Can I compare broadband packages?

Dan Howdle | January 26th, 2024

If you've decided to switch broadband provider, it's not always obvious what exactly the best way is to choose the best deal available and not leave value on the table. When it comes to broadband, value can be speed, extras rewards and cashback, add-ons and extras or all of the above. You really need a way to be able to put it all side-by-side to make the best choice.

You can of course systematically visit every broadband provider in the UK one after the next to see both if they service your area and if they have anything on offer worth considering, but that would be a huge waste of time when you can instantly compare broadband deals using comparison tools like the ones you'll find here on Cable.co.uk. But even with broadband comparison, there's an art to finding the right deal, and that's what we'll be talking about today.

What is broadband comparison?

Broadband comparison is a way to look at all the packages that are available to you at any given time, making it much easier to pick the best one to suit your needs. Broadband comparison sites like Cable.co.uk and others have been around for well over a decade. A lot of work goes into maintaining a comparison service. So who pays for that?

If that answers your question, then feel free to give it a whirl before reading on.

Do I pay more if I compare?

No. The way it works is if you compare broadband using our tools and click through to the deal you want, the provider tracks the link and sends a small commission our way. That's what keeps the lights on. It is a common myth that if provider X is paying us to direct you, then that must mean you're paying more. But that's not the case.

One way to look at it is to compare it to advertising. Sky, for example, runs a lot of advertising on TV and radio year-round. If someone sees or hears the ad then as a result goes to Sky's website to pick up the deal they heard about, that customer will come at a cost to Sky – the cost of the advertising. The cost of bringing new customers to a provider is already factored into the price you pay, and much in the same way, so is the cost of comparing broadband.

How to compare broadband

First off, you don't have to. The following section covers, in detail, the best way to go about comparing the broadband deals available in your area, but if it all looks like a huge bother, then we have another tool we call 'Help me choose' – that asks you a series of simple questions and offers you the best deals available right now based on your answers.

The broadband postcode checker

The first element you'll see in our broadband comparison is the postcode checker. As the name suggests, this is where you can enter your postcode to fins out which providers and deals are available to you where you live. Contrary to what many believe, the speed and type of broadband available varies both from provider to provider and from address to address.

All you really need to know about our postcode checker is it'll show you what you can get. We also do not store any user data on the site (though your postcode may be memorised by your browser for next time you visit the page), so using our it is completely safe.

The sort order

The next thing to look at, once your results are listed, is actually the 'sort by' dropdown at the top right hand side of the list. This will allow you to sort the list by:

• Best value deals – This useful way of sorting the list will show you the best bang for buck. The deals that offer the most and ask the least. We put it at the top there because it's probably the most useful way to sort the list when looking for a deal
• Price (high to low or low to high) – If you have a specific budget in mind this can help. From low to high you'll get the cheapest deals first, and from high to low the most expensive and (usually) fastest and most brimming with features
• Download speed (High to low or low to high) – If you're after a specific speed, or minimum speed, this can be a good way to scroll through to the part of the list where your minimum requirements begin. You can also select speds within a certain range, which we'll talk about in the next section
• Contract length – If you're looking for a contract that's not too long, or indeed one that ties you in for smaller monthly payments, sorting the list this way may help

The filters

While sort order can help to get to to an appropriate part of the list, the filters are even more powerful. These can be found on the left side of the broadband comparison table, or via the filters button on mobile. Selecting one filter in one category will filter out ever other type of package in that category. For example, selecting 60-100Mbps in the 'Speed' section will filter out every other speed, unless you select those speeds too to widen the range.

Here is a quick overview of which filters you'll find in our broadband comparison:

• Package – The overarching type of deal: Broadband only, broadband and phone or TV only
• Providers – Here you can filter in any providers you consider a favourite, and thereby filtering out any that aren't on the list
• Speed – If you have a good idea of the speed you're after, you can filter in only deals that fit in that range by selecting them, thus drastically narrowing your search
• Monthly cost – Filter in deals you can afford, filter out those you can't
• Offers – Choosing this filter will only show broadband deals that have some sort of offer or extra, be that cashback, bill credit, free months and so on
• Contract length – Some customers might not want to be tied in for two years. Shorter contracts are available, and selecting that filter will help you find them
• Phone line – If you're looking for a package where you can get a landline included you can use this filter to find it

Note that every time you select a filter, you exclude packages that don't fit that criteria. Sometimes, too many filters applied will result in an empty list. For example, you might select a monthly cost of £0-£25 and a broadband speed of 1Gb+, and of course no one is offering a gigabit connection so cheap.

What to do when you've found a deal

If you've found just the right deal for you, all you need to do is click the 'Visit now' button. This will take you to the provider and deal in question.

Cable.co.uk is able to operate based on the commission we get from providers for providing you with direction and arming you with the information you need to choose the right deal. If you don't wish us to get a commission, you can choose a deal from our list and go find it separately on the provider's website. Just bear in mind you won't save money this way, and a proportion of the deals we list are exclusive to us and won't be replicated on the provider's website.

What should I look for when comparing broadband?

Now we've talked you through the tools, what should you be looking for when comparing broadband deals? Well, that will be different for different people. Some will be looking for cheapest, some fastest, some with a focus on gaming or high quality parental controls. In answering this question then, we need to focus on what is universal.

What follows here is in our advice on how you should focus your search, irrespective of the type of deal you're looking for.

Look for special offers

As mentioned earlier in this guide, you can engage the 'Deals with rewards and offers' button in the filters in our broadband comparison. These sorts of deals change all the time, but it stands to reason that if you have a particular set of speeds and features in mind, picking a deal that also, for example, offers you £100 cashback is a good place to start.

Look for shorter contracts

Providers have succeeded in pushing up the length of broadband contract over the past decade or so. Ten years ago, 12-month broadband contracts were common, and 18-month contracts were considered long. Now, 12-month contracts are very rare, and 24-month contracts are increasingly common. This matters because you will be stuck with that provider for an awfully long time if you sign up for two years. And there will be no escaping the contract, even if you move house.

Look for shorter contracts

Providers have succeeded in pushing up the length of broadband contract over the past decade or so. Ten years ago, 12-month broadband contracts were common, and 18-month contracts were considered long. Now, 12-month contracts are very rare, and 24-month contracts are increasingly common. This matters because you will be stuck with that provider for an awfully long time if you sign up for two years. And there will be no escaping the contract, even if you move house.

Consider ditching your landline

We know many are attached to their landlines, and to them we say don't worry. They're not really going anywhere. It's more like providers aren't going out of their way to push them front and centre anymore. But if you can make do with just your mobile, you'll be saving yourself some money. So maybe now is the time?

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