The ultimate guide to getting cheap broadband
Did you know the average person could save £184 a year by switching broadband?
Stop giving money away to your provider and follow these handy hacks for a cheaper deal.
Not sure where to start when it comes to finding a cheaper internet deal? Here are the main steps we recommend everyone works through:
The 6 steps to getting cheap broadband
- Research the deals available to your home address using a broadband comparison tool
- Get haggling for a better monthly price
- Try your luck at an abandoned basket offer, or use rewards to get those effective monthly prices down
- Crawl the web for smaller alternative providers in your area
- Explore social tariff deals if you’re on benefits
- Consider whether you can slash your monthly expenses with a TV or calls bundle
Quick answers: where to find cheap broadband
What’s the cheapest broadband for 30Mb?
These packages are best for homes of 1-2 that only need to carry out basic online tasks (such as e-mailing, online shopping or streaming on one device).
As the UK starts to phase out ADSL broadband ahead of traditional phone lines being switched off, a basic superfast broadband package of 35Mb tends to be the cheapest deal you can get.
The most affordable options usually either comes from Onestream Fibre 40 with a 24-month contract deal coming in at less than £20 per month.
What’s the cheapest broadband for 60Mb?
Good for homes of 1-3 people. This will be a great option if you want to stream HD video. Multiple devices can browse online at once without stalling.
You’ll often find you won’t pay any more for a slightly faster service.
Onestream Fibre 80 is a good option for a superfast deal without breaking much past £20. Alternatively, if you want to go for a bigger-named provider, NOW Superfast Broadband will only cost a couple of pounds more (and is more likely to come with a gift card offer).
What’s the cheapest broadband for 100Mb?
These packages are best for larger homes with 1-5 devices simultaneously streaming HD video, gaming or video calling.
If you have the option to sign up to a 100Mb, go for it!
NOW Full Fibre 100, TalkTalk Full Fibre 150 or Virgin Media M125 tends to be the cheapest for effective monthly cost at this speed, thanks to regular reward offers.
What’s the cheapest broadband for 300Mb+?
These packages are best for the busiest of home with five or more people, frequent audio streaming on my devices and large file transfers.
Gift cards for new customers can really help make deals more cost-effective. With the likes of Vodafone Full Fibre 500, you can regularly get a reward on fast full fibre speeds of 500Mb and get the effective monthly cost down to less than £30 per month.
What’s the cheapest broadband for 1Gb+?
These packages are best for the busiest and most data-intensive households.
You shouldn’t have to break the £40 per month mark for Gigabit speeds. On Broadband Genie, Fibrely currently offers its Full Fibre 1000 Ultrafast deal for around £39 per month. Importantly, this also comes with a fixed price promise. This means there will be no price rises during your contract term.
Get more tips on beating annual broadband cost hikes in our ‘guide to broadband price rises in 2024’
How to haggle for a cheap broadband deal
We know switching broadband isn’t always the most ideal solution, especially if you have limited options in your area, or you’ve been enjoying a tailored broadband and TV service.
But you should always find out if you can get a better deal if you’re out of contract.
Even if you have no intention to switch, go through the motions as if you were and play the game. You might be amazed how much your provider is prepared to slash off your bill to keep you as a customer.
Here’s how to do it:
Do your research
We’ve made light work of researching the cheapest broadband offers currently available with our packages above.
Alternatively, if you’re after something specific, use our deals checker and make use of the filters to put together a shortlist.
Haggling for a better internet deal
1. Get in touch with your customer service department. Ask to speak to the retentions (or cancellations department) or follow any ‘thinking of leaving’ links to get the cheapest deals faster. You’ll get the best results if you’re able to speak to a real person, but if you’re really shy, you may find there’s a Live Chat option.
2. Be courteous and friendly. You aren’t in this conversation for a fight. Explain you’d like to cancel your broadband service. You’ll be asked why this is. You can then say: ‘I’ve found a better deal elsewhere’. If the same customer service rep can’t help you, you’ll then be passed onto the customer retention team.
3. Use your research. Be specific about what you’ve found elsewhere and refer to your search results notes. If you found your current provider is offering a much better deal to new customers, say where you found this and when the deal expires.
4. Stay chatty and don’t accept the first offer. Here are a few haggling star sentences:
- ‘I’m really sorry, but that offer is still too expensive, and I need to keep costs down’.
- ‘This offer doesn’t feel like the best value’
- ‘{insert provider name} are offering a package similar to this for less’
- ‘I’m afraid that’s still too much for my budget’
- ‘Is that the best you can offer?’
- ‘Sorry, but that’s still too much. I think I’d like to go ahead and cancel’.
If you’re rewarded with a deal that matches or is better than your researched offers, feel free to let them know you’re happy, but be aware by agreeing this, you’ll be committing to a new contract.
