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David Anders Senior Writer
David Anders is a senior writer for CNET covering broadband providers, smart home devices and security products. Prior to joining CNET, David built his industry expertise writing for the broadband marketplace Allconnect. In his 5 plus years covering broadband, David's work has been referenced by a variety of sources including ArcGIS, DIRECTV and more. David is from and currently resides in the Charlotte area with his wife, son and two cats.
Expertise Broadband providers | Home internet | Security Cameras
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- Price Range: $30-$45 per month
- Speeds: 100 - 200Mbps
- Key Info: Prepaid billing, free equipment, unlimited data, no contracts
Or call to learn more: (833) 287-1357
- Prices: $50 per month
- Speeds: 100Mbps
- Key Info: 1.25TB monthly data allowance, no contracts, no equipment fee
Or call to learn more: (844) 580-0763
- Prices: $15 - $45 for 7 or 30 days of service
- Speeds: 50Mbps
- Key Info: No contracts, no monthly equipment fee
Or call to learn more: (833) 826-6778
- Prices: $50 - $120 per month
- Speeds: 300 - 2,000Mbps
- Key Info: Unlimited data, no contracts, free equipment with gig service
Or call to learn more: (877) 421-8891
What is the best prepaid internet plan?
Many Americans have struggled to afford home internet since the end of the Affordable Connectivity Program. There are a few alternatives to consider for cheap internet, but prepaid service is, unfortunately, not likely to be one of them unless you live in a Cox or Xfinity service area.
Cable internet providers Cox and Xfinity are the only major ISPs offering a prepaid internet service separate from their standard internet plans. Between the two providers, Xfinity's new prepaid service, Xfinity Internet NOW, is the best prepaid internet plan overall.
Xfinity Internet Now offers two prepaid plans to choose from with max download speeds of 100 or 200 megabits per second. Service comes with no credit checks, no contract requirements, free equipment, unlimited data and straightforward, pay-as-you-go pricing. You'll find additional details about the service and other potential prepaid internet options below.
Speed range
100 - 200 Mbps
Our take - Xfinity's newest prepaid service, NOW Internet, offers two speed tiers: 100Mbps starting at $30 a month and 200Mbps for $45. Either plan is sufficient speed for browsing, light streaming and online gaming on a limited number of devices. Free equipment rental (a modem/router combo device) and unlimited data are included at no extra cost.
Read full review
Or call to learn more: (833) 287-1357
Speed range
100 - 200 Mbps
Price range
$50 per month
Our take - Cox's prepaid internet plan, StraightUp Internet, is about as straightforward as it gets when it comes to signing up and paying for home internet service. There are no credit checks, equipment fees or term agreements required, and the monthly price of $50 is good for three years.
Read full review
Or call to learn more: (844) 580-0763
Price range
$50 per month
Price range
$15 - $45 for 7 or 30 days of service
Our take - Comcast's Xfinity Prepaid internet comes with one max speed, 50Mbps download and 10Mbps upload, but when and how you pay is up to you. With Xfinity Prepaid, you'll "refill" (read: prepay) your internet service by the week or by the month.
Read full review
Or call to learn more: (833) 826-6778
Price range
$15 - $45 for 7 or 30 days of service
Speed range
300 - 2,000 Mbps
Price range
$50 - $120 per month
Our take - Note: Verizon Fios prepaid internet is no longer available to new customers. Current customers can still manage their account.
Read full review
Or call to learn more: (877) 421-8891
Speed range
300 - 2,000 Mbps
Price range
$50 - $120 per month
Best prepaid internet providers compared
Please note that the plans below show each provider's cheapest available tier. The max speed is the top advertised speed for that given plan, but it might not be available in your area. Overall, the best selection for you -- and the most cost-effective plan -- might be a different tier that provides a faster speed at a higher price but a better value. To fully understand more about this value-based approach, check out CNET's guide to examining the cost per Mbps.
| Plan | Starting monthly price | Max download speed | Cost per Mbps | Equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cox StraightUp Internet Read full review | $50 | 100Mbps | 50 cents | None |
| Verizon Fios Prepaid 100 Read full review | $50 | 100Mbps | 50 cents | $100 upfront |
| Xfinity Internet Now 100 Read full review | $30 | 100Mbps | 30 cents | None |
| Xfinity Prepaid Read full review | $45 | 50Mbps | 90 cents | $45 upfront |
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What to consider when choosing a prepaid internet plan
Prepaid home internet service is ideal for getting a quick and easy connection, but it isn't for everyone. Here are some things you'll want to keep in mind when shopping for prepaid internet service.
