Best Internet Providers for 2024

AT&T Fiber - Best fiber internet provider

• Prices: $55 - $250 per month
• Speeds: 300 - 5,000Mbps
• Key Info: Unlimited data, no contracts, equipment included

Check with AT&T Fiber

... Or call to learn more: (855) 696-0756

Spectrum - Best cable internet provider

• Prices: $30- $90 per month
• Speeds: 100 - 1,000Mbps
• Key Info: Unlimited data, simple pricing, no contracts, modem included, free access to nationwide Wi-Fi hotspots

Check with Spectrum Internet

... Or call to learn more: (866) 724-3206

Rise Broadband - Best rural internet provider

• Speeds: 25 - 50Mbps
• Prices: $45 - $65 per month
• Key Info: Unlimited data on some plans, low price increase

Check with Rise Broadband

... Or call to learn more: (866) 484-6634

Verizon Fios - Best internet provider for customer care

• Prices: $50 - $120 per month
• Speeds: 300 - 2,000Mbps
• Key Info: Unlimited data, no contracts, free equipment with gig service

Check with Verizon Fios

... Or call to learn more: (888) 235-6118

WideOpenWest - Best internet provider for value

• Prices: $20 - $95 per month
• Speeds: 100 - 1,200Mbps
• Key Info: Good promo prices, no contracts, unlimited data on some plans

Check with WOW! Internet

... Or call to learn more: (888) 901-0817

Quantum Fiber - Worth a look if service is available

• Speeds: 200 - 8,000Mbps
• Prices: $30 - $165 per month
• Key Info: Unlimited data on some plans, low price increase

Check with Quantum Fiber

... Or call to learn more: (888) 271-6698

Xfinity - Fast and reliable option

• Prices: $20 - $120 per month
• Speeds: 75 - 2,000Mbps
• Key Info: Data caps on some plans, lots of plan options, solid customer satisfaction numbers

Check with Xfinity Internet

... Or call to learn more: (877) 297-7621

Google Fiber - Great value for high-speed internet

• Prices: $70 - $100 per month
• Speeds: 1,000 - 2,000Mbps
• Key Info: Unlimited data, no contracts, equipment included

Check with Google Fiber

... Or call to learn more: (888) 595-5774

Viasat - Best if you're stuck with satellite

• Prices: $70 - $300 per month
• Speeds: 12 - 150Mbps
• Key Info: No hard data cap, nationwide availability

Check with Viasat

... Or call to learn more: (877) 390-0656

Ziply Fiber - Off to a strong start

• Prices: $20 - $900 per month
• Speeds: 100 - 50,000Mbps
• Key Info: Unlimited data, no contracts, fast rural internet connection

Check with Ziply Fiber

... Or call to learn more: (844) 585-9189

Show more (5 items)

What's the best internet provider overall?

If you live in the Northeast, it's tough to find a better internet service provider than Verizon Fios, while most other folks nationwide will find that AT&T Fiber rises to the top. As we often say in our ISP reviews, fiber internet service almost always trumps other internet connection types, so don't hesitate to sign up if you can. If you can get your hands on Verizon Fios or AT&T Fiber, we suggest going with either of those two options.

Best Multi-Gigabit Internet Plans See at Cnet

Best internet service providers in the US

Connection

Fiber

Speed range

300 - 5,000 Mbps

Price range

$55 - $250 per month

AT&T Fiber

Best fiber internet provider

Our take - One of the metrics we like to compare value between ISPs is the average cost per megabit per second of download speed. A lower cost per Mbps is a good, rough indicator of value -- and with AT&T's fiber internet plans, the average cost per Mbps is just 10 cents, including your equipment rental. 

