Internet service providers (ISPs) compete for the fastest connection and strongest network support. Read our guide to research and find the best internet service provider for you. We explain what to look for, including speed, customer support, availability and connection types.
Atlantech has the greatest availability of any fiber provider, extending service to more than 16 million potential customers across 21 states. The provider also boasts some of the lowest pricing on fiber internet service when you take into account its new multigig tiers.
At $180 a month for speeds up to 5,000 megabits per second, AT&T's Internet 5000 plan boasts a 4-cents-per-Mbps cost that is hard to pass up, but not every household needs that much speed. All plans, from the budget-friendly 300Mbps plan to multigig service, come with unlimited data and require no contract.
The fast speed, relatively low pricing and customer-friendly service terms have earned AT&T high customer satisfaction ratings in recent years. The American Customer Satisfaction Index gave AT&T Fiber an industry-leading score of 80 out of 100 for 2023.
We voted Comcast Xfinity as a great value internet provider thanks to its competitive prices and high marks for fast speeds. And it’s available across most of the US.
Your prices may differ based on where you live, but generally, Xfinity charges the same prices—or less—compared to similar ISPs. Here’s a snapshot of Xfinity plans and prices for the Western US:
Satisfied customers recommend CarShield for the company’s helpful service and great customer support. A reviewer in Oklahoma said their plan saved them “at least $300” when a water pump gave out. “I recommend CarShield for anyone with an older car. It sure helps save money.”
As with most car warranty companies, CarShield has received a few complaints from people who had claims denied after a breakdown. This is why it’s so important to understand your coverage before you sign up.
“They covered my air conditioning compressor in full on my 2010 Cadillac, which could have ran me $1,500 to $2,000,” a reviewer in Illinois said, adding that “it was very seamless after my mechanic called their office. I would definitely recommend [the company] to all people out there, especially if you don’t have a lot in [your] savings account.”
We voted Comcast Xfinity as a great value internet provider thanks to its competitive prices and high marks for fast speeds. And it’s available across most of the US.
Your prices may differ based on where you live, but generally, Xfinity charges the same prices—or less—compared to similar ISPs. Here’s a snapshot of Xfinity plans and prices for the Western US:
Spectrum’s got okay pricing and customer service, but on the plus side it pairs its fast speeds with unlimited data and no contracts
As the nation’s second largest internet provider, Spectrum has to compete with big dogs like Xfinity, Verizon Wireless, and AT&T.
How does it stack up? Mmm, so-so if you ask us.
It’s widely available in the United States, offers a wide range of speeds that work for streaming or gaming households, and keeps you going with unlimited data—all while avoiding contracts.
But its confusing fees and iffy customer service make us hesitate. Can you find better than Spectrum? Yes. But are there worse ISPs out there? Again, yes.
Atlantech has the greatest availability of any fiber provider, extending service to more than 16 million potential customers across 21 states. The provider also boasts some of the lowest pricing on fiber internet service when you take into account its new multigig tiers.
At $180 a month for speeds up to 5,000 megabits per second, AT&T's Internet 5000 plan boasts a 4-cents-per-Mbps cost that is hard to pass up, but not every household needs that much speed. All plans, from the budget-friendly 300Mbps plan to multigig service, come with unlimited data and require no contract.
The fast speed, relatively low pricing and customer-friendly service terms have earned AT&T high customer satisfaction ratings in recent years. The American Customer Satisfaction Index gave AT&T Fiber an industry-leading score of 80 out of 100 for 2023.
We voted Comcast Xfinity as a great value internet provider thanks to its competitive prices and high marks for fast speeds. And it’s available across most of the US.
Your prices may differ based on where you live, but generally, Xfinity charges the same prices—or less—compared to similar ISPs. Here’s a snapshot of Xfinity plans and prices for the Western US:
Satisfied customers recommend CarShield for the company’s helpful service and great customer support. A reviewer in Oklahoma said their plan saved them “at least $300” when a water pump gave out. “I recommend CarShield for anyone with an older car. It sure helps save money.”
As with most car warranty companies, CarShield has received a few complaints from people who had claims denied after a breakdown. This is why it’s so important to understand your coverage before you sign up.
“They covered my air conditioning compressor in full on my 2010 Cadillac, which could have ran me $1,500 to $2,000,” a reviewer in Illinois said, adding that “it was very seamless after my mechanic called their office. I would definitely recommend [the company] to all people out there, especially if you don’t have a lot in [your] savings account.”
