Our picks
Why we selected these suppliers
Kind by
Finest no-contract ISP (if you will get it)
Finest no-contract cable web
500 – 1,000 Mbps; 2Gbps out there in choose markets
Finest different for rural areas
Finest for buyer satisfaction
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Offers are chosen by the CNET Group commerce staff, and could also be unrelated to this text.
Discovering a superb web supplier takes a variety of time and analysis. With US adults paying $195 extra for his or her web than final yr, in accordance with a CNET survey, you wish to be sure to’re making the best alternative in your web supplier. We have found suppliers with aggressive pricing, fast speeds and no contract necessities. Slim your search with our prime picks for no-contract web service suppliers.
What’s the very best no-contract web supplier total?
CNET’s prime decide for the very best total no-contract web is GFiber. With high-speed web (two plans of 1,000 and three,000 megabits per second out there in all serviceable areas and even sooner speeds in choose areas), no tools charges or information caps, it beats all different ISPs on this class. There’s rather a lot to love about GFiber. There’s just one downside — it has restricted availability nationwide. If you happen to’re not in one of many 19 states the place it operates, don’t fret: You possibly can nonetheless get fast web speeds for a aggressive worth with AT&T Fiber or any of the opposite suppliers we talk about beneath.
Have in mind: Not signing a contract does not at all times imply you are getting the very best worth. Many suppliers will put a premium on their pay-as-you-go plans, whereas their contract charges are cheaper. To assist preserve your prices in perspective, we have famous the price per Mbps for every no-contract web supplier. It is a superb method to examine apples to apples when pitting web plan speeds and costs in opposition to one another.
Finest no-contract web service suppliers
1,000 – 8,000 Mbps
$70 – $150 per 30 days
Our take – At first look, GFiber plans appear costly, however they boast a superb price per Mbps. There are 5 choices: The most cost effective begins at $70 per 30 days, and the costliest tops out at $150 month-to-month. You possibly can anticipate speeds from 1 gigabit (1,000Mbps) to eight gigabits (8,000Mbps), with the price per Mbps at an affordable 7 cents and a couple of cents, respectively. Supported by a fiber-optic connection, you may anticipate absolutely symmetrical speeds and a dependable connection. You are getting a quick connection in your cash total. On prime of that, your tools is included in your month-to-month worth and there is not any further price for set up, which is a good deal.
1,000 – 8,000 Mbps
$70 – $150 per 30 days
300 – 1,500 Mbps
$30 – $70 per 30 days
Our take – With regards to low-cost promo pricing, Astound comes out on prime. It has fairly a worth vary out there throughout its numerous markets, however an aggressively aggressive common price of 5 cents per Mbps to begin. You will discover a 300Mbps plan for $30 month-to-month all through most of Astound’s footprint. That tough-to-beat worth falls nearer to the pack after your intro interval, however you will be hard-pressed to discover a higher worth in your preliminary service interval. Comparatively, different cable ISPs like Spectrum supply service beginning at $50 per 30 days. In addition to the worth, your service comes with no information caps or contracts.
300 – 1,500 Mbps
$30 – $70 per 30 days
10 – 140 Mbps
$55 per 30 days
Our take – There isn’t any want to fret about cancellation charges on any CenturyLink plan: None of them include any contractual commitments. The worth is fairly robust, too, for the reason that firm’s DSL plans supply a hard and fast worth fee of $55 a month, which is tough to beat amongst DSL choices. Nonetheless, the speeds you get can range relying in your tackle. Your modem/router rental prices $17 additional per 30 days, however CenturyLink permits you to skip it and use your individual tools.
