With the cost of living increasing more of us are looking for ways to save money. One easy way is by shopping around when making a purchase or to ensure you are getting the best rate on your household bills. A comparison site makes this arduous task a lot easier by doing the hard work for you and allowing you to compare multiple providers at once for the best rate.
In this article, we share some of the best comparison sites in the UK and how you can get the best deals on your household bills, holidays and insurance policies. You can jump to specific sections of the article using the following links but for more tips on saving money on household bills, read our article 'How to save money on your household bills'.
- Best mortgage comparison sites
- Best energy comparison sites
- Best mobile, TV & broadband comparison sites
- Best credit card comparison sites
- Best home insurance comparison sites
- Best car insurance comparison sites
- Best pet insurance comparison sites
- Best life insurance comparison sites
- Best travel insurance comparison sites
- Best comparison sites for flights and hotels
- Best shopping comparison sites
- Things to consider before using a comparison site
What is a comparison site and how does it work?
Comparison sites help users find the best deal on a range of goods and services including insurance products and energy providers. Comparison sites can be a quick and easy way to get a better deal on your household bills and can save you from having to spend time shopping around for the best deal. Some of the most popular comparison sites include:
Does using a comparison site affect my credit score?
When using a comparison site you may be asked to provide personal information depending on the quote you require. Typically insurance quotes require additional information such as your address and date of birth. In most instances getting a price from a comparison site will not affect your credit score as it only requires a 'soft search' meaning the provider is simply completing an identity check.
Your credit score may only be affected if you go on to apply for credit which is likely to result in a 'hard search' that is visible on your credit report. This may happen if you continue with the quote and choose to take out the insurance product e.g. paying your car insurance premium monthly. One way you could avoid this is by paying your premium annually, and you may even be able to save money doing it this way, as Damien explains in this video, 'How to save money on insurance'.
Best comparison sites in the UK
Best comparison websites for mortgages
One of the most important household bills is your mortgage but that doesn't mean that you cannot try to save some money. One way you could try to save money on your mortgage is by remortgaging to a better rate and you can use a comparison site to help you do this. When comparing the best mortgage deals you may need to provide additional information such as the property value, your income and the preferred mortgage term.
The following comparison websites can be used to compare the best mortgage rates:
- Compare the Market - partnered with London and Country Mortgages for fee-free mortgage advice
- MoneySuperMarket - compare lenders incl Halifax, Lloyds, Natwest
- Go.Compare - partnered with Koodoo to compare rates and lenders
If you are planning on taking out a new mortgage you may also wish to seek advice from a mortgage adviser. Choosing the right mortgage adviser can be tricky but it is possible to speak to an adviser that does not charge a fee. Online mortgage specialists Habito* and Tembo* can provide independent advice ensuring you get the best rate for your mortgage.
For more information on mortgages and the best mortgage lender read our article, 'Which is the best mortgage lender in the UK?'
Best comparison websites for energy bills
One of the most popular uses of a comparison site is to find the best deals on utility bills such as gas and electricity. Below, we list some of the best comparison sites that allow you to save money on your utilities. You can also use energy switching services such as Switchd* that save money on your energy bills by automatically switching you to a cheaper rate.
It is worth considering, however, that now may not be the best time to switch energy suppliers as there are fewer energy deals available. Although some services do allow you to sign up and get notified when better deals return to the market.
- Uswitch* - access to exclusive energy tariffs not available with other providers
- MoneySuperMarket - compare energy tariffs from a range of suppliers and get an email when it's time to switch to a cheaper deal
In the meantime you may want to read our articles 'Should I fix my energy prices?' and 'What is the cheapest fixed-price energy tariff?'
Best comparison websites for mobile, TV & broadband
Did you know that you can quickly and easily compare the best mobile phone and SIM only contracts via a comparison site? You can also use comparison sites to compare the best TV, broadband and phone deals. When comparing mobile phone and broadband deals remember to check how many calls and texts you use as well as your data usage and the speed of your broadband in your local area.
Some of the best comparison websites to compare mobile, TV and broadband packages are listed below:
- Uswitch*- compare the best broadband deals from 16 of the best providers. Uswitch also allows you to compare the best mobile contract* and SIM-only* deals. Uswitch is regularly updated to ensure you're always shown the latest deals.
