What is the best internet provider in Boston?
Verizon Fios is the best internet provider in Boston. The 100% fiber-optic provider offers fast, symmetrical download and upload speeds, lengthy price guarantees on competitively priced plans, simple service terms and unique signup bonuses.
That said, the case for the best ISP in Boston could also be made for Xfinity. The cable provider offers the fastest download speeds in Boston, up to 2,000 megabits per second. Others ISPs, including Astound — which has the cheapest plan in Boston starting at $20 per month for up to 300Mbps — and hometown startup Starry, are worth checking out as well. Like finding the best seat at Fenway, the answer depends on what’s available and what you want to spend.
CNET considers speeds, pricing, customer service and overall value to recommend the best internet service in Boston across a number of categories. Our evaluation includes referencing a proprietary database built over years of reviewing internet services. We validate that against provider information by spot-checking local addresses for service availability. We also do a close read of providers’ terms and conditions and, when needed, will call ISPs to verify the details.
Despite our efforts to find the most recent and accurate information, our process has some limitations you should know about. Pricing and speed data are variable: Certain addresses may qualify for different tiers of service, and monthly costs may vary, even within a city. The best way to identify your particular options is to plug your address into a provider’s website.
Also, the prices, speed and other information listed above and in the provider cards below may differ from what we found in our research. The cards display the full range of a provider’s pricing and speed across the US, according to our database of plan information provided directly by ISPs, while the text is specific to what’s available in Boston. The prices referenced within this article’s text come from our research and include applicable discounts for setting up automatic payments each month — a standard industry offering. Other discounts and promotions might be available as well, for things like signing a term contract or bundling with multiple services.
To learn more about how we review internet providers, visit our full methodology page.
300 – 2,000 Mbps
$50 – $120 per month
Our take – There’s a lot to like about Verizon Fios, from fast speeds to simple, competitive pricing. The consistently high customer satisfaction scores indicate that the provider can deliver what it promises.
300 – 2,000 Mbps
$50 – $120 per month
75 – 2,000 Mbps
$20 – $120 per month
Our take – Fiber reigns as the superior connection type, but those expensive fiber-optic lines don’t yet have the reach of a cable internet service like that of Xfinity. As the primary cable provider in the area, Xfinity has the greatest coverage of any nonsatellite ISP in Boston.
75 – 2,000 Mbps
$20 – $120 per month
100 – 1,500 Mbps
$20 – $80 per month
Our take – Many Boston residents have the unique advantage of being serviceable for two cable internet providers: Xfinity and Astound (formerly RCN). That’s quite the bargaining chip if you want to call and negotiate with your provider for a lower rate. Or you may find Astound’s low pricing tempting enough to go ahead and switch internet providers.
100 – 1,500 Mbps
$20 – $80 per month
Fixed wireless
85 – 1,000 Mbps
$50 – $70 per month
Our take – For a simple and relatively low-cost internet connection in Boston, you may consider Verizon’s new 5G home internet service. Setup is simple, and there’s a discount for qualifying Verizon mobile customers, so it may be worth trying to see what speeds you can get.
Fixed wireless
85 – 1,000 Mbps
$50 – $70 per month
Fixed wireless
50 – 1,000 Mbps
$30 – $80 per month
Our take – Local internet startup Starry is available in many MDU complexes, such as apartments and condos throughout Boston. The fixed wireless service sends signals over the air directly to a receiver at the building, which then sends the service along the building’s wiring to individual units. The result is an easy and affordable way for renters to sign up for high-speed internet.
Fixed wireless
50 – 1,000 Mbps
$30 – $80 per month
Comparing all Boston residential internet providers
The ISPs featured above aren’t the only options for internet in Boston, but they are the ones I’d recommend most and consider if I were to leave the South for Beantown. Here’s a quick comparison of all Boston internet providers, followed by a look at some of the cheapest and fastest plans available in the area.
Boston internet providers compared
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What other internet options are there in Boston?
There aren’t many other options outside our picks for the best ISPs in Boston. Here’s a brief look at what to expect from other internet services in the area.
T-Mobile Home Internet: T-Mobile’s 5G rollout has been impressive, covering some 50 million homes nationwide, including many in Boston. Pricing is about the same as Verizon’s 5G home internet service in Boston, but speeds are likely to be slower.
Service terms are the same (no data caps, equipment fees or contracts), so if you’re interested in 5G home internet, you might as well go with the higher speed potential of Verizon. That said, T-Mobile does offer a $10 or $20 discount to qualifying mobile customers, so if you fall into that category, T-Mobile Home Internet may be worth considering.
