Plusnet vs. BT Broadband - Which is Better?

Choosing Between Plusnet and BT

For a quick comparison of Plusnet vs BT see the graph below. Plusnet is an internet service provider (ISP) which is actually owned by BT Group (along with EE).

Established in 1997 and headquartered in Sheffield, England, Plusnet has grown from its early days into a prominant full fibre internet service provider. A significant turn in its journey came in 2007 when it was acquired by BT Group, which also owns EE. Despite this acquisition, Plusnet has retained its operational autonomy, continuing to serve its customer base as a distinct entity within the larger BT Group framework. This comparison below explores the things that differentiate Plusnet from its parent company BT to help you make a choice between the two.

A Quick Comparison of Plusnet vs BT

Feature	Plusnet Broadband	BT Broadband
ADSL Availability	Yes (10Mbps)	No
Fibre Speed Range	74-900Mbps	36-900Mbps
Unlimited Data	Yes	Yes
Upload Speed Range	20-115Mbps	30-110Mbps
Price Range (Monthly)	£24.99-£41.99	£28.99-£42.99
TV Options	N/A	EE TV Packages & Extras
Home Phone Requirement	No	Optional
Router Options	Hub Zero, One, Two	Smart Hub, Smart Hub 2
Broadband Extras	Plusnet Perks	Wi-Fi, Cloud Storage, Halo
Performance Rating	10th in UK	Higher than Plusnet
Customer Service	Strong Ratings	Variable Ratings
Security & Parental Controls	Basic	More Robust
Sources: Fair Internet Report, Choose, CrimeRate, Compare Broadband, MoneySupermarket

Plusnet vs BT: Cost of Packages

Winner: Plusnet 🏆 – Plusnet has a competitive edge over BT in terms of pricing, offering similar or higher broadband speeds at lower monthly costs, particularly evident in their higher-tier packages.

At the more basic level, Plusnet’s Full Fibre 74 package offers an average speed of 74Mbps at a monthly cost of £24.99. In comparison, BT’s closest equivalent, the Full Fibre 100 package with an average speed of 150Mbps, is priced at £28.99 per month. The price difference becomes more noticeable with higher-speed packages. For instance, Plusnet’s top-tier Full Fibre 900 package, boasting an impressive average speed of 900Mbps, is available for £41.99 monthly. Meanwhile, BT’s comparable Full Fibre 900 package, also offering average speeds of 900Mbps, comes at a higher monthly cost of £42.99. These comparisons clearly demonstrate that while BT offers competitive services, Plusnet generally positions itself as the more budget-friendly option, especially noticeable at the higher-speed broadband tiers.

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How Does Coverage Compare?

Winner: BT 🏆 BT broadband is available to 95% of UK households. Fibrus is available to less than 1% of the UK population, but growing rapidly.

Current Coverage

BT Broadband, which uses Openreach’s network, has far more extensive reach, covering 87.01% of Northern Ireland with full fibre and 30% of UK homes. It has plans for significant expansion with speed offerings up to 900 Mbps, designed to meet the majority of household needs. In terms of coverage, Fibrus primarily serves Northern Ireland and Northern England with 17,000 kilometres of fibre already laid across Northern Ireland and Cumbria. This extensive fibre network currently reaches around 250,000 homes with ultrafast pure fibre broadband.

Future Coverage

The next big milestone for Fibrus broadband is reaching 1 million homes (around 1.5% of the UK population). That’s a significant achievement for the challenger whose customer base has grown five times its size in just over 12 months. With a 400-strong team and £700 million in committed capital, Fibrus is a network with an exciting future.

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Plusnet & BT Broadband - Detailed Feature Comparison Side-by-Side

Feature	Plusnet Broadband	BT Broadband
ADSL Availability	Yes. Average speed 10Mbps	No
Superfast Fibre Availability	Yes. Average speed 66Mbps	Yes. Average speeds 36Mbps, 50Mbps, 67Mbps
Ultrafast Fibre Availability	Yes. Average speeds 74Mbps, 145Mbps, 300Mbps, 500Mbps, 900Mbps	Yes. Average speeds 150Mbps, 300Mbps, 500Mbps, 900Mbps
Download Limit	No. Service is truly unlimited	No. Service is truly unlimited.
Upload Speeds	Full Fibre 74: 20 Mbps Full Fibre 145: 30 Mbps Full Fibre 300: 50 Mbps Full Fibre 500: 75 Mbps Full Fibre 900: 115 Mbps	Full Fibre 100: 30 Mbps Full Fibre 300: 49 Mbps Full Fibre 500: 73 Mbps Full Fibre 900: 110 Mbps
Package Prices	Full Fibre 74: £24.99/month Full Fibre 145: £26.99/month Full Fibre 300: £29.99/month Full Fibre 500: £31.99/month Full Fibre 900: £41.99/month	Full Fibre 100: £28.99/month Full Fibre 300: £31.99/month Full Fibre 500: £34.99/month Full Fibre 900: £42.99/month
TV Options	N/A	EE TV offers extensive TV packages combined with BT broadband, including NOW Membership (Sky channels), TNT Sports, Netflix, discovery+ Premium, and a comprehensive lineup of sports channels. Packages include Entertainment, Sport, Big Entertainment, Big Sport, and Full Works. New additions include Apple TV+ with a 3-month free trial.
Home Phone Requirement	No	No a home phone is not a requirement, BT offers both Broadband with or without a landline.
Router Quality	Offers Hub Zero for ADSL; Hub One for fibre; Hub Two for advanced features	BT Smart Hub for superfast broadband; Smart Hub 2 for Complete Wi-Fi or Halo 2 packages
Broadband Extras	Plusnet Perks include extra mobile data and BT Sport App discount; basic features	Wi-Fi hotspot network, cloud storage, virus protection, Halo and Complete Wi-Fi options
Performance	Rated 10th in UK for speed; slower than BT due to equipment and full-fibre rollout	Rated higher in speed tests; offers better performance especially with FTTP
Customer Service	Strong ratings; known for good customer service	Variable; customer service ratings differ
Security and Parental Controls	Limited features; basic parental controls	More robust security suite and parental controls
Sources: Fair Internet Report, Choose, CrimeRate, Compare Broadband, MoneySupermarket, BT Broadband, Plusnet Broadband

