Side by side
Network
Zen Openreach + CityFibre full fibre
Vodafone Openreach + CityFibre full fibre (often identical lines)
Mid-contract price rises
Zen None — fixed for the whole contract
Vodafone Annual £3/month rise written into contract
Headline price
Zen Premium — from ~£28 on comparison deals
Vodafone Frequently the cheapest big-name full fibre
Service reputation
Zen Which? Recommended Provider 6 years running; 4.3 Trustpilot
Vodafone Mid-to-lower table; support quality is the common complaint
Static IP
Zen Included free
Vodafone Not offered on consumer plans
Bundles
Zen None
Vodafone Mobile discounts for Vodafone SIM customers
New-customer incentive
Zen £40 referral eGift card (via link, before ordering)
Vodafone Low introductory pricing, occasional gift-card promos
Comparison based on publicly listed features and pricing structures, checked 1 September 2026. Vodafone's offers change frequently — verify current deals on their own site.
The verdict
On identical infrastructure, Vodafone connects you for less — sometimes a lot less in the first year. What you give up is service (Vodafone sits mid-to-lower table in satisfaction surveys and its support is a frequent complaint), fixed pricing, and the extras. Pick Vodafone as a price play and diarise your contract end; pick Zen if you want to set up your broadband once and not think about it — or fight anyone — for two years.
Choose Zen if…
- You've been burned by cut-price broadband support before
- Fixed pricing and the free static IP matter to you
- You want the best-reviewed service on the same cable Vodafone would use
Choose Vodafone if…
- Lowest monthly price wins, full stop
- You already have Vodafone mobile and get the bundle discount