Best Fiber Internet Providers for 2021: Prices, Speeds, and More

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• Head-to-head comparison
• What to look for
• Final take
• FAQ

Out of all internet technology types, fiber-optic internet is the fastest and most reliable.

Many East Coast folks have access to our pick for best fiber internet, Verizon Fios. And if you’re in New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut, you’re in the Verizon Fios vs. Optimum zone, where there are fiber internet deals galore.

But even if you’re not on the East Coast, you can find fiber internet in many major US cities. We’ll go over all your options for the best fiber internet providers below.

Best fiber internet providers

• Verizon Fios—best overall
• Optimum—best deals
• AT&T Fiber—cheapest for gig internet
• Xfinity—fastest
• CenturyLink—honorable mention

Compare top fiber internet providers

Data effective 12/2/20. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
**w/ Auto Pay for 1 yr + taxes, equip. charges, & other fees.

If you’re looking for the absolute best fiber internet available, we recommend Verizon Fios for its competitive pricing, sign-up incentives, and high customer satisfaction.

In terms of bang for your buck, we like Optimum for its no-contract plans, competitive pricing, and excellent speeds.

But since we’re talking about fiber internet, pretty much every option is a great option. That’s why we’ve also included our takes on the cheapest options for gig speeds (AT&T Fiber) and the fastest (Xfinity).

If our top picks for fiber-optic internet providers aren’t in your area, consider other fiber providers like CenturyLink, Google Fiber, or Frontier FiberOptic. Also, some cable internet providers have fast internet speeds, and they’re often more readily available than fiber internet networks.

But overall, if you can get fiber internet in your neighborhood, you should definitely go for it.

Best overall: Verizon Fios

**w/ Auto Pay for 1 yr + taxes, equip. charges, & other fees.

When we surveyed over two thousand people about their internet service, Verizon Fios customers were the most satisfied by far. In fact, Verizon Fios topped the categories in internet speed, reliability, customer support, and monthly bill price.

If Verizon Fios is available in your area, we say go for it. Its price range fits comfortably in most budgets, and Verizon woos new users with extra perks like these ones:

• Free Amazon Echo Dot and Smart Plug w/ some plans
• Free Amazon Echo Show 5 w/ some plans
• Stream TV included w/ some plans

We certainly wouldn’t turn down the chance to binge-watch more TV with our internet service.

Between high customer satisfaction and sign-up incentives, there’s a lot to recommend Verizon Fios as the best overall fiber provider.

View Verizon Fios plans

Best deals: Optimum

Optimum is a relatively new contender on the fiber scene. But Optimum builds up its hype by offering flash deals. Sign up at the right time and you can snag massive discounts.

When writing this update on June 28, 2021, we found Optimum offering internet plans at the following prices:
Fiber Internet 300—$35.00/mo. (usually $45.00/mo.)
Fiber Internet 500—$45.00/mo. (usually $65.00/mo.)
Fiber Internet 1 Gig—$55.00/mo. (usually $75.00/mo.)

Couple Optimum’s low cost with the fact that it offers sleek equipment and built-in fiber-optic Wi-Fi, and you can see why we like Optimum.

Keep in mind, however, that our survey revealed that the Optimum customers aren’t among the most satisfied internet customers. We suspect that our Optimum participants may be in Optimum’s cable internet areas, which don’t have quite the same reliability or upload speeds.

But if you’ve got Optimum fiber internet in your area, keep checking Optimum’s website for savings and then jump on those reduced prices.

Cheapest for gig internet: AT&T Fiber

If you want gig internet at the cheapest price point around ($60 per month? Holla!), then you’re gonna want AT&T Fiber internet.

Not only is AT&T Fiber cheap, but it came in third overall in our 2020 internet customer satisfaction survey and now features no annual contracts.

So why isn’t AT&T Fiber our pick for best value? It was a close call, but ultimately AT&T Fiber’s limited availability and myriad hidden fees put it just behind Optimum.

Still, AT&T Fiber is a great value, so if you’re one of the lucky ones to have it in your area, we say sign up for it today.

View AT&T Fiber plans

Fastest: Xfinity

Xfinity offers fiber internet in some areas with speeds up to 2,000 Mbps. Hands down, in terms of download speeds, no other fiber provider can come close.

But is Xfinity fiber internet worth it? At $299.95 per month for download speeds of up to 2,000, we don’t think so.

Why, you ask? Well, the truth of the matter is that most households will do just fine with download speeds of 300–1,200 Mbps, depending on how many people use your internet connection.

That said, at $84.99 per month for 12 months, the Xfinity Gigabit plan isn’t a terrible deal when you consider that you’ll still get gig speeds (1,200 Mbps) and also have access to millions of Wi-Fi hotspots across the US.

View Xfinity plans

Honorable mention: CenturyLink

As mentioned earlier, fiber internet providers vary a lot by area, and sometimes you just have to take what you can get. Our honorable mention CenturyLink fills in gaps left behind by other providers by offering fiber internet service in cities dotted throughout the US, from Orlando, Florida to Spokane, Washington.

While CenturyLink offers only one fiber internet plan, the $65 monthly cost is only $5 more than our cheapest gigabit pick from AT&T Fiber. That’s a pretty killer deal compared to other providers’ gigabit plans that can run up to $80 a month.

So don’t feel too bad if CenturyLink is your only fiber internet provider. It might not have earned a gold medal here, but it still has the zooming speeds and unbeatable reliability you turn to fiber internet for.

View CenturyLink plans

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:

• Speeds that match your needs
• Affordable prices
• High customer satisfaction

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, but providers who advertise matched upload-download speeds probably have the best upload speeds.

Price

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 $100/mo.

And be sure to see how long you can keep the price you signed up with. Some companies offer lower promotional prices for only a year, though some guarantee prices for two years.

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.

Customer satisfaction

Be aware of any highlights or pitfalls you can expect with your service provider. Our survey can be a good source for this.

You could also check with online forums, but don’t let a surplus of bad reviews make you despair over your available providers—people are more likely to share negative experiences than positive ones.

Our final take

Fiber providers offer the most advanced internet service available today. In our opinion, we think the best of the best is Verizon Fios because of its competitive pricing, free goodies, and high customer satisfaction.

We also highly recommend Optimum, AT&T Fiber, and CenturyLink if they’re available in your area. Check your zip code below to see if one of the providers we suggested is available in your neighborhood.

Our methodology

We researched every major fiber internet provider and ranked them according to price, speed, and customer satisfaction scores from our annual survey.

We also looked at hidden fees, contracts, and sign-up incentives to bring you the best fiber internet providers out there.

For more information about our methodologies, feel free to peruse our How We Rank page.

Best fiber internet providers FAQ

Who has the best fiber internet?

We think Verizon Fios has the best fiber internet because of its competitive pricing, fast download speeds, freebies, and excellent customer service.

What is fiber internet?

Fiber internet is an internet technology made of bundles of hair-thin glass strands. Data travels through these high-tech glass strands at the speed of light, making it the fastest internet available.

Is fiber optic the best internet?

Absolutely, fiber is the best internet because of its high reliability, faster upload speeds, and super-fast download speeds.