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Broadband with no upfront cost and free installation

Enter your postcode to start comparing broadband deals available to you:

10 of 163 results 
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Uswitch rated takes into account deals that are proving to be popular with our customers, that are competitive in the market and have a smooth buying process.
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Super fast fibre optic broadband means smoother video-streaming, better online gaming and quicker sharing of photos and videos.
10 of 163 results 
Sorted by: Uswitch rated
Uswitch rated takes into account deals that are proving to be popular with our customers, that are competitive in the market and have a smooth buying process.
  • Virgin Media
    Virgin Media M125 Ultrafast Fibre broadband only
    132
    Mbps
    average UK speed*
    £22.99
    a month
    no setup cost
    monthly cost may rise during contract
    • £75 bill credit
    More info
  • Exclusive
    Vodafone
    Vodafone Fibre 2
    67
    Mbps
    average UK speed*
    £24.50
    a month
    no setup cost
    monthly cost will rise every April by £3
    • £90 voucher
    More info
  • Virgin Media
    Virgin Media M500 Ultrafast Fibre broadband only
    516
    Mbps
    average UK speed*
    £29.99
    a month
    no setup cost
    monthly cost may rise during contract
    • £90 bill credit
    More info
  • NOW Broadband
    NOW Broadband: Superfast
    61
    Mbps
    average UK speed*
    £22.00
    a month
    no setup cost
    monthly cost may rise during contract
    More info
  • Virgin Media
    Virgin Media Gig1 Fibre broadband only
    1130
    Mbps
    average UK speed*
    £34.99
    a month
    no setup cost
    monthly cost may rise during contract
    • £105 bill credit
    More info
  • Virgin Media
    Virgin Media M350 Ultrafast Fibre broadband only
    362
    Mbps
    average UK speed*
    £34.50
    a month
    no setup cost
    monthly cost may rise during contract
    • £85 bill credit
    More info
  • Sky
    Sky Superfast Broadband
    61
    Mbps
    average UK speed*
    £25.00
    a month
    no setup cost
    monthly cost may rise during contract
    • £95 voucher
    • Most Popular Broadband Provider
    More info
  • Virgin Media
    Virgin Media M250 Ultrafast Fibre broadband only
    264
    Mbps
    average UK speed*
    £25.99
    a month
    no setup cost
    monthly cost may rise during contract
    • £80 bill credit
    More info
  • Plusnet
    Plusnet Fibre
    66
    Mbps
    average UK speed*
    £25.99
    a month
    no setup cost
    monthly cost may rise during contract
    • £30 Plusnet reward card
    • Broadband Provider of the Year
    More info
  • Sky
    Sky Stream, Essential TV, Netflix & Superfast Broadband
    61
    Mbps
    average UK speed*
    Sky Atlantic
    Discovery+
    Netflix
    £39.00
    a month
    no setup cost
    monthly cost may rise during contract
    • Most Popular Broadband Provider
    More info
About these results

* Average speeds are based on the download speed available to at least 50% of customers with this product during peak time (8 to 10pm). Your actual speeds depend on factors like your connection type, area, time of day and distance from the telephone exchange.

§ Order before 8pm for next working day delivery. To find out more about delivery times, please check the provider site for more details.

Deals are subject to local availability and may not be available to existing customers. You can confirm availability and estimated speeds for your property on the provider’s website - this may be different to what we show.

Some providers may increase monthly costs each year during your contract, in line with the retail or consumer price index. Check their terms before signing up.

We’ve highlighted some recent Uswitch Award winners on our table.

How our site works

Uswitch services are provided at no cost to you, but we may receive a commission from the companies we refer you to. This helps to keep our site free for you to use. Sometimes we have commercial agreements with providers to highlight deals that we think are worth your consideration. These deals are labelled 'sponsored'.

You can usually make a lot of savings by switching to a broadband deal with an upfront cost, but it's still worth considering providers that let you join without an extra charge. Here are a few services to consider when you’re looking to get broadband with no upfront costs.

What types of broadband come with free installation?

