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Best broadband providers in the UK for 2024

Looking for cheap broadband? Compare prices from top providers and get a great deal

To help you choose the right broadband deal, I’ve thoroughly analysed the best broadband providers in the UK, considering all the top speeds on offer and the types of broadband you can access.

The Independent Advisor team also surveyed 2,000 broadband customers across the UK*, asking them to rate their internet provider on factors such as speed, price and more. The results revealed that Hyperoptic stands out as the best broadband provider overall. Aside from Hyperoptic, my best picks include EE for speed, Plusnet for customer service and Vodafone for value.

Our top recommended broadband providers
Hyperoptic
Ultrafast speeds at affordable prices
Plusnet
Fast speeds & reliable customer service
Vodafone
Perks for existing mobile customers
BT Broadband
The UK’s largest broadband provider

Best broadband providers at a glance

Overall: Hyperoptic

Speed: EE

Customer service: Plusnet

Value for money: Vodafone

Reliable connection: BT

Best broadband providers compared

Based on our research and the results of our survey, these are the best internet providers in the UK.

Broadband providerIndependent Advisor RatingCustomer satisfactionSpeedCustomer serviceReliabilityValue for money
Hyperoptic*★★★★100%64%64%93%79%
Community Fibre*★★★★75%63%75%80%100%
EE★★★½90%66%73%84%67%
Plusnet★★★½88%53%68%83%74%
Vodafone ★★★½86%60%69%85%76%
BT★★★½85%62%61%87%59%
Sky★★★½82%62%64%81%57%
Three★★★½74%61%74%68%77%
NOW Broadband★★★½78%64%62%73%76%
TalkTalk★★★78%57%53%80%59%
Virgin Media★★★83%56%54%79%58%
* Hyperoptic and Community Fibre customers represented less than 1 per cent of survey respondents. We included them in our assessment of broadband providers, as their satisfaction ratings were very high and we supplemented survey results with their Trustpilot ratings. However, we did not include Community Fibre in our top five providers, as its availability is limited to London.

Best broadband providers

Hyperoptic: best overall

  • Independent Advisor rating: ★★★★
  • Speeds offered: 50Mbps to 1Gbps
  • Cheapest package: fast 50Mbps, £28/month
  • Contract lengths: monthly, 12 months or 24 months
  • Set-up fee: £19
  • Price match guarantee for customers who find a cheaper deal from a competitor

With 100 per cent of surveyed customers satisfied with their service, Hyperoptic broadband tops our list of best providers. It offers an affordable and reliable connection, with 79 per cent of its customers rating its value for money as either ‘excellent’ or ‘good’. It was also the top provider for pricing transparency, reliability and technical support, according to our survey. 

Home to some of the speediest deals on the market, Hyperoptic offers superfast full-fibre broadband. 64 per cent of its customers reported they always or mostly receive their advertised speed.

What I like: there are no mid-contract price increases. The fastest deal, offering an average speed of 900Mbps, costs just £36.

What I don’t like: you need a full fibre connection, and Hyperoptic is only available in major cities. It’s not the best-ranked provider for customer service or speed, according to customers surveyed.

Hyperoptic scoreProvider average
Customer satisfaction10083
Reliability9381
Value for money7971
Speed6461
Customer service6464
Source: Independent Advisor survey, over 2,000 respondents in the UK, March 2024.

EE: best for speed

  • Independent Advisor rating: ★★★½
  • Speeds offered: 37Mbps to 1.6Gbps
  • Cheapest package: Full Fibre 150 Essentials, £29.99/month 
  • Contract lengths: 24 months
  • Set-up fee: £0
  • Exclusive mobile benefits: unlimited data mobile SIMs from just £10 a month

Now owned by BT Group, EE originally became a household name for its mobile services. Today, it’s favoured by customers for its ultrafast fibre broadband and TV services. 

Customers ranked the provider first for speed, with 66 per cent of users stating they ‘always’ or ‘mostly’ receive their advertised speeds. EE also provides a stable connection, ranking third for reliability. Overall, 90 per cent of surveyed customers are satisfied with EE’s service, with 73 per cent rating its customer service ‘excellent’ or ‘good’.

What I like: many bundles available; customers can add unlimited mobile data or a TV package.

