Internet providers in New York City, NY

Best internet providers in NYC

New York City internet provider comparison

*Pricing per month plus taxes for length of contract. Additional fees and terms may apply. Pricing varies by location and availability. All prices subject to change at any time. May or may not be available based on service address. Speeds may vary. As of 04/12/24.

**Speed based on wired connection. Wireless speeds may vary. Available Internet speeds may vary by address. Gig capable modem required for Gig speed. For a list of Gig capable modems, visit spectrum.net/modem.

***For existing 5G Do More, 5G Play More or 5G Get More mobile customers who then add and maintain a home internet plan. Availability varies. Price guarantee applies to base monthly rate only. Auto Pay & paper-free billing req’d. Add’l $10/mo. w/o Auto Pay. Subj. to credit approval & may require a deposit. Other terms may apply. Wired speeds advertised. Wireless speeds may vary due to device limited, multiple users, networks & other factors. See Verizon.com/yourspeed for more info. Updated 04/12/24.

What speed do you need?

Before locking down an internet plan, consider what speed you need. For a small household of one to two users, a 75 to 100 Mbps plan will allow you to stream on one device at a time, check emails, shop and browse your social media.

A slightly faster 200 to 400 Mbps plan will keep a family of four or five seamlessly online, with the ability to stream or game on multiple devices. Sometimes, these intermediate plans are within $10/mo. or even cheaper than some of the advertised “cheapest” plans, so check plan speed before you buy. You might not need to go with the lowest price for the least speed.

If you live in a connected smart home with four or more heavy internet users, you’ll most likely need a 500 Mbps plan and over. Gamers and work-from-home users in a large household should consider at least 800 Mbps.

Cheapest internet providers in NYC

Looking to save money on your internet bills? It can be hard to know where to start, especially in a place like New York City, where there are many providers available. Astound, Optimum, Verizon Fios and Spectrum are the cheapest internet service providers in NYC.

The amount below is what you’ll pay for the corresponding plan, but keep in mind that there are other fees and costs that come with the internet, including installation charges and equipment rentals, that can range from $15 to $100 on average for these services. Be sure to inquire about this when you set up so that you’re not surprised by hidden fees, or on the other hand, you can choose to pay for a service you feel like you need.

*Pricing per month plus taxes for length of contract. Additional fees and terms may apply. Pricing varies by location and availability. All prices subject to change at any time. May or may not be available based on service address. As of 04/12/24.

**Wireless speeds may vary.

Fastest home internet providers in NYC

High-speed plans in New York City start at $60/mo. and can reach $200/mo. Fiber plans are your best bet for fast internet. Smart homes with five or more heavy internet users or small businesses can benefit from the symmetrical download and upload speeds, but be careful not to buy more speed than you really need.

*Pricing per month plus taxes for length of contract. Additional fees and terms may apply. Pricing varies by location and availability. All prices subject to change at any time. May or may not be available based on service address. Speeds may vary. As of 04/12/24.

**Speed based on wired connection. Wireless speeds may vary. Available Internet speeds may vary by address. Gig capable modem required for Gig speed. For a list of Gig capable modems, visit spectrum.net/modem.

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Verizon Fios: Best overall

If you’re looking for great, reliable internet at an affordable price with no hassles, then Verizon Fios is the way to go. Verizon Fios uses fiber optic cable where you can get gig speeds starting at $89.99/mo. If you don’t want to spend this much, you can get a 300 Mbps plan starting at $49.99/mo. Verizon Fios rolled out a 2 gig plan in NYC last year as well.

Learn more about Verizon Fios internet

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Astound: Most affordable plans

For the most affordable Internet in NYC — and the best bang for your buck — we recommend Astound. Not only do they have a very inexpensive starting plan, they also offer some of the highest speeds for that price and no contracts. Astound introduced 1.2 gigabit internet to many areas in 2022.

Learn more about Astound

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Spectrum: Low-equipment fees

Spectrum charges $5/mo. for router rental — the modem is free — whereas most providers charge around $10-15/mo.

Learn more about Spectrum internet

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T-Mobile: Best for availability

T-Mobile is available to nearly all of New York City with one affordable plan starting at $40/mo. if you bundle cellphone services.

T-Mobile 5G Home Internet

Compare internet providers near New York City

Overview of internet access in NYC

There are dozens of internet providers operating in New York City, and you should have a choice between at least two. For example, Verizon and Spectrum share a similar footprint in NYC. 

If you can get Verizon Fios at your address — or any fiber internet — you should. It’s the fastest and most reliable technology by far, and it usually costs about the same as cable, which is a step down in speed. DSL service is also widely available, but it should be viewed as more of a last resort.

Keep in mind that not all providers are available in every neighborhood which is why we ask for your address. With an exact location, we can give you the most accurate results of internet service providers for your home.

Internet availability by connection type

When it comes to getting the internet into your home in New York City, there are different types of connections. NYC customers have access to many different types of internet, including fiber, cable, satellite and DSL. The most common types are cable internet at 99% coverage and DSL at 95%. About 83% of NYC internet customers can access fiber.

NYC’s ISP statistics

Verizon Fios users get the fastest internet in New York City by a long shot. Its average download speed is over 212 Mbps — enough to stream Netflix in 4K on 10 TVs at once — but its upload speed is where it stands out, at nearly 152 Mbps.

Verizon’s fiber internet gets you double what any other provider does, a key consideration for online gamers and houses with multiple people working or learning from home.

Astound is a close second, with download speeds over 202 Mbps. Spectrum, Optimum and Starry range from 130 to 175 Mbps, with T-Mobile back at 77 Mbps.

NYC internet speed compared to the national average

New York City gets pretty average internet speeds compared to the state and country. Its 154.3 Mbps download speed is above average and plenty for most households — while its upload speeds are a little faster due to fiber internet in New York, which provides the same upload and download speeds.

• Download speeds

  New York City – 154.5 Mbps

  New York State – 154.5 Mbps

  U.S. – 134.3 Mbps

• Upload speeds

  New York City – 87.3 Mbps

  New York State – 77.5 Mbps

  U.S. – 48.0 Mbps

Source: The average speeds listed above are based on over 5 million real speed test results taken in NYC over a six-month window from the M-Lab NDT Data Set from July 1 to December 31, 2022. Measurement Lab is an open-source platform aimed at advancing Internet research.

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NYC internet provider store locations

New York City internet FAQs

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