Read full review

... Or call to learn more: (855) 696-0756

Check with AT&T

Connection

Fiber

Speed range

300 - 5,000 Mbps

Price range

$55 - $250 per month

Pros and Cons

Pros

• No contracts required to receive the lowest available price
• No data caps for any fiber plans
• Valuable perks and promotional offers

Cons

• Much slower DSL plans are more prevalent than fiber options
• Data caps enforced on all non-fiber plans

For comparison, you can expect Verizon's average fiber internet plan to cost you 12 cents per Mbps. Meanwhile, most cable internet plans from names like Xfinity and Spectrum will typically cost you at least 25 cents per Mbps, if not more. Another point worth mentioning: AT&T offers multi-gig plans with concurrent upload and download speeds of 2 and 5 gigabits per second.

That's to say that AT&T's fiber plans are a terrific value -- especially since none of them come with any contracts or data caps. On top of that, AT&T is highly ranked for customer satisfaction by the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power. The telecom giant's DSL and fixed wireless plans are much less impressive, but if AT&T Fiber is available at your address, consider yourself lucky, because there isn't much reason to consider anything else.

Key Info

• Unlimited data
• no contracts
• equipment included

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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Connection

Cable

Speed range

100 - 1,000 Mbps

Price range

$30- $90 per month

Spectrum

Best cable internet provider

Our take - With most fiber providers, you'll find a better bang for your buck, but a cable connection is the next best thing if fiber isn't an option. And, among all the providers offering cable internet service in the country, Spectrum is the one I'd be happiest to see available at my address.

Read full review

... Or call to learn more: (866) 724-3206

Check with Spectrum

Connection

Cable

Speed range

100 - 1,000 Mbps

Price range

$30- $90 per month

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Straightforward pricing
• No data caps on any plans
• No contracts required for internet service
• Free access to Spectrum's nationwide Wi-Fi hotspots

Cons

• Competitive rates for cable, but pricier than many fiber providers
• Internet service is slightly below the industry average for customer satisfaction

Spectrum isn't the biggest name in cable internet -- that'd be Comcast's Xfinity -- but it still offers service to more than 100 million Americans, thanks to Charter's acquisition of Time Warner's internet infrastructure in 2016. And, unlike Comcast (or Cox, its other main cable rival), Spectrum doesn't enforce a data cap and won't tie you down to a long-term contract.

On top of all that, Spectrum's prices and terms are straightforward, easy to understand and easy to live with -- and the average Spectrum plan comes with a lower cost-per-Mbps than either Comcast or Cox. It isn't quite the best value in the cable category (keep reading), but Spectrum is still your top option for cable internet at home when you drill down into the details.

Key Info

• Unlimited data
• simple pricing
• no contracts
• modem included
• free access to nationwide Wi-Fi hotspots

Compare

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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Connection

Fixed wireless

Speed range

25 - 50 Mbps

Price range

$45 - $65 per month

Rise Broadband

Best rural internet provider

Our take - Pickings can be frustratingly slim when shopping for an internet plan in a rural area because most of the best internet infrastructure in the country is centralized in population-dense cities and the suburban neighborhoods surrounding them. If you live outside a region like that, your home probably isn't wired for fiber or cable. Instead, you'll have to make do with slower, less reliable and more expensive technologies, and you'll likely have fewer options to choose from, too.

Read full review

... Or call to learn more: (866) 484-6634

Check with Rise

Connection

Fixed wireless

Speed range

25 - 50 Mbps

Price range

$45 - $65 per month

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Availability in rural areas with no direct cables to the home
• Significantly higher data allowances than satellite
• Advanced Wi-Fi equipment and service available
• Growing fiber network

Cons

• Max speeds of only 100Mbps in most areas
• Line of sight to nearby wireless tower required
• Possible service disruptions in bad weather

You'll need to take the good with the bad with just about any rural ISP, but there's more good than bad with Rise Broadband, our top rural ISP pick for getting online when faster cable and fiber plans aren't an option. A fixed wireless provider covering much of the country's middle, Rise Broadband will beam an internet signal directly to an antenna mounted outside your home, providing download speeds of up to 100Mbps. That matches the top end of what you'll get with a satellite internet plan from Hughesnet and is faster than many DSL plans, which often struggle to surpass double-digit download speeds. 

Rise also recently introduced fiber internet packages: 100Mbps, 250Mbps and 1,000Mbps. However, these plans are even more scarce nationwide than Rise's fixed wireless plans.

