Are you a regular binger of Netflix? Do you want the best quality picture from your 4K device? Do you want to avoid any nasty buffering issues? If the answer to all of these questions is a resounding yes, then you’ll need the right broadband to match.
We’ve sifted through the leading UK providers to find the best internet for streaming to get the best speeds, pictures and quality. If you’d like a more holistic view, we have a buying guide for choosing the right broadband for you , which takes into account other things such as costs and the different types of internet.
Based in America? We have a similar article for the best internet for streaming in the US .
What internet speeds are needed for streaming?
The most basic streaming plans don’t necessarily require the fastest internet speeds. However, if you’ve got numerous people in your household who’ll be streaming in 4K every evening, fast broadband is a necessity to ensure that there are no loading issues.
We’ve taken a look at all the leading UK providers speeds and compared the best deals below. You can also find all the average download speeds of leading UK broadband providers in Broadband Genie’s survey .
What’s the fastest broadband for streaming?
Virgin
Virgin offers some of the fastest speeds at the most competitive prices. Packages will vary depending on your location, but take a look at our picks of the best options below:
If you share your home with a small family who tends to use the internet at once – and you’re looking to stream in 4K on several devices simultaneously – you might want to consider opting for Virgin’s 250Mbps plan.
At the time of writing, you can get this plan for £30.50 per month on an 18-month contact, and get £50 off your first bill.
If you have a bigger household, or need faster speeds for things such as gaming or livestreaming, then you could also go for the 500Mbps package, which should be more than enough. Plus its only £8.50 more per month than the 250Mbps contract.
See Virgin’s internet plans
Best alternatives to Virgin
If Virgin’s packages are just not right for you, there are other decent fibre options that you can consider.
TalkTalk
TalkTalk has a great 24-month fibre contract available, with speeds of 150Mbps. Whilst it isn’t as fast as Virgin, it should be enough for multiple people to watch Netflix around the house – it is currently priced at £29.95 per month. If that isn’t quite enough, then you could also opt for the 500Mbps package for £39 per month.
See TalkTalks’s internet plans
Plusnet
Plusnet offers some of the most competitive broadband prices, and its fibre package with download speeds of 70Mbps is no different. You can get this for under £26.99 on a 24-month contract.
See Plusnet’s internet plan
Vodafone
Vodafone’s 68Mbps package for £24 is a good price if you’re happy to look at a 24-month contract. 68Mbps is more than enough to cover the major streaming service requirements for all devices in the household, plus you can get wired speeds of up to 900Mbps.
See Vodafone’s internet plans
Streaming service bundles
Whilst speeds are important, you may be searching for an internet bundle that also saves you money on a streaming subscription. Here’s some good options that are on the market right now.
Sky Stream, TV and broadband
See Sky’s internet plans
Virgin Ultimate Volt Bundle
Virgin’s Ultimate Volt Bundle includes Netflix Standard bundled in, as well as huge download speeds of 1130Mbps. On top of all that, you get over 230 TV channels and an O2 SIM card. This is more on the premium end, priced at £85 per month on an 18-month contract.
See Virgin’s internet plans
TalkTalk Fibre 65 with Netflix
You can also bag a Netflix Standard subscription with TalkTalk Fibre, which has average download speeds of 67Mbps on an 18-month contract for £37.95 per month. There is also a slightly cheaper package available, but you get half the download speeds.
See TalkTalks’s internet plans
BT Entertainment add-on
Existing BT customers can apply for the Entertainment bundle, which includes Netflix and Now for 24 months, along with the BT TV channels. This plan starts from £20 per month, but this is on top of an existing BT internet contract, so it’s not the cheapest option around.
See BT’s internet plans
Author: Hannah Cowton-Barnes, Entertainment Editor, Tech Advisor
As Tech Advisor’s Entertainment Editor, Hannah is the resident expert in all things streaming, film and TV. Before joining Tech Advisor in 2019, she studied Theatre and Performance at the University of Leeds and created a website dedicated to geek culture and lifestyle. She’s also reviewed a whole range of gadgets including flagship smartphones, wearables and styling tools. Outside of Foundry, she’s written freelance pieces for Polygon, Metro and Den of Geek, and is proud to be a Women Techmakers Ambassador for Google.
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