Discover the ideal high-speed internet provider for your household by exploring your options. Take into account your internet needs, like streaming TV shows and movies or gaming, then compare providers based on which offers faster speeds in your region.
Some home internet providers offer price-stable rates with guaranteed low introductory rates for 12-24 months; others, such as Verizon Fios, promise infrequent rate increases.
1. AT&T
AT&T, Xfinity and Google Fiber all offer gig internet plans with speeds up to 5,000Mbps for their respective services, while local providers like Ziply Fiber and Optimum may provide up to 8Gbps service as well.
Cox prioritized providing fast internet speeds to as many of their customers as possible, which helped it outshine cable providers like Xfinity and Spectrum as well as Google Fiber.
2. Verizon
Verizon provides fast internet through its Fios fiber network, boasting download speeds up to 940 Mbps in certain markets. In addition, 5G home internet technology can deliver adequate speeds across most of the U.S.
As is common among top ISPs, Verizon also provides a price guarantee to protect you against costly rate increases. Furthermore, their mobile wireless network covers much of the U.S.
3. Cox
Cox offers an assortment of internet plans and pricing options, with their fastest offering being 2-gigabit fiber internet that rivals offerings from other providers.
Cox Internet provides a data cap and extra charges will apply if you exceed it each month. To learn more, visit the company’s website; for an alternative solution, they also offer Straight Up plans as prepaid options.
4. CenturyLink
CenturyLink has built its reputation on being an affordable Internet service provider with reliable speeds. Their fiber Gigabit plan costs the same as DSL plans and doesn’t impose data caps or contract cancellation fees – which makes this an attractive choice.
EarthLink DSL plans offer lower prices per megabit than Google Fiber and this provider allows month-to-month service, unlike Xfinity which requires long term contracts.
5. Spectrum
Charter Communications–which combined forces with Time Warner Cable in 2016–is a massive presence, covering homes across 41 states. Spectrum Internet ranks high in Ookla speed tests but falls short when compared with premium fiber rivals like AT&T Fiber or Google Fiber.
Customers of Spectrum Internet and TV services generally appreciate its reliability, but some have voiced frustration over equipment fees, customer service issues and price hikes after 12- or 24-month promotions have expired.
6. Xfinity
Xfinity is one of the largest cable internet providers in the country. Offering gigabit connections in most areas and receiving excellent customer satisfaction scores, they also offer affordable plans without contracts or data caps; their home plans have an overall maximum capacity limit of 1.2TB per user.
Xfinity is the premier choice for those in search of fast and reliable Internet from a large national provider. They are expanding their fiber network into larger western and midwestern markets.
7. Windstream
Windstream offers residential internet, digital TV and phone service in 29 states across America, with prices and speeds varying depending on each market.
Kinetic by Windstream provides fiber internet to rural and suburban areas that many other providers fail to serve. Their 1 Gig plan is ideal for larger households with multiple connected devices and supports HD streaming, online gaming and connecting smart home devices.
8. Charter Communications
Charter Communications provides cable television, internet and phone services. In addition, the company offers business-to-business networking solutions as well as managed service solutions to businesses located throughout the United States.
Charter Communications Inc is based out of Stamford, Connecticut and recently expanded its presence in the Southeast by purchasing Renaissance Media Group’s 130,000 subscriber systems near New Orleans and western Mississippi from Renaissance Media Group and Marcus Cable systems in St. Louis from Marcus Cable Systems Inc.
9. T-Mobile
T-Mobile, commonly referred to as the Un-carrier, has made waves in the cellular industry with their recent merger with Sprint – expanding T-Mobile’s impressive speeds and low latency features into more homes across America.
At present, some of the major internet service providers in the USA provide multi-gig plans, such as AT&T Fiber, Frontier Fiber, Xfinity, Google Fiber and Optimum. Regional providers like Kinetic by Windstream may also offer gig speeds.
10. Google Fiber
Google Fiber is a high-speed fiber-to-the-home Internet service provider, with upload speeds reaching 1,000Mbps symmetrically symmetrically upload speeds. These incredible speeds are perfect for gamers, live streamers and content creators who require fast internet connections.
Cox Internet Service was named as one of the nation’s fastest ISPs by Ookla speed test results, yet customers are limited to monthly data caps of 1.2TB. Furthermore, unlike most providers, Cox charges $10 per 50GB over their data limit limit.