- MoneySuperMarket - compare broadband deals with up to 24 providers including Sky, BT and Plusnet. Compare the best mobile contract and SIM-only deals from 12 network providers.
- Cable.co.uk - compare the best broadband, mobile and TV deals and get access to exclusive deals not available with other providers.
Best comparison sites for credit cards
A comparison site is also useful for comparing some of the best credit cards deals to ensure you are getting the best rate for your circumstances. Most of the comparison sites also allow you to check your eligibility for credit cards using eligibility checkers. This means you can find out the likelihood of getting accepted before you apply. For more information on some of the top credit cards to look out for when comparing read our articles, 'Best credit cards in the UK' and 'How to choose the best credit card for you'.
We have teamed up with Creditec* to help you compare credit card deals and check your eligibility in minutes. You will be able to find out which credit cards you are most likely to be accepted for through a soft credit check, which will not affect your credit score. You can then tailor your personalised list to sort cards by the features that matter most to you. This could mean filtering for the type of credit card you want, sorting the list by the rate of interest or highlighting the cards you are most likely to be successful in applying for. You can click here to compare deals*.
Best comparison websites for home insurance
Home insurance can combine both building and contents insurance but the cover is available separately if you do not require both. Buildings insurance protects your home against any structural issues with your property as well as damage through fire or flooding and contents insurance covers valuables within the home due to loss, damage or theft.
One thing to consider is that while buildings insurance is not a legal requirement, most mortgage lenders require buildings insurance to be purchased before the house sale completes.
Below we list some of the best home insurance comparison sites:
- Quotezone* - compare over 50 home insurance providers and you could save up to £165** on your home insurance
- Confused.com* - compare up to 76 providers and get a reward at selected retailers as well as one free hot drink per month at Greggs.
- Compare the Market - compare home insurance policies from 42 providers. Also get access to one year of Meerkat Meals and Movies and 25% off Cafe Nero drinks and pastries if you take out a policy
- MoneySuperMarket - compare home insurance policies from over 77 providers and get access to their "SuperSaveClub" which gives members rewards and discounts
Best comparison websites for car insurance
Car insurance is a legal requirement if you wish to drive on UK roads and so it is a good idea to shop around in order to get the best deal. There are multiple car insurance policies to choose from with varying levels of cover to suit your needs and more information on the different types can be found in our article, 'What are the different types of car insurance?'
If you know the type of motor insurance you need and want to quickly compare providers, check out the following car insurance comparison sites:
- Quotezone* - compare over 110 providers and you could save up to £504** on your car insurance premium
- Confused.com* - compare up to 163 providers and and get a reward at selected retailers as well as one free hot drink per month at Greggs.
- MoneySuperMarket - save on your car insurance by comparing over 170 providers in the UK and get access to their "SuperSaveClub" which gives members rewards and discounts
Best comparison websites for pet insurance
Pet insurance can be overwhelming and it can be difficult to find out the best insurance for your pet. Before taking out pet insurance you should thoroughly research the best type for your pet to ensure you are getting the best level of cover. Our 'complete guide to pet insurance' offers further insight into the different types of pet insurance for your pet. Another thing to consider is that while comparison sites usually offer the cheapest pet insurance premiums for your pet, the cheapest policy is not always usually the best policy. Find out more in our article 'Cheap pet insurance - 5 reasons why it's not always the best'.
- Quotezone* - compare over 15 providers and pay from £2.56 a month**
- MoneySuperMarket* - compare up to 36 pet insurance providers and and get access to their "SuperSaveClub" which gives members rewards and discounts
- Go.Compare - compare up to 30 pet insurers and has exclusive monthly offers
Comparison sites are not always whole of market and you may not see all of the deals available. Providers such as Direct Line or Petplan do not show on comparison sites so you will need to visit the site directly in order to get a quote.
Best comparison websites for personal insurance
There are three main types of personal insurance, life insurance, critical illness cover and income protection insurance. These insurance policies offer different levels of cover to protect your finances and your family in the event of poor health or death. Below we list some of the best comparison websites for personal insurance.
However, personal insurance is not simple and there are usually more variables than you can put into a comparison site so you’ll only see the very simple types of life insurance policies if you use a comparison site.
The best way to compare life insurance is to speak to an independent insurance broker such as LifeSearch* to get personal advice about the best type of cover for your circumstances and you’ll receive up to £100 cashback as a Money to the Masses reader when you do.
