Cheap broadband deals

What are the cheapest broadband deals?

The cheapest broadband deals will vary from week to week, as providers update their latest deals and offer different promotions throughout the year.

You can sort the results above by Cost (low to high) to see the most affordable Wi-Fi deals available on Uswitch. Just keep in mind that the best broadband deals aren't always the least costly ones — your priority should be to find a deal that's right for your needs.

Aside from just changing the monthly price, there are many ways providers make their Wi-Fi deals less expensive.

Extras and bill credits

It's important to look beyond monthly prices — many providers will often throw in extras, such as vouchers, gift cards and bill credits that can bring the overall cost down.

For example, a cheap broadband deal could cost £20 a month for a 12-month contract, but if it comes with a £50 voucher or reward card to spend as well. This effectively works out to £15.83 a month, which is quite a saving.

Bundle offers

If you also pay separate bills for other services like digital TV or a mobile phone contract, a low price broadband deal could also be a bundle that offers a group of services for a single monthly price.

If that total costs you less than your separate bills put together, it might work out less expensive to group them together under one provider.

Contract terms

Remember to compare the length of the contract and if the provider guarantees no price rises during the minimum term.

A cheap broadband deal with a longer contract and a guarantee of no price rises will save you more in the long-term. A shorter contract may sound better, because you could switch earlier to a new deal, but monthly prices might be higher than what you're comfortable with. Plus, your bill could increase significantly once the contract term is over.

This is why it pays to compare low-cost broadband deals to see what the total cost will be, factoring in setup fees and any other discounts or special offers.

Social tariff broadband deals

If you receive Universal Credit or another type of government-funded financial support, you might be able to qualify for a significantly low-priced broadband deal.

Some providers offer affordable Wi-Fi deals with prices from just £15 per month, so you could benefit from good broadband speeds for a much lower price.

Sky Broadband is the latest provider to announce universal credit broadband offers in response to the current cost of living crisis and record-breaking broadband price rises.

Take a look at our guide on broadband deals for low income families to see if you are eligible for one.

Cheap broadband plans on Uswitch.com in May 2022

Which is the cheapest internet provider?

Each of the major broadband providers in the UK have relatively cheap broadband deals on offer. In most cases, this is for their standard ADSL broadband packages or superfast fibre deals, which provide you with basic internet access for prices as low as £18 or £19 per month.

Providers that offer low-cost broadband plans include the following.

Plusnet

Plusnet often features some of the lowest-price internet deals on the market, and it's well-known for offering excellent customer service.

The provider is part of BT Group, which includes other telecoms brands BT and EE. All three companies have annual price increases baked into theor terms and conditions, which is worth keeping in mind before you sign up.

However, most broadband providers with low monthly costs also include some form of annual price hike, so this shouldn't necessarily be a reason to avoid Plusnet alone.

TalkTalk

Another popular low-cost broadband provider is TalkTalk.

Just like Plusnet, TalkTalk keeps its monthly prices low and focuses on delivering a good service, with technical and financial support where needed. It's one of the 'big four' broadband providers in terms of number of customers, alongside BT, Sky and Virgin Media.

TalkTalk also offers broadband, TV and home phone bundles for a single monthly fee. So if you watch a lot of television and still use your landline, a 'triple-play' provider like TalkTalk will likely keep your bills down by providing all three services at once.

Vodafone

Mobile network Vodafone is fairly new to the bradband market, but it has entered it with full force thanks to its very cheap broadband deals and comprehensive telecoms packages.

Vodafone often sells its superfast 67Mbps broadband deal for the same price as other providers' slowest deals — and sometimes even throws in gift cards worth dozens of pounds for signing up. That is a lot of money saved compared to other providers on the market, some of whom sell deals at a similar speed for several pounds per month more than Vodafone.

NOW Broadband

Sky-owned TV and broadband provider NOW focuses on great value-for-money offers.

While its broadband services and TV bundles aren't as comprehensive as Sky's, NOW makes up for it with some very low monthly prices. Plus, you can still get access to exclusive Sky content with its affordable TV add-ons.

Is the lowest-price broadband also the slowest?

While copper ADSL broadband is still technically the lowest-priced broadband type on the market, you can still get a comparably low-cost fibre broadband deal without paying too much more — and with some providers, even by paying the exact same amount.

Most of the lowest-price broadband suppliers offer fibre broadband deals with superfast internet speeds from around £20 a month. That's only around £2 per month more than the least-expensive ADSL deals, which are much slower broadband speeds than fibre.