You can get all of the following types of broadband with free installation and without any upfront costs:

  • ADSL broadband
  • Fibre-optic - superfast part-fibre and ultrafast full fibre broadband
  • Cable broadband from Virgin Media
  • Some student broadband deals come without upfront costs

Nothing about the type of broadband requires your new provider to charge you a setup or installation fee. However, some services typically charge more for installation if it currently doesn't exist at the property.

For instance, if new home equipment is needed or a fibre-optic line needs to be installed, some providers – particularly the larger, more established ones – will charge an installation fee.

On the other hand, newer and smaller broadband providers looking to establish themselves in the market are more likely to offer a ‘no upfront cost’ broadband deal. So, they might be an option worth considering if they're available to your home.

What upfront fees could I have to pay?

You may have to pay upfront fees if you choose a broadband provider that doesn't offer free installation. These fees can vary but typically include installation costs and setup fees. Here are some examples of upfront fees:

Setup or activation fees

A setup or activation fee could be considered an administrative fee, covering the costs of signing up with your new broadband provider.

The two terms tend to be used interchangeably and are more common in shorter-term broadband contracts, so you’re likely to see these fees for one-month broadband deals.

Delivery charges

You may find a small delivery charge included when signing up to a new provider.

This usually covers the costs of sending out your new Wi-Fi router or set-top box if you’ve signed up for a broadband and TV deal, and it shouldn’t set you back more than £5-£10 when you sign up.

Installation charges

As mentioned above, there are times when new equipment or a new broadband line will need to be installed in order for you to access certain services. This will sometimes come with an installation fee.

For instance, if you’re moving from any of the providers that use Openreach to deliver their services – such as BT, Sky or TalkTalk – to a provider like Virgin Media or Hyperoptic, you’ll likely need to have a new cable or fibre-optic line installed. 

Similarly, if you sign up for TV services from Sky along with your broadband, you might need to pay an installation fee to get your dish and set-top box installed. However, this is less common these days since Sky introduced its internet-based TV services, Sky Glass and Sky Stream.

Installation charges vary from as little as £20 to £100, and you might need to pay these charges even if the broadband package has free setup.

Compare fixed price broadband deals

Browse deals from providers with no mid-contract price increases for the full length of your contract.

How long does a broadband installation take?

A broadband-only installation times can vary depending on the provider and the type of broadband you choose. However, most installations take about 10-14 days to book in advance.

It’s important to know that switching providers will likely result in minimal downtime on your broadband. Your existing connection will work until your installation date, and if you need an actual installation (during which your internet may be down), it will take a few hours.

Once booked, an engineer visit can take 30 minutes for a simple installation and up to three hours if a new line needs to be installed on the property.

Our broadband expert says...

"Some broadband providers may occasionally add a small upfront charge to their deals to cover some of the costs of setting up your connection. However, others rarely make a case of adding them.


There's no official rule on when a provider should, or should not, add an upfront cost to their offer. Providers always have setup costs in some form, it's just up to them whether or not to cover some of those costs with an upfront fee to customers on their deals.


You might be more likely to see an upfront cost on a deal if the connection needs to be installed by an engineer, or if the provider wants to cover any equipment delivery costs. But this isn't a guarantee, as they still might find other ways to pay for it."

Max Beckett author headshotMax Beckett, Broadband Expert

Which broadband providers offer free installation and no setup fees?

You can get broadband with no upfront cost from many major UK providers.

Plusnet

Earning its reputation as an affordable broadband provider with excellent customer service, Plusnet doesn’t charge any upfront costs unless you need a new phone line installed, which will cost you an installation fee of £50.

TalkTalk

Most TalkTalk broadband deals come with free setup, but you could be charged for new equipment if you sign up for a broadband and TV deal.

Vodafone

Despite offering some incredibly fast broadband speeds, Vodafone doesn’t charge any setup fees when you take out a new deal with the provider.

Compare 100Mbps broadband deals

Find broadband deals with 100Mbps speeds and faster in your area.

