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Best internet provider for streaming overall
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Best internet providers for streaming
A broadband connection with speeds of at least 100 megabits per second down and 20 up should support streaming in the highest quality, but keep in mind those are actual speeds, not speeds to the home. Streaming will lower your Wi-Fi speeds, as will the bandwidth demand of other devices connected to your network.
A fast, reliable connection, like you get with fiber internet from AT&T Fiber, Frontier Fiber, Verizon Fios Google Fiber and others, is the best internet for streaming. The fast speeds, supreme reliability and resistance to slowed speeds during peak usage times, such as when everyone in the neighborhood is also streaming, make fiber internet an excellent choice for streaming.
If fiber is unavailable in your area, cable internet will be the next best option for streaming. Providers such as Cox, Spectrum and Xfinity offer plenty of download speed, up to 1,000Mbps or higher, and many also have their own live TV streaming services or streaming devices.
Streaming quality on other connection types, like 5G home internet, satellite and DSL, will vary by the available speeds at your address.
Best internet providers for streaming in 2024
300 – 5,000 Mbps
$55 – $250 per month
Our take – Along with high availability and stellar customer satisfaction, AT&T offers the most plan options of just about any fiber provider. Select areas will have the speed options of 300Mbps, 500Mbps, 1Gbps, 2Gbps and 5Gbps, making AT&T Fiber a go-to for streaming on virtually any number of devices.
300 – 5,000 Mbps
$55 – $250 per month
500 – 1,000 Mbps
$50 – $80 per month
Our take – Spectrum is CNET’s choice for best cable internet provider overall thanks to its fast speeds, simple pricing and unlimited data — all qualities that make it ideal for streaming too. Spectrum also offers a low-priced, add-on streaming service to all internet customers who don’t sign up for a traditional cable TV plan.
500 – 1,000 Mbps
$50 – $80 per month
500 – 5,000 Mbps
$50 – $155 per month
Our take – All Frontier Fiber plans also come with the bonus of $10 off a monthly subscription to YouTube TV for one year. With an impressive channel selection and picture quality, YouTube TV is one of CNET’s top picks when it comes to streaming live and on-demand content. A subscription will run you $65 per month, but again, you can shave $10 off that monthly price for one year by signing up for a Frontier Fiber plan.
500 – 5,000 Mbps
$50 – $155 per month
300 – 8,000 Mbps
$40 – $280 per month
Our take – Optimum is currently throwing in a free subscription to Max. Sign up for gig service, starting at $60 a month in select areas, and get a full year of Max included at no extra cost.
300 – 8,000 Mbps
$40 – $280 per month
Mostly cable, some fiber
100 – 2,000 Mbps
$50 – $110 per month
Our take – The Cox Contour Stream Player is available with all Cox internet plans with speeds of 100Mbps or higher for just $5 extra per month. The device supports 4K streaming, a voice remote and custom guide settings to help you quickly find what you want to watch. Popular streaming apps, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Peacock, Max and Discovery Plus, come preloaded, but a subscription is required to watch.
Mostly cable, some fiber
100 – 2,000 Mbps
$50 – $110 per month
100 – 1,000 Mbps
$40 – $70 per month
Our take – Internet options are limited in rural areas, so finding a provider with speeds and data suitable for streaming can be a challenge. Satellite internet, a popular internet option in rural areas, often fails to deliver the speeds needed for quality streaming, not to mention the low data allowances. DSL internet is another popular choice in rural areas, but speeds can still be an issue unless Kinetic by Windstream is available in your area.
100 – 1,000 Mbps
$40 – $70 per month
300 – 2,000 Mbps
$50 – $120 per month
Our take – Verizon Fios claims to have 99.99% reliability, which means you can count on getting through that series finale without a service interruption ruining your experience. Additionally, Verizon Fios plans come with plenty of speed — 300Mbps, 500Mbps, 1,000Mbps and 2,300Mbps in select areas — to stream in HD or 4K.
300 – 2,000 Mbps
$50 – $120 per month
150 – 6,000 Mbps
$20 – $300 per month
Our take – Xfinity has the best cable internet coverage of any ISP. Cable internet isn’t quite as fast and reliable as fiber, it’s still capable of speeds that are plenty fast for streaming. Xfinity has multiple plans to choose from, so you can pick the one that best delivers the speeds you need for your streaming demands.
