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Best fiber internet providers of 2023


Rebecca Palmer smiles for the camera
Headshot of Brittany McGhee
Researched by
Headshot of Bri Field
Reviewed by
Bri FieldAssigning Editor
Updated 2/2/23

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We’ve chosen AT&T as the best fiber internet provider in the US. Of all our top picks, it has the highest available speed (up to 5 Gbps). Other plans are also affordable for the speeds you get. In addition to a great customer experience, you also get unlimited data, a free nationwide hotspot network, and equipment at no extra cost.

Top fiber internet providers of 2023

Editor's choice
AT&T
AT&T logo
Staff rating
4.5
Customer rating
4.1

  • Plans starting at $55.00 - $180.00
  • Download speeds up to 5000Mbps
  • Upload speeds up to 5000Mbps

Click below for all current AT&T deals

Disclaimer: Availability and pricing are subject to location. Conditions apply. For offer details, view disclaimers

Runner-up
Verizon Fios
Verizon Fios brand
Staff rating
4.2
Customer rating
4.3

  • Plans starting at $49.99 - $110.00
  • Download speeds up to 940 Mbps
  • Upload speeds up to 880 Mbps

Click below for all current Verizon Fios deals

Disclaimer: Availability and pricing are subject to location. Conditions apply.

Runner-up
Frontier Communications
Frontier Communications brand
Staff rating
4.1
Customer rating
3.9

  • Plans starting at $49.99 - $164.99
  • Download speeds up to 5000 Mbps
  • Upload speeds up to 5000 Mbps

Click below for all current Frontier Communications deals

Disclaimer: Subject to availability. Cannot be combined with other offers. Other restrictions, Frontier policies and service terms apply. For a list of terms, view disclaimers

Runner-up
Google Fiber
Google Fiber brand
Staff rating
4.3
Customer rating
4.6

  • Plans starting at $70.00 - $100.00
  • Download speeds up to 2000 Mbps
  • Upload speeds up to 1000 Mbps

Click below for all current Google Fiber deals

Disclaimer: Availability and pricing are subject to location. Conditions apply.

How we chose the best fiber internet providers

If you’re looking for speed, you’re in the right place. Our picks for the best fiber providers offer pure fiber connections and plans with speeds of 1 Gbps (1,000 Mbps) or more. That's fast enough to stream multiple videos in 4K, host massive video chats, or upload huge files in seconds.

In addition to performance, we’ve compared fiber providers based on their pricing for different speed tiers, as well as whether they offer favorable terms. We also considered equipment, fees, and the overall customer experience.

Our rankings for the best fiber providers mirror our star ratings for top internet providers in the US. AT&T has a bigger footprint than Verizon Fios and slightly better customer service ratings, but just barely. (1) When it comes to internet for gaming, AT&T offers plans five times as fast.

That said, you can’t go wrong with any of the fiber providers on this list, so don’t worry if our top pick isn’t available in your area.

Fiber internet providers stand on pedestals, the winner wearing a crown

#1: AT&T fiber internet

AT&T logo
Staff rating
4.5
Customer rating
4.1
Price: $55.00 - $180.00
Pros

  • Competitive fiber plans
  • Solid customer support
  • Excellent reliability
Cons

  • Expensive installation fees
  • Higher monthly prices than some competitors
  • Few TV bundling options

Specifications
Speed: 50Mbps - 5000Mbps

Disclaimer: Availability and pricing are subject to location. Conditions apply. For offer details, view disclaimers

AT&T offers the fastest available fiber speeds, up and down

AT&T is our pick for the best fiber provider, and it has the fastest available internet speed of any provider on this list. Its fastest plan reaches 5 Gbps and is an amazing value for incredible speed. That said, most families probably won’t need a plan that fast (or that pricey).

If you don't need breakneck speed, AT&T Fiber has more affordable plans with speeds between 300 Mbps and 2 Gbps. These are a good value and will likely match your need for speed without blowing up your budget.

AT&T Fiber has unlimited data and includes equipment with the monthly price. The provider doesn’t require contracts (unless you’re going for a bundle deal), and prices are guaranteed for two years. In addition to high speeds and straightforward terms, AT&T offers a great customer experience, ranking #3 among internet providers rated by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). (2) You can reach the company on Twitter, Facebook, online chat, or phone, or you can browse it's resource library for quick answers.

We also love AT&T's nationwide network of mobile hotspots. Having access to secure internet on the go is a big deal, and it's great that your home internet service includes this feature.

Before you sign up, you should know about installation fees. AT&T charges $99 for professional fiber internet installation and touts its self-installation kit as free, but there's a hidden $49 activation fee if you DIY. It's pretty typical compared to other providers, but we don't love it.

