Best Austin internet providers 2025

Austin is a thriving tech hub. With a recent surge of companies, startups and entrepreneurs, it’s being touted as the next Silicon Valley. And the stats back up that claim, with nearly 80% of jobs per 1,000 people in Austin being tech-related. It’s no wonder high-speed, reliable internet is becoming the norm with tons of options to choose from.

But when you have tons of ISPs to choose from, it becomes difficult to choose a provider to install in your home. Choosing the right internet is crucial because it will impact your streaming, browsing, gaming, and working-from-home experience.

The Cybernews team has done thorough research into the best internet service providers across Austin. With all the heavy lifting done, we created this list of the top ISPs in Austin to help you find the one that’s best suited to your needs. We’ll also cover what to consider before choosing an ISP. Moreover, we have created a comparison table of the best options to choose from and included some FAQs to answer any burning questions.

Ready to find your ideal internet provider in Austin? Keep reading to get all the details.

Best 6 Austin internet providers – shortlist

What to consider before choosing an internet provider in Austin

While our list of top six internet service providers in Austin is great, you need to make sure to choose the right one based on your needs. If you don’t, you won’t be happy with the ISP, simply because it won’t meet your expectations.

So, the first thing you need to do is to determine the key factors to consider when choosing a top internet service provider, such as:

• Internet speed: The most important factor to keep in mind is the speed of the internet you need. This will give you a reference for the type of package you’re looking for. Generally, 100Mbps is a good speed benchmark for a household of four people using 4K streaming, online gaming, and working from home.
• Availability: You also need to consider the availability of the ISP in your region. Not all service providers will be available across the entirety of Austin, which is something you should check beforehand. Some ISPs, such as EarthLink, ask you to enter an exact address to check their availability in your specific location.
• Data caps: There’s nothing more annoying than running out of data and dealing with throttling, so make sure to read the fine print! Data caps can limit your streaming and gaming toward the end of the month when your connection starts throttling. Most IPSs will offer unlimited data packages, but it may be of a more expensive tier.
• Customer support: Customer support is always low on your list of considerations until you need it! The problem with technology is that it can sometimes go wrong, and that’s when you need someone who can quickly step in and help resolve your problems.
• Cost vs. value: To get the best possible internet service for your needs, you need to consider the value you’re getting for what you’re paying. The better your connection speed and reliability, the more you’re going to pay. But there are other things to keep in mind, such as the potential to bundle your internet with streaming services, mobile plans, or even TV packages to boost the value you get out of a deal.

The best internet providers in Austin, TX – our complete list

In this section, we’ll dive deeper into the top six Austin internet providers. Our team did thorough research to get all the most important details into this list. Below, you’ll get more information about each provider’s pricing, connection speeds, and the unique features that set them apart from the competition.

1. HughesNet – best home internet in Austin, Texas

Connection Type:	5G
Max Speed:	100 Mbps
Availability:	All areas in Austin
Price Range:	$49.99 per month

Visit HughesNet

HughesNet is a wireless and satellite internet provider that offers internet service to customers in rural and underserved areas of Austin. HughesNet plans offer unlimited data, which is a must-have if you’re streaming in 4K, working from home, or gaming online.

Apart from being a top 5G provider, HughesNet also offers a variety of bundles that include internet service and other services, such as home phone or TV. You can bundle your wireless internet with satellite, which will provide you with an even stronger connection that’s more reliable and has lower latency. If you need to game online with no lag or stream in 4K with no buggering, you should opt for the bundle offer.

2. Earthlink – best home internet coverage in Austin

Connection Type:	5G
Max Speed:	100 Mbps
Availability:	All areas in Austin
Price Range:	$49.95 per month

Visit Earthlink

If you’re wondering, “What is the best internet provider for my area?” then consider EarthLink. This is another reasonably priced ISP that serves the entirety of Austin. It’s marketed as the best home internet for rural areas because of the excellent coverage it offers. This means that you can get internet in your home no matter where you live in Austin, making EarthLink an excellent choice as one of the top internet service providers in Texas.

