BT SD-WAN pricing is not published as a fixed rate card. The monthly cost per site depends on six variables: the underlay circuit type, bandwidth tier, SD-WAN vendor, licence tier, management model and contract length. Two businesses with the same number of sites can receive very different quotes depending on how these variables combine. This page breaks down each cost factor with indicative pricing ranges and shows how to structure a deployment for the best value.
Use our pricing calculator to build a quote based on your exact site count, circuit mix and licence requirements.
Open the BT SD-WAN Pricing Calculator →
Cost Components Per Site
Every BT SD-WAN site has four cost layers stacked on top of each other. The total monthly charge is the sum of all four.
| Cost Layer | What It Covers | Indicative Range |
|---|---|---|
| Underlay circuit | Physical connectivity (leased line, FTTP, SoGEA or 4G/5G) | £20-£600+/month |
| SD-WAN appliance | Hardware at the branch (FortiGate, Meraki MX etc.). Included in managed service fee. | Bundled |
| Licence subscription | Software features: SD-WAN overlay, security, SASE (tier dependent) | £30-£200+/month |
| Managed service fee | BT NOC monitoring, support, firmware management, incident response | £50-£150/month |
Circuit Cost: The Biggest Variable
The underlay circuit is typically the largest single cost component. The difference between a SoGEA broadband line and a BTnet leased line is substantial.
| Circuit Type | Bandwidth | Indicative Monthly Cost | SLA |
|---|---|---|---|
| SoGEA | Up to 80Mbps | £20-£40 | 99.5% |
| FTTP | Up to 900Mbps | £30-£60 | 99.9% |
| 4G/5G | Variable | £25-£80 | Best effort |
| BTnet leased line 100Mbps | 100Mbps symmetric | £250-£350 | 99.95% |
| BTnet leased line 1Gbps | 1Gbps symmetric | £500-£700 | 99.95% |
Licence Tier Impact on Cost
| Vendor | Tier | Key Additions | Cost Uplift vs Base |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fortinet | Standard | NGFW, SD-WAN, VPN, basic threat protection | Base |
| Fortinet | Advanced | + FortiSASE, ZTNA, CASB, SWG, sandboxing | +20-40% |
| Meraki | Enterprise | SD-WAN, cloud dashboard, auto VPN | Base |
| Meraki | Advanced Security | + L7 firewall, AMP, IPS, content filtering | +15-30% |
| Meraki | Secure SD-WAN Plus | + Cisco Umbrella SIG, ZTNA, CASB | +25-45% |
Contract Term and Pricing
| Term | Monthly Cost Impact | Installation | Suited To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 months | Highest monthly rate | Charged separately | Pilots and short-term projects |
| 24 months | Mid-range | May be reduced | Businesses with a 2-year planning cycle |
| 36 months | Lower | Often waived | Standard enterprise commitment |
| 60 months | Lowest | Typically free | Maximum cost reduction over time |
Example Site Costs
The following examples show how costs stack up for different site profiles. These are indicative figures based on typical BT partner channel pricing.
| Site Profile | Circuit | Vendor/Tier | Estimated Monthly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small branch (5 users) | SoGEA + 4G backup | Fortinet Standard | £100-£180 |
| Medium office (30 users) | FTTP 300Mbps + 4G backup | Fortinet Advanced | £180-£300 |
| Large office (100 users) | BTnet 100Mbps + FTTP backup | Meraki Advanced Security | £400-£600 |
| HQ (250 users) | BTnet 1Gbps + second leased line | Fortinet Advanced | £800-£1200 |
Volume Discounts
- BT applies volume-based pricing. Larger deployments (20+ sites) typically receive lower per-site rates.
- Partner channel pricing through authorised BT partners can yield 30-50% savings compared to going direct to BT.
- Multi-product deals (e.g. SD-WAN + BT Cloud Voice) may attract additional discounts.
- Longer contract terms (36 or 60 months) generally include free installation and lower monthly rates.
Hidden Costs to Watch For
- Excess construction charges on leased lines where BT needs to build new fibre to your premises. Can add thousands to the installation.
- Early termination charges if you need to exit the contract before the minimum term expires. Typically calculated as the remaining monthly charges.
- Bandwidth upgrades mid-contract may trigger a new minimum term or revised pricing.
- Additional WAN interfaces on the appliance if you need more than two circuits at a site (e.g. dual leased line + 4G).
- Co-managed portal training is not always included and may be charged separately by BT or the vendor.
Reducing Your Total Cost
- Use broadband (FTTP or SoGEA) at smaller sites instead of leased lines. SD-WAN compensates for contention with path selection and QoS.
- Use 4G/5G as backup rather than a second fixed-line circuit.
- Select the Standard/Enterprise licence tier for sites that already have separate cloud security (e.g. Zscaler).
- Commit to 36 or 60 months to get the lowest rates and free installation.
- Buy through an authorised BT partner rather than going direct for access to partner channel discounts.
Partner Channel vs Direct: Pricing Difference
BT SD-WAN is available through two routes: directly from BT Business or through the BT Partner Channel via an authorised partner. The partner channel typically offers lower pricing because partners buy at wholesale rates and pass savings to customers.
| Factor | BT Direct | BT Partner Channel |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Standard BT rate card | Partner wholesale rates (30-50% lower) |
| Contract | Direct with BT | Direct with BT (same contract) |
| Support | BT support channels | BT support + partner account management |
| SLA | Same | Same |
| Pre-sales design | BT sales team | Partner + BT Sales Specialist |
Early Termination Charges
If you need to exit a BT SD-WAN contract before the minimum term expires early termination charges apply. These are typically calculated as the sum of all remaining monthly charges for the unexpired portion of the contract. For a 36-month contract terminated at month 12 this would mean paying 24 months of charges as a lump sum. Some key points:
- ETCs apply to both the circuit and the SD-WAN managed service components
- Individual site removals may also attract ETCs if the contract specifies a minimum site count
- BT may waive or reduce ETCs if you are migrating to a new BT product (e.g. upgrading from one SD-WAN vendor to another)
- Notice periods are typically 90 days before the contract renewal date to avoid automatic renewal
