Compare Unlimited Broadband Deals March 2026

Compare Unlimited Internet

Almost all broadband providers offer unlimited internet as standard.

Some people are sceptical about “unlimited broadband” claims because broadband providers haven’t always played fair with their advertising. In the past, broadband deals described as “unlimited” might well have had a cap on downloads. But that’s no longer the case. Since 2011, the Advertising Standards Authority has made it clear that “unlimited broadband” deals have to provide a broadband supply in line with the typical customer’s expectation of what “unlimited” means.²

That means the broadband provider can’t

Impose a threshold on your downloads and punish you for exceeding it (by charging you more or suspending your service).

But they can

Manage traffic on their network in a way that results in limiting your broadband usage
Have a “fair use” policy and limit usage that exceeds this

They are required by law to make their traffic management and fair use policies clear from the start. So when you sign up for unlimited broadband, you never have to worry about facing consequences for breaching a limit you didn’t know about.

Key Points

Unlimited broadband has no cap on the amount of data you can use
Even with unlimited broadband, plan providers can still adjust your download and upload speeds to manage traffic on their network

Truly unlimited broadband packages don't apply this kind of traffic management.

What is unlimited broadband?

Unlimited broadband is a package with no restrictions on how much browsing or downloading you do. In the past, your “unlimited” deal might well have had a hidden “fair usage” policy imposing a cap on your data despite the “unlimited” label. But it’s now clear in law that providers aren’t allowed to do this, so unlimited now genuinely means unlimited.

But in practice, the speed of your broadband connection can act as a brake on your downloads. It’s still legal for broadband providers to manage the traffic on their network by reducing the bandwidth available to users at busy times.

Is unlimited broadband really unlimited?

Unlimited broadband means that there’s no data cap, which means no limit on your browsing or downloads. So you can play computer games online, download films or have Zoom calls round the clock if you want.

But that doesn’t necessarily mean you can download a hundred videos an hour (even if you had time to watch them all). Providers offering unlimited broadband can still operate a traffic management system on their networks, which might mean slower speeds at busy times.

Traffic management with “unlimited” broadband

Broadband providers have to manage a mix of competing priorities to deliver an adequate internet supply to every user on their network.

This means treating different users differently. For example, business broadband users usually get a minimum service level agreement that guarantees minimum speeds and a very high level of uptime. So at busy times, providers have to prioritise them in order to deliver what’s in the contract.

But domestic users are entitled to a minimum standard too. If a provider advertises an “average” speed, it is required by law to make this speed available to at least 50% of users at peak time.³

On the flipside, some people (usually a small minority) are such heavy users that they put a strain on the network at busy times. Network providers can respond by intentionally slowing those users’ broadband speeds.⁴ The speed of the connection then basically acts as a cap on their data usage, even when their contract doesn’t have a data cap.

With truly unlimited broadband, the provider won’t do this kind of traffic management. So even at the busiest times, your speeds should be unaffected. This is the key difference between “unlimited” and “truly unlimited” broadband. In practice, it will only affect you if you’re an unusually heavy internet user. For most people, just unlimited is fine - which gives you way more options.

Do I need truly unlimited broadband?

Data caps are much rarer than they used to be, so unlimited broadband is the standard offering from most providers. There are fewer “truly unlimited” broadband packages, which narrows your options a bit.

Remember: even with no data cap and no traffic management affecting your downloads, the speed of your connection can still be a limiting factor. If you love streaming, gaming or any other high-bandwidth activity, you’d be better off with a normal type of unlimited deal that offers high speeds than a “truly unlimited” deal with lower speeds.

Which providers offer this broadband?

Unlimited broadband (subject to traffic management) has become the default, so every provider offers it.

Many also offer truly unlimited broadband. At the time of writing these include:

The deals on offer are always changing, so it’s well worth using our postcode checker to see what’s available to you right now.

Which providers offer the cheapest unlimited packages?

Almost all the broadband packages on offer right now have unlimited data. So when you're looking for the best value deal, you don't actually need to worry about being restricted by a data cap.

