Is fiber optic internet worth it?

Out of all internet technology types, fiber-optic internet is the fastest and most reliable service you can get for your home. Many East and West Coast folks have access to our top picks for the best fiber internet.

But even if you’re not on the coasts, you can find fiber internet in many major U.S. cities. If you’re looking for the absolute fastest fiber internet available, we recommend Google Fiber for its competitive pricing, sign-up incentives, and high customer satisfaction scores. In terms of bang for your buck, we like alternatives such as AT&T and Frontier for their no-contract plans, competitive pricing, and excellent speeds.

We’ll go over all your options for the best fiber internet providers below.

Best overall: Google Fiber

Google Fiber was one of the top performers in our 2025 internet customer satisfaction survey and Best of the Best Awards for good reason. Google Fiber has excellent pricing, no data caps, and the fastest speeds that only fiber internet can give you. Google Fiber also came out squarely on top for best customer support as the only fiber ISP to hit over 80% approval and under 5% disapproval ratings. Not too shabby!

Google also led the pack among all providers on pricing. The ISP isn’t necessarily cheap, as its starting plan is a 1 Gbps package that goes for $70.00/mo. But it’s one of the most affordable 1 Gbps plans among fiber ISPs, and customers know that they’re getting a deal. 80% of Google Fiber respondents were highly satisfied with Google Fiber’s prices, which led among all ISPs.

Best no-contract service: AT&T Fiber

AT&T Fiber scored in the top five overall for multiple internet customer satisfaction survey categories and features no annual contracts. So, why isn’t AT&T Fiber our pick for the top fiber ISP?

It’s a hair pricier than the competition, as alternatives like Frontier and Google Fiber are cheaper on a per-Gbps basis. Although AT&T is one of the few ISPs with a nationwide fiber footprint, its availability still varies heavily by city.

Cheapest: Frontier

Frontier Fiber, Frontier’s fiber-optic internet service, offers superfast download speeds at affordable rates. Frontier’s fiber network is among the better ones we’ve seen, thanks to its strong customer service approval scores for areas like speed and reliability.

Frontier sometimes offers sign-up deals, so be sure to keep a lookout for those when signing up. Currently, the provider offers a great YouTube TV discount that’ll knock $10 off your bill for an entire year.

Fastest: Ziply

If you want the fastest gig internet on the market, then you’re gonna want Ziply Fiber internet. Even though the average customer won’t need the insanely high speeds (and equally high price) of their $900 per month 50 Gig plan, Ziply offers plenty of other fiber plans to fit your needs, from 100 Mbps to 50,000 Mbps. 

Plus, Ziply’s fiber network has stellar latency times that’ll ensure you have smooth online gaming and video calls. According to speed test data from our partners at HighSpeedInternet.com, Ziply’s average latency time of 10.9 milliseconds beat out higher-profile competitors like Google Fiber and AT&T. 

On top of that, Ziply doesn’t have annual contracts, so you’re free to leave and switch providers with no extra fees.

Best regional fiber: Metronet

Here’s another fiber ISP with limited availability. Even so, Metronet users also found a lot to like about its service. Metronet finished in the top 10 in our 2025 internet customer satisfaction survey, beating out larger competitors like Spectrum and CenturyLink.

Metronet also has super affordable fiber plans, with download and upload speeds between 100 Mbps and 5,000 Mbps, starting at just $34.95 per month.

What to look for in a fiber internet provider

When it comes to fiber internet, you should look for the same things you would with any other type of internet provider: value and performance. 

Speed

Most fiber internet options come with speeds that comfortably cover today’s internet needs. Download speeds around 100 Mbps will make streaming a breeze, and faster speeds are great for families whose members use the internet at the same time.Keep in mind that upload speeds are also important, especially if you video chat, play online games, or put big files up online. As a general rule, fiber plans have higher upload speeds than cable, DSL, or satellite internet because they can support equal upload and download speeds.

Price

How much should your fiber optic internet plan cost? While prices vary from provider to provider, there are a couple of benchmarks to keep in mind:

• 300 Mbps plans average just under $50/mo.
• 940 Mbps or 1 gig plans tend to be just under $80/mo.

And be sure to see how long you can keep the price you signed up with. Some regional fiber ISPs offer lower promotional prices for only a year, though most guarantee prices for years and avoid tricks like 12-month price increases.You’ll also want to consider equipment costs. Some plans include a modem/router in the pricing, while others require you to lease them for about $10 per month. That extra fee can be a real pain if you’re not prepared for it.

Best fiber internet providers FAQ