Cheap broadband deals 2023: Save BAGS of money this October

Cheap broadband deals are increasingly popular in these difficult financial times. Luckily, many of the largest internet service providers (ISPs) have cottoned on to this and are now offering budget-friendly tariffs that don’t compromise on quality. But, with a gaggle of ISPs competing for your attention, which one should you pick? That’s where the broadband boffins at Expert Reviews come in.

We set ourselves a very simple brief for this article: collect together all of the best offers that will cost you £25 or less per month in one place. Below, you’ll find our nifty comparison tool: simply type in your postcode, select your address, press the big, blue button and then peruse the ultra-affordable plans in your area. Best of all, the tool automatically updates when new deals hit the market.

Compare the best cheap broadband deals in your area – LIVE

How to choose the best broadband deal for you

Coverage

When it comes to getting the best broadband, location makes a big difference. The speed and reliability of both fibre and ADSL connections will depend on the quality of the line between you and the nearest streetside cabinet and the distance between your home and the local exchange. Faster full-fibre connections may or may not be available, depending on whether the necessary cabling has been installed in your area. This makes checking your coverage essential, but we’ve made the process as easy for you as possible: simply enter your postcode in the live widget above and you’ll see the available in your neck of the woods.

Contract length

Some broadband contracts still last 12 months, but ISPs are increasingly trying to push new customers towards 18-month or two-year deals. That might be fine if you’re happy with the service, but if you want to jump ship to a faster or cheaper provider, you could be looking at a long wait.

However, Ofcom regulations mean you can now back out of your contract if your provider fails to deliver a promised minimum speed and most providers will allow you to back out of your contract within the first month if you’re not getting what you pay for.

Lifetime costs

All ISPs will bill you on a monthly basis, but if you’re comparing different packages it’s smart to tally up how much you will pay in total over the course of the contract, including any upfront setup fee.

If you’re shopping around for a new ISP, review prices right up until the minute where you sign up. The market is fluid and deals frequently come along that can dramatically reduce the cost of certain contracts or see you get a higher speed for the same price as a lower-cost service.

Keep an eye on what happens after your initial contract term ends, too. Some ISPs hike the price up after the first year or 18 months, sometimes inflating the monthly charge. This is often negotiable, though, if you phone them up and say you’re planning to move to a different provider. If they won’t budge on the price, find an alternative.

Speeds

ISPs are obliged to advertise average download speeds for their internet packages. These give you a good idea of which packages are faster than others but it doesn’t tell you much about how consistent or reliable the service is.

This allows us to see how the different providers stack up across the board via our handy tool above. Just remember that the speed data from the Ofcom survey refers to the connection speed between the ISP and your router – if your laptop or smartphone is connected over Wi-Fi, that could slow things down.

So how exactly does Expert Reviews track down the best cheap broadband deals for you? We put a lot of thought into the offers we recommend and always want to get the most for your money. We’ve summarised our full deal-hunting strategy in a dedicated article, which you can read by clicking on this link.