Best Internet Providers for Gaming in 2024: Game On

Our take: Here’s the bottom line—if Google Fiber is available, gamers who are serious about performance and need a consistent online connection should get it. The minimum $70 per month price tag might not be ideal for everyone’s pocketbooks, but it’s hard to beat Google Fiber’s consistent, crazy fast connections and low latency. Its plans start at 1,000Mbps, which is more than enough speed to keep you a step ahead of opponents in Fortnite or download the new Warzone update in the blink of an eye—all while keeping your whole home connected. Google Fiber’s average latency is around 28ms, according to Reviews.org’s speed tests, which is pretty solid.

Whether you’re trying going head to head online with your friends in Rocket League or setting up your next Twitch stream in 4K, fiber has symmetrical download and upload speeds to handle almost anything you throw at it. Google Fiber is an elite internet service provider, and its performance meets gamers’ high expectations. Read our Google Fiber review.

Google Fiber starts at $70 per month for 1,000Mbps. Other plan options are $100 per month for 2,000Mbps, $125 per month for 5,000Mbps, and $150 per month for 8,000Mbps.

Yes, Google Fiber’s speeds are much faster than speeds available from 5G home internet providers. Google Fiber download speeds can reach up to 8,000Mbps—which is much faster than any speed 5G home internet providers can reach.

Google Fiber does not have data caps on any of its plans, meaning it offers unlimited data for customers. 

Our take: AT&T is another great fiber provider. Its reliable connection and strong download speeds make it a great pick for your gamer cave. AT&T Fiber is more widely available than Google Fiber or other providers, plus its prices are more attainable than those of its competitors. AT&T Fiber is fast and reliable, and it offers unlimited data for customers, making it ideal for downloading the latest additions to Xbox Game Pass or PlayStation Plus. AT&T also offers fixed wireless and 5G home internet connections, but we suggest sticking with the fiber option. AT&T Fiber’s average latency is around 28ms, which is low enough to keep you comfortably in the game.

Not only does AT&T Fiber offer a reliable connection, AT&T also offers a number of discounts for customers who bundle their internet and cell phone service—which can give you an even better monthly price for both. You can use those savings on the latest expansion pack or to use your console to pre order Grand Theft Auto VI (if it ever comes out). Read our AT&T Fiber review.

AT&T Fiber offers a more reliable connection than other internet options from AT&T, which include fixed wireless and AT&T Air—the company’s 5G home internet service.

AT&T Fiber plans start at $55/month for up to 300Mbps. Plans vary in speed and price, with the highest-end package costing $245/month for up to 5,000Mbps.

For fiber services, AT&T charges a self-installation activation fee of $35, and it charges $99 for a professional installation fee.

Our take: Fiber providers aren’t everywhere, but you know what internet type is? Cable. Because of its wired connection and passable download speeds, cable providers like Spectrum are a good choice for gamers looking for a connection strong enough to support their streams. Spectrum is also a widely available internet service provider, and it’s an affordable provider to boot. According to our speed test data, Spectrum’s average latency is around 27ms—a good reading that beats out other providers like Google Fiber and AT&T.

Cable providers aren’t going to be as speedy as fiber providers, but cable offers a more consistent connection than 5G, which relies on cell towers. For more casual gamers, like the folks who hop online to play College Football 25 from time to time, a cable provider like Spectrum is a great pick. Spectrum offers plenty of bandwidth to keep your gaming connection consistent, while also supporting all the devices in your home. Read our Spectrum review.

Spectrum offers its Internet Premier plan for $50/month for up to 500Mbps, which is more than enough to maintain a seamless gaming connection and connect your whole home.

Yes, Spectrum customers can buy their modem or router, and they are not required to rent a modem from Spectrum.

Spectrum charges a self-installation and activation fee of $30. Spectrum also charges $65 for professional installation.

Our take: If you’re in the market for a 5G home internet service that keeps you in the game, T-Mobile 5G Home Internet is likely your best bet. While 5G internet providers aren’t necessarily the best pick for heavy duty gamers, T-Mobile has a massive coverage area, meaning it’s likely an option in your neighborhood. The closer you live to a T-Mobile tower, the stronger your connection—not to mention the closer you are to a tower, the less likely you are to lag.

T-Mobile 5G Home Internet is a good pick for smaller households with only a handful of connected devices. With unlimited data, you’re free to download new games, jump into a Fall Guys lobby with friends, or pull up the latest stream from TimTheTatman. Read our T-Mobile 5G Home Internet review.

Yes, T-Mobile offers download speeds between 72–245Mbps, which is a good amount of bandwidth for streaming video.

Yes, 5G providers like T-Mobile offer a strong internet connection for your home, giving you enough power to keep multiple devices online simultaneously.

Yes, T-Mobile’s 5G home internet does not have data caps and offers unlimited data.