Satellite internet: Hughesnet and Viasat are available nearly everywhere, so they technically are options for home internet in the Boston area. The high-priced, low-data services are best for rural areas, though, so I’d recommend considering other providers unless you plan on living in a remote cabin on Walden Pond. If so, you’ll want to stay there about as long as Thoreau did — satellite internet from Hughesnet and Viasat comes with a two-year contract.
Boston broadband at a glance
Virtually every household in the Boston area has access to download speeds of 250Mbps or higher and upload speeds of 25Mbps or higher.
The high-speed coverage comes from various sources, including cable internet from Xfinity and Astound and fiber service from Verizon Fios, which is available to approximately 75% of Boston addresses. As a result, Boston residents are likely to have at least two or three but possibly more broadband options to choose from.
Boston internet pricing
With introductory prices of around $20 to $25 per month, depending on your chosen provider and the discounts you qualify for, Boston has some of the lowest prices on high-speed internet anywhere.
Pricing stays competitive even as you get into faster speed tiers. Astound, for example, offers a 600Mbps plan starting at just $35, whereas Xfinity’s Superfast plan advertises speeds up to 800Mbps starting at $60 per month.
Cheapest internet plans in Boston
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Internet for low-income households in Boston
Boston residents seeking assistance paying for broadband service can apply for the Affordable Connectivity Program. The program grants approved households up to $30 to use toward their internet bill.
By applying the credit to any of the cheap internet plans available in Boston, it’s possible to get broadband for free or close to it. Additionally, Xfinity and Starry offer separate plans to help low-income households stay connected.
Xfinity’s Internet Essentials and Internet Essentials Plus plans have max download speeds of 50 and 100Mbps, starting at $10 and $30 per month, respectively. The plan comes with no activation or equipment fees, access to Xfinity Wi-Fi Hotspots and the option to purchase a computer for $150.
Starry’s Connect plan is available for just $15 per month (free if you qualify for the ACP credit) and comes with symmetrical speeds up to 30Mbps. Like all Starry plans, there are no equipment fees, data caps or contracts. What’s unique about this plan is that there is no special qualification process. You are automatically eligible to sign up if you live in or move to a building approved for this plan.
How fast is Boston broadband?
You won’t find the absolute fastest speeds in Boston. Recent Ookla speed test data places Boston 50th among US cities for its average download speeds, around 210Mbps. Numerous factors can affect speed test data, such as using a Wi-Fi connection and distance from the router, not to mention a plan’s max advertised speeds, so the data shouldn’t be too much of an indicator of what speeds you can get from your provider.
Fastest internet plans in Boston
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Internet in Boston recap
Two or three internet options, plus maybe one or two more in select areas, probably doesn’t feel like much, but Boston residents have more choices than most when it comes to home internet service.
While no providers offer multi-gigabit speeds, single-gig service is available from up to five providers. Pricing is competitive, with multiple plans starting at or below $30 per month. Service terms are fair regardless of the provider and plan you choose, as most come with unlimited data and no contract requirements, while some, like Verizon Fios and Starry, up the ante with free equipment as well.
How CNET chose the best internet providers in Boston
Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it’s impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. So what’s our approach? We start by researching the pricing, availability and speed information drawing on our own historical ISP data, the provider sites and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov.
But it doesn’t end there. We go to the FCC’s website to check our data and ensure we’re considering every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. To evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP’s service, we look at sources including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; all information provided is accurate as of the time of publication.
Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:
- Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
- Do customers get decent value for what they’re paying?
- Are customers happy with their service?
While the answer to those questions is often layered and complex, the providers who come closest to “yes” on all three are the ones we recommend.
To explore our process in more depth, visit our page on how we test ISPs.
Boston internet FAQs
Is fiber internet available in Boston?
Yes. Fiber internet service is available to approximately 75% of Boston residents, according to the most recent FCC data. Verizon Fios is the primary fiber-optic internet provider in the Boston area, though Xfinity, Starry and Astound may also offer fiber connections in parts of Boston.
Is Astound or Xfinity better?
You’ll find similar speed tiers from Astound and Xfinity, though Astound will likely be the cheaper option, at least for the first two years of service until standard pricing goes into effect.
Both providers primarily use a cable internet connection, meaning significantly lower upload speeds than download speeds and potentially slower overall during peak usage times. Xfinity’s cable network boasts broader coverage in Boston, making it easy to shop for or transfer Xfinity’s internet service when moving to or around Beantown.
Can I get free Wi-Fi in Boston?
Boston has the Wicked Free Wi-Fi program, which is free Wi-Fi offered by the city to residents when they are outside. It isn’t meant for use in homes or buildings. If you want free broadband service in your home, check out the Affordable Connectivity Program through the federal government to see if you qualify.
Is Google Webpass available in Boston?
No. Google Webpass, Google Fiber’s fixed wireless internet service, is no longer available in Boston as of 2018.
