Compare: The best broadband in my area
- We are on a mission to make sure you get the best broadband in your area. Since 2016 Fibre Compare has been helping customers with our fibre broadband checker to: See. Switch. Save.
Find the best broadband available to your area
There are hundreds and hundreds of different broadband deals – but not will all be available to your home. To save disappointment don’t search all deals, just check with your postcode.
The big providers such as BT, Virgin Media, Plusnet, Sky and Vodafone can reach most households. But even then, your postcode plays a part in whether you can access the fastest full fibre broadband.
We work with plenty of smaller alternative networks too: Fibrus, Community Fibre, Hyperoptic, Gigaclear, 4th Utility, Trooli, Brsk and many more. These independent providers concentrate on bringing high-speed fibre internet to areas that have been underserved by others. These could be your local full fibre heroes.
How it works
Comparing the best broadband deals for your area is easy with us. Simply:
Enter your postcode – Instantly check which broadband providers are available in your location.
Compare deals – View speeds and prices to find the best option. Use filters to show fastest, contract length or bundles.
Switch & save – Choose the deal you like best, click ‘Buy Now’ and we’ll take you to the provider’s website to sign-up.
Why choose us?
Personalised results – We’ll find the best deals tailored to your location.
Exclusive offers – Access special discounts, deals and promotions available only through our site.
Easy switching – Save time and hassle with our transparent comparison process.
What is the best broadband deal in my area?
The best offer for you and your household isn’t always the cheapest. Budget is an important factor, but don’t make the mistake of just picking the lowest price available. If you are using your broadband regularly every day the lowest price package might not cover your needs.
Think about speed
Speed – It’s the top most important factor for most. Too slow and you’ll struggle. Too fast and you’ll be paying for a service you don’t actually need.
The range of speeds available is huge, although these might not necessarily all be within reach of your postcode. There’s everything from the most basic 10Mbps to ultrafast fibre with lightening speeds of over 1000Mbps.
What broadband speed do I need?
You want all your household’s online needs met, but without paying extra for something you’re never even using. So, let’s find that sweet spot.
1-2 person households
Recommended speed: 40-100Mbps
Even if you live alone and use the internet mainly for just shopping and browsing social media, we'd still recommend you look for a fibre broadband deal if available to your postcode. Only choose standard (it will be speeds of around 10Mbps) broadband if there are no other options available.
Smaller households should be fine with partial fibre speeds (20-65Mbps), these will let you enjoy 5-10 devices, including streaming.
3-4 person households
Recommended speed: 60 - 300Mbps
The more people in your household, the more devices you're likely to use. If you're all streaming on separate devices and spending 2-4 hours per day online, this should be a good option for your household. Bear in mind, you'll need to increase this if someone is downloading or uploading a large amount of data by gaming or streaming 24/7.
4+ households, or gamers
Recommended speed: 70 - 1000Mbps
In family or shared accommodation with four or more people, you'll need to have a reliable connection and speed to avoid buffering or slow-loading. There will be peak times too – normally 4-8pm – where multiple devices will be used for streaming and other purposes.
What is the fastest speed in my area?
The first thing that you should look at is what speeds are available to your home.
The higher speeds aren't available everywhere – or with every provider – just yet.
The speed of broadband you can access depends on whether your postcode has access to full fibre broadband yet.
Check to see what the average download speeds are where you live with our broadband postcode tool.
Can my postcode get full fibre?
Full fibre broadband, also known as FTTP (Fibre to the Premises), delivers internet directly to your home using fibre optic cables. Any deal advertising speeds of 70Mbps to 1Gbps plus, will probably be full fibre broadband. Having the fastest, most reliable broadband means households no longer having to battle over bandwidth, and gives people the freedom to live and work more flexibly.
Full fibre is on its way to everyone
Project Gigabit is a government led initiative that is driving the target of total UK full fibre coverage by 2030. It is putting money into setting up alternative network providers (altnets) to deliver gigabit-capable broadband to parts of the UK that are harder to reach. This means that eventually even the remotest communities will have the same full fibre benefits that towns and cities have too.
Do I actually need full fibre?
Full fibre gives you ultrafast speeds of between 100Mbps - 1Gbps.
Do you need these? Even if you are a small household with light internet usage it is still worth thinking about full fibre. Because of the latest competitive pricing, you might not be paying much more – or sometimes any more – for these significantly greater speeds.
Other factors to help choose the best broadband for my area
Your postcode has bought back a list of lightening-fast deals. But what else should you consider apart from speed?
Budget
Find a plan that fits your financial needs without compromising on speed and reliability. And don’t forget the extras on top of the monthly cost. Do you have to pay for a set-up fee? Routers? Engineer visits?
Also think about mid-contract price rises. Most providers make yearly inflation-linked price rises at the end of every March. These will be written into contracts and customers will have to consent to these forthcoming hikes when signing up.
Read our mid-contract broadband price rises – who, why and when feature to find out more.
Contract length
Can’t commit? A short contract length will be your priority. Short-term contracts normally come in the form of rolling one-month contract broadband, which means you can cancel any time, you just need to give 30 days' notice to leave at any point. Unlike 12, 18 or 24-months deals there’s never a cancellation fee and you can leave any time.
There are a few broadband options that offer more flexibility. You’ll find shorter broadband contracts with: Now Broadband, Rebel, Hyperoptic and Virgin Media.