5. Keep quiet but stay motivated. Remember, the advisor is likely to spend a lot of the time researching the deals themselves, and the line may go quiet at times. To appear legitimate, it’s best not to fill these awkward silences.
6. Call their bluff. Go ahead and cancel or start a switch and you might be offered an even better deal.
Playing the long game
If you’re not happy with the best offer that the advisor can give you that day, but don’t want to risk getting disconnected, you can give yourself a little more time. Say you need to discuss any changes with your partner / housemates or family member. Some providers have been known to follow these offers up with a further discount link. Ask for a reference number or the best contact to follow this conversation up with.
If bonus offers don’t come after a day or so, and you’d like to still cancel or make use of that offer, call back.
Genie Tip:
Don’t forget to be polite. See it as more of a conversation than a challenge. Friendliness gets you a long way!
How to get cheap broadband deals with altnet providers
Keep in mind, there are many more broadband providers than just the big names.
Although you’ll find some altnets in the comparison tables on Broadband Genie, unfortunately we don’t list them all.
As well as fast connection speeds, many of these smaller networks offer great customer service, competitive pricing and are more likely to offer other perks such as fixed price promises. You could end up with a real bargain.
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What are 'altnets'?
‘Altnet’ is an abbreviated name for ‘alternative network providers’. Many of the bigger household broadband names (apart from Virgin Media, who has its own cable network) use the Openreach network. Altnets offer their own full fibre connections, although, these tend to be limited to smaller and more local service coverage.
Examples of altnets include: BeFibre, brsk, Hyperoptic, Community Fibre, Gigaclear, Quickline and YouFibre.
For a deeper dive, read our guides:
How to find altnet broadband providers in your area
Altnets might not have as much advertising budget as the bigger brand names, but it’s worth investigating for yourself.
In Google, try carrying out the following search ‘full fibre in {insert your location}’ and check through the results.
Alternatively, you can get a full list of providers (including altnets) available to your postcode using ThinkBroadband’s Broadband Package Search (don’t forget to select ‘home broadband’ in the advanced filter options).
Jot down any providers and packages that look interesting to you. Don’t forget, you can also use these deals as part of your haggling process too.
This will also list any discounted social tariffs available to those receiving benefits. More on that in our section below.
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Getting cheap broadband if you're on benefits
If you’re currently receiving benefits such as:
- Universal Credit
- Job Seeker’s Allowance
- House benefit
- Disability allowance
You may qualify for a broadband social tariff. These are cheaper broadband deals that are only accessible to those who can prove their eligibility.
Not all broadband providers openly advertise social tariffs. It may be something you have to dig around for (check your broadband provider’s top or footer menu on its website). Or they might only be available to those who get in touch with customer support and mention they’re struggling with finances.
Ofcom has a full list of social tariffs available to various regions around the UK.
The cheapest social tariff broadband readily available across the UK is Virgin Media Essential Broadband. This will cost you £12.50 per month, although you’ll get a fairly slow package with download speeds of up to 15Mb for this.
For more help understanding social tariffs, visit our guide to getting broadband on benefits.
Saving money with a broadband bundle
If you’re currently paying for a TV subscription, or you spend a lot of time on the phone, you could end up saving money with a broadband bundle deal.
When you’re carrying out your search for a potential new deal, make use of the filters on the left-hand side of our comparison tables.
Alternatively, here are some quick links to deals that include phone or TV.
Compare TV and broadband deals
Compare broadband, TV and phone deals
The cheapest broadband and TV bundle currently available to most people is Virgin Media’s ‘Big Bundle’:
It’s important to do the maths before you commit to a lengthy deal. When you sign up to a bundle, you’re committing to all those services for the entire duration of your contract. It can be very different to downgrade, and cancelling early could amount to an expensive early termination fee.
Double check the add-ons
We recommend carrying out a fake checkout to tot up an accurate final bill without entering any card details. Work through each option carefully, and only add a feature (such as included calls) if you’re sure you’d make the most out of it.
Genie tip:
If you’re keen on a deal and don’t mind sharing your details, leave the order sitting in your basket.
You won’t always get a discount, but abandoned basket promo emails from broadband providers do sometimes get sent out!
The cheapest way to get TV with your broadband
One great way to keep the costs down but also get access to premium TV channels is to make use of NOW TV passes.
Unless you have a compatible Smart TV, you’ll have to kit yourself up with a device such as a Google Chromecast or Amazon Fire TV Stick to stream to your screen. But this means you’re free to add these on top of any ‘broadband only deal’.
With rolling monthly contracts, you can be confident you can cancel whenever you like.
Unlike bundled broadband and TV deals from the likes of Virgin Media, you won’t have to pay an additional engineer’s charge.
Alternatively, NOW’s 6-Month Saver Entertainment pass does mean you’ll need to commit to half a year. But you’ll only have to pay £6.99 per month for the privilege. For this, you’ll have access to all the latest Sky shows, HBO series, exclusive Sky Originals and live Sky channels.