Speed Comparison - BT vs. Plusnet

Winner: BT 🏆
BT secures the top spot in the broadband service comparison with Plusnet, particularly excelling in their ‘Stay Fast Guarantee’. Their Full Fibre 300 package, for instance, guarantees a minimum speed of 150 Mbps, overshadowing Plusnet’s equivalent. This commitment to reliable and consistent speeds makes BT the preferred choice for users seeking dependable internet service.

Download and Upload Speeds

It’s always a tough call when you’re comparing the same company – and these are pretty similar packages – but when push comes to shove BT stands out with its higher guaranteed minimum speeds across various packages. For example, the Full Fibre 500 and Full Fibre 900 plans offer rapid internet access with robust upload speeds. Plusnet’s offerings, while providing high maximum speeds, generally come with lower minimum speed guarantees.

Router/Hub Quality

In terms of router quality, BT’s Smart Hub and Smart Hub 2 are renowned for their strong Wi-Fi signals and reliability. Plusnet also offers reliable routers, but BT’s additional features, including the Complete Wi-Fi add-on and Hybrid Connect, make it a more comprehensive choice for users.

Pricing and Value

Plusnet is known for affordability and attractive reward cards, but BT’s prices reflect its superior speed guarantees and features. Despite being slightly higher in cost, BT’s Full Fibre packages offer good value, considering their high-speed and consistent internet services.
For comprehensive details on BT and Plusnet’s broadband packages and pricing, visit BT Broadband and Plusnet.

Broadband Package	Download Speed	Upload Speed	Monthly Cost
Plusnet Full Fibre 74	74 Mbps	20 Mbps	£24.99
Plusnet Full Fibre 145	145 Mbps	30 Mbps	£26.99
Plusnet Full Fibre 300	300 Mbps	50 Mbps	£29.99
Plusnet Full Fibre 500	500 Mbps	75 Mbps	£31.99
Plusnet Full Fibre 900	900 Mbps	115 Mbps	£41.99
BT Full Fibre 100	150 Mbps	30 Mbps	£28.99
BT Full Fibre 300	300 Mbps	49 Mbps	£31.99
BT Full Fibre 500	500 Mbps	73 Mbps	£34.99
BT Full Fibre 900	900 Mbps	110 Mbps	£42.99
Source: BT, Plusnet – Updated Broadband Packages and Pricing.

(Note: For the most current and comprehensive package details, including any additional offerings or changes in prices, please refer to the respective websites of BT and Plusnet.)

FAQs

Plusnet is a good deal in terms of pricing compared with their primary competitors, BT and Virgin Media. While their customer service ratings are high, the broadband service delivered has lower speed test ratings (#10 compared with BT's #2 and Virgin's #1).

Plusnet is, by any measure, one of the best value broadband providers. Its standard broadband and fibre packages come in well under most rival suppliers' packages of comparable speed. Which means it's a really good bet if you're on a tight budget. Or if you just want to make sure you don't overpay for your broadband.15 Nov 2023

Full Fibre isn't available everywhere yet, but Plusnet is expanding its coverage. You can check availability in your area using Plusnet's broadband postcode checker on their website.

The Full Fibre package is broadband-only, so you won't need a phone line. If you currently have a landline, it will be disconnected as part of your Full Fibre installation.

The switch can take 3-10 working days. If you already have a Full Fibre connection, activation can be done remotely within 3 days. If a new connection is needed, an engineer visit might be required, which could take up to 10 days.

Plusnet provides the Hub 2 router with its Full Fibre 900 package. This router has been reported to handle full fibre download speeds effectively and offers a consistent and strong Wi-Fi signal.

Reviews indicate that the Plusnet Hub 2 router performs well with consistent ping and reliable Wi-Fi signal coverage across a typical home, including outdoor areas like gardens.

Over Wi-Fi, users typically experience download speeds between 500-700 Mbps and upload speeds of 100-115 Mbps. With an Ethernet connection, speeds can reach 900-950 Mbps for downloads and 100-115 Mbps for uploads.

Plusnet's customer service is generally well-regarded. They are known for being helpful and are UK-based. According to Ofcom data, the average response time for phone calls is around two minutes.

Plusnet Full Fibre 900 is considered to offer good value, especially given the high download speeds. Though not the cheapest, it's competitively priced for the level of service provided.