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Best Internet for Streaming 2023

Fiber internet is excellent for streaming in 4K and HD—but cable internet is good enough for most binge-watching.

Editor's choice

Verizon

Price: $49.99–$89.99/mo.
Download speeds: 300–2,300 Mbps
Data cap: Unlimited

Verizon

Price: $49.99–$89.99/mo.
Download speeds: 300–2,300 Mbps
Data cap: Unlimited

Best for performance

Xfinity

Price: $19.99–$80.00/mo.
Download speeds: 75–6,000 Mbps
Data cap: 1.2 TB

Xfinity

Price: $19.99–$80.00/mo.
Download speeds: 75–6,000 Mbps
Data cap: 1.2 TB

Fastest

AT&T

Price: $55.00–$250.00/mo.
Download speeds: 75–5,000 Mbps
Data cap: Unlimited

AT&T

Price: $55.00–$250.00/mo.
Download speeds: 75–5,000 Mbps
Data cap: Unlimited

Best satellite internet

Viasat

Price: $69.99–$299.99/mo.
Download speeds: Up to 100 Mbps
Data cap: 60 GB-Unlimited

Viasat

Price: $69.99–$299.99/mo.
Download speeds: Up to 100 Mbps
Data cap: 60 GB-Unlimited

Best for unlimited data

Optimum

Price: $40.00–$180.00/mo.
Download speeds: 300–5,000 Mbps
Data cap: Unlimited

Optimum

Price: $40.00–$180.00/mo.
Download speeds: 300–5,000 Mbps
Data cap: Unlimited

What’s the best internet for streaming?

Verizon Fios is our pick for the best internet for streaming. Fios offers fiber internet performance, which is the fastest form of internet out there. If Verizon Fios isn’t available in your area, cable, DSL, and satellite internet services have their merits. When it comes to speed, we’re firm that at least 25 Mbps (megabytes per second) is best for streaming, even though most services say 5–7 Mbps is adequate. We’ll explain why below.

Availability may be the biggest factor of all—you have to go with what’s available in your neighborhood, and it’s not always going to be the fastest or cheapest internet on the market. We’ve included recommendations here for some of the most widely-available internet providers in the US; there’s bound to be at least one near you.

Top internet providers for streaming

Provider Price Download speeds Internet type Details
Verizon $49.99–$89.99/mo. 300–2,300 Mbps Fiber View Plans for Verizon
Xfinity $19.99–$80.00/mo. 75–6,000 Mbps Cable View Plans for Xfinity
AT&T $55.00–$250.00/mo. 75–5,000 Mbps Fiber
Viasat $69.99–$299.99/mo.* Up to 100 Mbps Satellite View Plans for Viasat
Optimum $40.00–$180.00/mo. 300–5,000 Mbps Cable View Plans for Optimum

*Prices and availability vary by location. Installation fees, monthly equipment lease fees, and taxes may apply. After 100 GB of High-Speed Data usage, you still have unlimited access to Standard Data, which may result in slower speed.

Best internet providers for streaming

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Recommended speeds for streaming

The usual streaming service recommendation of 5–7 Mbps of download speed isn’t wrong; it just doesn’t consider that more than one device may be connected to the internet at the same time. Think of every gadget in your household that’s streaming something right now—we’d guess there’s more than one.

To avoid buffering and picture pixelation—that blurry, jagged look of a 2005 YouTube video—with multiple devices sharing the internet, 25 Mbps is as low as you want to go. How much more speed you’ll need depends on your consumption habits.

Best internet speeds for streaming

  • 5 Mbps: Standard-definition TV stream; one device
  • 25 Mbps: Single high-definition TV stream; one or two devices
  • 100 Mbps: Multiple HD TV streams, gaming; one or four devices
  • 300–500 Mbps: Multiple HD/4K TV streams; multiple devices
  • 1,000 Mbps (1 Gbps): Multiple HD/4K TV streams and file uploading; multiple devices

Streaming with different types of internet connections

Now that we’ve gone over download speeds and internet providers, let’s dig into how each type of internet service works and how different internet connections affect your streaming experience.

Fiber internet streaming

Fiber-optic internet transmits as pulses of light over hair-thin glass strands, and it can hit blazing download speeds up to and beyond 1,000 Mbps (1 Gbps—gigabyte per second). Having fiber connections available directly to homes and businesses is a relatively new service that covers only about 35% of the US currently.

Fiber internet is also capable of equal upload speeds; with other types of internet service, upload numbers are about 10% of download rates. Uploading your hamster-grooming tutorial to YouTube takes only minutes with fiber, as opposed to hours with cable or DSL.

Fiber streaming quality: Excellent. Fiber is the fastest form of internet there is, though it’s still a bit of a unicorn service outside of urban and suburban areas. If you can get it, we say get it.

Best fiber internet providers for streaming

Provider Price Download speeds Details
Verizon Fios $49.99–$89.99/mo. 300–2,300 Mbps View Plans for Verizon
AT&T Fiber $55.00–$250.00/mo. 75–5,000 Mbps
CenturyLink $30.00–$75.00/mo. 100–940 Mbps View Plans for CenturyLink
Earthlink $49.95–$189.95/mo. 10–5,000 Mbps View Plans for Earthlink
Google Fiber $70.00–$150.00/mo. 1,000–8,000 Mbps

Cable internet streaming

Cable internet service was introduced in the ’90s, using existing cable TV coaxial lines to deliver faster internet than DSL and dial-up services could over their copper telephone lines. Thanks to modem upgrades in the 2010s, some cable internet services can achieve fiber-like download speeds up to 500 Mbps (but upload speeds are still a fraction of download).