Genie hacks for getting cheap broadband
We've been in the saving game for a very long time, and we know all the tricks in the book! Here are some of the best ways to make sure you're never paying more for your broadband than you should:
- Stay organised! Set a reminder for your contract end date in your calendar
- Use a comparison tool. Always do your research and tally up the amounts before you commit to a new deal
- Never be ashamed to haggle
- Only commit to services and speeds you know you’ll make use of
- Don’t be lured in by a big voucher unless you would have used it anyway (e.g. a supermarket voucher)
- Check ‘effective monthly cost’ for a more accurate view of how much your package will cost for your entire contract
- Look out for ‘fixed price’ promises. Without annual price rises, you’ll be more in control of your finances
- Make use of friend referral schemes for a discounted price.
- Abandoned basket promos do exist! Leave your order in your basket for a day or so before committing to a contract and see if you get sent any discount codes
- New customer deals are often better than retention offers. If your contract is up, but you don’t want to change providers, cancel and start afresh with a partner, family member or housemate.
- Not all deals are listed on comparison sites. If you’re on benefits, social tariffs may be available at a discounted rate. You’ll need to sign up for these directly and get approval
Frequently Asked Questions about finding a cheap broadband deal
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Can you get broadband voucher codes?
You’re unlikely to find discount codes for broadband. However, broadband providers regularly offer time-limited gift cards or other rewards, which help sweeten the deal a little. Broadband Genie makes light work of finding these. Head to our 'Broadband Deals with Free Gifts' page and enter your address for an up-to-date list of broadband offers.
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Do I still get a free router with a cheap broadband deal?
Usually, you’ll be sent a broadband router or hub when you sign up as a new customer. You may be asked to cover the cost of postage and packaging, or have to pay for an engineer visit. However, it’s not a given. For example, Onestream requires an additional monthly subscription for a router, or you need to source your own.
Our tip of working through a fake checkout to view all the hidden costs will help you understand whether there are any additional costs for routers.
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I only recently signed up to a broadband deal, but I’ve found a better offer already. Can I leave?
Check your contract terms. It’s common for there to be a 14-day cooling-off period when you sign up to a broadband deal. This means you can change your mind and cancel without penalty for any reason during this time.
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Can I end my broadband contract if I can’t afford it?
Get in touch with your provider’s customer support team as soon as possible if you’re struggling to pay your broadband bill. Leaving a contract early often means you’ll have to pay an early termination fee. But if you speak to your provider and have an honest conversation, you may be able to come to an agreement on downgrading.
Alternatively, if you’re on benefits, you may be able to move over to a discounted social tariff.
It’s worth noting that BT’s Home Essentials social tariff is available if you’re an existing BT, EE or Plusnet Customer.
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Can you get a cheaper broadband deal if you pay all in one go rather than monthly?
Unlike other bills such as car insurance, there isn’t the option to save money on broadband by paying the entire contract fee upfront. Unfortunately, BT’s Line Rental Saver, which gave you the option to pay in advance for your line rental, was withdrawn from sale in July 2023.
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How can I avoid line installation fees?
Pretty much all homes in the UK are hooked up to the Openreach network and this gives you the freedom to sign up to many providers, including big names such as BT, Sky, TalkTalk, Vodafone and Plusnet. However, other providers such as Virgin Media and smaller altnets will require an engineer visit and possibly extra expense for an engineer.
If you want to avoid this cost altogether but still sign up to a reasonably priced deal, it’s worth considering a 4G/5G Home Broadband deal from the likes of Three.
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Where can I find cheaper broadband for pensioners?
Several broadband providers offer cheaper broadband social tariffs to pensioners receiving Pension Credit. These include: BT, 4thUtility, EE (via BT), Hyperoptic, KCOM, NOW Broadband, Plusnet (via BT), Shell Energy, Sky Broadband, Virgin Media, Vodafone and YouFibre.
The cheapest social tariff for pensioners you’re almost guaranteed to be able to sign up to is Virgin Media Essential Broadband for just £12.50 per month.
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Do I need to pass a credit check for a cheap broadband deal?
Most broadband deals require you to pass a credit check before signing up. However, the criteria isn’t as strict as if you were applying for a loan, for example.
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Is it worth waiting for Black Friday to switch? Will I get a better offer?
Increasingly, broadband Black Friday deals don’t offer anything special or out of the ordinary. If you’re savvy and keep a lookout on our Broadband with Free Gifts page, you can get excellent deals all year round. We think it makes much more sense to switch or haggle as soon as you can, rather than wait around for Black Friday offers.
Have you had a haggling success story? Let us know who you were with, how much you saved, and if you have any other tips you’d like to share with others. Tweet us at x.com/broadbandgenie or email us with the subject line 'haggle story'.