The Best Internet for Streaming

We're here to help you find an internet service that gives you uninterrupted streaming.  We’re talking streaming that doesn't pause during your Ted Lasso marathon or lag when you’re searching for new TV shows on Peacock.

We want sufficient speed.

• Sufficient download and upload speed
• Fair price for the speeds you get
• Unlimited data cap

The best internet connection you could get is fiber, but it’s also the least available across the U.S. (sigh). Fiber internet's speed performance is top-tier compared to cable and DSL, but cable is a solid second choice if fiber isn't available near you.

Fiber internet will give you equal download and upload speeds, ensuring stability and reliability when streaming. You’ll hardly witness lag while streaming video. Cable doesn’t have the upload speeds that fiber does, but it still gives you fast download speeds.

Luckily, you don’t need the most expensive plan to find the speeds you need. We recommend 25–50Mbps per person for streaming, so 100–200Mbps will likely fit you or your small family’s needs. If you have a lot of connected devices or internet users at home, then you should look into 1,000Mbps to ensure you have enough bandwidth.

AT&T Fiber is the best fiber internet provider in our experience, and you’ll notice the other four internet providers that made our list here are also on the list of fastest internet providers.

All fiber-optic internet service providers have limited availability across the U.S., but if AT&T Fiber is offered in your area, grab it.

AT&T Fiber is the best internet for streaming because it’s ultrafast, reliable, and high-performing. Its download and upload speeds are symmetrical, so you won’t experience lag, pausing, buffering, or any of that annoyance.

But even more important, among all fiber ISPs, this one has the widest coverage across the U.S.

You'll also find low to average pricing with AT&T Fiber. This internet provider's best deal is the $55/month plan for 300Mbps download speeds. Or hey, for $10 more, you could get 500Mbps so the whole family can stream a TV series on their smartphones simultaneously.

The gig plan is $80 per month, but if Google Fiber is available in your area, you can get these same speeds for $10 less. And if fiber internet isn't available in your area, Xfinity has a 1 gig plan for $60 per month.

When you bundle AT&T Internet with AT&T Wireless, you can save $20 per month.

Something we really love that AT&T does is pay your cancellation fee if you get charged when switching over from your previous internet provider to AT&T Fiber.

Also, depending on the AT&T internet plan you choose, you will receive a $150–$200 Reward Card that you can use toward your bill whenever you’d like.

Google Fiber offers some of the fastest internet speeds you can find—all for an unbeatable price. (This ISP came close to first on this list, but it’s not as widely available as AT&T Fiber.)

Google Fiber’s 1 gig plan for $70 per month is the cheapest you’ll find with any fiber internet provider. And if you want 8x that speed, you’ll only need to pay about double that of the 1 gig plan for the 8 gig.

Google Fiber is available in only 13 cities, but if you’re one of the lucky ones, you’ll get to enjoy quick speeds that allow you to stream seamlessly. There will be no buffering during your movie marathon or while you’re trying to keep the kids entertained with Disney+.

Verizon Fios Internet uses a fiber connection that gives you fast download and upload speeds, low latency, and great pricing for your wallet. Stream NFL games on a Sunday afternoon without any lagging interruptions.

Sounds like the perfect service, right? The only thing holding us back from making Verizon Internet our first option is its extremely limited availability in the U.S. (we’re talking nine states).

We hope one day Verizon Fios will come around. Literally.

We recommend the Fios 300 Mbps plan if you have a small family or the Fios 500 Mbps plan if you have a family of four that uses the internet constantly.

If you have a bigger family or plan to download and upload multiple files simultaneously, you will be satisfied by Verizon's Fios 1 Gig.

When you bundle Verizon Fios Home Internet with a Verizon 5G Mobile plan through Verizon's myPlan customization service, you can get a discount for $20 per month.

When you order the Internet 1 Gig or 2 Gig plan, you can choose between a free NFL Sunday Ticket subscription or save $400 on Samsung home appliances at The Home Depot. You’ll also get a $100 Verizon Gift Card when you order online.

