Best Internet Providers in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
What is the best internet provider in Myrtle Beach?
In a city where tourism is central, local businesses often provide the best experiences. The same can be said for home internet service in Myrtle Beach.Local provider Horry Telephone Cooperative is the best internet provider in Myrtle Beach. Together with local customer service, HTC has the largest fiber internet coverage in the region and competitive pricing for high-speed plans that include unlimited data and no contracts.
Some of the other top providers in the area offer cheaper rates or faster speeds, depending on what you’re looking for. Spectrum, Frontier Fiber, and fixed wireless internet providers T-Mobile Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home Internet are some other top choices for broadband in Myrtle Beach. Although availability is limited, Frontier Fiber offers the fastest and cheapest internet in the area, with multigigabit speeds of 2,000 and 5,000 megabits per second and an introductory price of $25 per month for 500 Mbps.
Best internet in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach internet providers compared
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data limit | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Border Read the full review |
DSL, fiber optic | $30-$130 | 200-5,000 Mbps | No | No | Varies | 6.3 |
| Horry Telephone Cooperative | Cable | $50-$75 | 500-1,000 Mbps | No | No | Yes | No |
| Spectrum Read the full review |
Cable | $50-$70 | 500-1,000 Mbps | Free modem, $10 router rental (optional) | No | No | 7.2 |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read the full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($50 with eligible mobile plans) | 72-245Mbps | No | No | No | 7.4 |
| Verizon 5G home internet Read the full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 for eligible Verizon Wireless customers) | 50-1,000 Mbps | No | No | No | 7.2 |
Show more (1 product)
Shop providers at my address
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What is the cheapest internet plan in Myrtle Beach?
| Plan | From price | Maximum download speed | Monthly equipment costs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Border fiber 200 Read the full review |
$30 ($40 after 12 months) | 200Mbps | No |
| Border fiber 500 Read the full review |
$45 ($55 after 12 months) | 500Mbps | No |
| HTC Tier 1 | $50 ($70 after 12 months) | 500Mbps | No |
| Verizon 5G home internet Read the full review |
$50 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | 50-300Mbps | No |
| Spectrum Internet 500 Read the full review |
$50 ($80 after 12 months) | 500Mbps | $10 (optional) |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read the full review |
$50 | 72-245Mbps | No |
Show more (2 articles)
Shop providers at my address
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to Find Internet Deals and Promotions in Myrtle Beach
The best internet deals and top promotions in Myrtle Beach depend on what discounts are available during that time. Most offers are short-lived, but we regularly review the latest offers.
Internet providers in Myrtle Beach, such as Frontier Fiber, may offer lower introductory rates or gift cards for a limited time. Many, including Spectrum and Horry Telephone Cooperative, have the same standard prices year-round.
For a more comprehensive list of promos, check out our guide to the best internet deals.
Fastest Internet Plans in Myrtle Beach
| Plan | From price | Maximum download speed | Maximum upload speed | Data limit | Connection type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frontier Fiber 5 Gig Read the full review |
$130 ($140 after 12 months) | 5,000 Mbps | 5,000 Mbps | No | Fiber |
| Frontier Fiber 2 gig Read the full review |
$100 ($110 after 12 months) | 2,000 Mbps | 2,000 Mbps | No | Fiber |
| Frontier Fiber 1 Gig Read the full review |
$65 ($75 after 12 months) | 1,000 Mbps | 1,000 Mbps | No | Fiber |
| HTC Tier 3 | $75 ($90 after 12 months) | 1,000 Mbps | 1,000 Mbps | No | Fiber |
| Spectrum internet performance Read the full review |
$70 ($100 after 12 months) | 1,000 Mbps | 35Mbps | No | Cable |
| Verizon 5G Home Plus Internet Read the full review |
$70 ($45 with eligible mobile plans) | 85-1,000 Mbps | 50-75Mbps | No | Fixed wireless |
Show more (2 articles)
Shop providers at my address
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What is a good internet speed?
