Best Cheap Internet Packages 2020

Bottom line

If you’re more interested in the numbers after the dollar sign than the digits before the Mbps, you’re in the market for a cheap internet service provider. But where do you look when the price of everything internet-related keeps going up? Believe it or not, you still have options.

We’ve gathered up the best affordable internet plans from major providers across the US—each one costs $50 or less per month. We’ve cut out plans with unreasonable data caps and providers going through bankruptcy (we’re keeping an eye on you, Frontier) so you won’t have any surprises.

Data as of 2/19/20. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
* for the first 12 mos. w/ 1-yr. agreement
† w/ Auto Pay + taxes & equipment charges
‡ for 12 months w/1-yr. service agr.
§ Rate requires paperless billing and excludes taxes. Additional fees apply. Speeds may not be available in your area.
˚ For the first 12 months.
• For the first 12 months. Standard rates apply after year 1. No additional charge for modem; other equipment, install, taxes, fees & surcharges may apply.
¶ for 12 mos. plus taxes & equip fee. $10/mo equip fee applies. Incl unlimited internet data allowance ($30 value).

We’ve chosen widely available internet service providers (ISPs) that offer at least 25 Mbps on their less-expensive plans. You could save money if you stooped to lower speeds, but bandwidth matters, and a few saved bucks aren’t going to soothe the pain of a connection that buffers or drops out during your Netflix marathons.

Unfortunately, “widely available” doesn’t always translate to “anywhere near you.” Pop your ZIP code in below, and we’ll tell you which providers service your area. No worries—we don’t keep your data or send it to anyone else.

Recommended cheap internet providers

• Xfinity—Up to 100 Mbps for $34.99/mo. for the first 12 mos. w/ 1-yr. agreement
• Verizon Fios—Up to 100 Mbps for $39.99/mo. w/ Auto Pay + taxes & equipment charges
• Cox—Up to 30 Mbps for $39.99/mo. for 12 months w/1-yr. service agr.
• CenturyLink—Up to 100 Mbps for $49.00/mo.§
• Mediacom—Up to 100 Mbps for $49.99/mo. for the first 12 months.
• Spectrum—Up to 100 Mbps for $49.99/mo. for the first 12 months.
• AT&T—Up to 100 Mbps for $50.00/mo. for 12 mos, plus taxes & equip fee.

§ Rate requires paperless billing and excludes taxes. Additional fees apply. Speeds may not be available in your area.

You shouldn’t have to pay through the nose for good internet, and these ISPs recognize that. Read on to learn about any standout deals, equipment, or add-ons you can get with these cheap Wi-Fi providers.

Xfinity bumped up its speeds in many areas of the US, which means you might be able to snag 100 Mbps for only $34.99 per month.*

And right now, Xfinity is pairing its internet-only plans with its new streaming device and service Xfinity Flex. Sign up with Xfinity Performance, and you’ll get a Flex unit and its companion voice remote for no extra charge.

Xfinity Flex is no Roku, but free stuff is rarely a bad thing.

* for the first 12 mos. w/ 1-yr. agreement

We can describe Verizon Fios Internet 100/100 in three words: fast, fast, and fast.

Since this plan is fiber-based, your internet will run on some of the fastest and most reliable internet lines in the US. Forget about internet that slows down during peak usage hours—Verizon Fios will snatch the word “buffering” right out of your vocabulary.

And Verizon Fios boldly touts its matched download and upload speeds in the plan name—as it should. Many ISPs don’t even tell you what their upload speeds are because they’re so darn slow. But with Verizon Fios Internet 100/100, you won’t have to sit on your hands for hours waiting for a simple video or large photo file to upload.

Instead, you can look forward to getting all your cool Tik Tok videos online ASAP. Verizon Fios will put you this much closer to being the next big thing.

While this is the slowest plan on our list, you shouldn’t overlook it. The FCC recommends 25 Mbps or higher for broadband internet, and Cox Internet Essential 30 is a comfortable fit for that.

