Why You Can Trust CNET Best Internet Providers in New Jersey
Need internet in the Garden State? Here are my picks for the best internet providers in New Jersey.
Table of Contents
- Prices from $50 - $120 per month
- Speeds from 300 - 2,000Mbps
- Unlimited data
- Prices from $20 - $300 per month
- Speeds from 75 - 6,000Mbps
- Data caps on some plans
- Prices from $40 - $80 per month
- Speeds from 300 - 940Mbps
- Unlimited data
- Prices from $50 per month
- Speeds from 33 - 182Mbps
- Unlimited data
- Prices from $50 - $70 per month
- Speeds from 85 - 1,000Mbps
- Unlimited data
Searching for a good internet provider in New Jersey can leave you feeling as helpless as attempting to pump your own gas. Granted, there's no law stating you can't shop around for internet service yourself, but you still won't want to do all the work. So like the gas station attendant standing by to fill your tank, I'm here to help you find the best ISP for your New Jersey home.
Verizon Fios will be the best internet provider for most New Jersey homes as the service presents multiple high-speed plan options with symmetrical or close upload and download speeds throughout much of the state. Xfinity is the primary cable internet provider in New Jersey and a good option for cheap internet, TV bundles and prepaid internet service.
Depending on where you live in the Garden State, your address may have access to Verizon Fios, Xfinity or other ISPs like Optimum, Brightspeed and Starry. Additionally, T-Mobile Home Internet has brought more internet options to suburban and rural parts of New Jersey. In contrast, Verizon's 5G home internet service has increased broadband competition in cities like Newark and along the Jersey Shore.
The best internet providers in New Jersey
The following ISPs stand out for their broadband coverage across New Jersey, as well as their speeds, low pricing and customer-friendly service terms. Ultimately, the best internet provider for your New Jersey home will depend on what's available at your address and what you're looking for, but this list is a good place to start.
Product details
There's a lot to like about Verizon Fios, from speed variety and reliability to pricing and promotional offers. But you don't have to take my word for it -- Verizon has led the charts in customer satisfaction for years.
Availability: Verizon Fios is available throughout much of New Jersey, but primary service areas include Newark, Trenton and Toms River. Those along the Jersey Shore, including residents of Atlantic City, are less likely to be eligible for Verizon Fios. Coverage is also limited around Stafford Township and in northwest New Jersey around Sparta Township.
Plans and pricing: Verizon Fios offers three speed tiers with symmetrical or near-symmetrical upload and download speeds: 300Mbps, 500Mbps and 940 Mbps, starting at $50, $70 and $90 per month, respectively. Select customers, particularly those in the greater NYC area, may also have the option of a 2Gbps plan starting at $120 per month. Prices are guaranteed for two to four years, depending on your chosen plan.
Fees and service details: Verizon Fios keeps it customer friendly with no equipment fees, data caps or contracts.
Product details
Xfinity is the largest cable internet provider in New Jersey, bringing numerous high-speed plan options to much of the state. Introductory pricing is among the lowest in New Jersey, but watch out for a steep price increase after 24 months.
Availability: You'll find Xfinity throughout much of New Jersey but not everywhere. Areas north of Newark and many wildlife management areas, including Greenwood Forest and The Pines, are not serviceable for Xfinity.
Plans and pricing: Xfinity presents the most plan options of any major New Jersey internet provider. Customers will have five primary plans to choose from, with speeds ranging from 200Mbps starting at $25 per month to 1,200Mbps starting at $80 per month. There's also a decent prepaid internet plan from Xfinity if you want to skip the credit check, fees and other pains of traditional service.
The unfortunate downside to Xfinity, and cable internet in general, is that upload speeds will be much lower than download speeds. Granted, upload speeds are less important in our daily internet use, but it's something to remember when comparing Xfinity and cable internet to a fiber service like Verizon Fios.
Fees and service details: Xfinity's exact offerings and service terms vary by location, but most Xfinity customers in New Jersey will have unlimited data and no contract requirements. The cheapest plan, Connect More, also may come with equipment rental at no extra cost. Otherwise, expect the equipment fee to add $15 to your bill unless you use your own.
Product details
Availability: While Xfinity covers much of the mid and southern parts of the state, Optimum operates in the eastern and northern areas of New Jersey. Service areas overlap in some locations, but you'll find Optimum to be the main internet provider north of Newark.