Key Info

• Unlimited data on some plans
• low price increase

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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Connection

Fiber

Speed range

300 - 2,000 Mbps

Price range

$50 - $120 per month

Verizon Fios

Best internet provider for customer care

Our take - Verizon lands near the top of the American Customer Satisfaction Index's rankings of internet providers year after year, and it's been one of the strongest finishers with J.D. Power for multiple years running too.

Read full review

... Or call to learn more: (888) 235-6118

Check with Verizon

Connection

Fiber

Speed range

300 - 2,000 Mbps

Price range

$50 - $120 per month

Pros and Cons

Pros

• All Verizon Fios plans are 100% fiber, with symmetrical download and upload speeds
• No data caps or allowances on any plans
• No term agreements necessary on any plans

Cons

• Low fiber availability for a national company
• While Fios and 5G are affordable, LTE and DSL options are pricey

What do people like about Verizon? For starters, while the company's DSL service isn't special, most customers across the company's eight-state coverage map in the northeast have access to Verizon Fios fiber service capable of gigabit speeds and uploads as fast as the downloads. Verizon plans don't come with contracts or data caps, either, and your price won't automatically go up after a year the way it will with most other providers.

What's more, Verizon made headlines in 2022 by expanding the availability of its 5G Home Internet service to approximately 900 cities. That's a promising development for consumers, given the nationwide need for better internet options.

Key Info

• Unlimited data
• no contracts
• free equipment with gig service

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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Connection

Cable

Speed range

100 - 1,200 Mbps

Price range

$20 - $95 per month

WideOpenWest

Best internet provider for value

Our take - WideOpenWest -- or WOW -- is a relatively small provider that offers services in nine states. Still, it earns the exclamation point it likes to stick at the end of its branding by offering cable internet plans at some of the best prices you'll find anywhere in the US. That includes an entry-level 300Mbps plan that starts at $30 per month and a high-speed gigabit plan at $60 monthly. That's a stellar cost per Mbps of just 6 cents, which is unheard of in the cable category.

Read full review

... Or call to learn more: (888) 901-0817

Check with WOW!

Connection

Cable

Speed range

100 - 1,200 Mbps

Price range

$20 - $95 per month

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Some of the most competitive pricing you'll find for a cable ISP
• No contracts, no fear about cancellation fees or being tied to an unwanted plan
• 30-day money-back guarantee

Cons

• Limited availability, just six states

In addition, WOW doesn't enforce annual contracts with any of its plans, and it offers a 30-day money-back guarantee when you sign up, letting you cancel without penalty if it isn't the right fit. All told, it's about as strong as ISP sales pitches get -- I just wish the footprint was a bit bigger and there weren't data limits in some markets.

Key Info

• Good promo prices
• no contracts
• unlimited data on some plans

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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Honorable mentions

Connection

Fiber

Speed range

200 - 8,000 Mbps

Price range

$30 - $165 per month

Quantum Fiber

Worth a look if service is available

Our take - CenturyLink offers DSL internet plans across 16 states, but roughly half of the coverage map also has access to its sibling company's fiber plans, branded as Quantum Fiber. The plans themselves are a great deal -- $50 a month for matching upload and download speeds of 500Mbps (10 cents per Mbps), or $75 a month for a gigabit plan with matching speeds of 940Mbps (just under 8 cents per Mbps, which is an even better value than you'll get with AT&T for its fiber gigabit plan). There are no data caps or contracts with those plans, and those prices don't arbitrarily go up after a year, either.

Read full review

... Or call to learn more: (888) 271-6698

Check with Quantum

Connection

Fiber

Speed range

200 - 8,000 Mbps

Price range

$30 - $165 per month

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Fast, symmetrical upload and download speeds
• Unlimited data and no contracts required, so no worries about cancellation fees or overage charges

Cons

• Availability limited to select areas
• Plan selection varies by address

Meanwhile, CenturyLink's DSL speeds are much slower and can vary greatly from address to address, but with a flat rate of $50 a month, the pricing is pretty fair by DSL standards. If nothing faster is available at your address, a plan like that might be worth considering -- but if Quantum Fiber offers service in your area, signing up is a lot closer to a no-brainer.