10 – 140 Mbps
$55 per 30 days
500 – 1,000; 2gbps out there in choose markets Mbps
$50 – $80 per 30 days
Our take – Simple service phrases, strong pace choices and limitless information are all issues that make Spectrum stand out from the remainder of the cable ISPs. There are solely two plans — 500Mbps and 1 Gig — freed from contracts and information caps. The typical price per Mbps within the first yr for the 500Mbps plan is 10 cents, and it is 7 cents for the 1,000Mbps tier, which is sort of good for cable web. Needless to say Spectrum and lots of cable ISPs are infamous for growing their costs. Nonetheless, the second-year bounce is not too steep (for an ISP, anyway), as much as 16 cents and 10 cents per Mbps for the 500Mbps and 1,000Mbps plans, respectively.
500 – 1,000; 2gbps out there in choose markets Mbps
$50 – $80 per 30 days
100 – 1,000 Mbps
$40 – $70 per 30 days
Our take – If you happen to reside in a rural space, it is simple to get tied down by a two-year contract from a satellite tv for pc ISP (we’re you, Hughesnet). However you may ditch the contracts altogether, because of Kinetic by Windstream. You will get both DSL (a majority of its footprint) or fiber service (presently about one-fifth of its community) for a median price of 12 cents per Mbps through the promo interval. Whereas most plans supply a worth lock of 1 to a few years, be careful for a worth bounce within the gig plan, which is able to bounce by $30 after three months.
100 – 1,000 Mbps
$40 – $70 per 30 days
300 – 5,000 Mbps
$55 – $250 per 30 days
Our take – Accessible to roughly a 3rd of its footprint, AT&T Fiber plans present glorious worth. 5 completely different plan choices (300, 500 and 1,000Mbps, in addition to 2 and 5 gigabits) vary in worth from $55 to $245 per 30 days, with no information caps or contracts. Altogether, AT&T’s fiber plans common simply over 10 cents per Mbps, which is strong. Much more spectacular are the multi-gigabit plans, which common out to below 7 cents per Mbps.
300 – 5,000 Mbps
$55 – $250 per 30 days
300 – 2,000 Mbps
$50 – $120 per 30 days
Our take – Verizon Fios, the corporate’s fiber web possibility, does not require contracts and its pricing is fairly clear-cut. It gives 4 completely different plans: 300, 500, 1 gig and a couple of gigs, with a median price of about 11 cents per Mbps. Moreover, it scores excessive in buyer satisfaction in each ISP survey. It nabbed the highest spot for 2023 and 2024 within the J.D. Energy survey for the East area. It additionally did properly within the annual American Buyer Satisfaction Index report, scoring 76 out of 100 factors, above the business common.
300 – 2,000 Mbps
$50 – $120 per 30 days
Further no-contract web suppliers to think about
- Cox Communications: There’s flexibility right here, nevertheless it comes at a price. Cox does not require you to signal a contract to obtain web service, nevertheless it does encourage clients to signal a two-year settlement. Cox additionally gives low-cost web choices, which function no contracts and no credit score checks or deposits. The ConnectAssist plan is priced at $30 a month for 100Mbps in obtain speeds and comes with a free modem. For that streamlined strategy, you will pay 30 cents per Mbps, which is increased than the typical of all different plans Cox gives.
- Frontier Communications: You will not have to fret about binding contracts for both Frontier Web (DSL) or Frontier Fiber. Tools charges are additionally included within the month-to-month worth. For first-year pricing, Frontier Fiber clients will see a median price of 6 cents per Mbps, whereas DSL clients can anticipate to pay $2.60 per Mbps.
- Mediacom: Xtream web choices don’t require you to signal a long-term contract. Throughout all three plans, you may anticipate to pay a median of 10 cents per Mbps through the first to 2 years of service; after that, the typical price per Mbps jumps to 17 cents.
- Optimum: No Optimum plans have information caps or contracts and so they supply among the finest promo pricing for cable web. Your first-year pricing for fiber plans could have a median price per Mbps of slightly below 7 cents. The typical price per Mbps for cable plans is round 10 cents.
