Best Internet Providers in Ohio

Sports, rock ‘n’ roll and Cincinnati chili. Birthplace of multiple US presidents and Neil Armstrong. Ohio has it all. It’s home to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. But is Ohio worthy of the Home Internet Hall of Fame? Ohio came in 17th in a recent poll Ookla Speedtest.net US States Ranking in terms of home internet speeds, so it’s not exactly the Roger Staubach of home broadband, but it’s doing well.

What is the best internet provider in Ohio?

In Ohio, there are a number of reliable internet providers that you can rely on. Spectrum is CNET’s pick for best ISP in Ohio, largely based on in-state availability and reasonably fast speeds. When it comes to fast uploads to go with fast downloads, look to AT&T Fiber for fast plans and straightforward pricing. Limited availability in the Buckeye State keeps AT&T from the top spot, however.

We all know Cleveland rocks, but Ohio knows how to roll, and residents deserve fast, reliable home internet for work and play. Read on for rural broadband options, a look at 5G home internet as an alternative, and a special recommendation from a hometown hero ISP for Cincinnati residents.

Best Internet Options in Ohio

Source: CNET analysis of carrier data.

Finding fast, reliable internet in rural areas can be a challenge for Ohioans who live outside of major metropolitan areas. Fixed wireless is one way rural households can get connected. Here’s how fixed wireless compares to other types of internet connections. Fixed wireless in Ohio is primarily provided by local ISPs. You’ll need a clear line of sight to a tower. Our chart only includes a few of the fixed wireless ISPs that serve the state, but there are more. Enter your address using the Federal Communications Commission Broadband Map location summary tool to find internet providers that can serve your rural home.

Fixed wireless may be one of the most widespread options for rural internet, but some lucky locations may be able to get fiber. Imagine Networks, for example, serves some rural areas north of Dayton with speeds of up to 1,000 Mbps.

Satellite internet is often a last resort when wired internet providers can’t reach your home and fixed wireless doesn’t work for you. Starlink, Viasat, and Hughesnet are the competitors, and they all have pros and cons. Starlink has the potential for faster speeds than the others. It also doesn’t require a contract, but you will have to swallow a hefty initial equipment fee. Check out our comparison of the best satellite internet providers.

Ohio Broadband at a Glance

Every household in Ohio has access to broadband speeds that meet the federal definition of 25 Mbps downloads and 3 Mbps uploads, according to the FCC. That includes satellite internet, which can be expensive and slow. If we look at wired internet alone (DSL, cable, and fiber), about 90% of Ohio households are connected to broadband speeds. There are pockets of fiber throughout the state, primarily in larger metropolitan areas. AT&T Fiber is one provider to watch, but also keep an eye on regional ISPs like Buckeye Broadband in northwest Ohio and Altafiber in Cincinnati.

How fast is broadband in Ohio?

Faster speeds can be elusive in the Buckeye State. FCC data shows that only about 36% of Ohio households can achieve 1,000 Mbps downloads with 100 Mbps uploads. That reflects the fact that less than a third of Ohio households have access to fiber internet. Ookla’s Speedtest.net data shows that Ohio has an average median download speed of 217 Mbps, with Spectrum as the state’s fastest provider.

ISP availability can vary greatly depending on the address, and you may find fiber in unexpected places. For example, Buckeye Broadband offers 10-gig fiber for home use in some locations, including SanduskyFrontier serves some smaller towns such as Dover with fibre up to 5,000 Mbps.

Some parts of Ohio can enjoy some of the fastest residential speeds in the country. That includes AT&T Fiber and Frontier’s 5,000Mbps plans, and Buckeye Broadband’s blazing-fast 10,000Mbps plan, which comes at a hefty $1,000 per month (PDF link). There is limited availability for these plans. Most Ohioans with access to Spectrum or other cable providers can expect speeds in the gig range.

Slow internet is no fun. One remedy is to upgrade your plan or switch to a faster provider. If those aren’t options for you, try these four essential steps to speed up your internet connections and get the most out of what you already have.

Internet Distribution by City in Ohio

It’s hard to cover an entire state’s broadband options while still giving individual cities the attention they deserve. That’s why we’re also compiling lists of the best internet providers in cities across the U.S., including Ohio. We’ll tackle details like internet connection types, top speeds, and cheapest providers. Check back later if you don’t see the city you’re looking for below. We’re working to add more locations every week.

Internet Prices in Ohio

Expect to pay around $50 per month for internet in Ohio. There are some cheaper plans, such as Spectrum’s $40 per month 300 Mbps service. That’s a good deal as long as the introductory price holds. If you’re shopping online for Spectrum and don’t see the $30 per month 100 Mbps plan, call your ISP to see if it’s available to you.

Fiber can be pricey at the highest speed tiers, but there are some good deals to be found at the gig level and below. AT&T Fiber’s $65-per-month 300 Mbps plan is the ISP’s least expensive plan, but its $90-per-month gig plan is a better value for power users. If you’re in Altafiber’s coverage area, you can get fiber for the relatively low price of $40 per month for 400 Mbps — faster speeds may be available for the same cost based on deals. When determining the best deal for your home, consider the cost of renting or purchasing equipment (if necessary) in addition to your need for speed. If you’re a gaming enthusiast, have multiple power users, or need to move large files, it may be worth investing more in a faster fiber plan.

How CNET Chose the Best Internet Providers in Ohio

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.

For a more detailed look at our process, please visit our How We Test ISPs page.

The Future of Broadband in Ohio

The state BroadbandOhio Office Estimates 300,000 households (representing nearly 1 million Ohioans) lack access to high-speed internet. One of the biggest challenges is connecting rural and underserved areas to better internet options. There’s good news when it comes to funding that expensive effort. The federal Broadband Equity Access and Deployment program is providing nearly $800 million to the state to develop broadband for underserved and underserved communities. It may take time to distribute funds and build out networks, but it’s a positive step in the right direction for broadband equity in the Buckeye State.

Frequently Asked Questions About Internet in Ohio