Best Cable Internet Providers
If you’re buying Cable Internet Service for the first time, or looking to upgrade, this guide will help you narrow down the choices.
Cable internet prices, speeds, and availability vary across the country, so you may have many options available. When choosing which service is right for you it’s best to first consider the type of content you want to access first, then pick the service with a line speed just over what you need. Bang for the buck is always most important, so we looked at prices, speeds, and data caps to find the top cable internet providers.
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|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly Rate: $29.99 - $299.95/mo. | Monthly Rate: $29.99 - $119.99/mo. | Monthly Rate: $44.99 - $104.99/mo. | Monthly Rate: $55 |
| Speeds: 15 - 2000 Mbps | Speeds: 25 - 1000 Mbps | Speeds: 200 - 940 Mbps | Speeds: 300 Mbps |
| - Lots of service options - Free WIFI Hotspots - Data limits on cheaper plans | - Low rates on 10 Mbps plans - Huge bundle savings - Data limits can be costly | - Single option for Internet only - WIFI Hotspots available - $10-$20 lower than competitors - Speeds based on location | - Low prices for high speed lines - Unlimited data - Great deals when bundled |
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Sometimes you can call cable internet providers and get your current rates negotiated below their current rate. However, cable internet providers usually give the best rates when switching services. The rates listed are standard and usually you get the best rates online.
When making a switch to another cable provider it’s best to decide if your cable internet features are really necessary, or do you rarely use them? What speeds are available from your cable company? What kind of support does the cable provider offer? Standard rates displayed below may vary, based on your location, and are internet only discounts.
Xfinity— Top Pick
Xfinity’s cable internet has a huge footprint and many options
You may be surprised to find out Xfinity has the most availability out of any internet service provider, which means a lot of people have access to high cable speeds at a reasonable price—the more internet available across the country, the better.
Xfinity’s large footprint means a lot of people can get high-speed cable internet at a reasonable price.
Bundle with Xfinity TV for a better deal
Xfinity’s also known for its X1 TV service, which you can bundle together with internet to save some cash. And saving some ducats is never a bad thing. The X1 DVR is pretty cool for a lot of reasons, but we like seeing updated sports scores and weather forecasts. Plus, you can directly access your Netflix library and YouTube channels.
Log in to Wi-Fi hotspots around the country
Looking for the fastest Wi-Fi provider? Well, Xfinity has literally millions of hot spots throughout the country. We can’t tell you what a relief this is when it comes to your phone’s service being dropped and you’re trying to upload dope Instagram pics.
AT&T — Best internet service with bundle options
AT&T no longer offers its own TV service but you can always bundle AT&T internet with DIRECTV or DIRECTV STREAM.
If you’re in an AT&T DSL area, you can get up to 100 Mbps for $55.00 a month. While 100 Mbps is enough speed for a moderate amount of TV streaming and online gaming, that speed is not guaranteed. Also, DSL upload speeds are quite slow, so expect adding videos to your YouTube page to take while.
If you live in an AT&T fiber area that’s even better. AT&T Fiber plans start at 300 Mbps for $55.00 a month, and in 65 metropolitan areas you can get speeds up to 5,000 Mbps for $180.00 a month.
Any AT&T Fiber plan can support tons of TV streaming and online gaming at the highest resolutions with minimum buffering. And if you work from home, it can enable crystal-clear Zoom calls and fast data transfers. Though the 5 Gig Internet plan blows away the competition with its sheer bandwidth, it’s excessive—most families will be more than fine with 1,000 Mbps.
Cox— Great Speeds and Features
High speeds for those who need them, reasonable plans for those who don’t.
Cox gets points for covering a wide range of users, including those who want to bundle TV, phone, or home security with internet. And Cox offers speeds up to 300 Mbps, which should cover even larger families.
Cox 10 mbps plan is a great option for those on a budget, that has consistent bandwidth to share files, read email, and check your social media.
Who is Cox best for?
Cox’s internet plans are best for these types of users:
- Those who want to bundle internet, TV, home phone, and home security
- Individuals who don’t necessarily need a high-speed plan
Spectrum— Best Value
Only one plan doesn’t give you a lot of choice, but no data caps or modem fees make Spectrum a good deal.
If you’re all about speed without sacrificing all of your hard-earned cash, Spectrum knows what’s up. With speeds up to 200 Mbps, Spectrum offers a good service, but not the fastest. You won’t deal with data caps, annoying overage charges, or speed throttling, so you can use your internet freely.
Optimum—Fast and cheap
Best basic option if you live in New York or its surrounding areas.
Optimum offers unlimited data, and no overage fees and speed throttling. This is good news for photographers and videographers who need to send large files, or just a ton of smaller ones. It’s also a bonus for video streamers and online gamers who live that HD life.
Optimum’s speeds go up to 400 Mbps. And comparatively, Optimum is cheaper than Xfinity for similar speeds.
It’s unfortunate that Optimum is only in a small area (New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania, to be specific) because it seems like one of the better and more affordable options out there.
On the flip side, when you bundle with Optimum TV, you’ll get exclusive NY-area programming, which is a pretty cool perk.
All the Other Cable Providers
While the top four are the most notable, don’t count out all the others who may have service in your area. AT&T for example did not make the top four, but for overall reliability and options their very difficult to beat. Others on this list may give you huge discounts depending on the area you’re in. Check out all the deals before making your choice.
| Provider | Rates | Max Download Speed | |
|---|---|---|---|
| WOW! | $29-$69/mo. | 1,000 Mbps | |
| Suddenlink Communications | $54.99/mo. | 1,000 Mbps | |
| Mediacom | $39.99-$99.98/mo. | 100 Mbps | |
| Atlantic Broadband | $39-$59/mo. | 1,000 Mbps | |
| Cable One | $30-$125/mo. | 15-1,000 Mbps | |
| FairPoint Communications | $16.99/mo. | 15 Mbps | |
| Cincinnati Bell | $49.99-$64.99/mo. | 1,000 Mbps | |
| Summit Broadband | $29.99/mo. | 25 Mbps | |
| Tri-County Communications | $49.99-$500/mo. | 1,000 Mbps | |
| Sjoberg's Inc. | $19.95-$169.95/mo. | 100 Mbps | |