- Rise Broadband: This fastened wi-fi web supplier gives obtain speeds from 50Mbps to 1,000Mbps. All plans include no information caps. Rise’s introductory costs range by location, however the common price per Mbps within the first yr will be between 75 cents and $1. Rise Broadband additionally has a small fiber community, so if you happen to’re eligible for that, the typical price per Mbps shall be round 11 cents.
- Sparklight: Sparklight gives aggressive introductory plans in choose rural areas throughout the nation. Though Sparklight’s pricing adjustments relying available on the market, within the Alabama market, you may anticipate to pay a median of 15 cents per Mbps throughout all plans. As soon as the promo interval ends, that common price per Mbps jumps as much as 18 cents, which is not a very costly enhance in costs for a rural supplier. Observe that Sparklight enforces a mushy cap of 5TB, so there’s the potential for added charges if you happen to exceed your month-to-month limits.
- Starlink: Elon Musk’s budding web service is exclusive amongst satellite tv for pc web suppliers as a result of it does not require a contract. Additionally, the typical price per Mbps of its commonplace plan (150Mbps) is simply over $1, which is great for that connection kind. The precedence plan, which gives max speeds of 220Mbps, drops the typical price per Mbps to six cents. That is fairly spectacular for an web expertise recognized to fall on the pricier aspect. Starlink nonetheless requires a little bit of a dedication: You need to make a one-time tools buy of $349 to $699 (or a large $1,499 if you happen to’re buying the precedence plans). That is a giant chunk of change, which most cable and fiber web clients get to keep away from. Nonetheless, this could possibly be a digital lifeline for rural areas of the nation that do not have entry to these connections.
- Starry Web: This fastened wi-fi supplier makes use of millimeter-wave expertise to supply an answer much like 5G house web. It gives no contracts, and the worth consists of tools, set up prices and limitless information. The typical price per Mbps for Starry Web is 17 cents within the first yr earlier than it jumps as much as 22 cents.
- T-Cellular 5G House Web: Much like Starry, T-Cellular 5G House Web consists of every little thing you want in your month-to-month worth, with no contracts required. All tools, set up charges and taxes are included at $50 to $70 a month (or $35 to $55 per 30 days for eligible cell clients). The fee per Mbps is tough to pin down since speeds range by tackle. T-Cellular says that the majority clients could have a median obtain pace between 87 to 415Mbps. When CNET examined T-Cellular 5G House Web, we hit a most of 132Mbps, and we have additionally obtained anecdotal proof of consumers hitting speeds of as much as 300Mbps in some areas. In the meantime, per T-Cellular, it is attainable some may probably max out at 72Mbps. In different phrases, your speeds could range and can depend upon whether or not you are close to a mobile tower. CNET’s Amanda Kooser described having inconsistent speeds with T-Cellular.
- Verizon 5G House Web: Verizon 5G House Web (its 5G fastened wi-fi web service) can be squishy as a result of its obtain speeds, starting from 50 to 1,000Mbps, aren’t assured. Assuming the typical of 300Mbps, the typical price per Mbps could be 17 cents. Verizon 5G House Web is an all-in worth that features taxes, charges and tools.
- WOW: WideOpenWest, which prefers to go by WOW, goals to wow its clients by requiring no contracts and really aggressive beginning charges. This cable web supplier gives 5 completely different plan choices, with a extremely aggressive common price of simply over 6 cents per Mbps throughout all plans.
- Xfinity: Xfinity does not require clients to signal a contract to get its lowest worth on web service. Nonetheless, these low costs are solely assured for a yr. That stated, if you happen to select their five-year worth assure, you continue to have the choice to cancel with out penalty. Xfinity additionally gives a pay as you go web possibility that requires no contract and provides you 30 days of web service for $45 a month. No deposit is required, and there aren’t any further charges or information caps. The utmost obtain pace supplied is 200Mbps, which means this service has a median price of twenty-two cents per Mbps.
