Our picks
90001 Edit ZIP code
Best prepaid internet plan for Cox customers
Best 5G prepaid home internet for rural areas
$60 per month
3 Internet providers
Our take – NOW Internet powered by Xfinity offers two speed tiers: 100Mbps starting at $30 a month and 200Mbps for $45. No credit check, deposit, or contract is required to sign up for service. Either plan is sufficient for web browsing and online shopping, light streaming and online gaming on a limited number of devices. Free Wi-Fi equipment rental — a modem/router combo device — and unlimited data are included at no extra cost.
Cable
Cable
Fixed wireless
Fixed wireless
Fiber
Fiber
Best prepaid home internet providers compared
Please note that the plans below show each provider’s cheapest available tier. The max speed is the top advertised speed for that given plan, but it might not be available in your area. Overall, the best selection for you — and the most cost-effective plan — might be a different tier that provides a faster speed at a higher price but a better value. To fully understand more about this value-based approach, check out CNET’s guide to examining the cost per Mbps.
Show more (0 item)
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
Factors to consider when choosing a prepaid home internet plan
Prepaid home internet service is ideal for getting a quick and easy connection, but it isn’t for everyone. Here are some things you’ll want to keep in mind when shopping for prepaid internet service.
Take our quiz
Prepaid internet is a pay-as-you-go internet service that allows you to pay for the next week or month of service ahead of time to avoid fees and other conditions that come with most standard internet plans. Prepaid internet plans typically require no credit check, deposit or term agreement.
Prepaid internet is best for those who would rather skip the common conditions of signing up with an internet service provider, such as credit checks and term agreements. Speeds are often lower than you’ll get with standard internet plans — Cox and NOW Internet prepaid plans come with maximum download speeds of 100Mbps and 200Mbps, respectively — but the ease of signing up and lower fees may make prepaid service the more sensible option for some households.
Cox and NOW Internet do not require any special requirements or qualifications to sign up for prepaid service. Your address and initial service costs are often all you need to get started.
Prepaid internet is most likely not the cheapest way to get internet. Prepaid internet is often more expensive than standard internet plans when considering cost per Mbps or the speeds you get for what you pay. Prepaid internet can come with lower initial costs, particularly if the provider would otherwise charge a deposit or deny service due to low or unestablished credit or outstanding balances from a previous account.
Unless you connect to a free public network, you can’t legally get home Wi-Fi without an internet provider.
An internet connection and router are needed for Wi-Fi. You can purchase a Wi-Fi router on your own, but without an internet connection to your home, there will be no internet for the router to connect to. You need an internet provider to supply that internet connection.
Yes. NOW Internet is the only prepaid internet plan available to new customers that includes unlimited data. Comparatively, prepaid service from Cox and T-Mobile comes with a monthly data cap of 1.25TB and 2GB to 50GB, respectively.
Related Posts
