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Best Internet Providers in Chicago, IL
Looking for that sweet internet hookup in the Windy City? See our picks for the best internet providers in Chicago.
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Published on December 16, 2021
3 min read
If you call Chicago home, chances are you’re weighing your options between Xfinity and AT&T Internet. Both of these internet service providers (ISPs) offer great speeds and competitive prices. However, you may find Xfinity offers more choices while AT&T offers a good value, particularly with its fiber internet.
A few neighborhoods, mostly in the Hyde Park area and near Wrigley Field, have a other ISPs to choose from as well. EarthLink, a standout provider when it comes to customer service, is a great option if it’s available in your neighborhood.
Is Chicago not your home city? Enter your zip code to see internet plans near you.
The latest US Census data reports that 74% of households in the Chicago area have access to broadband internet.1 If you’re one of the handful of residents without home internet access, check out our guide to rural internet options for some alternatives.
The 3 best internet service providers in Chicago
- : Best availability
- : Best value
- : Best customer service
The 3 best Chicago internet providers
| Provider |  Comcast Xfinity |  AT&T Fiber |  EarthLink |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | $20–$299.95* | $45–$180† | $49.95–$99.95‡ |
| Download speeds | 50–3000 Mbps | 300–5000 Mbps | 3–1000 Mbps |
| Upload speeds | 5–3000 Mbps | 300–880 Mbps | 0.75–1000 Mbps |
| Data cap | 1.2 TB | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Contract length | 1 year; 2 years for Gigabit plan | 1 year | 1 year |
| Connection type | Cable/Fiber | Fiber | DSL/Fiber |
| Details | View Plans | View Plans | View Plans |
Data effective 11/11/21. Offers and availability vary by location and are subject to change.
*
For the first 12 months. Some packages require a 1- or 2-year contract.
†
For the first 12 months plus taxes and equip. fee.
‡
With a 12 month contract.
The best internet providers in Chicago, Illinois
Best availability
Starting from
$20
/mo
Why Xfinity?
After 10 years of service, we found Comcast Xfinity’s speed and reliability to be pretty great. Its prices are competitive compared to other ISPs, and even though it gets a bad rap for its customer service, we still think it’s a good deal.
Download speeds
50–3000 Mbps
Connection Type
Cable/Fiber
Data effective 12/07/2021. Offers and availability vary by location and are subject to change.
Best value
Starting from
$45
/mo
Why AT&T?
AT&T’s fiber internet offers up some of the lowest prices in the Chicago area plus zippy download and upload speeds to boot. (But its DSL internet plans quickly lose value due to slower speeds and potential data caps.)
Download speeds
300–5000 Mbps
Connection Type
Fiber
Data effective 10/04/2020. Offers and availability vary by location and are subject to change.
Best customer service
Starting from
$49.95
/mo
Why EarthLink?
EarthLink consistently earns high marks for customer service. Why? It handles all your technical, billing, and account troubleshooting despite using networks from ISPs like AT&T, CenturyLink, and Verizon. The only trade-off? Slightly higher prices.
Download speeds
3–1000 Mbps
Connection Type
DSL/Fiber
Data effective 11/10/2021. Offers and availability vary by location and are subject to change.
How to Speed Up Your Internet
Slow internet got you down? Follow our tips to speed up your connection, or compare internet providers if you think it's time to switch.
The Best Internet Providers in the US
We compared dozens of large internet providers across the US to find those with the best value, best speeds, best bundles, and best customer service.
The 5 Best Xfinity Routers
We dug through specs and compatibility info for dozens of routers and landed on the five best routers for Xfinity internet.
How much internet speed do you need?
Our advice is to get at least 50 to 100 Mbps download speeds for small households. But you may need faster speeds depending on how your family uses the internet.
Recommended internet speeds
What upload speed do I need?
If you’re a livestreamer, uploading large files, or regularly joining video calls, you need to make sure you get enough upload speed as well.
We recommend at least 10 Mbps for all of these activities, but you may need more if you’re running a home business or sharing the internet with someone else who’s also on a Zoom call. See our recommendations for livestreaming plus how much upload speed you need for Zoom.
FAQ
Still have questions about internet providers in Chicago? We can help.
We recommend Xfinity, AT&T Fiber, and EarthLink as the best internet providers in Chicago.
Xfinity offers a lot of internet speeds to choose from at competitive prices, while AT&T Fiber gives you great value with fast fiber speeds and rock-bottom prices. EarthLink is an exceptional choice if you need the peace of mind knowing you can call customer service and actually get help.
The fastest internet plan available in Chicago is Xfinity’s Gigabit plan with download speeds of 1,200 Mbps. AT&T Fiber’s Internet 1,000 plan comes in a close second with download speeds of 940 Mbps. And you won’t get visited by the buffering icon with EarthLink’s 1 Gig Internet plan that clocks in at 1,000 Mbps.
Xfinity’s Performance Starter Plus plan is the cheapest internet in Chicago. It starts at $20 a month for 50 Mbps speeds.
But if you can get it in your part of the city, AT&T Fiber’s 300 Mbps internet plan is the best value with a $35 a month starting price.
Getting internet in Chicago should be fairly simple since a majority of the city and suburbs have access to at least two ISPs. We recommend double-checking that a provider services your specific address first.
After that, you can compare prices, internet speeds, data caps, and any other features to find the best provider and plan for you.
Yes, you can get fiber internet in Chicago through AT&T Fiber or EarthLink. AT&T offers fiber internet speeds of 300–940 Mbps, and EarthLink has fiber internet speeds of 50–1,000 Mbps.
Xfinity is the best provider in Chicago when it comes to bundling your cable TV and internet. You also have the option to add Xfinity Mobile and Xfinity Home Security services if you like. Check out our recommended Xfinity bundles for more info.
It’s worth asking if your landlord or apartment manager can include internet service in your monthly rent.
Some rentals may already offer this, while others may require you to pay for internet service on top of your monthly rent. Still, it’s a good idea to check since some apartment complexes may have negotiated a cheaper bulk rate with a local ISP.
On the other hand, letting your landlord handle your internet service could be problematic. It’s likely that your ISP will talk only with your complex manager, so any technical issues or plan upgrades will need to go through your landlord.
Sources
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