What I don’t like: not the best value for money. It was the fourth worst provider in terms of value for money (67 per cent), but you pay for quality, reliable fast broadband

EE scoreProvider average
Customer satisfaction9083
Reliability8481
Value for money6771
Speed6661
Customer service7364
Source: Independent Advisor survey, over 2,000 respondents in the UK, March 2024.

Plusnet: best for customer service

  • Independent Advisor rating: ★★★★
  • Speeds offered: 74Mbps to 900Mbps
  • Cheapest package: Full Fibre 145, £25.99/month
  • Contract lengths: 24 months
  • Set-up fee: £0
  • Free security with all plans: Plusnet Protect and Plusnet Safeguard protect your devices from security risks and your children from harmful content

I recommend Plusnet if you value excellent customer service. It has a UK-based call centre that’s contactable seven days a week; I know this is important to customers, as 48 per cent of our survey respondents stated their preferred contact method is over the phone. 69 per cent of customers rated Plusnet’s customer service as ‘excellent’, and it ranked highest among all providers for ease of contact.

88 per cent of customers were satisfied with Plusnet’s service, placing it third on our list. However, Plusnet scored the lowest for speed – with just 53 per cent of customers stating they ‘always’ or ‘mostly’ receive Plusnet’s advertised speeds.

What I like: great for families thanks to its security features, and rewards customers with offers and deals from restaurants and shops. 

What I don’t like: its fastest deal – Full Fibre 900Mb – is expensive compared to competitors. Deals for 500Mbps and below are reasonably priced.

Plusnet scoreProvider average
Customer satisfaction8883
Reliability8381
Value for money7471
Speed5361
Customer service6864
Source: Independent Advisor survey, over 2,000 respondents in the UK, March 2024.

Vodafone: best value for money

  • Independent Advisor rating: ★★★½
  • Speeds offered: 35Mbps to 910Mbps
  • Cheapest package: Full Fibre 74, £24/month
  • Contract: 24 months
  • Set-up fee: £0
  • Vodafone Xtra Broadband: for an additional £10 per month, receive and Apple TV 4K, three months free of Apple TV and unlimited anytime UK calls

Vodafone has been a mainstay in the UK’s mobile phone market for decades but is a relative newcomer in the broadband space. 

76 per cent of its customers rated it ‘excellent’ for value for money – a basic package costs less than £30. Vodafone also came in fourth for overall customer satisfaction (86 per cent), customer service (69 per cent) and pricing transparency (74 per cent). I wouldn’t recommend Vodafone for speed as it fell outside of the top five providers with just 60 per cent of customers rating it ‘excellent’ or ‘good’ in that category.

What I like: you can bundle broadband and mobile deals, and a basic broadband deal costs less than £30.

What I don’t like: Vodafone isn’t so strong when it comes to TV bundles, however, it does still offer a streaming package.

Vodafone scoreProvider average
Customer satisfaction8683
Reliability8581
Value for money7671
Speed6061
Customer service6964
Source: Independent Advisor survey, over 2,000 respondents in the UK, March 2024.

BT: most reliable connection

  • Independent Advisor rating: ★★★½
  • Speeds offered: 36Mbps to 900Mbps
  • Cheapest package: Fibre 1, £32.99/month
  • Contract length: 12 or 24 months
  • Set-up fee: £0
  • Complete Wifi: optional get Wifi in every corner of your home or £100 money-back guarantee

BT is one of the UK’s largest broadband providers, with widespread fibre coverage. Thanks to its good infrastructure, 87 per cent of customers rated its reliability as ‘excellent’, placing it top of our list. It also came fifth for overall customer satisfaction, with 85 per cent of customers satisfied with BT’s service. Our survey showed that BT customers were least likely to say they had encountered issues with their broadband connection. 

I wouldn’t recommend BT for speed; only 62 per cent of customers rated it ‘excellent’ or ‘good’ in that category. Additionally, just 59 per cent of customers agreed it was good value for money, ranking the provider in the bottom three.

What I like: its TV deals include Netflix plans as well as sports and entertainment bundles.

What I don’t like: deals are very expensive compared to other providers and involve mid-contract price rises.

BT scoreProvider average
Customer satisfaction8583
Reliability8781
Value for money5971
Speed6261
Customer service6164
Source: Independent Advisor survey, over 2,000 respondents in the UK, March 2024.