- Ziply Fiber: This firm started providing service in 2020 after buying Frontier Communications networks in 4 Northwest states. It goals to simplify the buying course of by skipping credit score checks, information caps and time period agreements. It gives DSL and fiber plans, with the typical price per Mbps at 13 cents for the promo interval for the fiber plans and 21 cents after the primary yr.
No-contract web suppliers in contrast
Please observe that the plans beneath present every supplier’s most cost-effective out there tier. The utmost pace is the highest marketed pace for these plans, nevertheless it may not be out there in your space. Total, the very best choice for you — and probably the most cost-effective plan — may be a unique tier that gives a sooner pace at a better worth however a greater worth. To extra absolutely perceive this value-based strategy, take a look at CNET’s information to analyzing the price per Mbps.
| Plan | Beginning worth | Max obtain pace | Value per Mbps | Tools charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Altafiber Fioptics 400 | $40 | 400Mbps | 10 cents | None |
| Astound Broadband 300 Learn full assessment |
$20 | 300Mbps | 7 cents | None |
| AT&T Fiber 300 Learn full assessment |
$55 | 300Mbps | 18 cents | None |
| AT&T Web Air Learn full assessment |
$60 | 300Mbps | 20 cents | None |
| Brightspeed Fiber 200 | $30 | 200Mbps | 15 cents | None |
| CenturyLink Merely Limitless Learn full assessment |
$55 | 100Mbps | 55 cents | $17 (non-compulsory) |
| Frontier Fiber 500 Learn full assessment |
$30 | 500Mbps | 6 cents | None |
| GFiber 1 Gig | $70 | 1,000Mbps | 7 cents | None |
| Kinetic Fiber 300 | $40 | 300Mbps | 13 cents | $11 (non-compulsory) |
| Mediacom Xtream 300 Web Learn full assessment |
$50 | 300Mbps | 17 cents | $14 (non-compulsory) |
| Optimum 200 Learn full assessment |
$25 | 200Mbps | 12 cents | None |
| Level Broadband Efficiency Plus | $59 | 300Mbps | 19 cents | $14 (non-compulsory, free in choose places) |
| Quantum Fiber 200 | $50 | 200Mbps | 25 cents | None |
| Rise Broadband 50 Learn full assessment |
$45 | 50Mbps | 90 cents | $10 modem (free in choose areas), $5-15 router (non-compulsory) |
| Sparklight Join 100 Learn full assessment |
$35 | 100Mbps | 35 cents | $14 modem (non-compulsory) |
| Spectrum Web Learn full assessment |
$50 | 500Mbps | 10 cents | Modem free, $10 router (non-compulsory) |
| Starlink Commonplace Learn full assessment |
$120 | 150Mbps | 80 cents | $349 one-time buy |
| Starry Web 100 Learn full assessment |
$30 | 100Mbps | 30 cents | None |
| T-Cellular 5G House Web Limitless Learn full assessment |
$50 | 415Mbps | 12 cents | None |
| Verizon 5G House Web Learn full assessment |
$35 | 300Mbps | 12 cents | None |
| Verizon Fios 300 Learn full assessment |
$35 | 300Mbps | 12 cents | None |
| WOW Web 300 Learn full assessment |
$30 | 300Mbps | 10 cents | None |
| Xfinity 300Mbps Learn full assessment |
$40 | 300Mbps | 13 cents | None |
| Ziply Fiber 100/100 | $20 | 100Mbps | 20 cents | $15 (non-compulsory) |
Present extra (20 objects)
Supply: CNET evaluation of supplier information.
Elements to think about when selecting a no-contract ISP
The fee per Mbps
A very powerful think about evaluating any ISP plan is the price per megabit per second. A value per Mbps between 10 and 20 cents is fairly good, however probably the most cost-efficient plans price round 5 cents per Mbps or decrease. It is improbable to keep away from signing a contract (and escape the looming risk of early termination charges plus the liberty of switching suppliers at any time), however you must nonetheless do your homework.
