Internet Service Providers Compare Plans, Deals & Prices
Browse 6 plans from T-Mobile...
Browse 12 plans from AT&T...
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Browse 8 plans from Verizon Fios...
Browse 6 plans from EarthLink...
Browse 3 plans from Mint Mobile...
Browse 12 plans from NOW...
Browse 5 plans from Quantum Fiber...
Browse 6 plans from T-Mobile Fiber...
Browse 4 plans from Sparklight...
Browse 1 plan from Metro by T-Mobile (MetroPCS)...
Browse 11 plans from CenturyLink...
Browse 4 plans from Ezee Fiber...
Browse 6 plans from Brightspeed...
Browse 4 plans from Breezeline...
Browse 3 plans from AireBeam Intenret...
Browse 2 plans from All West Communications...
Browse 10 plans from Rise Internet...
Browse 2 plans from Utah Broadband...
Sifting through internet providers and plans can be hard—really hard—but it doesn't have to be. With WhistleOut's advanced comparison tools, all you have to do is type your home address into our search engine and all of the available plans in your area will pop up. You can even specify price, connection type, and bundle type in your search!
If you're completely new to selecting internet providers and plans and want a full explanation of each connection type and bandwidth speeds, then head over to our connection type guide to learn more. Otherwise, take a look at the short descriptions below for a quick review on selecting an internet plan. After that, you'll have everything you need to get shopping!!
Internet Providers
Top internet providers like Cox, Spectrum, Xfinity, AT&T, and HughesNet (amongst many others) are often region specific–and very few offer services to all 50 states. If this confuses you, think of internet providers like fast food restaurants: some West Coasters eat at Carl's Jr. whereas East Coasters that want to enjoy the same company's menu will go to Hardee's to do so. It's the same company, under a different name. Then there are other fast food restaurants that only offer their services in certain regions, much like how In-N-Out Burger is only located on the West Coast.
That said, it can be hard to find plans from an internet provider because their services and fees are often region specific, too. So if you're from the East Coast, then some of your top internet providers are AT&T, CenturyLink, Cox, Frontier, Optimum, and RCN. If you're from the West Coast, then some of your "go to" internet providers are Spectrum, AT&T, CableOne, and Xfinity. While Midwesterners enjoy companies like HughesNet, Cox, and AT&T. That's why it's so important for you to type your address into our search engine, so we can tailor your results to your specific region.
Internet Connection Types at-a-Glance
Many people know they need to find a broadband plan that will allow them to connect to the internet, but they're not exactly sure which connection type to get. For instance, if you've decided to go with satellite and you're in need of ultra-fast internet speeds, then you've selected the wrong connection type. While some satellite internet providers can offer customers speeds of up to 100Mbps, most can only reach 25Mbps. So which one should you choose then? Take a look at our quick guide below to find out.
DSL (Digital Subscriber Line)
DSL internet uses the existing telephone infrastructure to deliver the digital data to your home. Once it's received by your modem, your router unscrambles the data and sends it to your devices.
DSL tends to be a wildcard in terms of price, speed, and availability. You can expect a range of speeds between 10Mbps and 75Mbps, but the average is around 25Mbps. In some states, it will be neck-to-neck (in price and speed) with your available cable internet options, and in others, it will be a lot slower and more expensive than cable. Before you select a DSL plan, just make sure you can't get a faster and cheaper internet plan via cable.
Some top DSL internet providers include AT&T, CenturyLink, Verizon and Frontier.
Cable
Cable internet uses a very similar technology as DSL, but it utilizes the existing cable infrastructure to deliver internet service to your home instead. It also requires the same modem and router method for delivering data to your home, but the underground connection is a lot more stable.
Because cable is one of the most popular ways to connect to the web, you're likely to get the best price and speed by going with a cable internet provider. On top of that, it's very common for providers to offer customers the option to bundle their internet service with an added TV service, too.
So if you're looking for speeds of 100Mbps or slower, going with cable is usually your best bet. It isn't until you begin looking for plans at around 1Gbps (which cable can reach) that fiber might come in and give you a better deal. Just make sure to closely compare both options before you make your selection.
Some of the top cable internet providers are Xfinity, Spectrum, Cox, and Optimum.
Fiber
Fiber optic internet can offer customers bandwidth speeds of up to 2Gbps, which is fast enough to allow you to download an HD movie in 10 seconds. However, it requires the use of a special fiber optic infrastructure which has yet to be built in many areas. It, therefore, is not widely available, even though there are more and more fiber internet providers popping up each year.
If you're lucky enough to have a service provider in your area that offers fiber, just make sure to watch the upfront fees, which should include your modem, router, and installation. Some providers will need to expand their physical fiber network for you, which could get as high as $1,000 upfront. If the fiber wires already exist in your area, you should be able to pay about the same price as cable (upfront fees and all) and get a much higher bandwidth.
Some of the most popular fiber internet providers in the U.S. are Verizon Fios, AT&T Fiber, Frontier, CenturyLink and Google Fiber.
Satellite
Satellite allows you to connect the internet without cables or wires—instead you're using a satellite dish. Because of that, this connection type is best known for bringing internet service to rural residents who would have otherwise had to go without internet at all.
To be a candidate for satellite internet, you need to have a clear view of the sky, so your dish can communicate with other satellites to send and receive data. You'll still need a modem and router, just like the other connection types, and you'll need a dish too. All of which can be leased for a fee that's often folded into your monthly service bill.
Because satellite signals are sent from such a great distance, download and upload speeds are typically a bit slower than you'd find with a wired connection types—starting at 12Mbps and topping out at 100Mbps. Just know that the monthly service and installation fees tend to be on the expensive side. If you're on a budget, try to wait for "free installation" offers and keep your bandwidth speeds at around 25Mbps.
HughesNet and Viasat are the two biggest satellite internet providers in the U.S.
Speed, Installation, Fees, and Contracts
It's so tempting to go for the plan with the highest bandwidth, but do you really need all that speed? With internet plans, your monthly fees will largely be based on your data limit and speed selections. So if you choose a speed that's too high, then you might be wasting money. If you're not sure which speed to pick, then take a look at our guide to find your perfect speed.
Once you’ve narrowed down your connection type options to DSL, cable, fiber or satellite, you’ll want to explore the installation and rental fees that each internet provider will charge you. Installation costs can range from free or nominal to quite expensive, depending on the type of internet connection you’re going with; the same goes with equipment rentals (modem, router, etc.). The good news (and something to look out for) is that internet providers offer deals on these fees all the time, it's all about your sign-up timing.
As you shop our site, make sure to click on any of the plans in WhistleOut’s comparison engine to see a breakdown of a particular provider’s charges. We list each plan's upfront fees right below the monthly service quote to make your search easier. More, any deals the provider is offering will show up in this area, too.
Last, you’ll also want to think about the contract terms of the plans you’re researching. It used to be that internet service automatically translated into multi-year commitments, but that’s not necessarily the case anymore. Many internet providers now offer contract-free, month-to-month terms, allowing customers to jump ship whenever they want, without incurring huge termination fees. Note, also, that in most cases the prices you see advertised are so-called "promotional" prices that expire after 12 months, then go up after that. They're not a bad thing, but do make sure to take note of the date your deal expires so you can reevaluate your plan at that time instead of getting blindsided by a sudden increase in prices when it expires.
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