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The best business internet service providers
When you're in the market for an internet service provider for your small business, there's a lot more to consider than just download speeds and monthly prices. Reliability is at the absolute top of the list, backed up by service level agreements that clearly spell out what your business has a right to expect. That's followed closely by support, which should be available 24/7 and be knowledgeable enough to quickly handle problems so an outage doesn't take a toll on profits or productivity.
The most difficult part of choosing the best internet provider for your business is figuring out exactly which services are available in your area. For this guide, I've focused on large, well-established internet providers that are available throughout the US. Depending on where your office is located, you might be able to find excellent local and regional options as well. You can and should evaluate those additional providers using the same criteria discussed here.
Also: The best VPN services
What's the best business internet service provider right now?
After considering all of the well-established internet service providers that cover large parts of the US and have plans dedicated for business use with 24/7 support, my pick for the best business internet service provider is Verizon Business. If that choice seems safe, well, that's the point, isn't it? Your online connection is a critical part of your business infrastructure, and you don't want any surprises that can disrupt your productivity or interrupt your ability to communicate with customers and process transactions. Verizon offers a broad range of services that work for businesses of any size, from sole proprietors to multinational corporations. Read on for the rest of my picks for the best business internet providers available.
The best business internet providers of 2024
As one of two Tier 1 internet providers in this list (the other is AT&T), Verizon has more control over its network than competitors that have to purchase access from upstream providers. In addition, Verizon boasts that its services are available nationwide, although your location will determine which exact services are available.
Fios Business Internet is Verizon's fastest offering. This fiber-based service is available in nine states, all in the Northeastern US. The company offers four tiers, starting at 200 Mbps and going up to 2048 Mbps, at prices ranging from $69 to $249 per month, with price guarantees that increase with each tier. All plans offer the option of a single digital voice line for your business for $20, and you can get additional discounts for bundling with Verizon Wireless plans for business.
Verizon also offers Internet Dedicated services, at speeds ranging from 1.5 Mbps up to 100 Gbps, with the fastest connection advertised as being suitable for data centers and cloud providers managing multiple simultaneous downloads of very large files. All plans come with strict service level agreements of 100% availability.
If neither of those services is available at your location, you can choose 5G or LTE internet plans. Be aware that these options come with monthly data limits, unlike broadband offerings.
Unlike some of its competitors, Verizon charges additional fees for equipment and some services, so be sure to include the full list of charges when comparing prices.
As one of the biggest brands on the internet and a Tier 1 provider, AT&T offers a dizzying array of options, with broadband, wireless, and Dedicated Internet plans available for the choosing. Special terms and pricing are available for government agencies, schools, and libraries.
AT&T Business Fiber is the fastest, most feature-complete option, available in 23 states. (This coverage map has a full listing, along with an address box to check availability for your business address.) All plans offer equal upload and download speeds, starting at 300 Mbps for $70 per month and maxing out at 5 Gbps for $255 monthly. Additional discounts are available for customers who also have an AT&T wireless plan.
For locations where fiber isn't available, you can choose AT&T Internet Air for Business, which uses the company's 5G and LTE networks. Read the terms of service carefully, as these plans have restrictions that prohibit their use for consumer entertainment, guest Wi-Fi, and web hosting. The Premium plan includes up to 250 GB of high-priority data usage per month for $100 plus fees.
Dedicated Internet Access offers speeds ranging from 20 Mbps up to 1 Tbps with traffic prioritization over a line not shared with other customers. as well as advanced security options. Although you can start your search online, getting a detailed price quote means filling in an online form or speaking with a sales rep.
Comcast Business, unlike its consumer cousin, has no data caps, and it offers dedicated, round-the-clock support for business customers. But this is still Comcast, which means many of its products offer upload speeds that are significantly slower than the download speed for that plan. The top-tier Business Internet Gigabit Extra plan, for example, delivers 1.25 Gbps downloads but caps uploads at 200 Mbps, making it less than ideal for use by businesses that need to upload large video or CAD files regularly.
Expect to pay $79 to $210 per month for six different tiers of service, starting at 50 Mbps. Discounts are available for adding mobile service and for signing a two-year agreement.
Comcast offers a slew of add-ons for business customers, including Wi-Fi options to secure your corporate network from the one you allow guests to use. A backup option called Connection Pro provides a 4G LTE modem with battery reserve for up to 8 hours, so you can maintain connectivity in the event of an outage.