Community Fibre: best for London
  • Independent Advisor rating: ★★★★
  • Speeds offered: 150Mbps to 3Gbps
  • Cheapest package: 150Mbps Fibre Broadband, £21/month
  • Contract length: 12 or 24 months
  • Set-up fee: £0
  • 60-day satisfaction guarantee: leave within 60-days if you’re not happy with your internet connection and speed – no exit fee

Community Fibre is a relative newcomer to the broadband scene and is only available for London postcodes. It stands out for its pricing transparency and no-mid contract price hikes. 75 per cent of customers rated Community Fibre’s pricing transparency ‘excellent’ or ‘good’. 

It offers ultrafast speeds at affordable prices; 75 per cent of customers said they were satisfied with the service they receive and 100 per cent of them rated the value for money ‘excellent’ or ‘good’. I highly recommend Community Fibre if you live in London, as no other provider compares in terms of value.

What I like: packages have no set-up fee and its 1Gbps package costs less than £30 – significantly less than rivals Virgin Media and Sky.

What I don’t like: only available for London postcodes.

Community Fibre scoreProvider average
Customer satisfaction7583
Reliability7581
Value for money10071
Speed6361
Customer service7564
Source: Independent Advisor survey, over 2,000 respondents in the UK, March 2024.

Sky: best for bundles
  • Independent Advisor rating: ★★★½
  • Speeds offered: 36Mbps to 900Mbps
  • Cheapest package: Superfast 75Mbps, £28/month
  • Contract length: 24 months
  • Set-up fee: £5
  • Wall to Wall Wifi Guarantee: one month of free broadband if you’re not receiving 3Mbps in every room included as standard

Sky is one of the UK’s top providers and has supplied broadband and TV services nationwide for decades. Live TV and streaming services require a reliable and fast connection which Sky provides. 81 per cent of customers said its service is reliable and 62 per cent of customers rated it ‘excellent’ or ‘good’ for speed. However, Sky’s deals are not the most affordable – customers ranked it lowest for value for money and pricing transparency.

What I like: its broadband and TV packages. Sky is an excellent choice for superfast speeds and live TV channels. 

What I don’t like: broadband-only customers are likely to overpay for their connection.

Sky scoreProvider average
Customer satisfaction8283
Reliability8181
Value for money5771
Speed6261
Customer service6464
Source: Independent Advisor survey, over 2,000 respondents in the UK, March 2024.

Virgin Media: best for fibre broadband
  • Independent Advisor rating: ★★★
  • Speeds offered: 132Mbps to 1130Mbps
  • Cheapest package: M125 Fibre Broadband, £24/month
  • Contract length: 18 months
  • Set-up fee: £0
  • Virgin Media Essential Security: protects any device connected to your home network

Virgin Media is one of the leading providers in the UK and supplies more than 60 per cent of customers we surveyed thanks to its own cable network. 83 per cent of customers are satisfied with their service and 79 per cent rated it ‘excellent’ or ‘good’ for reliability. 

However, Virgin Media ranked lowest for customer service with just 54 per cent of customers rating it ‘excellent’ or ‘good’. Ofcom also reported it has the most customer complaints 20 per 100,000 people in the fourth quarter of 2023. Although it offers a catalogue of broadband, TV, and mobile services, packages do not come cheap. Just 58 per cent of customers agreed it’s good value for money, and comparing its packages to competitors shows how expensive they are.

What I like: plenty of speeds and bundle options to choose from.

What I don’t like: customer service is lacking, not available in many parts of the country.

Virgin Media scoreProvider average
Customer satisfaction8383
Reliability7981
Value for money5871
Speed5661
Customer service5464
Source: Independent Advisor survey, over 2,000 respondents in the UK, March 2024.

Ofcom announces OneTouch Switch, making switching providers easier

From September, broadband customers can easily switch providers under Ofcom’s One Touch Switch. The process will require the customer’s new provider to arrange the switch, which customers previously had to do themselves. Switching within the Openreach network is already handled by the customer’s new provider and has been since 2015, but the new regulation obligates all broadband providers to do the same.     

