Cheapest Broadband in the UK (March 2026)

The cheapest broadband in the UK in March 2026 starts from around £17/month for superfast (30–67 Mbps) from providers like NOW Broadband and Plusnet. Budget full fibre deals begin at roughly £20/month. Social tariffs offer even lower prices from £12.50/month for eligible households on Universal Credit or Pension Credit.

Cheapest Superfast Broadband Deals

Superfast broadband (30–80 Mbps) is the most affordable tier for UK households in March 2026. NOW Broadband offers Brilliant Broadband at around £18/month for 36 Mbps on a rolling monthly contract with no setup fee. Plusnet Unlimited Fibre delivers 66 Mbps for roughly £22/month on an 18-month deal. Shell Energy has a Superfast plan at approximately £19/month for 38 Mbps. TalkTalk Fibre 65 comes in at around £22/month with 67 Mbps average speeds. Vodafone Superfast 2 offers 73 Mbps for about £22/month on a 24-month contract. All of these deals are subject to April 2026 price rises — Plusnet and TalkTalk both increase by £4/month, while Vodafone adds £3.50/month. To calculate the true cost, multiply the monthly fee by contract length and add the April increase for remaining months.

Cheapest Full Fibre Deals

Full fibre (FTTP) prices have dropped significantly as coverage reaches 82% of UK premises in 2026. Vodafone Full Fibre 1 delivers 150 Mbps for approximately £24/month on a 24-month contract. Community Fibre offers 150 Mbps in London from £20/month, making it the cheapest FTTP deal widely available. Hyperoptic provides 150 Mbps from around £25/month in supported buildings across 57 UK cities. For even lower prices, BT’s Essential Fibre with Halo brings 36 Mbps FTTP at roughly £28/month including premium customer support. Gigaclear covers rural areas with packages from £25/month for 200 Mbps. When comparing FTTP prices, check the total contract cost rather than just the headline monthly rate — setup fees (typically £0–£30) and mid-contract price rises significantly affect value over 18–24 months.

Cheapest No-Contract Broadband

Rolling monthly contracts give flexibility but cost a small premium. NOW Broadband is the standout budget option at around £18/month for 36 Mbps with no tie-in — cancel any time with 30 days’ notice. Cuckoo offers 80 Mbps from roughly £24/month on a one-month rolling deal with no mid-contract price rises. Hyperoptic sells monthly rolling plans from £28/month for 150 Mbps FTTP in selected buildings. Plusnet runs occasional rolling monthly promotions at around £25/month for 66 Mbps. Virgin Media offers 132 Mbps on a 30-day rolling contract for approximately £33/month. No-contract deals are ideal if you are renting, unsure how long you will stay, or waiting for a better deal. The trade-off is typically £3–£8/month extra compared with the same speed on an 18–24-month commitment.

Hidden Costs to Watch Out For

The advertised monthly price is rarely the final cost of a broadband deal. Setup fees range from £0 at Vodafone and Sky to £30 at BT. Delivery charges for routers add £3–£5 at some providers. The biggest hidden cost is mid-contract price rises — from April 2026, BT and EE increase by £4/month, Sky by £3/month, Virgin Media by £4/month and Vodafone by £3.50/month. On a 24-month contract, that adds £48–£96 to your total bill. Out-of-contract rates are another trap — BT customers typically see bills jump by £10–£15/month after the initial term. TalkTalk and Shell Energy also apply out-of-contract increases. To find the true cheapest deal, calculate the total contract cost: (monthly fee × months) + setup fee + estimated price rises. Providers like Zen Internet and Cuckoo stand out by guaranteeing no mid-contract price increases.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cheapest broadband in the UK?

The cheapest standard broadband is NOW Broadband at around £18/month for 36 Mbps on a rolling monthly contract. For households on Universal Credit or Pension Credit, social tariffs start from £12.50/month — such as Vodafone Essentials at 38 Mbps.

Can I get broadband under £20 a month?

Yes. NOW Broadband, Shell Energy and some Plusnet promotions come in under £20/month for superfast speeds. Full fibre under £20 is available from Community Fibre in London. Social tariffs from BT, Vodafone and Virgin Media also fall under this threshold.

Is cheap broadband any good?

Budget deals from major providers like NOW Broadband (Sky’s network) and Plusnet (Openreach) deliver the same infrastructure speeds as premium packages. The main trade-off is slower speed tiers and basic routers. For light use — streaming, browsing, email — cheap broadband is perfectly adequate.

What is the cheapest fibre broadband deal?

The cheapest fibre-to-the-cabinet (FTTC) deal is around £18–£22/month from NOW Broadband, Plusnet or Shell Energy. For full fibre (FTTP), Community Fibre in London offers 150 Mbps from roughly £20/month.

Related Guides

Best Broadband Under £20 a Month · Best No-Contract Broadband UK · Best Fibre Broadband Deals · Broadband Social Tariffs Explained

Methodology & Sources

Information in this guide is sourced from Ofcom market reports, Openreach coverage data, ISPreview.co.uk, provider websites and independent broadband research from Point Topic and Thinkbroadband. Prices and availability are checked monthly. Speed data reflects advertised average speeds from provider Key Facts documents.