If those speeds are too sluggish, you can get Ethernet dedicated internet, with symmetrical download/upload speeds up to 100 Gbps and two permanent IP addresses. Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) router is optional. Be prepared to pay, though.
As expected from a division of cable giant Charter Communications, Spectrum Business plans are aimed primarily at small, cost-conscious business customers and come with a wide array of prices that vary based on contract length and whether you've bundled phone or TV service with your internet access. Download speeds range from 300 Mbps to 1 Gbps, at prices from $65 to $165 per month with a 12- or 24-month contract. As is typical for cable-based deployments, upload speeds are significantly slower, capped at 35 Mbps for the highest-speed tier.
There are significant discounts for bundling internet service with a mobile line or a TV package. Before signing one of these agreements, be sure to ask what the price will be after the promotional period expires.
All plans include domain name registration and email service for up to 25 accounts, with higher-priced plans bundling voice service as well. Add-ons include a $20-per-month Wireless Internet Backup plan, static IP addresses (1 for $15, up to 29 addresses for $60 monthly), and a variety of Wi-Fi options.
Google's Fiber network, which serves home and business customers, operates in over 19 states, mostly in the West and the Southeast. If you live in one of the 38 cities and metro areas that are part of the network, you can expect to pay $100 a month for 1 Gbps service and $250 monthly for the 2 Gbps tier.
On Google Fiber plans, upload and download speeds are identical (equipment permitting) and there are no hidden fees or data caps, nor is a contract required. The monthly price includes installation and required networking equipment, including a Wi-Fi 6 or 6E router, although you're welcome to bring your own router if you prefer.
Because the Google Fiber network is mostly new, it has a reputation for reliability, especially compared with rival cable companies operating over older infrastructure. Support is easy to reach, but don't expect much in the way of hand-holding. If you want to configure additional controls on your Wi-Fi network, for example, Google's support documents suggest that you talk to "your network expert or other IT professional."
What is the best internet service provider for your business?
The most important piece of information you need to answer this question is your business address. Every provider listed here asks you to start by entering this detail, which allows them to determine whether their service is available at your location. For many businesses, only one or two choices are available and should be compared with local service providers.
The following chart is based on off-the-shelf service offerings and does not include Dedicated Internet plans. Note that some high-speed services, including AT&T's 5 Gbps service, are available in limited areas.
Best business internet service provider | Max up/down speeds | Fiber available? | Equipment included? | Noteworthy add-ons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Verizon Business | 2048 Mbps/ | Yes; Fios Internet in 8 states and the District of Columbia | No; equipment is an extra charge | Security and other managed services |
AT&T Business Internet | 5 Gbps/ | Yes; available in 23 states | Yes | Voice, security, managed internet backup |
Comcast Business | 1.25 Gbps/ | No | Yes | 4G LTE backup to avoid outages; separate guest Wi-Fi network |
Spectrum Business | 1000 Mbps/ | No | Yes | Domain and email accounts; voice and TV |
Google Fiber for Business | 2000 Mbps/ | Yes; in 19 states | Yes | Streaming TV |
Which internet service provider is right for your business?
For most businesses, location is the biggest factor to consider when choosing an internet provider. If your address has access to fiber, it should be at the top of your list, with advantages in speed and reliability. Cable-based providers can also deliver cost-effective high-speed service, while the choice of 5G and LTE wireless networks hinges on whether you can get a consistently strong signal in your business location.
| Business internet service provider | Services at a glance |
| Verizon Business | You might know Verizon as one of the biggest mobile carriers in the US, but the company has deep roots in networking and an impressive breadth of services to offer. Fiber networking is on the menu in the Northeastern US under the Fios brand; 5G and LTE wireless networks are available nationwide; and other services are offered under the Business Broadband label. Your address will determine which services are available for your business. |
| AT&T Business Internet | The other 800-pound gorilla of mobile networking in the US has a range of products that's just as diverse as Verizon's. The AT&T Business Fiber network is on tap in 23 states, with other wired and wireless alternatives available more widely. If you're already an AT&T customer, the bundled prices are worth checking out. |
| Comcast Business | Comcast's business products use the same coaxial cable networks that serve home customers. The relatively low prices and ease of installation are a plus for small businesses. For business users, the slow upload speeds on cable networks can be a dealbreaker, although coming network upgrades will offer big improvements. Dedicated Ethernet connections are available for large businesses. |
| Spectrum Business | Spectrum (the flagship brand of cable giant Charter Communications) is best known for its consumer internet services. Spectrum Business uses the same networks, with dedicated support and some additional features aimed at small businesses. The company is expanding fiber deployments and should make them available for small businesses in the future. |
| Google Fiber for Business | GFiber, as you might see it styled on some Google pages, was neglected for a few years but has been expanding impressively in the past two or three years. It's a simple product with few bells and whistles and no business add-ons, making it a good choice for any small business that's already firmly established in the Google ecosystem and is comfortable managing most network-related tasks in-house. |
Factors to consider when choosing a business internet provider
Business internet providers offer a feature set that's far richer than what you're likely to get from your local cable company. Not surprisingly, that expanded feature set (and business-class support) typically comes with a higher price than you'd expect with an otherwise comparable consumer service.
