Compare broadband providers

There are over 150 broadband providers serving customers in the UK, all of which have a range of different services and broadband speeds to offer.

There are a few top broadband suppliers, such as BT, Sky, Vodafone, TalkTalk and Virgin Media, along with a range of mid-sized providers and a high number of small broadband providers (also known as 'altnets') that you may or may not have heard of. And each of them has its own list of pros and cons that could suit your broadband needs.

In this Uswitch broadband provider list, we've outlined the costs, features, benefits and drawbacks of some of the UK's biggest Wi-Fi providers and their networks.

Find out all you need to know about comparing different UK internet suppliers and the services they offer.

How to compare broadband providers

There are a few things you can do to make sure you choose the right broadband provider for you:

When it comes to your customer experience, whether it's value for money, internet speed, customer service or all three, the requirements you have will determine which broadband provider is likely the best one for you.

Read our broadband provider reviews to see which ones stack up against others for a range of different things.

Fibre-optic internet providers

Almost all UK-based providers offer fibre broadband. But there's currently a wide variety of fibre speeds to choose from, depending on the provider and the type of fibre connection that's available to your home.

Fibre-optic broadband speeds can range from superfast at 30Mbps all the way to an astounding 1Gbps (1,000Mbps) and beyond. But the speeds you can get at your home will depend on whether part-fibre or full-fibre is available in your area.

Part-fibre broadband

The most widely available type of fibre is part-fibre, which is also called fibre-to-the-cabinet. It's supplied by Openreach's part-fibre, part-copper network, which hosts the majority of the suppliers listed above and is accessible by over 97% of the country.

Part-fibre broadband provides speeds between 30-70Mbps, so it may be the slowest fibre broadband option, but it's often the cheapest and it's definitely the most widely-available type of fibre-optic internet.

Plus, it's still much faster than full copper ADSL broadband, and it still offers plenty of bandwidth for most homes.

Virgin Media cable broadband

Virgin Media's cable network is separate to Openreach, offering much faster options to customers with speeds all the way from 50Mbps to over 1Gbps. However, at 56% coverage it's not available to as many UK properties as Openreach's part-fibre.

It's also more expensive, since Virgin needs to connect its faster 'coaxial' cables from the street cabinet to your home, rather than rely on standard copper phone lines to do the job.

Full fibre broadband

Full fibre providers also offer high speed services up to 1Gbps and beyond. Also known as fibre-to-the-premises, this is simply where fibre-optic cables connect directly from the provider's broadband exchange to your home.

The use of fibre cables rather than copper phone lines to connect to the property give it a huge speed boost compared to Openreach's part-fibre connections. So speeds on one of these networks can range from 100Mbps all the way to 3Gbps in some areas.

Coverage of full fibre is rapidly growing, with about half of UK homes currently able to access some form of it. Learn more about full fibre broadband with our guide.

Who are the fastest internet providers?

Internet providers who can deliver gigabit broadband will be the fastest option right now. This primarily will be full fibre providers, but Virgin Media is also one of the fastest, thanks to its cable broadband technology.

Although full fibre only has about 50% nationwide coverage right now, it's rapidly expanding through a number of networks:

• Openreach provides FTTP broadband connections for BT, Sky, EE and Plusnet

• CityFibre hosts most of Vodafone and TalkTalk's full fibre connections as well as some of its own deals

• Hyperoptic provides full fibre for new-builds and flats

• Gigaclear offers speeds up to 900Mbps on its network

• Community Fibre only services London addresses, but its connections go all the way up to 3Gbps

• Virgin Media's cable network was upgraded to 1Gbps speeds in late 2021, with faster connections planned for the future too.

By putting your postcode and address into our Uswitch broadband checker, you'll get a clear view of the different internet options available to your home. You can even filter out deals you don't want, so it's easier to compare providers that offer what you want.

What to look out for when comparing broadband providers

Certain broadband providers are better known for some services over others, and each one will have at least one unique selling point that'll make their offers attractive to a customer with a particular set of needs.

Here we'll go through the main considerations you should have for a broadband deal and which UK internet providers might be more suited to each.

Value for money

Cost is obviously important to keep in mind when choosing a broadband provider. A certain provider could offer deals that have more than you could ever need, but if the monthly price is out of your budget then you may end up regretting it in the long run.

Plusnet and TalkTalk are popular choices for affordable internet deals. They're both widely available across the country with strong fibre-optic deals, and they have good customer service too.

Another great way to compare value for money is by looking at the amount of internet speed a provider offers for the monthly price they charge. And if you do so, it's actually the smaller altnet providers that come out on top.

Find out more with our Uswitch guide to finding great value for money with your broadband.

Did you know that if you receive Universal Credit, you could qualify for a discounted broadband deal? Take a look at our broadband social tariffs guide.

Or if you're just looking for a standard broadband deal for an affordable price, you can compare a range of cheap broadband deals with Uswitch.

Broadband speed

You'll need to make sure that the deal you choose has the right speed for everything your household does online.

If you're in a very small household and you only really go online to check social media or browse the web, you could get away with a standard, 10Mbps broadband package from the likes of Direct Save Telecom or Onestream.

However, if you live with more than two people who use the internet, or you often stream high-quality TV, work from home or play internet-hungry online games, a faster fibre broadband package would likely be best.

Run a broadband speed test while connected to your Wi-Fi to see what speeds you're currently getting, and whether you could benefit from a faster connection.

Customer service

As a paying customer, you'll want to be assured that the provider you choose will treat you with care, competency and, when it matters, urgency.

Whether it's through complaints handling, helpful communications or fixing connection issues, good customer service makes your life a lot easier.

Get more information on which broadband provider has the best customer service.

If you have a complaint to make about your broadband service, it's best to take it up with your provider to see if they can find a solution first instead of going straight to Ofcom or the ombudsman. Here's how to complain to your broadband provider.

Who regulates broadband providers?

Ofcom is the regulator for communications services in the UK. It covers broadband, TV, mobile phones & networks and home phone services.

Broadband providers need to follow Ofcom's rules, regulations and standards to make sure they're offering a fair and transparent service for their customers. It regularly updates its policies to adapt to industry changes, consumer behaviour or new technology, and it can also reprimand providers that don't comply those rules.

Essentially, Ofcom is there to make sure you have the smooth, painless and enjoyable broadband experience that you deserve.

What's the best broadband provider?

There are many providers out there, and they all are known for different parts of their broadband service.

Some providers are well-known for particular things. For example, Virgin Media is often regarded as one of the fastest broadband providers, while BT is renowned for providing a comprehensive, all-in service with extra add-ons and benefits.

Take a look at our Uswitch broadband provider reviews for much more detail about how customers (and our experts) view their service.