Best Internet Providers in Your Area
Our editors rank dozens of internet providers across the U.S. and then serve up the best internet plans in your zip code so you get reliable, fast internet.
Best internet providers in Columbus, Ohio
Pro tip: Click the “Change zip” button below to see providers in other areas.
Which internet provider is best?
We awarded Google Fiber our Editor’s Choice Award for the best internet provider overall this year. If you can get it at your address, we think you should snap it up.
Scroll down to see our editors’ top picks for value, speed, customer satisfaction, and more. Who knows? Maybe one of these recommended internet companies is available in your town.
Best internet providers in the U.S.
| Internet provider | Price | Max download speed | Data cap | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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AT&T Best no-contract service |
$55.00–$225.00/mo. | 75–5,000 Mbps | 1,024GB–Unlimited | |
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Google Fiber Editor's choice |
$70.00–$150.00/mo. | 1,000–8,000 Mbps | Unlimited |
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|
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Quantum Fiber Best in customer satisfaction |
$50.00–$75.00/mo. | 500–940 Mbps | Unlimited |
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T-Mobile 5G Home Internet Best value |
$40.00–$60.00/mo. | 72-245 Mbps | Unlimited | |
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Verizon Fios Fastest |
$49.99–$89.99/mo. | 300–2,300 Mbps | Unlimited |
Data effective as of publish date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
Google Fiber is our Editor’s Choice for best home internet
- Fast fiber internet
- No annual price increases
- Few if any outages
- Free modem/router
- Limited availability
Google Fiber earned our Editor’s Choice for a simple reason: it’s best-in-class across the board. For the second year running, Google Fiber scored very high on our annual customer satisfaction survey.
An impressive 85% of respondents were extremely satisfied with Google Fiber’s speeds (tied for the highest ranking), and 83% of respondents were equally satisfied with Google Fiber’s service reliability. If you’re looking for high-performance fiber internet service, Google Fiber will deliver, and it won’t go down.
Plus, Google Fiber offers excellent download speeds, flat-rate pricing with no annual increases, and add-ons like a free modem/router and free Google Drive storage space. Google Fiber might not have the best reach—at the moment, it’s available in less than 30 U.S. cities—but when it’s available, it’s impressive. (Three of us on the editorial staff here at CableTV.com have Google Fiber, and it performs way better than our previous ISPs.)
Fiber internet will always be faster and more reliable than the competition (read our fiber internet guide to find out why), and with just a few straightforward plans, Google makes it easy to access high speeds right away. And those are just some of the reasons why we love Google Fiber. To find out more and to see if Google Fiber is in your area, read our comprehensive review.
I got Google Fiber when it first came out. I had it for several years, and then I moved to a neighborhood that didn't have it. I was forced to use another provider for a couple of years before it came to my hood. I used to get outages with the other provider and was constantly resetting my router. Since I've had Google, I've had no outages. I have no problems with Google Fiber, you set it and forget it.
T-Mobile 5G Home Internet is the best value you can get
- $20/mo. bundle discount
- No annual price increases
- Wide availability
- Slower download and upload speeds
- More outages
T-Mobile 5G Home Internet is a great deal for most people because it cuts the bloat and provides solid internet service at a great price. T-Mobile 5G Home Internet starts at $60 per month, and if you bundle T-Mobile phone service, you can drop your bill down to only $40 monthly, which is miles ahead of competing cable ISPs.
Best of all, T-Mobile’s flat-rate pricing means you’ll always pay the same price for internet service—you won’t have to deal with cable ISP tricks like second-year price increases or service contracts.
We think T-Mobile internet speeds are fast enough for home use. With speeds up to 245Mbps, you’ll have enough bandwidth for Netflix nights, TikTok swiping, and everything in between. You’ll get spectacular bang for your buck if T-Mobile 5G Home Internet is available in your area.
That said, because T-Mobile 5G Home Internet relies on a cell phone network, you’ll experience slower download and upload speeds and more frequent outages than you would with a cable or fiber internet provider. The value is there, but it does come with some tradeoffs.
The setup was very simple and straightforward. It delivered on its promise for fast and stable internet. We are a family of 6 with multiple devices each, and we have had no problems with setup, connectivity, and signal stability. Moreover, I noticed that if the Wi-Fi ever needs rebooting, T-Mobile resets very fast compared to other internet providers my family has used in the past.