Plans and pricing: Optimum is similar to Verizon Fios in that it offers 300Mbps, 500Mbps and gigabit speed tiers. Pricing is a bit cheaper than Verizon Fios, however, at $40, $60 and $70 per month.
Like Xfinity, Optimum largely uses a cable network, which can result in significantly lower upload speeds. Optimum does have a growing fiber network, however, which can deliver equally as fast upload speeds as download.
Fees and service details: There are no added fees for equipment and no contracts required with Optimum internet. Unlimited data is also included with all plans.
Product details
Internet service, speeds and overall options are often best in urban areas, and for the most part, New Jersey is no different. T-Mobile Home Internet helps to fill the gaps in-between and is likely your best option for internet in rural areas of the Garden State.
Availability: According to the FCC, T-Mobile is available just about everywhere in New Jersey, though the southernmost tip of New Jersey and other pockets throughout the state may not be eligible for service.
Plans and pricing: T-Mobile Home Internet has one plan option: $50 per month for whatever the best speeds are available at your address, somewhere between 33 and 182Mbps. Qualifying T-Mobile Magenta Max customers can get $20 off the cost of T-Mobile Home Internet for a limited time.
Fees and service details: T-Mobile Home Internet does not require a contract and there are no data caps or equipment fees.
Verizon 5G Home Internet
Best alternative to wired internet in New Jersey
Product details
In most New Jersey locations, Verizon Fios and Xfinity or maybe Optimum will be your primary internet options with little else to choose from. Verizon's 5G Home Internet service shakes up the competition a bit with speeds and pricing to rival any provider.
Availability: While T-Mobile Home Internet is ideal for rural internet, Verizon's 5G Ultra Wideband network sticks mostly to larger cities. Newark, Jersey City and Jersey Shore have the best coverage, though Camden and other areas across the Delaware River from Philadelphia will also have decent availability.
Plans and pricing: Verizon 5G Home Internet comes with the plan options of 85-300Mbps starting at $50 per month or 300-1,000Mbps starting at $70 per month. Like with T-Mobile, Verizon offers a discount to qualifying mobile customers -- 50% off, bringing the all-in price down to $25 or $35 per month depending on the plan you choose.
Fees and service details: There are no equipment fees, contracts or data caps with Verizon 5G Home Internet.
Top internet providers in New Jersey
The providers listed above aren't the only ISPs available in New Jersey, but they are the ones you're most likely to come across and the ones I'd recommend most. The chart below will give you a better comparison of all your potential options.
Internet providers in New Jersey
| Provider | Connection type | Monthly price range | Speed range (Mbps) | Monthly data cap | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brightspeed | Fiber/copper | $50-$60 | 100-940 fiber, 20-100 copper | None | None |
| HughesNet | Satellite | $50-$150 | 25 | 15GB-100GB no hard data cap | 2 years |
| Optimum | Cable | $40-$70 | 300-1,000 | None | None |
| Spectrum | Cable | $50-$90 | 300-940 | None | None |
| Starry | Fixed wireless | $30-$80 | 50-1,000 | None | None |
| T-Mobile Home Internet | 5G fixed wireless | $50 | 33-182 | None | None |
| Verizon Fios | Fiber | $50-$120 | 300-2,300 | None | None |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet | 5G fixed wireless | $50-$70 | 85-1,000 | None | None |
| Viasat | Satellite | $70-$300 | 12-150 | 40GB-300GB | 2 years |
Rural internet options in New Jersey
New Jersey is the country's most densely populated state, but many areas still can be considered rural. After all, it's not called the Garden State for nothing. In such locations where a cable or fiber internet provider may not yet reach, you'll have a few choices for broadband service. T-Mobile would be my top pick, but satellite service is also available throughout the state.
Brightspeed: Best wired connection for rural areas in New Jersey. Brightspeed recently took over DSL operations for CenturyLink in New Jersey. Speeds and pricing remained largely unchanged -- $50 per month for the fastest speeds available -- as did the coverage areas, which span most of the western side of New Jersey.
HughesNet: Best for consistent speeds in New Jersey. HughesNet hits the threshold for broadband speeds, 25Mbps down and 3Mbps up, throughout New Jersey. Data allowances are a bit lower than you'll find with rival satellite provider Viasat, but pricing is cheaper, and all plans come with 50GB per month of bonus data between 2 a.m. and 8 a.m.
