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What is the best internet provider in New York?
New York City houses a range of some of the best internet providers. Out of those options, it could be hard to find the service that’s compatible with your household needs. Your choice will depend on what you’re looking for and where you live, but Verizon Fios will be the best internet service provider for most New Yorkers. It offers fast, symmetrical speeds and competitive pricing of Verizon’s fiber-optic service, but internet from Astound, Spectrum and others are top options, too.
Optimum boasts the fastest home internet speeds in New York, up to 8,000 megabits per second in select areas, although the plan is also one of the most expensive at $280 per month. Cable internet provider Astound Broadband offers a 1,500Mbps plan for $55 per month, which might not be as fast but is still a good deal. Fixed wireless provider Starry Internet has the cheapest internet of any major provider in New York. Its 30Mbps plan, available to qualified buildings, starts at $15 and offers unlimited data and no monthly equipment fees. Astound has the second cheapest internet at $20 for 300Mbps and currently includes unlimited data, free modem rental and a free month of service.
Which New York internet provider is best for your home? We’ve listed details on the top providers in Manhattan to help you decide. If you’re looking for internet around New York City, check out our roundups of the best internet in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island.
CNET considers speeds, pricing, customer service and overall value to recommend the best internet service in New York City across several categories. Our evaluation includes referencing a proprietary database built over years of reviewing internet services. We validate that against provider information by spot-checking local addresses for service availability. We also closely read providers’ terms and conditions and, when needed, call ISPs to verify the details.
Despite our efforts to find the most recent and accurate information, our process has some limitations you should know about. Pricing and speed data are variable: Certain addresses may qualify for different service tiers, and monthly costs may vary, even within a city. The best way to identify your options is to plug your address into a provider’s website.
Also, the prices, speed and other information listed above and in the provider cards below may differ from what we found in our research. The cards display the full range of a provider’s pricing and speed across the US, according to our database of plan information provided directly by ISPs. At the same time, the text is specific to what’s available in New York City. The prices referenced within this article’s text come from our research and include applicable discounts for setting up automatic payments each month — a standard industry offering. Discounts and promotions might also be available for signing a term contract or bundling multiple services.
To learn more about how we review internet providers, visit our full methodology page.
New York City internet providers compared
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment cost | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Astound Broadband Read full review |
Cable | $20-$55 | 300-1,500Mbps | Free modem; $5 for Whole-home Wi-Fi (optional) | None | None | 7 |
| Optimum Read full review |
Cable/Fiber | $40-$280 | 300-8,000Mbps (varies by location) | None | None | None | 6.2 |
| Spectrum Read full review |
Cable | $50-$70 | 500-1,000Mbps | Free modem; $10 router rental (optional) | None | None | 7.2 |
| Starry Internet Read full review |
Fixed wireless | $15-$55 ($15-$70 after 12 months) | 30-500Mbps | Varies, $9 router (optional) | None | None | 7 |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($40-$50 with eligible mobile plans) | 72-245Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 with eligible mobile plans) | 50-300Mbps (varies by location) | None | None | None | 7.2 |
| Verizon Fios Read full review |
Fiber | $50-$90 ($35-$65 with select 5G mobile plans) | 300-940Mbps | None | None | None | 7.6 |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
Other available internet providers in New York City
- Optimum: The second-largest cable internet provider in the greater New York City area, Optimum is available to much of Brooklyn and the Bronx but not Manhattan. Optimum speeds and pricing are comparable to Astound, including a gigabit plan starting at $80 per month. Optimum also employs a fiber network through much of New York City, with 100% fiber connections available to roughly 2.7 million households across the country.
- T-Mobile Home Internet: Like Verizon’s 5G home internet service, T-Mobile’s coverage area reaches a good portion of New York City, save for the dead zones between and inside tall buildings. Although the two are in a similar price range and share roughly the same service features, T-Mobile isn’t as fast as Verizon 5G, with maximum speeds ranging from 72 to 245Mbps. Verizon 5G covers more of the city overall than T-Mobile Home Internet, around 87% to T-Mobile’s 71% according to the latest data from the FCC.
- Xchange Telecom: Coverage is scattered throughout New York City and with limited availability in Midtown Manhattan, SoHo and Queens. You will find the most coverage in certain parts of Brooklyn. Xchange Telecom primarily uses a fixed wireless network, but fiber or DSL service may also be available at select addresses. Pricing and speeds will vary by location.
- Satellite internet: To truly cover all your internet options, satellite internet from Hughesnet and Viasat belong here. Technically, they are available, but there are too many other faster, cheaper and all-around better internet options in New York City to seriously consider satellite internet.
Cheap internet options in New York City
The average price for broadband in New York City is around $40, but there are a few cheaper options if you’re looking for more affordable home internet. Starry Internet offers the cheapest plan: 30Mbps for $15 per month. If you’re looking for more speed, then Astound Broadband’s 300Mbps plan might be the one for you, starting at $20 a month.
What’s the cheapest internet plan in New York City?
