Back to Plusnet
Back to Plusnet
Our brief review of Plusnet
The good:
Low-cost broadband deals
No set-up fees
Get Plusnet Reward cards
Highly rated, UK-based customer service
Get discounts for referrals
Widespread UK coverage
Range of contract lengths
Truly unlimited broadband
The bad:
Limited availability on full fibre options
No TV bundles
Basic router with ADSL deals
Can be more expensive in certain areas
No public Wi-Fi hotspots
Plusnet has made a name for itself as an affordable broadband provider. But do their speeds live up to their competitors, and what offers do they have available? Read on to learn what Plusnet has to offer.
How we review providers
When reviewing a broadband provider, it isn’t just as simple as looking at the price and the speed they offer. There is much more to it than that!
There are a few things we look into when determining whether we recommend a provider or not. These include things like speed, price, router performance, customer service...
We go through each of these in more detail in the review, look at how well the provider performs for each, and then compare how the provider's advertisements compare with real world experiences as well as other providers.
All our reviews are genuine, unbiased, and written by broadband experts.
Plusnet Broadband speed review: How fast is it?
Plusnet uses the Openreach network meaning its speeds are fairly consistent with other Openreach broadband providers.
Plusnet’s upload speeds are marginally faster than some of its competitors. This can be a real bonus if you regularly upload content to the internet. If you habitually live stream, or use online gaming platforms but want to save money, Plusnet might be a good option.
Plusnet's broadband packges currently comes in three levels: Unlimited Broadband, Unlimited Fibre, and Unlimited Fibre Extra.
Unlimited Broadband is Plusnet's entry-level broadband deal, offering average download speeds of 10Mbps and an average upload speed of 1Mbps. This is a basic ADSL connection, and should only really be considered if you can't access fibre where you are.
Plusnet Broadband
Unlimited Broadband
10Mb / second
Average speed
Unlimited
Usage
£25.99 / month
£0 upfront fees
Unlimited Fibre is the next level up, offering improved average download speeds of 36Mbps and upload speeds of 9Mbps. These speeds should be enough for small to medium-size households who like to stream the occasional film on Netflix.
Unlimited Fibre Extra is Plusnet's top-level superfast fibre package, offering an average download speed of 66Mbps and upload speeds of 18Mbps. This package would be more suited to larger households or online gamers.
Plusnet Broadband price review: How much does it cost?
Plusnet offer some reasonably priced broadband deals. They also offer a no contract service for their ADSL Unlimited Broadband. This is more expensive than their 18 month deal with £50 setup costs and £23.99 a month.
Let's see how Plusnet's prices stack up against some of its rivals:
| Deals | Plusnet price | BT equivalent package price | Sky equivalent package price | Virgin Media equivalent package price | TalkTalk equivalent package price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unlimited Broadband (10Mbps) | £23.99 | £27.99 | £30 | N/A | £24.95 |
| Unlimited Fibre (36Mbps) | £23.99 | £28.99 | £25 | N/A | £25 |
| Unlimited Fibre Extra (66Mbps) | £25.99 | £29.99 | £28 | £38 | N/A |
| Full Fibre 74 (74Mbps) | £25.99 | N/A | N/A | N/A | £26 |
| Full Fibre 145 (145Mbps) | £30.99 | £35.99 | £32 | £44 | £29.95 |
| Full Fibre 500 (500Mbps) | £40.99 | £45.99 | £42 | £62 | £39 |
*Prices correct as of September 2022.
As you can see, Plusnet's broadband offerings are good value when compared to equivalent packages from major providers such as BT, Sky, and Virgin Media. In fact, they're more in line with TalktTalk, another provider noted for its low-cost broadband.
Plusnet use geographical pricing for 1% of the UK. Their headline prices will be true for most but are not always accurate. Use usave’s broadband comparison tool to find out what Plusnet costs in your area.
Exit fees are charged per month remaining on your contract if you choose to terminate early.
What makes Plusnet stand out?
Plusnet has a number of benefits of a low-cost broadband provider:
- Plusnet TV package available for Plusnet broadband customers
- YouView box or YouView+
- Selection of premium channels and Freeview
- Security
- All Plusnet broadband comes with Plusnet SafeGuard
- Site blocking and parental controls
- Option to add Plusnet Protect for virus protection on up to 8 devices
- Reward cards sometimes come with fixed term contracts
- £50 for ADSL
- £75 for fibre optic
- Unlimited means unlimited
Plusnet review: Installation and equipment
Installation usually takes around 14 days.
Plusnet Unlimited Broadband customers will receive a basic router. Plusnet fibre customers receive a slightly improved router very similar to the BT Home Hub. This means your compatible gadgets will get a faster connection.
It is easy to set up your router at home and you won’t usually need an engineer to visit.
If you do not have an active phone line an engineer will need to install one. This can cost £49.99.
Customer Experience: how is Plusnet rated by customers?
Plusnet is usually rated average or below by customers.
As of June 2020 its Trustpilot ratings were 83% “Bad” and only 6% “Excellent”.
The majority of negative reviews concern the actual broadband service, customers complain that they do not receive the speeds advertised.
Customer service was previously their highest rated quality, but seems to have fallen in recent years.