Best Internet Providers in Minnesota
What is the best internet provider in Minnesota?
CNET recommends Quantum Fiber as Minnesota’s best overall internet service provider. As the state’s largest fiber ISP, it offers fast, symmetrical speeds; competitive pricing; and customer-friendly perks like unlimited data and free equipment rental.
That said, Quantum Fiber isn’t the fastest or most affordable option. US Internet leads in speed, delivering blazing-fast multigigabit service with speeds up to 10,000Mbps (10Gbps). Frontier Fiber and Midco follow closely, both offering speeds up to 5Gbps.
For budget-conscious customers, Xfinity provides the lowest starting price, at $20 per month for speeds up to 150Mbps.
Best internet in Minnesota
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Minnesota internet providers compared
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arvig | Fiber | $65-$95 | 300-940Mbps | $8 (optional) | None | 1 year for free installation | N/A |
| CenturyLink Read full review |
DSL | $55 | 20-100Mbps | $15 (optional) | None | None | 6.7 |
| Frontier Read full review |
DSL, fiber | $30-$300 | Varies DSL, 500-7,000Mbps fiber | None | None | None | 6.3 |
| Hughesnet Read full review |
Satellite | $75-$90 ($50-$65 first 12 months) | 50-100Mbps | $15 monthly or $300 purchase fee | Varies, 100-200GB | 2 years | 5.7 |
| Kinetic | DSL | $40 | 15-100Mbps DSL | $11 (optional) | None | None | 6.7 |
| Mediacom Read full review |
Cable | $35-$60 | 100-1,000Mbps | $14 | 350-3,000GB | None | 6.4 |
| Midco | Cable, fiber | $49-$99 | 250-2,000Mbps | $11 (optional) | None | None | N/A |
| Quantum Fiber | Fiber | $50-$95 | 500-2000Mbps | None | None | None | 6.7 |
| Spectrum Read full review |
Cable | $50-$70 | 500-1,000Mbps | Free modem, router rental $10 (optional) | None | None | 7.2 |
| Starlink Read full review |
Low orbit satellite | $120 | 20-220Mbps | $349 purchase fee | None | None | N/A |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | 72-245Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
| US Internet | Fiber | $65-$195 | 500-10,000Mbps | None | None | None | N/A |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review |
Fixed wireless | $60-$80 ($35-$45 for eligible Verizon Wireless customers) | 50-1,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
| Viasat Read full review |
Satellite | $100 | 12-100Mbps | $15 monthly or $250 upfront | Varies, 40-300GB | 2 years | 6.1 |
| Xfinity Read full review |
Cable | $20-$80 | 150-2,000Mbps | $15 (optional) | 1.25TB or unlimited | None required | 7 |
| Plan | Starting price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xfinity Connect Read full review |
$20 | 150Mbps | $15 (optional) | ||
| Midco Fiber 250 | $50 | 250Mbps | $11 (optional) | ||
| Metronet Read full review |
$30 | 100Mbps | None ($12 monthly tech service fee) | ||
| Mediacom Prime Internet Read full review |
$15 | 100Mbps | $14 modem rental | ||
| Kinetic Internet | $40 | 15-100Mbps | $10 (optional) | ||
| Frontier Fiber 500 Read full review |
$55 (with autopay) | 500Mbps | None | ||
| Quantum Fiber 500 | $50 | 500Mbps | None | ||
| Spectrum Internet Read full review |
$50 | 500Mbps | Free modem, $10 router rental (optional) | ||
| CenturyLink | $55 | 100Mbps | $15 (optional) | ||
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review |
$60 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | 300Mbps | None | ||
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
$50 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | 245Mbps | None |
| Plan | Starting price | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Data cap | Connection type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Internet 10 Gig | $195 | 10,000Mbps | 10,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Frontier Fiber 7000 Read full review |
$300 | 7,000Mbps | 7,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Midco Fiber 2 Gig | $99 | 2,000Mbps | 2,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Xfinity Gigabit x2 Read full review |
$80 | 2,000Mbps | 50Mbps | 1.25TB or unlimited | Cable |
| Mediacom 1 Gig Read full review |
$55-$70 | 1,000Mbps | 50Mbps | 3TB | Cable |
| Spectrum Internet Gig Read full review |
$70 | 1,000Mbps | 35Mbps | None | Cable |
| Quantum Fiber 940Mbps | $75 | 940Mbps | 880Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Arvig 1Gbps | $95 | 940Mbps | 880Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Verizon 5G Home Plus Internet Read full review |
$80 ($45 with qualifying Verizon 5G mobile plans) | 1,000Mbps | 75Mbps | None | Fixed wireless |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What’s a good internet speed?
