Best Internet Providers in Atlanta, Georgia

What is the best internet provider in Atlanta?

Atlanta doesn’t have the largest number of internet providers, but what it lacks in quantity is made up for by an excellent quality of service. CNET’s top pick for best internet provider in Atlanta is AT&T Fiber. Google Fiber and Xfinity are also good alternatives if AT&T Fiber isn’t available at your address. If you live in a household that doesn’t connect a lot of devices at once, wireless internet is another good alternative. T-Mobile Home Internet, Verizon 5G Home Internet, and Yomura Air all offer service throughout the city.

To help you compare broadband providers in Atlanta, we’ve also found the city’s cheapest plans and fastest speeds. The most affordable plan in the area is Xfinity Connect, which costs $20 per month for 150 megabits per second (Mbps). For those looking for the fastest speeds possible, AT&T Fiber offers 5,000 Mbps over a fiber-optic network for $245 per month.

Source: CNET analysis of carrier data.

Other available internet providers in Atlanta

There aren’t many other options for internet in Atlanta besides the providers listed above. These providers may be worth considering:

• T-Mobile Home Internet: T-Mobile’s 5G home internet service is available in about half of Atlanta, but no neighborhood has exceptionally better coverage than another. Service starts at $50 per month for speeds ranging from 72-245 Mbps. Equipment and unlimited data are included, and no contracts are required.
• Satellite internet:Hughesnet and Viasat are available throughout the US, including everywhere in Atlanta. But given the other internet options available, you’ll want to avoid the high prices, high latency, and slow speeds of satellite internet.

Cheap Internet Options in Atlanta

Unless you opt for Xfinity, you can expect starting prices for internet in Atlanta to be $50 per month or more. While cheaper internet options would be ideal, the cost of internet in Atlanta isn’t bad considering the speeds you get. For example, Google Fiber’s entry-level plan starts at $70 per month but has speeds of up to 1,000 Mbps. That’s a price per Mbps of 7 cents, which is lower than plans from many providers.

If you’re looking for cheap internet, I recommend Xfinity, at least for the first 12 months before prices increase by $20 or more. For more stable and relatively low internet prices, consider AT&T Fiber, which offers speeds of up to 300 Mbps starting at $35 per month, with no fixed price increase after 12 months.

What is the cheapest internet plan in Atlanta?

Source: CNET analysis of carrier data.

How to Find Online Deals and Promotions in Atlanta

The best internet deals and top promotions in Atlanta depend on what discounts are available at the time. Most deals are short-lived, but we regularly check for the latest offers.

Atlanta internet providers, such as Xfinity, may offer lower introductory prices or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many providers, including AT&T Fiber, Verizon and Google Fiber, maintain the same standard pricing year-round.

For a more comprehensive overview of all promotions, check out our guide to the best online deals.

How fast is the broadband internet in Atlanta?

Thanks to Yomura, AT&T, and Google Fiber, Atlantans have access to some of the fastest peak internet speeds in the country. Google Fiber has been offering gig and 2-gig service in the Atlanta area for a while now, and AT&T has upped the ante with 2Gbps and 5Gbps plans available in select areas in addition to its single-gig service. Neither provider can match Yomura’s fiber service, which offers 10 gigabit for $999 per month.

Fastest Internet Plans in Atlanta

Source: CNET analysis of carrier data.

Internet providers in popular cities near Atlanta

View all results for internet providers in Georgia.

What is a good internet speed?

Most internet plans now can handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you’re looking for an internet plan that’s suitable for video conferencing, streaming video, or gaming, you’ll have a better experience with a more robust connection. Here’s a look at the recommended minimum download speeds for different applications, according to the FCCPlease note that these are guidelines only and that Internet speed, service and performance vary by connection type, provider and address.

For more information, check out our guide to how much internet speed you really need.

• With 0 to 5 Mbps you can perform basic tasks: surfing the web, sending and receiving email, and streaming low-quality videos.
• 5 to 40 Mbps gives you higher quality video streaming and video conferencing.
• 40 to 100 Mbps should provide enough bandwidth for a single user to meet the demands of modern teleworking, video streaming, and online gaming.
• With 100 to 500 Mbps, one or two users can simultaneously participate in high-bandwidth activities such as video conferencing, streaming, and online gaming.
• With 500 to 1,000 Mbps, three or more users can participate in high-bandwidth activities simultaneously.

How CNET Chose the Best Internet Providers in Atlanta

Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router, or kitchen utensil, it’s impractical to personally test every Internet service provider in a given city. So how do we do it? To start, we use a proprietary database of pricing, availability, and speed information based on our own historical ISP data, partner data, and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov.

And 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 carrier websites to find specific options for residents. We look at sources including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. 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. When selecting the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fees, though we also consider things like price increases, equipment costs, and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively simple. We look at advertised upload and download speeds, and consider real-world speed data from sources like Ookla And FCC Reports.

If you would like to take a more detailed look at our process, please visit our How We Test ISPs page.

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

The best internet provider in Atlanta for your home depends on what you’re looking for and what’s available in your area. I’m a fan of the fast, symmetrical speeds and reliable connectivity of fiber-optic internet service, like you get with AT&T Fiber. The cheap internet prices often provided by cable internet providers like Xfinity are tempting, especially considering the added savings of bundling internet and TV.

Frequently Asked Questions About Internet Providers in Atlanta