Short-term and no contract broadband deals

Discover no contract broadband

If you need internet access but can’t commit to a long contract, a short-term or no contract broadband deal could be the answer. Compare these more flexible options with us.

Key points

• Most broadband contracts run for a minimum of 12 months. If that’s too long for you, consider a short-term or no contract deal
• Short-term and no contract deals tend to cost more per month than longer contracts. But they could still work out cheaper if you only need broadband for a few months
• Only a small number of providers offer short-term or no contract broadband. Your options are limited, making it even more important to compare and get a great deal

What are short-term and no contract broadband deals?

• No contract broadband deals allow you to pay for a month’s internet at a time, with no obligation to keep renewing
• Short-term broadband deals typically involve a six-month contract

“No-contract” doesn’t really mean there’s no contract…

The “no contract” label can be confusing, because this type of broadband deal usually does involve a contract, it’s just much more flexible.

How it usually works is that at the end of each 30-day period, your provider renews the contract for another 30 days. That means you only have to give 30 days’ notice and you’re free to leave without paying any exit fees.

Some providers call it rolling contract broadband, which is a more accurate description.

Advantages of short-term and no contract broadband

There are several benefits to short-term and no contract broadband deals:

Flexibility

Short-term and no contract broadband deals are a good option for uncertain or short-term living arrangements - for example, if you’re a student or in temporary accommodation. You’ll value this flexibility if:

• You don’t know or haven’t decided how long you’ll be living somewhere; and/or
• You already know you’re going to be less than a year

Time to compare

Short-term and no contract broadband deals are a good option for uncertain or short-term living arrangements. They could be perfect if you’re a student or living in temporary accommodation. You’ll value the flexibility they offer if:

• You don’t know or haven’t decided how long you’ll be living somewhere
• You already know you’re going to be living in the property for less than a year

Time to compare

If you’ve had a bad experience with one broadband provider, maybe you’re wary of committing to a full contract with the next one. A short-term broadband deal lets you test things out and then switch providers if you’re not happy.

Competitive features

Choosing a more flexible deal doesn’t mean lower quality broadband. The speeds available are comparable with those on longer contracts. They typically range from about 50 Mbps to 2.3 Gbps (which qualifies as gigabit broadband).

Cheaper cancellation

With no contract broadband, you just have to give a month’s notice to cancel without any exit fees. With six-month broadband contracts, there might be a fee for cancelling before the six months is up.

You’ll still probably pay less than you would to cancel a longer contract because providers usually calculate exit penalties based on how many months you have left. This could leave you with hefty charges to pay if you’re not long into the contract.

Disadvantages of short-term and no contract broadband

There are some disadvantages to short-term and no contract broadband to consider:

Higher monthly bills

You’ll usually pay more per month than with a longer contract. It’s the price you pay for that extra flexibility.

Limited choice

Only a small number of providers offer no contract or short-term broadband deals. And even those won’t be available in every region of the UK. Use our quick postcode search to see what deals are available in your area at a glance.

Setup fees

Many short-term or no contract deals charge a setup fee to start supplying you with broadband. This is a one-off cost that will make your first monthly payment more expensive.

Equipment expenses

You might also have to pay for your router, which isn’t the norm with longer contracts. It’s rare to have to pay this and a separate setup fee, though. The costs are usually rolled in together.

Can I get short-term or no contract broadband in my area?

Use our postcode checker to find out if any of our trusted partners offer this kind of deal for your home.

Can I get a six month broadband contract?

Six month contracts are harder to find than contracts for a year or more. Whether or not you can get one depends on:

• Where you live
• What’s currently happening in the broadband market
• Whether you pass their credit check and can afford any setup fees

We don’t currently compare six month broadband contracts.

What’s the shortest broadband contract I can get?

The shortest possible broadband contract is for one month (30 days). These are usually structured as rolling contracts that keep renewing until you cancel.

It’s vital that you remember to contact your broadband provider and cancel or you’ll still be charged, even if you’ve moved and no longer use it.

How many UK providers offer no contract broadband?

Although your options are more limited than they would be if you were searching for a 12 or 18 month contract, there are still a number of providers offering no contract broadband. Compare deals from:

• 4th Utility - Full fibre options available with a range of speeds up to a whopping 2.3 Gbps. You’ll have to pay an upfront cost of £19.99 on all deals
• BeFibre - There’s no upfront cost for you to pay and the highest speed it offers is 2.3 Gbps
• Hyperoptic - Depending on the deal you choose, you’ll need to pay an upfront cost of £29 or £39. Its fastest package has a speed of 900 Mbps
• Rebel Internet - Hybrid and full fibre options for you to choose from with a £100 upfront cost. Its top deal has a speed of 1 Gbps
• Rise Fibre - It has a wide range of speeds to choose from, starting at 50 Mbps up to 2.3 Gbps with no upfront cost
• WightFibre - It has broadband, phone and TV no contract packages available, with speeds ranging from 150 Mbps to 900 Mbps. You won’t pay an upfront cost
• Zzoomm - No contract full fibre broadband with speeds of up to 2 Gbps. There’s no upfront cost for you to pay to get connected

Why choose no contract broadband?

