Best Internet Providers in Albany, New York
According to CNET, Verizon Fios is the best choice for internet providers in Albany because of its fast fiber connectivity, asymmetric speeds, and excellent customer satisfaction. However, Spectrum comes in a close second because of its wide availability. Meanwhile, T-Mobile and Verizon have also expanded availability in the region, giving residents a variety of options.
New York City offers only a handful of internet providers to customers, many of which don’t even offer a super-fast plan. But as the internet landscape continues to change, so will Albany’s offerings. After all, Verizon’s 5G home internet availability is growing alongside T-Mobile’s 5G service.
CNET examines customer service, speed, pricing, and overall value before recommending the best broadband in your area. Below, you’ll find everything you need to know about the best internet providers in Albany, including budget-friendly options, fast plans, and more.
Best Internet Options in Albany
Albany doesn’t have a wide range of internet offerings, but it does have some of the largest (and most reliable) ISPs. It should be noted that all prices on this page include any applicable discounts for using paperless billing. If you choose not to go that route, you will pay more.
Remark: The prices, speeds, and features described in the article text may differ from those in the product detail cards, which represent national carrier offerings. Your specific Internet service options, including prices and speeds, depend on your address and may differ from those described here.
Internet providers in Albany overview
Supplier | internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data limit | Contract | CNET Review Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wireless in Hudson Valley | Fixed wireless connection | $25-$100 | 25-200 Mbps | No | No | n/a | |
HughesNet Read the full review | Satellite | $50-$95 | 50-100 Mbps | $15 or $300/$450 one-time purchase | 100-200 GB (no hard data limit) | 2 years | 5.7 |
Spectrum Read the full review | Cable | $50-$80 | 300-940 Mbps | Free modem; $7 router (optional) | No | No | 7.2 |
T-Mobile Home Internet Read the full review | Fixed wireless connection | $50 | 72-245 Mbps | No | No | No | 7.4 |
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read the full review | Fixed wireless connection | $60-$80 | 85-1,000 Mbps | No | No | No | 7.2 |
Verizon Fio’s Read the full review | Fiber | $50-$90 | 300-1,000 Mbps | No | No | No | 7.6 |
Viasat Read the full review | Satellite | $99 | 50 Mbps | One time purchase of $15 or $250 | No | No | 6.1 |
Show more (3 items)
Source: CNET analysis of carrier data
All available residential internet providers in Albany
In addition to the best ISPs in Albany, there are a few smaller companies to choose from. These companies cater to rural residents and those looking for something different.
- Wireless in Hudson Valley: Hudson Valley Wireless is a local service for Upstate New York that provides fixed wireless service, primarily in rural areas. Prices range from $25 per month to $100 per month for 25 to 200 Mbps.
- Satellite internet: HughesNet, Viasat, and Starlink all offer satellite plans for Albany. HughesNet and Viasat plans start at $50 per month, with Starlink starting at $120 per month. Viasat plans range in speed from 12-50 Mbps, while HughesNet speeds range from 25 Mbps to 50 Mbps, but has a range of data available at higher price points. Starlink’s average download speed is 53 Mbps. HughesNet and Viasat are subject to rapid price increases and contracts, while Starlink is a bit more flexible.
- Verizon 5G Home Internet: Verizon’s 5G Home Internet is available throughout Albany, and prices start at just $60 per month. Speeds range from 85 Mbps to 1,000 Mbps, and Verizon Wireless customers are eligible to save money on their bill every month. Best of all, there are no contracts, fees, or data caps, and Verizon offers a price guarantee for at least two years.
Home Internet Service Pricing Information in Albany
Internet prices in Albany are reasonable. The average starting price is just under $43 per month, which puts it right in the middle of all the cities CNET has covered so far. It’s just a little more expensive than New York City ($41 per month), but just below Austin, Dallas and Philadelphia. In general, every ISP in Albany has plans for $50 or less.
