The 7 fastest ISPs for speedy, reliable internet
Extracted on: 10/27/2025, 9:25:09 AM
Images found: 1
--------------------------------------------------
The 7 fastest ISPs for speedy, reliable internet Where do you get your internet? By Joe Hindy Oct. 26, 2025 Credit: Getty Images / Mykhailo Polenok / 500Px Plus AT&T FiberFastest ISPPros & ConsThe GoodTop-rated for speed and reliability Higher customer rating compared to other ISPs AT&T also provides mobile coverageThe BadNot available in Northeast or Northwest states Starts at $55 per monthThe BottomlineFrontier FiberBest ISP for gamingPros & ConsThe GoodFlexible plans start at $29.99 per month Reliable high-speed internet Best ISP for gaming Ranked second in customer sentimentThe BadLow-cost plans may have slower speedsThe BottomlineVerizonBest for streamingPros & ConsThe GoodHome internet plans start at $35 per month Choose from Fios, Verizon 5G, or Verizon LTE Home Internet plans Rated as one of the fastest ISPs Attractive bundle options available Fios fiber optic internet is a popular choice for high speeds Large national networkThe BadFios Home Internet only available in select regions of the NortheastThe BottomlineXfinityLargest networkPros & ConsThe GoodLarge national network Affordable plans available starting at $40 per monthThe BadNot the fastest ISP available Fiber optic service not available in all areasThe BottomlineCoxBest WiFi equipmentLarge fiber optic network 30-day money-back guarantee Home WiFi equipment includedPros & ConsThe GoodPlans start at $55 per month So-so customer ratingsThe BadLow score in consumer sentimentThe BottomlineSpectrumPros & ConsThe GoodLarge fiber optic network Receives high marks for consistencyThe BadLower-ranked among fiber optic ISPsThe BottomlineStarlinkBest satellite ISPPros & ConsThe GoodFast and reliable internet connections anywhere in the world Great for people in rural areas with no high-speed internet options Don't have to deal with a cable company DIY-style internet service Starlink may provide free hardware to some customersThe BadStarts at $80 per month for home internet Also requires Starlink Mini, priced at $499The Bottomline > Tech Shopping for an Internet Service Provider is rough. There are only a handful in any given area, and some folks in rural zones have as few as one.

While choice is often limited in this space, there are still options, and it’s always worth knowing how your ISP stacks up against its competition. In particular, we know that most people are concerned about speed, so we set out to find the fastest ISPs of 2025, based on Ookla speed tests.Ookla measures the speed and quality of internet connections and releases regular reports ranking the top ISPs in the United States. (Disclosure: Ookla and Mashable are owned by the same parent company, Ziff Davis.) Millions of individual speed tests go into these scores, with some ISPs being tested more than 25 million times in the United States alone.The most recent speed test report — which also included mobile carriers — sized up ISPs on a variety of factors, including speed, consistency, and availability. While T-Mobile took most of the trophies on the mobile carrier side of things, the same happened with ISPs, except this time it was AT&T Fiber that seemed to be stomping the market.Keep in mind that some regional ISPs, like Wide Open West or Windstream, aren't included in the latest Ookla report, but you can still perform speed tests of your own to see how your provider compares to the top national providers.

AT&T Fiber Fastest ISP The goodTop-rated for speed and reliability Higher customer rating compared to other ISPs AT&T also provides mobile coverage The BadNot available in Northeast or Northwest states Starts at $55 per month The Bottomline SpecsCoverage: 25 statesOokla 5-star customer rating: 3.7Type: Fiber opticIn Ookla's latest speed test, AT&T Fiber internet was the clear winner in virtually all categories. While Verizon and Cox narrowly edged out AT&T in the video streaming category, AT&T Fiber is still the fastest ISP for 2025, with strong performance and reliability across the country.AT&T scored first in Ookla’s Speed Score while also scoring a win in Consumer Sentiment. AT&T Fiber was also consistently the fastest ISP in 14 of the regions where it was tested. The next closest was XFINITIY with eight regions.

In individual cities, AT&T was also the fastest ISP in more cities than any other service Ookla tested.To top it off, AT&T Fiber was also the fastest ISP in 2024, suggesting it's a reliable choice.According to Ookla, AT&T Fiber achieved a Speed Score of 78.33, with top download speeds of 894.73 Mbps and top upload speeds of 823.55 Mbps.Median download speeds: 363.54 MbpsMedian upload speeds: 296.52 Mbps Frontier Fiber Best ISP for gaming The goodFlexible plans start at $29.99 per month Reliable high-speed internet Best ISP for gaming Ranked second in customer sentiment The BadLow-cost plans may have slower speeds The Bottomline SpecsCoverage: 27 statesOokla 5-star customer rating: 3.64Type: Fiber opticFrontier Fiber did surprisingly well against the giants of the ISP space.