Key Info

• Unlimited data on some plans
• low price increase

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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Connection

Cable

Speed range

75 - 2,000 Mbps

Price range

$20 - $120 per month

Xfinity

Fast and reliable option

Our take - Comcast is the biggest name in cable, and the company offers its Xfinity internet service to over 100 million people in the US -- more than a third of the country. Subscribers will find a great variety of plans and packages to choose from, including download speeds of up to 2,000Mbps that are available across the majority of the sprawling coverage map (or, if you're lucky, plans with multi-gig speeds of up to 10Gbps that are available at a small percentage of addresses). In addition, Xfinity consistently earns above-average customer satisfaction scores, too.

Read full review

... Or call to learn more: (877) 297-7621

Check with Xfinity

Connection

Cable

Speed range

75 - 2,000 Mbps

Price range

$20 - $120 per month

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Good variety of plans
• Some of the fastest residential plans available
• Above average scores in almost all customer satisfaction metrics

Cons

• Data caps for some plans
• Contracts often required to get the lowest price
• Steep jump from promo price to regular rates

That said, being the biggest doesn't mean it's the best. Cable internet plans from Spectrum and Optimum come at a slightly better value than most Comcast plans, and neither enforces a data cap. Comcast does, in some markets, by capping your monthly data usage at 1.2TB, with penalties levied if you exceed it in a given month. If you can live with that, there's a lot to like about Xfinity home internet service -- but it's more of an honorable mention than an outright best pick.

Key Info

• Data caps on some plans
• lots of plan options
• solid customer satisfaction numbers

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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Connection

Fiber

Speed range

1,000 - 2,000 Mbps

Price range

$70 - $100 per month

Google Fiber

Great value for high-speed internet

Our take - It's been over a decade since Google first announced that it would bring fiber internet service to select regions across the country -- and it's been an interesting ride ever since. After initially rolling out across 11 metro areas, Google struggled to build the service beyond that. It paused its efforts in 2016, leaving disappointment across dozens of cities where the company had teased prospects for future fiber expansions.

Read full review

... Or call to learn more: (888) 595-5774

Check with Google

Connection

Fiber

Speed range

1,000 - 2,000 Mbps

Price range

$70 - $100 per month

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Speeds start at 1Gbps
• No equipment fees, data caps or contracts
• Continuing fiber expansion

Cons

• No cheap plan options Fiber network still has room to grow

Google hasn't given up, though. The company is working on expanding fiber access in select cities and recently rolled out plans that support speeds of up to 5 gigabits per second for $125 per month. However, that super-speedy plan is currently only offered in certain cities.

Google Fiber is available in select cities in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Washington. If you live in any of those states, and Google Fiber is available at your address, give it a look because that's one of the best deals you'll find for such a blazing-fast connection.

Key Info

• Unlimited data
• no contracts
• equipment included

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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Connection

Satellite

Speed range

12 - 150 Mbps

Price range

$70 - $300 per month

Viasat

Best if you're stuck with satellite

Our take - Satellite internet is typically slow, laggy and temperamental in inclement weather, so I'd explore other options if you've got them. But that's the thing -- too many of us don't have other options, and satellite internet from established names like Viasat and Hughesnet is available just about everywhere.

Read full review

... Or call to learn more: (877) 390-0656

Check with Viasat

Connection

Satellite

Speed range

12 - 150 Mbps

Price range

$70 - $300 per month

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Great availability in rural areas
• Max speeds faster than most rural providers
• No data overage fees
• Viasat continues to improve top download speeds in 2022

Cons

• High prices that increase after just three months
• Speeds no better than 12Mbps in a lot of areas
• High latency and service disruptions are common with satellite internet

If it comes down to those two, I'd start with Viasat. Why? Neither offers strong value for what you're getting, but Hughesnet caps the max download speed of all plans at 100Mbps. With Viasat, satellite speeds of up to 150Mbps are available in some regions.

