 2.1 on Trustpilot. That counts as ‘Poor’.

What to look for when choosing the best broadband deals

There are lots of factors to consider when you're choosing an internet provider. If you're not sure what broadband to get, here's what you should be thinking about.

Price

This is the biggest consideration for most of us - who doesn't want cheap broadband? Our site makes it really easy to sort your results by price and see the cheapest first.

When you're comparing by price, don't just look at what monthly payment you'll be starting on. You also need to look at:

• The full contract price (luckily, we make it easy to compare by that too)
• Any upfront costs like activation fees
• When the monthly payments go up and how much they'll go up by - yes, it's standard for broadband providers to bring in mid-contract price rises

Speed

Choosing the right speed category is really important if you're wondering: 'What broadband should I get?'

It depends on:

• The number of people who live in your home
• How many devices are likely to be in use at any given time
• What you'll be doing online

We suggest you try our broadband speed checker to find out how fast your current connection is. If it feels like enough for your needs, you could go for something similar next time.

If you're not happy with the broadband speed you're on, or your circumstances are changing (like moving into a shared house) then try our bandwidth calculator for a rough idea of the speed category to choose.

Contract length

The regulator Ofcom doesn't allow providers to sign up home broadband customers for any longer than 24 months. Signing up for the maximum length of contract usually means lower monthly payments as a reward for your commitment.

If you're not sure what your circumstances will be in a year or so, go for a shorter deal. Providers are required by law to offer 12-month deals (although they don't always advertise them very well).

There's also the option of short-term and no contract broadband. You'll usually pay more each month for lower-commitment options. That's well worth it to avoid the hefty cancellation fees that come with longer contracts.

Download limits

You don't need to worry about download limits with a fixed connection, but it's still a thing with mobile broadband. If you're planning to use your broadband connection for high-data activities like streaming TV programmes, you'll want to go for a deal with no download limits. There are plenty to choose from.

Availability

You can only choose the broadband providers that actually serve your address. Most of the big names use BT Openreach infrastructure to deliver their service, so they're available in most places. There are a few exceptions:

• Virgin Media's cable network only reaches around half of UK homes, so it's a coin-toss whether you can get it or not
• Altnets build their own networks, so they only cover specific areas
• Connecting could be trickier if you're in a remote area - although most rural broadband customers have access to a decent fixed connection

We suggest you put your postcode into our address checker to see the options actually available for your address right now.

What else should I consider?

Customer service

If you're comparing a number of deals in your chosen speed category and there's no big difference in the prices, use customer service ratings to help you choose what broadband to get.

Good broadband providers will have positive ratings on independent review sites like Trustpilot. It's really worth taking a minute or two to look at recent reviews as well as the overall star rating.

Security

Most of us don't have the tech knowledge to understand everything about internet security, so it's hard to make a decision on that basis.

• All providers have certain legal obligations to keep your data safe and tell you about any security risks
• All of them offer some level of internet security as part of their service

If you have children, broadband parental controls should be an important part of your online security. Most broadband services come with some level of parental controls.

Rather than trying to find the most secure provider, put your energy into actually activating and using the parental control settings once you've signed up with your provider.

Do you need to switch to get faster broadband?

While switching isn't essential to upgrade your broadband connection, it's often your best move - with a few exceptions.

If you're out of contract with your current broadband provider, you'll almost certainly be on a rolling deal that doesn't give you the most bandwidth for your money. When you compare your options you'll see plenty of deals offering better speeds for the same price or possibly even less.

You'll see even more benefits from switching if you're currently on a hybrid fibre connection. Most homes in the UK are now eligible to upgrade to full fibre, which opens the door to much faster potential speeds.

Upgrading from hybrid fibre to full fibre means you'll need an engineer visit. Many providers offer this for free when you sign up for a full fibre package with them. Always check whether or not there will be a charge for installation, because this could make a big difference to the overall cost of the contract.

The only time when switching isn't your best move is if you're still locked into a contract with months left on it. Almost all providers charge exit fees for leaving before your minimum time is up.

If that's the case for you and you want faster broadband as soon as possible, one option is to ask your existing supplier for an upgrade. This usually means signing a new contract with the same supplier. You're agreeing to stick with them for longer and pay more each month, so they'll usually agree to waive any exit fees connected with your old contract.

Consider bundle broadband deals

If you enjoy a lot of television, you might want to consider a bundle deal that includes both your broadband and TV from the same provider. These can work out to be better value than buying those services separately.

Always think about what channels you actually watch when you're deciding on a bundle - don't pay for what you won't use.

Other types of broadband

Social tariffs

If you're on a low income and getting certain means-tested benefits, you could qualify for a discounted broadband package known as social tariff broadband. This can be significantly cheaper than the provider's regular deals, so it's worth checking to see if you're eligible

Broadband for pensioners

There aren't any broadband products specifically for pensioners. Like most people with a bit of life experience, you want reliable WiFi at a fair price. As well as comparing your options with us, we suggest you check out review sites like Trustpilot to see how other people rate different broadband providers

Broadband for students

If you're in a student houseshare you'll need a lot of bandwidth so everybody can stream, game and do Zoom lectures without any lagging. Use our bandwidth calculator to help you pick the right speed category. You're probably renting your accommodation for a limited time, so you don't want a long contract either. Check out our 12 month broadband deals and our short-term and no contract broadband

FAQs

What broadband speed do i need?

Choosing the right speed category is key to finding the best broadband deal for you. It depends on how many people are in your household and what kind of thing you're doing online - just checking emails or immersive multiplayer gaming? Our bandwidth calculator will help you work out what speed to go for.

Should I get fibre?

Fibre is already the standard way of delivering broadband. Full fibre access reached seven in 10 UK homes in December 2024, according to Ofcom, and the number is likely to be higher now.

If your home has a slower hybrid fibre connection, upgrading to full fibre will give you access to faster speeds.

When it comes to speed, fibre just has one rival: Virgin Media's cable network. According to a quick look at Virgin's postcode checker, this network had coverage of around 53% as of June 2025. You're more likely to be able to get Virgin broadband if you're in a city.

Our postcode checker will show you all your options from our trusted providers, including full fibre, hybrid fibre, cable and mobile broadband.

How are altnet providers different?

Going with an altnet for your broadband is a solid choice - if it's possible for you. Altnets are different because they build their own networks: laying and maintaining their own fibre optic cables. They're usually cheaper than the big names, with good customer service. The downside? Coverage tends to be limited to a specific geographical area.

Most mainstream broadband providers in the UK use the BT Openreach network to deliver their service. They benefit from its very high coverage, so can offer a service almost anywhere. Altnets can't build networks big enough to compete with that.

Use the postcode search on our altnets page to find out if any of the small independents on our panel are operating in your area.