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starry Connect Read full review |
$15 | 30Mbps | None | |
| Astound Broadband 300Mbps Read full review |
$20 | 300Mbps | Free modem; $5 for Whole-home Wi-Fi (optional) | |
| Starry 200 Read full review |
$30 | 200Mbps | Free modem; $9 router (optional) | |
| Astound Broadband 600Mbps Read full review |
$35 | 200Mbps | Free modem; $5 for Whole-home Wi-Fi (optional) | |
| Optimum 300 Read full review |
$40 | 300Mbps | None | |
| Spectrum Internet Read full review |
$50 | 500Mbps | Free modem; $10 router rental (optional) |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find internet deals and promotions in New York City
The best internet deals and top promotions in New York City depend on what discounts are available during that time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
New York City internet providers, such as Astound Broadband, Spectrum and Optimum, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many providers, including Verizon Fios and Starry Internet, run the same standard pricing year-round.
Some internet providers like Spectrum and Optimum offer discounted or free internet for eligible households. Altice Advantage offers up to 50Mbps for just $15 monthly and Spectrum Internet Assist costs $25 for 30Mbps. To qualify for free internet for 60 days from Spectrum or Optimum, your household must participate in an assistance program. Learn more here.
For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the best internet deals.
How fast is New York City broadband?
Ookla’s latest speed test data reports New York City ranks 55th for internet speed among the 100 most populous cities in the country. With median download speeds of 253Mbps and upload speeds of 34Mbps, NYC’s broadband is slightly faster than the state’s average speed of 249Mbps.
If you’re looking for the speediest plan in New York City, Optimum offers speeds up to 8Gbps in select areas for $280 per month. Customers may also access Optimum’s other multi-gigabit offerings: 5- and 2-gigabit plans, for $180 and $120 per month, respectively. Elsewhere, Astound Broadband offers speeds up to 1.5Gbps for $55 per month and Verizon Fios tops out at 1Gbps for $90 monthly. If you’re unable to get Astound Broadband, Verizon Fios and many other internet providers have gigabit plans available.
Fastest internet plans in New York City
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Data cap | Connection type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optimum 8 Gig Read full review |
$280 | 8,000Mbps | 8,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Optimum 5 Gig Read full review |
$180 | 5,000Mbps | 5,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Optimum 2 Gig Read full review |
$120 | 2,000Mbps | 2,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Astound Broadband 1500 Read full review |
$55 | 1,500Mbps | 1,000Mbps | None | Cable |
| Spectrum Internet Gig Read full review |
$70 | 1,000Mbps | 35Mbps | None | Cable |
| Astound Broadband Gig Read full review |
$45 | 1,000Mbps | 50Mbps | None | Cable |
| Verizon Fios 1 Gig Read full review |
$90 ($65 with select 5G mobile plans) | 940Mbps | 880Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Optimum 1 Gig Read full review |
$80 | 940Mbps | 35Mbps | None | Fiber |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
Internet providers in popular cities near NYC
See all results for internet providers in New York state
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 Federal Communications Commission. 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 and 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.
How CNET chose the best internet providers in New York City
Internet service providers are numerous. regional and often offer confusing plans or hidden fees. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it’s impractical to personally test every internet service provider in a given city. 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.
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 input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents and 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 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, although 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 New York City?
NYC has a few reliable broadband options, but your best bet is any provider that offers fiber connection, like Verizon Fios. If fiber is unavailable in your area, other providers like Astound Broadband, Spectrum and Starry Internet offer fast speeds and decent pricing as well.
Internet providers in New York City FAQ
Does New York City have fiber internet?
Yes. Approximately 50% of Manhattan residences are wired for fiber-optic internet service, according to the FCC. Verizon Fios is the largest fiber internet provider in New York City, although some addresses are eligible for fiber service from Optimum.
Can I get free Wi-Fi in New York City?
Several public places throughout New York City offer free Wi-Fi service. In addition to cafes, restaurants, hotels and other businesses with complimentary Wi-Fi, all NYC public library branches and several locations in Manhattan, including Central Park, Bowling Green, The High Line and Tompkins Square Park, have free public Wi-Fi access.
If you’re looking for free home Wi-Fi, you’ll need a wired internet connection to get Wi-Fi in your home. While some NYC internet service providers and plans are cheaper than others, no outright free home internet services are available in the city. Depending on your location and needs, a temporary free internet connection may be available from Spectrum, Optimum or Xfinity. Learn more at nyc.gov.
Is Verizon Fios or Spectrum better?
Verizon Fios has an advantage over Spectrum thanks to its 100% fiber-optic network. You’ll get symmetrical or near-symmetrical download and upload speeds with Verizon Fios, whereas Spectrum’s maximum upload speeds fall far short of its download speeds. Both providers have the same starting price of $50 monthly, though Spectrum increases that price by around $30 after one year and charges an equipment fee of $10 if you want to lease your router. As a cable internet provider, Spectrum is also a great choice for bundling internet and TV.
In short, both providers have their pros and cons, but the fiber network that Verizon Fios offers makes it a better choice. In any case, it’s always a good idea to fully evaluate your home internet needs and the available options in your area before committing to a particular internet provider.
