Your guide to broadband with free gifts
Let’s be honest. If you're a potential new sign-up, broadband providers really want your business. And they just love dangling shiny incentives in front of new customers to get them to the dotted line. Perks can range from simple cashback and tempting gifts to shopping vouchers and generous bill credits that can really reduce your bills.
Our guide breaks down everything you need to know about these sweeteners. We'll help you look past the initial hype, weigh up whether an offer is actually worth your money over a long contract or whether you’d be better off forgetting the gimmicks and just picking a cheaper, no-frills package.
What types of freebies are available?
The red carpet the networks roll out for new sign-ups changes constantly, but most deals usually fall into a few predictable brackets. Here are the most common perks you'll spot on comparison sites like ours:
Broadband deals with cashback – Cashback is a big crowd-pleaser, usually in the form of a virtual prepaid Mastercard or a digital account credit. Instead of mailing you a cheque, providers love handing over these digital rewards, which you can usually spend almost anywhere.
Broadband deals with free gifts – Now less commmon that it once was, you can still score some fairly big prizes. Gifts like free 4K smart TVs, popular gaming consoles, laptops, or high-end wireless headphones have been known. While these freebies pop up throughout the year, you can guarantee they'll absolutely flood the market around Black Friday. So it can pay to bide your time and see what comes up.
Broadband deals with vouchers and gift cards – The most popular freebies on offer with broadband provision are digital gift cards or multi-store reward cards. These are usually handled by third-party reward sites like Giftcloud, with values typically kicking off around £40 and sometimes over £150 for the most premium packages.
Free router – You'll need a router, and while the physical hub itself is included without an upfront purchase price, the "free router" is now usually just loaned to you. Check the fine print, but almost all major providers now require you to return the it, and any other equipment at the end of your contract. Or you could face steep non-return fees.
Terms and conditions usually apply with all types of freebie – such as the requirement to actually claim or activate your reward cards or vouchers within a specified timeframe. Some broadband providers who offer free gifts also include incentives like free installation, which is worth keeping in mind when you’re comparing deals.
One other thing – and we can't emphasise this enough – in many cases you must claim your reward yourself, and actively manage that process. Whilst we wouldn't say the steps are sometimes made deliberately awkward, it can be a slightly labourious process requiring you to submit within a certain deadline and keep a close eye on any correspondence from the provider or their representatives. Providers work on the assumption that a certain percentage of customers won't actually go through with gift claim, so make sure that's not you.
Not all welcome gifts and incentives will be available in all areas of the UK, so before getting too excited about a freebie, use our postcode checker to see what’s currently on offer where you live.
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Which providers offer free gifts?
Deals vary from week to week and month to month, but some providers consistently offer the same type of free gift. Here’s a run down of what incentives to expect from some of the UK’s most popular broadband providers:
BT broadband – The BT Virtual Reward Card has been a staple of their marketing for many years now. It can be used almost anywhere online or over the phone where Mastercard is accepted, and you can monitor your spending in real-time.
Sky broadband – Sky mainly offers a range of virtual gift cards and digital high-street shopping vouchers via platforms like Giftcloud, often combined with zero upfront activation costs. From time to time they will offer something more concrete with their broadband, TV and phone bundles.
Virgin Media broadband – Virgin is the undisputed champion of the big physical flash sale. Items like a free 43" LG 4K Smart TV with their premium sports and movie bundles, and offering free set-up. The provider also often throws in big bill credits as an alternative to the cashback some of its rivals offer. More recently they've moved away from this though, instead they just slash the basic pricing.
Vodafone broadband – Vodafone loves a voucher combo. They frequently target switchers by offering gift cards worth anywhere from £60 to over £120. Uniquely, they also sometimes offer free gifts for existing Vodafone Mobile customers to switch to their broadband service.
EE broadband – Since EE and BT share a corporate family, EE mirrors a lot of BT's tactics but packages them with mobile-perks. You’ll sometimes see substantial virtual reward cards paired with an extra monthly mobile data boost for existing EE phone users who bring their home broadband over to the same network.
Plusnet broadband – While their monthly rates are usually on the cheaper side, they will often throw in a smaller reward card to give budget hunters a little extra motivation. However, those gifts have been increasing recently and are now really quite generous.
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How do I claim my free gift?
If you think a provider is going to automatically post you a shiny voucher or a free TV the second your internet line goes live, we have some bad news. To protect themselves from people grabbing a freebie and immediately running away, networks have made the claiming process a lot more restrictive.
Every provider is different, however, so it’s worth checking the terms and conditions before signing on the dotted line—especially if you’re basing your choice of contract on a free gift.
If you don’t receive your freebie once your broadband is up and running, you’ll need to get in touch with your provider to chase it up. Most offers expire within a few months, so if your free gift hasn’t arrived within 30 days, put in a complaint before you miss out for good.
BT broadband, Vodafone broadband and Sky broadband allow you to log in to your online account or follow a secure email link to claim your free gift once your account clears its validation window (usually 60 to 120 days). Meanwhile, networks like EE broadband, Plusnet broadband and Virgin Media broadband send you a direct link, automated redemption instructions, or coordinate directly with a third-party courier to dispatch physical tech gifts.
Check your order confirmation email too, as some providers use this to give you details of how to get hold of your reward.
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Should I just choose cheaper broadband over a free gift?
Free gifts are designed to tempt new customers into broadband contracts. What initially looks like a great incentive may lose its shine when you’re faced with paying a high monthly fee for your WiFi over a long period.
Incentives are great, but should never be the main reason for choosing a particular broadband deal. It’s also always a good idea to read and understand the terms and conditions that come with your broadband package, or you could find yourself paying more than you expected.
The best way to approach a free gift with broadband is to find an affordable contract you’re generally happy with, and view any freebies that come with this as happy extras. Recently, some providers (Virgin Media in particular) have experimented with simply scrapping the free gift idea entirely – they've just dramatically reduced their pricing. And to be frank, we can't argue with that. It's simpler all-round and might be the best option for most people.
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Are there any downsides?
Receiving a free gift or incentive with your broadband deal might seem like a no-brainer, but there are a couple of things to consider when choosing this type of package.
The promise of broadband with a free gift might be tempting, but carefully weigh up the value of what’s on offer against the amount you’ll be paying over all, and for the duration of your contract. It’s also advisable to check the terms and conditions related to the free gift carefully, to make sure what you actually get matches up to how it’s described in the promotional materials.
It’s also vital to check how long a free gift or incentive is available, as many have expiry dates. If you don’t claim or use yours in the time specified, you may lose out entirely. Don't forget that using an active VPN or an ad-blocker during your purchase can be problematic (for the technically minded, it's a tracking cookie thing). In fact, it'll likely cause your reward claim to fail completely.
Try not to let the promise of a free gift sway you when comparing broadband deals. If a package is right for you, an incentive is a nice extra—not a deal breaker.
One final thing we've not touched on in this guide is the recent development of providers offering to 'buy out' your existing contract. That could be considered a form of extra free gift, and is definitely worth looking into if it fits your circumstances. But everybody will be in a different situation regarding their contract, so it's something you'll need to speak to your potential new provider about first. Individual arrangements tend to be worked out depending on your current provider and contractual situation.
Broadband with free gifts