Cheap Internet Options in the Albany Metropolitan Area
Spectrum and Hudson Valley Wireless both offer budget-friendly options in the $25 to $30 range for customers. These are designed for people without high-demand Internet needs (casual web browsing, checking email, and keeping in touch with family). However, Spectrum’s regular 300 Mbps Internet plan for $50 and Verizon’s Fios 300 Mbps tier for $60 are both better deals, with a cost per Mbps of just 17 cents compared to $1 for Hudson Valley Wireless and 30 cents for the Spectrum 100 plan.
What is the cheapest internet plan in Albany?
Supplier | Starting price | Maximum download speed | Monthly equipment costs | Contract |
---|---|---|---|---|
Wireless in Hudson Valley | $25 | 25 Mbps | No | No |
Spectrum Internet 100 Read the full review | $50 | 300 Mbps | Free modem; $7 router (optional) | No |
Verizon Fio’s Read the full review | $60 | 300 Mbps | No | No |
Viasat Read the full review | $99 | Up to 50 Mbps | $15 | 2 years |
HughesNet Read the full review | $50 | 50 Mbps | $15 | 2 years |
T-Mobile Home Internet Read the full review | $50 ($40 with eligible phone plan) | 245 Mbps | No | No |
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read the full review | $60 ($35 with eligible phone plan) | 300 Mbps | No | No |
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Source: CNET analysis of carrier data
Fastest internet providers in Albany
Unfortunately, there isn’t much really high-speed internet in Albany. With symmetrical download and upload speeds, Verizon Fios is the best option, but not everyone has access to it. Spectrum offers a 1-gig cable plan and has more availability, but you won’t find any multi-gig plans outside of that.
What are the fastest internet plans in Albany?
Supplier | Maximum download speed | Maximum upload speed | Starting price | Data limit | Contract |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Verizon Fios 1 Gig Read the full review | 1,000 Mbps | 1,000 Mbps | $99 | No | No |
Spectrum Internet Gig Read the full review | 940 Mbps | 35 Mbps | $80 | No | No |
Source: CNET analysis of carrier data
What’s the final word on internet providers in Albany?
Spectrum, Verizon, and T-Mobile all offer really solid internet options for Albany and have good coverage throughout the capital city. While Verizon Fios would be your best bet, Spectrum is a reliable alternative if it’s not available at your address. The wild card? T-Mobile Home Internet is an intriguing option that you can check out risk-free to see if it would work for your Albany household’s needs.
How CNET Picked the Best Internet Providers in Albany
Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router, or kitchen utensil, it’s impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. So how do we approach this? We start by examining pricing, availability, and speed information based on our own historical ISP data, the providers’ websites, and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov.
But it doesn’t stop there. We go to the FCC website to check our data and make sure we account for every ISP that offers service in an area. We also enter local addresses into provider websites to find specific options for residents. We look at sources including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and JD Power to evaluate how satisfied customers are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and pricing are subject to frequent change; all information provided is accurate at the time of publication.
Once we have this localized information, we ask ourselves three main questions:
- Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
- Do customers get value for their money?
- Are customers satisfied with their service?
While the answers to these questions are often layered and complex, the providers that come closest to “yes” to all three questions are the ones we recommend. Within these recommendations, we also look for the cheapest and fastest ISPs in that region. To explore our process in more depth, check out our How We Test ISPs page.
Frequently Asked Questions About Internet Providers in Albany
Is fiber optic internet available in Albany?
Who is the cheapest internet provider in Albany?
Hudson Valley Wireless offers a low-cost plan for $25 per month for 25 Mbps. However, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless customers may be able to find better deals on their own. For example, Verizon customers with qualifying cellular plans can get a Verizon Fios 300 Mbps plan or Verizon 5G Home Internet for $35 per month. Qualifying T-Mobile customers can sign up for T-Mobile Home Internet for $40 per month.
Which internet provider in Albany offers the fastest plan?
Both Verizon Fios and Spectrum offer gigabit plans, though Verizon’s plan is on a fiber network. That means your upload and download speeds will be comparably fast, while Spectrum’s cable network offers upload speeds that max out at 35 Mbps on its Gig plan.