And if you’re in the area where Verizon Home Internet is serviced, you can’t pass up Verizon Fios TV. Only a couple of TV providers offer more than 425 channels.

If fiber isn’t available in your area, cable internet is just behind in performance (because of its slower upload speeds). Expect reliability and stability while streaming NBA games, music, or The Last of Us with Xfinity Internet.

Xfinity is our favorite cable internet service because its dollar-to-Mbps ratio is unmatched and available in 41 states. But keep in mind that the prices will vary depending on which part of the country you live in.

We also like how Comcast Xfinity offers six different internet plans, so you can find download speeds that fit your and your family’s needs. Not sure how much download speed you need? Check out our internet speed guide.

We like Fast for families of two or three who might work from home before their night of Max streaming. Or grab Superfast for families of four who work remotely, video stream, use smart home devices, scroll on social media, and download files.

We’re not sure why the 800Mbps plan is the same price as the 1,000Mbps plan, but we say jump on that Gigabit plan while it’s still $60 per month.

When you bundle Xfinity Internet with Xfinity Mobile, you can save $20 per month with the 200Mbps plan or $45 off your bundle when you order 400Mbps and higher.

New Xfinity customers can currently get 300Mbps internet for $30 per month for two years with free Wi-Fi equipment.  

You can also bundle Xfinity’s internet with Xfinity TV, home phone, and home security.

If Xfinity isn’t available where you live, Spectrum Internet is our second favorite cable internet service.

Spectrum’s internet plans cost $10–$30 more per month than Xfinity’s, and if you’re thinking about bundling with TV, we like Xfinity TV’s channel lineup better.

But we do like how Spectrum doesn't require you to sign a contract and doesn't have a data cap. Now, this could be worth that extra $10–$30 per month.

With an unlimited data cap and Spectrum’s download speeds, you have the bandwidth to stream and use the internet and Wi-Fi without worrying about an extra cost or internet throttling. 

Spectrum offers a free unlimited mobile line for 12 months when you order Spectrum Internet Premier or Gig. Most internet providers offer a discount on an internet and mobile bundle, but Spectrum decided to up its game.

• AT&T Fiber has five internet plans ranging from $55–$150 for 300–5,000Mbps download speeds. Its upload speeds are symmetrical (the same Mbps as its download speeds), allowing for less lag and buffering during live TV streaming.
• Google Fiber has the best pricing for fast speeds but isn’t as widely available across the U.S. as AT&T is. With Google Fiber, you can get 1 Gig internet for as low as $70 per month or 8,000Mbps for $150. If you want the fastest speeds, you’ll find it with Google.
• Verizon Fios Home Internet is only available on the East Coast. If you live in this area, you’ll find the best internet and TV deal with Verizon. Verizon Internet has three plans for $50, $75, $90, and $110 (with AutoPay) for 300, 500, up to 940, and 2,300 Mbps speeds.
• Xfinity Internet is our favorite cable internet service provider. You can get 150Mbps for only $20 or 1 gig for the best price on the market at $60. But Xfinity has six plans to fit any household depending on its streaming habits and other internet activity.
• Spectrum Internet costs $10–$30 more per month than Xfinity, but if you like the freedom of no contracts or data caps, Spectrum is your best choice. With an unlimited data cap, you can stream 24/7 without worrying about an extra fee or slowed-down internet.

When it comes to finding the best internet service for streaming, we sifted through dozens of internet providers and plans with the following in mind:

1. Connection type (fiber, cable, DSL, satellite)
2. Company reliability and reputation
3. Fair pricing for internet speed performance
4. Data caps

Fiber internet is best, cable is good, and DSL is better than satellite internet. Fiber will give you great speed and low latency when you're streaming Yellowstone, while satellite is the best option if you can't access other internet connections.

We only recommend reliable and trusted companies because we wouldn’t recommend something we don’t want for ourselves.

We value fair pricing for what you get, so this will always be in consideration when we rank our favorite providers.