If you’re in the market for a new broadband deal, there’s a good chance you’ve considered packages from BT broadband or Sky broadband. They’re two of the UK’s most popular providers, and each offers a wide range of deals with frequent special offers that include tempting rewards.
But which is best? In this article, we’re going to examine both providers in a head to head competition to help you make a decision when comparing BT and Sky broadband.
BT vs Sky: broadband packages
How do BT and Sky broadband packages compare on key features such as speed, usage limits and contract length?
ADSL: BT Broadband vs Sky Broadband Unlimited
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BT Broadband
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Sky Broadband Essential
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Download speed (average) | 10Mb | 11Mb |
Upload speed | 1Mb | 1Mb |
Data usage limit | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Traffic Management | No | No |
Contract length | 24 months | 18 months |
Price | £24.99 | £25 |
Winner: Sky
There isn’t much which differentiates BT and Sky when it comes to ADSL broadband. Sky does advertise a slightly faster download speed, but the difference is minimal. Sky just edge it both on price and on account of the shorter contract giving you slightly more flexibility.
Sky deals
Entry-level Fibre: BT Fibre Essential vs Sky Broadband Superfast
Winner: Sky
Sky only offers an average speed of 59Mb, regardless of which fibre package you choose. But with its cheapest deal (the regular Sky Superfast and Line Rental bundle) being about the same price as BT's slower 36Mb entry-level service, it offers amazing value.
BT deals
Fast Fibre: BT Fibre 2 vs Sky Broadband
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BT Fibre 2
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Sky Superfast
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Download speed (average) | 67Mb | 59Mb |
Upload speed | 19.5Mb | 19.5Mb |
Data usage limit | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Traffic Management | No | No |
Contract length | 24 months | 18 months |
Price | £29.99 | £26 |
Winner: Sky
BT Fibre 2 (previously known as BT Infinity 2) offers a slightly quicker average download speed compared to Sky, but it’s a relatively minor improvement. Sky nudges ahead of BT because of the price, but otherwise, the two are well-matched in this speed tier.
Sky deals
Price and affordability
Monthly price
Winner: Sky
BT ADSL broadband packages start from around £26, rising to a hefty £45+ after 18 months. Sky offers ADSL from around £22, increasing to about £30 after 18 months.
Sky is also cheaper for fibre optic. You can expect to pay around £25 for 18 months of Sky Superfast, compared to around £30 for BT Fibre 2, or approximately £26 for 36Mb Fibre.
Setup cost
Winner: Sky
Sky broadband packages (broadband only deals with a phone line, but excluding TV) have a setup cost of around £10. And Sky charges just £20 if you need a new phone line.
BT setup starts at around £10 but goes up to around £20 on some packages. And it will cost £60 to activate an existing line, or £140 if you require a new phone line.
Sky deals
Broadband rewards
Winner: BT
While Sky is generally cheaper than BT, that’s not the whole story because BT is often available with special offers. BT frequently offers pre-paid Mastercards loaded with credit and also free gadgets. Sometimes it will provide multiple free gifts. In the past, we’ve seen deals with more than £200 worth of freebies.
Sky also runs promotions with rewards, but with less frequency than BT. If a free gift is important and you want Sky, you may have to wait a little while before a deal comes up, whereas BT is rarely available without a bonus.
Availability and coverage
Winner: BT
BT is the clear winner here, with availability across most of the country. If you can get broadband using a telephone line, you can get BT broadband.
Sky has its own LLU network which covers more than 24m premises so there’s a good chance you can get Sky, but if you’re outside their network area, you’ll have to look elsewhere.
Check to see what’s on offer in your location now by entering a postcode:
Customer service: BT and Sky compared
Winner: Sky
In the latest Ofcom customer service report, Sky had just 29 complaints per 100,000 customers, compared to 115 for BT. The industry average is 75. Sky also had a 57% rating for the handling of complaints, slightly better than BT’s 50%. However, BT did have a faster call waiting time of 01:40, with Sky coming in at 02:03.
Additional services
Winner: Sky
Both providers offer other services which you can take alongside the home broadband. Sky wins this category for us thanks to its excellent TV service (including the brilliant Sky Q box) and flexible mobile phone deals, but it is a very close match, and BT has a lot to recommend it.
TV: Sky is best known for its satellite TV offering, and if you’re interested in a vast choice of channels, with popular shows like Games of Thrones alongside more niche content, then only Virgin Media can match Sky’s selection. But BT TV is a compelling alternative. You can still get heaps of premium channels (including Sky channels such as Sky Atlantic and Sky Sports), and there’s no need for a satellite dish. It’s just a shame BT TV isn’t a little cheaper.
Mobile: Both providers have mobile phone deals. Sky uses the O2 network, while BT is using EE; this gives BT an edge in coverage and speed as EE has the most comprehensive 4G coverage and consistently wins speed tests. BT broadband customers can also get £5 off BT Mobile packages, and you can sign up for a Plus deal which provides free double data and a backup 4G connection if your home broadband is out of action. But Sky Mobile is flexible and cheap. Deals start from under £10, you can roll over unused data, and you’re able to mix up the phone plans by customising allowances to suit your needs.
Extras and freebies
Winner: BT
Both Sky and BT offer some useful extras, though BT has a more generous package.
BT broadband deals include:
- BT Wi-Fi (public hotspot network with more than 5m access points)
- Free online storage with BT Cloud
- BT Virus Protect (anti-virus for desktop and mobile powered by McAfee)
- BT Parental Controls (also works on BT Wi-Fi)
- Discounts for BT Sport
Sky broadband deals include:
- The Cloud Wi-Fi (more than 20,000 access points)
- Sky Broadband Shield (parental controls and online security)
BT vs Sky broadband: which is best?
Winner: Sky
These two giants of the broadband world are evenly matched. Both offer good value deals with handy extra features and additional TV and mobile services.
BT does have a unique 50Mb fibre package, more freebies and extras, and excellent mobile service, but on balance we have to give this one to Sky because of its stronger customer service record and lower prices.