5 Best Cable Internet Providers

Cable internet is widely available across the US, making it pretty likely that it’s one of—if not your only—home internet option.

But before you sign up for service, here are a few things you should consider.

• A cable internet provider that services your address
• A price that matches your budget
• Internet speeds that meet your family’s needs
• Optional: Unlimited data and no contracts
• Optional: Internet and cable TV bundle options

First things first, you’ll want to make sure that the cable internet service provider (ISP) you’re checking out is available in your area. The easiest way to do that is with our zip code checker above.

Prices for cable internet depend on what download speed you’re looking at, but generally run between $20 a month for slower speeds and $80 a month, with a couple of exceptions. Make sure you choose a cable internet plan that not only fits into your budget but also meets your internet speed needs.

Some nice-to-have options include unlimited data and no contracts, but not every ISP offers these features. Still, if you find a cable internet plan with no data cap that doesn’t make you sign a contract, it might even be worth paying a little bit extra each month to nab it up.

Similarly, you’ll pay more each month if you bundle your cable internet with TV—but many service providers discount your bill when you bundle. So, bundling could really be a deal if you plan to get internet and TV anyway.

And another thing you might notice is that Xfinity Internet is available across almost all of the US. That’s pretty rad, because we’ve also found that Xfinity tends to offer a great value. Most of its plans come with a hefty download speed boost for the price you pay compared to other internet providers in the same area.

Speaking of value, we analyzed the price per Mbps of all Xfinity’s internet plans so you can find the absolute best deal. And hey, Xfinity also offers plenty of internet deals each month, so even if the price isn’t right today, it might be tomorrow.

Last but not least, Xfinity offers cable TV service too. If you love channel-flipping, bundling TV and home internet together can save you some cash. And that’s never a bad thing. We’re also pretty smitten with the Xfinity DVR and love that you can access your Netflix library and YouTube channels from it.

Depending on where you live, these are the Xfinity internet plans we recommend.

Who it’s best for: Internet speed demons, work-from-home hustlers, and large families.

Why we picked it: Xfinity recently bumped up the speed of its Gigabit plan in the Northeast, and now its top download speed of 1,200 Mbps cracks the gig ceiling. Your price per Mbps with this plan is under 10 cents, and that price lasts for three years, making it the most value-packed internet plan Xfinity offers.

Who it’s best for: Medium to large families or households with multiple devices who use the internet to stream TV, download large files, and game a little.

Why we picked it: The Xfinity Gigabit plan comes with gig speeds and reasonable prices. This plan isn’t the best bang for your buck (that title belongs to the Gigabit Extra plan). With that in mind, Gigabit should keep both your household netizens and wallet watchers happy.

Who it’s best for: Is there something streaming on a TV, phone, or tablet in every room of our house? (Yup, even the bathroom!) Then Fast is right up your family’s alley.

Why we picked it: The up to 500 Mbps download speeds with the Fast plan are solid enough to keep multiple devices connected around your home. At the same time, no less. And that’s perfect for anyone with a bunch of kiddos and teens under their roof who also needs a little guilty pleasure time with Marriage or Mortgage.

If you're interested in Xfinity's Fast internet plan, now's the time to buy. 

Spectrum cable Internet is all about the word “no”: no data caps, annoying overage charges, and no speed throttling. You can use your home internet freely.

And Spectrum’s cable TV service comes without a contract, too.

When we compared prices, Spectrum’s up to 500 and 1000Mbps plans* are a little on the high end. But remember, that higher price comes with unlimited data and no-contract perks. So paying a little extra each month might be worth it. And, if you happen to live in North Carolina, New York, or Ohio, your price per Mbps could be even lower.

Based on price and advertised speed, here’s the Spectrum cable Internet package we recommend the most.

Who it’s best for: Are you a cinephile? Are your roommates or family members cinephiles too? The Spectrum's 1000 Mbps plan gives you all the freedom to stream in HD (or even 4K).

Why we picked it: While Spectrum’s price is a tad high for the speed you get, this plan also comes with unlimited data and no contract. That’s perfect for downloading every award-winning title out there and not worrying about going over your data cap. Or paying an extreme early termination fee if you move to a new locale thanks to Out of Africa or Amélie.

Cox’s cable internet is fairly reliable—it ranked 16th out of 32 internet providers in our fastest ISPs report and 8th out of 22 best cable internet providers. That puts it squarely in the middle of the pack.

Our TV experts found Cox’s TV prices to be a tad higher than competitors like DISH and Xfinity. But we love that Cox Contour TV doesn’t come with a contract—and if you also select the “No Term Agreement” option for your Cox internet service, your bundle becomes contract-free, too.

If you need mobile service, Cox knocks off $15 per month on your internet service when you order Cox Mobile. 

Cox’s TV and internet bundles also made our list of the top five cable bundles. Here’s a quick look at some of those bundles and channel counts, plus a few of the notable channels included in each one:

• Contour Starter (75+ channels): Notable channels include CBS, FOX, PBS, The CW, NBC, and ABC.
• Contour Preferred (140+ channels): Notable channels include ESPN, TBS, HGTV, USA, Food Network, and Nick.
• Contour Ultimate (250+ channels): Notable channels include MLB Extra Innings, CINEMAX, STARZ, Paramount+ with SHOWTIME®, MGM+, and MAX.

Cox also offers a few bundles that pair your home internet with its Contour TV Streamer. You won’t get a cable TV subscription with these combos, but the Contour TV Streamer lets you set up your favorite streaming service fairly easily.

