How to save money on broadband 💡

If you’re worried about how much your internet, TV and home phone is costing, you probably want to find ways to lower your outgoings and get a better deal on your home broadband. From comparison sites to switching providers here are ways you can reduce your broadband costs without sacrificing the internet speed you love.

How to get the best broadband deal

There are several things you can do to secure the best broadband deal. A popular option is to call your current provider and haggle for a cheaper deal.

By researching a more competitive deal and threatening to leave your current supplier, you may be able to coerce them into offering a price match or providing a better deal (albeit with a lot of effort on your part).

You can sometimes save money by checking you aren’t paying for more data or a faster connection speed than you need, or switching your payment method to a direct debit. However, all three of these solutions can be very hands-on and time consuming.

Often the quickest and most cost effective way to avoid overpaying for your broadband is simply to switch your broadband provider.

You can do this by using comparison websites to seek the best broadband deals, but this can often become confusing and slow (time is money, after all)!

What are the best broadband deals in my areas

The best broadband deal in your area will depend on what you use the internet for, your budget and what is available where you live. Broadband speeds are affected by things such as your property type or how far you live from your telephone exchange, and can vary significantly between postcodes or even houses on the same street!

There are three common types of broadband: ADSL (the most basic and common), cable broadband and fibre, or optic fibre broadband.

Some broadband networks, such as full fibre or fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) might only be available in limited regions, so it’s best to check what services your house has access to before you sign up to a deal. Use a broadband postcode checker to make sure you get the best broadband deal for your area.

Broadband providers often give their best prices to new customers, charging more for the same service once a tempting introductory rate expires.

We calculated that customers who switch broadband suppliers with Plum could save up to £210 and when it only takes 2.5 minutes to switch with Plum…

Broadband without landline

For many, landlines are a thing of the past. Most of us make calls from our smartphones and message friends using free apps. Paying a line rental fee every month can feel like an unnecessary extra cost, but do you need a landline for broadband?

The answer is no, if you are willing to switch your broadband provider to alternatives such as fibre and cable. These connections can also be faster, but it is worth noting that broadband only deals aren’t always as cheap as you would expect. You may find that a broadband package which includes the line rental fee, may often be cheaper than a broadband only deal.

How to compare broadband deals

1. Select your price comparison website. Bear in mind that some broadband providers might not feature on particular websites, so you may have to compare multiple sources, or even go directly to suppliers for their quote.

2. Enter your details. This could include your current provider, how much you pay and your postcode.

3. Search the deals. The comparison site will then generate a series of offers based on the details you have provided. It is up to you to sift through and find the best broadband deals.

Price comparison websites can be a useful tool if you are looking to switch providers. You can compare your current plan with others to see which provider is offering a cheaper broadband deal.

However it can be time consuming, complicated and leave you with the task of sorting through the details and switching broadband providers yourself.

How Plum can help lower your broadband bills

Plum automatically analyses payments to your current broadband provider and identifies if you’re being regularly overcharged, so there’s no need to navigate complicated price comparison sites.

You’ll be notified if there’s a better deal available, and Plum can switch your supplier for you in 2–3 minutes with just a few taps in the app 📲

There’s no need to handle confusing comparisons, or even deal with your old provider in most cases (because breaking up can be hard) 💔

You can also visit our Lost Money tab within the app at any time for a better deal on home energy, broadband, car insurance and loans.

Learn more about how Plum can help you make the most of your money.

For all the latest Plum news and discussion, head to our Plummunity Forum, or follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

If you’re looking for more ways to save money and lower your bills, check out our earlier article on how much you can save using energy comparison.