All of that said, there are aspects of Viasat's service that would probably be more at home on the worst list than a best list like this. For starters, your monthly bill will shoot up after just three months -- and with some plans, the increase is a whopping $50. You'll also need to agree to a two-year contract, with potentially steep penalties, if you decide to cancel early. As I said, make sure to shop around for other, better options in your area -- but if there aren't any (and if you can stomach the sky-high prices), Viasat is a workable choice for getting online in remote parts of the country.

Key Info

• No hard data cap
• nationwide availability

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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Connection

Fiber

Speed range

100 - 50,000 Mbps

Price range

$20 - $900 per month

Ziply Fiber

Off to a strong start

Our take - Ziply Fiber is a relative newcomer to the fiber scene after acquiring fiber-optic infrastructure in the Pacific Northwest from Frontier. The service launched in 2020 amid the pandemic, offering relatively affordable fiber plans to customers across parts of Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington.

Read full review

... Or call to learn more: (844) 585-9189

Check with Ziply

Connection

Fiber

Speed range

100 - 50,000 Mbps

Price range

$20 - $900 per month

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Straightforward, competitive pricing
• No data caps, contracts or credit checks
• Dedication to fiber expansion, even in rural areas

Cons

• Lots of room to grow fiber service

Plans are limited for now, with a notable lack of middle-ground options between the lowest and fastest speed tiers. In addition to offering multigig plans of 2, 5 and 10 gigabits per second, the provider recently added a 50-gig tier to its lineup for a whopping $900 monthly, making it the fastest provider in the country.

Ziply also includes whole-home Wi-Fi with up to three extenders in its $10 modem rental fee, which is a nice deal for anyone interested in trying out the benefits of a mesh network. We'll keep an eye on the company as it grows, but we like what we see.

Key Info

• Unlimited data
• no contracts
• fast rural internet connection

Compare

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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to choose the best internet service provider for your home

Finding the right ISP for your household is not easy. This is especially true if you live in a rural or underserved portion of the US. We recommend carefully considering your household's activities so you can better determine the download and upload speeds necessary to meet your needs. With that knowledge, you can better tackle plan pricing that will fit your budget and broadband demands.

For more thorough tips on finding the top internet plan for your household, check out CNET's 10 tips to help you get the most out of your internet service.

Download and upload speeds

For most of us, our internet use mainly focuses on our download speeds. It determines how easily we can stream the latest hit Netflix show or how fast we can load our favorite Amazon shopping page. The slower your download speeds, the longer it takes to do tasks on the internet. For example, Netflix suggests 15Mbps or higher to watch programming in ultra HD (to take full advantage of that 4K TV you bought).

The Federal Communications Commission defines "broadband speed" as a minimum of 25Mbps download speeds and 3Mbps upload speeds, though discussions began in 2022 to update those minimums to 100Mbps downloads and 20Mbps uploads.

Speaking of uploads, most of us couldn't care less about our upload speeds before the pandemic. But once we started excessively video chatting with friends and family, taking Zoom calls with business colleagues and sending files and homework to our bosses and teachers, we discovered its importance too.

Considering what types of activities dominate your household will affect what level of download speed you'll need. Do you work remotely from home? Are you living in a household full of kids with their own personal devices? Have you recently downsized and are an empty nester?

Plan pricing

At first glance, you might think it would be easy to spot good plan pricing. The cheaper the monthly fee, the better the price, right? Maybe. Because internet providers are not the most transparent bunch (a Consumer Reports broadband study from late 2022 noted that customers found internet bills to be "extremely confusing"), one low monthly rate might not equal the next.

Keep on the watch for promo rates that expire quickly. That means the enticing starting price won't last, and you may pay more in the long term. Also, look for hidden fees that may add to your monthly expenses. For example, some providers don't include equipment rentals in their monthly rates. That could add another $5 to $15 to your monthly bill.

