Best Internet Providers in Raleigh, North Carolina

What is the best internet provider in Raleigh?

Raleigh is well-known for its art, science and history -- and its widespread fiber internet availability. Because of its extensive coverage and impressive speeds, CNET recommends AT&T Fiber as the best overall internet provider in Raleigh. While Google Fiber is also a great alternative as the fastest option in the city, it's a lot pricier.

If you're living in Raleigh, you're in a great position when it comes to solid internet options. The city consistently ranks among the top on Ookla’s list for internet speeds among the 100 most populated cities in the United States, easily outpacing cities like Irvine, California, and San Antonio. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)

If you're not looking for fiber, there are plenty of other choices to choose from, too. Spectrum stands out among the crowd, with its cable internet covering the region -- even in areas fiber may not reach.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

All available Raleigh residential internet providers

Fiber is fantastic and Spectrum is everywhere, but there are a few other ISPs to consider when you’re shopping in Raleigh. T-Mobile, in particular, is worthy of consideration as a no-fuss option with simple pricing and a tempting bundle discount.

• AT&T Internet: Remember those AT&T Fiber dry spots I mentioned earlier? Those areas may be serviced by AT&T’s Internet Air network instead. Speeds can vary greatly. You may only get 10Mbps in some areas of Raleigh for the standard price of $55 a month. So basically, this is me saying, please look for a better option. Go with AT&T Internet Air only if you don’t have faster fiber or cable available to you.
• Frontier Internet: Frontier’s DSL network sneaks into Raleigh from the northwest so that you will find it as an option up around Brier Creek and Bethesda and around the Durham area. Speeds, however, can be variable. You may be able to pull down speeds of only 12Mbps, or you may be able to get 25Mbps. The price is $30 a month. Residents of Durham can look for Frontier’s faster fiber offerings, which are much preferable to DSL. Raleigh folks, however, will want to skip the Frontier DSL and opt for Google or AT&T fiber, if available, or Spectrum’s speedier cable plans.
• Google Fiber: AT&T Fiber’s toughest competitor is Google Fiber, which doesn’t quite match AT&T’s top speed or availability across town. However, it’s worthy of strong consideration if it services your address. While Google Fiber has speeds of up to 8,000Mbps in some areas of the US, you’ll be looking at speeds up to 2,000Mbps in Raleigh. That will cost you $100 a month, or you can get 1,000Mbps service for $70 a month. There are no contracts or data caps, and equipment is included, making it one of the best deals for fast, reliable internet. 
• T-Mobile Home Internet: Availability of either T-Mobile or Verizon home internet services is a roll of the dice that depends on your address and whether any slots are available. Check into T-Mobile if you’re interested in trying fixed wireless internet. T-Mobile costs $50-$70 a month for typical speeds up to 415Mbps. Equipment is included and there are no data caps. It’s a particularly good deal for T-Mobile phone customers. Bundle an eligible phone plan and get your internet for just $35-$55 a month.
• Satellite internet: Starlink, Viasat and Hughesnet are competitors in the satellite internet market. They likely won’t be your first choice for getting online unless you’re in a rural area with few options. However, digital nomads with a home base in Raleigh might consider Starlink’s on-the-go plan for staying connected while traveling.

Raleigh broadband at a glance

Raleigh residents are in the enviable position of having two major fiber providers competing for their dollars. It’s hard to go wrong with either AT&T Fiber or Google Fiber, but pricing is a factor that can influence which ISP you go with. It may push you to explore options from Spectrum, Verizon or T-Mobile.

Pricing info on Raleigh home internet service

The average starting price for home internet in Raleigh is around $50 a month. It will cost you a little more to get started with fiber. AT&T’s 300Mbps runs $55 a month while Google’s lowest-cost plan is $70 for 1,000Mbps. Look to Spectrum, Verizon and T-Mobile if you’re searching for budget options. 

Cheap internet options in the Raleigh metro area

One of the cheapest ways to get online is to bundle Verizon or T-Mobile home internet with an eligible phone plan. That knocks your home internet price down to as low as $35 for Verizon and T-Mobile. If you’re shopping for Google Fiber, keep an eye out for the ISP’s Neighborhood 100 Meg plan, which is available in some areas. It’s for households with an annual income under $40,000, and it costs only $20 a month. You’ll be asked to confirm your income when you sign up. 

What's the cheapest internet plan in Raleigh?

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Fastest internet providers in Raleigh

Wanna go fast? Google Fiber and AT&T Fiber have got your back with 8,000Mbps and 5,000Mbps plans that are available in Raleigh. That’s in stark contrast to the other end of the speed spectrum. Pokey DSL service in some locations may only reach 10Mbps. But chances are good your Raleigh address qualifies for fiber, or at least Spectrum’s cable offerings that reach up to 1,000Mbps. 

AT&T Fiber and Google Fiber duke it out for the fastest ISP in Raleigh as the best multi-gigabit internet plans, but AT&T has an edge with the wide availability of its 5,000Mbps plan whereas Google is some steps behind despite offering a faster 8,000Mbps plan. Now, AT&T’s offering comes with a hefty price tag of $245 a month, which may encourage you to consider a different option, like AT&T’s 2,000Mbps plan for $145 or Google Fiber’s rival 2,000Mbps plan that trims that to $100 monthly.

What are the fastest internet plans in Raleigh?

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Raleigh

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. 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 FCC.gov.

It doesn’t end there: We use the FCC’s website to check our data and ensure we consider every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. We look at sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power, to evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; all information provided is accurate as of publication.

Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:

1. Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
2. Do customers get decent value for what they’re paying?
3. Are customers happy with their service?

While the answers to those questions are often layered and complex, the providers that come closest to “yes” on all three are the ones we recommend. When selecting the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, although we also factor in things like price increases, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively straightforward. We look at advertised upload and download speeds and also consider real-world speed data from sources like Ookla and FCC reports.

To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.

What’s the final word on internet providers in Raleigh?

In case it’s not obvious already, I’m a fan of fiber. It’s fast. It’s reliable. Upload speeds are just as fast as download speeds. Your decision on whether to go with AT&T Fiber or Google Fiber may be made for you if just one of those ISPs services your address. If both do, consider the price (Google’s plans are a little cheaper) and speed (AT&T tops out at a faster 5,000Mbps unless you happen to be in a 8,000Mbps area for Google). If it comes down to it, Spectrum almost certainly services your Raleigh home, but future price hikes aren’t appealing. I’ve also tested out and been happy with fixed wireless, so don’t sleep on Verizon or T-Mobile as an affordable alternative.

Internet providers in Raleigh FAQs