Key findings from our broadband survey

Our survey* revealed the main reasons customers have considered switching broadband providers in the last year, namely:

  • Looking for a better price
  • Getting better speeds
  • Finding a more reliable connection
  • Better customer service

The survey also revealed that smaller broadband providers were more popular, with Hyperoptic and London-based Community Fibre ranking first and second overall.

How to find the best broadband provider for me?

When it comes to choosing a broadband provider in the UK, there’s no shortage of options. But with each internet provider offering different speeds, contract lengths and bundled services, it can be overwhelming. I’ve identified the main factors you need to consider to figure out the best deal for you.

  1. Speed: your broadband deal should have the right speed to suit your household’s internet usage. For example, if you have multiple devices and you frequently stream content in HD, focus on speeds above 50Mbps

2. Availability: check which broadband deals are available for your area. Currently, not every postcode has access to fibre broadband, and no providers operate nationwide

3. Price: check that your chosen deal represents good value for money. Compare it with deals of a similar price, paying careful attention to advertised speeds and any extras included

4. Provider reputation: consider customer ratings and reviews. As well as our Independent Advisor rating, research the provider’s Ofcom score and customer reviews from websites such as Trustpilot. Ofcom releases a quarterly report for the number of complaints each provider receives per 100,000 customers. Below are the results for the fourth quarter of 2023: 

Broadband providerNumber of complaints per 100,000 customers
Sky5
Plusnet9
EE9
BT11
TalkTalk13
Vodafone14
Shell Energy14
NOW Broadband18
Virgin Media20

5. Compare deals: use our postcode checker to find packages that match your speed and budget requirements. If you’re looking for a bundle, filter the results to show broadband and phone or broadband and TV deals

As part of our survey, we asked customers if they have considered switching providers in the last year to get an idea of their satisfaction – here’s how providers compared: 

Which internet provider offers the fastest speeds?

The fastest broadband widely available in the UK is generally 1Gbps (1,000Mbps), though some providers’ advertised speeds may greatly exceed this level.

With 1,600Mbps, EE offers the fastest advertised broadband speeds, followed by Vodafone at 910Mbps. Meanwhile, Plusnet, Hyperoptic and BT all provide top speeds of 900Mbps.

When you’re looking at broadband speed, bear in mind the following:

  • You won’t necessarily always get the provider’s advertised speed. Instead, focus on minimum speed and make sure it’s enough for your needs
  • Some providers, such as Sky, offer guaranteed speed or your money back
  • To achieve maximum advertised speeds, you’ll most likely need to be connected via an ethernet cable rather than wifi

See our guide for more about broadband speeds and how to measure them.

How long does it take to switch broadband providers?

I found that it can take up to three weeks to successfully switch providers. Community Fibre can be installed in up to five working days – the fastest I’ve come across. I also researched the number of steps it takes from choosing your package to installation, and found that TalkTalk and BT had the fewest number of steps.

Broadband providerTime until engineer visitNumber of steps involved in the setup process
BTUp to 10 days3
Virgin MediaUp to 7 working days4
TalkTalk1-2 weeks3
Community FibreUp to 5 working days4
Sky2-3 weeks4
Vodafone2-3 weeks4
Plusnet2-3 weeks4

Types of deals available from broadband providers

Most broadband providers offer a range of package types, contract lengths and bundle services. These include:

What is the cheapest internet provider?

At just £24 per month, Vodafone’s Full Fibre 74 is the cheapest on the market.

But the best broadband provider for you – especially when it comes to pricing – will depend on your circumstances. If you live in London, I recommend Community Fibre, as it offers some of the lowest prices on the market and 100 per cent of its customers rated it highly in terms of value for money. If you live elsewhere in the UK, Three’s mobile broadband is a great choice; 77 per cent of its customers agreed it provided good value for money.

How much do customers pay for broadband?

According to our survey, internet users in the UK pay an average £53 per month for their broadband package.

The Sky customers we surveyed pay an average of £60 a month for their broadband package compared to TalkTalk customers, who pay an average of £44 per month. While broadband-only customers pay £41 per month on average, those with a broadband, phone, TV and mobile bundle pay an average of £74 per month.

How we choose the best broadband providers

How we score providers
Survey methodology
Scoring criteria

Our Independent Advisor rating combines our Home Tech team’s expertise (60 per cent) with the data collated from our customer survey* (40 per cent).

