What is the best internet provider in New Jersey?
For most New Jersey homes, Verizon Fios is CNET's pick as the top internet provider, offering fast, symmetrical speeds, long-term price guarantees and attractive signup perks. Xfinity is another popular choice, known for affordable internet, bundle deals, and prepaid options. Depending on your location in the Garden State, you might have access to Verizon Fios, Xfinity or other providers like Brightspeed, Optimum and Starry. In suburban and rural areas, T-Mobile Home Internet expands the options, while Verizon’s 5G service boosts competition in urban centers like Newark and the Jersey Shore.
Best internet in New Jersey
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.
New Jersey internet providers compared
| Provider | Internet Technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment cost | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brightspeed | Fiber/copper | $50-$70 | 200-940Mbps | $15 (optional) | None | None | N/A |
| Hughesnet Read full review | Satellite | $50-$95 ($75-$120 after 12 months) | 50-100Mbps | $15-$20 a month or $300-$450 one-time purchase | 100-200GB | 2 years | 6 |
| Optimum Read full review | Cable/fiber | $40-$280 | 300-8,000Mbps (varies by location) | None | None | None | 6.2 |
| Spectrum Read full review | Cable | $50-$80 | 300-1,000Mbps | Free modem; $7 router (optional) | None | None | 7.2 |
| Starry Read full review | Fixed wireless | $50-$85 | 200-1000Mbps | None | None | None | 7 |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review | Fixed wireless | $50($40 for eligible Go5G Plus and Magenta Max mobile customers) | 72-245Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
| Verizon Fios Read full review | Fiber | $35-$85 | 300-2,300Mbps | None | None | None | 7.6 |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review | Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 with qualifying mobile plans) | 80-1,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
| Viasat Read full review | Satellite | Up to 150Mbps | $199 | $15 or $250 one-time purchase | None | None | 6.1 |
| Xfinity Read full review | Cable | $30-$90 | 300-2,000Mbps | $15-$25 included in some plans | None | None required | 7 |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
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 CenturyLinkin New Jersey. Speeds and pricing remained largely unchanged -- $50-$70 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. You'll find that rival satellite provider Viasat has unlimited data, but Hughesnet's plans are cheaper despite its data allowances.
- 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. Standard service is expensive: $120 per month and up to $600 just to get started.
- Viasat: A potentially faster alternative to Hughesnet and maybe a cheaper option next to Starlink. Viasat's newest all-in-one plan is available now and can deliver faster speeds (up to 150Mbps in select areas) and unlimited data.
New Jersey broadband 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 99.8% of households in New Jersey, according to the FCC.
Internet breakdown by city in New Jersey
It’s hard to cover the broadband options of an entire state 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 New Jersey. We tackle details such as internet connection types, maximum speeds, cheapest providers and more. If you don’t find the city you’re looking for below, check back later. We’re working to add more locations every week.
How many members of your household use the internet?
- Best internet providers in Camden
- Best internet providers in Jersey City
- Best internet providers in Newark
- Best internet providers in Trenton
Cheap internet options in New Jersey
If you're looking for cheap internet in New Jersey, start with Xfinity. Xfinity's Connect plan at $30 per month for speeds of 300Mbps is a decent option. T-Mobile and Verizon 5G Home Internet are solid picks for cheap internet, particularly if you qualify for the mobile customer discount.
What's the cheapest plan in New Jersey?
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How fast is broadband 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 sixth in fastest download speeds with a median speed of 234Mbps.
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 | Starting price | Max download speeds | Max upload speeds | Data cap | Connection type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optimum 8 Gig Read full review | $280 | 8,000Mbps | 8,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Optimum 5 Gig Read full review | $180 | 5,000Mbps | 5,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Verizon Fios 2 Gig Read full review | $85 | 2,300Mbps | 2,300Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Optimum 2 Gig Read full review | $120 | 2,000Mbps | 2,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Xfinity Gigabit Extra Read full review | $90 | 1,200Mbps | 35Mbps | None | Cable |
| Verizon 5G Home Plus Internet Read full review | $70 ($45 with qualifying Verizon 5G mobile plans) | 1,000Mbps (varies by location) | 75Mbps | None | Fixed wireless |
| Xfinity Gigabit Read full review | $50 | 1,000Mbps | 20Mbps | None | Cable |
| Brightspeed | $70 | 940Mbps | 940Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Optimum 1 Gig; Read full review | $80 | 940Mbps | 35Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Spectrum Gig Read full review | $80 | 940Mbps | 35Mbps | None | Cable |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How CNET chose the best internet providers in New Jersey
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’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:
- Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
- Do customers get decent value for what they're paying?
- 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.
The final word on internet in New Jersey
New Jersey isn't home to many internet providers. Still, the ones 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.
Internet in New Jersey FAQ
What is the best internet service provider in New Jersey?
Verizon Fios stands out as the best internet provider in New Jersey for a variety of reasons. As the state's largest fiber internet provider, Verizon Fios is capable of delivering some of the fastest download and upload internet speeds in New Jersey. All plans are competitively priced and come with a price guarantee of two to four years, unlimited data and no equipment fees.
Is Xfinity or Verizon Fios better?
Xfinity has lower pricing and greater plan selection in most areas than Verizon Fios, but Verizon Fios is often the better value. Xfinity's cheapest plan in New Jersey, for example, starts at $30 per month for download speeds up to 300Mbps whereas the cheapest Fios plan is a bit more at $35 monthly for speeds up to 300Mbps. Renting equipment from Xfinity may add $15 to your bill while Verizon Fios includes your equipment rental at no extra cost.
What is the cheapest internet provider in New Jersey?
Internet pricing in New Jersey will vary by provider and location, but Xfinity offers the cheapest plan of any major ISP in the state with its Connect plan starting at $30 per month with maximum speeds of 300Mbps.