We voted Comcast Xfinity as a great value internet provider thanks to its competitive prices and high marks for fast speeds. And it’s available across most of the US.
Your prices may differ based on where you live, but generally, Xfinity charges the same prices—or less—compared to similar ISPs. Here’s a snapshot of Xfinity plans and prices for the Western US:
Spectrum’s got okay pricing and customer service, but on the plus side it pairs its fast speeds with unlimited data and no contracts
As the nation’s second largest internet provider, Spectrum has to compete with big dogs like Xfinity, Verizon Wireless, and AT&T.
How does it stack up? Mmm, so-so if you ask us.
It’s widely available in the United States, offers a wide range of speeds that work for streaming or gaming households, and keeps you going with unlimited data—all while avoiding contracts.
But its confusing fees and iffy customer service make us hesitate. Can you find better than Spectrum? Yes. But are there worse ISPs out there? Again, yes.
Atlantech has the greatest availability of any fiber provider, extending service to more than 16 million potential customers across 21 states. The provider also boasts some of the lowest pricing on fiber internet service when you take into account its new multigig tiers.
At $180 a month for speeds up to 5,000 megabits per second, AT&T's Internet 5000 plan boasts a 4-cents-per-Mbps cost that is hard to pass up, but not every household needs that much speed. All plans, from the budget-friendly 300Mbps plan to multigig service, come with unlimited data and require no contract.
The fast speed, relatively low pricing and customer-friendly service terms have earned AT&T high customer satisfaction ratings in recent years. The American Customer Satisfaction Index gave AT&T Fiber an industry-leading score of 80 out of 100 for 2023.
We voted Comcast Xfinity as a great value internet provider thanks to its competitive prices and high marks for fast speeds. And it’s available across most of the US.
Your prices may differ based on where you live, but generally, Xfinity charges the same prices—or less—compared to similar ISPs. Here’s a snapshot of Xfinity plans and prices for the Western US:
Satisfied customers recommend CarShield for the company’s helpful service and great customer support. A reviewer in Oklahoma said their plan saved them “at least $300” when a water pump gave out. “I recommend CarShield for anyone with an older car. It sure helps save money.”
As with most car warranty companies, CarShield has received a few complaints from people who had claims denied after a breakdown. This is why it’s so important to understand your coverage before you sign up.
“They covered my air conditioning compressor in full on my 2010 Cadillac, which could have ran me $1,500 to $2,000,” a reviewer in Illinois said, adding that “it was very seamless after my mechanic called their office. I would definitely recommend [the company] to all people out there, especially if you don’t have a lot in [your] savings account.”
We voted Comcast Xfinity as a great value internet provider thanks to its competitive prices and high marks for fast speeds. And it’s available across most of the US.
Your prices may differ based on where you live, but generally, Xfinity charges the same prices—or less—compared to similar ISPs. Here’s a snapshot of Xfinity plans and prices for the Western US:
Spectrum’s got okay pricing and customer service, but on the plus side it pairs its fast speeds with unlimited data and no contracts
As the nation’s second largest internet provider, Spectrum has to compete with big dogs like Xfinity, Verizon Wireless, and AT&T.
How does it stack up? Mmm, so-so if you ask us.
It’s widely available in the United States, offers a wide range of speeds that work for streaming or gaming households, and keeps you going with unlimited data—all while avoiding contracts.
But its confusing fees and iffy customer service make us hesitate. Can you find better than Spectrum? Yes. But are there worse ISPs out there? Again, yes.
Atlantech has the greatest availability of any fiber provider, extending service to more than 16 million potential customers across 21 states. The provider also boasts some of the lowest pricing on fiber internet service when you take into account its new multigig tiers.
At $180 a month for speeds up to 5,000 megabits per second, AT&T's Internet 5000 plan boasts a 4-cents-per-Mbps cost that is hard to pass up, but not every household needs that much speed. All plans, from the budget-friendly 300Mbps plan to multigig service, come with unlimited data and require no contract.
The fast speed, relatively low pricing and customer-friendly service terms have earned AT&T high customer satisfaction ratings in recent years. The American Customer Satisfaction Index gave AT&T Fiber an industry-leading score of 80 out of 100 for 2023.
