Best internet providers in Philadelphia
Compare Philadelphia internet providers
Philadelphia internet providers may not operate in every neighborhood, and some providers may have service in one ZIP code and not in the next. Astound, for instance, is only available in the western suburbs, but not the city of Philadelphia itself. Be sure to search by address to see exactly which plans and speeds are available at your home.
| Provider | Starting speeds | Starting price* | Internet type | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon Fios | 300 Mbps | $49.99/mo. | Fiber | 97% |
| Xfinity | 75 Mbps | $25.99/mo. | Cable | 99% |
| T-Mobile | Up to 245 Mbps | $50.00/mo. | Fixed wireless | 97% |
| HughesNet | Up to 50 Mbps | $49.99/mo. | Satellite | 100% |
| Viasat | Up to 50 Mbps | $64.99/mo. | Satellite | 100% |
Pricing per month plus taxes for length of contract. Additional fees and terms may apply. Pricing varies by location and availability. All prices are subject to change at any time. May or may not be available based on service address. As of 11/21/23.
Cheapest internet providers in Philly
Keep in mind that cheap internet in Philadelphia may still have additional fees that apply, such as an installation fee, equipment costs, and activation fees. Customers should watch out for price increases as well – Xfinity and Astound are known for large rate hikes after the introductory 12-month period.
*Pricing per month plus taxes for length of contract. Additional fees and terms may apply. Pricing varies by location and availability. All prices are subject to change at any time. May or may not be available based on service address. As of 11/21/23.
Allconnect’s affordable choice: Xfinity
Xfinity is the best option in Philly if you are looking for the cheapest internet possible. Astound Broadband (formerly RCN) also offers great low-cost deals, but it’s only available in the suburbs. With Xfinity, you’ll also get a free subscription to Peacock Premium.
Fastest home internet providers in Philly
*Pricing per month plus taxes for length of contract. Additional fees and terms may apply. Pricing varies by location and availability. All prices are subject to change at any time. May or may not be available based on service address. As of 11/21/23.
Allconnect Rating
4.42 / 5
Verizon Fios: Best overall
Verizon Fios is not only the best internet provider in Philadelphia — it’s one of the best providers anywhere in the country. If you can get it at your address, you should. Verizon offers the best combination of speed and price around.
According to the Federal Communications Commission’s broadband map, Verizon’s 5G Home Internet service is available to about 15% of certain areas of Philadelphia.
Pros
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Great value – Verizon offers some of the best rates for high-speed internet and its service is known for being particularly reliable.
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High customer satisfaction – Verizon scored a 72/100 on the ACSI in 2022, putting it in first place for customer satisfaction.
Cons
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Fiber not available everywhere – In areas where fiber isn’t serviceable, Verizon offers DSL service which offers slower speeds for a higher price.
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Somewhat high starting prices – Compared to its competitors, Verizon doesn’t offer particularly low starting prices.
Prices and plans available on Worthington Road
- 300 Mbps $49.99/mo.
- 500 Mbps $69.99/mo.
- 1 Gig $89.99/mo.
Allconnect Rating
3.54 / 5
Xfinity: Most affordable plans
Xfinity has plenty of cheap internet options in Philly. The parent company, Comcast, covers about 36% of the country, and nearly all of Philadelphia falls under the Xfinity coverage map. Residents appreciate the affordability and bundled packages. Prepare to pay a lot more money for the fastest speeds, however. And keep in mind that rental fees often apply.
Comcast announced in 2021 it was ramping up its business internet offerings in Philadelphia.
Pros
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Fastest internet speeds – Xfinity offers the fastest internet speeds for Philadelphia customers.
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Promotions and discounts – Xfinity often offers promotional offers when you sign up, and discounts for paperless billing and autopay.
Cons
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Expect hidden fees – Your monthly bill will likely be higher than advertised because of equipment rentals and hidden fees.
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Price increase – Your Xfinity rate may increase after the first year because of its limited-time promotional rates
Prices and plans available on Ardleigh Street
- 400 Mbps $30/mo.
- 800 Mbps $60/mo.
- 1000 Mbps $70/mo.
