Best Internet Providers in Maine

What is the best internet provider in Maine?

Maine has a host of solid internet options, but if you’re looking for the best, CNET’s experts recommend Fidium Fiber for most households in the region. Fidium Fiber offers the fastest internet speeds, the cheapest internet plan (100Mbps for $25 a month) and the widest fiber internet among major internet providers in Maine. Plus, plans come with free equipment rental, unlimited data and no contract requirements.

In areas where Fidium Fiber is unavailable, GoNetspeed may offer fiber internet service. Otherwise, you’ll want to rely on cable internet from Spectrum and Xfinity, DSL from Consolidated Communications or a fixed wireless internet provider for broadband in your area.

The internet service provider you choose and its connection type make a big difference in speed, price and overall value. Here are the best internet providers to look for in Maine.

Best internet in Maine

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Other internet options in Maine

• Consolidated Communications: The parent company of Fidium Fiber, Consolidated Communications, also offers DSL internet service throughout much of Maine. Maximum speeds are slower than what’s available from cable, fiber or possibly even fixed wireless service, so explore all your internet options before signing up with Consolidated Communications.
• GoNetspeed: The second largest fiber internet provider in Maine, GoNetspeed offers symmetrical speeds ranging from 500 to 2,000Mbps, starting at $45 to $75 monthly. Service is primarily available in parts of Portland, Bangor, Biddeford and Brunswick. 
• Xfinity: Parts of southwestern Maine, including Sanford and Kittery, along with the greater Brunswick area from Bowdoin to Small Point, may be serviceable for Xfinity. Service is relatively inexpensive considering the speeds you get, but the equipment rental fee (optional), data cap and eventual, potentially steep, price increase may lower the overall value.
• Fixed wireless internet: Aside from T-Mobile Home Internet, fixed wireless internet service is available in Maine from providers such as US Cellular, Redzone Wireless and Trailrunner. Speeds, pricing and service terms will vary by provider and location.  
• Satellite internet: Some areas in Maine have no practical broadband options other than satellite internet. Hughesnet and Viasat are popular choices, with Hughesnet being the cheaper service, while Viasat may offer faster speeds and more data. Starlink offers faster speeds and more data (unlimited) than Hughesnet and Viasat but does little to alleviate the high cost of satellite internet, and availability is somewhat limited.

Internet breakdown by city in Maine

It’s hard to cover the broadband options of a state like Maine and give individual cities the attention they deserve. That’s why we also compile lists of the best internet providers in cities across the US, including those in Maine. We tackle details such as internet connection types, maximum speeds, cheapest providers and more. Check back later if you don’t find the city you’re looking for below. We’re working to add more locations each week. 

Cheap internet options in Maine

With service starting at $25 a month for speeds up to 100Mbps, Fidium Fiber has the cheapest home internet plan in Maine. Xfinity internet service starts at $30 a month and offers double the maximum download speed, up to 200Mbps, although upload speeds are slower and availability is limited in Maine.

Aside from Fidium Fiber and Xfinity, internet service in Maine starts around $50 a month or higher. Spectrum, T-Mobile Home Internet and GoNetspeed, for example, have starting prices of $50 to $55 a month.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to find internet deals and promotions in Maine

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

Maine internet providers, such as Xfinity, may offer lower introductory pricing or special deals for a limited time. Many, including Fidium Fiber 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 Maine broadband?

Recent Ookla speed test data placed Maine 50th fastest among all US states and Washington, DC, with median download speeds of 44Mbps. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.) However, faster max speeds are available from several Maine internet providers.

Gigabit service, with maximum speeds of around 1,000Mbps or higher, is available from a few Maine internet providers, including GoNetspeed, Spectrum and Xfinity. Fidium Fiber has the fastest plan with symmetrical upload and download speeds up to 2,000Mbps starting at $75 a month.

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 Maine

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 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, 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 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 Maine?

Fiber internet, from Fidium Fiber or GoNetspeed, or cable internet, from Spectrum or Xfinity, are likely to be your best internet options in Maine.

Spectrum has the greatest availability of any non-satellite ISP in Maine, but Fidium Fiber offers the cheapest plan (starting at $25 per month for up to 100Mbps) and the fastest speed (2,000Mbps starting at $75 monthly).

In areas where fiber or cable connections are unavailable, fixed wireless internet — from providers such as T-Mobile Home Internet, US Cellular, Redzone Wireless, Trailrunner and others — may be the only option for broadband internet outside satellite internet.

Internet providers in Maine FAQs