Sky vs Virgin Media Broadband (November 2026): Speeds, Prices and Black Friday Offers

Last updated: Thursday 12 November 2026

Sky or Virgin Media broadband: which is better? On price they are almost level this Black Friday. Virgin Media M500 is £24.99 a month and Sky Full Fibre 500 is £26, both on 24-month contracts as of 12 November 2026, and Virgin’s Gig1 at £26.99 undercuts Sky’s Gigafast 900 at £28. Virgin’s Gig1 also averages about 1,136Mbps, faster than Sky’s 900Mbps tier. Sky’s advantages are wider full fibre coverage, at 79% of UK homes on Sky’s own figures, and its TV, while Virgin adds a fixed £4 rise each April and Sky’s prices “may change” during the contract.

This SwitchSquid guide compares speeds, prices with their dates, mid-contract rises, TV bundles and this month’s Black Friday offers. Sky prices are from Sky Group’s Black Friday announcement (5 November 2026) and Sky’s deals page. Virgin Media prices are from its broadband pages on 11 November 2026. We don’t have a commission arrangement with Sky at the moment, so Sky is covered here for comparison only and the buttons on this page go to Virgin Media plans. We may earn a commission if you buy through them; it doesn’t change the price you pay.

Sky vs Virgin Media broadband at a glance

Sky’s Black Friday prices run from 5 November to 2 December 2026, according to Sky Group, although Sky’s deals page shows the Full Fibre 150 price ending on 18 November. Sky’s 5Gbps price is from ISPreview and Sky’s deals page, and is only available in CityFibre areas, which Sky says reach 14% of UK homes. Virgin Media prices, average speeds and after-term prices are from Virgin’s broadband pages and offer terms on 11 November 2026. Sky’s £3 rise in April 2026 is from Sky Group’s 18 February 2026 update. Virgin Media’s £4 April rise is from uSwitch’s list of April 2026 broadband price rises.

Speed: cable vs full fibre

Virgin Media mostly runs on its own cable network, with full fibre in newer areas. Sky sells full fibre over Openreach’s network, and over CityFibre’s in some towns. In practice, both give fast, reliable downloads at the speeds most homes buy. Virgin quotes average download speeds of about 362Mbps for M350 and about 1,136Mbps for Gig1, while Sky sells tiers named after their average speeds, from 150Mbps to 900Mbps on Openreach and up to 5Gbps on CityFibre.

The bigger difference is upload speed. Full fibre plans on Openreach usually have much faster uploads than Virgin’s cable plans at the same price. If you upload big files, stream on Twitch or spend all day on video calls, Sky full fibre (or Virgin where it has full fibre) is the safer pick. For streaming, gaming and browsing, Virgin’s download speeds are hard to beat for the money.

Prices: what you actually pay over 24 months

Headline prices only tell half the story, because both providers can raise prices during the contract. Virgin Media adds a set £4 a month each April on contracts taken from 2 October 2025. Sky doesn’t publish a set figure, but its prices may change during the minimum term and it added £3 a month in April 2026. The table below assumes you join in November 2026 and that Sky repeats a £3 rise, which isn’t confirmed.

Over two years, the two are within about £2 of each other at every tier once the April rises are counted. That makes speed, coverage, TV and what happens after the contract the real deciders. After 24 months, Sky adds £5 a month under its terms, while Virgin’s M500 goes to £37.94 and Gig1 to £40.24. Either way, put a reminder in your calendar to switch or haggle before the term ends.

Sky Black Friday broadband deals 2026

Sky launched its Black Friday sale on 5 November 2026. For new broadband customers, Sky Group lists Full Fibre 150 at £23 a month, Full Fibre 500 at £26 (which Sky calls its lowest ever price) and Full Fibre Gigafast at £28, all on 24-month contracts with £0 set-up (usually £19.95) on Sky’s deals page. Sky’s deals page says the Full Fibre 500 and Gigafast prices run until 2 December 2026, and the Full Fibre 150 price until 18 November 2026. Sky’s general small print says a £9.95 router delivery and £10 activation fee may be required. In CityFibre areas, Sky’s Full Fibre 5 Gigafast+ is £35 a month, according to ISPreview.

Existing Sky customers get lower prices through Sky VIP in the My Sky app: Full Fibre 150 for £21, Full Fibre 500 for £25 and Gigafast for £27, with £0 upfront fees, usually £19.95. Our guide to Sky broadband deals for existing customers explains how to get them.

With TV, Sky’s Black Friday bundles for new customers include Essential TV with Full Fibre 500 for £32 a month, down from £35, and Ultimate TV with Full Fibre 500 for £40, until 9 December 2026. Sky’s prices may change during the minimum term.

