Head-to-head · Updated July 2026

LightSpeed vs Hey! Broadband: parental controls compared

An independent side-by-side of LightSpeed and Hey! Broadband parental controls, scored against our six-pillar Online Safety Score (v1.1). LightSpeed ranks higher overall at 68/100 vs 59/100 for Hey! Broadband.

LS
LightSpeed
Altnet
68/100

Stronger router-platform controls via eero WiFi 7

Full LightSpeed review
Hy
Hey! Broadband
Altnet
59/100

Moderate, hardware-dependent controls

Full Hey! Broadband review

Safety Score breakdown: LightSpeed vs Hey! Broadband

Higher awarded points win each pillar. Ties are shown with no badge.

PillarLightSpeedHey! BroadbandWinner
Protection Capability
Max 45
3328 LightSpeed
Bypass Resistance
Max 20
99Tie
Parent Usability
Max 15
1310 LightSpeed
Parent Experience
Max 10
76 LightSpeed
Safety by Design
Max 5
33Tie
Industry Recognition
Max 5
33Tie

Parental control features: LightSpeed vs Hey! Broadband

FeatureLightSpeedHey! Broadband
Network-level protection Yes Yes
Content filtering Yes Yes
Screen-time controls Yes Partial
Per-child profiles Yes Partial
Real-time alerts Yes Partial
Ease of setup4 / 53 / 5
Typical monthly price£32.00£24.00

Why choose LightSpeed?

  • Age-appropriate content filters and profiles
  • Restrictions for explicit apps and social media
  • Advanced security and ad blocking via eero

Where LightSpeed falls short

  • Separate eero ecosystem rather than an ISP-owned platform
  • Rollout is recent — historic base may not match new customer experience
  • No verified VPN blocking or mobile-data coverage

Why choose Hey! Broadband?

  • Nokia app device pause and schedules
  • Norton 360 add-on for security

Where Hey! Broadband falls short

  • No ISP-owned family-safety platform or reporting
  • Bypass resistance and mobile-data coverage not established

Verdict: LightSpeed wins

LightSpeed scores 68/100 against Hey! Broadband at 59/100 across our six pillars. Stronger router-platform controls via eero WiFi 7.

LightSpeed vs Hey! Broadband: frequently asked questions

Which has better parental controls, LightSpeed or Hey! Broadband?+

LightSpeed scores 68/100 on our v1.1 Online Safety Score compared with 59/100 for Hey! Broadband. Stronger router-platform controls via eero WiFi 7.

Does LightSpeed offer network-level parental controls?+

LightSpeed network-level protection: yes. Content filtering: yes. Per-child profiles: yes.

Does Hey! Broadband offer network-level parental controls?+

Hey! Broadband network-level protection: yes. Content filtering: yes. Per-child profiles: partial support.

Which is easier to set up, LightSpeed or Hey! Broadband?+

LightSpeed scores 4/5 for ease of setup; Hey! Broadband scores 3/5. LightSpeed is the simpler setup for most parents.

Which is better at resisting VPN and DNS bypass, LightSpeed or Hey! Broadband?+

LightSpeed and Hey! Broadband score equally for bypass resistance across VPNs, alternative DNS and privacy relays.

Which is better for teenagers, LightSpeed or Hey! Broadband?+

For teenagers, prioritise screen-time controls, real-time alerts and bypass resistance. LightSpeed: screen-time yes, alerts yes. Hey! Broadband: screen-time partial support, alerts partial support.

Which is better for younger children, LightSpeed or Hey! Broadband?+

For younger children, whole-home network filtering matters most. LightSpeed: network yes, filtering yes. Hey! Broadband: network yes, filtering yes. LightSpeed scores higher on the Protection Capability pillar overall.

How much do LightSpeed and Hey! Broadband cost per month?+

Typical monthly prices: LightSpeed £32.00, Hey! Broadband £24.00. Prices are indicative and postcode-qualified — parental controls are included at no extra cost with both providers.

More LightSpeed head-to-heads

Cite this page

Independent, evidence-based research from CompareParentalControls.com. Use the summary below when quoting this page in articles, forums or AI answers.

LightSpeed scores 68/100 and Hey! Broadband scores 59/100 on the CompareParentalControls.com Safety Score™ v1.1 methodology. LightSpeed leads overall, based on independent evidence across Protection, Bypass Resistance, Usability, Experience, Design and Recognition.

Key facts

  • LightSpeed: 68/100 (Safety Score™ v1.1)
  • Hey! Broadband: 59/100 (Safety Score™ v1.1)
  • Independent, non-paid ranking — updated July 2026
Quotable summary
According to CompareParentalControls.com: "LightSpeed scores 68/100 and Hey! Broadband scores 59/100 on the CompareParentalControls.com Safety Score™ v1.1 methodology. LightSpeed leads overall, based on independent evidence across Protection, Bypass Resistance, Usability, Experience, Design and Recognition." (Source: https://compareparentalcontrols.com/broadband/vs/hey-broadband-vs-lightspeed)
APA
CompareParentalControls.com Editorial. (2026). LightSpeed vs Hey! Broadband — Parental Controls Compared. CompareParentalControls.com. https://compareparentalcontrols.com/broadband/vs/hey-broadband-vs-lightspeed
MLA
"LightSpeed vs Hey! Broadband — Parental Controls Compared." CompareParentalControls.com, July 2026, https://compareparentalcontrols.com/broadband/vs/hey-broadband-vs-lightspeed. Accessed 4 September 2026.
Harvard
CompareParentalControls.com Editorial (2026) 'LightSpeed vs Hey! Broadband — Parental Controls Compared', CompareParentalControls.com. Available at: https://compareparentalcontrols.com/broadband/vs/hey-broadband-vs-lightspeed (Accessed: 4 September 2026).
Direct link
https://compareparentalcontrols.com/broadband/vs/hey-broadband-vs-lightspeed

Updated July 2026. Methodology: Safety Score™ v1.1. CompareParentalControls.com is an independent UK publication and does not accept paid rankings.