Here are a few reasons why no contract broadband could be the right option for you:

• Flexibility if your plans change
• Works for temporary living arrangements
• No credit check (usually)
• Lets you test a provider’s service without committing
• No cancellation fees

Compare the best short-term and no contract broadband deals

Comparing the best no contract broadband and short-term broadband deals couldn’t be easier.

Simply enter your postcode and current broadband provider above and we’ll show you all the options available for your address.

You can then filter the results by monthly price, internet speed, connection type and provider to find a deal that fits your specific requirements. You can also see whether there are any upfront costs or mid-contract price rises.

Click on ‘More info’ to view the total cost for the first month of the contract, including any fees or charges.

All the no contract and short-term broadband deals that you can compare with us are one month rolling contracts.

Can I get no-contract fibre broadband?

Yes, in fact all the no contract broadband deals you can compare through us use hybrid or full fibre cables to deliver the internet to your home.

An engineer visit could be required if you don’t have a full fibre connection to your home already. Factor this in and book your engineer visit as soon as possible with your new provider, so you aren’t left without broadband while it’s being set up.

All of the top internet speeds available will use a full fibre connection and they’ll also be the more expensive options. It’s important to consider your home’s internet usage and whether or not you actually require lightning-fast speeds of 1 Gbps or more. Otherwise, you could end up overpaying for your broadband.

Use our bandwidth calculator to see what internet speed your home needs.

Wireless options for short-term and no contract broadband

You might get a better range of short-term broadband deals if you go wireless. Wireless broadband uses the 4G or 5G phone networks to create a Wi-Fi signal. Typically, there’s a larger range of no contract plans available.

• Mobile broadband is perfect if you’re moving around a lot. The router has its own power supply and is small enough to come with you
• 4G or 5G home broadband has a bigger router that usually needs plugging into a power socket, so it’s less portable but often better quality
• It doesn’t require an engineer visit to set it up. Just plug in your router and you’re connected

It’s also possible to get an internet connection by using your mobile phone as a Wi-Fi hotspot. This isn’t a good option for long periods because it burns through even generous data plans and works out more expensive than other types of wireless broadband.

How quickly can I get short-term broadband?

You can usually switch broadband providers within a few days, especially if you’re able to use One Touch Switch.

Your new provider will handle the switch, including notifying your current provider and cancelling your existing deal. You might need to pay an exit fee if you’re still within the contract term, so weigh up whether or not switching is cost-effective.

All you’ll need to do is choose an activation date and arrange an engineer visit to set it up, if necessary.

You should only be left without the internet for a few hours on your chosen switchover date.

One Touch Switch can only be used for wired broadband. If you’re switching from a mobile broadband to a wired broadband package, you’ll need to cancel the contract yourself.

FAQs

Are there hidden costs with no contract broadband?

There might be an extra payment when you first start a no contract broadband deal. It could be described as one of the following:

• Upfront cost
• Set-up fee
• Payment for the router and a delivery fee

After that one-off payment, there shouldn’t be any extra charges on your bill.

Your monthly payments could increase as a result of mid-contract price rises. You’ll be notified of this by your provider in advance. Think about shopping around for a cheaper broadband deal if you’re eligible to switch.

Can I get broadband for one month?

Yes, no contract deals typically run for 30 days. You can then decide to let it roll over to the next 30 days if you need it for longer, or you can cancel your broadband without having to pay a cancellation fee. Remember, if you end up rolling over your broadband contract for a number of months, perhaps you’re staying at the property for longer than you first thought, consider switching to a 12-month broadband deal instead. It tends to be cheaper and you could potentially take it with you to your next address when you do end up moving.

Is there a pay as you go internet?

No, pay as you go internet isn’t available anymore. You used to be able to purchase a data-only SIM or dongle with a set amount of data and you could then choose whether or not you wanted to top it up when it ran out. Although you can still use a SIM or dongle to access the internet, they now usually come with a contract of at least a month.

All wired broadband options will have a minimum 30-day contract.

What speeds are available with no contract broadband?

Even though there are fewer options to choose from with no contract broadband, there’s still a range of speeds on offer. So you can choose the broadband speed that suits your home’s needs and budget. Most of the providers on our panel have 1 Gbps and even 2 Gbps deals available.

Mobile broadband doesn’t achieve the very top internet speeds but it will still be comfortably in the superfast category (over 30 Mbps). Use our bandwidth calculator to find out what broadband speed you actually need .

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Last updated: 27 February 2026

[1] As of 13th March 2026, there are 7 active broadband providers on the panel at Go.Compare