Best Cheap Internet Providers and Plans of 2026

Optimum won our award for Best Value in our 2026 Annual Internet Service Provider Review, and that’s because it’s some of the cheapest internet you can get. Price hikes are nowhere in sight, since the plan comes with a five-year guarantee. You also get an included Optimum Gateway (modem + router), and can add up to three Wi-Fi extenders for just $5 more per month.

The 300Mbps plan is an absolute steal, and it’s great for a small family or a few roommates. Whether you get cable or fiber internet from Optimum depends on where you live. But either way, we think you’ll be happy with your plan. If you aren’t, or if Optimum raises prices in the future, you’re free to switch without financial penalties.

T-Mobile offers affordable fiber internet in several markets for ultra-low prices, plus a five-year guarantee. T-Mobile earns high marks for speed and customer satisfaction, and it’s a great option if you can get it.

I love that the Fiber 300 plan has no data caps or annual contract requirements, and your Wi-Fi gear is included in the price. If you can’t get T-Mobile Fiber, you can sign up for T-Mobile 5G Home Internet. It comes with monthly discounts if you also have an unlimited wireless plan from T-Mobile. What’s not to love?

This entry-level plan is great for small households, and it includes free installation and Wi-Fi 7 equipment. Most providers don’t add this perk until you pay for multi-gig speeds, so seeing it here at the 100Mbps level is a treat.

There’s no annual contract, but Ziply Fiber’s low prices are only good for 12 months. You’ll be charged $20 extra every month if you don’t enroll in paperless billing and autopay with a bank account.

This sweet fiber internet plan lets you lock in your price for two years, and it includes Wi-Fi equipment. After two years, though, the service plan price goes up to $45 per month, and you’ll have to start paying $10 for Wi-Fi equipment.

Installation is free if you order online, but it may cost up to $99 if you order another way. There’s also a $30 activation fee and a $10 monthly “Auto Pay & Eco Save” fee, but you can get out of it if you agree to autopay and paperless billing. Mobile bundles are available, but you have to check out separately.

Kinetic Fiber offers symmetrical 100Mbps speeds on its fiber network, with no data caps or contract requirements. It’s a great price for the first year, but you’ll have to pay $10 per month to rent a Kinetic Wi-Fi gateway unless you have your own equipment. There’s also a charge of up to $8 if you don’t want autopay and paperless billing (in certain states).

Speeds of 100Mbps aren’t very fast, but they’re suitable for small households. And since those speeds are delivered over fiber-optic cables, you can count on reliable performance any time of day.

Astound’s largest cable internet service area is in the Northeast, serving New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C. Astound also provides cable internet in Illinois and along the West Coast.

With 300Mbps speeds, this plan is solid if you live alone or with a couple of roommates. Astound often adds installation at no extra cost. Prices may rise steeply after a year or two of service, though, so set yourself a reminder to shop for internet service again when your low rates expire.

It’s worth noting that GFiber and Astound plan to merge, with the deal expected to close sometime in 2026. That could impact pricing and service level availability.

WOW! offers both cable and fiber internet, but what you can get depends on your address. Either way, speeds of 300Mbps are good for small households, and you get the WOW! Price Lock Promise. You also get an included modem, but there’s no easy way to see your broadband label, and you may have to call in to order.

WOW! doesn’t offer traditional TV bundles, but you can pair it with YouTube TV if you want to stream. If you need wireless service, you can add WOW! Mobile powered by Reach Mobile, but it’s hard to recommend. Prices are fairly high, and you can’t use eSIM devices.

We love to see these low prices from EarthLink, but it doesn’t own its network. Instead, it rents space on the networks of other providers, acting as a middleman.

The payoff for customers is a history of great customer service and no requirement for credit checks, but you should shop carefully. You might be able to get better rates by going directly with the original provider. If you qualify for this fiber plan where you live, your price will be good for a year.

Xfinity’s 300Mbps plan is a great deal, and it’s widely available due to Xfinity’s huge national footprint. You get just enough download speed for the average household (even if everyone is video calling or streaming at the same time). The price is guaranteed for the first year, but if you pay a little more, you can lock in low prices for five years.

Xfinity doesn’t require contracts, and you get unlimited data. You also get included equipment, and you can try Xfinity Mobile free for a year.

With a starting price of just $49.99 per month, Verizon’s cheapest fiber internet plan gives you excellent speeds for a midsized household—enough to let you stream in 4K and play online games on several devices. You also get equally fast upload speeds, making this plan perfect for working from home and all the Zoom meetings, uploading, downloading, and social media procrastination that entails.

Verizon Fios plans come with unlimited data and don’t require a contract to sign up. You also get included Wi-Fi gear, and you can add myHome streaming perks starting at $10 each. Best of all, Verizon recently purchased Frontier, so you can benefit from great prices and stellar customer service in even more places.