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.
* 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 areno 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 score
Provider average
Customer satisfaction
100
83
Reliability
93
81
Value for money
79
71
Speed
64
61
Customer service
64
64
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 score
Provider average
Customer satisfaction
90
83
Reliability
84
81
Value for money
67
71
Speed
66
61
Customer service
73
64
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 score
Provider average
Customer satisfaction
88
83
Reliability
83
81
Value for money
74
71
Speed
53
61
Customer service
68
64
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 score
Provider average
Customer satisfaction
86
83
Reliability
85
81
Value for money
76
71
Speed
60
61
Customer service
69
64
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: optionalget 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 score
Provider average
Customer satisfaction
85
83
Reliability
87
81
Value for money
59
71
Speed
62
61
Customer service
61
64
Source: Independent Advisor survey, over 2,000 respondents in the UK, March 2024.
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 score
Provider average
Customer satisfaction
75
83
Reliability
75
81
Value for money
100
71
Speed
63
61
Customer service
75
64
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: itsbroadband 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 score
Provider average
Customer satisfaction
82
83
Reliability
81
81
Value for money
57
71
Speed
62
61
Customer service
64
64
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 score
Provider average
Customer satisfaction
83
83
Reliability
79
81
Value for money
58
71
Speed
56
61
Customer service
54
64
Source: Independent Advisor survey, over 2,000 respondents in the UK, March 2024.
EE customers can now bundle Sky Stream with their broadband package
EE launched Sky Stream across its EE stores, EE website and telesales on October 15. Through a new retail partnership between Sky and EE, customers can bundle Sky Stream with EE home broadband and mobile broadband. Sky Stream is Sky’s plug-and-play TV box which provides customers with instant entertainment. The service offers over 150 channels including Disney+, Apple TV, BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Channel 4, YouTube, and Discovery+.
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.
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
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 provider
Number of complaints per 100,000 customers
Sky
5
Plusnet
9
EE
9
BT
11
TalkTalk
13
Vodafone
14
Shell Energy
14
NOW Broadband
18
Virgin Media
20
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 provider
Time until engineer visit
Number of steps involved in the setup process
BT
Up to 10 days
3
Virgin Media
Up to 7 working days
4
TalkTalk
1-2 weeks
3
Community Fibre
Up to 5 working days
4
Sky
2-3 weeks
4
Vodafone
2-3 weeks
4
Plusnet
2-3 weeks
4
Types of deals available from broadband providers
Most broadband providers offer a range of package types, contract lengths and bundle services. These include:
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 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:
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.