Our Home Tech team considered five factors to score providers: coverage (30 per cent), cheapest 100Mbps to 200Mbps package (25 per cent), ease of online switching (25 per cent), customer complaints (10 per cent), best speed available (10 per cent). The weightings were applied based on the factors customers find most important when choosing a broadband provider.

To get an insight into how people feel about their internet service, we surveyed 2,000 broadband customers across the UK*. Participants were asked over 20 questions about their current broadband provider, including their opinion about the speeds they receive, the pricing of their plan, the value for money they receive and their overall satisfaction. Respondents were also asked about their internet usage, the ease of contacting their provider, and the technical support they received.

We asked customers what factors they deem most important when choosing a broadband deal and used those weightings to assign each provider an Independent Advisor rating.

*Survey of broadband customers aged between 24 and 64 conducted on Censuswide, 11-14 March 2024. Survey sample: 2,003 respondents from Sky (489), BT Broadband (412), Virgin Media (396), EE (134), Vodafone (124), Other (102), Plusnet (66), NOW Broadband (45), Three (31), Hyperoptic (14), Community Fibre (8) and Unsure (7). Respondents who selected Hyperoptic, Community Fibre, Other or Unsure were discarded from our review; however, the information gathered for Hyperoptic and Community Fibre was used in our broadband providers evaluation. Respondents were asked to rate each category on a five-point scale, from “Very Poor” to “Excellent” or from “Never” to “Always”, with the option of selecting “Don’t Know” for all questions. For the third question (“What issues, if any, have you experienced with your current broadband provider?”), respondents could select from the following: “Price Hikes”, “Slow Speeds”, “High Prices”, “Frequent Disconnections”, “Poor Customer Service”, “Billing Issues”, “Other” and “N/A”. The questions used to calculate our score were: “How often, if at all, do you feel the actual speed of your broadband service matches the advertised speed?”, “How would you rate your experience with customer service and support from your broadband provider?” “What issues, if any, have you experienced with your current broadband provider? (Select all that apply)”, “How easy or difficult is it/would it be to reach your provider using your preferred method?” “How do you rate the value for money of your broadband service?” and “How would you rate the transparency of pricing and additional fees in your broadband service?”.

Broadband providers FAQs

Internet providers are regulated by the Office of Communications, otherwise known as Ofcom. Broadband providers must abide by Ofcom’s rules and regulations to ensure their customers receive a fair service. These rules are regularly reviewed and kept in line with new technology and industry changes.

If you have any issues with your broadband provider, you may be able to make a complaint to Ofcom.

If both your current and your new provider are on Openreach’s network, your new provider will take care of cancelling your old contract and making the switch, including fitting any new cables you need. However, if they’re not on Openreach, you’ll need to cancel your old service yourself, and, depending on the type of broadband you’ve chosen, you may need to arrange for new cables to be fitted.

If you’re receiving certain government benefits, you may be eligible for a cheaper social tariff broadband package. There are several advantages to these packages:

  • They often cost between £10 and £20 a month, which is cheaper than most standard deals
  • They have average download speeds of up to 100Mbps
  • They have unlimited usage
  • If you end the contract early, you won’t be charged an exit fee
  • Your price won’t rise mid-contract

You may be eligible for a social tariff broadband package if you receive the following benefits:

  • Universal Credit
  • Pension Credit
  • Employment and Support Allowance
  • Jobseeker’s Allowance
  • Income Support 
  • Personal Independence Payment
  • Attendance Allowance
Rachel Sadler new profile April 2024

Rachel Sadler

Home Tech Writer

Rachel is a seasoned writer who has been producing online and print content for seven years. 

As a home tech expert for Independent Advisor, Rachel researches and writes buying guides and reviews, helping consumers navigate the realms of broadband and home security gadgets. She also covers home tech for The Federation of Master Builders, where she reviews and tests home security devices. 

She started as a news and lifestyle journalist in Hong Kong reporting on island-wide news stories, food and drink and the city’s events. She’s written for editorial platforms Sassy Hong Kong, Localiiz and Bay Media. While in Hong Kong she attended PR events, interviewed local talent and project-managed photoshoots. 

Rachel holds a BA in English Language and Creative Writing and is committed to simplifying tech jargon and producing unbiased reviews.