The biggest selling point of cable internet is that it’s available nearly everywhere, covering close to 90% of the country. The downside of cable internet is that it slows when your neighbors on the service are surfing at the same time, creating a data logjam.

Cable streaming quality: Good to excellent. Cable’s not the absolute fastest or most infallible internet service, but it’s more likely to be available near you than fiber—a painless compromise.

Best cable internet providers for streaming

Provider Price Download speeds Details
Xfinity $19.99–$80.00/mo. 75–6,000 Mbps View Plans for Xfinity
Cox $49.99–$149.99/mo. 25–1,000 Mbps View Plans for Cox
Optimum $40.00–$180.00/mo. 300–5,000 Mbps View Plans for Optimum
Spectrum $49.99–$89.99/mo. Up to 300–1,000 Mbps View Plans for Spectrum

DSL internet streaming

Digital subscriber line (DSL) delivers internet service over standard telephone lines, which are even more prevalent than cable connections. Even some of the most remote regions of the US have access to DSL internet, if not dial-up (the original, and slowest, internet—like AOL or CompuServe from the ’90s).

In most cases, DSL internet can reach a download speed of 50 Mbps—and that speed drops depending on the distance between you and the central connection point. DSL signals degrade over longer ranges, meaning some rural areas are lucky to get 5 Mbps of service. Ouch.

DSL streaming quality: Barely passable to good. Depending on your location and streaming needs, DSL internet can either perform perfectly or maddeningly. It’s capable of hitting CableTV.com’s bare-minimum download speed number of 25 Mbps, but not in all cases.

Best DSL internet providers for streaming

Provider Price Download speeds Details
CenturyLink $55.00/mo. Up to 140 Mbps View Plans for CenturyLink
Earthlink $49.95–$69.95/mo. 12–80 Mbps View Plans for Earthlink

Satellite internet streaming

Satellite internet works mostly the same as satellite TV: the signal comes from a satellite in space, and the data is received by a dish attached to the outside of your home or business.

Unlike satellite TV, which can deliver an HD picture indistinguishable from cable, satellite internet is limited in its signal capabilities. It’s also expensive and comes with low data caps. If you’re in an area that doesn’t even get DSL service, satellite’s an acceptable last resort, but that’s the only instance in which we’d recommend satellite internet. Seriously—keep looking.

Satellite streaming quality: Mediocre. While one of the US’s two satellite internet providers promises download speeds up to 100 Mbps (that would be Viasat), the data caps, expensive overage fees, and susceptibility to bad weather conditions don’t instill much confidence for that Ozark binge.

Satellite internet providers for streaming

Provider Price Download speeds Details
HughesNet $49.99–$174.99/mo. 15–50 Mbps View Plans for HughesNet
Viasat $69.99–$299.99/mo. Up to 100 Mbps View Plans for Viasat

Fiber internet is best for streaming

As far as we’re concerned, fiber-optic internet is king. It’s fast and consistent, and unlike other delivery methods, it was designed for the internet, not retrofitted. It might be a little more expensive, but for seamless streaming we say it’s worth it—if you can get it.

In fiber-free zones, cable internet is a speedy choice, with DSL running a close third. The services are easy to find, and both work well (to varying degrees) for streaming TV.

In a distant last place, satellite internet isn’t going to deliver satisfying streaming. We’d recommend getting an actual satellite TV service over trying to stream shows and movies with satellite internet—it would probably even end up being cheaper.

Best internet for streaming FAQ

What is the best type of internet for streaming?

Fiber-optic internet is the best type of internet for streaming. The fastest form of internet there is, it can get up to (and beyond) 1 Gbps in download speeds. Unfortunately it’s not yet widely available in the US—click here to enter your ZIP and see if it’s available in your area.

How much internet speed do I need for streaming and gaming?

One or two internet users can get by with 5–7 Mbps of download speed, but CableTV.com recommends at least 25 Mbps to avoid buffering and lag time. For larger households with heavy internet usage searching for the best internet speed for gaming and streaming, bump that up to 100 Mbps—bandwidth gets eaten quickly.

Is there a better way to get rural internet than satellite?

Where it’s available, fixed wireless internet is a better option than satellite internet because its signal comes from earthbound towers instead of satellites in space. It’s like a stationary, dedicated version of using your mobile phone as an internet hotspot, with an average download speed of 15 Mbps.

There are over 1,500 fixed wireless internet providers in the US, including Rise Broadband, King Street Wireless, and AT&T.

Like other rural services, fixed wireless internet is limited by availability—but it does reach more edge-of-the-grid areas than most cable, DSL, and fiber internet providers.

How can I find out which internet providers are in my area?

You could scan through each provider’s websites to find out if it services your neighborhood, or you could save all that time and use our handy tool, instead. Simply enter your ZIP code here and we’ll show you which internet providers are in your area (and leave out the ones that aren’t).

What is the best internet speed for streaming?

100 Mbps is the minimum best internet speed for streaming because it gives multiple people enough bandwidth to stream 4K video.

What internet service is best for streaming?

Verizon Fios, AT&T Fiber, and Xfinity are some of the best internet services for streaming. With these providers, you’ll get fast download speeds, high reliability, and excellent customer service.

What internet speed is best for 4K streaming?

We’d recommend an internet plan with download speeds between 100 Mbps and 300 Mbps if you want to stream 4K video. With internet plans in this speed range, you’ll be able to support multiple 4K streams and have leftover bandwidth for the rest of your household.

Methodology

To find the best ISPs for streaming, we rated providers on factors including cost, unlimited data availability, value, and availability. We also relied on our annual customer satisfaction survey to see how real customers felt about their ISPs. For more information on our methodology, check out our How We Rank page.

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