Our picks
Why we selected these suppliers
Type by
Greatest no-contract ISP (if you may get it)
Greatest no-contract cable web
500 – 1,000 Mbps; 2Gbps accessible in choose markets
Greatest different for rural areas
Greatest for buyer satisfaction
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Offers are chosen by the CNET Group commerce group, and could also be unrelated to this text.
Discovering an excellent web supplier takes quite a lot of time and analysis. With US adults paying $195 extra for his or her web than final yr, in line with a CNET survey, you wish to be sure you’re making the correct alternative in your web supplier. We have found suppliers with aggressive pricing, fast speeds and no contract necessities. Slim your search with our high picks for no-contract web service suppliers.
What’s the most effective no-contract web supplier general?
CNET’s high choose for the most effective general no-contract web is GFiber. With high-speed web (two plans of 1,000 and three,000 megabits per second accessible in all serviceable areas and even quicker speeds in choose areas), no gear charges or knowledge caps, it beats all different ISPs on this class. There’s so much to love about GFiber. There’s just one downside — it has restricted availability nationwide. In case you’re not in one of many 19 states the place it operates, don’t fret: You possibly can nonetheless get fast web speeds for a aggressive worth with AT&T Fiber or any of the opposite suppliers we talk about beneath.
Take into account: Not signing a contract would not all the time imply you are getting the most effective worth. Many suppliers will put a premium on their pay-as-you-go plans, whereas their contract charges are cheaper. To assist hold your prices in perspective, we have famous the value per Mbps for every no-contract web supplier. It is a superb strategy to examine apples to apples when pitting web plan speeds and costs in opposition to one another.
Greatest no-contract web service suppliers
1,000 – 8,000 Mbps
$70 – $150 per 30 days
Our take – At first look, GFiber plans appear costly, however they boast a superb value per Mbps. There are 5 choices: The most affordable begins at $70 per 30 days, and the most costly tops out at $150 month-to-month. You possibly can anticipate speeds from 1 gigabit (1,000Mbps) to eight gigabits (8,000Mbps), with the price per Mbps at an inexpensive 7 cents and a pair of cents, respectively. Supported by a fiber-optic connection, you’ll be able to anticipate absolutely symmetrical speeds and a dependable connection. You are getting a quick connection on your cash general. On high of that, your gear is included in your month-to-month worth and there isn’t any further value for set up, which is a superb deal.
1,000 – 8,000 Mbps
$70 – $150 per 30 days
300 – 1,500 Mbps
$30 – $70 per 30 days
Our take – In terms of low-cost promo pricing, Astound comes out on high. It has fairly a worth vary accessible throughout its numerous markets, however an aggressively aggressive common value of 5 cents per Mbps to begin. You may discover a 300Mbps plan for $30 month-to-month all through most of Astound’s footprint. That tough-to-beat worth falls nearer to the pack after your intro interval, however you will be hard-pressed to discover a higher worth on your preliminary service interval. Comparatively, different cable ISPs like Spectrum supply service beginning at $50 per 30 days. In addition to the value, your service comes with no knowledge caps or contracts.
300 – 1,500 Mbps
$30 – $70 per 30 days
10 – 140 Mbps
$55 per 30 days
Our take – There isn’t a want to fret about cancellation charges on any CenturyLink plan: None of them include any contractual commitments. The worth is fairly sturdy, too, because the firm’s DSL plans supply a set worth fee of $55 a month, which is tough to beat amongst DSL choices. Nonetheless, the speeds you get can differ relying in your tackle. Your modem/router rental prices $17 further per 30 days, however CenturyLink means that you can skip it and use your personal gear.
10 – 140 Mbps
$55 per 30 days
500 – 1,000; 2gbps accessible in choose markets Mbps
$50 – $80 per 30 days
Our take – Easy service phrases, stable pace choices and limitless knowledge are all issues that make Spectrum stand out from the remainder of the cable ISPs. There are solely two plans — 500Mbps and 1 Gig — freed from contracts and knowledge caps. The typical value per Mbps within the first yr for the 500Mbps plan is 10 cents, and it is 7 cents for the 1,000Mbps tier, which is kind of good for cable web. Take into account that Spectrum and plenty of cable ISPs are infamous for growing their costs. Nonetheless, the second-year bounce is not too steep (for an ISP, anyway), as much as 16 cents and 10 cents per Mbps for the 500Mbps and 1,000Mbps plans, respectively.
500 – 1,000; 2gbps accessible in choose markets Mbps
$50 – $80 per 30 days
100 – 1,000 Mbps
$40 – $70 per 30 days
Our take – In case you dwell in a rural space, it is simple to get tied down by a two-year contract from a satellite tv for pc ISP (we’re taking a look at you, Hughesnet). However you’ll be able to ditch the contracts altogether, because of Kinetic by Windstream. You will get both DSL (a majority of its footprint) or fiber service (at present about one-fifth of its community) for a mean value of 12 cents per Mbps through the promo interval. Whereas most plans supply a worth lock of 1 to 3 years, be careful for a worth bounce within the gig plan, which is able to bounce by $30 after three months.
