Affordable internet plans for low-income households
Many highly rated internet providers offer a low income internet plan for qualifying households. In some areas, you can even maximize your savings by combining the federal Lifeline discount with one of these internet plans.
As with most internet plans, availability is one of the biggest factors in determining whether you can actually sign up to a low-income internet plan. Even if you find an affordable internet plan, the internet provider in question might not service your specific area. So before you dig into all the details, type in your zip code below to find out which plans are available.
Astound Broadband Internet First
Internet First from Astound provides fast, affordable internet (and three months free) to qualifying low-income households.
Provider | Plan | Price | Speed | Details |
 | 50Mbps Internet | $9.95/mo. | 50Mbps | View Plans |
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 | 150Mbps Internet | $19.95/mo. | 150Mbps | View Plans |
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Internet First from Astound plans deliver 50Mbps to 150Mbps download speeds for $9.95 to $19.95 monthly. The plan includes Wi-Fi equipment and unlimited data. There are no contracts, and customers also get a free unlimited mobile line for a year.
To be eligible for Internet First from Astound, customers can’t have previously subscribed to Astound within 60 days and need to meet one of the following criteria or receive one of the following benefits:
- Housing assistance
- National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Students under federal assisted aid programs
AT&T Access offers discounted prices to eligible AT&T Fiber customers. Since AT&T Fiber is one of the best internet service providers you can get, this is an amazing offer for those who could truly benefit from a reliable fiber internet service.
Provider | Plan | Price | Speed | Details |
 | AT&T Fiber Internet 100 | $60/mo.* | Up to 100 Mbps | View Plans |
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*
Above pricing is after $10/mo Autopay & Paperless bill discount with a debit card or bank account; if using a credit card, then price is $5/mo more. Pricing includes Equipment Fee. Up to $99 install fee may apply, plus tax where applicable.
The AT&T Access plan costs $30 monthly for 100Mbps download speeds, or you can apply a $20 discount to higher speed plans offered by AT&T Fiber. AT&T Access includes Wi-Fi equipment, installation. There are no contracts. If you're not sure whether you qualify, check our AT&T low-income internet resource for a full breakdown of eligibility and how to apply.
To be eligible for AT&T Access, a member of your household needs to meet one of the following criteria or receive one of the following benefits:
- Federal Pell Grant
- Have a household income below 200% of federal poverty guidelines
- NSLP, SSI, or SNAP
- Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
Cox low-cost internet plans
Cox is unique in that it offers three affordable internet plans with discounts tailored to different household financial situations. All plans deliver up to 100Mbps, which is plenty of speed for multiple users that want to stream, take Zoom calls, or do homework at the same time.
Provider | Plan | Price | Speed | Details |
 | Connect2Complete | $9.95/mo.† | Up to 100 Mbps | View Plans |
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 | ConnectAssist | $30/mo.† | Up to 100 Mbps | View Plans |
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 | Cox StraightUp Internet | $50/mo.† | Up to 100 Mbps | View Plans |
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†
Not available in all areas. No term agreement. Same price for 2 yrs. Pricing, packages, and policies are subject to change, including when adjusting or removing services or equipment.
The Cox Connect2Compete plan is specifically for households with school-aged children. The plan costs just $9.95 monthly for up to 100Mbps and includes Wi-Fi modem rental, 1.25TB of data, and free self-installation. To be eligible for Cox Connect2Compete, households must have at least one K-12 Student and be enrolled in SNAP or NSLP.
The Cox ConnectAssist plan delivers up to 100Mbps download speeds for $30 monthly and comes with free modem rental, free self-installation, and no annual contract or cancellation fees. The plan comes with a data cap of 1.25TB. To be eligible, households must be participating in select government assistance programs like Pell Grant, SNAP, or Supplemental Security Income (SSI), tribal programs, Veterans Pension, or WIC.
Cox StraightUp Internet is a prepaid internet service with 100Mbps download speed for $50 monthly. This plan includes a free Wi-Fi modem, free self-installation, and up to 1.25TB of data. There is no eligibility requirement for customers in a serviceable area.