Bundles
Many providers offer broadband that can be bundled with phone and TV in different combinations for added value.
Combining your broadband, TV and phone can be a smart convenient way of getting all your services for less money and less hassle. But remember, it doesn’t always make sense for everyone to choose a broadband bundle and in some cases you’ll simply end up signing up for additional services you won’t take full advantage of.
Whatever you’re looking for, find the best broadband offer in your area that works for you.
Best Wi-Fi in my area
Where you live will depend on what broadband is available to you. Browse deals by region and city below.
FAQs
What is the best broadband in my area?
The best broadband in your area depends on several factors, including speed, reliability, and price. Use our broadband comparison tool to find the top providers available in your location, along with their speeds, customer reviews and pricing.
Why should you check broadband in your area?
Broadband coverage and speed vary widely depending on location. Checking broadband in your area ensures you get the best possible connection, whether you need fast speeds for streaming, gaming, or working from home. It also helps you find the best deals and avoid overpaying for services.
Can I check the broadband speed where I live?
Yes! You can check your current broadband speed using an online speed test. Additionally, our comparison tool provides estimated speeds for different providers in your area based on their network coverage and performance data.
Why does broadband availability differ in different areas?
Broadband availability depends on the infrastructure in your location. Urban areas typically have access to high-speed full fibre, while rural areas may rely on slower, older connections. Factors like network expansion, government investment, and provider competition also play a role in availability.
Why is broadband slow in my area?
Slow broadband can be due to various reasons, including: older infrastructure, network congestion, or your distance from the nearest exchange. If you're experiencing slow speeds, consider upgrading to a faster plan, switching providers, or checking for local fibre rollout plans to see when full fibre should be reaching your home.
What's the cheapest broadband in my area?
The cheapest broadband in your area depends on the providers available and the type of connection they offer. Use our comparison tool to filter broadband deals by price and find the most affordable option that meets your needs.
Broadband and phone
How do broadband and home phone deals work?
Broadband and phone deals include a broadband connection and home phone line packaged together in the same monthly plan.
Even if you don't need a landline phone to make calls, you might well need a physically connected phone line so that your broadband can be delivered to your home. As a result, the cost of having one is sometimes already included in the broadband price.
If you get your internet from any Openreach-based provider – BT, Sky, TalkTalk, Plusnet, Vodafone, EE – you'll need a landline to receive your broadband. Because of this, Sky, Plusnet, Vodafone and TalkTalk do not charge any extra to have a landline included in their packages.
If you get your internet from Virgin Media or a smaller independent full fibre network like Hyperotic or Community Fibre, they use their own separate cables that don't require any type of landline, so broadband-only deals will also be available. Having a landline with any of these will always be at an extra expense.
So some customers will be paying line rental to keep the telephone line open for broadband – even if you never plug a phone in or make a call. The good news is though is that this isn't necessarily more expensive to do so. In fact, sometimes it can even be cheaper to get a broadband and home phone deal rather than a broadband-only.
Should I get a broadband and landline bundle?
It can make good sense to get both broadband and your home phone plan from a single provider. After all, if it can all be delivered along the same cables by the same company, this can often make it easier and cheaper.
Some packages that include a landline in the bundle come with pay-as-you-go calls as standard, with the option to then add on inclusive calls. If you are planning on using your landline to regularly speak to people, these call packages are a good idea. Depending on usage, there are some great options which will give you unlimited calls to UK landline and mobiles. There are normally three different types of packages to choose from which will be based around weekend calls, evening & weekend calls or anytime calls.
If you regularly make international calls using a landline is often cheaper than your mobile. There are some decent add-on packages you can get with your landline deal that will help save money on overseas calls.
Pros and cons of broadband and phone bundles
Still not sure whether you should be picking a broadband and home phone package? There are advantages and disadvantages to think about.
Pros
Saving money – many providers will give a discount or even offer free landline if you decide to bundle.
Cheaper calls – the call packages you can add on will give you access to inclusive UK and oversea calls.
Convenience – bundling your services together means just having one bill and one provider to deal with.
Cons
Paying for services you don’t use – If you don’t actually use your phone line, you could end up paying line rental fees for something you don’t need.
It can be more expensive – the full fibre providers that don’t require a landline to deliver your broadband, can charge an extra £10+ for a phone line to be included.
What else should I look out for with landline deals?
Call options
Some deals just cover pay-as-you-go calls, so look at what add-on extras are available too. Then compare these packages – unlimited daytime, evening or weekend calls – to other deals and see what prices you are getting.
Some landline and broadband deals include calls too. So for example, a landline might be an extra £10 per month, but this could also include unlimited calls to UK landlines and mobiles.
Any extra costs
Some deals will just absorb the price of the landline into the whole package, but some not only charge extra for this, but then will also add on even more charges. Look out for any extra one-off costs like connection charges or set-up fees.
Keeping existing phone numbers
You should be able to keep your phone number, even when switching providers. Most will handle this for you, the exception will be Virgin Media who use a different cable network. You’ll need to arrange to keep your existing phone number by contacting your current provider and making the request to have it transferred.
Sign-up perks
You might be able to get a sign-up bonus such as a cash voucher or another freebie as an incentive when taking out a broadband and phone contract