Last updated: Monday 12 October 2026 (Europe/London).
Next update: when Virgin Media or Gigaclear change the prices below.
By: Switch Editorial Team, Switch Squid Ltd
As of 12 October 2026, Virgin Media M250 Fibre Broadband costs £25.99 a month for 24 months, or £311.88 over the first year, with an average download speed of about 264Mbps. If you live in a Gigaclear rural area, Gigaclear Full Fibre 300 costs £19 a month on an 18-month contract plus £30 activation, which comes to £258 in the first year. Both prices rise after the minimum term, so this guide also shows what you pay afterwards.
This guide is for households who want around 200Mbps: enough for several people streaming in 4K, video calls and gaming at the same time. SwitchSquid compares prices; we don’t sell broadband. We may earn a commission if you buy through our links. It doesn’t change your price or the order of the ranking.
Virgin Media M250 Fibre Broadband — £25.99/mo · 24 months
- Average download speed about 264Mbps, broadband only
- £311.88 over the first 12 months; £68 a month after 24 months
- Cable areas only, so enter your postcode to check your address
Offer facts (checked 12 October 2026)
We checked each price on the provider’s own website on 12 October 2026. First-year cost is 12 monthly payments plus any one-off activation fee.
- Virgin Media M250 Fibre Broadband: £25.99 a month for 24 months, then £68 a month. Average download about 264Mbps. Broadband only. First-year cost £311.88.
- Virgin Media M350 Fibre Broadband: £25.99 a month for 24 months, then £74 a month. Average download about 362Mbps. First-year cost £311.88.
- Gigaclear Full Fibre 300: £19 a month on an 18-month contract, plus £30 activation. 300Mbps full fibre in Gigaclear rural areas only. First-year cost £258.
Ranked by first-year cost
| Plan | Speed | Monthly | First-year cost | After the term |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gigaclear Full Fibre 300 (rural areas only) | 300Mbps | £19 (18 months) | £258 incl. £30 activation | Check Gigaclear’s terms |
| Virgin Media M250 | ~264Mbps average | £25.99 (24 months) | £311.88 | £68 a month |
| Virgin Media M350 | ~362Mbps average | £25.99 (24 months) | £311.88 | £74 a month |
Virgin Media says discounted pricing may be offered in selected locations, so your basket can show a lower price than the table. Altnets such as YouFibre, toob and Community Fibre also sell plans close to 200Mbps where they have built; check their own sites with your postcode and compare the first-year cost with the figures above.
Rank the first-year cost, then check which network reaches your street.
Fit summary
- Good for Virgin Media M250: homes in Virgin Media cable areas with four or more people online at once, who want a well-known provider and a 24-month price.
- Good for Virgin Media M350: anyone choosing M250 who would like more speed for the same monthly price and plans to switch again before month 25.
- Good for Gigaclear Full Fibre 300: rural homes in Gigaclear areas who want full fibre, the lowest first-year cost here and a shorter 18-month contract.
- Not ideal if: you only browse, email and stream in HD on one or two devices. A slower plan is likely to be cheaper; see our 150Mbps broadband guide.
Virgin Media M350 Fibre Broadband — £25.99/mo · 24 months
- Average download speed about 362Mbps for the same monthly price as M250
- £311.88 over the first 12 months; £74 a month after 24 months
- Cable areas only, so check your postcode first
How we work out the first-year cost
We add up 12 monthly payments and any one-off fee you pay at the start. For Virgin Media M250 that is 12 × £25.99 = £311.88. For Gigaclear Full Fibre 300 it is 12 × £19 + £30 = £258. Any exit fee on your current contract is extra, so check it before you switch.
We rank by what you pay, not by the commission we may earn.
Full fibre and cable are different
Gigaclear Full Fibre 300 runs on fibre all the way to your home, so upload speeds are usually much closer to download speeds. Virgin Media M250 and M350 run on Virgin’s cable network, which is fast for downloads but has slower uploads. If you upload large files or video for work, full fibre is often the better choice. Our cheapest full fibre broadband guide ranks full fibre plans across all speeds.
