Let’s be honest, finding the right internet service provider isn’t something that you can do with ease. There are so many factors to consider and so little time to analyze it all. There are over 2500 internet service providers in the USA and finding the best internet service provider in 2023 is a daunting task. There’s no better feeling than finding an internet provider that fits your needs perfectly.
We’ve done some research to help you choose the best internet service providers. During our research for the best internet service providers in 2023, we broke it down by the connection type offered by them. Before you make a decision based on our pick of top internet service providers in the USA 2023, you need to remember that these providers sever different areas with different speeds. Let’s dive in on our list of the fastest internet service provider for 2023 without any delay.
- AT&T – Best Overall
- Verizon FiOS – Best Gigabit Fiber Plan
- Xfinity Internet – Best Cable ISP
- Cox Internet – Reliable Internet Service
- Spectrum – Contender for Best Cable ISP
- Viasat Internet – Best Satellite Internet
- WOW – Best Value for Money
Breakdown: Best Internet Service Providers 2021
1. AT&T Internet – Best Overall
AT&T does everything right. It will meet all your expectations to some point. It offers a lower cost per MBPS. On average, AT&T’s fiber internet costs 10 cents per MBPS. This cost includes equipment rental.
Comparatively, Verizon costs you 12 cents per MBPS, and CenturyLink will cost you 16 cents per MBPS.
In 2022, AT&T started offering multi-gig plans with symmetrical download and upload speeds of 2 & 5 GBPS.
AT&T’s fiber plans offer great value, and the best part is you can get them without signing a contract or a data cap. Moreover, AT&T’s customer satisfaction ratings are through the roof.
If you’re in a remote area, then the DSL and fixed wireless plans will offer you the same level of value for money. But, if you have Fiber available in your area, don’t even hesitate to sign up for it.
Price Range | $55 – $180/month |
Speed Range | 300 – 5,000 MBPS |
Connection | Fiber |
Highlights | Unlimited data, no contracts, equipment included. |
2. Verizon FiOS – Best Gigabit Fiber
Verizon has made a habit of acing the customer satisfaction index ratings. They’ve done incredibly well with J.D. Power’s ratings as well.
So, what’s special about Verizon apart from its spectacular customer service? If you’re using the DSL service then you have nothing to hold your breath for. But when it comes to Verizon Fios fiber service, the gigabit speeds will blow your mind.
While the fiber coverage is limited to just eight states (soon to be more), there are no data caps and no sudden price hikes. If you have to choose between AT&T Fiber and Verizon Fiber internet, we’d suggest you go for Verizon.
Verizon has also been making strides with its 5G internet service as they’ve expanded its availability to 900 cities.
Price Range | $50 – $120/month |
Speed Range | 300 – 2,000 MBPS |
Connection | Fiber |
Highlights | Unlimited data, no contracts, free equipment with gig plans. |
3. Xfinity Internet – Best Cable ISP
Comcast Xfinity is one of the best cable internet services in the USA. Xfinity is the cable internet provider to over 100 million people in the US.
Xfinity has a huge range of plans that users can choose from. While it’s just cable internet, the top speeds go up to 1,200 MBPS. Of course, the speed you get is based on where you live and other factors, but it is still good to know that users can get great speeds on cable internet.
Xfinity also has a very tiny multi-gig internet offering with speeds up to 6GBPS. If you’re one of the lucky ones who live in the selected areas, you can give it a try.
Another great thing about Xfinity cable internet is the “above average” customer satisfaction scores.
One reason we often hesitate to suggest Xfinity’s offering is the 1.2 TB data cap. If you go over the data cap, you will have to pay some fines.
Price Range | $20 – $300/month |
Speed Range | 75 – 6,000 MBPS |
Connection | Cable, Multi-Gig |
Highlights | Data caps on selected plans, huge range of plans, above average customer satisfaction scores. |
4. Cox Internet – Reliable Internet Service
Cox ranks 4th in our rating of the Best Internet Service Providers in 2023. If you’re planning to go with Cox, you get the option to choose from cable and fiber connections.
If you want to save some money and don’t have any issues with contracts, then you can sign up for the 12-month plan. Cox is one of the cheapest internet service providers in the USA. The gigabit plans offered are not fancy like AT&T and Verizon, you’ll just get 940 MBPS.
Plus, they have a 1 TB data cap which can be annoying. What’s great about Cox is that you can bundle the service with TV, phone, home security, or any streaming service to get some more value for money.
Price Range | $50 – $119.99/month |
Speed Range | 25 – 940 MBPS |
Connection | Cable, Fiber |
Highlights | Data caps on selected plans, huge range of plans, above average customer satisfaction scores, bundle options. |
5. Spectrum – Contender for Best Cable ISP
Fiber is great. Everyone should experience the comfort that comes with a fiber internet service. But what will you do if you can’t? The sensible thing is to find a cable internet service provider that is great.
When it comes to cable internet service in the USA, Spectrum and Xfinity are neck to neck. Spectrum has some plans that deserve to be called the best internet plans in the USA. They offer a bang for your buck.
Spectrum is closely trailing Xfinity when it comes to the biggest cable internet service provider. Even though it’s currently number 2, there are some things Spectrum does that make it a tough contender for the number 1 ranking.
There are no data caps, and they don’t ask you to sign up for a long-term contract either.
Plus, Spectrum doesn’t have any confusing pricing policy or hidden charges, and the per MBPS cost for Spectrum is lower than both Xfinity and Cox.
Price Range | $50 – $90/month |
Speed Range | 300 – 940 MBPS |
Connection | Cable |
Highlights | Unlimited data, straightforward pricing, no contracts, free modem, free access to nationwide WiFi hotspots. |
6. Viasat – Best Satellite Internet
If you’re still stuck with satellite internet service, you should choose the one that offers the best bang for the buck.
There are only 2 household names when it comes to satellite internet in the USA. Do keep in mind that you have to compromise on a number of things with satellite internet.
So, let’s discuss why you should go for Viasat over HughesNet. For starters, HughesNet’s download speeds max out at 25 MBPS, which means true HD streaming is out of the window.
In comparison, Viasat offers speeds of up to 100 MBPS in selected areas. Viasat users can expect a jump in speed with the launch of new hardware. Viasat also offers better data limits compared to HughesNet.
There are some aspects of Viasat’s internet service that would probably annoy you. You can expect your monthly bill to shoot up after the first 3 months. You would also have to sign up for a 2-year contract with huge penalties if you cancel early.
If you don’t have any better options in your area and the only other option is HughesNet, go for Viasat.
Price Range | $70 – $300/month |
Speed Range | 12 – 150 MBPS |
Connection | Satellite |
Highlights | Nationwide availability, no hard data caps. |
7. WideOpenWest (Wow) – Best Value for Money
WOW is one of the smaller providers in our list of best internet service providers in 2023. The reason we’ve included WOW in this list is it offers cable internet plans at the cheapest costs in the US.
The entry-level 100 MBPS plan costs you just $20 per month. After your introductory period ends (1 year), you’ll have to pay $40 for the same plan. The high-speed gigabit plan costs just $65 per month. Even after the price hike to $75, it’s still an affordable option.
The best part is that WOW doesn’t have any contracts and a 30-day money-back guarantee. You can cancel whenever you want without paying any early cancellation fee.
Price Range | $20 – $95/month |
Speed Range | 100 – 1,200 MBPS |
Connection | Cable |
Highlights | Good promotional prices, no contracts, unlimited data on selected plans. |