150 – 6,000 Mbps
$20 – $300 per month
Best internet providers for streaming compared
Please note that the plans below show each provider’s cheapest available tier. The maximum 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 more fully understand this value-based approach, check out CNET’s guide to examining the cost per Mbps.
| Plan | Starting price | Max download speed | Cost per Mbps | Equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T Fiber 300 Read full review |
$55 | 300Mbps | 18 cents | None |
| Cox Go Fast Internet | $50 | 100Mbps | 50 cents | $15 (optional) |
| Frontier Fiber 200 Read full review |
$30 | 200Mbps | 15 cents | None |
| Kinetic Fiber 300 | $40 | 300Mbps | 13 cents | $11 (optional) |
| Optimum 300 Read full review |
$40 | 300Mbps | 13 cents | None |
| Spectrum Internet Read full review |
$50 | 500Mbps | 10 cents | $10 router (optional) |
| Verizon Fios 300 Read full review |
$50 | 300Mbps | 17 cents | None |
| Xfinity Connect Read full review |
$20 | 150Mbps | 13 cents | $15 (optional) |
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What internet speeds do you need for streaming?
Required speeds for streaming depend on the resolution you want to stream in and the video service itself. Below, you’ll find the minimum recommended speeds for some of the most popular streaming services.
| Streaming service | Minimum recommended speed for streaming |
|---|---|
| Apple TV Plus | 3-25Mbps |
| Amazon Prime Video | 1-5Mbps |
| DirecTV Stream | 8Mbps per streaming device |
| Disney Plus | 5-25Mbps |
| ESPN Plus | 2Mbps or higher |
| Hulu | 3-16Mbps |
| Netflix | 5Mbps or higher |
| Max | 5-50Mbps |
| Spotify | 1Mbps |
| YouTube TV | 3-25Mbps |
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As you can see, streaming doesn’t require a ton of speed, whether it be TV or music. It’s important to note that the recommended speeds reflect actual, not advertised, speeds.
If your internet plan advertises speeds up to 50Mbps, the actual speeds to your streaming device are likely to be much slower, especially when using Wi-Fi and connecting multiple devices.
Depending on the number of connected devices in your home and how many you plan on streaming on at once, I would suggest choosing an internet plan with advertised speeds at least double the recommended speeds for your streaming service.
How we chose the best ISPs for streaming
Determining the best internet providers for streaming is similar to how CNET evaluates any ISP: We start with what’s available. Typically, that boils down to which providers have the greatest serviceability of a particular connection type or which providers cover a considerable, multistate area and serve more than 1% of US households.
We then narrow down that list of providers by comparing speeds, pricing, customer satisfaction records, special offers and service details such as data caps, contract requirements and price increases. Eventually, certain providers rise to the top in particular categories, whether that be the best cheap internet providers, best fiber providers or in this case, the best ISPs for streaming.
Check out CNET’s guide to how we review internet providers to learn more.
Other ISPs to consider for streaming
The providers featured above aren’t the only ones that may be available in your area and good for streaming. If any of the following ISPs are available at your address, you’ll want to consider them as well.
Astound: Low pricing, fast speeds and unlimited data make Astound a great choice for an internet service that will support streaming. I’d just recommend watching your bill as closely as your favorite shows. Astound has some of the steepest price increases of any major ISP.
CenturyLink: Like Kinetic, CenturyLink has a large DSL network that caters mostly to suburban and rural areas. The provider doesn’t have quite the same speed potential, although starting monthly prices are around $15 higher than Kinetic.
Google Fiber: You’ll have more than enough speed for streaming with Google Fiber as the ISP’s lowest tier advertises download speeds up to 1,000Mbps. Such speeds are faster than many homes need, and the $70 starting price may be more than you want to pay each month.
Mediacom: A cable internet provider primarily serving rural areas of the Midwest, Mediacom has multiple plan options with speeds suitable for streaming. Beware of the data cap. Each Mediacom plan has one.