Most internet connection plans can now handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you’re looking for an internet plan that can accommodate videoconferencing, streaming video or gaming, you’ll have a better experience with a more robust connection. Here’s an overview of the recommended minimum download speeds for various applications, according to the FCC. Note that these are only guidelines, and that internet speed, service and performance vary by connection type, provider and address.
For more information, refer to our guide on how much internet speed you really need.
- 0 to 5Mbps allows you to tackle the basics: browsing the internet, sending and receiving email and streaming low-quality video.
- 5 to 40Mbps gives you higher-quality video streaming and videoconferencing.
- 40 to 100Mbps should give one person sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming.
- 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two people to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming.
- 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more people to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.
How CNET chose the best internet providers in Minnesota
Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it’s impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. What’s our approach? We start by researching the pricing, availability and speed information, drawing on our own historical ISP data, the provider sites and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov.
It doesn’t end there; we go to the FCC’s website to check our data and ensure we consider every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. We look at sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power, to evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; all information provided is accurate as of publication.
Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:
- Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
- Do customers get decent value for what they’re paying?
- Are customers happy with their service?
While the answer to those questions is often layered and complex, the providers who come closest to “yes” on all three are the ones we recommend. When selecting the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, though we also factor in things like price increases, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively straightforward. We look at advertised upload and download speeds and consider real-world speed data from sources like Ookla and FCC reports.
To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.
What’s the final word on internet providers in Minnesota?
Minnesota is home to many internet service providers. The speeds you can get and what you can expect to pay each month will depend on the internet providers in your area.
If Quantum Fiber is available in your area, the low, stable pricing and simple service terms make it a top choice for home internet. Other fiber internet providers — including Frontier Fiber, US Internet, Midco and Metronet — are decent options for many of the same reasons. However, their coverage in Minnesota isn’t as good as Quantum Fiber.
Cable internet — from Mediacom, Spectrum, Xfinity or others — is also worth considering. Spectrum is ideal for its straightforward pricing, and Xfinity has the cheapest starting price of any major ISP in Minnesota at $20 a month for speeds up to 150Mbps.
In areas where cable or fiber service is unavailable, the best options may be fixed wireless internet from T-Mobile Home Internet or DSL service from CenturyLink or Kinetic. For everywhere else, there’s always satellite internet.
Internet providers in Minnesota FAQs
What is the best internet service provider in Minnesota?
Quantum Fiber is Minnesota’s best internet service provider because of its large fiber-optic coverage, competitive pricing and customer-friendly service terms that include free equipment rental and unlimited data.
Is fiber internet available in Minnesota?
Yes. Just over two thirds of Minnesota households are eligible for fiber internet, according to the most recent FCC data. Quantum Fiber is the largest fiber ISP in the state, but Arvig, Frontier, Metronet, Midco and US Internet, among others, contribute to fiber internet availability in Minnesota.
What is the cheapest internet provider in Minnesota?
Xfinity has the lowest starting price of any major ISP in Minnesota at $20 monthly for download speeds up to 150Mbps. Customers will likely be required to sign a one-year term agreement to get the lowest pricing, and the rate may rise significantly (by $30 or more) after the first year.
Which internet provider in Minnesota offers the fastest plan?
Local fiber provider US Internet offers the fastest speed tier of any major ISP in the state, up to 10,000Mbps, starting at $195 monthly. Service is limited to select areas in Minneapolis.
