5 Best Internet Service Providers for Your New Home in 2024

Moving is hard enough without having to worry about staying connected in your new home. Whether you need the internet for work, play, or streaming the latest TV and movies, you don't want a lot of downtime while you settle into your new digs. To help you get back online and surfing the web as soon as possible, we've got the best internet service providers whether you're looking to bundle home services or need internet in a rural location.

Our top pick: Xfinity is our favorite internet service provider for your new home. Not only does the company make self-installation easy, it also has competitive pricing, tons of availability nationwide, and a reliable cable network for dependable internet service. 

We also like T-Mobile's 5G internet service to keep you connected during your move and provide service to rural locations where there are limited (if any) internet providers available.

AT&T stands out for its wide availability and bundling options that can help you save money on multiple services for your new home.  Read on to get all the details you need to make a smart internet decision for your new place.

The biggest factor in choosing an ISP for home internet is availability. There are lots of smaller ISPs that provide great service and have great customer reviews, but that doesn’t mean much if they don’t cover your area.

As such, we’ve limited our top picks to nationwide providers that cover a large segment of the US population. We also considered the speed and reliability of the internet service as well as its associated costs before adding it to our recommendations.

Already picked out a new ISP? Here are some tips on getting your connection set up.

T-Mobile Home Internet boasts the most widely accessible 5G home internet service in the US, reaching over 50 million households. With availability in over 600 cities, including many rural areas, T-Mobile offers a significant expansion in coverage compared to similar services. T-Mobile covers even more homes with its Home Internet Lite service, but it comes with a 100 to 300GB data cap and operates separately from the main T-Mobile Home Internet service.

T-Mobile is new to the home internet game, but they are a promising newcomer. We like that you never have a contract, and pricing is simple with no hidden fees. The best deals are for T-Mobile customers who can bundle home internet with voice services like Go5G Next, Go5G Plus or a Magenta® MAX phone plan. But at $60 per month (when you enroll in autopay), T-Mobile is still competitive price-wise even if you're not a voice customer. 

Customer-first policies like the 15-day Test Drive, where you can try out T-Mobile 5G Home Internet risk-free, also help this newbie stand out. On top of that, T-Mobile offers a price lock—but if the company increases your rate and you choose to leave within 60 days, T-Mobile will cover your final monthly charge.

Being the new kid on the block comes with some drawbacks, though. T-Mobile is still rolling out its service across the country. To find out if it's available in your area, check out the T-Mobile Home Internet eligibility page. The other drawback is slower speeds than most other competitors. While T-Mobile guarantees a minimum download speed of 25 Mbps, it currently maxes out around 245 Mbps. If you're a gamer or need fast download speeds for another reason, T-Mobile probably won't be able to deliver what you need yet.

Want to see what T-Mobile has in your area?

Comcast’s Xfinity internet service is one of the largest ISPs in the US and the largest provider of cable internet access.¹ Starting out as a cable television company, Comcast leveraged its large cable infrastructure to provide high-speed internet access to homes across the country. Based out of Philadelphia, Xfinity’s coverage is especially comprehensive on the East Coast, but it reaches most major cities on the West Coast as well

Like most ISPs, Xfinity gives you the option to either have your internet installed by a professional technician or (if your house is already wired for Xfinity) the option to install your own equipment and save some money. Installing a cable modem isn’t terribly difficult, but you do need a bit of technical skill. There are also slight differences between equipment models that can trip you up if you’re not paying attention.

Xfinity sets itself apart from the competition by providing a companion app that can walk you through the installation process. The app can scan codes on your equipment to customize its instructions to your specific equipment, giving you many of the advantages of a professional technician without any additional cost. This makes Xfinity easily the most user-friendly internet service to set up. 

A colleague recently moved from Boise, Idaho, to Spokane, Washington, and opted for Xfinity internet. They confirmed the easy self-installation and reported that even when they ran into a problem with their rental home's connection, Xfinity sent out a technician to help free of charge. 

All of Xfinity’s customers have access to high-speed cable internet or better, so you get the same quality of service no matter where you move to. This is great for those who regularly stream video like Netflix or own a lot of internet-connected devices.

