Best Cheap Internet Providers and Plans: Costs, Speeds, and More
Our experts review dozens of cheap internet plans from nationwide providers every month to get you only the most legit deals.
T-Mobile Unlimited
Price: $35.00–$70.00/mo.
Speed: 87-415 Mbps
Connection type: 5G internet
T-Mobile Unlimited
Price: $35.00–$70.00/mo.
Speed: 87-415 Mbps
Connection type: 5G internet
Xfinity Connect
Price: Starting at $19.99/mo.*
Speed: 150 Mbps
Connection type: Cable
Xfinity Connect
Price: Starting at $19.99/mo.*
Speed: 150 Mbps
Connection type: Cable
Spectrum Internet Premier
Price: $50.00/mo.‖
Speed: Up to 500 Mbps
Connection type: Cable
Spectrum Internet Premier
Price: $50.00/mo.‖
Speed: Up to 500 Mbps
Connection type: Cable
What’s the best cheap internet provider?
Internet service is more important than ever these days, but it doesn’t have to break your wallet. We’ve gathered up the best affordable internet plans from major providers across the US—each one costs less than $50 per month.
Our top recommendation for a cheap internet plan is Xfinity’s Connect plan because of its fast download speed, 1.2TB data allowance, and affordable price. But all of our top cheapest internet plan picks offer great internet performance alongside low pricing. Keep on reading to learn more about our best picks for the cheapest home internet plans.
Compare best cheap internet plans and providers
| Cheapest internet plan | Starting price | Download speeds | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Astound Broadband 300 Mbps | $20.00/mo.˚ | 300 Mbps |
Read Astound review |
| Spectrum Internet Premier | $50.00/mo.‖ | Up to 500 Mbps‖ | Read Spectrum review |
| T-Mobile 5G Home Internet Unlimited | $35.00–$70.00/mo. | 87-415 Mbps | Read T-Mobile review |
| Verizon Fios 300 Mbps | $49.99/mo. (w/ Auto Pay)† | 300 Mbps |
Read Verizon Fios review |
|
Xfinity Connect Editor's Choice |
Starting at $19.99/mo.* | 150 Mbps | Read Xfinity review |
Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
* For 24 months with 1-year term contract. Includes $10/mo automatic payments and paperless billing discount. Taxes and equipment not included.
‡ Paperless billing or prepaid required. Additional taxes, fees, and surcharges apply. Get the fastest Internet speed available at your location (max speed is up to 140 Mbps.)
‖ For 12 months when bundled. Limited time offer; subject to change; valid to qualified residential customers who have not subscribed to any services within the previous 30 days and who have no outstanding obligation to Charter. Taxes, fees and surcharges extra and subject to change during and after the promotional period; installation/network activation, equipment and additional services are extra.
† Price per month with Auto Pay & without select 5G mobile plans. Consumer data usage is subject to the usage restrictions set forth in Verizon’s terms of service; visit: https://www.verizon.com/support/customer-agreement/ for more information about 5G Home and LTE Home Internet or https://www.verizon.com/about/terms-conditions/verizon-customer-agreement for Fios internet.
˚Internet speeds may vary & are not guaranteed No contract required. Subject to availability. Offer valid only for new residential Astound customers or previous customers with an account in good standing who have not had Astound service within the last 60 days. Limited time offer, subject to change without notice. Advertised promotional pricing valid for 24 months from service start date, subject to change thereafter. Unless otherwise specified in the offer details, price does not include Internet Infrastructure Fee of up to $16.93/mo, subject to change.
We’ve chosen widely available internet service providers (ISPs) that offer at least 150 Mbps on their least-expensive and cheapest 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. We want to get you cheap internet and cable, not a headache.
Best cheap internet packages
You shouldn’t have to pay through the nose for high-speed internet, and these ISPs recognize that. Read on to learn about any standout deals, free Wi-Fi internet equipment, or add-ons you can get with these cheap internet Wi-Fi providers.
#1. Xfinity Fast wins Editor’s Choice
In 2022, Xfinity bumped up its speeds in many areas of the US, which means depending on where you live you might be able to snag 150 Mbps for under $30.00/mo. For the record, that’s an amazing price among cheap Wi-Fi plans.