The smaller company scored a second place victory in Ookla’s fixed speed rankings, and it managed similar scores in nearly all other rankings. (It was the winner as the best ISP for gamers.) There really isn’t much to complain about here. Even the brand’s coverage map is fairly large, covering 27 states along both coasts.

Frontier Fiber was consistent across all of the categories from Ookla. On top of its second place speed rating, it also scored first or second in Consistency, Gaming, and Consumer Sentiment. The lone outlier is Video Experience, where Frontier Fiber was unranked due to lack of data.Frontier Fiber received a Speed Score of 78.3, and barely trailed AT&T Fiber in overall speeds. For reference, the next closest ISP, Verizon, had median download speeds of 287.28, a significant difference.Median download speeds: 359.06 MbpsMedian upload speeds: 296.08 Mbps Verizon Best for streaming The goodHome internet plans start at $35 per month Choose from Fios, Verizon 5G, or Verizon LTE Home Internet plans Rated as one of the fastest ISPs Attractive bundle options available Fios fiber optic internet is a popular choice for high speeds Large national network The BadFios Home Internet only available in select regions of the Northeast The Bottomline SpecsCoverage: 25 statesOokla 5-star customer rating: 3.54Type: Fiber optic, 5G, LTEThe popular mobile network Verizon did rather well in Ookla’s testing of ISPs as well, and it may be a smart option if you're already in the Verizon network.

Like T-Mobile, it also has bundle options for customers who sign up for multiple services, letting you get free streaming services or even a Nintendo Switch. Verizon internet scored third overall in fixed speeds, and like Cox, Verizon bounced around the various categories measured by Ookla. For instance, Verizon is ranked last in Consistency, though all of the tested networks received a passing grade in that category.Ookla says Verizon also has the best video streaming experience of any ISP they tested. Big Red also scored well on Gaming (second) and Customer Sentiment (third).

The Consistency ratings are also neck-and-neck, so Verizon doesn’t get dinged too terribly for being at the bottom of that list. We should also note that Verizon offers multiple types of internet service, including both fiber optic and wireless. The brand's Fios Home Internet uses a fiber optic network, and it's the best, most reliable option in our experience. Unfortunately, Fios is only available in the Northeast, though Verizon also offers 5G and LTE home internet plans.

So, if you do have access to Verizon Fios Home Internet, that's your best bet for speed.Based on more than 6.2 million customer speed tests, Verizon received a Speed Score of 75.01. Median download speeds: 287.28 MbpsMedian upload speeds: 182.57 Mbps Xfinity Largest network The goodLarge national network Affordable plans available starting at $40 per month The BadNot the fastest ISP available Fiber optic service not available in all areas The Bottomline SpecsCoverage: 41 statesOokla 5-star customer rating: 3.11Type: Cable, fiber opticXfinity placed fourth overall in Ookla’s scores, bouncing around the rankings quite a bit. The ISP scored in the middle of Ookla’s Video Experience, Consistency, Consumer Sentiment, and Gaming categories, but didn't finish last in any category. Xfinity is also known for its wide-ranging network, and its affordable internet plans are available in most U.S.

states.Unfortunately, Xfinity only has limited fiber optic offerings, and most customers will be using cable internet. While median upload speeds are on the low end, Xfinity consistently achieves a median download speed of over 300 Mbps, which is generally considered the threshold for high-speed internet.With more than 24.7 million customer speed tests, Xfinity received an overall Speed Score of 69.95.Median download speeds: 309.71 MbpsMedian upload speeds: 38.72 Mbps Cox Best WiFi equipment The goodPlans start at $55 per month So-so customer ratings The BadLow score in consumer sentiment The Bottomline SpecsCoverage: 19 statesOokla 5-star customer rating: 2.86Type: Fiber optic, cableCox was all over the place on the rankings, and this ISP was last place in Ookla's Consumer Sentiment category. Despite this, Ookla found that Cox still offered reliable, high-speed connections for its customers. Also on the plus side, Cox offers fiber optic internet throughout its entire service area, which even Verizon can't offer.

Just remember that if you want the fastest possible speeds, you'll have to opt for higher-priced plans. Overall, Cox ranked fourth in terms of fixed speed, outranking national competitors like Xfinity and Spectrum. From there, it’s like throwing darts. It ranked second in Video Experience, second only to Verizon (which was the best ISP for streaming), fifth in Consistency, and sixth in Gaming.