T-Mobile and Verizon 5G: Speeds and connection reliability vary widely by location with 5G internet. Depending on where you live, 5G internet from T-Mobile, Verizon or possibly AT&T may work for streaming, or it won’t.
Ziply Fiber: Is 50,000Mbps fast enough for you? You can get that, along with other, perhaps more practical speed tiers, from Ziply Fiber. The ISP is the fastest in the northwest region, if not nationwide, and offers unlimited data with each of its high-speed plans.
Internet for streaming recap
You don’t need a lot of speed for streaming, but faster speeds and a reliable connection will make for the best experience. When shopping for an internet provider that can keep up with your streaming demands, I’d recommend looking to fiber providers like AT&T, Frontier, Verizon and others first.
Fiber isn’t available everywhere, and many cable ISPs including Cox, Spectrum and Xfinity offer plans capable of meeting nearly any streaming need. Kinetic and CenturyLink are solid choices for streaming in rural areas as well, and 5G home internet may meet your needs as well depending on the speeds you can get.
Best internet providers for streaming FAQs
What internet is best for streaming?
Fiber-optic internet is the best connection type for any internet use, including streaming. The speed and reliability, two crucial components to a quality streaming experience, that comes with fiber internet are typically better than cable, DSL, satellite or 5G internet connections. Most fiber internet providers also offer unlimited data, so you can stream without having to worry about exceeding a data cap.
What internet speed do I need for streaming live TV?
Amazon Prime Video and YouTube TV recommend at least 20 to 25Mbps for 4K streaming, while Hulu suggests 16Mbps or higher for 4K streaming. Max has the highest recommended speed range at 5 to 50Mbps.
Remember, a provider’s recommendations are actual minimum speeds, not a plan’s maximum advertised speeds. Using Wi-Fi, connecting multiple devices and other factors (such as peak internet usage times) can slow speeds. So even if you have a plan with advertised speeds of 25Mbps, it is unlikely that’s the actual speed your streaming device will get. Consequently, faster speeds, 100Mbps or higher, will be best for households that plan on streaming in high quality on multiple devices over a Wi-Fi connection.
Does streaming use a lot of data?
Depending on the picture quality, streaming TV can use anywhere from 3 to 8GB per hour. If your internet plan has unlimited data, there’s no need to worry about how much data streaming uses. On the other hand, if you have a data cap and are a heavy streamer, you’ll want to keep an eye on your usage.
Cox and Xfinity both come with data caps of 1.2TB per month. That is a ton of data — the average household uses somewhere around 500GB in a month — but excessive streaming could have you rapidly approaching that limit. For example, let’s say you typically stream in HD quality, sometimes 4K, and use roughly 5GB of data per streaming hour. After 240 hours, you’ve reached the magic 1.2TB limit and are on the verge of overage fees.
Granted, 240 hours seems like a lot, but when you consider streaming on multiple devices, or perhaps falling asleep with the TV on, those hours can quickly add up. Additionally, streaming TV isn’t the only thing in your home that consumes data. Anything you do online will contribute to your data usage, although no activity is likely to use up as much data as streaming TV.
What’s the best internet for live streaming or gaming?
Most streaming platforms, Twitch included, recommend at least 4 to 8Mbps, but keep in mind that’s actual, consistent speeds, not advertised speeds. An internet plan with advertised speeds of at least 50Mbps is ideal for streaming, although faster speeds will help ensure you have enough speed for other connected devices.
Why is my video lagging even with a fast internet connection?
There are many factors that can affect your streaming quality. The number of devices you have connected and the demand they place on your network at any given time is often the cause for a laggy or buffering video. Try limiting the number of connected devices and activity on them to help improve streaming quality. If streaming over a Wi-Fi connection, you also may want to try rebooting your router.
Peak usage times, such as evening hours when you and your neighbors are all streaming TV, can also lead to lag and buffering, particularly for those on a cable or DSL internet network.
Network congestion can affect the streaming service itself, leading to lagging video even if your Wi-Fi connection is otherwise fine. Say your picture quality is poor while streaming Thursday Night Football on Amazon’s Prime Video; it may be because millions of other people are watching the same stream, not because your internet connection is lacking.