Availability: Most major internet providers don’t offer a separate prepaid internet plan. Cox and Xfinity are the only two national internet providers to offer one prepaid plan to new customers. So, for example, if AT&T and Spectrum are the primary ISPs in your area, you won’t have the option of a prepaid home internet plan.
How many members of your household use the internet?
Costs: How does the initial and ongoing cost of prepaid internet compare to the provider’s standard service? It’s possible you could get a cheaper plan from Cox or Xfinity with no upfront costs. Consider the upfront and long-term cost of prepaid versus standard service to determine which is the better value.
Speeds: Will 50 to 200Mbps be enough speed for your needs? Unless you’re already a Verizon Fios prepaid customer, that’s the fastest you’ll get from a prepaid home internet service. For a few dollars more per month, it’s possible to get faster speeds than you’d get from a prepaid plan.
Payment options: With prepaid internet, your service ends abruptly when the prepaid period is over. Consider enrolling in auto-renew payments -- it’s available from both Cox and Xfinity -- to avoid any unexpected service disruptions.
How we chose the best prepaid internet plans
Selecting the best prepaid internet plans began the same as how we at CNET evaluate all of the best internet providers: seeing what's available. In the case of best prepaid home internet, the choices of what's available are much more limited than say, the best fiber internet providers, or even the best rural ISPs.
Cox and Xfinity are the only two national internet providers to offer separate prepaid internet plans. Verizon Fios no longer offers its prepaid service to new customers and CenturyLink has a prepay option, but it's just a different way to pay for standard service. AT&T, Kinetic, Mediacom, Spectrum and others do not offer a standalone prepaid plan.
After narrowing down the options, I considered speeds, pricing and service terms such as fees, data caps and contracts, along with customer satisfaction reports to determine the overall value of each prepaid internet plan.
That's a similar approach to how we review and evaluate all major internet providers across the US, even though the category of prepaid internet is much more limited. See our guide to how CNET reviews internet providers to learn more.
Prepaid internet summary
Prepaid internet is separate from low-income internet plans in that there are no qualifications such as credit checks or deposits to sign up. The lack of high speeds and overall value are often a drawback to prepaid internet, but you may consider slower speeds a fair trade for simple, cheap internet service. Xfinity's new NOW Internet service is our pick for the best prepaid internet, but Cox's StraightUp Internet or Xfinity Prepaid may suit your needs as well if Xfinity NOW Internet is unavailable.
Prepaid internet FAQs
What is prepaid home internet?
Prepaid internet is a pay-as-you-go internet service that allows you to pay for the next week or month of service ahead of time in order to avoid fees and other conditions that come with most standard internet plans. Prepaid internet plans typically require no credit check, deposit or term agreement.
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Why get prepaid internet?
Prepaid internet is best for those who would rather skip the common conditions of signing up with an internet service provider, such as credit checks and term agreements. Speeds are often lower than you'll get with standard internet plans -- Cox and Xfinity prepaid plans come with max download speeds of 100Mbps and 50 to 200Mbps, respectively -- but the ease of signing up and lower fees may make prepaid service the more sensible option for some households.
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Do I have to qualify to get prepaid internet?
Cox and Xfinity do not have any special requirements or qualifications to sign up for prepaid service. Your address and initial costs for service are often all you need to get started.
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What is the cheapest way to get internet?
Qualifying low-income households may be able to get internet for a net cost of $0 per month by signing up for the Affordable Connectivity Program and a low-income plan from their internet provider. The ACP provides a credit of $30 per month ($75 for those on tribal lands) to apply towards home internet service. The credit may cover in full the cost of a low-income internet plan like from AT&T, Spectrum, Starry, Verizon, Xfinity and others.
Note: The FCC has temporarily suspended new accepting applications for the Affordable Connectivity Program.
Prepaid internet is most likely not the cheapest way to get internet. In fact, prepaid internet is often more expensive than standard internet plans when you consider cost per Mbps, or the speeds you get for what you pay. Prepaid internet can, however, come with lower initial costs, particularly if the provider would otherwise charge a deposit or deny service due to low or unestablished credit or outstanding balances from a previous account.
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How can I get Wi-Fi without a provider?
Unless you connect to a free public network, you can't legally get home Wi-Fi without an internet provider.
An internet connection and router are needed for Wi-Fi. You can purchase a Wi-Fi router on your own, but without an internet connection to your home, there will be no internet for the router to connect to. You need an internet provider to supply that internet connection.
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Is Xfinity Prepaid internet unlimited?
Yes. Xfinity has the only prepaid internet plan available to new customers that includes unlimited data. Prepaid service from Cox comes with a monthly data cap of 1.25TB.
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