Our take: For serious, competitive gamers, Verizon Fios can be a lifeline to up your game. The fiber internet provider is not only a reliable pick for folks in the Northeast, but Verizon has some of the fastest, most responsive internet on the market. According to speed data gathered by Reviews.org, Verizon has the lowest average latency among the providers on this list, clocking an impressive 18ms. This means it’s an ideal provider for gamers who know the difference between victory and defeat is as little lag as possible.

Verizon Fios also allows customers to combine their internet and phone services for great discounts. Verizon also offers a 5G home internet service, but we suggest getting Fios if it’s available in your area. Verizon’s bid to buy fellow fiber provider Frontier Communications means Fios may be more widely available in the coming months. Read our Verizon Fios review.

The cheapest Verizon Fios package starts at $49.99 per month for up to 300Mbps. Verizon also has its Verizon Forward plan, which is available only to people enrolled in federal assistance programs, that starts at $20 a month for 300Mbps.

Verizon Fios charges $99 for professional installation.

Verizon Fios offers download speeds of up to 2,000Mbps—which is a much stronger connection than the average household may need.

Fiber providers are largely the best picks for gamers. Google Fiber, Verizon Fios and AT&T Fiber all provide consistent, reliable connections that have nearly everything you want as a gamer: Low latency, fast speeds, and unlimited data. Prices vary based on your location, but all three of these fiber providers are appropriately priced for what you get. Google Fiber’s prices are slightly higher, but you also get an incredible 1,000Mbps in its base level package. Verizon and AT&T offer plans with lower bandwidth for cheaper prices than Google.

If fiber isn’t available where you are, your next best option is going to be with a cable provider. The speed and reliability aren’t going to be as strong as compared to a fiber connection, but cable providers like Spectrum offer a great amount of speeds with a satisfactory connection.

If neither of those options are available, you should consider a 5G home internet provider like T-Mobile. Its reliability for gaming largely depends on how close you are to a cell tower, but T-Mobile 5G Home Internet can be a good pick for smaller households to keep up with all the latest gaming trends.

Although we picked out the best internet providers for gaming above, you can likely find other great options where you live. The internet providers below are all standouts too—you’d be pleased getting home internet from any of them. We picked them because they also performed well in our reviews and stand out for awesome speed and reliability, excellent dollar value, and smooth customer experience.

If none of these best providers are available where you live, aim to sign up with a fiber or cable internet provider that gives you speeds of 300Mbps or faster for a price that fits your budget. Home internet costs about $81 a month on average, but you can get decent Wi-Fi for less in many parts of the country. In a rural area, try a fixed wireless or 5G home internet provider, but keep in mind these options may not be the best for consistent online gaming.

You can also run a search with your zip code below to see what internet options are available in your area.

Since not everyone lives in an area with access to our recommended providers, here’s some context to help you understand how to pick the best internet provider for gamers. The main things to consider when buying internet are consistent download speeds, low latency, and unlimited data.

A crucial element to any good internet provider for gaming is download speed. It’s one of the best gauges for an internet provider. Strong speeds can bring up an online map quickly or make sure the newest game is downloaded to your system the moment it’s available.

Just for fun, we tested the download speeds in the Reviews.org office—and if you’re getting readings like this, you’re probably in good shape to hop online for a live game (though we can’t do that at work, sadly).

Want to check your download speed? Take our Speed test.

Another element that can take your game to the next level is to look for a provider with low latency, which is the amount of time it takes for your computer and your internet connection to respond to the actions you take online. So, the lower your latency, the more responsive your device is to any action—like hitting RB on your Xbox to shoot an op in Fortnite.

Again, let’s look at the latency readings at the Reviews.org office.

WOW, that’s way lower than I was expecting. If you have readings like this, you are absolutely in good shape for the next time you hop online for a game.

In terms of latency, here’s how each provider stacks up against each other, according to Reviews.org speed tests. The lower the latency number, the faster the connection.

This one is a bit more straightforward. Most internet providers offer unlimited data, but it’s important to make sure you have it in your internet plan. Why? Because no one wants to download the latest new game (like GTA VI, for example) only to find you’ve hit your data cap and have to pay an extra fee just to access the internet you already pay for.

Again, most providers have unlimited data, but large providers can sometimes have caps depending on your plan. Xfinity, for example, is one provider that does have a data cap. Be sure to double check whether your current internet plan or future plan is truly unlimited, or if it has a data cap. Providers with data caps—like Xfinity, for example— often charge you for additional data.

To sum it all up, the best internet for gamers is fiber, like Google Fiber, AT&T Fiber, and Verizon Fios. Fiber internet is best because it’s the fastest and most reliable internet on the market. If fiber isn’t available near you, look for a cable provider—like Xfinity or Spectrum—with speeds of at least 300Mbps.