Best Internet Providers in Missouri
What is the best internet provider in Missouri?
If you’re looking for a new internet provider and you live in Missouri, I’ve reviewed popular providers to help you find the best option for you. I don’t live in Missouri, but if I did, I’d eat barbecue all the time, make room for the Cards in my MLB fandom, and sign up for AT&T Fiber when it’s available. AT&T Fiber, CNET’s Pick for Best Internet Provider in Missourioffers stable, competitive prices on the best selection of high-speed plans from all major internet providers in Missouri.
But AT&T Fiber isn’t available everywhere. Spectrum, Google Fiber, T-Mobile, Kinetic, or other ISPs may be your best option for internet in Missouri, depending on what’s available in your area.
All Residential Internet Providers in Missouri
The providers listed above aren’t the only ISPs you’ll encounter in Missouri. Here’s a closer look at all the major internet providers in Missouri and how they compare to each other.
Best Missouri Internet Providers Compared
| Supplier | Monthly price range | Download speed range (Mbps) | Connection type | Monthly data limit | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T Fiber Read the full review | $55-$180 | 300-5,000 | Fiber | No | No |
| AT&T Internet Read the full review | $55 | 10-100 | Copper based (DSL) | 1.5 TB | No |
| EarthLink Read the full review | $55-$190 | 12-5,000 | DSL, fiber optic | No | 1 year |
| Google Fiber Read the full review | $70-$125 | 1,000-5,000 | Fiber | No | No |
| Hughesnet Read the full review | $50-$80 | 15-100 | Satellite | 100-200GB | 2 years |
| Kinetic | $30-67 | Up to 50 Mbps DSL, 200-940 fiber | DSL, fiber optic | No | No |
| Mediacom Read the full review | $20-$60 | 100-940 | Cable | 200GB-6TB | No |
| Optimal Read the full review | $40-$80 | 300-940 | Cable | No | No |
| Brilliant light Read the full review | $39-$115 | 300-940 | Cable | 700GB-Unlimited | No |
| Spectrum Read the full review | $50-$90 | 300-940 | Cable | No | No |
| Sterlink Read the full review | $90-$1,500 | 100-250 | Satellite | 1TB | No |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read the full review | $60 ($40 for eligible Magenta Max customers) | 72-245 | 5G | No | No |
| American cell phone | $30-$60 | Differs | 4G LTE, 5G | No | 3 years |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read the full review | $50-$70 ($35-$45 for eligible Verizon Mobile customers) | 50-1,000 | 5G | No | No |
| Viasat Read the full review | $70-$300 | 12-100 | Satellite | 40-300GB | 2 years |
| Xfinity Read the full review | $40-$80 | 75-1,200 | Cable | 1.2 TB – Unlimited | 1 year (optional) |
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Honorable Mentions for Missouri Internet Provider
These providers may be available in your area, but lack the speed, competitive pricing, or statewide availability to be included among the best ISPs in Missouri. Click on one of the links below to learn more about the provider.
Missouri Broadband at a Glance
Every household in Missouri has access to broadband speeds — that’s 25 Mbps down and 3 Mbps up — according to the FCC. When you factor in wired connections (read: no satellite or cell service), only about 82% of Missouri households are capable of broadband speeds or higher.
Cable Internet — from providers such as Mediacom, Sparklight, Spectrum, Xfinity and others — makes up the bulk of wired broadband coverage in Missouri. Copper-based, or DSL, Internet is available to about two-thirds of households, though only about half can get broadband speeds or faster.
As for fiber optic internet, about 38% of Missouri households are connected. However, high availability in densely populated areas such as Kansas City, St. Louis and Springfield can distort the state average.
Internet Distribution by City in Missouri
It’s hard to cover an entire state’s broadband options and give individual areas the attention they deserve. That’s why we’re also compiling lists of the best internet providers in cities across the U.S., including Missouri. We’ll tackle details like internet connection types, top speeds, cheapest providers, and more. Check back later if you don’t see the city you’re looking for below. We’re working to add more locations every week.
missouri internet price information
A few internet providers in Missouri, such as Kinetic, Mediacom, Optimum and Xfinity, offer plans with introductory rates under $50. Verizon 5G Home and T-Mobile Home Internet may also be available for under $50 if you qualify for the discount.