It's worth noting that while AT&T is growing its fiber network rapidly, some customers are still stuck with DSL internet. (3) It's more expensive and not as fast, but we like that AT&T still makes it available in places fiber doesn't quite reach.

#2: Verizon Fios internet

Verizon Fios brand
Staff rating
4.2
Customer rating
4.3
Price: $49.99 - $110.00
Pros

  • Reliable, symmetrical speeds
  • No contracts
Cons

  • Limited availability
  • No plan above 1 gig

Specifications
Speed: 300 Mbps - 940 Mbps

Disclaimer: Availability and pricing are subject to location. Conditions apply.

Verizon offers fast speeds, excellent service, and guaranteed pricing

Verizon Fios doesn’t offer speeds as fast as AT&T, but it has very high customer satisfaction, earning it our #2 spot for fiber internet. Its fiber plans have three different speed tiers, from 300 Mbps to 1 Gbps, all of which are reasonably priced. And if you have certain 5G mobile plans from Verizon, you can bundle to get serious savings.

Real-world testing shows that Verizon keeps its promises when it comes to speed. Data from Ookla's Speedtest.com found median upload speeds were 176 Mbps in in Q3 of 2022. That was slightly faster than AT&T and the top of the list among fiber providers in the study. (4)

There are extra perks, too. If you spring for the highest tier, you get 2TB of cloud storage, access to the Disney + bundle, and a MoCA adapter for gaming included with the monthly price.

Verizon Fios doesn’t require contracts on any plan and guarantees pricing for a full 10 years. That blows the competition out of the water! Plus, there are no data caps, no installation fees, and a router is included with most plans.

In addition to keeping its terms simple, Verizon Fios keeps its customers happy. It has excellent customer service and is the highest-rated provider by the ACSI (2). You can call, chat online, or browse it's customer support library 24/7.

#3: Frontier Communications internet

Frontier Communications brand
Staff rating
4.1
Customer rating
3.9
Price: $49.99 - $164.99
Pros

  • Well-priced fiber plans
  • Fast speeds
  • No data caps
Cons

  • Limited fiber availability
  • Slow DSL in non-fiber areas
  • Poor customer service reputation

Specifications
Speed: 500 Mbps - 5000 Mbps

Disclaimer: Subject to availability. Cannot be combined with other offers. Other restrictions, Frontier policies and service terms apply. For a list of terms, view disclaimers

Frontier offers excellent speeds but lackluster customer service

Whether you’re looking for affordability or speeds faster than 1 Gbps, Frontier fiber internet has you covered. Its fastest plan reaches 5 Gbps, but its 500 Mbps plan stands out the most because it has the lowest price for that speed among the providers on this list.

Better yet, the speeds you pay for are the speeds you get. In tests by the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Frontier recorded some of the fastest speeds of all providers. (5) With an included eero 6 or eero6E mesh Wi-Fi system, depending in your plan, you can be confident you're getting those speeds in every room of the house.

Frontier fiber service comes with unlimited data and guarantees its price for one year or more. Contracts aren’t required in general, but you may have to agree to one to take advantage of promotional bonuses.

If you need help with your service from Frontier, you can visit the help center to read helpful articles are start a chat.

#4: Google Fiber internet

Google Fiber brand
Staff rating
4.3
Customer rating
4.6
Price: $70.00 - $100.00
Pros

  • Fast, reliable speeds
  • Affordably priced
  • Super-simple plan selection
Cons

  • Limited availability
  • No budget plans

Specifications
Speed: 1000 Mbps - 2000 Mbps

Disclaimer: Availability and pricing are subject to location. Conditions apply.

Google Fibers offers fast speeds and great value, but no budget plan

Google Fiber offers great performance and competitive pricing, but it lacks a cheap speed tier, unlike other fiber providers. Its footprint is pretty tiny, too, dropping it out of our top three picks.

Google's two fiber plans have 1 Gbps and 2 Gbps download speeds and are a very good value, but there is a small catch. Fiber providers typically offer symmetrical speeds, but Google Fiber’s 2 Gbps download speed plan has only 1 Gbps upload speed. This shouldn’t be a dealbreaker for most since it’s still very fast, but it’s important to note for those looking for the best performance.

Like the other fiber providers here, there are no contracts or data caps, and a router is included. The company also throws in mesh extenders for free, which is a great perk for those with homes where a single router won’t reach every room.

Installation is free, but you might have to wait a long while for a tech to visit your home if its your first time getting fiber internet.

Google Fiber isn’t ranked individually by the ACSI like the other providers on this list, but customers love its straightforward billing. You can even log in with your existing Gmail address! It's great internet, if you can get it.

