CNET’s top recommendation for the best internet provider in San Jose is AT&T Fiber. Known for its lightning-fast speeds, AT&T Fiber delivers symmetrical download and upload speeds up to 5,000Mbps. Though not the most widely available ISP in the area, it offers clear terms with no contracts, data caps or rental fees — plus no automatic price hikes.
If AT&T Fiber isn’t available at your address, Xfinity is the next best option, offering solid cable internet with broad coverage in San Jose, competitive pricing and fast speeds. Just be aware that prices may rise after the first couple of years. For the fastest speeds in the area, Sonic Fiber offers up to 10,000Mbps at a reasonable $50 per month. For smaller households with more modest needs, T-Mobile Home Internet offers simple plans from $50 to $70 per month. You can also check out Twist, a local fixed wireless provider with speeds ranging from 200Mbps to 1,000Mbps. Here are CNET’s top internet picks for San Jose.
San Jose internet providers, such as Xfinity, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many, however, including AT&T Fiber and Sonic Fiber, 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 San Jose broadband?
San Jose has several multi-gig internet plans if you’re looking for ultra-fast speeds. According to Ookla speed test data, San Jose ranks 30th out of the 100 most populated cities in the US for median internet speed — ahead of Oakland, Fresno, San Francisco and Sacramento. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)
Fastest internet plans in San Jose
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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 online gaming.
500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming all at the same time.
How CNET chose the best internet providers in San Jose
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 pricing, availability and speed database that draws from our own historical ISP data, partner data and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov.
Because our database is not exhaustive, we go to the FCC’s website to check the primary data for ourselves and make sure we’re considering every ISP that provides service in an area. Plans and prices also vary by location, so we input local addresses on provider websites to find the specific options available to 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 our pre-publication fact-check.
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, you can visit our how we test ISPs page.
What’s the final word on internet providers in San Jose?
San Jose residents have an embarrassment of riches when choosing an internet plan. AT&T Fiber is our pick for the best internet provider overall due to its fast speeds, straightforward terms of service and high customer satisfaction scores. Xfinity is more widely available and also offers competitive introductory deals for fast speeds. For smaller households that don’t need as much horsepower, T-Mobile Home Internet is an affordable option that won’t ever go up in price.
Internet providers in San Jose FAQ
What is the best internet service provider in San Jose?
Yes, AT&T’s fiber internet service is widely available in San Jose. It offers five plans with no data caps or contracts required and has been rated the best ISP in the country, according to the 2024 American Customer Satisfaction Index survey. Sonic Fiber also has service in San Jose but is not as widely available as AT&T.
What is the cheapest internet provider in San Jose?
Sonic Fiber offers the fastest plan in San Jose at 10,000Mbps for $50 per month, but it’s unavailable at most addresses. AT&T Fiber tops out at 5,000Mbps, but it’s more prevalent in the area.