Verizon Fios is the fastest internet out there
- Reliably fast internet speeds
- High customer satisfaction
- Flexible contracts
- Only available on the East Coast
Verizon Fios has long been one of our top fiber ISPs thanks to its reliable internet connection and flexible pricing. But if that wasn’t enough, Verizon Fios is also one of the fastest internet providers.
According to raw speed data from our partners at HighSpeedInternet.com, Verizon received the best marks for latency and boasted the second-best download speeds among larger regional ISPs in the U.S. Long story short, Verizon is road-tested fast.
TBH, there’s a lot to love about Verizon Fios, and Google Fiber barely nudged it out of the top spot this year because of its higher customer satisfaction and simple plan structure. It may be second in our books, but Verizon Fios is better than 99% of America’s internet providers.
I like working with customer service at Verizon Fios. Anytime I encounter a problem, I can call them and speak to a representative. My problem is usually resolved over the phone or they expedite a service call to fix my problem.
Quantum Fiber won our annual customer satisfaction survey
- Excellent customer service
- Fast fiber internet
- No annual price increases
- Confusing availability
Quantum Fiber is a newcomer to the ranks of our annual customer satisfaction survey because it used to go by a different name: CenturyLink. Surprisingly, given CenturyLink’s lackluster reputation, Quantum Fiber came away with nearly all the top marks, including the best in overall satisfaction, with 89% of its customers pleased with “The ISP Formerly Known as CenturyLink” overall.
All four Quantum fiber internet plans come with unlimited data, no contracts, and a Price for Life guarantee. In other words, only the best of the best of what CenturyLink used to offer.
But Quantum Fiber’s availability can be a bit of an issue because the ISP is only available in a small number of U.S. cities. That said, if you can find Quantum Fiber near you, we recommend you snatch it up. You won’t be disappointed.
Quantum Fiber was really easy to set up. They have been great to work with. Our internet went down and their customer service was amazing and helped us fix it right away. Ever since, we haven't had any problems.
Need flexibilty? AT&T is the best no-contract service.
- Fast fiber internet
- No contracts
- No annual price increases
- Pricier plans
- Limited fiber internet availability
AT&T’s prices are slightly higher than the competition, but they have one thing that many national providers don’t: common-sense internet pricing.
We like that on every AT&T Fiber plan, you won’t have to worry about tricks like price increases after 12 months, restrictive contracts, or early termination fees. AT&T internet is contract-free, so you can get internet on your terms when and how you want it.
AT&T’s fiber availability remains a work in progress, but in areas where fiber isn’t available, you may be able to get AT&T Internet Air for budget-friendly 5G internet service.
Dollars to donuts, though, we think that no-contract AT&T fiber internet is worth the price.
Haven't had any issues with AT&T. I used to have it [at] my other house but transferred it to my new house. [The] biggest issue was they had issues transferring it and had to create a different account for it. My old account had my cell phone and internet combined and [AT&T] gave me a discount doing so.
Compare some other top internet providers if you’re curious
Whether you’re in the sticks or the suburbs, there are ISPs for virtually any budget and situation these days. While these ISPs missed out on our best ISP rankings, they’re still worth checking out if you’re within their coverage map.
In terms of starting price and wider availability, we recommend checking out Spectrum and Xfinity if either cable internet provider is available in your neighborhood. You won’t get as good of home internet service as you would with a fiber internet provider, but it should be more than adequate.
For a complete list of providers, visit our internet service provider guide.
| Internet provider | Price | Max download speed | Data cap | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CenturyLink | $50.00–$75.00/mo. | 100–940 Mbps | Unlimited |
Read full review |
| Cox | $49.99–$149.99/mo. | 100–2,000 Mbps | 1 TB |
Read full review |
| Hughesnet | $49.99–$94.99/mo. | 50–100 Mbps | 100–200 GB |
Read full review |
| MetroNet | $39.95–$69.95/mo. | 100–1,000 Mbps | Unlimited |
Read full review |
| Sparklight | $40.00–$115.00/mo. | 50–1,000 Mbps | 700 GB–Unlimited |
Read full review |
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Spectrum Best traditional cable provider |
$39.99–$79.99/mo. | Up to 300–1,000 Mbps | Unlimited |
Read full review |
| Viasat | $99.99–$119.99/mo. | Up to 150 Mbps | 60 GB–Unlimited |
Read full review |
| Vyve Broadband | $25.00–$59.99/mo. | 105–960 Mbps | 1–2 TB |
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Read full review |
| WOW! | $30.00–$185.00/mo. | 50–1,200 Mbps | 1.5 TB–3 TB |
Read full review |
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Xfinity Cheap internet plans |
$19.99–$85.00/mo. | 75–6,000 Mbps | 1.2 TB |
Read full review |
Data effective as of publish date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
Learn what to look for in top internet service providers
Some internet services have exciting deals and freebies that look super impressive. But when you want the best home internet, make sure the bang for your buck, reliability, features, and customer satisfaction ratings meet your standards before you sign a contract.