So, if you use Cox for streaming Netflix, you are good to go.With an overall Speed Score of 70.55, Cox offered particularly good scores for video streaming.Median download speeds: 291.92 MbpsMedian upload speeds: 51.55 Mbps Spectrum The goodLarge fiber optic network Receives high marks for consistency The BadLower-ranked among fiber optic ISPs The Bottomline SpecsCoverage: 41 statesOokla 5-star customer rating: 3.06Type: Fiber opticWhile Spectrum's overall rating by Ookla lags behind providers like Xfinity, Cox, and Frontier, it scores highly on one of the most important metrics: median download speed. In this category, Spectrum outperforms Cox, Xfinity, and Verizon. With median download speeds of 323.06 Mbps, Spectrum customers should be able to depend on fast connectivity.Spectrum also ranked in the middle in terms of consistency, so while customers may experience the occasional downtime or lagging speeds, these interruptions should be rare. Spectrum also utilizes a fiber optic network, which results in fast speeds in general.Spectrum received an overall Speed Score of 67.71.Median download speeds: 323.06 MbpsMedian upload speeds: 21.40 Mbps Starlink Best satellite ISP The goodFast and reliable internet connections anywhere in the world Great for people in rural areas with no high-speed internet options Don't have to deal with a cable company DIY-style internet service Starlink may provide free hardware to some customers The BadStarts at $80 per month for home internet Also requires Starlink Mini, priced at $499 The Bottomline SpecsCoverage: GlobalOokla 5-star customer rating: n/aType: Satellite internetWhile Starlink wasn't included in the most recent Ookla Speedtest Awards, we know many consumers are interested in comparing Starlink to their ISP.

Ookla does have speed test data available for Starlink, the Elon Musk and SpaceX-powered satellite internet service. While it's far from the fastest ISP, it has long since caught up to broadband speeds, and it may be one of your only options in some areas. Thanks to the massive constellation of low-earth orbit satellites operated by SpaceX, Starlink has provided an entirely new way for people around the world to connect to the internet. The service has been a true game-changer for people in rural areas around the world, and for travelers who often go into remote areas.

If you ever wished you never had to deal with a cable or internet company ever again, you can probably see the appeal of Starlink. While the technology behind the service is complicated, it's actually very easy to set up. Customers need to purchase a dish like the $499 Starlink Mini and download the Starlink Android or iOS app to complete the setup. From there, you can manage your internet service in the app.

Starlink is more expensive than traditional ISPs, but the monthly cost is comparable to other high-speed internet plans. On the downside, Ookla speed tests show that Starlink has a wide range in performance depending on your location. And while performance has been steadily increasing, Ookla reports that "[only] 17.4% of U.S. Starlink Speedtest users nationwide were able to get broadband speeds consistent with the FCC’s minimum requirement for broadband," mostly due to lagging upload speeds.As of Q1 2025, Starlink median download speeds have nearly doubled since 2023.

In addition, Starlink has much lower latency than other satellite internet companies (that's a good thing), also per Ookla.Median download speeds: 104.71 MbpsMedian upload speeds: 14.84 Mbps Topics: Tech, AT&T Fiber, Frontier Fiber, Verizon, Xfinity, Cox, Spectrum, Starlink Recommended For You The AWS outage broke the internet and it turned my Eight Sleep Pod cold for the night Yes, the spendy smart beds use AWS and no, they don't function when offline. But that could be changing. Oct 25, 2025 Crafting your first AI-generated video in Sora How to use Sora by OpenAI: a step-by-step guide Oct 25, 2025 Samsung Galaxy XR vs Apple Vision Pro: Comparing specs and price Which mixed reality headset is for you? Oct 25, 2025 The Brick taught me how to be bored again It's the only thing that cuts my screen time in half.

Oct 25, 2025 9 fun ChatGPT image prompts that you can try right now All work and no play makes ChatGPT a dull boy. Oct 25, 2025 Trending on Mashable Emman Atienza dies at 19: Kuya Kim's daughter found dead at Los Angeles home, fans mourn the tragic demise “She brought so much joy, laughter, and love into our lives and into the lives of everyone who knew her,” said her family. Oct. 24, 2025 Park Bom’s before-and-after plastic surgery photos go viral amid exploitation accusations against YG Entertainment Fans are worried.

Oct. 24, 2025 Daniel Naroditsky and Vladimir Kramnik controversy explained: US Chess GM's untimely death sparks furore How a tragedy exposed chess’ deepening crisis of trust. Oct. 23, 2025