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Best Internet Providers in Washington, DC

What is the best internet provider in Washington, DC?

Residents of Washington, DC, have three main internet service provider options: Astound Broadband, Xfinity and Verizon Fios — alongside T-Mobile’s 5G wireless home internet and regional ISPs like Starry Internet and DC Access. But which internet provider should you pick? It comes down to what you can get at your address. Verizon Fios is CNET’s top pick of the best internet providers in Washington, DC, because it offers symmetrical speeds and comes with simple service terms. You can choose between four plans (three in some areas), that range from $50 to $110 monthly.

If you’re looking for speed, Xfinity has 1- and 2-gigabit plans for $60 and $95, respectively, with no data caps. If you’re outside the coverage area for Xfinity, don’t fret — you should have access to Astound or Starry, which have value-for-money plans offering decent speeds. If you want the cheapest internet in the area, take a look at Astound’s 300 megabits per second plan, which comes in at just $20 a month.

Washington, DC, internet providers compared

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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to find internet deals and promotions in Washington, DC

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

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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.

  • 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 user sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming. 
  • 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two users to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and gaming. 
  • 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.

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

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Washington, DC

Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it’s impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. So what’s our approach? We start by researching the pricing, availability and speed information, drawing on our own historical ISP data, the provider sites 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:

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

While the answers to those questions are often layered and complex, the providers that 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 Washington, DC?

The District of Columbia offers a handful of options for choosing your internet provider, including many with fairly affordable pricing. For most city residents, the choice will come down to Verizon Fios, Astound or Xfinity, which are all competitive in price and speed.

Internet providers in DC FAQs

Which is the best internet service provider in Washington, DC?

Is fiber internet available in Washington, DC?

What is the cheapest internet provider in Washington, DC?

Is Verizon Fios or Xfinity better?

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Provider Internet technology Monthly price range Speed range Monthly equipment costs Data cap Contract CNET review score
Astound Broadband
 Read full review		 Cable $20-$55 300-1,500Mbps None None None 7
DC Access Fixed wireless $50-$110 25-200Mbps $99 installation fee None None N/A
Starry Internet
 Read full review		 Fixed wireless $30-$55 200-500Mbps None None None 7
T-Mobile Home Internet
 Read full review		 Fixed wireless $50-$70 ($35-$55 for eligible mobile customers) 87-415Mbps None None None 7.4
Verizon 5G Home Internet
 Read full review		 Fixed wireless $50-$70 ($35-$45 with qualifying Verizon 5G mobile plans) 50-250Mbps None None None 7.2
Verizon Fios
 Read full review		 Fiber $50-$110 300-2,000Mbps None None None 7.6
Xfinity
 Read full review		 Cable $30-$95 300-2,000Mbps $15-$25 gateway rental (optional) None None 7