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Best Internet Providers in Flint, Michigan – CNET

What is the best internet provider in Flint?

Xfinity is the best internet service provider overall for most households in Flint because of wide coverage, a variety of plans and low-cost introductory prices. However, T-Mobile Home Internet or Verizon 5G Home Internet are also solid picks, depending on what’s available in your area. 

If you’re hunting for the lowest prices or fastest speeds, we’ve also found those top options. The cheapest internet in Flint is Xfinity’s $20-a-month 150Mbps plan, with that pricing good for the first year of service. The fastest internet speed in Flint also comes from Xfinity and its 1,200Mbps plan, available across the cable ISP’s broad service area.

Our methodology

Speed range

150 – 6,000 Mbps

Price range

$20 – $300 per month

Connection

Cable

Product image Product image
Connection

DSL

Our take – Xfinity doesn’t have much in the way of wired internet competition in Flint, except for AT&T Internet’s legacy DSL network. DSL can be slow, but getting speeds up to 100Mbps is possible, depending on your location.

...

Speed range

10 – 100 Mbps

Price range

$55 per month

Speed range

72 – 245 Mbps

Price range

$60 per month

Connection

Fixed wireless

Product image Product image
Connection

Fixed wireless

Our take – Verizon and T-Mobile offer comparable 5G home internet services, but you may find faster speeds from one or the other at your home. Verizon mobile customers can bundle with an eligible phone plan for home internet savings.

...

Speed range

85 – 1,000 Mbps

Price range

$50 – $70 per month

Stepping Stone Falls located in Genesee County Park in Flint, Michigan. Stepping Stone Falls located in Genesee County Park in Flint, Michigan.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to find internet deals and promotions in Flint

The best internet deals and top promotions in Flint depend on what discounts are available during that time period. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers. 

Flint internet providers like Xifnity may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Others, however, including AT&T Internet Air, T-Mobile Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home Internet, tend to run the same standard pricing year-round. 

For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the best internet deals. 

How fast is Flint broadband?

Despite a lack of fiber internet, Flint fared well in a recent Ookla speed test report. The city pulled down a median fixed internet download speed of nearly 250Mbps. That’s slightly better than the Michigan state average of 244Mbps. Xfinity has the fastest home internet plan in town with its 1,200Mbps Gigabit Extra option. Xfinity offers a 2,000Mbps plan in some parts of the country but hasn’t yet rolled it out in Flint. The next-fastest option outside of Xfinity is Verizon’s 5G Home Plus plan, which can reach speeds as high as 300Mbps, though actual speeds will vary.

Fastest internet plans in Flint

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

What’s a good internet speed?

Most internet connection plans can now handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you’re looking for an internet plan that can accommodate videoconferencing, streaming video or gaming, you’ll have a better experience with a more robust connection. Here’s an overview of the recommended minimum download speeds for various applications, according to the FCC. Note that these are only guidelines — and that internet speed, service and performance vary by connection type, provider and address.

For more information, refer to our guide on how much internet speed you really need.

  • 0 to 5Mbps allows you to tackle the basics — browsing the internet, sending and receiving email, streaming low-quality video.
  • 5 to 40Mbps gives you higher-quality video streaming and videoconferencing.
  • 40 to 100Mbps should give one person sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming. 
  • 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two people to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming. 
  • 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more people to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Flint

Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it’s impractical to personally test every internet service provider in a given city. So what’s our approach? For starters, we tap into a proprietary database of pricing, availability and speed information that draws from our own historical ISP data, partner data and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov. 

But it doesn’t end there. We go to the FCC’s website to check our data and ensure we consider every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. We look at sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power, to evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; all information provided is accurate as of publication. 

Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions: 

  • Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds? 
  • Do customers get decent value for what they’re paying? 
  • Are customers happy with their service? 

While the answer to those questions is often layered and complex, the providers who come closest to “yes” on all three are the ones we recommend. When selecting the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, though we also factor in things like price increases, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively straightforward. We look at advertised upload and download speeds and consider real-world speed data from sources like Ookla and FCC reports.

To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.

What’s the final word on internet providers in Flint?

A lack of competition and a lack of residential fiber-to-the-home infrastructure means cable ISP Xfinity rules the roost in Flint. It reaches everywhere and offers the fastest download speeds. Introductory pricing is good but be prepared for an unwelcome price hike after the first year or two of service. After that, you can try to negotiate for a better deal or investigate T-Mobile, Verizon or AT&T for a 5G home internet plan. 

Internet providers in Flint FAQs

What is the cheapest internet provider in Flint?

Xfinity’s 1,200Mbps Gigabit Extra plan is the fastest home internet in Flint. It costs $85 monthly for the first two years with equipment included.

Is fiber internet available in Flint?

Xfinity rules the internet scene in Flint and covers over 99% of homes in the city.

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Provider Starting price Max download speed Max upload speed Data cap Connection
Xfinity Gigabit Extra
Read full review		 $85 1,200Mbps 35Mbps 1.2TB Cable
Xfinity Gigabit
Read full review		 $80 1,000Mbps 20Mbps 1.2TB Cable