100 – 1,000 Mbps
$40 – $70 per 30 days
300 – 5,000 Mbps
$55 – $250 per 30 days
Our take – Out there to roughly a 3rd of its footprint, AT&T Fiber plans present wonderful worth. 5 completely different plan choices (300, 500 and 1,000Mbps, in addition to 2 and 5 gigabits) vary in worth from $55 to $245 per 30 days, with no knowledge caps or contracts. Altogether, AT&T’s fiber plans common simply over 10 cents per Mbps, which is stable. Much more spectacular are the multi-gigabit plans, which common out to below 7 cents per Mbps.
300 – 5,000 Mbps
$55 – $250 per 30 days
300 – 2,000 Mbps
$50 – $120 per 30 days
Our take – Verizon Fios, the corporate’s fiber web choice, would not require contracts and its pricing is fairly clear-cut. It provides 4 completely different plans: 300, 500, 1 gig and a pair of gigs, with a mean value of about 11 cents per Mbps. Moreover, it scores excessive in buyer satisfaction in each ISP survey. It nabbed the highest spot for 2023 and 2024 within the J.D. Energy survey for the East area. It additionally did properly within the annual American Buyer Satisfaction Index report, scoring 76 out of 100 factors, above the trade common.
300 – 2,000 Mbps
$50 – $120 per 30 days
Extra no-contract web suppliers to think about
- Cox Communications: There’s flexibility right here, but it surely comes at a value. Cox would not require you to signal a contract to obtain web service, but it surely does encourage clients to signal a two-year settlement. Cox additionally provides low-cost web choices, which function no contracts and no credit score checks or deposits. The ConnectAssist plan is priced at $30 a month for 100Mbps in obtain speeds and comes with a free modem. For that streamlined method, you will pay 30 cents per Mbps, which is greater than the common of all different plans Cox provides.
- Frontier Communications: You will not have to fret about binding contracts for both Frontier Web (DSL) or Frontier Fiber. Gear charges are additionally included within the month-to-month worth. For first-year pricing, Frontier Fiber clients will see a mean value of 6 cents per Mbps, whereas DSL clients can anticipate to pay $2.60 per Mbps.
- Mediacom: Xtream web choices don’t require you to signal a long-term contract. Throughout all three plans, you’ll be able to anticipate to pay a mean of 10 cents per Mbps through the first to 2 years of service; after that, the common value per Mbps jumps to 17 cents.
- Optimum: No Optimum plans have knowledge caps or contracts they usually supply among the greatest promo pricing for cable web. Your first-year pricing for fiber plans can have a mean value per Mbps of slightly below 7 cents. The typical value per Mbps for cable plans is round 10 cents.
- Rise Broadband: This mounted wi-fi web supplier provides obtain speeds from 50Mbps to 1,000Mbps. All plans include no knowledge caps. Rise’s introductory costs differ by location, however the common value per Mbps within the first yr will be between 75 cents and $1. Rise Broadband additionally has a small fiber community, so should you’re eligible for that, the common value per Mbps will probably be round 11 cents.
- Sparklight: Sparklight provides aggressive introductory plans in choose rural areas throughout the nation. Though Sparklight’s pricing modifications relying available on the market, within the Alabama market, you’ll be able to anticipate to pay a mean of 15 cents per Mbps throughout all plans. As soon as the promo interval ends, that common value per Mbps jumps as much as 18 cents, which is not a very costly improve in costs for a rural supplier. Be aware that Sparklight enforces a tender cap of 5TB, so there’s the potential for extra charges should you exceed your month-to-month limits.
- Starlink: Elon Musk’s budding web service is exclusive amongst satellite tv for pc web suppliers as a result of it would not require a contract. Additionally, the common value per Mbps of its commonplace plan (150Mbps) is simply over $1, which is superb for that connection sort. The precedence plan, which provides max speeds of 220Mbps, drops the common value per Mbps to six cents. That is fairly spectacular for an web expertise identified to fall on the pricier aspect. Starlink nonetheless requires a little bit of a dedication: You could make a one-time gear buy of $349 to $699 (or a large $1,499 should you’re buying the precedence plans). That is an enormous chunk of change, which most cable and fiber web clients get to keep away from. Nonetheless, this could possibly be a digital lifeline for rural areas of the nation that do not have entry to these connections.