Opting for the cheapest plan often means sacrificing speed, but not always. For $40 to $55 a month, you can get download speeds of up to 300 Mbps from Optimum, AT&T Fiber, Spectrum, and others. Upgrading to the next speed tier will likely only add $20 or so to your monthly bill, and gig service is available for $67 to $90, depending on the carriers available in your area.
Internet Subscriptions for Low-Income Households in Missouri
| Plan | Starting price | Maximum download speed | Equipment costs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Access from AT&T | $30 | 100 Mbps | No |
| Optimal internet benefit Read the full review | $15 | 50 Mbps | No |
| Spectrum Internet Help Read the full review | $18 | 30 | No |
| Xfinity Internet Essentials Read the full review | $10-$30 | 50-100 | No |
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How fast is broadband in Missouri?
Recent Ookla Speed Test Data ranks Missouri 34th among U.S. states, with a median download speed of around 169 Mbps. Google Fiber recorded the fastest average speeds in the state at around 272 Mbps, but the provider is unfortunately only available in Kansas City.
At 169 Mbps, Missouri’s median download speeds fell below the national average of 203 Mbps, but that doesn’t necessarily mean Missouri’s internet is slow. Spectrum, Missouri’s leading cable internet provider, had the fastest median download speeds of any major provider at 235 Mbps. According to the FCC, download speeds of 250 Mbps or higher are available to more than 83% of Missouri households, so if you want faster than average speeds, chances are you can get them from Spectrum or other high-speed providers in your area.
How CNET Chose the Best Internet Providers in Missouri
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 multi-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.
Summary of Internet Service Providers in Missouri
If I were shopping for internet in Missouri, specifically Kansas City, St. Louis, or Springfield, I would first check to see if AT&T Fiber was available. If not, Spectrum, the provider with the fastest median download speeds nationwide, would definitely be my next choice.
For rural areas in Missouri, Kinetic and T-Mobile Home Internet are the best options for broadband speeds and unlimited data. If those providers aren’t available, look to Hughesnet for internet in the absence of wired or 5G connections.
Other providers, including Google Fiber, Mediacom, Optimum, Sparklight, and Xfinity, may be available depending on where you live (or move to) in Missouri. These providers, and really any ISP that offers service at your address, are worth considering. It’s important to explore all of your available internet options when choosing the best ISP and plan for your home.
Frequently Asked Questions About Internet in Missouri
Is the internet good in Missouri?
Ookla speed test data ranks Missouri as the 34th fastest state in median download speeds at 169 Mbps and slightly higher (31st) with median upload speeds around 22 Mbps. While these speeds are below the national average, many Missourians — about 82% of households — have access to high-speed internet plans with advertised speeds of 300 Mbps and higher from providers like AT&T, Mediacom, Optimum, Spectrum, Xfinity, and others.
Is there fiber optic internet in Missouri?
According to the most recent FCC data, fiber optic internet is available to about 38% of Missouri households. As in other states, fiber optic availability in Missouri is largely limited to urban or suburban areas. Columbia, Kansas City, St. Louis, Springfield and other metropolitan areas in Missouri have the highest fiber optic internet usability.
How do I get internet in rural Missouri?
Satellite internet is always an option in rural areas, but check to see if cheaper, faster, and generally better internet connections are available before switching to satellite internet.
Kinetic’s DSL service is a popular choice for rural Missouri households, as is T-Mobile Home Internet. Both services have the potential to offer faster speeds than satellite internet and come with the bonus of unlimited data and significantly lower latency.
If T-Mobile Home Internet or wired connections like you get with Kinetic aren’t available, I would recommend Hughesnet satellite internet for rural areas in Missouri. The prices are lower than competing satellite provider Viasat and the service is much more readily available than Starlink.