Web connection kind
As well as, look into the kind of web connection supplied by the ISP. Some households — particularly these in underserved or rural areas — could not have many choices. However the normal rule is that 5G and satellite tv for pc house web are higher than DSL, cable web is best than satellite tv for pc and 5G web, however fiber web trumps all of them. As you will have already seen, the price per Mbps of fiber web plans is usually fairly low as a result of fiber speeds outpace the speeds supplied by different web connection varieties.
How we evaluated the very best no-contract suppliers
Web service suppliers are quite a few and regional. Not like the newest smartphone, laptop computer, router or kitchen instrument, it’s impractical to personally take a look at each ISP in a given metropolis. What’s our strategy? We begin by researching the pricing, availability and pace data, drawing on our personal historic ISP information, the supplier websites and mapping data from the Federal Communications Fee at FCC.gov.
It doesn’t finish there: We go to the FCC’s web site to test our information and guarantee we think about each ISP that gives service in an space. We additionally enter native addresses on supplier web sites to seek out particular choices for residents. We take a look at sources, together with the American Buyer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Energy, to judge how completely happy clients are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and costs are topic to frequent adjustments; all data offered is correct as of publication.
As soon as we’ve got this localized data, we ask three essential questions:
- Does the supplier supply entry to fairly quick web speeds?
- Do clients get respectable worth for what they’re paying?
- Are clients proud of their service?
The reply to these questions is commonly layered and complicated, however the suppliers who come closest to “sure” on all three are those we advocate. To discover our course of in additional depth, go to our how we take a look at ISPs web page.
What is the backside line on no-contract ISPs?
Generally, it seems like you will need to signal away your firstborn baby — or at the very least the following two years of your life — to get the very best web service in your space. It is easy to be swayed by slimmed-down introductory costs, however hefty invoice will increase and unrelenting additional charges could also be lurking behind that first-year cheer.
Fortunately, that is altering. Competitors is brewing amongst web service suppliers as we develop into extra depending on broadband connections. That is one motive why many ISPs have begun dropping their contract necessities. Plus, you could even discover web offers providing to purchase you out of your contract to get you to change. That is excellent news for anybody seeking to successfully discover their house web choices.
No-contract web service FAQs
What does “no-contract web” imply?
“No-contract web” — generally referred to as month-to-month web service — refers to broadband service that does not require you to signal a long-term settlement together with your web service supplier. For instance, with some ISPs, you will need to decide to a two-year contract to get broadband protection. That is not no-contract web. True no-contract web means you must be capable to cancel service at any time with out penalty (however the return of any leased tools).
Can I get Wi-Fi at house with out a contract?
We get this query very often, as many assume they have to pay for Wi-Fi individually from their web service. That is not the case, usually. You typically get Wi-Fi if you join with an web supplier, as many will give you a gateway. That is a mixture of a modem (which connects your property to the web) and a router (which takes that web sign from the modem and broadcasts it wirelessly to the opposite gadgets in your house). Even when your ISP solely supplies the modem, you may lease a router or use your individual. If you will get an web connection at your tackle with out signing a contract, you must have the choice to have Wi-Fi at your property with out committing to a contract.
What’s the finest no-contract web service supplier?
It might sound like a cop-out, however the very best no-contract web supplier for you is the one which’s serviceable at your tackle. As we have talked about many instances in our ISP opinions, all issues being equal, if you will get fiber web at your location, that is the best way to go. It will provide the finest efficiency of all of the web connection varieties — you will get symmetrical obtain and add speeds — and can typically be probably the most reasonably priced by way of price per megabit per second. GFiber, which incorporates all tools prices and costs in your month-to-month fee, is the most affordable, averaging just a bit over 4 cents per Mbps. Its availability pales in comparison with the fiber plans of AT&T, for instance. If you happen to reside in one of many metro markets the place it gives service, GFiber is a straightforward alternative, however AT&T Fiber may be everybody else’s prime possibility.
Can I get web with out paying upfront?