To learn more about how to apply and extra tips on how to lower your bill, read our Cox low-income internet guide.
Can't qualify for a low-income plan and unhappy with your bill? Check out eight smart ways to lower your Cox internet bill.
Mediacom’s Xtream Connect plans provide qualifying households with fast internet speeds at a significant discount.
Provider | Plan | Price | Speed | Details |
 | Xtream Connect | $14.99/mo.‡ | Up to 100 Mbps | View Plans |
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‡
*Plus taxes & regulatory fees. $14 modem rental included in price. Upload & Download speeds may vary.
Xtream Connect by Mediacom delivers up to 100Mbps download speed for $14.99 monthly. There are no contracts or installation fees, and you can use your own network-compatible modem. You can use as much data as you want for downloads, but there is a cap of 1TB for upstream usage. Households with at least one child who participates in the National School Lunch Program can have the modem rental fee waived, otherwise it costs $15 monthly to rent one.
To be eligible for Xtream Connect by Mediacom, customers must not have an outstanding Mediacom balance, and a member of your household needs to receive one of the following benefits:
- Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
- Federal Pell Grant in the current award year
- Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA) and other rental assistance or affordable housing programs
- Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations
- Head Start (only households meeting the income qualifying standard)
- Lifeline Program
- Medicaid
- SNAP, SSI, NSLP, or WIC
- Tribal Assistance Programs
- Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (Tribal TANF)
- Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit
Optimum Advantage Internet
Optimum Advantage Internet offers reliable, discounted internet plans to qualifying households. Unlike Optimum’s regular monthly internet rates, which start at $40 and then increase annually, the Optimum Advantage plans stay the same rate—so you can rest easy knowing that your bill won’t suddenly change.
Provider | Plan | Price | Speed | Details |
 | Optimum Advantage Internet | $14.99/mo.^ | Up to 50 Mbps | View Plans |
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 | Optimum FASTPASS | $25/mo. | Up to 100 Mbps Mbps | View Plans |
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^
Wired connection up to 50 Mbps. WiFi speeds may vary. Must meet eligibility criteria.
There are two plans available for qualifying households: Optimum Advantage and Advantage+ Internet. These plans deliver 50Mbps to 100Mbps internet for $14.99 to $25 per month. Both plans include unlimited data, free installation, and Wi-Fi equipment. There are no contracts, plus you get a 60-day money-back guarantee if you want to cancel.
To be eligible for Optimum Advantage Internet, you need to meet one of the following criteria:
- Participate in NSLP
- You’re 65+ and on SSI
- You’re a New York City resident attending a New York City public school
- You’re a veteran receiving state or public assistance
Quantum Fiber Simple Fiber Internet
Quantum Fiber offers a discounted fiber internet plan called Simple Fiber for low-income households. Since it uses a fiber connection, you can count on reliable, fast speeds.
Provider | Plan | Price | Speed | Details |
 | Simply Fiber Internet Plan™ | Starting at $30 | Up to 200 Mbps |
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Simple Fiber delivers speeds up to 200Mbps symmetrical speeds for only $30 per month. There are no contracts, cancellation fees, and all equipment is included.
To be eligible for Quantum Fiber Simply Fiber Internet, you need to participate in one of the following programs:
- Federal Public Housing Assistance
- HeadStart
- NSLP, SNAP, or WIC
- LIHEAP
- Medicare or SSI
- TANF
- Veteran’s Pension or Survivor’s Benefits
Spectrum Internet Advantage
Spectrum Internet Advantage offers affordable internet plans to qualifying households. If you're not sure whether you meet the requirements, check out our Spectrum Low-Income Internet Guide for details on eligibility. Spectrum is ranked as Reviews.org’s best cable internet provider, so you’re in good hands with the provider’s reliable internet connection, contract-free plans, and frequent deals and discounts.
