What is the best internet provider in Boston?
Verizon Fios is the best internet provider in Boston. The 100% fiber-optic provider offers fast, symmetrical download and upload speeds, lengthy price guarantees on competitively priced plans, simple service terms and unique signup bonuses.
That said, the case for the best ISP in Boston could also be made for Xfinity. The cable provider offers the fastest download speeds in Boston, up to 2,000 megabits per second. Others ISPs, including Astound — which has the cheapest plan in Boston starting at $20 per month for up to 300Mbps — and hometown startup Starry, are worth checking out as well. Like finding the best seat at Fenway, the answer depends on what’s available and what you want to spend.
Our methodology
CNET considers speeds, pricing, customer service and overall value to recommend the best internet service in Boston across a number of categories. Our evaluation includes referencing a proprietary database built over years of reviewing internet services. We validate that against provider information by spot-checking local addresses for service availability. We also do a close read of providers’ terms and conditions and, when needed, will call ISPs to verify the details.
Despite our efforts to find the most recent and accurate information, our process has some limitations you should know about. Pricing and speed data are variable: Certain addresses may qualify for different tiers of service, and monthly costs may vary, even within a city. The best way to identify your particular options is to plug your address into a provider’s website.
Also, the prices, speed and other information listed above and in the provider cards below may differ from what we found in our research. The cards display the full range of a provider’s pricing and speed across the US, according to our database of plan information provided directly by ISPs, while the text is specific to what’s available in Boston. The prices referenced within this article’s text come from our research and include applicable discounts for setting up automatic payments each month — a standard industry offering. Other discounts and promotions might be available as well, for things like signing a term contract or bundling with multiple services.
To learn more about how we review internet providers, visit our full methodology page.
300 – 2,000 Mbps
$50 – $120 per month