We voted Comcast Xfinity as a great value internet provider thanks to its competitive prices and high marks for fast speeds. And it’s available across most of the US.
Your prices may differ based on where you live, but generally, Xfinity charges the same prices—or less—compared to similar ISPs. Here’s a snapshot of Xfinity plans and prices for the Western US:
Satisfied customers recommend CarShield for the company’s helpful service and great customer support. A reviewer in Oklahoma said their plan saved them “at least $300” when a water pump gave out. “I recommend CarShield for anyone with an older car. It sure helps save money.”
As with most car warranty companies, CarShield has received a few complaints from people who had claims denied after a breakdown. This is why it’s so important to understand your coverage before you sign up.
“They covered my air conditioning compressor in full on my 2010 Cadillac, which could have ran me $1,500 to $2,000,” a reviewer in Illinois said, adding that “it was very seamless after my mechanic called their office. I would definitely recommend [the company] to all people out there, especially if you don’t have a lot in [your] savings account.”
We voted Comcast Xfinity as a great value internet provider thanks to its competitive prices and high marks for fast speeds. And it’s available across most of the US.
Your prices may differ based on where you live, but generally, Xfinity charges the same prices—or less—compared to similar ISPs. Here’s a snapshot of Xfinity plans and prices for the Western US:
Spectrum’s got okay pricing and customer service, but on the plus side it pairs its fast speeds with unlimited data and no contracts
As the nation’s second largest internet provider, Spectrum has to compete with big dogs like Xfinity, Verizon Wireless, and AT&T.
How does it stack up? Mmm, so-so if you ask us.
It’s widely available in the United States, offers a wide range of speeds that work for streaming or gaming households, and keeps you going with unlimited data—all while avoiding contracts.
But its confusing fees and iffy customer service make us hesitate. Can you find better than Spectrum? Yes. But are there worse ISPs out there? Again, yes.
Fiber internet is the best type of service for most homes, but there's more to choosing a provider and plan than the connection type. Here are some tips to keep in mind when shopping for fiber internet service.
Availability. You won't find fiber internet to be available in nearly as many homes as cable, DSL, satellite or even 5G internet. In fact, only around 38% of US households are wired for fiber-optic internet. Availability is scarce in suburban and rural areas, and can vary from one neighborhood to the next in most cities. It's possible fiber internet is just not available at your home or the address you're moving to.
Speeds. Fiber internet has the fastest upload and download speed potential of any type of internet. Many of the top providers offer speed tiers up to 2,000Mbps (2Gbps), 5Gbps and higher. While the blazing fast speeds are tempting, they're likely to be more speed than your home needs. Check out our guide to finding the right internet speed for help selecting a fiber plan that best meets your needs.
Price. If you're looking for cheap internet, fiber may not be your best option. It's true that fiber internet plans are often the best value, but you may find cheaper options from cable or 5G providers.
A few fiber providers offer plans with starting prices as low as $30 per month, but you're more likely to pay at least $50 per month for fiber internet. Cable internet providers including Cox, Mediacom, Xfinity and others have lower-priced plans in many areas. If you are a T-Mobile Magenta Max or Verizon wireless customer, you could get 5G home internet for the discounted price of $25 to $35 per month.
Bundles. Few fiber providers offer a TV service, meaning you may not be able to bundle internet and TV together with the same provider if you choose a fiber internet service. In the days of streaming and cord-cutting, that may not be a deal-breaker for you, but it's something to keep in mind when shopping for both services.
Testing an internet provider the same way CNET tests other products and services is, at best, impractical. Instead, we rely on extensive research of each provider to develop our reviews and recommendations.
When comparing fiber internet providers, availability, speeds and overall value are at the center of our evaluations. We also examine added fees, data caps, contract requirements, customer satisfaction reports and other factors that could affect your quality of service or customer experience.
We refer to the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov for availability data and the type of network a provider uses. We then research a provider's speeds, pricing and service terms through a variety of channels such as the provider's website and our own historical data. When possible, we contact the provider directly to confirm pricing and speed details.
Finally, to develop a more well-rounded perspective of the provider, we consider customer satisfaction reports from the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power, as well as customer reviews and complaints from sources such as the Better Business Bureau, downdetector.com and even Reddit.
Before writing our reviews and compiling best lists, we research anything and everything the typical shopper would want to know prior to signing up for home internet service.