The Ultimate Guide to Finding Cheap UK Broadband Deals

With endless broadband providers, combined phone and broadband deals, and contracts to choose from, it feels pretty impossible to know (with confidence!) that you're signing up for the best broadband line rental deals.

As independent reviewers of the cheapest broadband UK packages, Best10 has compiled this guide to share our tips and tricks for ensuring you get a great price without any slippery small print.

It's all too easy to end up overpaying or be sucked into a minimum contract, so we'll explain what's worth paying for and what isn't!‍

Negotiating With Broadband Providers‍

We Brits aren't known for being great hagglers, but if you negotiate (even a little), you might find you can easily cut back on the cost of broadband deals by a good £20 or so a month.

Providers also tend to offer introductory deals or discounts, so it's well worth asking about:

• Free installation costs.
• Percentage price reductions for new customers.
• Fixed-rate deals.
• Complimentary hardware, such as a router.

About 53% of people are willing to at least ask about any offers available, and if you don't try, you'll never know!

Negotiating on the average cheapest broadband UK prices can save you approximately £85 a year and £128 a year if you have a combined TV and broadband service.‍

Identifying the Right Broadband Line Rental Deals‍

Next, let's talk about the huge range of packages out there - and the importance of knowing which you need.

We constantly see ads raving about unbeatable prices, flawless connections and incredible functionality. Still, if you don't need an all-singing, all-dancing broadband service, you could reduce your costs considerably.

As a rough guide:

• Light use packages are fine for people who use the internet occasionally - we'd suggest looking for broadband providers with the option to upgrade if your usage needs change or you want a higher speed connection.
• Households with multiple online devices, streaming TV shows or playing online games should opt for unlimited download broadband deals UK. That's because if you need to keep topping up your allowance, it's going to get expensive fast. Fibre is better than ADSL for this usage level since a slower speed connection will keep dropping out.
• Business broadband offers may be cheaper for people working from home, and if you're self-employed or run a company and need a connection solely for this reason, you should ensure you sign up in your registered trading name. The costs are then tax-deductible, whereas if you're using home broadband for personal and work reasons, you'll need to apportion the expense.
• Finally, look at student broadband packages if you need a decent broadband connection for coursework. Students tend to spend less time online (outside of lectures and classes), but you can get a 12 or 18-month fixed deal that's massively competitive compared to any other contract.

Our advice is to think this through before you start analysing prices or contract terms.

You'll then be in a great position to resist any pressure to upgrade since you'll know the package you want and the essentials you're happy to pay for.

Recommended Read: What Home Broadband Speed Do I Need?

How Can I Find the Best Home Broadband in My Area?‍

Comparing Broadband Bundles‍

If your new broadband contract is for a permanent home, and you have other services like a phone line or an internet-connected TV, then a bundle deal is probably cheaper.

Now, we'd also suggest you check out individual pricing contracts since bundles aren't necessarily the lowest price, depending on what services you need and your broadband demands.

There are tonnes of bundles, and if you're a new customer, you can usually get a few freebies chucked in - but be cautious about minimum contracts.

Some bundles have a fixed price, but only for the first year or two and then increase steeply after that.

If you're tied in for longer or need to pay a hefty early cancellation charge, the lower initial monthly cost might not be as good value as it seems.

You'll also find some great broadband-only deals and packages from lesser-known providers, such as energy companies and supermarket brands, so don't restrict your search only to the biggest names!
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Using Online Price Comparison Sites to Choose a Broadband Service‍

Our last word of warning is to be careful if you decide to use a price comparison site to choose your broadband deals - not because they're untoward, but because they rarely show a true picture of the best value out there.

By and large, the companies and providers on any price comparison site (for any service!) pay to be there.

Price comparisons aren't reviews; they aren't normally independent, and therefore don't always work in the customer's best interests.

Alternatively, you can:

• Make a shortlist of companies you trust or would be comfortable buying your broadband services from.
• Shop around to see what packages, prices and contracts they offer.
• Give your preferred providers a call, or start an online Live Chat to ask about any offers or discounts they've got available that could be your deciding factor.
• Check out the Best10 Broadband Providers pages for independent, in-depth reviews and full pricing information from the experts!

Most importantly - never feel rushed into making a decision or signing up to anything for more than, say, three months.

We're all about making educated, informed purchases, so take your time, and only commit to a contract when you're happy it's everything you need, at a competitive price.