The biggest downside is that while Xfinity’s download speeds are consistent everywhere in the US, prices may vary by region. When you’re comparing prices, make sure to look at prices in your new location, not the place you’re moving from.

Xfinity’s network uses coaxial cables, the same kind used in cable TV. Although these cables are made of copper, they can carry high-frequency electrical signals with very low losses. This means that cable connections are much faster than DSL and often rival fiber connections in terms of pure download speeds. Combined with Xfinity’s large network infrastructure, this technology makes Xfinity the fastest option available in many areas.

Although cable networks often have advertised speeds on par with fiber, there are some important differences. Since cable TV has to be broadcast in only one direction, cable networks are optimized for download speeds, with uploads occurring at a much slower speed. Cable networks can also experience slowdowns during high-traffic periods. That means if you and your neighbors all want to use the internet at the same time, you probably won’t get the same speeds that you do outside of peak hours. That said, Xfinity’s Triple Play bundles offer a large number of channels if TV is a priority.

Ready to sign up with Xfinity?

Looking for other options that are easy to install? Here are some other providers that make it easy.

• Spectrum
• AT&T

AT&T was already a household name in telephone service before it became one of the largest internet service providers in the US. Its extensive telephone network allowed it to offer dial-up internet and later DSL to a wide market. It's wide availability also makes it one of the best internet providers for rural areas, especially if you can't get access to a cable internet provider like Xfinity. 

AT&T has continued to upgrade its network, bringing fiber-optic connections to many large cities. It operates throughout the US, but it’s especially widespread in the South, Midwest, and California.

When you’re in the middle of a complicated move, it’s nice to kill two (or three) birds with one stone. Many ISPs give you the option to bundle your internet service with a phone or TV plan, but few have as many options available as AT&T. AT&T offers phone service and bundles with TV providers like DIRECTV and Max. If you plan on getting new phone and TV providers along with internet service in your new location, bundling all three through AT&T can save you a lot of money.

Although AT&T offers a staggering selection of options to choose from, most of the benefits of these plans are lost if all you want is internet. If you get your entertainment through Netflix and Hulu, paying for an additional TV plan won’t save you money, even if you bundle.

Bundles can also make long-term contracts more complicated. Although AT&T offers internet plans without a contract, many of the TV plans that come in bundles come with a one- or two-year contract.

For frequent movers or those who might be looking to switch providers, breaking these contracts early can come with some hefty fees. Signing up for bundled deals can save you a lot of money in the long run, but it’s not a decision that should be taken lightly.

In some areas, AT&T offers access to its AT&T Fiber℠ internet service, which gives speeds up to 5 Gbps (5,000 Mbps). Fiber connections offer the fastest speeds of any type of internet currently available. Unlike cable or DSL connections, fiber offers consistently fast speeds, even at peak usage hours. Fiber also offers symmetrical upload and download speeds, which means that you can upload videos and other files just as fast as you can download them.

The only real downside to AT&T’s fiber plans is their limited availability. Less than a third of AT&T customers currently have the option to sign up for its fiber plan,¹ so even if AT&T does offer service in your area, it’s most likely a much slower DSL connection. That said, if AT&T Fiber is available in your area, we highly suggest you get it. The only plans that can compete with a fiber plan are other fiber plans.

Want to check out AT&T's plans and prices?

Although AT&T might be almost as big as it was back in the days of Ma Bell (as it was known in the days before the AT&T antitrust case), it doesn’t have a monopoly on bundles. Suddenlink and RCN offer bundles without the tricky contracts that other companies require.

• Suddenlink
• RCN

Charter Communications is another large US telecommunications company and its internet service, Spectrum, is available nationwide, though it’s most widely available in the Midwest and the East Coast. Spectrum operates a 100% cable network, which means that it shares many of the advantages and disadvantages of Xfinity.

Spectrum keeps things straightforward by offering a streamlined selection of plans—eliminating the need to sift through numerous options. Depending on your location, Spectrum Internet® Ultra and Spectrum Internet® Gig plans come with 12- and 24-month promotional rates. These plans are contract-free, allowing customers the flexibility to cancel or downgrade anytime without penalties. Spectrum's customer support emphasizes that these promotions are simply two different options, not tied to any long-term commitment.

