Broadband only deals: our expert picks for the week beginning 18th March
Each week the Broadband Genie team chooses a selection of the best broadband only deals to help you find the perfect package and save money. Here you can find our pick of the best, cheapest and fastest broadband only deals.
This doesn’t include every offer out there of course. If you don’t see anything suitable in our weekly picks then use our comparison table to search all packages. The best way to do this is enter your postcode to filter by location, and use the filters to narrow down the results.
If you’re uncertain about any aspect of buying and using broadband head over to our guides, features or blog pages for expert help and advice. You can also follow us on Twitter or Facebook for the latest updates, news and competitions.
What are the best broadband only deals?
These are our favourite broadband only deals this week. These may not always stand out in a particular category, but represent the best overall value for money with a good balance of features and speed at the right price.
TalkTalk Faster Fibre just £22.50 for 18 months
36Mb average speed | 18 month contract | £22.50 per month | £0 setup
Bag yourself a fibre bargain with this cheap fibre offer from TalkTalk - for the first 18 months you’ll pay just £22.50.
36Mb average speed: This is a good choice for individuals and families, fast enough for gaming, streaming and downloads.
£22.50 per month: Increases to £33.50 after 18 months, but you have a fixed price guarantee so won’t be hit with a mid-contract rise.
£0 setup: No activation fee with this offer, but this assumes you already have an active phone line. New lines will cost extra.
Extras: Free Wi-Fi router and access to the TalkTalk TV Store.
View deal
Plusnet Unlimited Broadband just £18.99 with £75 reward
10Mb average speed | 18 month contract | £18.99 per month | £0 setup | £75 Plusnet Reward | Ends 26th March
Plusnet is offering a £75 reward on its already cheap unlimited ADSL broadband. This is a “line only” package without inclusive calls and at less than £20 a month is a great choice if you simply need a cheap broadband connection. And it’s backed up Plusnet’s award winning customer support.
Including the £75 reward the effective monthly price of this deal is just £14.82 for the first 18 months.
10Mb average speed: A typical average speed for an ADSL connection. This is suitable for small households and individuals. But if you have a busy shared home or you’re a power use planning on using it for lots of downloading and streaming, a fibre optic service is best.
£18.99 per month: This is the monthly price for the first 18 months, but it increases to £29.98 so make a note and consider switching or negotiating to keep your costs low.
£0 setup: No setup charges, provided you already have an active phone line. If you need a new line additional costs will apply.
£75 reward: Includes a Plusnet Reward Card - a Mastercard loaded with £75 credit. To claim your reward you must follow the instructions in the email Plusnet will send after activation of the service. You have two months after receiving the email to claim.
Extras: Includes a free Wi-Fi router.
View dealWhat are the cheapest broadband only deals?
If price is your overriding concern then the deals here should satisfy your inner bargain hunter. But when looking at the cheapest broadband deals don’t completely neglect other important aspects such as speed, data limits and extra features and bonuses.
This week you can save on your broadband bills with a couple of deals from Direct Save and TalkTalk that offer broadband for less than £20 per month.
Direct Save Unlimited Broadband only £16.95 with free setup
11Mb average speed | 12 month contract | £16.95 per month | £0 setup
This simple broadband and line rental deal is currently one of the cheapest packages available. No special offers here, just a low price for the first year.
11Mb average speed: Suitable for small households or individuals, but this isn’t fast by modern standards. If you’re frequently downloading large files or have to share the connection with several people look for a fibre service instead.
£16.95 per month: The price for the first 12 months, then it increases £24.95.
£0 setup: No fee for broadband activation, provided you already have an active phone line. Otherwise extra costs may apply.
Extras: Includes a free Wi-Fi router. Line rental is included in your monthly price, but there’s no inclusive calling unless you choose to add it for an additional fee.
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Origin Broadband only £16.50 per month
11Mb average speed | 12 month contract | £16.50 per month | £0 setup
Get broadband on a budget with this very cheap home broadband package from Origin Broadband. It's just £16.50 a month for an unlimited ADSL connection, and there are no setup fees either.
11Mb average speed: Suitable for small households and individuals, but slow compared to fibre so if you need more speed (for big downloads, streaming video or sharing the connection) look for a faster service.
£16.50 per month: This is the price for 12 months, at the end of the contract you can choose from latest deals but may be moved onto a rolling monthly contract at a higher price if you don't take one.
£0 setup: No setup costs, unless you need a new phone line in which case additional fees will apply.
Extras: Includes a free Wi-Fi router.
View dealWhat are the fastest broadband only deals?
Fast broadband lets you do whatever you like on the internet without waiting around, though it’s also crucial for family and shared homes where the connection might be under strain from multiple users.
Virgin Media VIVID 350 Fibre Broadband with 365Mb download speed
362Mb average speed | 12 month contract | £50 per month | £70 setup
Virgin’s fastest service isn’t cheap, but the price still undercuts some slower deals, at least for the first 12 months. But not everyone needs broadband this quick so think about whether you could save money with a slower service.
Unlike many other broadband services this is a broadband deal without a phone line, so you're not paying for line rental and will not be able to use a landline for calls.
362Mb average speed: This is an extremely high speed, best suited to serving busy family or shared homes where it will easily be able to handle multiple people streaming and downloading at the same time.
£50 per month: A reasonable price for such a fast connection. Virgin does increase prices from time to time, though you can leave for free if it’s not linked to inflation.
£70 setup: This is a comparatively high setup cost. If you're put off by the fee and aren't in a rush Virgin does sometimes offer special deals where setup is reduced, though its broadband only packages aren't always included.
View dealTalkTalk Faster Fibre Large just £25 for 18 months
63Mb average speed | 18 month contract | £25 per month | £0 setup
Get TalkTalk’s fastest fibre optic broadband for only £25 for the first 18 months. This is the cheapest fibre broadband in this speed tier, and undercuts many slower packages..
If you’re interested in upgrading to the best fibre broadband but have been put off by the cost you won’t want to miss out on this deal.
63Mb average speed: The fastest speed available from TalkTalk, it provides plenty of bandwidth to handle the demands of a busy shared household.
£25 per month: A very low price for the speed, though it will increase after 18 months. However you are safe from mid-contract price rises thanks to TalkTalk’s fixed price guarantee.
£0 setup: There’s no charge for setup, provided you already have an active telephone line. Extra costs will apply if you need a new phone line.
Extras: A free Wi-Fi router is included (and there’s no charge for P&P).
View dealMore help buying broadband
Confused about some aspect of choosing or using a broadband service? You can find further help and guidance in our articles that cover everything from jargon-busting beginner guides to buyer’s advice for selecting the best deal for you.
What is broadband? If you’re a complete broadband beginner then this introduction to the topic is a good place to start, giving an overview of what broadband is, how it works, what you need to use it, and why you might want it.
Guide to broadband speed It’s important to understand what broadband speeds actually mean, so if you can’t tell your megabits from your megabytes consult this guide and become an instant expert on the subject.
How to choose the right broadband speed Speed is one of the major deciding factors when choosing a broadband deal. But how much speed do you need?
Can you get free broadband? Does free broadband exist? What are your options for getting very cheap or even free internet access?
Broadband glossary If you’re confused about a technical term, consult our handy broadband dictionary for a plain-English explanation.