- Compare the Market - life insurance comparison is provided by LifeSearch. If you take out a policy via Compare the Market you can claim an Amazon gift card up to £205 (policy dependent).
- MoneySuperMarket.com - compares leading life insurance providers
Best comparison sites for travel
Travelling abroad - or even in the UK - is expensive so shopping around for the best deals can help you to save money. Fortunately, there is a range of comparison sites that allow you to compare all aspects of your trip to save you money.
We also compare some of the best travel insurance providers in 2024 if you wanted a better idea of the cover you can expect before comparing the cost of providers on a comparison site. Read our article, 'The best way to take money abroad' for more travel tips and how to save money on overseas spending.
Best comparison websites for travel insurance
Travel insurance is an essential part of any trip and can help in the event of unexpected medical bills or if you are unable to travel due to illness. You may also be able to get cover for lost or stolen baggage or delayed trips. For more information on the best travel insurance read our articles, 'The best travel insurance providers in 2024' and 'The best travel insurance for pre-existing medical conditions'.
Below we share some of the best comparison sites for travel insurance :
- Quotezone* - compare prices with over 30 travel insurance providers
- MoneySuperMarket* - compare up to 42 travel insurance providers
- Confused.com* - compare 43 travel insurance providers
Best comparison websites for flights and hotels
It's also possible to use comparison sites to save money on flights and hotels for your trip away from home. We list some of the best comparison sites that help you to find the best rates.
Flights
- Skyscanner - find the best rates for your flight, hotel and car hire. Set price alerts and get notified if the flight you have been looking at has increased or dropped in price
- Google flights - find the best rates for flights around the world. If you are unsure of where you would like to go away you can also enter a region such as 'Europe' or 'USA' to find the cheapest flights and help you choose a travel destination
- Kayak - Find the best travel deals for flights, train travel, hotel and car rental. If you are flexible you can use their "Best time to travel" tool
Hotels
- Expedia - compare the best hotel prices for every kind of trip ranging from city breaks, beach stays and trips with your pet. Plan for your entire stay and add flights and car rental to your package. Flight-inclusive packages with Expedia are also protected by the ATOL scheme
- Trivago - compare multiple booking sites at once including booking.com and Expedia to find the best deal in one place
You may wish to read our article '
Best shopping comparison sites
You can use comparison sites to compare almost every purchase and it is a good idea to shop around particularly if you are planning to spend a large amount of money. Below we list some of the best comparison sites for shopping:
- Google shopping - search for the best deal on a range of items across the web including homeware, electronics and garden furniture.
- CamelCamelCamel - get the latest deals across Amazon and track price changes on your favourite Amazon products. You can also add a browser extension to ensure you are always getting the best deal.
- Price runner - compare the prices of up to 5.8 million products from over 6,800 retailers. Only features retailers on its site that deliver to the UK.
Things to consider before using comparison sites
Comparison sites are often the quickest and easiest way to compare products to get the cheapest deal, however, there are some things that you should consider before using comparison sites to ensure you are making the most of them.
- Use more than one comparison site - To ensure you are getting the best deal it is best to compare prices with more than one comparison site as they don't always cover the same providers so there may be a better deal elsewhere.
- Comparison sites are not always whole of market - Comparison sites rarely cover the whole of the market so it is possible that you could be missing out on a better deal with another provider. Some providers such as Direct Line are not listed on comparison sites so you would need to visit the provider directly to get a quote.
- Cheapest isn’t always the best - Comparison sites are notorious for finding you the best deal for your money but sometimes the cheapest product or policy is not always the best. You need to know the exact level of cover that you are looking for to ensure that the cheapest policy covers you for what you need.
- Check the policy excess to see how much you’re paying - Another thing that can make comparison sites cheaper, particularly for insurance products, is the excess you have to pay. Some of the quotes can sometimes include a higher policy excess or a contribution when it comes to making a claim. Make sure you look out for nuances similar to this when looking at financial products so you are not caught out.
If a link has an * beside it this means that it is an affiliated link. If you go via the link, Money to the Masses may receive a small fee which helps keep Money to the Masses free to use. The following link can be used if you do not wish to help Money to the Masses or take advantage of any exclusive offers - MoneySuperMarket, Confused.com, Switchd, Habito, LifeSearch, Quotezone, Uswitch, Tembo
