Best Internet Service Providers of 2021
Internet access more than ever plays an important role for your home. Almost 90% of American homes have high speed access, and with so many folks now working from home the quality, and cost, of your service is important.
As high-speed internet continues to gain popularity, internet service providers (ISPs) themselves are struggling to keep customers happy. But, while some companies improve each year, some services are considered to be slow and unreliable.
Some internet service providers stand out among the rest. So, it’s important to know what competing services are available in your area. Whether you are shopping for a fast internet plan, cheap internet access, or which has the best customer service, we’re here to share with you who is the best Internet Service Provider for 2021.
Compare the Fastest Internet Service Providers
| Provider | Download Speed | Connection Type | Monthly Cost | Learn More |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T Fiber | Up to 1 GIG speed | Fiber | $60 |  |
| Verizon Fios | 1 Gig | Fiber | $64.99 | |
| Xfinity - Gigabit Extra | 1200 Mbps | Cable | $70.00 | |
| Cox Internet | 1 Gig | Fiber/Cable | $99.99 | |
| Frontier | 1 Gig | Fiber | 64.99 | |
| Spectrum Internet | 1 Gig | Fiber/Cable | $89.99 | |
| CenturyLink | 940 Mbps | Fiber | $70 | |
Best Internet Service Provider Details
We compared the price, speeds, and customer service of several internet plans, and considered consumer reviews. The ones that rise to the top are the Best Internet Service Providers of 2021. Others have their advantages as well and may suit your needs, or may be the only one available in your part of the country.
Rates do not include special deals that may be temporarily offered. In addition there may be fees and taxes depending on the service or region your in. Regarding speeds, these are based on averages determined by standard tests and will vary based on your location.
AT&T Internet
AT&T is almost impossible to beat when it comes to saving you money and giving you more internet data when you bundle. For their bundles and customer service, and coverage we rate AT&T highest.
AT&T Internet offers three fiber optic internet plans. The fastest of these is a 940 Mbps plan. AT&T owns DIRECTV and the AT&T TV NOW streaming service, so it’s we rate it the best for bundling. If saving money by bundling with satellite or streaming TV this is your service. Bundle your Internet with either DIRECTV or AT&T TV NOW and not only will you save but AT&T upgrades your data cap to unlimited data when you bundle.
Bundling your AT&T internet with TV will lower your bill by $10–$20 per month on most plans. If you’re a football fan, you’ll get access to the exclusive NFL SUNDAY TICKET. And, if you’re a fan of all sports, betting, and fantasy leagues there is no other premium bundle that can touch this. Although DIRECTV has a two-year contract with second-year price hikes, you’re guaranteed a great channel variety for the family, for movie buffs, and for sports addicts.
AT&T Wi-Fi hotspots
Similar to Xfinity, AT&T offers Wi-Fi hotspots across the nation. This is both public and private spaces to make it extremely convenient. Not something the smaller ISP’s can offer.
Verizon Fios Home Internet
Verizon excels when it comes to performance and reliability. When it comes to bang-for-the-buck on bandwidth alone Verizon is unmatched.
Plans for Verizon’s fiber internet range from 200 to 940 Mbps, and there are no data caps limiting your monthly data usage. Availability is still limited to select areas in the Northeast, so their coverage is not as strong as Xfinity and AT&T.
Verizon TV and internet combos
Verizon offers very good TV and internet combos with a mix and match system. Their offer is to pair any of its Fios Home Internet plans with any of its Fios TV packages. Therefore, customers can generally request a custom package to their liking rather than shop their pre-packaged offers.
Verizon Fios Home Internet Wi-Fi hotspots
The one major downside to Verizon Fios is that it does not offer a public Wi-Fi hotspot network. Huge issue these days when portability is king.
Xfinity Internet
Xfinity offers huge coverage throughout the country with reliably fast internet that goes up to gigabit speeds. This is why Xfinity usually gets such high ratings. However, it’s not known for its customer service.
Xfinity Bundles
Xfinity offers multiple services you can bundle together: internet, TV, home security, and mobile. With Xfinity bundles you have big across the board, since so many folks are trying to cut the cable and phone from their homes. Xfinity is attempting to keep those bundle customers happy with bundle discounts.
- Xfinity cable TV
- Xfinity Home security system
- Xfinity Mobile
Xfinity Wi-Fi hotspots
Huge coverage like this is important because Xfinity customers enjoy thousands of wireless hotspots across the US. And if you’ve got Xfinity Mobile or a Performance internet plan, you get hotspot access for free.
This is likely the biggest advantage to going with Xfinity. It’s a great advantage if you’re on vacation, or if your home internet goes down. Xfinity has an app that finds hotspots anywhere with your Xfinity default login.
Cox Internet
Cox Communications is a broadband communications and entertainment company that provides high-speed internet service. In addition, Cox customers can also subscribe to digital video, home phone, as well as home security and automation services. Cox is currently the largest private telecom company in the U.S., serving more than six million residences and businesses in 19 states.
Although its main offering is cable internet, Cox also offers fiber optic internet to customers in select areas – 30,000 miles of “Metro Fiber in place.”
Cox offers consistency and speed, and is one of the most affordable providers with high speed access plans starting at $29.99/mo.
The FCC and Netflix measured COX for reliability and ranked it very high. Cox was second-best on Netflix’s ISP Speed Index, a gauge of prime time Netflix performance. Only Verizon Fios (fiber) had a faster performance.
For customer service, Cox ranked fifth in customer satisfaction among internet providers, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index,.
Cox Wi-Fi hotspots
Being one of the largest networks has its advantages, especially for Wi-Fi hotspots. A huge highlight of Cox’s service is that customers get access to over 650,000 free nationwide Wi-Fi hotspots.