Here's what to look for when making your choice:
- Symmetrical transfer speeds: With this feature active, upload speeds are as fast as download speeds, unlike consumer-based plans that may offer significantly slow upload speeds. This detail matters for any business that routinely uploads or transfers large video and CAD files with online services or remote business partners.
- Dedicated IP addresses: Assigning a fixed address to network devices allows your business to maintain a permanent high-speed connection to a branch office or run your own public-facing server. Neither of those scenarios is possible (or advisable) with a consumer-focused internet plan.
- Security features: A business internet provider might offer a range of add-ons (for an extra cost, naturally) that allow for central management and monitoring of your network to detect and respond to threats in real time. These features are especially valuable for businesses that are subject to strict compliance requirements, such as financial institutions and medical offices.
- Email and phone service: Business internet providers typically offer attractive add-ons like email and phone service for a relatively small surcharge. Don't underestimate the convenience of being able to manage and troubleshoot these features from a single dashboard.
How did I choose these business internet provider services?
For this list, I chose well-established internet service providers that cover large portions of the US. All of them offer plans dedicated for business use, with support staff trained to work with business networks of all sizes. All of these plans include 24/7 support, with options for dedicated IP addresses, email and security add-ons, and symmetrical upload/download speeds.
What type of internet connection is best for businesses?
For most office-based small businesses, a broadband connection over fiber or coaxial cable, with wired Ethernet connections to each PC or Mac in the office, is the best choice; you can easily add wireless connectivity for use in meetings and common spaces. Businesses that are more spread out, with areas that are regularly used by visitors, might prefer an all-wireless option. Be sure to check the terms of service carefully, however, as some providers restrict access to bars, restaurants, hotels, and other establishments that serve the public. If your data needs are especially demanding, with employees routinely transferring large files or doing HD video streaming, a dedicated connection is pricey but probably worth it.
If you work from home, do you need business internet?
Remote employees can use large amounts of data, sometimes enough to exceed data caps that are common with consumer internet plans. But paying for unlimited access is usually still cheaper than signing up for a dedicated business plan. Consider a business plan if you need fast upload speeds (many consumer providers limit uploads to a fraction of download speeds) and a dedicated IP address for persistent connections. A business plan is also appropriate if you need to run your own server, which is prohibited under the terms of service for most consumer plans. Although there are workarounds that allow you to fly under the radar of some consumer providers, you don't want your business-critical server to be unexpectedly cut off from the internet because someone at your ISP discovered its existence.
What internet speed is appropriate for business use?
The service providers in this list offer an extremely wide range of speeds, from as little as 10 Mbps to a blazing 5 Gbps over a dedicated fiber connection.
Each tier of increased speed comes at a higher price, sometimes significantly higher, so it's important to sign up for only as much bandwidth as you need. That calculation is highly dependent on what your business does on a day-to-day basis. In an office with one or two workers doing mostly lightweight tasks (email and basic productivity apps) plus point-of-sale transactions, even the most modest package will probably do. You'll want to expand speeds significantly as you add workers, especially if they routinely transfer large files. Businesses that do intensive work with large files, such as graphic design shops and videographers, should get as much bandwidth as they can afford.
How do you find the best business internet provider for your business?
Start by using the provider's online form to see if service is available at your address. If your business is located in space you rent or lease, you'll need to check with the owner or management company to confirm that you're allowed to do any work required as part of the installation.
We recommend getting a detailed quote that includes all one-time charges as well as a firm estimate of monthly charges, including taxes and fees. If a long-term contract is required, be sure to find out what the monthly charge will be after the contract ends if you stay on a month-to-month basis.
Finally, look at any available add-ons, including business phone service, email, wireless backup, and business Wi-Fi that uses secure authentication rather than a simple password. You might find that those options can provide some extra savings and give you a single point of contact for support.