Best High-Speed Internet Providers for July 2025

With the average household consuming more and more data, high-speed internet plans are becoming a necessity for many Americans. According to the latest OpenVault report, users spend an average of 21-plus hours per week on streaming. Online activities such as streaming and gaming can hog a lot of bandwidth. So, if your household loves to stream and game , then it might be time to upgrade to a high-speed internet plan. This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about choosing a high-speed internet plan. Let's dig in deeper.

What's the best high-speed internet provider?

Ideally, anything at or above 100 megabits per second download and 20Mbps upload is considered high-speed internet, according to the Federal Communications Commission" target="_self . Before we get started, take stock of  how much internet speed you're  using and whether upgrading to a faster tier is worth it in the long run. In this guide, we qualify high-speed internet as 1,000Mbps or above, with considerations about other aspects of a good internet plan, like availability, plan selection, unlimited data, and overall value.

To date, fiber internet is the fastest type of internet connection by far. AT&T Fiber, for example, has the fastest Ookla speed test results" target="_self , while Ziply Fiber offers the fastest home internet plan out of any ISP, up to 50,000Mbps" target="_self , and Verizon Fios boasts 99.9% reliability. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)

Our round-up includes fiber , cable, and fixed wireless internet options -- since high-speed internet encompasses a variety of connection types and providers.

Despite quick speeds and reliability, access to fiber internet is limited" target="_self . If your address is not serviceable for fiber internet, you can find high-speed internet options from cable providers like Astound, Cox, Spectrum and Xfinity. Fixed wireless and 5G internet may also be an option, but available speeds vary by location and provider.

Best DSL Internet Providers for 2025

See at Cnet

Best high-speed internet service providers

T-Mobile 5G Home Internet

FEATURED DEAL:Tired of your spotty (and spendy) broadband internet? T-Mobile Home Internet leads the pack of non-fiber internet providers when it comes to customer satisfaction, and it comes loaded with VIP perks. T-Mobile's 5G plan lineup offers everything from fast, reliable Wi-Fi for daily browsing and streaming to advanced cybersecurity tools, 24/7 tech support, free streaming apps and more.

T-Mobile's 5-year price guarantee also locks you into one low rate that won't change, excluding taxes and fees. Switch to an eligible T-Mobile internet plan today , and you'll even score a virtual prepaid Mastercard worth up to $300.

Our experts have not selected this product for this story. It is a paid placement through our affiliate partnership team.

See at T-Mobile

High-speed internet providers compared

Note that the plans below show each provider's gigabit tier. Each provider offers slower and faster plans in most cases. The best selection for you could be a slightly slower plan that allows you to save some money on your monthly bill. Depending on your internet speed usage , a faster speed at a higher price point might be a better value. For a closer look at this value-based approach, check out CNET's guide to examining the cost per Mbps" target="_blank .

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

What is a fast internet connection?

What's "fast" is relative to each household and its internet demands. If you have more people and devices in your home -- and a lot of heavy internet use from remote work, gaming or streaming in HD -- you'll likely need much faster internet speeds. For some with light internet usage, download speeds of 25Mbps will be plenty fast, but many will prefer speeds of at least 100Mbps.

How much internet speed do I need?

OpenVault's first-quarter report of 2025 shows that the average American household uses approximately 564Mbps in downstream speeds and 34Mbps upstream. If your house has typical to heavy internet usage -- with upwards of 10 devices using bandwidth at a time -- and you're debating upgrading to a gigabit plan, that should be plenty enough speed.

In other cases, you may not actually need that much speed. Even streaming in 4K, arguably the most demanding internet task in most households, only calls for speeds of 35 to 50Mbps. For other activities, including online gaming, browsing social media and taking a video call, 10Mbps or below is enough. A plan with speeds of 50Mbps should cover it all, right? Not quite.

Keep in mind that a provider's advertised speed will not necessarily reflect the actual speeds you get in your home. Many things, like using Wi-Fi and router placement" target="_self , the type of Wi-Fi band you use, the number of connected devices, interference from other networks, and even the time of day, can lower the speeds going to any particular device. To counter the speed loss, I'd recommend an internet plan with advertised speeds double the actual speeds you want in your home. 

If you want to stream on at least one TV while five or so other devices are also connected to your network, I'd recommend starting with speeds of at least 100Mbps. Now, if you anticipate streaming on multiple TVs at once and adding eight to 10 devices (with smart speakers, phones, tablets, cameras, smartwatches and so on, the tally can add up quickly), speeds of at least 200Mbps will suit you better. 

Still unsure how much speed your household needs? Check out our guide to finding the right internet speed" target="_self . 

Tips for choosing a high-speed internet plan

Shopping for high-speed internet doesn't have to be gigabit or bust. Many providers offer a few high-speed plans to choose from. Here are a few tips to help you get the best bang for your buck.

Know your speed needs

Make sure you have an idea of what speed will meet your household demands. If you know 100Mbps probably won't be fast enough, go ahead and pass on anything below that, regardless of how tempting the low pricing is. Similarly, if you're confident 200Mbps will satisfy your needs, you can rule out the pricey gigabit and above plans.

Consider ISPs with no contracts or promotional rates

A provider shouldn't penalize you for wanting to change your speeds, but if you're under a contract, switching plans could be a hassle. Even if you're not in a contract, changing plans could disqualify you from getting lower promotional rates.

The best way to avoid these potential hurdles is to select an ISP with no contracts" target="_self or promo rates in the first place. That way, if you want to switch speeds at any time, you won't be penalized for it.

