Best Internet Providers in Illinois

What is the best internet provider in Illinois?

AT&T Fiber is CNET’s choice for the best internet service provider in Illinois. It has the best fiber internet coverage in Illinois, one of the best selections of high-speed plans that include unlimited data and free equipment and the highest customer satisfaction of any major provider in the state.

But AT&T Fiber isn’t the state’s cheapest or fastest ISP. Astound has the cheapest internet plan in Illinois — with service starting at $20 per month. Xfinity even offers multi-gigabit plans, up to 10,000Mbps, although service areas are limited. Xfinity also has the best availability of any non-satellite provider in Illinois. 

Xfinity and AT&T are top choices for internet in Illinois. Still, the best internet service provider for your home will ultimately depend on the available internet providers in your area and what you’re looking for, whether that’s the cheapest service, the fastest speeds or the best overall value.

Best internet in Illinois in 2024

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Other available internet providers in Illinois

• Brightspeed: After acquiring DSL networks from Lumen Technologies (CenturyLink), Brightspeed offers internet in the western Illinois areas of Galesburg, Dixon and Manito. DSL service starts at $50 per month for the fastest speeds available, up to 100Mbps.
• Frontier: DSL internet is available throughout much of Illinois, but the low speeds are probably worth passing on if other cable, fiber or 5G options are available in your area. On the other hand, Frontier Fiber has the speeds, service terms and value to rival AT&T Fiber, but the service is only available in select areas.
• Mediacom: Cable internet service from Mediacom offers download speeds from 100 to 1,000Mbps, starting at $30 to $70 per month, depending on your speed and options. Most plans come with a data cap ranging from 300GB-5TB.
• Rise Broadband: Fixed wireless internet is a great option for broadband in rural areas, but with max speeds of 25 to 50Mbps starting at $45 per month in most locations, Rise Broadband doesn’t have the same value as T-Mobile Home Internet. 
• Sparklight: Previously known as Cable One, Sparklight offers cable internet service in select parts of Illinois, including Taylorville, Hillsboro, Benton and Fairfield. Service is relatively cheap, from $25 to $60 per month for speeds ranging from 100 to 940Mbps.
• Spectrum: The nation’s second-largest cable internet provider doesn’t have near the coverage of Xfinity in Illinois, but those in the Mt. Vernon and greater St. Louis areas may be eligible for service. Plans start at $40 to $70 monthly for max download speeds of 300 to 1,000Mbps and include unlimited data and a free modem.
• Verizon 5G Home Internet: Verizon’s wireless home internet service boasts faster max speeds than T-Mobile Home Internet, but availability is mostly limited to Chicago and the greater St. Louis area. Two plans — Home, starting at $50 per month for speeds of 50 to 300Mbps and Home Plus, $70 for 85 to 1,000Mbps — are available and come with equipment rental, unlimited data and no contact requirements. Qualifying Verizon mobile customers can get Home and Home Plus for $35 and $45 per month, respectively.
• Satellite internet: Wired and fixed wireless connections cover more than 99% of Illinois households, according to the FCC, so you shouldn’t have to rely on satellite internet. If, however, no other practical options are available, Hughesnet and Viasat are top choices for satellite internet, though Starlink may deliver faster speeds. 

Illinois internet options by city

It’s hard to cover the internet options of an entire state like Illinois while giving individual cities the in-depth attention they deserve. That’s why we’ve also put together lists of the best internet providers in cities across the US, including those in Illinois. If you don’t find your hometown below, check back later. We’re working to add more every day.

Cheap internet options in Illinois

Cable internet providers Xfinity, Astound, Sparklight and Mediacom have the cheapest internet plans in Illinois. Astound has the cheapest plan at $20 per month for speeds up to 300Mbps, Xfinity and Sparklight cheapest plans are decent deals too, offering speeds up to 150Mbps and 300Mbps for $30 and $35 per month, respectively.

What’s the cheapest internet in Illinois?

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to find internet deals and promotions in Illinois

The best internet deals and top promotions in Illinois depend on what discounts are available during that time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers. 

Illinois internet providers, such as Astound Broadband, may offer lower introductory pricing or special offers for a limited time. Others, including AT&T Fiber, Xfinity and Spectrum, run the same standard pricing year-round. 

For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the best internet deals. 

How fast is Illinois broadband?

Ookla speed test data from Q4 2023 shows Illinois had a median download speed of 187Mbps, good for 39th place among all 50 states and Washington, DC. The speeds are lower than the national average of 227Mbps and neighboring states of Indiana (201Mbps), Kentucky (210Mbps), Missouri (208Mbps) and Wisconsin (201Mbps) but faster than Iowa (162Mbps).

Fiber internet is often the best source for fast speeds and has the advantage of symmetrical (or close) upload and download speeds. Cable internet can also pack plenty of download speed (Astound Broadband offers up to 1,500Mbps, for example) but upload speeds are typically much slower.

Fastest internet plans in Illinois

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 video conferencing, 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; 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 video conferencing.
• 40 to 100Mbps should give one user sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming. 
• 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two users to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like video conferencing, streaming and online gaming. 
• 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Illinois

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:

1. Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
2. Do customers get decent value for what they’re paying?
3. Are customers happy with their service?

While the answers to those questions are often layered and complex, the providers that 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, although 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 (Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis) 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 Illinois?

Xfinity has the best coverage of any non-satellite provider, the cheapest internet plan and the fastest internet speed tier in Illinois. The cheapest plan only offers speeds up to 75Mbps, and availability for Xfinity’s fastest plan (up to 10,000Mbps) requires access to the provider’s fiber network, which is limited in Illinois.

While there’s a good chance your Illinois address is serviceable for Xfinity, it’s worth considering other providers that may be available as well to ensure you’re getting the best speeds and value. 

If fiber internet is available from providers such as Frontier Fiber or AT&T Fiber (CNET’s pick for best ISP in Illinois overall), it’s likely to be a better value, even if it is slightly more expensive in the first year or two. Otherwise, look to cable providers such as Astound, Mediacom, Sparklight and Spectrum, or fixed wireless service from T-Mobile Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home Internet for fast, reliable home internet in Illinois.

Internet providers in Illinois FAQs