AT&T Fiber – Best fiber internet provider overall
- Prices from $55 – $180 per month
- Speeds from 300 – 5,000Mbps
- Unlimited data
CenturyLink – Best fiber internet coverage
- Prices from $30 – $70 per month
- Speeds from 200 – 940Mbps
- Unlimited data
Frontier Fiber – Best low-cost fiber plan
- Prices from $50 – $155 per month
- Speeds from 500 – 5,000Mbps
- Unlimited data
Google Fiber – Best fiber internet gig plans
- Prices from $70 – $100 per month
- Speeds from 1,000 – 2,000Mbps
- Unlimited data
Verizon Fios – Best signup bonuses
- Prices from $50 – $120 per month
- Speeds from 300 – 2,000Mbps
- Unlimited data
Windstream Kinetic – Best for fiber in rural areas
- Prices from $40 – $70 per month
- Speeds from 100 – 1,000Mbps
- Unlimited data
Ziply Fiber – Fastest fiber internet provider
- Prices from $20 – $300 per month
- Speeds from 50 – 10,000Mbps
- Unlimited data
Your internet speeds, reliability and overall experience don’t depend solely on the internet provider you choose. The technology it uses to run service to your home makes a big difference as well.
If I could recommend any internet connection type above all the rest, that’d be fiber. My fiber internet speeds, upload and download, are fast and consistent, even during peak usage times or inclement weather. The standard monthly rate of fiber internet services, while not the cheapest service among internet providers in my area, is still a great value considering the speeds I get.
My experience with fiber internet isn’t unique, but not all fiber ISPs are the same. You’ll find that prices, speed tiers and terms of service vary among providers — and that’s why certain fiber ISPs rise above the rest.
Each of the best internet providers listed below uses a fiber-to-the-home network, which all but guarantees the best connection quality, speed and reliability. Additionally, these providers stand out for their exceptional pricing, availability, customer satisfaction and other factors. We update this list periodically.
AT&T Fiber
Best fiber internet provider overall
Product details
Price range $30 – $70 per month Speed range 200 – 940Mbps Connection Fiber Highlights Unlimited data, no contracts, equipment included with gigabit tier
Though AT&T Fiber and Verizon Fios are available to more people, CenturyLink’s fiber network covers more areas, with fiber service that spans an impressive 25 states. CenturyLink also operates primarily in suburban and rural areas, bringing high-speed fiber connections to areas that may not otherwise have access to them.
However, people living in CenturyLink fiber service areas only have two plan options: 100 or 200Mbps starting at $30 a month, or gigabit service starting at $70 a month. While more plan options would be nice, CenturyLink’s gigabit speed plan is still a pretty good deal. At $70 a month for speeds up to 940Mbps and no equipment fees, CenturyLink is one of the cheapest fiber providers for gigabit service.
Price range $50 – $155 per month Speed range 500 – 5,000Mbps Connection Fiber Highlights Unlimited data, no contracts, no equipment fee
Frontier Communications recently expanded its fiber internet coverage to 19 states and then rolled out a new multigig service to the entire footprint all at once, becoming the first major ISP to do so.
Frontier’s new multigig plans are priced competitively at $100 a month for speeds up to 2,000Mbps and $155 monthly for the 5 Gig plan. Even if you don’t need all that speed, the lower tiers — 500Mbps starting at $60 per month and gig service starting at $70 monthly — are as good a value as you’ll find from any major provider.
Like AT&T and Verizon Fios, Frontier Fiber plans come with unlimited data and require no contract. Unlike many other providers, Frontier includes the equipment cost with the price, so other than taxes, Frontier plan pricing is very much “what you see is what you pay.”
Price range $70 – $100 per month Speed range 1,000 – 2,000Mbps Connection Fiber Highlights Unlimited data, no contracts, equipment included
Google Fiber is still around and resuming expansion after a multiyear hiatus. Where available, Google Fiber offers fiber internet service starting at $70 a month and a 2Gbps plan starting at $100 a month. Both come with equipment included at no extra cost, no data caps and no contracts.
There’s also the newly introduced 5 gig and 8 gig plans for $125 and $150 per month, respectively. Availability is currently limited, but a Google Fiber spokesperson confirmed with CNET that the provider aims to extend the plans to all service areas later this year.
Price range $50 – $120 per month Speed range 300 – 2,000Mbps Connection Fiber Highlights Unlimited data, no contracts, free equipment with gig service
Verizon Fios is a close second to AT&T in terms of speed, pricing and service terms, but it lacks the same breadth of coverage. Though available to nearly the same number of potential customers as AT&T Fiber, Verizon Fios primarily serves the mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions.
Those lucky enough to live in a Verizon Fios service area will likely find the fiber internet service is hard to beat, especially for those looking for a low-cost connection. Starting at just $50 a month, the lowest-price Fios internet plan comes with concurrent download and upload speeds of up to 300Mbps. The next speed tier is also a decent value — $70 a month for up to 500Mbps — but at $90 per month, gigabit service is priced the same or a touch higher than you’ll find with other fiber providers.
Whichever Fios plan you sign up for, expect some enticing extras with your order, like free streaming subscriptions, electronics, gift cards or other promotional offers.
Price range $40 – $70 per month Speed range 100 – 1,000Mbps Connection Fiber Highlights Unlimited data, no contracts
One disadvantage of fiber internet is that it’s typically only available in select neighborhoods of larger cities. If you’re living in the suburbs or a rural area, then your best chance to get fiber internet is likely Kinetic by Windstream. Roughly a third of Windstream’s network — which spans rural and suburban areas across 18 states — is fiber optic.
Windstream is one of the best rural internet providers, bringing high-speed connections to places likely underserved by cable or by other fiber internet providers. Those in a Kinetic service area will also appreciate the low pricing — $37 a month for speeds of up to 200Mbps where available, and gigabit service for only $67 a month — along with unlimited data and no contract requirements.
Product details
Fiber internet FAQs
What is fiber internet?
Fiber-optic internet sends internet signals via thin glass wires either straight to the home, aka FTTH, or to a node just outside the home, aka FTTN. The technology allows higher bandwidth and faster data transmission than any other connection type, and has the unique capability of delivering symmetrical or near-symmetrical download and upload speeds. Fiber internet uses a different type of modem than DSL or the DOCSIS equipment used for cable. In fact, fiber technically doesn’t use a modem at all, but an optical network terminal that performs the same function.