As long as you aren’t trying to support multiple streaming videos at once, this speed will work just fine if you have only one or two people in your home.

If you hate seeing your internet prices go up every few months—even though you’ve been a loyal customer for years—CenturyLink’s Price For Life plans are for you.

CenturyLink will hook you up with the fastest speed it offers in your area (up to 100 Mbps) for only $49 per month§. Once you’re signed up and stick with this package, your internet price will never increase as long as you stay at the same address, and remain up to date on your payments.

§ Rate requires paperless billing and excludes taxes. Additional fees apply. Speeds may not be available in your area.

We recommend Mediacom Internet 100 even though there’s an even cheaper internet plan that offers 60 Mbps for $39.99 per month.˚ This is because the cheaper plan comes with a nasty little 150 GB data cap.

Mediacom Internet 100 comes with a 1,000 GB data cap instead. That’s much more reasonable—you can watch Netflix and scroll through Instagram without worrying about being penalized for going over your data allowance.

Don’t skimp with Mediacom. Our recommended plan may cost $10 more per month than the starter plan, but you’ll save yourself a lot of headaches (and overage fees) in the long run.

˚ For the first 12 months.

Spectrum Internet is the most affordable of Spectrum’s three internet plans. And even though it costs nearly $50 per month, you’ll save a bunch on Spectrum’s equipment.

In fact, Spectrum will even throw in a Wi-Fi router with your plan for zero more dollars. Since most providers lease those at about $10 per month, you’re getting some serious savings on cheap Wi-Fi.

Like CenturyLink’s Price For Life plan, AT&T Internet could give you up to 100 Mbps for $50 per month¶—but it might only have lower speeds in your area.

If you’re lucky enough to live in an area where AT&T Internet uses a fiber connection instead of a DSL connection, you can trade up the AT&T Internet plan for the Internet 300 plan, which offers 300 Mbps for the same $50-per-month price.¶

Check the speeds you’ll get with AT&T Internet in your area before you decide on this plan. But if the speeds are a good fit, we say jump on it.

¶ for 12 mos. plus taxes & equip fee. $10/mo equip fee applies. Incl unlimited internet data allowance ($30 value).

Our final take

Like anything else, you get what you pay for with internet service. That said, even though most US cities have only a couple of providers to choose from, there are deals to be had.

If it’s available in your area, fiber internet is our number one recommendation for optimal speed/price return, followed by cable internet. But if DSL is the only choice on the block, don’t despair: it still works just fine for being “old” tech, and it’s almost always the cheapest option available.

Cheap internet FAQ

Who has the cheapest internet?

Xfinity has a reasonably priced broadband internet plan with a 1,000 GB data cap—which is totally workable, even for Netflix lovers. This plan, Xfinity Performance Select, is $34.99 per month (for the first 12 mos. w/ 1-yr. agreement) for 100 Mbps. That’s nice and fast.

There are certainly cheaper plans out there, but we don’t feel comfortable recommending anything with slower-than-broadband speeds and low data caps that you’re as likely to hit as Shaq’s head is a doorframe.

Save yourself that headache and go with a fast, reliable plan that’s not built to gouge you with extra fees.

Can low-income families get free internet?

Low-income families can often get assistance from the government to pay for their internet costs. Many ISPs even offer special discounted packages for low-income families, students, and seniors.

Check out our guide to low income internet plans to learn about how you can sign up for these plans—and which ones will save you the most money.

What’s the difference between Wi-Fi and internet?

Wi-Fi is internet service broadcast wirelessly, usually with an in-home router. Wi-Fi is a common term to replace internet, but it’s just the way many people access their internet service. The internet itself is this cool place we’re hanging out in right now.

How can I get wireless internet without cable TV?

If your internet provider used to require you to bundle your internet with cable TV, it almost certainly doesn’t anymore. You can call your provider and cancel your TV subscription—be sure to return your cable equipment so you don’t incur any extra fees.

And if you’re ready for a new internet provider, you can find other options in your area by entering your zip code below: