Suzanne Kantra/Techlicious generated by ChatGPT
AT&T Fiber is the best home internet provider in the United States, according to a new report from Ookla, the company behind the popular Speedtest app. Ookla reached that conclusion by pulling millions of speed tests that people ran on their home connections between January and June 2026.
Ookla scores every provider out of 100 on what it calls a Speedtest Connectivity Score, its blend of speed, reliability and streaming quality. AT&T Fiber's 82.90 edged out Verizon Fios's 80.82, with Cox (78.53), Xfinity (78.24), and Spectrum (76.92) rounding out the list among top providers. The average AT&T Fiber customer got download speeds of 374.75 Mbps and upload speeds of 320.65 Mbps, and the broader quality score folds in web browsing speed and video streaming performance alongside those raw speed numbers. The one area AT&T Fiber didn't win was gaming: Ookla rated Verizon's network the best for consistent, low-lag online gaming.
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The best internet provider for you
The rankings below reflect Ookla's overall measurement of major internet service providers across the U.S. But the best national provider may not be available where you live. Ookla also tracked the fastest provider in 100 cities and all 50 states, which you can check in the company's Speedtest Connectivity Report.
Best overall: AT&T Fiber
Based on Ookla’s measurements, AT&T Fiber delivers the best overall experience. It's the fastest provider and scored highest on the combined quality measure.
Best for gaming: Verizon FiOS
If you’re a gamer and relying on your network to beat your competitors in fact-action games, you need consistent, fast reaction times (aka low latency). Verizon FiOS excelled in both low lag and speed consistency, which means more than peak download speed for gaming.
Best value: Internet and mobile phone service bundle
Bundling your mobile phone and internet service delivers the best value. AT&T and Verizon start at $20/mo for their entry-level, Frontier starts at $15 (with a Verizon bundle), and T-Mobile 5G Home starts at $35/mo.
If you’re looking at stand-alone pricing for the near term, Spectrum has a promotional plan that starts at $30 per month. Xfinity charges more, starting at $40 per month, but you’re guaranteed the rate won’t go up for five years.
Best for multi-streaming households: AT&T Fiber
Video streaming and cloud gaming are the most demanding applications for internet service, requiring a max of about 25Mbps for each 4K stream and up to 50Mbps for cloud gaming. If you have multiple people trying to stream video and play games, you’ll need a few hundred Mbps. AT&T Fiber’s 300Mbps plan meets those requirements for most people.
Best for rural areas: T-Mobile 5G Home Internet
None of the fiber or cable providers matter if they don't run a line to your house, which is the reality for a lot of rural addresses. T-Mobile 5G Home Internet, which uses the same cell towers as its phone service rather than buried cable, starts at $50/mo ($35/mo if you bundle it with a T-Mobile phone plan) and comes with a 5-year price lock. In Ookla’s mobile network testing, T-Mobile was the fastest of the carriers delivering 275.55 Mbps.
If T-Mobile doesn’t cover your home, check Verizon 5G Home (also $50/mo or $35 bundled with mobile). Verizon has the widest coverage of the mobile networks, but a slower median download speed of 218.95 Mbps.
Frequently asked questions
Which internet provider is the best in 2026?
AT&T Fiber, according to Ookla's H1 2026 Speedtest Connectivity Report. It posted the highest Speedtest Connectivity Score (82.90) of any provider tracked, along with a median download speed of 374.75 Mbps, and won Ookla's Fastest Fixed Network and Top Rated awards.
Is AT&T Fiber available everywhere?
No. Fiber availability depends heavily on your specific address, so check what providers actually serve your home before assuming AT&T Fiber is an option.
Which provider is best for gaming?
Verizon. Ookla gave Verizon its Best Fixed Gaming Experience award, a measure built around latency and consistency during gameplay rather than download speed alone.
What's the cheapest home internet plan among major providers?
Xfinity offers bundles with Verizon mobile service starting at $15/mo. For a stand-alone plan, Spectrum starts at $30/mo.