However, the gigabit fiber plan’s upload speeds can vary, offering either 500Mbps or 1,000Mbps, depending on your area. The cable internet version maintains an upload speed of 35Mbps until Spectrum completes its transition to the 10G Platform.

For low-income households in select areas, Spectrum offers Assist and 100Mbps plans. Eligibility requirements for these plans are detailed on Spectrum's online application.

Want to give Spectrum internet a try?

Cox is another nationwide ISP, though it’s the smallest one on this list. Although its coverage is only a sixth the size of larger companies like AT&T,² Cox provides service in over 600 service areas spread across 19 states.³

If you move often or might have to move suddenly, being stuck in a long-term contract with your internet provider can be a serious liability. To help you avoid this, the Cox Go Fast Internet plan will give you cable internet access for $50 per month with no contract required. With payment on a month-to-month basis, you can pick up and leave at any time with no early termination fees.

The downside of Cox Go Fast Internet is that it’s not as fast as many of its higher-tier plans that require a contract. Cox offers speeds up to 2,000 Mbps, though its prices are far less competitive at these speeds. If you’re willing to sign a contract, you’ll likely get a better deal somewhere else.

Many ISPs offer some form of prepaid or month-to-month option, but what really sets Cox StraightUp Internet apart is the lack of upfront costs. Most no-contract plans come with installation costs or require you to buy a modem. These initial investments can add up if you move multiple times in a single year, which kind of defeats the purpose of going with a flexible, no-contract plan in the first place. Cox StraightUp Internet not only has no contracts, but also has no deposit, no credit checks, and no installation fees. Cox will give you a refurbished modem, and it’s yours to keep. Literally the only things you need to get started are $50 and an address that’s covered by Cox’s service area. Few other ISPs can boast anything comparable to that.

Most ISPs will offer at least one no-contract option, so there are a lot of options out there for frequent movers. The main things to consider are the upfront fees and any price hikes after the first few months. The best plans will give you transparent billing and a simple flat rate for the whole plan.

• Xfinity
• Spectrum
• Google Fiber

Want to see what Cox has in your area?

Choosing an ISP can seem like finding a needle in a haystack, but there’s something for everyone. There are fiber and cable plans for those who want pure speed, no-contract plans for those who want flexibility, and satellite plans for those who want to connect from anywhere in the US. 

• T-Mobile—Best for rural locations
• Xfinity—Best for self-installation
• AT&T—Best for bundling
• Spectrum—Most flexible
• Cox—Best for frequent movers

These five providers are among the biggest internet providers in the US, so you’re likely to encounter at least one or two of them no matter where you’re moving to. But there are still a lot of great smaller ISPS. It’s definitely worth a look to see if any of these providers with a smaller coverage footprint are available in your new area.

• Google Fiber
• Verizon Fios
• EarthLink

Move.org analyzes and ranks ISPs using a four-step research process:

• Compare prices. We checked the prices for nearly 200 internet plans from the nation’s top providers to compare affordability.

• Compare speed and connection quality. We analyzed the upload and download speeds of each ISP’s plans to determine which providers offer the fastest service. We also compared the connection quality and diversity of connection types (satellite, DSL, cable, fiber) that each ISP offers.

• Compare availability. We analyzed each ISPs availability to ensure that providers we recommend can service readers in different regions.

• Annual review. We annually revise our internet reviews and update them throughout the year to keep our recommendations up-to-date.

Want to learn more about internet service before picking your ISP? Check out these guides to get the scoop:

• How Much Internet Speed Do I Need?
• DSL vs. Cable Internet: Pros and Cons
• What’s the Best Room for Your Router?
• How to Set Up Internet at Your New Home

1. Federal Communications Commission, “Fixed Broadband Deployment,” Map layer based on FCC Form 477. Accessed June 20, 2024.
2. Federal Communications Commission “Fixed Broadband Deployment.” Map layer based on FCC Form 477. Accessed June 20, 2024.
3. Cox Communications, Inc., “Cox Service Areas,” Accessed June 20, 2024.