It's also worth remembering that more affordable broadband plans still jump up in price after your initial fixed-term contract ends. This means that if you're currently outside your fixed-term contract and still on an ADSL connection, you may even be able to get a lower-cost deal on a new fibre broadband package.

Low cost Wi-Fi comparison

Even our most well-priced Wi-Fi deals will include wireless internet, from the most basic ADSL internet to the fastest fibre broadband deal out there. An inexpensive Wi-Fi comparison will show you the different speeds and services you can get from your provider, delivered via a Wi-Fi connection, rather than a comparison of which Wi-Fi routers are best.

For example, looking for low-cost Wi-Fi in the table above could show you cheap Wi-Fi deals from the likes of Plusnet, TalkTalk and Vodafone, all of which offer Wi-Fi plans for a reasonable price.

See all our wireless broadband deals for more options.

Can I get less expensive Wi-Fi deals with a bundle?

If you only want internet access, a cheap broadband-only deal is likely to work out less expensive than a bundle deal.

But if regularly use landline, pay-TV or mobile phone network services, it normally pays to compare broadband bundle deals from a single provider to see if it works out less pricey.

For instance, if you opt for an inexpensive broadband-only deal that comes with phone calls on a pay-as-you-go basis, you'll need to think about how often you actually use the phone.

But if you're frequently chatting with friends and family, a bundle deal that gives you unlimited calls for a fixed price may work out more fairly-priced in the long run, even if the headline cost per month is more expensive.

Can you find affordable fibre broadband deals?

It's easier than you might think to find more afforable fibre broadband deals.

Our Uswitch deals tables regularly show fibre broadband deals for just £20-£25 a month, often with vouchers or cashback rewards for new customers. But with so many offers and discounts available, it's sensible to check what deals are available at the moment.

Many providers offer time-limited discounts, so comparing low-cost broadband deals is a must.

How to compare cheap broadband deals

Here are our tips for finding the right well-priced broadband offer for you.

Find the right broadband speed

Low cost broadband plans are best suited for those on a tight budget or living in a small household. These could be students, or they could be those who don't use the internet very much. Plus, many people living in 1-2 person properties wouldn't need an extremely fast deal. This is why it's important to consider what you intend to use your broadband for.

The least expensive broadband deals will have relatively slow speeds, averaging around 10-11Mbps depending on your location.

If you're only planning to use your internet for browsing the web, checking emails and social media, or doing some online shopping, you should look for deals that offer these average speeds.

However, if you'll be downloading large files, streaming lots of TV, playing internet-hungry online games — or if you live in a household of more than two people — you may need a faster connection.

They're usually a little more expensive, but are often worth the money for what you can do with the jump in speed.

Watch out for download limits

You should also be aware of any limits on what you can download. These days, almost every package will offer unlimited usage, but some providers may have certain traffic management policies that restrict the speeds you can get at certain times, such as a Fair Usage Policy.

These shouldn't be an issue for most light users, but it's worth checking if you expect to be downloading large files or TV episodes at peak times (usually between 8-10pm), or use services like peer-to-peer file sharing.

Keep extra costs in mind

Finally, don't forget to see if there are any extra expenses, such as setup fees, line installation, delivery charges or the need to buy a router that will add to the upfront cost of the service.

It may be the case that a certain deal is a little extra per month than you wanted, but it could work out cheaper if it has free setup and no other additional charges.

Find out more about how to switch your broadband with our dedicated Uswitch guide.

Cheap broadband deals in my area

Most low-cost broadband providers and packages are available on the Openreach network, which is available to the vast majority of UK properties. Therefore, you shouldn't run into any issues finding an affordable broadband deal in your area.

Openreach's copper phone line network provides ADSL broadband for 99% of UK homes, and its superfast fibre connections reach over 96% of the country. Both host the lowest-price internet deals available, so the best thing to do is compare broadband offers by searching your postcode on our Broadband Postcode Checker, and then sorting the results by 'Cost (low to high)' to see what options you have.

How to stay on top of your broadband bills

There are a lot of things you can do to enjoy the full potential of your internet, for the price you want it.

Our broadband guides have lots of useful information for both choosing the right deal, and for getting what you need from your current service.

• Find out more ways you can save money on your broadband bill
• See how you can get broadband without a credit check
• Stay up to date with the latest broadband price rises from the likes of BT and Virgin Media
• Learn what broadband speed you can get in your area