100Mbps broadband

Which broadband providers charge setup fees?

Providers that regularly charge setup fees or installation costs will sometimes waive them as part of a promotion or special offer, especially around key dates in the year, such as Black Friday.

Otherwise, be sure to factor in the additional costs when comparing broadband deals. 

BT

As the UK’s largest and longest-trading internet provider, BT still charges setup fees on most of its broadband packages—from £29.99 to £59.99 for some broadband and TV packages.

You might be able to get a broadband deal from BT without any upfront costs from time to time during the occasional promotion. However, the provider is likelier to offer reward cards or bill credit instead of reduced sign-up fees.

Sky

Sky’s biggest selling point has always been its award-winning TV service. As such, new Sky packages usually include a setup and/or installation fee. 

You’re more likely to find a discounted or free setup on higher-cost deals, such as a full-service TV and broadband subscription.

NOW Broadband

NOW Broadband deals usually include a small upfront cost, which is often waived as part of a promotion.

NOW TV memberships are very different from NOW broadband packages. Operating more like Netflix, you can sign up for and cancel these as and when you like without paying any sign-up fees.

Virgin Media

It’s fairly typical for Virgin Media to charge an installation fee when new customers sign up because a new broadband line is usually required. However, if your property has had a Virgin Media connection previously installed, you likely won’t have to pay a setup charge.

Although many Virgin Media deals offer ‘no setup fee,’ you may still be required to pay an installation fee when arranging an engineer visit.

What are the pros and cons of broadband with no upfront costs?

The fewer costs we need to pay to get set up on a new broadband deal, the better. However, choosing broadband deals with no upfront fees has a few minor drawbacks.

Pros

  • Fewer expensive charges to pay when you sign up.

  • You still get a wide selection of deals, as packages with no setup costs are fairly common across the market.


Cons

  • Fewer options as some deals won’t be available without paying a setup fee, and these deals might end up being better value in the long run.

  • Limited services - additional services like TV or phone deals often come with setup costs.

  • Additional ‘hidden’ costs might be included such as installation costs or engineer fees.

Can I get broadband and TV deals with no upfront cost?

You can get a broadband and TV deal with no upfront cost, as providers like Sky often use this as a promotion to entice new customers.

With the introduction of Sky Stream TV, which requires less physical equipment to access Sky content, setup fees are lower and therefore waived more often to make the offer seem more appealing.

Of the major providers that offer broadband and TV deals, BT is the most likely to charge a setup fee for its services.

Do I need an engineer to install broadband?

In many cases, no, you can self-install your broadband with easy-to-follow instructions provided by your broadband provider. This can save you time and money, and you can enjoy your broadband service without waiting for an engineer to install it.

However, if you need a new broadband line installed - whether it’s a full fibre cable or Virgin Media connection - you’ll need an engineer to come and set this up for you.

No upfront cost broadband FAQs

Can I get fibre broadband with no upfront fees?

The vast majority of deals listed on Uswitch are fibre broadband deals. With either full or part-fibre deals, you can get speeds ranging from 30Mbps all the way up to 1Gbps – many of which are available with no upfront fees.

Can I get broadband with free installation if I have bad credit?

You likely won't find be allowed free installation if you have bad credit, but you may not have to pay an installation charge anyway if you switch to a provider on the same broadband network.

For example, if you're switching from a part-fibre deal from BT to a different part-fibre deal from Sky, you may not need to pay for installation because both connections use the same Openreach network.

However, it's also worth noting that you can get discounted broadband with no upfront costs if you're currently receiving Universal Credit or another type of financial support from the government.

Read all about broadband social tariffs with our guide.

Is no upfront cost broadband cheaper?

This depends on how much the upfront cost is. If you notice a 'no upfront cost' promotion but the setup fee is normally just £5-15, then you should still make sure the monthly price and contract length are worth the small discount that comes with.

However, if the upfront cost is normally much higher, that could be a huge saving on the total cost of your contract. So it's at least worth considering if the total cost of the contract is significantly lower as a result.

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