Best Internet Providers in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

What is the best internet provider in Myrtle Beach?

CNET's recommendation for the best internet service provider in Myrtle Beach goes to Horry Telephone Cooperative. As a local provider, HTC combines personalized customer care with the largest fiber internet coverage in the area. It also offers competitive pricing on high-speed plans that include unlimited data and no contracts, making it an excellent choice for Myrtle Beach residents.

For those seeking alternative options, other top providers in Myrtle Beach include Spectrum, Frontier Fiberand fixed wireless services like T-Mobile Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home Internet . While Frontier Fiber has limited availability, it delivers the fastest and most affordable internet plans in the area, with speeds up to 5,000Mbps. Introductory pricing starts at just $30 per month for a 500Mbps plan, making it an attractive option for eligible households.

Our methodology

CNET considers speeds, pricing, customer service and overall value to recommend the best internet service in Myrtle Beach across several categories. Our evaluation includes referencing a proprietary database built over years of reviewing internet services. We validate that against provider information by spot-checking local addresses for service availability. We also do a close read of providers' terms and conditions and, when needed, will call ISPs to verify the details.

Despite our efforts to find the most recent and accurate information, our process has some limitations you should know about. Pricing and speed data are variable: Certain addresses may qualify for different service tiers, and monthly costs may vary, even within a city. The best way to identify your particular options is to plug your address into a provider's website. 

Also, the prices, speed and other information listed above and in the provider cards below may differ from what we found in our research. The cards display the full range of a provider's pricing and speed across the US, according to our database of plan information provided directly by ISPs. At the same time, the text is specific to what's available in Myrtle Beach. The prices referenced within this article's text come from our research and include applicable discounts for setting up automatic payments each month, which is a standard industry offering. Other discounts and promotions might also be available for things like signing a term contract or bundling with multiple services. 

Visit our full methodology page to understand how we review internet providers.

Best internet in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Horry Telephone Cooperative

Fiber-optic internet is generally the best choice for speed, reliability and overall value. Local provider HTC is the largest fiber internet provider in Myrtle Beach and boasts a strong community presence, unlike other providers in the area.

Availability:HTC is available to around 55% of Myrtle Beach residents, according to the FCC . Most of that connection is strongly available in Seaview Place, Sweetgrass Square, Saint James Square, Old Pine Lakes and the Highlands neighborhoods.

Plans and pricing:HTC keeps it simple with two plans: 1,000Mbps for $55 per month and 2,000Mbps for $85 per month. Keep in mind that each of these plans requires a 12-month contract. Prices increase by $25 and $20, respectively, after the first 12 months.

Fees and service details:In addition to fast, reliable speeds, HTC plans come with unlimited data and equipment rental at no extra cost.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to find internet deals and promotions in Myrtle Beach

The best internet deals and the top promotions in Myrtle Beach depend on what discounts are available during that time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers. 

Myrtle Beach internet providers, such as Frontier Fiber, may offer lower introductory pricing or gift cards for a limited time. Many, including Spectrum and Horry Telephone Cooperative, run the same standard pricing year-round. 

For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the best internet deals .

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

What's a good internet speed?

Most internet connection plans can now handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you're looking for an internet plan that can accommodate videoconferencing, streaming video or gaming, you'll have a better experience with a more robust connection. Here's an overview of the recommended minimum download speeds for various applications, according to the FCC . Note that these are only guidelines and that internet speed, service and performance vary by connection type, provider and address.

For more information, refer to our guide on how much internet speed you really need .

• 0 to 5Mbps allows you to tackle the basics: browsing the internet, sending and receiving email and streaming low-quality video.

• 5 to 40Mbps gives you higher-quality video streaming and videoconferencing.

• 40 to 100Mbps should give one user sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming. 

• 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two users to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming. 

• 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Myrtle Beach

Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone , laptop , router or kitchen tool , it's impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. What's our approach? We start by researching the pricing, availability and speed information drawing on our own historical ISP data, the provider sites and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov .

It doesn't end there: We go to the FCC's website to check our data and ensure we consider every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. We look at sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power, to evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP's service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; all information provided is accurate as of the time of publication.

Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:

1. Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?

2. Do customers get decent value for what they're paying?

3. Are customers happy with their service?

The answer to those questions is often layered and complex, but the providers who come closest to "yes" on all three are the ones we recommend. When selecting the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, although we also factor in things like price increases, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively straightforward. We look at advertised upload and download speeds and consider real-world speed data from sources like Ookla and FCC reports . (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)

To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.

Internet providers in Myrtle Beach FAQs

What is the best internet service provider in Myrtle Beach?

Horry Telephone Cooperative is the Myrtle Beach area's best internet service provider. HTC, the largest fiber-optic internet provider in Myrtle Beach, offers fast speeds and simple service terms along with the customer care and accessibility of a locally headquartered business.

Is fiber internet available in Myrtle Beach?

Around 50% of Myrtle Beach households are eligible for fiber internet, according to the FCC . Serviceability is greatest south of the airport, but neighborhoods around Broadway at the beach and the Pine Lakes Golf Club also have decent fiber availability. HTC is the largest fiber internet provider in Myrtle Beach, but Frontier Fiber also has a small presence in the city.

Frontier Fiber's availability is largely limited to North Myrtle Beach. Between Frontier Fiber and HTC, fiber internet is available to a little over 70% of North Myrtle Beach households, per the FCC .

Which internet provider is the cheapest in Myrtle Beach?

Frontier has the lowest starting rate (for fast internet speeds) for internet in Myrtle Beach at $30 per month for maximum download speeds of 500Mbps, around 6 cents per Mbps.

Frontier increases monthly pricing after 12 months, bringing this 500Mbps plan to $55 per month after the year commitment is over. Frontier's 200Mbps starts at $30 per month, which increases to $40 per month after one year. On the other hand, HTC's 1,000Mbps plan begins at $55 per month and increases to $80 per month after 12 months, which is still reasonable considering the broadband speeds and HTC's coverage of Myrtle Beach.

When choosing a cheap broadband price, consider the yearly price increases, overall broadband speed and the cost per Mbps to ensure you're getting a good deal.

Which internet provider in Myrtle Beach offers the fastest plan?

Frontier Fiber offers the fastest internet plan in Myrtle Beach at up to 5,000Mbps starting at $130 monthly but currently discounted to $90. Service is largely limited to North Myrtle Beach. Spectrum and HTC have the greatest gig speed availability in Myrtle Beach, offering speeds up to 1,000Mbps starting at $70 and $55 per month, respectively.