Best Internet Provider in the US for Streaming

When choosing an internet provider, you have to keep several factors in mind including its availability, cost, and speed, among other factors. There are a lot of options in the US to choose from, so I picked some of the best ones to get for streaming.

Let’s take a look at them.

Things That Make Internet Great for Streaming

If you’re streaming 4K content, you’re going to need a good internet connection. Although there are a lot of technical details you should know when getting an internet connection, thankfully, you don’t need to know the fine details unless you plan on playing online games or using video call apps.

Here are some of the things you need to know about your internet provider:

• Bandwidth: To avoid seeing the dreadful buffer icon when streaming media, having more bandwidth is crucial. Imagine bandwidth as a highway. If the highway has more lanes, more cars around are going to pass. More cars mean more data which means that you’re going to see more quality content.
• Data Caps: These are limits imposed by the internet provider to ensure that a specific amount of data is used per household. Ideally, there shouldn’t be any data caps, especially for streaming. Generally, you can opt for a higher internet tier which generally won’t have any data caps. Or, you can pay extra to remove them.
• Reliability: slow but reliable internet is almost always better than fast but unreliable internet. Fiber internet is usually the best option but fiber-backed cable internet options can be great as well. Make sure to read customer reviews in your area to see if the specific provider provides reliable internet services.

Google Fiber

• Connection Type: Fiber
• Price: $70 – $150 per month
• Speeds: 1Gbps – 8Gbps
• Coverage: 19 States

Disclaimer: Pricing is subject to change and speed may vary based on availability.

Google Fiber is one of the best fiber internet options in the US for streaming. Not only is the internet fast, its basic speed provides a whopping speed of 1Gbps for $70 per month at no data caps.

Although the pricing sounds a little expensive compared to the other internet plans on this list, Google Fiber still provides far more value to internet users. They also include a WiFi router for free in all plans and 1TB of cloud storage.

The best thing about using Google Fiber is the peace of mind I get. I always know that I can stream 4K content and never face any lags or stutters. Not just that, you can also get one or two mesh extenders if you opt for the 2Gbps or more internet plans, which means that you’re going to get WiFi anywhere in the house.

However, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows with Google Fiber. Currently, this internet option is only available in 19 states across the US.

Xfinity

• Connection Type: Fiber-Backed Cable
• Price: $20 – $85 per month
• Speeds: 75 Mbps – 1,200 Mbps
• Coverage: 41 States

Disclaimer: Pricing is subject to change and speed may vary based on availability.

If you’re looking to get some of the best packages for streaming at an affordable cost, Xfinity Internet plans can be a great option for you. Xfinity offers multiple plan options that cater to all types of internet users.

The plans also include WiFi equipment and provide add-on services like Xfinity Mobile plans that boast 5G nationwide at no extra costs. If you want, you can opt for a TV plan as well, which allows you to stream HD content on multiple devices, and view more than 125 channels including some popular channels like TLC, Bravo, and HGTV.

The basic plan does have a data cap, which can be a deal breaker for households that stream a lot of 4K content. However, you can pay some extra bucks to get unlimited data every month.

Even with those extra charges, Xfinity’s internet still comes out to be cheaper than Google Fiber’s basic package which makes Xfinity’s offerings a no-brainer.

Spectrum

• Connection Type: Fiber-Backed Cable
• Price: $50 – $80 per month
• Speeds: 300 Mbps – 1 Gbps
• Coverage: 41 States

Disclaimer: Pricing is subject to change and speed may vary based on availability.

Spectrum’s internet options can be found scattered all across the US. Although they offer gigabit speeds, they are limited to a few territories for now.

The best part about using Spectrum is that they have no gateway or modem fees as well as no data caps, which means that you can stream as much content as you want. They also offer free security for users using Spectrum’s Advanced WiFi.

However, you have to pay an additional monthly fee for WiFi if you have a gateway or a standalone router. Spectrum also tends to hike their prices after a year or two which can be annoying for some users looking for budget-friendly internet options.

There are a lot of internet options you can choose from. However, the best option is Google Fiber as it provides the best speed with no data caps at a low cost. But, if Google Fiber isn’t available in your area, you can always go for Spectrum and Xfinity’s internet plans that offer great packages for streaming.