Best Internet Providers in Brooklyn, New York

What is the best internet provider in Brooklyn?

Verizon’s Fios internet plans are known for quality customer care and easy-to-understand terms. With excellent speeds and near-symmetrical uploads, Verizon Fios is the best internet service provider in Brooklyn, according to CNET. Other options like Optimum and Spectrum are great choices for cable internet, too. If you cannot get quality service at your address, T-Mobile and Starry offer fixed wireless options at great prices.

We’ve also found the lowest prices and fastest speeds to help make your broadband shopping easier. The most affordable internet plan in Brooklyn is Astound Broadband’s 300 megabits per second plan, which costs $20 monthly and includes unlimited data. Optimum wins by a landslide for the speediest plan in the city, offering 8 gigabits per second — or 8,000Mbps — for $280 per month.

Best internet in Brooklyn, New York

Brooklyn internet providers compared

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Satellite internet: No local list of internet providers would be complete without mentioning Hughesnet and Viasat. Yes, they are probably available at your address, but slow speeds, high prices and restrictive data caps would make satellite internet an absolute last resort for internet in Brooklyn. You’d be better off rolling the dice with Xchange Telecom.

Cheap internet options in Brooklyn

Excluding some of the impractical (and often expensive) internet options like satellite service, the average starting price for internet in Brooklyn is around $42 per month. That’s lower than many areas, but Astound’s cheap $20-per-month plan and Starry Connect’s $30-per-month plan are the main factors bringing the average down. Otherwise, expect the cheapest internet plans to run you between $40 and $50 monthly, plus taxes and fees.

What’s the cheapest internet plan in Brooklyn?

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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to find internet deals and promotions in Brooklyn

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

Brooklyn internet providers, such as Optimum, Spectrum and Astound Broadband, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many, including Verizon and Starry, run the same standard pricing year-round. 

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

How fast is Brooklyn broadband?

Brooklyn’s internet speeds are just below the New York state average, ringing in with a median download speed of 225Mbps versus the Empire State’s average of 228Mbps. Remember that these are averages and not necessarily indicators of what speeds to expect from your ISP. Multiple providers can offer plans with speeds faster than Brooklyn’s average.

The fastest speed you’ll find in the city is 8,000Mbps, which is offered by Optimum for $265 per month. Providers such as Verizon, Starry, Astound and Spectrum also offer gigabit speeds if Optimum isn’t available at your address.

Fastest internet plans in Brooklyn

Provider Internet technology Monthly price range Speed range Monthly equipment costs Data cap Contract CNET review score
Astound Broadband
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Cable $20-$55 300-1,500Mbps None Varies; 500GB-1TB or unlimited None 7
Optimum
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Cable/fiber $40-$280 300-8,000Mbps (varies by location) None None None 6.2
Spectrum
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Cable $40-$60 300-1,000Mbps Free modem; $7 router (optional) None None 7.2
Starry
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Fixed wireless $30-$45 200-300Mbps None None None 7
T-Mobile Home Internet
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Fixed wireless $50 72-245Mbps None None None 7.4
Verizon Fios
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Fiber $50-$110 ($25-$85 with select 5G mobile plans) 300-2,000Mbps None None None 7.6
Verizon 5G Home Internet
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Fixed wireless $60-$80 ($35-$45 with eligible mobile plans) 80-1,000Mbps (varies by location) None None None 7.2

Yes. More than 76% of households in Kings County are eligible for fiber-optic internet service, according to the FCC. Verizon Fios is Brooklyn’s largest fiber internet provider, but fiber service may also be available from Optimum or Xchange Telecom. 

Brooklyn neighborhoods with the greatest fiber coverage include Red Hook, East Flatbush and Gravesend. Downtown Brooklyn, New Utrecht, Brownsville and Kensington are neighborhoods with the least fiber coverage.

If you’re out and about, you can find free Wi-Fi in a few Brooklyn areas, including Fort Greene Park and Brooklyn Heights Promenade. Check out this NYC parks map to find more locations with free Wi-Fi. You can also find free Wi-Fi at many coffee shops, restaurants, hotels and other businesses throughout Brooklyn.

As for free Wi-Fi at home, you’ll need an internet connection, which won’t be free unless you qualify for low-income programs that offset the cost of internet service. Most providers, including Verizon, Spectrum and Optimum, charge an additional fee for Wi-Fi equipment but allow you to use your own compatible equipment and skip the fee, making the Wi-Fi aspect of your internet connection essentially “free.”

No. Xfinity does not offer internet service in Brooklyn. The major cable internet providers in Brooklyn are Astound, Optimum and Spectrum. Xfinity availability largely stops at the New Jersey border, but there are select areas of Manhattan that are serviceable for Xfinity.

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Provider Starting price Max download speed Max upload speed Data cap Connection type
Optimum 8 Gig
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$280 8,000Mbps 8,000Mbps None Fiber
Optimum 5 Gig
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$180 5,000Mbps 5,000Mbps None Fiber
Verizon Fios 2 Gig
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$110 ($85 with select 5G mobile plans) 2,300Mbps 2,300Mbps None Fiber
Optimum 2 Gig
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$120 2,000Mbps 2,000Mbps None Fiber
Astound 1500
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$55 1,500Mbps 1,000Mbps None Cable
Verizon 5G Home Plus Internet
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$80 ($45 with eligible mobile plans) 1,000Mbps 1,000Mbps None Fixed wireless
Astound Gig
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$45 1,000Mbps 20Mbps None Cable
Spectrum Gig
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$60 1,000Mbps 1000Mbps None Cable
Optimum Gig
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$80 940Mbps 1000Mbps None Fiber
Verizon Fios 1 Gig
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$90 ($65 with select 5G mobile plans) 940Mbps 880Mbps None Fiber