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There are many factors to consider when looking for a new broadband deal. While you shouldn’t base your decision solely on pricing, you can give your budget some wiggle room by finding a broadband deal with no upfront costs.
Numerous companies offer various types of no upfront cost broadband deals. Here is everything you need to know about these packages.
No upfront cost broadband is internet service for which the provider doesn’t charge initial fees. Though these are one-off charges, they can be pricey and can potentially make broadband unaffordable for some households.
Some of the UK’s best broadband providers offer deals with no upfront costs to attract new customers, which can be helpful to consumers who are trying to trim their personal spending.
The best way to compare no upfront cost broadband deals is to use your postcode on our comparison tool.
If you have a specific provider in mind, its website may have a no upfront cost filter to use when assessing the company’s broadband packages.
Keep in mind that some companies’ no upfront cost deals include mid-contract increases in monthly service prices. This is something you should check for when you are shopping for a new broadband deal, especially if you are trying to stick to your budget.
Here are some of the most common upfront costs that providers include in their broadband deals:
Numerous UK internet providers offer no upfront cost broadband deals, so you have a variety of options to choose from.
The companies listed here don’t forgo upfront fees on all their broadband packages. And some of the providers make the no upfront cost provision a feature of their limited time deals. It’s worthwhile to do periodic checks to see which companies are offering free installation and delivery.
Virgin Media, which has an extensive fibre-optic network, offers several deals with no upfront costs. When the company offers promotional deals, people in eligible postcodes can sign up for 18-month contracts with no upfront costs for broadband that runs at speeds as high as 1,130Mbps. The company’s usual setup fee is £35.
BT, which is the UK’s largest broadband provider, offers packages with free delivery and no upfront costs. Customers who want to keep using their existing home phones as their service goes digital can get a BT Digital Voice Adaptor. BT Digital Voice cordless phone prices start at £29.98.
Sky offers broadband with no upfront fees at speeds as high as 900Mbps for people in eligible postcodes. The company charges no setup fees for several broadband and TV packages. But some of its packages come with setup fees of up to £49.
Plusnet provides different types of broadband products and speeds in different areas. Most of the company’s broadband packages have no activation or setup fees.
Hyperoptic offers a 24-month, 1Gb broadband deal with no activation fee and three months of free service. The 24-month, 500Mbps package has a £19 activation fee and offers three months of free service.
Vodafone offers several broadband deals with no setup fees for people in eligible postcodes. The company’s Xtra Broadband packages, which also have no setup fees, include an Apple TV Plus subscription and an Apple TV device in 4K.
Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of choosing a no upfront cost broadband deal:
Different types of broadband packages with no upfront costs are available, though the providers in your area may not offer all these services:
No, you don’t need a landline to get no upfront cost broadband deals – or any type of broadband service, for that matter. Some companies provide their broadband customers with landlines. But that practice is becoming less common because UK landlines are being turned off by the end of 2025, and digital phone lines will be used instead.
There is no way to legally obtain broadband services for free. But some low-income UK families are eligible for broadband social tariffs at reduced prices. The broadband that is provided usually doesn’t run at superfast or ultrafast speeds.
Yes, some of the best cheap broadband deals come with no setup fees. It’s worth noting that cheap broadband deals usually don’t include extras such as TV channel bundles or landline call packages.
The ease with which you can switch broadband providers and deals varies from company to company and partly depends on whether you have reached the end of your current contract.
Generally, it’s easier to switch between Openreach providers such as BT, TalkTalk, Sky and Plusnet.
