Updated September 30, 2026 · TariffCue Editorial Team
Optimum vs YouFibre
What sets them apart
| Compare | Optimum ReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |  YouFibre |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $30 | £20 |
| Reference plan prices | 300 Mbps Internet: $30/mo, 300 Mbps, no contract; 500 Mbps Internet: $40/mo, 500 Mbps, no contract; 8 Gig Fiber Internet: $90/mo, 8000 Mbps, no contract | You 200: £20.00 per month, 200 Mbps, 24-month contract; You 1000: £25.00 per month, 1000 Mbps, 24-month contract; You 8000: £50.00 per month, 8000 Mbps, 24-month contract |
| Setup fee | $150 | £0 |
| Mid-contract price rises | Price increases after promo period ends | Prices are fixed for the initial term of the 24-month contract; after the initial minimum term the monthly price changes to the list price. |
| Exit fee terms | No contracts - cancel without early termination fees | Early Termination Charges apply to any termination within the Fixed Term; a Monthly Rolling Package has no Fixed Term commitment and no Early Termination Charges but requires at least 30 days' notice; 14 day cooling-off period. |
| Router | Rent up to $14/mo unless you opt out | Wi-Fi 7 router included as standard: YouFibre Hub for You 200/500/1000/2000, YouFibre Hub Pro for You 8000, with YouMesh Boosters available |
| Markets | US | GB |
| Price after contract | Not confirmed | £34.99 to £129.99 |
| Social tariff | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Premises covered | Not confirmed | 500,000 |
Same on both: Top download speed (Mbps) (8,000).
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Key differences
- Optimum scores higher overall: 9.3 vs 9.0.
- Founded is lower at Optimum: 1996 vs 2019.
- Technology: only Optimum offers Cable.
- Contract length: only YouFibre offers 12, 24.
- Markets: only Optimum offers US.
- Markets: only YouFibre offers GB.
Our verdict on each
Optimum
Optimum suits US households that want a fast line with no contract attached, and its top plan reaches 8,000 Mbps. What you weigh is the joining cost: a setup fee of $150 and a router that is rented unless you opt out.
YouFibre
YouFibre suits households inside its full fibre footprint that want a low entry price, Wi-Fi kit in the box and a rolling option alongside fixed terms. Entry starts at £20 with a £0 setup fee, and the brand ranks 1 of 86 on setup fee.
Score breakdown
| Area | Optimum | YouFibre |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.6Entry price of $30 looks fair, but Price increases after promo period ends and a $150 setup fee weigh on the total. | 9.3HigherEntry at £20 with a £0 setup fee, but renewal prices of £34.99 to £129.99 once the minimum term ends. |
| Offer | 9.8HigherSpeeds of 8,000 Mbps on terms of 1 month, with both cable and fibre available. | 9.2Max download of 8,000 Mbps over fttp, Wi-Fi kit with every plan, mesh boosters and a social tariff on offer. |
| Trust | 9.8HigherA US operator trading since 1996 under Optimum Communications, Inc., with US as its market. | 8.1Support on email, phone and chat, a cooling-off period after signing, and YouFibre Limited trading in GB since 2019. |
Licences and countries
| Country | Optimum | YouFibre |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | United States | United Kingdom |
Additional countries for Optimum: 1. Additional countries for YouFibre: 1.
Choosing between them
Pick Optimum if offer matter most.
Pick YouFibre if cost matter most.
How they place
| Ranking | Optimum | YouFibre |
|---|---|---|
| Broadband providers | 36 of 124 | 1 of 124 |
| Full fibre providers | 23 of 107 | 1 of 107 |
| Broadband without a long contract | 15 of 46 | 1 of 46 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Optimum | YouFibre |
|---|---|---|
| Technology | Cable, FttpCovers more | Fttp |
| Contract length | 1 | 1, 12, 24Covers more |
| Legal entity | Optimum Communications, Inc. | YouFibre Limited |
| Headquarters | United States | United Kingdom |
| Founded | 1996Lower | 2019 |
| Support channels | Not confirmed | Email, Phone, Chat, Help centre |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Optimum | YouFibre | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top download speed (Mbps) | 8,000highest quarter | 8,000highest quarter | 1,000 |
| Price after contract | Not confirmed | £34.99 to £129.99below the median | £37 |
| Premises covered | Not confirmed | 500,000lowest quarter | 1,700,000 |
Median across 116 listed providers.