You can get one of three different packages with EarthLink, one that gives you a 100GB limit, a mid-tier package that gives you a 20GB limit, and the top-tier package that gives you unlimited data. The package that offers unlimited data is the most expensive, but it’s worth it if you’ll be streaming YouTube videos or working from home.

Another feature that we love from EarthLink is its easy-to-install, DIY setup. You can get everything up and running within five minutes, making it the ideal internet solution for rural areas since you don’t need to have someone called out to install everything for you.

3. T-Mobile Home Internet – cheapest home internet in Austin, Texas

Connection Type:	5G
Max Speed:	415 Mbps
Availability:	All areas in Austin
Price Range:	$50.00 per month

Visit T-Mobile

T-Mobile is always near the top when it comes to home internet. On our list of Austin ISPs, it’s in third place. It offers excellent speeds, reaching up to 415 Mbps. That’s fast enough for a household larger than four members, allowing you to stream in maximum quality, jump on conference calls, and game all night. However, there have been reports of connection speeds fluctuating from time to time, which is something to keep in mind.

That being said, T-Mobile offers plenty of other benefits, including its price lock guarantee, no annual contracts, and DIY installation. Plus, its bundle offers are great. If you add a postpaid voice line to your package, you can reduce your monthly bill to just $35 per month. You can also get a free Amazon Fire TV and a $150 virtual gift card.

4. AT&T – best home internet bundle in Austin

Connection Type:	5G
Max Speed:	140 Mbps
Availability:	All areas in Austin
Price Range:	$55.00 per month

Visit AT&T

AT&T offers decent connection speeds in Austin. At 140Mbps, it’s faster than most other ISPs. However, it’s also the most expensive option. You’ll be paying much more for AT&T for a small difference in speed (at least compared to T-Mobile), plus the fluctuating speeds could mean that your internet might never even reach 140Mbps.

You can get some great deals on new smartphones if you bundle your home internet and phone line through AT&T. It’s always running new offers, so it’s worth checking what its latest offer is if you’re looking for a good deal. However, keep in mind that its monthly costs are pricey to begin with.

5. Spectrum – fastest home internet in Austin, Texas

Connection Type:	5G
Max Speed:	500 Mbps
Availability:	All areas in Austin
Price Range:	$49.99 per month

Visit Spectrum

On paper, Spectrum looks like one of the best options for home internet in Austin. You can get mega-fast speeds of up to 500Mbps with Spectrum, and it gives you no contracts and no data caps. Plus, you can get your home internet for just $30 per month if you bundle it with two unlimited mobile lines - that works out as the cheapest (and fastest) deal on our list, making Spectrum one of the most affordable internet service providers.

But when you dig a bit deeper, you’ll see that Spectrum isn’t necessarily the best option. There are tons of poor reviews online — not just of the quality of their internet, but also their customer service. Tons of customers have had bad experiences with Spectrum and they struggle to get past the customer service bots to speak with an actual human. That being said, there are plenty of good reviews regarding the quality of their internet as well.

6. Cox – great home internet deals in Austin, Texas

Connection Type:	5G
Max Speed:	100 Mbps
Availability:	All areas in Austin
Price Range:	$49.99 per month

Visit Cox

Cox offers a good range of plans for home internet in Austin, ranging from 100Mbps all the way up to 2Gbps. Availability might not be as far-reaching in terms of the coverage for the higher-speed plans, but the option is still there. It also offers a good discount if you include Cox Mobile in your plan, which would be worth considering if it’s the ISP for you.

Comparison of the best internet providers in Austin

The Cybernews team has put together a comparison table to help you analyze the key differences between each of the top ISPs in Austin. This table will help you to quickly spot the differences and determine which ISP is best if you are a senior, a student, or a big household.

The table below compares each ISP's main features, including speed, connection type, starting price, and data caps.