Most internet plans can now handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you’re looking for an internet plan that’s suitable for video conferencing, video streaming, or gaming, you’ll have a better experience with a more robust connection. Here you will find an overview of the recommended minimum download speeds for different applications, according to the FCC. Please note that these are guidelines only and internet speed, service and performance will vary by connection type, provider and address.
For more information, see our guide to how much internet speed you really need.
- With 0 to 5 Mbps you can handle the basics: surfing the web, sending and receiving email, and streaming low-quality video.
- 5 to 40 Mbps gives you higher quality video streaming and video conferencing.
- 40 to 100 Mbps should give a single user enough bandwidth to meet the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming.
- With 100 to 500 Mbps, one to 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 perform high-bandwidth activities simultaneously.
How CNET chose the best internet providers in Myrtle Beach
Internet 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 is our approach? We’ll start by researching the price, availability, and speed information using our own historical ISP data, carrier sites, and Federal Communications Commission mapping information at FCC.gov.
It doesn’t stop there: we go to the FCC’s website to check our data and make sure we’re taking into account every ISP that provides service in an area. We also enter local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. We look to sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and JD Power, to evaluate how satisfied customers are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; all information provided is accurate at the time of publication.
Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:
- Does the provider offer access to reasonably high internet speeds?
- Do customers get a good price for what they pay?
- Are customers satisfied with their service?
The answers to these questions are often layered and complex, but the providers that come closest to ‘yes’ to all three questions are the ones we recommend. When selecting the cheapest internet service, we look at the subscriptions with the lowest monthly amount, but we also take into account things such as price increases, equipment costs and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively easy. We look at advertised upload and download speeds and take into account real-world speed data from sources such as Ookla And FCC reports. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)
Visit our page on how we test ISPs to explore our process in more depth.
Frequently Asked Questions About Internet Service Providers in Myrtle Beach
What is the best internet provider in Myrtle Beach?
Horry Telephone Cooperative is the best internet provider in the Myrtle Beach area. HTC, the largest fiber internet provider in Myrtle Beach, offers fast speeds and simple terms of service, along with the customer service and accessibility of a local headquarters.
Is fiber optic internet available in Myrtle Beach?
Approximately 47% of households in Myrtle Beach qualify for fiber optic internet, according to the FCC. Accessibility is greatest south of the airport, but the neighborhoods around Broadway at the Beach and Pine Lakes Golf Club also have decent fiber availability. HTC is the largest fiber internet provider in Myrtle Beach, but Frontier Fiber also has a small presence in the city.
Frontier Fiber availability is largely limited to North Myrtle Beach. Between Frontier Fiber and HTC, fiber optic internet is available to nearly 70% of households in North Myrtle Beach. according to the FCC.
Which internet provider is the cheapest in Myrtle Beach?
Frontier has the lowest internet starting rate in Myrtle Beach: $25 per month for maximum download speeds of 500 Mbps, about 5 cents per Mbps.
Frontier increases monthly prices after 12 months, bringing this 500Mbps plan to $55 per month after the annual commitment is over. Frontier’s 200Mbps starts at $30 per month, rising to $40 per month after a year. On the other hand, HTC’s 500Mbps plan starts at $50 per month and goes up to $70 per month, which is reasonable considering the broadband speeds and HTC’s coverage of Myrtle Beach.
In general, when choosing a cheap broadband price, you should consider annual price increases, overall broadband speed, and cost per Mbps to ensure you get the deal.
Which internet provider in Myrtle Beach offers the fastest plan?
Frontier Fiber offers the fastest internet plan in Myrtle Beach, up to 5,000 Mbps, starting at $130 per month. Service is largely limited to North Myrtle Beach. Spectrum and HTC have the widest availability of gig speeds in Myrtle Beach, with speeds up to 1,000 Mbps starting at $70 and $75 per month, respectively.