Provider | Plan | Price | Speed | Details |
 | Spectrum Internet® Advantage | $30/ mo. for 12 mos. for qualifying customers° | Up to 100 Mbps | View Plans |
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°
Offer based on eligibility requirements. Standard rates apply after promo period. Additional charge for installation. Speeds based on wired connection. Actual speeds (including wireless) vary and are not guaranteed. Services subject to all applicable service terms and conditions, subject to change. Not available in all areas. Restrictions apply.
Spectrum Internet Advantage costs $30 monthly for the first year for 100Mbps. It includes one unlimited mobile line for a year, unlimited data, and a security suite. You need to provide your own router or add Spectrum Advanced WiFi to your plan for an additional $10 monthly. There are no contracts.
To be eligible for Spectrum Internet Advantage, a member of your household needs to participate in one of these programs:
- NSLP
- Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) of the NSLP
- SSI
T-Mobile Project 10Million
T-Mobile’s Project 10Million initiative offers a free hotspot with an annual cap of 200GB of data for five years to eligible K-12 students. There are no fees or annual recertifications. This is a great way for students to stay connected and complete any online homework assignments.
You child can qualify through Project10Million if they participate in one of the following programs or meet the following criteria:
- Community Eligibility Provision (CEP)
- Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)
- Head Start
- Medicaid
- NSLP, SNAP, Temporal Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
- Foster youth, migrant, homeless, or runaway youth
Verizon Forward offers its Fios or 5G Home Internet plan at a discounted rate as low as $20 monthly, combined with the $10 autopay and $9.25 Lifeline discounts. Verizon 5G Home Internet customers also need a postpaid mobile unlimited plan with 5G Ultra Wideband to qualify. See if you're eligible with this breakdown of Verizon's low-income services.
Provider | Plan | Price after maximum discount | Speed | Details |
 | 5G Home | $20.00/mo. | 100Mbps |
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 | Fios 300 Mbps | $20.00/mo. for one year | 300Mbps |
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You can apply the Verizon Forward discount to any 5G Home Internet plan or Fios plan. Plans can cost as low as $20 monthly, with the cheapest 5G Home Internet plan delivering up to 100Mbps download speeds, and the cheapest Fios plan delivering 300Mbps symmetrical speeds. Both plans include a router and unlimited data. There is also a $99 setup charge.
To be eligible for Verizon Forward, a member of your household needs to meet one of the following criteria:
- Receive Federal Pell Grant in the current award year
- Have household income 135% or less of the Federal Poverty Guidelines
- Participate in Medicaid
- Participate in SNAP or WIC
- Participate in New York state benefit programs
Xfinity Internet Essentials
Xfinity offers affordable internet plans for low-income households through its Internet Essentials program. Alongside its internet plans, the program also includes discounts on laptops and free resources to enhance your internet literacy.
Provider | Plan | Price | Speed | Details |
 | Internet Essentials | $14.95/mo.** | Up to 75 Mbps |
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 | Internet Essentials Plus | $29.95/mo.** | Up to 100 Mbps |
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**
Restrictions apply. Not available in all areas. Limited to residential customers meeting certain eligibility criteria. Subject to Internet Essentials program terms and conditions. Professional installation extra. Advertised price applies to a single outlet. Actual speeds vary and are not guaranteed. For factors affecting speed visit xfinity.com/networkmanagement.
The Xfinity Internet Essentials plan costs $14.95 monthly for up to 75Mbps. If you want more speed, you can sign up for the Xfinity Internet Essentials Plus plan, which costs $29.95 monthly for up to 100Mbps. Both plans are contract-free and include unlimited data, an optional gateway lease, and free self-installation (or you can pay $39.99 for a professional technician).
To be eligible for Xfinity Internet Essentials, you can’t have been an Xfinity Internet customer within the last 90 days or have any debt owed with any Comcast Account. A member of your household also needs to receive one of the following benefits:
- Federal Pell Grant in the current award year
- Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
- Medicaid
- NSLP, SNAP, SSI, or WIC
- Public housing assistance
- TANF
- Tribal assistance
- VA Pension