Pros and cons
Optimum
Pros
- No contract: No contracts - cancel without early termination fees, so moving or switching does not cost an early termination charge.
- Top-end speed: 8,000 Mbps, well above Astound at 5,000 Mbps.
- Choice of line type: cable and fttp, so cable and fibre both come from one provider.
Cons
- Setup fee of $150 ranks 86 out of 86 on the site's setup fee table, the expensive end of that list.
- Rent up to $14/mo unless you opt out adds a monthly equipment cost unless you opt out and bring your own kit.
- Renewal risk: Price increases after promo period ends, so the figure you pay after the promo period can sit above the $30 entry price.
YouFibre
Pros
- Entry pricing of £20 a month sits well inside the 40 place of 95 on price from.
- Setup costs £0, and the brand ranks 1 of 86 on that measure.
- Every plan arrives with Wi-Fi kit in the box, with a higher grade hub on the highest speed tier and mesh boosters available.
Cons
- The advertised rate lasts only for the opening stretch of a fixed term, and the bill then steps up to renewal prices of £34.99 to £129.99.
- Walking away before a fixed term ends brings an early termination charge, which makes the low entry price a costly place to leave from.
- Maximum download speed of 8,000 Mbps ranks 10 of 114, well short of Abissnet at 10,000 Mbps.
Who each suits
Optimum
Who it suits
- Households that want a very fast line but no long commitment, and would otherwise settle for Astound at 5,000 Mbps.
- People likely to move or switch provider often, since No contracts - cancel without early termination fees keeps leaving cheap.
- US households that want one provider for both cable and fibre lines: cable and fttp.
Who should look elsewhere
- Buyers outside US, who can compare EarthLink instead for fttp, 5G and satellite and a wider choice of ways to connect.
- Fibre-only buyers, who may prefer Abissnet running fttp across its footprint.
- Shoppers who want no joining bill, since the $150 setup fee ranks 86 out of 86 and Astound's terms are worth checking first.
YouFibre
Who it suits
- Households already inside the full fibre footprint, in the United Kingdom, that want Wi-Fi kit in the box rather than buying a router separately.
- People who want a short commitment: the monthly rolling package has no fixed term and no early termination charge, though notice is needed in advance.
- Households that can plan around a fixed term, since the advertised rate lasts only for the opening stretch of the term before renewal prices of £34.99 to £129.99 apply.
Who should look elsewhere
- People wanting the highest headline speed in this comparison, since Abissnet lists 10,000 Mbps.
- Households outside the footprint, as coverage reaches 500,000 premises.
- Anyone who needs a mix of technologies, since EarthLink lists fttp, 5G and satellite while YouFibre runs on fttp alone.
Country by country
| Country | Optimum | YouFibre |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | No | Yes |
| United States | Yes | No |
Questions about each
Optimum
What does Optimum cost to get started?+
The entry price is $30 a month, the cheapest plan on the list. Installation is a separate setup fee of $150. Budget for both in the first month, because the setup cost does not appear in the monthly price and it sits at the expensive end of the site's setup fee table.
Do I have to sign a contract with Optimum?+
Contract terms apply: No contracts - cancel without early termination fees. Plan terms are listed as 1 month, so the commitment is measured in months rather than years. That makes Optimum a straightforward option if you expect to move home, since leaving does not trigger an early termination charge.
YouFibre
What does YouFibre cost to get started?+
Prices start at £20 a month, and the setup fee is £0. The entry rate sits on the slowest plan, and plans with more headroom are priced higher, so a quicker line means a bigger monthly bill. No separate hardware purchase is needed either, because Wi-Fi kit comes in the box on every plan.
What will I pay once the introductory price ends?+
The advertised rate lasts only for the opening stretch of a fixed term. After the minimum term passes, the monthly bill steps up to the list price, and renewal prices run £34.99 to £129.99. That sits well above the £20 entry figure, so treat the list price as the real ongoing cost. Plan contract months of 1, 12 and 24 lets you take a shorter or rolling term instead.
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