The Best Cable Internet Providers

Overview

Did you know you might be able to upgrade your cable internet service? Cable internet prices, speeds, and availability vary across the country, so depending on your location, you may have plenty of choices or none at all. You can start by narrowing down your choices using our ZIP finder tool.

We believe in finding the best bang for your buck, so we looked at prices, speeds, and data caps to find the top cable internet providers.

1. Xfinity—Best overall

Xfinity’s cable internet serves high speeds to a lot of people

You may be surprised to find out Xfinity has the largest footprint out of any internet service provider, which means a lot of people have access to high cable speeds at a reasonable price—the more internet available across the country, the better.

Xfinity’s large footprint means a lot of people can get high-speed cable internet at a reasonable price.

Xfinity’s plans—including names, speeds, and pricing—can vary a lot from region to region. We’ve included a sample of plans below, but be aware that the packages in your area might not be exactly the same.

Xfinity is reaching for some of the fastest cable internet speeds on the market, up to 1000 Mbps in some areas. That means fewer loading circles and more fun when you’re trying to get your Netflix on or meet up with some gamer homies online.

And while they don’t have the cheapest service we came across, Xfinity is a reasonable value when it comes to the speeds you get.

Bundle with Xfinity TV for a better deal

Xfinity’s also known for its X1 TV service, which you can bundle together with internet to save some cash. And saving some ducats is never a bad thing. The X1 DVR is pretty cool for a lot of reasons, but we like seeing updated sports scores and weather forecasts. Plus, you can directly access your Netflix library and YouTube channels.

Log in to Wi-Fi hotspots around the country

Looking for the fastest Wi-Fi provider? Well, Xfinity has literally millions of hot spots throughout the country. We can’t tell you what a relief this is when it comes to your phone’s service being dropped and you’re trying to upload dope Instagram pics.

Who is Xfinity best for?

Xfinity’s high speeds and reasonable prices work best for the following:

• People and families who need fast download speeds
• Movie streamers, even up to 4k
• HD online gamers
• Families looking to bundle internet with TV, home security, and home phone

At the end of the day, Xfinity can work for everyone at every budget level, but it’s particularly nice for bundling. You can get one convenient bill and save some cash, which is always a positive thing in our book.

2. Optimum—Fast and cheap

You’ll get optimal service from Optimum, provided you’re in New York or its surrounding areas.

Optimum doesn’t bother you with data caps, which will spare you overage fees and speed throttling. This is good news for photographers and videographers who need to send large files, or just a ton of smaller ones. It’s also a bonus for video streamers and online gamers who live that HD life.

Optimum’s speeds go up to 400 Mbps. And comparatively, Optimum is cheaper than Xfinity for similar speeds.

It’s unfortunate that Optimum is only in a small area (New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania, to be specific) because it seems like one of the better and more affordable options out there.

On the flip side, when you bundle with Optimum TV, you’ll get exclusive NY-area programming, which is a pretty cool perk.

For having limited coverage, Optimum still connects you to over two million Wi-FI hotspots. So even when you’re catching a train or chilling in a park, you’ll stay connected.

Who is Optimum best for?

Optimum’s fast speeds and lack of data cap are great for the following:

• Larger families
• Movie streamers, even up to 4k
• HD gamers
• Media specialists who need fast download speeds

If it’s available to you, Optimum really stands out as a great deal in the internet landscape.

3. Cox—Solid speeds

High speeds for those who need them, reasonable plans for those who don’t.

Cox gets points for covering a wide range of users, including those who want to bundle TV, phone, or home security with internet. And Cox offers speeds up to 300 Mbps, which should cover even larger families.

Plus, if you’re a laid-back homie who just wants to browse the internet and check email, we do like that Cox has an inexpensive 10 Mbps plan.

Cox’s prices aren’t amazing, but they’re reasonable. Comparatively, Xfinity’s plans can cost more in some areas and less in others (so check your area’s internet availability).

Also, check your data usage. Cox charges an extra $10 per 50 GB of additional data. For most people, 1 TB should be fine, but it’s always good to know what to expect on your bill. You can always opt for an additional 500 GB of data or even an unlimited data plan.

Who is Cox best for?

Cox’s internet plans are best for these types of users:

• Those who want to bundle internet, TV, home phone, and home security
• Individuals who don’t necessarily need a high-speed plan
• Larger families who need a high-speed plan

Overall, we’re not in awe of Cox’s plans, but they take care of most folks just fine. Especially when you consider you have three different data options: 1 TB, 1 TB + 500 GB, or unlimited.

4. Spectrum—Good value

Only one plan doesn’t give you a lot of choice, but no data caps or modem fees make Spectrum a good deal.

If you’re all about speed without sacrificing all of your hard-earned cash, Spectrum knows what’s up. With speeds up to 200 Mbps, Spectrum offers a good service, but not the fastest. You won’t deal with data caps, annoying overage charges, or speed throttling, so you can use your internet freely.

Also missing from Spectrum’s internet plans is a modem leasing fee, which is common with other providers, so you can save about $10–$20 per month. That’s enough to get your special someone a sick new succulent at the shop.

Plus, Spectrum’s 200 Mbps is about $10–$15 cheaper than competitors. For some folks out there, this may be the perfect plan.

Your fees (and speeds) can vary by location, but that comes with most cable providers.

Who is Spectrum best for?

Spectrum’s single plan is a good option for the following:

• Individuals and smaller families with fewer than five devices (anything more than five devices may start to suffer slower speeds)
• Those looking for an inexpensive internet option
• Folks who don’t want to buy a modem or pay for leasing one

Overall, Spectrum doesn’t have a lot going on in the way of choice, but it delivers the goods with one simple package. We’re not gonna hate on Spectrum too much for lacking options, but it would be nice to see some lower speeds for lone riders and higher speeds for big families with six devices watching different seasons of Grey’s Anatomy.

Recap

Most data caps are either unlimited or 1 TB, which should be enough for most users, but be sure of your internet provider’s data usage limits—you might face overage charges or throttled speeds for hitting your monthly data cap.

When you’re looking for a good ISP, make sure the price you’re willing to pay gets you enough speed and data. Most cable speed plans cap out around the 300-500 Mbps range, but you may also be able to get up to a gigabit download speed with some providers.

If you’re not sure which providers are in your area, use our ZIP finder tool.

• Xfinity delivers high speed to most of the country and it’s great for bundling.
• Optimum is in the New York area only, but you’ll be happy with its speeds and prices.
• Cox internet has high speeds, reasonable prices, and three data plan options.
• Spectrum may only have one plan, but it’s an affordable deal for reasonably fast speeds.

We get that y’all might have different opinions. Let us know which internet service you’ve loved or hated in the comments below.