Instead, think about speed; this is likely to be the real limiting factor. Think about what you're likely to be doing online, whether that's streaming, gaming or working in the cloud. It's easy to overestimate and overpay, but our guide: What broadband speed do I need? should help you choose the right bandwidth.

Once you've picked a speed category, you can sort your search results on our site by “Cost per month (Low to High)”. There will be other factors to consider when you're comparing the broadband deals on offer, such as the length of the contract and how the provider fares in customer service reviews.

How much does unlimited broadband cost?

Almost every broadband deal available in 2025 is unlimited, so there’s a wide price range. The monthly cost depends on factors such as speed and contract length.

At the time of writing, deals with speeds of 900Mbps are becoming more common but you’ll pay a premium for these top speeds.

If your budget is around £30/month, you can still compare deals offering over 100Mbps.

The speeds available depend on where you live, so it’s crucial that you use our postcode checker before you start comparing the options.

How do I switch to a new unlimited broadband deal?

A new(ish) standard called One Touch Switch makes switching broadband provider a painless process. You no longer have to worry about coordinating a switchover between two different providers. Just:

Make sure you’re out of contract with your current provider and free to switch
Find a new provider that meets your needs (maybe through a comparison site like ours)
Sign up with the new provider

The new provider will handle the process and tell your old provider. They will also make sure there’s no overlap and no gap in broadband service.

Can I leave my broadband contract early?

You have the legal right to cancel your broadband contract before the minimum term is up. But your provider has the right to charge you an exit fee. They calculate it based on how long your contract has left to go, so the earlier you leave, the bigger the fee.

There are some exceptions, such as:

If you’re still in the initial cooling-off period for your broadband contract (usually 14 days, but some providers offer longer)
If you’re cancelling because of poor service (but you will need to build a paper trail showing you’ve tried to resolve this)
If there have been mid-contract price hikes that you weren’t told about when you signed up
In the event of a bereavement

If you’re cancelling because of difficult circumstances, even if it’s not a bereavement, it’s worth asking your broadband provider to waive or reduce the exit fee as a courtesy. Just be aware that they might still say no.

FAQs

What download speeds can I get with unlimited broadband?

Unlimited broadband (no data cap) is the default deal from providers these days and encompasses almost the whole market .Your download speeds will depend on:

The infrastructure in your area
What deal you choose and how much you’re prepared to pay

To get the very fastest speeds, your home needs to be directly connected to the full fibre network. If you have this (also known as FTTP), you can theoretically get gigabit internet with speeds of 1,000Mbps or more.

But the full fibre rollout hasn’t reached every part of the UK yet (although it has reached nearly seven in 10 homes)⁵ so the speeds available to you will be limited by your connection. You can still get up to 80Mbps with hybrid fibre, which will be more than enough for most households anyway. Faster connections usually cost more, so check out our guide to what speed you need before paying over the odds.

Can I get unlimited broadband without a landline?

Yes, almost all broadband deals offer unlimited data - it’s become standard rather than a special feature. And you definitely don’t need a landline for broadband access. The number of broadband deals with a landline has been getting steadily smaller as home phone users become the minority⁶ and you’ll find a lot more deals without one.

Are all broadband deals unlimited?

Almost. Unlimited data with no cap has become the standard for home broadband deals and it’s much more unusual to find one with limits. But always check the contract before you sign up.

What is the fair usage policy?

In the world of broadband, “fair usage” is a concept designed to stop users exceeding the network’s load through overuse. In the past, it was legal to market a broadband deal as “unlimited” but still effectively set limits through a fair usage policy. The provider would set those limits based on what they felt was going beyond reasonable use. It was controversial because sometimes the provider would punish customers for going beyond its idea of what “fair usage” meant, by:

Moving them to a more expensive deal
Reducing connection speeds
Terminating contracts

These days, broadband deals with a fair usage policy are uncommon and those that are still around tend to be mobile broadband deals. Providers are legally obliged to be transparent about any limits on your usage and they’re not allowed to punish you for exceeding it in the ways listed above. They might temporarily limit your speed as part of their traffic management, but this is becoming less common too.

Page last updated 14 February 2025