Start slow, then upgrade if needed

Unless there's the threat of being locked into a contract, I'd recommend starting with the lowest speed tier that you think will meet your needs. Try it out for a couple of months. If you notice your shows are buffering, online games are lagging or your social media feed is slow to load, you'll know it's time to upgrade to a faster speed.

Don't neglect your Wi-Fi equipment

A 500Mbps connection can feel a lot slower if your router isn't up to the task of sending a strong signal throughout your home or if your router isn't located in a good spot" target="_self . When you've got a high-speed connection but aren't getting the speeds or consistency you expect, it may be worth upgrading to a mesh router system or adding Wi-Fi extenders. 

If you rent equipment from your provider, ask for an upgrade. They may give you a better device for no extra charge. 

How we evaluate high-speed internet providers

Contrary to many of the other products and services tested at CNET, there's no reliable, repeatable way to test internet providers in a controlled environment. Instead, we perform frequent, in-depth evaluations of each provider to develop our reviews and recommendations. 

We evaluate each ISP based on three categories: Speed, Value and Customer Care. 

Speed includes not only the provider's fastest download speeds but also the variety of speed tiers, upload speeds, reliability and other factors. 

Value focuses on price primarily, but also takes into account anything else that can affect upfront and ongoing costs such as equipment fees, installation costs, data caps, price increases and any signup bonus offers. 

Customer Care covers pretty much everything else, from contract requirements to expansion efforts, customer satisfaction scores, BBB ratings and even consideration for what people have to say about the ISP on Reddit.

Equipped with an understanding of everything a customer would need to know about an ISP to make an informed decision, we're able to identify the providers and plans that stand out in a particular category, such as "best high-speed internet." 

Occasionally, no single provider or plan strikes us as "best overall" because each provider is unique in what it offers. Such is the case with this page. For a variety of reasons, each featured high-speed ISP could be considered the "best overall." Instead of singling out a definitive best overall, I focus on what each provider does best, then leave it to you to decide which makes the most sense for your needs.

For more information about our review process, check out our guide to how CNET reviews internet providers" target="_self .

Best high-speed internet provider honorable mentions

These providers, along with regional providers that are too many to list here, also offer high-speed internet plans including gigabit service in select areas. In addition to the best high-speed internet providers listed above, these are certainly worth a look if available in your area.

• Astound : Cable ISP Astound offers speeds up to 1,500Mbps in select markets. Along with fast speeds, Astound stands out for its low introductory pricing, but watch out for price increases once the promo pricing period ends.

• Cox : Prior to AT&T Fiber claiming the title of fastest ISP per Ookla speed test results, Cox was the fastest. The provider offers speeds of 250 to 1,000Mbps and higher in many locations, although all plans come with a 1.2TB monthly data cap.

• Kinetic by Windstream : Kinetic is one of the fastest rural internet options, with gig speeds available in many areas where cable or other fiber providers are absent. With download and upload speeds up to 2,000Mbps, Kinetic is available in select areas starting at $50 per month plus $11 if you decide to rent equipment.

• Mediacom : Mediacom's 1 Gig plan features download speeds up to 1,000Mbps and upload speeds up to 50Mbps with unlimited data starting at $60. Watch out for the price increase. After 12 months, the monthly price jumps from $60 to $130.

• Spectrum : Speeds of 500 and 1,000Mbps are available throughout Spectrum internet service areas. That's fast, but unlike many major cable ISPs, Spectrum has yet to venture above a single gig.

Fastest internet service provider recap

You likely noticed a trend in our list of the best high-speed providers. Fiber-optic providers will often be your best bet for fast home internet. Cable internet providers such as Xfinity, Spectrum and Mediacom offer decent gigabit plans, but watch out for low upload speeds.

When shopping for any internet service, be sure to compare the average internet speed, pricing and features of all providers in your area to make sure you're getting the best high-speed plan for your home.

High-speed internet FAQs

What is the fastest internet provider?

Regional provider Ziply Fiber has the fastest speed tier of any major, multistate ISP with symmetrical upload and download speeds of up to 50,000Mbps, or 50Gbps. Xfinity packs plenty of speed as well, offering a 10Mbps plan in select areas. Google Fiber, Quantum Fiber and Optimum are not far behind with an 8Gbps speed tier, and several providers including AT&T Fiber and Frontier Fiber offer up to 5Gbps in select areas.

What is considered high-speed internet?

The FCC defines broadband, or high-speed internet, as a connection with download speeds of 100Mbps and upload speeds of 20Mbps . That threshold, established in 2015 as 25/3, was updated in 2024.

Do I really need gigabit speeds?

Probably not, but they're nice to have. For instance, the average household uses approximately 590Mbps in downstream speeds and 31Mbps in upstream, so speeds of 1,000Mbps should be more than enough. Moreover, gigabit speeds or higher will support a large household with numerous connected devices, but so will speeds of 500Mbps or possibly even 300Mbps.

The appeal to gigabit service is that it typically doesn't cost much more than a 300 or 500Mbps plan, and the speeds will all but guarantee you'll have enough to go around for every connected device.

Which city has the fastest internet in the US?

According to recent Ookla data , Raleigh, North Carolina, recorded the fastest median download speeds at around 324Mbps, followed by San Antonio, Texas, at 312Mbps. Google Fiber, which has a significant presence in both regions, was noted as the two areas' fastest provider. However, AT&T Fiber is also likely a contributor to those fast speeds.

Is home internet service getting faster?

Absolutely. Major providers including AT&T Fiber, Frontier Fiber, Google Fiber, Optimum, Verizon Fios, Ziply Fiber and others have released multi-gigabit plans within the last two years. Furthermore, FCC data shows that the availability of download speeds of 1,000Mbps or higher increased from 27% of US households as of June 2022 to 33% by the end of the year.