With pricing that starts at $19.99/mo. for the first 12 months, Connect is one of the most affordable cable internet plans from a major ISP. The plan won’t be a great fit if your family’s regularly watching Netflix or downloading video games, but it’s a strong deal if you simply need affordable internet access.
Xfinity’s prices for internet-only plans also vary by region, so check out our main Xfinity page to see how much Xfinity internet costs across the country. If you’re looking for more Xfinity internet deals, check out our Xfinity cheap internet and prepaid internet guides.
#2. Verizon Fios 300 Mbps has the highest customer satisfaction
We can describe Verizon Fios 300 Mbps in three words: fast, fast, and fast.
Since this cheap internet 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.
Verizon Fios was also one of the best-performing major ISPs in our annual customer satisfaction survey. If you have problems with your internet service, Verizon will come through in a pinch.
With Verizon Fios 300 Mbps, 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.
#3. Spectrum Internet has the most flexible contracts
Spectrum Internet Premier is the most affordable of Spectrum’s two internet plans. And even though this cheap Wi-Fi plan costs between $50.00/mo., you’ll save a bunch on Spectrum’s equipment. In fact, Spectrum will even throw in a modem 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 equipment.
Spectrum’s no-contract internet plans are also a plus if you’re looking for flexibility. If you need to move or end service before 12 months, you won’t have to worry about expensive early termination or hardware return fees on Spectrum.
Spectrum also offers an affordable TV plan with competitive prices for premium channel add-ons. Check out our Spectrum cable TV guide to learn more about Spectrum’s TV offerings.
#4. T-Mobile 5G Home Internet has good bundle discounts
T-Mobile 5G Home Internet offers flexible internet service, and if you’re a T-Mobile customer, you’ll also get some of the cheapest internet rates around. With a qualifying T-Mobile Magenta MAX plan, you’ll pay only $40 monthly for internet service. As a 5G home internet service, its rural availability depends heavily on your location and T-Mobile’s coverage in your neighborhood. But unlike standard cable internet providers, you won’t have to deal with price increases or expensive hardware fees.
#5. Astound Broadband offers the cheapest cable internet plans around
Astound Broadband isn’t the biggest provider around, but with plans that start at only $20.00/mo., it’s the cheapest by a country mile. With 300 Mbps maximum download speeds and two-year price guarantees, you’ll also have enough bandwidth to meet your entire household’s internet needs. Astound’s availability is largely regional, and its customer service scores were a slight step behind major providers. But if you don’t mind a few compromises, it’s hard to beat Astound’s phenomenal pricing.
Additional cheap internet providers
You won’t be left out in the cold if our top cheap ISP picks aren’t available in your area. Our runner-up selections still offer great value and low monthly prices for fast internet service.
Optimum 300
Optimum 300 strikes the perfect balance between cost and performance. With 300 Mbps download speeds, you’ll have enough bandwidth to support a whole family’s internet needs—you can download movies and stream Netflix without missing a beat.
With an introductory price of only $40 per month, it’s also a great deal for a cable internet plan. By comparison, most cable ISPs charge closer to $50 for a 300 Mbps plan. Optimum’s price increases are also staggered, so you won’t have to worry about a massive price increase after 12 months.
CenturyLink Simply Unlimited
CenturyLink Simply Unlimited could give you up to 140 Mbps for $55 per month‡—but it might have only lower speeds in your area. Be sure to verify if you’re getting a good internet speed before you sign up.
If you’re lucky enough to live in an area where CenturyLink Internet uses a fiber connection instead of a DSL connection, you can trade up the CenturyLink Simply Unlimited plan for the Internet 500 Mbps plan, which offers 500 Mbps for the lower price of $50 per month.‡
Check the speeds you’ll get with CenturyLink Internet in your area before you decide on this cheap internet plan. But if the speeds are a good fit, we say jump on it.
‡ Paperless billing or prepaid required. Additional taxes, fees, and surcharges apply. Get the fastest Internet speed available at your location (max speed is up to 140 Mbps.)