Local feedback: Xfinity
Sean R. has been an Xfinity customer for 10 years and currently has the Extreme Pro Internet plan, which is 800 Mbps in download speed and 15 Mbps upload. “I have five people in my household. I’m work-from-home permanently, so I rely on my internet service for work. I also stream all TV content via YouTubeTV and similar streaming providers. Other uses include gaming and Nest cameras.”
Sean is pretty satisfied overall with Xfinity but has been shopping other providers for better upload speeds. “Verizon Fios in my area provides 940/880 for $20 more monthly than what I pay now, which is $69.99 with Auto Pay.”
Allconnect Rating
3.86 / 5
T-Mobile: Simplest pricing
Although Xfinity offers the cheapest internet plan, T-Mobile takes all the guesswork out of your internet bill — no hidden fees, no equipment charges and no price increases. Households that connect many devices at one time might find T-Mobile lacking, but you can cancel at any time if you’re not satisfied.
Pros
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Affordable plans – T-Mobile offers inexpensive high-speed internet without extra fees.
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No data caps – T-Mobile doesn’t have data caps, meaning you don’t have to worry about your internet usage.
Cons
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Limited plan options – There’s only one plan with T-Mobile, so you can’t upgrade to a higher speed.
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Slower than fiber – T-Mobile provides about 60 Mbps download and 13 Mbps upload speeds on average in Philly, which is on the slow side.
Compare internet providers in surrounding cities
Overview of internet access in Philly
We looked at FCC data, real user speed tests and serviceability information directly from the provider to research Philly’s best internet providers:
Best available providers
- Verizon Fios: Best overall
- Xfinity: Most affordable plans
- T-Mobile: Simplest pricing
Internet availability by connection type
If you’re moving to Philadelphia or considering switching internet providers at your current home, you may be wondering, “What internet can I get in Philadelphia?” Most Philadelphia residents have access to cable and fiber optic internet services, and DSL is also widely available (though not always the most cost-effective option). A few PA internet service providers near Philly also deliver satellite internet.
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Cable – 99%
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Fiber optic – 96%
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DSL – 87%
Our methodology
We evaluate broadband providers in four categories: affordability, performance, value and customer satisfaction. Each category contains multiple sub-factors, all of which are weighted differently to impact the provider’s overall score.
For each sub-factor, we score all providers on a continuous scale of one to five, relative to the industry as a whole. Because the average download speed in America is currently 180 Mbps, for example, we assigned all plans with download speeds between 100 and 299 Mbps a score between three and four. Xfinity’s 200 Mbps plan received a 3.50 score for download speed, while Spectrum’s 400 Mbps plan got a 4.16.
We only considered standardized data points in our scoring system. More abstract data like consistency of service and brand reputation is still part of our analysis, but we opted to let our writers address them in the context of each review.
Philadelphia’s ISP statistics
Verizon Fios tops the list of internet providers in Philadelphia, providing users with an average of 169 Mbps download speeds. Where it really stands out, though, is its 127 Mbps upload speeds — over 10 times as fast as T-Mobile. If you do a lot of online gaming, it’s worth going with a fiber provider like Verizon for faster upload speeds.
Philadelphia internet speed compared to the national average
Philadelphia gets pretty average internet speeds compared to the state and country as a whole. Its 161 Mbps download speed is a little higher than average.
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Download speeds
Philadelphia – 120.4 Mbps
Pennsylvania – 142.9 Mbps
U.S. – 134.3 Mbps
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Upload speeds
Philadelphia – 47.7 Mbps
Pennsylvania – 49.5 Mbps
U.S. – 48 Mbps
Source
The average speeds listed above are based on over 620,000 real speed test results taken in Philadelphia over a six-month window from the M-Lab NDT Data Set from July 1 to December 31, 2022. Measurement Lab is an open-source platform aimed at advancing Internet research.
FAQs about Philadelphia internet
Yes, Philly has fiber options like Verizon Fios available.
Aside from satellite providers like HughesNet, Starlink and Viasat which cover 100% of the city, Xfinity is the most widely-available provider in Philly with 99% coverage.
Allconnect: Let us compare providers for you
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Written by:
Robin LaytonEditor, Broadband Content
Robin Layton is an editor for the broadband marketplace Allconnect. She built her internet industry expertise writing and editing for four years on the site, as well as on Allconnect’s sister site MYMOVE.com. …
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Edited by:
Camryn SmithAssociate Writer
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