4th Utility vs Community Fibre: which is better value?
4th Utility is £1.25 a month cheaper on its lowest average over the contract (£15.75 against £17). 4th Utility wins 3 and Community Fibre wins 7 of the 19 checks below.
4th Utility vs Community Fibre, check by check
Prices, rises, fees, guarantees and complaints side by side. A tick marks the better value where the difference is clear.
| Check |  4th Utility |  Community Fibre |
|---|---|---|
| Live deals todayBroadband-only, national prices | 32 | 18 |
| Lowest average a monthOver the whole contract, set-up and price rises included | ✓£15.75150Mb Full Fibre CityFibre (24 Months) · 150 Mb | £17100 Mbps Fibre Broadband (24m) · 100 Mb |
| Lowest starting priceFirst month | £18150 Mb | ✓£14100 Mb |
| Cheapest Under 150 MbAverage a month, everyday band | £18.50100Mbps Full Fibre (24 Months) · 100 Mb | ✓£17100 Mbps Fibre Broadband (24m) · 100 Mb |
| Cheapest 150–500 MbAverage a month, fast band | ✓£15.75150Mb Full Fibre CityFibre (24 Months) · 150 Mb | £18150 Mbps Fibre Broadband (24m) · 150 Mb |
| Cheapest 500–900 MbAverage a month, very fast band | £21.88500Mb Full Fibre CityFibre (24 Months) · 500 Mb | ✓£19500 Mbps Fibre Broadband (24m) · 500 Mb |
| Cheapest 900 Mb +Average a month, gigabit band | ✓£22.751Gb Full Fibre CityFibre (24 Months) · 1,000 Mb | £231 Gbps Fibre Broadband (24m) · 1,000 Mb |
| Fastest dealAverage download speed | 2,300 Mb | ✓5,000 Mb |
| Average Deal ScoreAcross all live deals, 0–100 | 58 | ✓61 |
| Price risesDuring the minimum term | CheckSources disagree on a £4 rise in March; confirm when you order | +£3 · April+£3 a month every April, set in the contract |
| Set-up feeLowest on live deals | £0£0; Icotera router stays theirs | £0£0; Linksys mesh Wi-Fi 6 from 150 Mb |
| Leaving earlyExit fee rule | Early exit charges apply; the formula is not published | Monthly charge × months left × 90%; 30 days’ notice and a 30-day cooling-off period |
| Speed and Wi-Fi guarantee | A fault if wired speed is under 70% for 3 days | Premium WiFi add-on: 50 Mb in every room or 3 months back |
| Credit check | Not published for standard plans; none on the social tariff | ✓No credit check |
| Social tariffFor Universal Credit and some other benefits | Social tariff £13.99 (30 Mb) | ✓Essential £12.50 (35 Mb), open to everyone |
| Automatic compensationOfcom scheme: £10.34 a day for faults | No | No |
| Ofcom complaintsPer 100,000 customers, Q1 2026 (average 6) | Not in Ofcom’s table | Not in Ofcom’s table |
| Network | Own full fibre in apartment buildings and CityFibreMajor English and Welsh cities | Own full fibre, up to 5 GbLondon and parts of Surrey and Sussex |
| Contract length | 30 days, 12 or 24 months | 12, 18 or 24 months |
| Checks won | 3 | 7 |
✓ marks the better value where the difference is clear. Averages include set-up and price rises written into the contract; rolling deals are averaged over 12 months. Where a provider does not fix its rises in advance (Sky, NOW, Gigaclear), we do not award it the cheaper average. Live prices 28 October 2026, 11:08; facts checked 24 October 2026.
What you pay over 24 months
The cheapest comparable deal from each, month by month, with the rises written into each contract.
Cheapest deal from each in the 150–500 Mb band, paid for 24 months from November 2026.
4th Utility costs £6 less over 24 months.
- Community Fibre: +£3 a month every April adds £78.
Best 4th Utility and Community Fibre deals today
Top three broadband-only deals from each provider by Deal Score, national prices on 28 October 2026.
Which should you choose?
Choose 4th Utility if…
- you want the lower bill: its cheapest deal averages £15.75 a month over the contract
- you want the cheapest 900 Mb + deal
- you want the cheapest 150–500 Mb deal
- you live in its area (Major English and Welsh cities)
Choose Community Fibre if…
- you want the fastest speeds, up to 5,000 Mb
- you want the cheapest 500–900 Mb deal
- you want the cheapest Under 150 Mb deal
- you get Universal Credit: Essential £12.50 (35 Mb), open to everyone
4th Utility and Community Fibre deals that reach you
Compare 4th Utility or Community Fibre with others
4th Utility vs Community Fibre: common questions
Is 4th Utility cheaper than Community Fibre?
4th Utility is £1.25 a month cheaper on its lowest average over the contract (£15.75 against £17). 4th Utility wins 3 and Community Fibre wins 7 of the 19 checks below. Prices depend on your address, so check both with your postcode.
Which is faster, 4th Utility or Community Fibre?
In our national feed, 4th Utility’s fastest deal is 2,300 Mb and Community Fibre’s is 5,000 Mb. Networks: 4th Utility, Own full fibre in apartment buildings and CityFibre; Community Fibre, Own full fibre, up to 5 Gb. The speed you get depends on which networks reach your home.
Do 4th Utility and Community Fibre put prices up every year?
4th Utility: sources disagree on a £4 rise in March; confirm when you order. Community Fibre: +£3 a month every April, set in the contract. Since 17 January 2025, rises in new contracts must be shown in pounds and pence.
Which has fewer complaints?
Ofcom only publishes complaint figures for the seven biggest providers.
How do I switch from 4th Utility to Community Fibre?
Contact Community Fibre only: One Touch Switch handles the move, and 4th Utility must tell you about any exit fee. Leaving 4th Utility early: early exit charges apply; the formula is not published.
Live prices from our deals feed, updated every six hours; provider facts checked 24 October 2026; complaints from Ofcom, Q1 2026. Some providers pay us a commission when you switch through us; it never affects Deal Score or which provider wins a check. How we make money →