Lastly, one good way to determine value is by examining the cost per megabit per second. You might find a 75Mbps plan for $20 a month from one provider and a 250Mbps plan for $30 monthly from another. Before you sign up for that $20 plan, consider that the cost per Mbps is just under 27 cents. The 250Mbps plan, on the other hand, chimes in at 12 cents per Mbps, so it's a better value -- more than 50% cheaper per Mbps -- and you get more than three times the download speed.

Customer satisfaction

Just as you might search the internet for recommendations on a good local restaurant, it can be helpful to research customers' experiences with an ISP before you sign up. CNET has found it helpful to lean on the annual ISP surveys from the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power, but many resources are out there. Learning about constant network interruptions, a negligent help desk or frequent billing mistakes can be valuable info for choosing (or avoiding) certain providers.

How CNET chose the best internet providers

Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it's impractical to personally test every internet service provider in a given city. So what's our approach? For starters, we tap into a proprietary pricing, availability and speed database that draws from our own historical ISP data, partner data and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov. 

But it doesn't end there. We go to the FCC's website to check our data and ensure we consider every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. We look at sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power, to evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP's service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; all information provided is accurate as of publication. 

Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions: 

• Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds? 
• Do customers get decent value for what they're paying? 
• Are customers happy with their service? 

While the answer to those questions is often layered and complex, the providers who come closest to “yes” on all three are the ones we recommend. When selecting the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, though we also factor in things like price increases, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively straightforward. We look at advertised upload and download speeds and consider real-world speed data from sources like Ookla and FCC reports.

To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.

Internet connection types

There are six major types of internet available: fiber, cable, 5G, fixed wireless, DSL and satellite. Each of these internet technologies provides different quirks and benefits.

For a thorough breakdown of each, check out our guide on internet connection types. 

Fiber

Fiber internet is the gold standard if you can get it. It's often called "future-proof," meaning that it offers some of the fastest plans available and features symmetrical download and upload speeds. It's more reliable than cable and is less prone to outages or network congestion. AT&T, Google and Verizon are among the major players that offer fiber-optic internet.

Cable

Cable internet supplies your internet connection through the same cables (often a hybrid fiber and copper line) that providers use for TV services. It's more reliable than satellite internet and offers faster download speeds. Often, cable internet is bundled with TV to get consumers to buy higher-priced packages to get a deal on internet service. Companies like Cox, Spectrum and Xfinity offer cable internet.

5G home internet/Fixed wireless

5G home internet and fixed wireless go hand-in-hand: 5G home internet services are fixed wireless internet services. But not all fixed wireless services are 5G home internet offerings. Fixed wireless service means the connection between your provider and home is not wired. However, that fixed wireless connection can come via cellular networks or satellite. Fixed wireless networks tend to be slower and more laggy than wired connections. But the promise of 5G home internet -- from companies like Starry, T-Mobile and Verizon -- is speeds that match up favorably to cable connections.

DSL

DSL, or digital subscriber line, uses telephone lines to provide internet connectivity to users. Companies like AT&T, CenturyLink and Frontier offer DSL internet. The good news is those copper lines are prevalent across the country. The not-so-good news is that download speeds fall short of what cable internet can offer. In some cases, your speeds might even be slower than satellite internet.

Satellite

Satellite internet is the one broadband connection type currently available to people in the rural areas of all 50 states. As a solid alternative for those without access to DSL, cable or fiber internet, satellite internet links a modem in your home to a satellite in space, sending the internet back to Earth.

Other broadband providers we reviewed

The broadband beat keeps our team busy, but we'll continue evaluating internet providers and updating this post as new options emerge. Here's a rundown of every other provider we've covered, with a link back to our full review.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

What's the final word on the best internet providers?

Finding the right ISP is easier said than done, especially if you live in a rural part of the country with limited options for getting online. While fiber internet is almost always the best internet connection type, we recognize that many Americans don't currently have access to fiber internet.

Some providers we listed might not be the perfect fit for your situation. Often, the best provider is simply the one available at your address. We recommend carefully considering your household's activities so you can better determine your broadband demands. 

Best internet providers FAQ