Best ISPs in Washington, DC

What is the best ISP in Washington?

Washington residents have three main Internet service provider options: Astound Broadband, Xfinity and Verizon Fios — okay T-Mobile’s 5G wireless home internet and regional internet providers like Stellar Internet and DC access. But which ISP to choose? It all comes down to what you can get at your address. Verizon Fios is CNET’s top pick for the best Internet providers in Washington, DC as it offers symmetrical speeds and comes with simple service conditions.

For those looking for the fastest internet in Federal City, Xfinity has a 2-gigabit plan for $95 per month and no data caps. If you’re out of Xfinity coverage, don’t worry. You should have access to Astound or Starry which have good value for money plans offering decent speeds. If you want the cheapest internet in the area, you can check out Astound’s 300 megabits per second plan, which costs just $20 per month.

Source: CNET analysis of vendor data.

Other available ISPs in Washington, DC

• DC access: Founded in 1999, this local ISP serves the Capitol Hill and Adams Morgan neighborhoods. Its plans are more expensive and slower than its larger competitors, and have a $99 setup fee but don’t require a contract.
• Satellite internet: Of course, satellite internet from Huznet, Viasat or Starlink is an option wherever you live. But it shouldn’t be your first choice – with the high prices and slow speeds, there are cheaper and faster options available.
• T-Mobile Home Internet: Some DC residents may have access to T-Mobile’s home broadband option. Plans range between $50-$70, all offering speeds from 72 to 245Mbps with plan differences related to customer service and Wi-Fi hardware.

Cheap Internet Options in Washington, DC

Look no further than Astound’s $20 per month 300Mbps plan for the most affordable Internet service in the nation’s capital. This promotional price will last for 24 months, but offers incredible savings. Astound also provides the best value overall with its $55, 1500Mbps plan, but the same caveats apply.

What’s the cheapest internet plan in Washington?

Source: CNET analysis of vendor data.

How to Find Internet Deals and Promotions in Washington, DC

The best internet deals and the best promotions in DC depend on what discounts are available at that time. Most deals are short-lived, but we’re often on the lookout for the latest deals.

Internet providers in Washington, DC, such as Xfinity and Astound Broadband, may offer lower introductory rates or streaming add-ons for a limited time. However, others, including Verizon, have the same standard rates throughout the year.

For a more extensive list of promotions, see our guide to the best internet deals.

How fast is broadband in Washington?

Federal City sits almost at the back of the pack compared to the rest of the country in terms of download speeds, with an average of around 232Mbps, according to Ookla speed test data. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.) However, several higher-speed plans are available for under $100 with promotional pricing.

The fastest download speeds you’ll find in the capital come from Xfinity and Verizon Fios, which offer 2,000Mbps plans for $95 per month and $110 per month, respectively. For high speeds at a lower price, Astound offers a 1500 Mbps plan for $55 for the first 24 months.

The fastest internet plans in Washington, DC

Source: CNET analysis of vendor data.

What is 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 include video conferencing, streaming video, or gaming, you’ll have a better experience with a more stable connection. Here’s an overview of recommended minimum download speeds for different apps, according to the FCC. Note that these are guidelines only — and that Internet speed, service, and performance vary by connection type, provider, and address.

• 0 to 5 Mbps lets you handle the basics – surfing the web, sending and receiving emails, streaming low-quality video.
• 5 to 40 Mbps gives you higher quality video streaming and video conferencing.
• 40 to 100 Mbps should provide a single user with enough bandwidth to meet the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming.
• 100 to 500Mbps allows one or two users to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities such as video conferencing, streaming and gaming.
• 500 to 1000 Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high-bandwidth activities simultaneously.

For more information, see our guide to how much internet speed do you really need?.

How CNET picked the best ISPs in Washington, DC

Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest ones smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen toolit is not practical to personally test every ISP in a given city. So what is our approach? We start by researching pricing, availability, and speed information, drawing on our own historical data from ISPs, provider sites, and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission on FCC.gov.

But it doesn’t end there. We go to the FCC website to check our data and make sure we’re looking at every ISP that provides service in an area. We also enter local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. We look at sources including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and JD Power to gauge how satisfied customers are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent change; all information provided is accurate at the time of publication.

Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:

1. Does the provider offer access to relatively fast internet speeds?
2. Are customers getting decent value for what they pay?
3. Are customers satisfied with their service?

While the answers to these questions are often multi-layered and complex, the vendors that come closest to saying yes to all three are the ones we recommend. When choosing the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, although we also take into account things like price increases, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively easy. 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 ISPs in Washington?

DC offers a handful of options for choosing your ISP, including many with fairly affordable prices. For most city dwellers, the choice will come down to Verizon Fios, Astound or Xfinity, which are competitive on price and speed.

ISPs in DC Frequently Asked Questions