Setup fees and price rises
On 31 July 2026, ISPreview reported that BT, EE and Plusnet were bringing back one-off activation fees for new broadband customers. Whichever provider you choose, read the setup line in the contract summary and add it to the first-year cost.
Virgin Media’s prices are fixed for the 24-month term shown on its site, but the price after the term is much higher. For more on how providers raise prices during a contract, see broadband mid-contract price rises and fixed-price broadband UK.
Important conditions
- Virgin Media M250 and M350 are only available in Virgin Media cable areas, and Gigaclear only in its rural build areas. Check your postcode before you compare.
- Virgin Media’s prices last for 24 months, then rise to £68 a month for M250 and £74 for M350.
- Gigaclear Full Fibre 300 has an 18-month contract and a £30 activation fee.
- Speeds are averages. Your speed depends on your home wiring, router position and the time of day.
- Leaving a contract early usually means an early exit fee, both with your current provider and with a new one.
How to switch in four steps
- Check your current contract end date and any exit fee.
- Enter your postcode on the provider’s site to see which plans reach your address.
- Compare the first-year cost, including any setup fee, and the price after the term.
- Order the new plan. Virgin Media and Gigaclear use separate networks from Openreach, so you may need to cancel your old provider yourself; check before you order.
Final decision card
Choose Gigaclear Full Fibre 300 if it reaches your home: it has the lowest first-year cost here at £258 and is full fibre. Choose Virgin Media M250 if you are in a cable area and want around 200Mbps for £25.99 a month. Choose Virgin Media M350 instead if you want more speed for the same monthly price and will switch again before the term ends. If neither reaches your street, check our broadband deals page for plans available at your postcode.
Gigaclear Full Fibre 300 — £19/mo · 18 months
- 300Mbps full fibre in Gigaclear rural areas only
- £30 activation; £258 over the first 12 months
- Enter your postcode to check Gigaclear has built your street
FAQ
What is the cheapest 200Mbps broadband deal in the UK right now?
On the prices we checked on 12 October 2026, Virgin Media M250 is £25.99 a month for 24 months, which is £311.88 over the first year. In Gigaclear’s rural areas, Gigaclear Full Fibre 300 costs less over the first year: £19 a month plus £30 activation, or £258. Check your postcode, because both only reach certain streets.
Is Virgin Media M250 really a 200Mbps deal?
Virgin Media says M250 averages about 264Mbps download, so it is a little faster than a strict 200Mbps plan. It is the closest national cable plan to a 200Mbps search, and it is labelled with its real average speed in this guide.
Why not pick M350 if it costs the same?
On 12 October 2026 Virgin Media listed M350 at £25.99 a month too, with an average of about 362Mbps. The difference is the price after 24 months: £74 a month for M350 against £68 for M250. If you plan to switch again at the end of the term, M350 gives you more speed for the same price.
Why is Hyperoptic not in the ranking?
Hyperoptic’s prices change by building and postcode, so there is no single national price to rank. If you live in a Hyperoptic building, check its own site and compare the first-year cost with the plans here.
Do BT and EE charge setup fees on broadband?
ISPreview reported on 31 July 2026 that BT, EE and Plusnet were bringing back one-off activation fees for new broadband customers. Read the setup line in the contract summary of any basket before you order, and add it to your first-year cost.
How do I keep my price low after the contract ends?
Put a reminder in your calendar for month 23. Virgin Media’s M250 price rises to £68 a month after 24 months, so compare deals again before the term ends.
Other speeds
Need a different speed? See our 300Mbps, 500Mbps and 900Mbps guides, or broadband social tariff deals if you receive certain benefits.
Switch Squid Ltd, company number 13332631, Leamington Spa. 01926 942125.