T-Mobile Home Internet: Best rural internet provider in New Jersey. As mentioned above, T-Mobile 5G Home Internet will be your best bet for internet in rural areas. Pricing and fees are lower than you'll find with satellite service, and download speeds of 100Mbps are available throughout much of the state, according to the FCC.
Starlink: Fastest satellite internet provider in New Jersey. Satellite internet is known for slow speeds and high latency, but Starlink wants to change that with an arsenal of low-orbiting satellites. Service comes at a high price: $120 per month and up to $600 just to get started.
Viasat: A potentially faster alternative to HughesNet. You may have to join a waiting list to get Starlink, but Viasat is available now and can deliver faster speeds and higher data allowances than HughesNet in select parts of New Jersey. Just be ready for higher prices than you'll find with HughesNet.
New Jersey internet at a glance
Unfortunately, living in New Jersey doesn't come with a great selection of internet providers, but the available ISPs are still pretty good. Thanks to providers like Verizon Fios, Xfinity and Optimum, download speeds of 250Mbps or higher are available to more than 99% of households in New Jersey, according to the FCC.
Internet pricing in New Jersey
If you're looking for cheap internet in New Jersey, start with Xfinity. The provider's Connect More plan comes with download speeds up to 200Mbps starting at just $25 per month with no added fees for equipment. T-Mobile and Verizon 5G Home Internet are decent options for cheap internet, particularly if you qualify for the mobile customer discount.
Best cheap internet plans in New Jersey
| Plan | Starting price | Max download speeds | Equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon 5G Home | $25 (with qualifying discount) | 300 | None |
| Xfinity Connect More | $25 | 200 | None |
| T-Mobile Home Internet | $30 (with qualifying discount) | 182 | None |
| Starry Basic | $30 | 50 | None |
| Optimum 300 | $40 | 300 | None |
| Verizon Fios 300 | $50 | 300 | None |
| Spectrum Internet | $50 | 300 | $5 (optional) |
| Brightspeed 100 | $50 | 100 | $15 (optional) |
Internet service for low-income households in New Jersey
The Affordable Connectivity Program is available nationwide and grants qualifying households up to $30 per month to apply toward internet service. Additionally, discount plans or programs like Xfinity Internet Essentials and Verizon Lifeline are available throughout much of New Jersey. They can result in free internet when combined with the ACP credit.
Internet speeds in New Jersey
Average internet speeds in New Jersey are better than most states thanks to high-speed providers like Verizon Fios, Xfinity and Optimum. According to the most recent Ookla speed test data, New Jersey ranked fourth in fastest download speeds with a median speed of 224Mbps.
Download speeds
Upload speeds
Of course, speed tests rely on many factors, including Ethernet versus Wi-Fi connections, distance from the router, number of connected devices and an internet plan's max advertised speeds. Still, New Jersey residents are fortunate to have access to fast download speeds in general.
Fastest internet plans in New Jersey
| Plan | Max download speeds (Mbps) | Starting price | Data cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon 2Gbps | 2,300 | $120 | None |
| Xfinity Gigabit Extra | 1,200 | $80 | None |
| Verizon 5G Home Plus Internet | 1,000 | $70 | None |
| Starry Gigabit | 1,000 | $80 | None |
| Brightspeed | 940 | $60 | None |
| Optimum 1 Gig | 940 | $70 | None |
| Spectrum Gig | 940 | $90 | None |
The final word on internet in New Jersey
New Jersey isn't home to many internet providers. Still, the ones that are available throughout much of the state -- Verizon Fios, Xfinity, Optimum, T-Mobile and Verizon 5G -- are pretty good. No matter where you are or are moving to within the Garden State, there's likely to be a high-speed internet provider with competitive pricing, unlimited data and no contract requirements.
Table of Contents
- Best Internet Providers in New Jersey
- The best internet providers in New Jersey
- Verizon Fios: Best overall internet provider in New Jersey
- Xfinity: Best plan variety among New Jersey internet providers
- Optimum: Best internet provider in northern New Jersey
- T-Mobile Home Internet: Best rural internet provider in New Jersey
- Verizon 5G Home Internet: Best alternative to wired internet in New Jersey
- Top internet providers in New Jersey
- Rural internet options in New Jersey
- New Jersey internet at a glance
- Internet pricing in New Jersey
- Internet speeds in New Jersey
- The final word on internet in New Jersey
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