When we tried to grab one of these bundles, it was a little confusing to figure out how to get the Contour TV Streamer as an option to rent. The trick is to select just an internet plan, and then the Contour TV Streamer appears as an equipment option.

Choosing a Cox cable bundle comes down to your preferences, but we think the Go Even Faster + Contour Starter is a good balance between price, channels, and internet speed.

Who it’s best for: Families whose downtime after working from home includes gaming and TV nights on the couch.

Why we picked it: This bundle comes with a well-rounded internet speed and a selection of channels. You’ll get CBS, FOX, ION, and Telemundo, to name a few, which means there’s something on the tube for everyone. (Except ESPN. Ouch.)

If you live in a big city like Boston, Philadelphia, New York City, or Chicago, Astound Broadband’s low-priced, no-contract cable internet plans rival even our Fastest Internet Speeds pick, Xfinity.

On top of great prices for the speeds you get, Astound Broadband comes with no data caps. This is another area where Astound Broadband (formerly RCN) tops Xfinity—and data caps are becoming more and more critical as we spend more time online.

Also of note is Astound Broadband’s speed performance. It zoomed into 6th place out of 32 ISPs we analyzed in our fastest internet providers report, and it was the number one fastest cable provider. Not too shabby.

But just like Xfinity, Astound Broadband's speeds and prices change depending on which city you live in. Generally, the cost is between $25 and $70 a month, though. Here’s a quick look at the plans and prices available in Chicago, Illinois, to give you an idea.

We said it’s got one of the lowest prices for gig speeds around, so our recommended Astound Broadband plan should be no surprise.

Who it’s best for: Anyone running a home office—or working from home with others in the same house.

Why we picked it: First off: You’ll be hard-pressed to find a gig plan at a price lower than this one. Second: Astound Broadband’s gig speeds ensure that your household has enough bandwidth to support your home office hustle, your online learning classroom, and any fun activities like gaming or streaming at the same time.

So, no more waiting until after your partner’s Zoom call to catch the next episode of WandaVision. The whole internet is at your fingertips.

We’re really holding ourselves back from tossing around the WOW! puns right now. (You can thank us later.) But what isn’t a laughing matter is WOW!’s low price for the speed you get—plus its super-high data caps.

You’ll find more value in WOW! Internet's lower-tier packages, since its 1,000 Mbps plan are outshone by Xfinity’s lower prices for the same speed. Of course, WOW!’s price lasts for two years while most of Xfinity’s prices last for only one year.

The only thing is, unless you call the glacier-sculpted plains of the Midwest or sunny farmland and coasts of the South home, you likely won’t find a WOW! plan in your town.

If you're worried about getting stuck in a contract, WOW! recently dropped their contract requirements. 

Here’s our pick for a well-priced WOW! Internet plan with plenty of speed.

Who it’s best for: We normally recommend 100 Mbps as a baseline internet speed, but if you’ve got a larger family or a house full of internet power users, the WOW! Fiber 1 Gig plan is a better fit.

Why we picked it: These speeds should support a larger family with lots of devices, and the price you pay per month isn’t going to leave your wallet high and dry. It also comes with unlimited data, so you won’t need to throttle back on your kiddo’s mobile game downloads over Wi-Fi—or download that important PowerPoint your boss just sent over.

• Xfinity is the fastest cable internet service provider. You’ll find it hard to get a cable internet plan cheaper than Xfinity. We also like that the ISP scores well for internet speed and regularly offers deals.
• Spectrum is best for no-contract internet service. Spectrum offers fairly well-priced cable internet, but the real gem is its regional plans, unlimited data, and no contracts.
• Cox has the best cable TV bundles. Cox offers pretty reliable cable internet and a slew of cable TV packages that you can bundle together in multiple ways. And you can make your bundles contract-free, too.
• Astound Broadband is best for those in the Northeast. Astound Broadband may be limited to cities in the Northeast and Chicago, but its budget-friendly prices, fast speeds, and lack of data caps make it a fierce contender even against Xfinity.
• WOW! Internet is the cheapest cable internet provider. WOW!’s promotional prices are a great deal—and they last for two years. Plus, it comes with a ton of data for residents of the Midwest and South.

Cable internet tends to be a great pick for home internet service. We think Comcast Xfinity’s promo pricing, fast speeds, and wide availability make it the value pick of the pack, but you’ll also find great features and deals on cable internet with Spectrum, Cox, Astound Broadband, and WOW! Internet.

And we can’t forget Cox, our pick for the cable company with the best bundles. If you’re pairing your Cox cable TV with internet, here’s our pick:

To narrow down the best cable internet providers, we looked at and compared the following features:

• Price
• Download speeds
• Data caps
• Contracts and promotional pricing periods
• Availability

We also wanted to highlight some of the ISPs that offered excellent prices and features but weren’t necessarily available across most of the US. That’s why Astound Broadband and WOW! Internet are featured on our list.

We also considered Astound Broadband, powered by Grande Communications, but even though it advertises excellent prices, no data caps, and no contracts, we felt that its availability in only parts of Texas was too limiting. The same approach is applied to Optimum, which is available mainly in Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.

Availability was also the biggest reason we didn’t analyze smaller, more local cable ISPs. Even so, we recommend checking out what internet providers are available in your area since many smaller providers also offer excellent speeds and prices, among other perks.