Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
While Google Fiber, Spectrum and Verizon 5G Home Internet made it to the top of our best list of ISPs in Kansas City, there are other options out there. AT&T Fiber, if available to you, is one to consider as a close competitor to Google Fiber.
How many members of your household use the internet?
For most Kansas City residents, the biggest decision you have to make is whether to go with fiber or cable. Google and AT&T have strong fiber coverage across the town, so that may be your ideal choice, especially if you need fast upload speeds. Cable ISPs Spectrum and Xfinity make a case with affordable plans, while fixed wireless competitors Verizon and T-Mobile will tempt you to bundle your phone service and get home internet at a discount.
With both Google's and Spectrum’s lowest-cost plans in the mix, the average starting price for internet in Kansas City works out to under $50. Fiber starts as low as $55 per month from AT&T, but the more widely available Google Fiber 1,000Mbps plan will cost you $70 per month. That’s a pretty good deal for gigabit fiber.
Google Fiber’s $15-per-month 100Mbps plan is one of the cheapest internet rates you’ll find, but it’s only available in certain areas of Kansas City that have been traditionally underserved. One clever way to get cheap home internet is to bundle an eligible Verizon or T-Mobile phone plan with internet service. That puts Verizon as low as $25 per month and T-Mobile as low as $30 per month.
Qualified low-income households can get very good prices on internet in Kansas City. Check into Spectrum’s Internet Assist plan for $20 per month.
Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee | Contract |
---|---|---|---|---|
Google Fiber Broadband (limited availability area) Read full review | $15 | 100Mbps | None | None |
Spectrum Internet Assist (must meet eligibility requirements) Read full review | $20 | 30Mbps | Free modem; $5 router | None |
Xfinity Connect Read full review | $20 | 125Mbps | $15 (optional) | None |
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review | $50 ($35 with eligible mobile plan) | 300Mbps | None | None |
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review | $50 ($40 with eligible mobile plan) | 245Mbps | None | None |
AT&T Fiber 300 Read full review | $55 | 300Mbps | None | None |
Wisper Internet Surf Preferred | $65 | 25Mbps | Varies | None |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
Homes that are in the right places can enjoy fiber internet speeds of up to 5,000Mbps from Google or AT&T. That’s a big part of why Kansas City ranks in 12th place on Speedtest.net’s listing of internet speeds for the 100 most populous cities in the US. KCMO pulls down a median download speed of nearly 232Mbps, with Google Fiber taking the prize for the city’s fastest provider at a median download speed of about 272Mbps. Zippy.
Depending on what part of town you’re in, you’ll look to Google Fiber or AT&T Fiber to fuel your online adventures. Both have plans up to 5,000Mbps, but you can save money and still pull down fast speeds if you look at the 2,000Mbps tier from either provider. Here’s what you need to know about the best multigigabit plans you can buy.
Provider | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Starting price | Data cap | Contract |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Google Fiber Read full review | 8,000Mbps | 8,000Mbps | $150 | None | None |
AT&T Fiber 5000 Read full review | 5,000Mbps | 5,000Mbps | $250 | None | None |
Google Fiber Read full review | 5,000Mbps | 5,000Mbps | $125 | None | None |
AT&T Fiber 2000 Read full review | 2,000Mbps | 2,000Mbps | $150 | None | None |
Google Fiber Read full review | 2,000Mbps | 2,000Mbps | $100 | None | None |
Google Fiber Read full review | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | $70 | None | None |
Xfinity Gigabit X2 Read full review | 2,000Mbps | 35Mbps | $120 | 1.2 TB | 2 years |
Xfinity Gigabit Extra Read full review | 1,200Mbps | 35Mbps | $75 | 1.2 TB | 2 years |
Xfinity Gigabit Read full review | 1,000Mbps | 35Mbps | $65 | 1.2 TB | 2 years |
AT&T Fiber 1000 Read full review | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | $80 | None | None |
Spectrum Internet Gig Read full review | 1,000 Mbps | 35Mbps | $60 | None | None |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
Your first choice when shopping for internet in Kansas City should be fiber from either Google or AT&T. It’s speedy up and down and reasonably priced, especially around the 1-gig level. When it comes to cable, both Spectrum and Xfinity have a wide choice of plans and some affordable prices on the lower end. When the budget is tight, consider bundling an eligible phone plan to get discounted home internet from Verizon or T-Mobile.
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. So 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.
But it doesn’t end there. We go to the FCC’s website to check our data and ensure we’re considering every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. To evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP's service, we look at sources including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; all information provided is accurate as of the time of publication.
Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:
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.
To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.
Is fiber internet available in Kansas City?
Both AT&T and Google service Kansas City with fiber internet. The two providers have decent coverage across the metro area, but availability and speeds are location-dependent. Google Fiber is well represented across the heart of the city, but AT&T picks up where Google fades away in the southwestern part of town. Google Fiber maxes out at 8,000Mbps while AT&T maxes out at 5,000Mbps in some locations.
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Who is the cheapest internet provider in Kansas City?
Some spots in Kansas City qualify for Google Fiber’s $15-per-month 100Mbps plan. That’s not the kind of speed that will knock your socks off, but it’s perfectly respectable for most streaming and browsing needs. It’s a bargain price, no matter how you look at it. On the cable side, check into Spectrum’s most affordable plans, including the $20-per-month 30Mbps Internet Assist for qualified households, or bump up to the 300Mbps plan that runs $30 per month for the first year.
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Which internet provider in Kansas City offers the fastest plan?
If you are in a prime spot for AT&T Fiber or Google Fiber, you might get lucky and qualify for a blazing-fast 5,000Mbps speed tier. With AT&T, that will cost you $180 per month, while Google Fiber charges $150 per month. Run your address with each ISP to find out if your address is covered and how fast your connection might be.
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Is AT&T Fiber or Google Fiber better in Kansas City?
Source: cnet.com