What are the best internet providers in Philadelphia?
After thoroughly testing all available options, we CNET experts suggest Verizon Fios Be the best internet provider in Philadelphia. This is the only Internet service provider in Philadelphia that provides you with fiber optic connectivity, which you need to have if you work from home or have an overall busy home and need enough speed to fit everyone. Verizon Fios also has a wide coverage and is available at 90% of the city’s addresses. As for the price? It will not go bankrupt, and its plan starts at $50 and ends at $90 a month.
Of course, Verizon Fios may not be your ISP. In this case, there are other alternatives. If you are looking for cheap internet but can still provide decent speeds, we recommend giving xfinityChanceA $30 plan per month. Xfinity uploads are slower than all-fiber services, but it’s worth investing if you want to make your wallet less easy.
For residents looking for wireless options in Philadelphia, don’t ignore it Verizon 5G home internet and T-Mobile Home Internet. But, hold on until you jump into the latter in particular. Because if you are also a T-Mobile mobile phone customer, you can get a lot of money. If you take advantage of the price of the bundled discount, you can come up with a discount plan ranging from $35 to $55.
Philadelphia Internet Provider Comparison
Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment cost | Data cap | contract | CNET Comment Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
xfinity Read the full review |
cable | $30-$95 | 300-1,200Mbps | Various | Nothing | Various | 7 |
Philadelphia | Fixed wireless | $50 | 25-500Mbps (varies with position) | Nothing | Nothing | Nothing | N/A. |
T-Mobile Home Internet Read the full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$55 for qualified GO5G Plus and Magenta Max Mobile customers) | 87-415Mbps | Nothing | Nothing | Nothing | 7.4 |
Verizon 5G home internet Read the full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45, eligible for Verizon 5G Mobile Plan) | 100-300Mbps | Nothing | Nothing | Nothing | 7.2 |
Verizon Fios Read the full review |
fiber | $50-$90 ($35-$65 with featured mobile plans) | 300-1,000Mbps | Nothing | Nothing | Nothing | 7.6 |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
Other Internet providers in Philadelphia
Satellite Internet: Satellite connections are available almost anywhere, including the entire Philadelphia, but best for Rural Internet connect. Philadelphia residents will have Hughesnet or Viasat.
Philadelphia: PhillyWisper, a local fixed wireless provider, promotes a single residential internet plan, starting at $50 per month and a minimum speed of 25 to 500Mbps. Different speeds will vary in your location, single-family homes can expect at least 100Mbps, while apartment buildings can expect up to 500Mbps. Since Phillywisper won’t lock you in a contract, there is no risk to see which speed you have to see your address.
T-Mobile Home Internet: T-Mobile’s other major 5G home internet provider offers speeds starting at $50 per month from 87 to 415Mbps ($35 for qualified T-Mobile customers). Like Verizon 5G, including devices and unlimited data, there is no contract required, but the T-Mobile price doesn’t have the same speed potential as Verizon. Throughout Philadelphia, T-Mobile home internet coverage is also somewhat close to the point, covering only about one-third of the homes in the area.
Cheap Internet options in Philadelphia
Xfinity and 5G home internet from Verizon or T-Mobile (if you qualify for discounts) will be your cheapest internet option in the Philadelphia area. In addition to these providers and environments, we also want to pay at least $50 per month for home internet.
What is the cheapest internet plan in Philadelphia?
Provider | Starting price | Maximum download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
---|---|---|---|
Xfinity Connect More Read the full review |
$30 | 300Mbps | $15 (optional) |
Philadelphia | $50 | 25-100Mbps | Nothing |
Verizon 5G home internet Read the full review |
$50 ($35, eligible Verizon 5G mobile plan) | 300Mbps (varied with position) | Nothing |
T-Mobile Home Internet Read the full review |
$50 ($35 for eligible mobile plans) | 87-318Mbps | Nothing |
Verizon Fios 300 Read the full review |
$50 ($35 with featured mobile plans) | 300Mbps | Nothing |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find internet deals and promotions in Philadelphia
The best internet deals and top promotions in Philadelphia depend on discounts at the time. Most transactions are short-lived, but we often look for the latest quotes.