Xtream Internet 500
Xtream powered by Mediacom isn’t as widely available as bigger networks like Xfinity and Spectrum. But if it’s available in your town, we recommend Xtream’s Internet 500 plan. Sure, there’s an even cheaper internet plan that offers 250 Mbps for just $19.99 per month˚, but it comes with a nasty little 400 GB data cap.
Internet 500 comes with a 2,000 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 Xtream. Our recommended plan may cost 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.
Cox Go Fast
While Cox Go Fast doesn’t stand out for anything in particular, we felt it necessary to mention. This tidy little plan meets our price and internet speed requirements, so we recommend giving it a look if you’re in Cox’s network area.
However, if the internet competition in your area includes Verizon Fios, AT&T, Xfinity, or Spectrum, we recommend looking at those provider’s cheapest plans first. While Cox did well on our recent customer satisfaction survey, those four internet providers shone brighter.
WOW! Fiber 100
WOW! is one of the cheapest and fastest cable (and fiber) internet services in the Midwest and Southeast. If it’s available in your area, we recommend WOW!’s Fiber 100 plan—that is, if you’re okay with the pesky 100 Mbps data cap. That amount is sufficient for social media scrolling and online shopping, but for consistent streaming, video calling, and the like, we’d recommend you go higher. If that’s you, we recommend that you check out WOW’s Fiber 500 Mbps plan for $50.00 per month.
Frontier Fiber 500
We like Frontier’s internet plans because equipment fees and unlimited data are included with their pricing, so there are no hidden fees that’ll sneak up on you.
Frontier also offers a bundle with YouTube TV, with customers getting $10 off their YouTube TV subscription for twelve months. If bundling with the Fiber 500 plan, for example, the price will be $107.98 monthly.
If you don’t live in a Frontier Fiber area, Frontier also offers a DSL internet plan called Frontier Internet, and the download speeds vary by area. Check out if they’re in your area below.
What to look for
Internet comparison shopping is similar to shopping for anything else—you don’t want to overpay for features you don’t need. But when it comes to cheap internet shopping, you might be leaving deals on the table if you don’t know what to look for. Here’s everything else you’ll need to know about looking for the cheapest internet plans.
Avoid overage fees
Many internet providers have data caps—and if you go over, you have to pay up big time. Read our data caps guide to see which providers have caps and how to avoid overage charges.
Buy your modem/router
Your internet provider may charge you $10 a month or more to rent your internet equipment. But some providers let you bring your own equipment instead. Check out our recommendations for modems and routers:
Get government assistance
Programs like Lifeline Program save low-income households up to $34.25 per month off internet. To learn more and see if you qualify, check out “Free and Low-income Internet Plans.”
Sign up for a slower internet package
This suggestion breaks our heart, but if you choose a slower internet plan, you’ll probably pay less on internet. To see if you can get by with slower internet speeds, check out our internet speed guide.
Cheap internet FAQ
Who has the fastest and cheapest Internet?
Xfinity has the fastest and cheapest internet plan. Connect starts at $20.00 monthly and includes 150 Mbps download speeds.
Who has the cheapest Internet right now?
Right now, Xfinity is the cheapest internet provider with the best value. Xfinity offers a plan with 150 Mbps that starts at $19.99 per month (depending on region). There are cheaper plans out there, but we don’t feel comfortable recommending anything with slow speeds and low data caps.
Can low-income families get free internet?
Yes, 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.
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, but be sure to return your cable equipment, so you don’t incur any extra fees. To learn more about how to get internet without TV and phone, check out our high-speed internet FAQ page.
How can I get $10 Wi-Fi internet?
Most internet providers offer Wi-Fi router hardware rentals for around $10 per month. But if you want $10 internet service, you must qualify for an ISP’s subsidized low-income internet program.
Why you should trust us
For this article, we reviewed every available internet plan from major internet providers. Drawing from our reviews database and customer interviews as part of our Internet Customer Satisfaction Survey, we narrowed the list down to those that cost around $50 per month, offer at least 100 Mbps download speeds (a solid data rate for home internet), and have data allowances of at least 1,000 GB per month.
If you’d like to learn more about how we choose our top plans, check out our How We Rank page.
