Annual Internet Service Provider Review 2024

About the review

Our methodology rests on three data pillars: performance data from our speed test, annual customer surveys, and a thorough index of internet plans from every major internet provider in the country. Combined, these comprehensive datasets fuel our critical analysis with over 28 million unique data points.

Performance data

The 2024 annual review includes a year of speed test data gathered from the HighSpeedInternet.com speed test and mobile app, which provides key performance measurements like speed, latency, and jitter.

Customer Feedback

Every year, HighSpeedInternet.com conducts a nationwide customer satisfaction survey, in which we ask customers to rate their internet service in key areas. We also gather details about their experience using the service and interacting with their ISPs. Finally, we ask customers how they feel about internet service in general to find out what factors have the most impact. In addition to influencing the scores, the survey data is our primary way of determining the influence of score factors. We listened to what internet users told us and made it our guide to crafting this annual review.

Internet plan index

HighSpeedInternet.com maintains a thorough index of internet plans where we record prices, speeds, and features, among other details. The review uses this data to determine the value of provider offerings.

This wealth of data allows us to gauge providers from multiple angles. With customer feedback and expert knowledge, we’ve carefully determined which parts of an internet service have the most impact, and which are most important to you, the customer.

See our methodology page for a more detailed guide to our scoring.

Best Overall: Google Fiber

According to HSI standards, the perfect ISP doesn’t exist yet, but Google Fiber comes close. On all fronts, the Alphabet ISP stood up to our analysis with persisting high performance. Our multiple data sets revealed a combination of excellent speeds, high-value pricing, and superb customer feedback. These trends placed Google Fiber at the top of our ranking as America’s Best Overall ISP.

The Google Fiber plan roster shows a big emphasis on technical performance. Its slowest plan is 500Mbps with the fastest reaching an absurd 8,000Mbps. But, while those advertised speeds are impressive, we place more value on real-world data—and there, too, Google Fiber excelled. Performance data from the HSI speed test confirmed that Google Fiber customers experience the second fastest average download speeds in the country with excellent results for latency and jitter, as well.

Google Fiber’s fast speeds are complemented by a great customer experience. Google Fiber customers gave the highest satisfaction ratings in nearly every category in our annual customer satisfaction survey. Customers reported an easy onboarding and setup, along with excellent interactions with customer service representatives.

Our analysis of Google Fiber was unquestionably favorable, but, we did identify one key weakness: its pricing. It’s not that its prices are unfair. In fact, Google Fiber gives you more for the money than the vast majority of ISPs; but it doesn’t have any budget plans. Residential plans start at $70 per month, with Google Fiber Webpass, a dramatically different service, starting at $60 per month. We like to see ISPs offering at least one plan for $50 per month or less, and because Google Fiber failed in that regard, our methodology heavily penalized its overall provider score.

Another, albeit lesser, downside is Google Fiber’s limited availability; wherever you are reading this, chances are you can’t get it. It’s a long way off from the massive customer volumes and coverage areas of providers like Xfinity and AT&T. Thankfully, expansion is picking up with announced building plans in five states in the last two years. And it seems that’s just the start, as Google Fiber is already seeking investors for more building projects.

Despite a few setbacks, Google Fiber forced its way to the top of our list through sheer performance. It gives you world-class speeds, its customers feel extremely satisfied with their service, and it offers some of the best-value plans out there. If Google Fiber introduces a good mid-tier or budget plan and grows its coverage area while retaining the same level of quality, it may be the first ISP to receive a perfect score from HighSpeedInternet.com.

Fastest ISP: Cox

The HighSpeedInternet.com fastest ISP is crowned solely on average download speed. According to over seven million speed test results, Cox is the nation’s fastest internet provider. Its average speeds outran its cable and fiber competitors alike.

Cox places a high priority on speed for its customers. Last year, the cable ISP announced a completely free speed upgrade that affected millions of customers. The upgrade raised one of the brand’s most popular internet plans from 250Mbps to 500Mbps. Lower-tier plans got an even bigger boost: Those on Cox’s 100Mbps plan saw their speeds shoot up to 250Mbps. It’s moves like these that likely led to Cox outperforming the competition.

Cox is primarily a cable ISP, which runs on hybrid-fiber coax (HFC) networks. These networks utilize coaxial cables for the home connection while performing the heavy data lifting with super-high-bandwidth fiber lines or “fiber backbones.” The combination allows for high bandwidth while retaining the availability of coaxial networks.

Best Value: Frontier

Our pricing and value methodology doesn’t just look for the best deal, it searches for the best deal for the most people. We consider almost all internet plans, but it’s those all-around gems we’re the most interested in. Frontier’s offerings provide fast, symmetrical speeds at a super accessible price and that’s why they’re 2024’s best value ISP.

Frontier’s high-tier plans offer similar value to Google Fiber, however, they also provide one of the best mid-cost internet plans out there: the Frontier Internet Fiber-optic 500. For $44.99*, Frontier delivers 500Mbps of symmetrical bandwidth with unlimited data. On top of that, you get the strength and reliability of a fiber internet connection.

Most Reliable: Google Fiber

Consistent reliability is essential for any modern internet service, but it goes deeper than outages. Reliable internet doesn’t just mean your service works, but that it operates smoothly. That’s why, in addition to customer-reported reliability, our reliability score also incorporates real-world performance data, like latency and jitter. According to over 7,000 internet customers and more than 28 million performance data points, Google Fiber is the nation’s most reliable ISP.

Approximately 79% of surveyed Google Fiber customers reported rarely or never experiencing an outage, the most out of any ISP in the survey. Google Fiber customers also reported the fewest slowdowns.

Fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) networks, like Google Fiber’s, are as tough as it gets. Fiber signals can travel further with less amplification compared to cable internet and they also resist electromagnetic interference. These and other physical advantages of fiber internet often provide improved performance and reliability over other internet tech types.

Best Customer Service: Google Fiber

Who hasn’t connected with customer service only to find themselves even more frustrated after? Our survey made it very clear: How companies treat their customers is very important. It impacts retention and new business. With so many options out there for internet service, the market empowers consumers to find providers that they feel treat people with respect.

Google Fiber customers gave the highest customer satisfaction ratings and the highest overall satisfaction ratings, earning the fiber ISP a third win for best customer service. Customers reported kind and helpful representatives and speedy issue resolutions.

Google Fiber claims it will answer support calls in under 10 seconds any time of day, and that extra care goes into avoiding bouncing customers between different representatives.

Customer service is an often-overlooked factor in the equation of choosing your next internet service. In fact, data from our customer survey revealed that less than 5% of customers prioritize customer service when shopping for an ISP. The data also revealed that customers who prioritized customer service were significantly more satisfied with their service overall.

Takeaways

It’s easy to get lost in the marketing hype of flashy companies and new tech; Sometimes the facts match the hype and sometimes they don’t. A hard look at the data quickly grounds these distractions to help you discover which service is truly best for your home. This year’s analysis led to some illuminating results.

The quality of Google Fiber

Google Fiber’s performance and customer care metrics were so strong they punched right through our pricing and availability penalties. We’re truly impressed and look forward to seeing this ISP grow.

Keep an eye on the value

When you take a hard look at what you get for the money, the most popular providers aren’t always at the top. Our analysis swiped away flashy multigigabit offerings in favor of practical every-citizen internet plans that make sense for the average household. Frontier and Optimum are way ahead of the pack in this regard.

Cable is king of speed

Cox cable customers are enjoying the nation’s fastest average speeds, which may come as a surprise due to the technological advantages of fiber providers. Cox’s free speed upgrades seem to be more impactful than FTTP connections, on a grand scale.