Bang for your buck
Price per month: Since there’s no standard for internet pricing, even 25 Mbps plans can run anywhere from $19.99 to $60.00 per month. It’s a big range, we know. Price depends a lot on your provider and location. If you’re looking for budget-friendly internet service, we recommend trying to find a deal around $50 per month. Most providers have basic internet plans that are at or below this price point.
Price increases: All of our top five internet service providers have no annual price increases. We wish that was the case for every ISP out there, but that’s not yet reality. Other ISPs will hike up the price after a year of service, making your once affordable plan much pricier than what you originally were paying. Be sure to check the fine print of your contract—phrases like “For 12 months” when referring to price can be an indicator that you could be getting a serious price increase after a year.
Hidden fees: Like with price increases, keep an eye on the fine print for hidden fees. We prioritize providers that are transparent with any extra fees that may be incurred—like, say, potential installation or router rental fees—along with providers that have a simple pricing method with all fees included.
Reliability
Service outages: Four of our five top choices for best ISPs are fiber providers, which deliver more reliability than a cable, satellite, 5G, or DSL internet provider. Fiber internet transmits information via fiber-optic cables that are often buried underground, making fiber internet much less susceptible to issues like extreme cold snaps or storms that are often causes of service outages.
Download speeds: Our internet usage is growing all the time, and our bandwidth usage is higher than ever. With that in mind, we recommend trying for faster internet speeds. Going from 25 Mbps to 50 Mbps will make a world of difference, but jumping up to 100 Mbps is the best fit for most homes. Check out our internet speed guide if you need help deciding what internet plan best fits your household.
Upload speeds: Upload speeds refer to how much information you can upload every second. The higher the number, the faster you’ll be able to upload pictures and videos. Typically a 3 Mbps upload speed is the standard for broadband internet. Unless you’re uploading large files to the internet, you probably won’t need much more than that.
Features
Data caps: We didn’t talk about data caps much in this article because our top five recommendations all meet our standards. That means they’re all around 1,024 GB (1 TB), which is more than plenty for the average household. (Should you be concerned about going over 1TB of data? We’ve got the answer.)
Equipment: Most ISPs will give you the option to rent your equipment for a monthly fee, or potentially buy it outright upfront. Even better, some providers, like Google Fiber and T-Mobile 5G Home Internet, won’t charge you at all. If equipment isn’t free, we suggest buying your own wireless router instead of renting one since you’ll save on monthly rental fees.
Wi-Fi hotspots: A Wi-Fi hotspot is a Wi-Fi network owned and operated by an ISP that customers can use when they’re away from home. While it’s nice for ISPs to include them, we don’t consider them dealbreakers. If your chosen provider doesn’t provide one, check out our choices for best mobile hotspots that you can use anywhere with cellular service, regardless of your ISP.
Customer satisfaction
Customer service: Customer service takes into account how efficiently ISPs get their customers the help they need. Some providers have their customer service desks staffed 24/7, while some process all requests through support pages and emails. Some ISPs are national chains with stores across the country to drop into, while others are largely online affairs. Regardless of how they solve customers’ problems, we prioritize how consistently and efficiently they do so, and our top picks all scored high marks.
Billing: Efficiency and straightforward billing are the main marks we look for in top-quality internet service. We like ISPs that give you one flat rate to pay with no sneaky fees. One big plus that some ISPs (like AT&T) provide is a small discount when you sign up for Autopay and paperless billing, so keep an eye out for that.
Why you should trust us
To find this year’s best internet providers, we spent thousands of hours analyzing each ISP’s plans based on factors including price, reliability, and features like a free modem/router.
We also relied on our annual internet customer satisfaction survey to find out how current customers felt about their ISPs. Not only that but we did hands-on testing of our own home internet to round out our ratings of select providers.
For more information on our methodology, check out our How We Rank page. Like the way we roll? Return to our list of the best ISPs in your area.