Philadelphia internet providers, such as T-Mobile, Xfinity, and Verizon, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming accessories for a limited time. Others, including Philly Wisper, run the same standard pricing throughout the year.
For a wider list of promotions, check out our guide The best internet transactions.
How fast is Philadelphia Broadband?
There is high availability from Gigabit plans across Xfinity and Verizon, Median download speed Average in Philadelphia Pennsylvania. Depending on the provider and plan you choose, your speed may be higher. Verizon Fios is the fastest internet provider in Philadelphia, with an average speed of 249/170Mbps. Xfinity compares, with an average speed of 189/22Mbps.
Philadelphia’s fastest internet plan
Provider | Starting price | Maximum download speed | Maximum upload speed | Data cap | Connection type |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Xfinity Gigabit Extra Read the full review |
$95 | 1,200Mbps | 35Mbps | Nothing | cable |
Xfinity Gigabit Read the full review |
$60 | 1,000Mbps | 35Mbps | Nothing | cable |
Verizon Fios 1Gig Read the full review |
$90 ($65 with featured mobile plans) | 940Mbps | 880Mbps | Nothing | fiber |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What is good internet speed?
Most Internet connectivity programs can now handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you are looking for an internet plan that can accommodate video conferencing, streaming videos or games, you will get better experience and have a stronger connection. Here is an overview of the minimum download speeds recommended for various applications, According to FCC. Note that these are just guides – Internet speed, services and performance vary by connection type, provider and address.
For more information, see our guide How much internet speed do you really need.
- 0 to 5Mbps allows you to solve the basics: browse the internet, send and receive emails and stream low-quality video.
- 5 to 40Mbps provides you with higher quality video streaming and video conferencing.
- 40 to 100Mbps should provide a user with enough bandwidth to meet the needs of modern remote office, video streaming and online gaming.
- 100 to 500Mbps allows one to perform high bandwidth activities for two users simultaneously, such as video conferencing, streaming and online gaming.
- 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high bandwidth activities simultaneously.
How CNET chooses the best internet provider in Philadelphia
There are numerous and regional Internet service providers. Different from the latest smartphone,,,,, laptop,,,,, router or Kitchen toolsit is impractical to test each Internet service provider in a given city in person. What is our method? For beginners, we leverage a proprietary database that leverages information from FCC.GOV’s Federal Communications Commission from our own historical ISP data, partner data and mapping information.
It doesn’t end: We visit the FCC’s website to check our data and make sure we consider all ISPs that provide services in a certain area. We also enter our local address on the provider website to find specific options for residents. We look at resources including the U.S. Customer Satisfaction Index and JD Power to evaluate how satisfied ISP services have with customers. ISP plans and prices change frequently; all information provided is accurate as of publication.
Once this local information is obtained, we ask three main questions:
- Can providers access reasonable and fast internet speeds?
- Do customers get decent value for the money they pay?
- Are customers satisfied with their service?
The answers to these questions are usually layered and complex, but the three we recommend are closest to the “yes” provider. When choosing the cheapest internet provider, we look for the lowest monthly plan, although we also consider issues like price increases, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively simple. We view the upload and download speeds on ads and consider them from such Ookla and FCC Report. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET.)
To explore our process more deeply, visit us How we test ISP Page.
What is the last sentence of Philadelphia Internet Providers?
When evaluating Philadelphia’s leading internet service providers, I recommend considering Verizon and Xfinity. Although Xfinity offers comparable highest speeds with Verizon, Verizon’s fiber optic services outperform in terms of upload speed, price and service quality.
Internet providers of Philadelphia FAQs
What are the best types of internet connections in Philadelphia?
Fiber optic connections like Verizon Fios are the gold standard. Remember that fiber availability may be limited to smaller households in the area. Otherwise, your best bet is a connection from one of the wired internet providers. Wired Internet can’t match the speed or reliability of fibers, but most homes in Philadelphia can use a lot and can be used.
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Verizon or Xfinity is better?
I prefer the reliability and fast upload speed of 100% fiber connections, so given the choice between Verizon Fios or Xfinity, I might choose Verizon. Additionally, the Verizon Fios plan includes devices and unlimited data at no extra cost, while you may also pay with Xfinity. Don’t just believe my words; check out our breakdown Verizon and Xfinity.
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