What to consider when choosing a fiber internet provider

We’ve picked the best fiber internet providers with speed, cost, equipment, and customer experience in mind so you can find a provider with top performance within your budget. We rank all providers using a rigid ratings methodology that helps us make sure we get it right.

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Speed

Fiber has the best overall performance and highest speeds of any internet connection type. All the fiber internet providers in this ranking offer speeds of 1 Gbps or even faster, so you can easily meet the needs of even the heaviest internet users in your household. But even at speeds lower than 1 Gbps, fiber-optic technology has excellent performance. Fiber’s symmetrical speeds give you equal upload and download speeds, which make it the perfect choice for video calls and gaming.

These providers also have 100% fiber infrastructure, meaning they lay fiber cables all the way to your home (rather than just to your neighborhood or just to the curb). Because they bring fiber directly to your home, they have better performance than providers with hybrid infrastructures that use a mix of cable and fiber.

Cost

You can also get a ton of speed for your dollar with fiber plans, so it’s a great value. Fiber plans often cost about the same as plans from top cable internet providers, but prices for plans with speeds over 1 Gbps can get very costly. In addition to considering monthly prices for different speed tiers, we’ve favored providers that don’t have equipment fees or data caps and don’t require contracts.

Keep in mind that fiber may require professional installation, especially if your home needs new wiring. Installation usually costs around $100, but this fee may be waived by the provider. Self-installation is also an option in some cases if your home is fiber-ready.

Equipment

Fiber internet requires optical network terminals instead of modems, but these are almost always provided free of cost by the internet service provider. From there, you can expect a fairly standard router setup.

All our top fiber internet providers include routers with their plans, and we generally recommend using that equipment instead of bringing your own. It's sure to meet the latest Wi-Fi standards, and that means it will work seamlessly with your new ONT and all your devices.

We also recommend mesh networks, especially if your provider includes them with monthly pricing. These top-of-the-line systems will let you access your incredibly fast speeds from anywhere in the house.

Customer experience

You want a smooth installation process and responsive customer service from your internet service provider. After reading countless customer reviews, we’ve chosen fiber providers that offer the best overall customer experience and rank highly in the American Consumer Satisfaction Index (ACSI).

Wrapping it up

Fiber internet is a great choice when you need reliability, fast speeds, and straightforward costs. Our top pick for fiber internet is AT&T, which includes a mobile hotspot network with its fantastic speeds and excellent customer service.

Verizon Fios internet is nipping at its heels, with a slightly better customer service record and 10-year price guarantee. Frontier fiber internet is a great choice if it's available in your area, and Google Fiber is excellent but hard to find.

When you want the best of the best home internet, a fiber connection is almost always going to be your best choice.

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The people behind our research
We believe the best information comes from first-hand customer experience and methodical research by subject-matter experts. We never source information from "content farms," and we don’t generate content using artificial intelligence (AI). You can trust that our recommendations are fact-checked meticulously and sourced appropriately by authentic, industry-recognized people.
Contributing researchers
Rebecca Palmer smiles for the camera
Researched by
Rebecca PalmerSenior Staff Writer

Rebecca Palmer has been writing about tech and consumer finance since 2010. Her work has been featured in the Deseret News, Idaho Business Review, TopTenReviews.com, and more. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Weber State University in Ogden, Utah, and lives in Salt Lake City with her exceptionally delightful pup, Nymeria.

Headshot of Brittany McGhee
Researched by
Brittany McGheeContributing Writer

Brittany is a Contributing Writer for Switchful with over five years of experience writing about technology in the US and Europe. Her primary focus is on mobile and internet topics. She is passionate about helping people choose the right tech for their needs at the right price.

Contributing reviewer
Headshot of Bri Field
Reviewed by
Bri FieldAssigning Editor

Bri Field has a background in academia, research writing, and brand marketing. She has edited scientific publications, conference papers, digital content, and technical communications. As Assigning Editor, she enjoys ensuring all content is accurate, clear, and helpful. In her free time, you can find her in the kitchen trying a new recipe, out on a hike, or working through her massive TBR list.


Endnotes and sources

(1) "Price of Residential Internet Drives Customer Choice, J.D. Power Finds," J.D. Power. Accessed 13 October 2022.

(2) “Internet Service Providers,” American Customer Satisfaction Index. Accessed 9 August 2022.

(3) "AT&T kills DSL, leaves tens of millions of homes without fiber Internet," ArsTechnica. Accessed 19 December 2022.

(4) "Speedtest Global Index," Speedtest.net. Accessed 11 January 2023.

(5) "Measuring Fixed Broadband - Tenth Report," FCC. Accessed 11 January 2023.

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