Provider	Starting price	Average speed	Connection Type	Data caps
HughesNet	$49.99	100Mbps	5G	Unlimited
Earthlink	$49.95	100Mbps	5G	100GB
T-Mobile	$50.00	415Mbps	5G	Unlimited
AT&T	$55.00	140Mbps	5G	Unlimited
Spectrum	$49.99	500Mbps	5G	Unlimited
Cox	$49.99	100 Mbps	5G	1.25TB

How we tested and ranked these internet providers

The Cybernews research team carefully selected these ISPs based on core criteria that each provider had to meet. We use the same features to measure each ISP to ensure that they meet the standards that would satisfy customers.

Here are the criteria we considered when choosing the best internet in Austin:

• Speed and reliability: We looked into customer reviews to determine whether the provider offers high-quality connections.
• Pricing: Providers must offer affordable and transparent plans. Any plans that become too expensive and don’t offer a return in value did not make the cut.
• Customer support: We analyzed thousands of customer reviews to gauge the quality and responsiveness of providers' customer support teams.
• Coverage and availability: Our team is looking into the coverage that each provider offers across Austin. Providers that have availability in rural areas are important for home internet.

How to find internet deals and promotions in Austin

There are plenty of home internet deals and promotions in Austin – you just need to keep your eyes open! For example, you can get Spectrum Internet for just $30 per month if you combine it with two unlimited mobile lines. You can also get T-Mobile home internet at $35 per month by adding a postpaid voice line to your package. You can also get 20% off your AT&T bill by combining its internet service with unlimited wireless.

Promotions and deals are always around, but finding the best ones isn’t always easy. Try using a comparison website to see what deals are currently available. Alternatively, keep a record of the top ISPs in your area and make sure to check their websites regularly.

If you really want a good deal, check out ISP websites during holidays and festive seasons for their best deals. Of course, Black Friday deals will be your best bet. However, it’s always worth checking websites throughout the year.

What is the cheapest internet service in Austin?

As far as home internet goes, most of the service providers are in a similar price range. As you can see from the table above, they are nearly inseparable, with the lowest being EarthLink at $49.95.

However, if you take the deals and special offers into consideration, the cheapest ISP in Austin comes down Spectrum at just $30 per month. Next up is T-Mobile and Cox, both working out to just $35 per month.

To get these prices, you need to take up their offers which usually includes opting for the AutoPay feature and bundling your home internet with one of their other services such as a mobile plan. It’s not necessarily ideal for most people, but if you want to get a good price on home internet it’s worth considering.

What is the fastest internet provider in Austin?

Spectrum and T-Mobile are the fastest home internet providers in Austin, TX. Spectrum reaches speeds of 500Mbps, and T-Mobile can reach speeds of 415Mbps.

Having a high-speed connection is important because it will make high-bandwidth activities smoother and faster. Think about watching a movie on Netflix – with a fast internet connection, you can stream in the highest quality without having to wait for the movie to load or buffer. You can game online without dealing with annoying lag or delays. And if you need to work from home, conference calls won’t be blurry and choppy.

All in all, having a fast connection speed is crucial. But it doesn’t always perform the way it says it would on the box. You can get a speed test app on your phone and try this out for yourself. Internet speeds will fluctuate throughout the day (especially wireless 5G connections). You might find that your maximum speed reaches 140Mbps at 10:00 AM, but at midnight it hits 410Mbps.

Speeds will fluctuate depending on a number of factors, including:

• The number of devices connected to your internet.
• What each device is doing (for example, streaming uses a lot of bandwidth and slows the connection down).
• Adverse weather could impact your connection.
• High internet traffic from neighbors and surrounding areas (known as peak times) could also cause slower connections.

Final word on the internet service providers in Austin

The top home internet plan in Austin is currently HughesNet. The provider offers the best overall package with a good balance between speed, reliability, and price. Plus, its overall customer satisfaction is excellent, which puts it head and shoulders above the rest.

If you’re looking for fast internet at a decent price (that’s also reliable), we recommend going with T-Mobile. While Spectrum looks like the fastest (and cheapest) option on paper, its customer reviews have us slightly worried. EarthLink is a great option if you’re looking for a reasonably priced home internet package that gets the job done, but nothing fancy.

At Cybernews, we’re committed to providing you with the most up-to-date and reliable expert reviews, so we’ll keep our eyes on these providers and update this list if anything changes in the future!

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