Virgin Media Black Friday broadband deals 2026

Virgin Media’s broadband page carries Black Friday banners, and on 11 November 2026 broadband only started at £21.99 a month for M350, with M500 at £24.99 and Gig1 at £26.99. New customers who switch can claim up to £300 towards early exit fees from their old provider, with proof, within 60 days of activation. Our Virgin Media Black Friday guide covers the TV bundles too.

TV: Sky vs Virgin Media

Sky is the home of Sky Atlantic, Sky Sports and Sky Cinema, and sells them through Sky Stream or Sky Glass with its own broadband. Virgin Media also carries Sky channels in its packages, including bundles with Sky Cinema and sports, alongside its own Stream box. In Virgin’s range on 11 November 2026, Broadband plus Flex TV started from £28.99 a month.

If you mainly want Sky Sports or Sky Cinema, either can work, so compare the full bundle price for your address. Sky tends to offer the bigger discounts on its own packs during sales, while Virgin can be cheaper if you want fast broadband with a modest TV package.

Router and Wi-Fi

Both providers include a Wi-Fi router. Sky offers Sky WiFi Max as an optional add-on to any Sky fibre product except Ultrafast, which adds extra Wi-Fi pods for bigger homes. Virgin Media sells its own Wi-Fi pods for homes where one hub doesn’t reach every room. If your current Wi-Fi struggles upstairs, budget for pods with either provider.

Is it worth switching from Virgin to Sky, or Sky to Virgin?

• Virgin to Sky makes sense if you want faster uploads, a full fibre line, Sky’s TV with a broadband discount, or if Virgin’s out-of-contract price has jumped.

• Sky to Virgin makes sense if Virgin reaches your street and you want gigabit speed for less: Gig1 is £26.99 against Sky’s £28 for Gigafast.

• Stay put and haggle if you are happy with the service. Existing Sky customers can see Sky VIP prices from £21 a month in the My Sky app.

How to switch between Sky and Virgin Media

1. Check your contract end date and any early exit fee with your current provider.

2. Check that the new provider reaches your address, and which speed tiers are available.

3. Order from the new provider. Under Ofcom’s One Touch Switch process, it arranges the switch and your old provider ends your contract, so you don’t need to call them.

4. Keep your old router until the new service is live, then return it if asked.

Our verdict: if Virgin Media reaches your home, it is slightly cheaper at each speed and faster at gigabit, so it is the better value for downloads. Sky is the better pick for uploads, wider full fibre availability and Sky TV bundles. Over 24 months the costs are within a couple of pounds, so pick on speed and TV, not on the headline price.

FAQ

Is Sky or Virgin Media broadband cheaper?

Virgin Media is slightly cheaper at each speed: M350 is £21.99 against £23 for Sky Full Fibre 150, M500 is £24.99 against £26 for Sky Full Fibre 500, and Gig1 is £26.99 against £28 for Sky Gigafast, as of 12 November 2026. Over 24 months, with Virgin’s £4 April rises and a £3 Sky rise, the totals are within about £2.

Is Sky or Virgin broadband faster?

For downloads, Virgin’s Gig1 averages about 1,136Mbps against 900Mbps for Sky Gigafast. For uploads, Sky full fibre is usually faster than Virgin’s cable plans. Sky also sells up to 5Gbps in CityFibre areas.

Is it worth switching from Virgin to Sky?

It can be if you want faster uploads, Sky TV with a broadband discount, or if Virgin has moved you to a higher out-of-contract price. On download speed and price per Mbps, Virgin is usually the better value where it is available.

What channels does Sky have that Virgin doesn’t?

Very few of the big ones. Virgin Media carries Sky channels such as Sky Atlantic, Sky Cinema and Sky Sports in its packages, so the difference is mostly the box, the package prices and which apps are built in. Compare the full bundle price for your address.

Do Sky and Virgin Media raise prices mid-contract?

Yes. Virgin Media adds £4 a month each April on contracts taken from 2 October 2025. Sky doesn’t set a figure in advance but says prices may change during the contract, and it added £3 a month in April 2026.

When do Sky’s Black Friday broadband deals end?

Sky Group says its broadband Black Friday prices for new customers run from 5 November to 2 December 2026, although Sky’s deals page shows the Full Fibre 150 price ending on 18 November. Its TV and broadband bundles for new customers run to 9 December 2026.

Can I switch from Sky to Virgin without calling Sky?

Yes. Under Ofcom’s One Touch Switch process, you order from Virgin Media and it arranges the switch, including ending your Sky broadband contract. You may still pay an exit fee if you are in contract, and Virgin offers up to £300 towards it for new customers.