- Starry Web: This mounted wi-fi supplier makes use of millimeter-wave expertise to supply an answer much like 5G dwelling web. It provides no contracts, and the value consists of gear, set up prices and limitless knowledge. The typical value per Mbps for Starry Web is 17 cents within the first yr earlier than it jumps as much as 22 cents.
- T-Cellular 5G Dwelling Web: Much like Starry, T-Cellular 5G Dwelling Web consists of all the things you want in your month-to-month worth, with no contracts required. All gear, set up charges and taxes are included at $50 to $70 a month (or $35 to $55 per 30 days for eligible cellular clients). The fee per Mbps is troublesome to pin down since speeds differ by tackle. T-Cellular says that the majority clients can have a mean obtain pace between 87 to 415Mbps. When CNET examined T-Cellular 5G Dwelling Web, we hit a most of 132Mbps, and we have additionally obtained anecdotal proof of consumers hitting speeds of as much as 300Mbps in some areas. In the meantime, per T-Cellular, it is potential some might doubtlessly max out at 72Mbps. In different phrases, your speeds could differ and can depend upon whether or not you are close to a mobile tower. CNET’s Amanda Kooser described having inconsistent speeds with T-Cellular.
- Verizon 5G Dwelling Web: Verizon 5G Dwelling Web (its 5G mounted wi-fi web service) can be squishy as a result of its obtain speeds, starting from 50 to 1,000Mbps, aren’t assured. Assuming the common of 300Mbps, the common value per Mbps can be 17 cents. Verizon 5G Dwelling Web is an all-in worth that features taxes, charges and gear.
- WOW: WideOpenWest, which prefers to go by WOW, goals to wow its clients by requiring no contracts and really aggressive beginning charges. This cable web supplier provides 5 completely different plan choices, with a extremely aggressive common value of simply over 6 cents per Mbps throughout all plans.
- Xfinity: Xfinity would not require clients to signal a contract to get its lowest worth on web service. Nonetheless, these low costs are solely assured for a yr. That stated, should you select their five-year worth assure, you continue to have the choice to cancel with out penalty. Xfinity additionally provides a pay as you go web choice that requires no contract and provides you 30 days of web service for $45 a month. No deposit is required, and there are not any further charges or knowledge caps. The utmost obtain pace supplied is 200Mbps, which means this service has a mean value of twenty-two cents per Mbps.
- Ziply Fiber: This firm started providing service in 2020 after buying Frontier Communications networks in 4 Northwest states. It goals to simplify the buying course of by skipping credit score checks, knowledge caps and time period agreements. It provides DSL and fiber plans, with the common value per Mbps at 13 cents for the promo interval for the fiber plans and 21 cents after the primary yr.
No-contract web suppliers in contrast
Please word that the plans beneath present every supplier’s least expensive accessible tier. The utmost pace is the highest marketed pace for these plans, but it surely may not be accessible in your space. General, the most effective choice for you — and probably the most cost-effective plan — is likely to be a special tier that gives a quicker pace at the next worth however a greater worth. To extra absolutely perceive this value-based method, try CNET’s information to inspecting the price per Mbps.
| Plan | Beginning worth | Max obtain pace | Value per Mbps | Gear payment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Altafiber Fioptics 400 | $40 | 400Mbps | 10 cents | None |
| Astound Broadband 300 Learn full assessment |
$20 | 300Mbps | 7 cents | None |
| AT&T Fiber 300 Learn full assessment |
$55 | 300Mbps | 18 cents | None |
| AT&T Web Air Learn full assessment |
$60 | 300Mbps | 20 cents | None |
| Brightspeed Fiber 200 | $30 | 200Mbps | 15 cents | None |
| CenturyLink Merely Limitless Learn full assessment |
$55 | 100Mbps | 55 cents | $17 (non-compulsory) |
| Frontier Fiber 500 Learn full assessment |
$30 | 500Mbps | 6 cents | None |
| GFiber 1 Gig | $70 | 1,000Mbps | 7 cents | None |
| Kinetic Fiber 300 | $40 | 300Mbps | 13 cents | $11 (non-compulsory) |
| Mediacom Xtream 300 Web Learn full assessment |
$50 | 300Mbps | 17 cents | $14 (non-compulsory) |
| Optimum 200 Learn full assessment |
$25 | 200Mbps | 12 cents | None |
| Level Broadband Efficiency Plus | $59 | 300Mbps | 19 cents | $14 (non-compulsory, free in choose areas) |
| Quantum Fiber 200 | $50 | 200Mbps | 25 cents | None |
| Rise Broadband 50 Learn full assessment |
$45 | 50Mbps | 90 cents | $10 modem (free in choose areas), $5-15 router (non-compulsory) |
| Sparklight Join 100 Learn full assessment |
$35 | 100Mbps | 35 cents | $14 modem (non-compulsory) |
| Spectrum Web Learn full assessment |
$50 | 500Mbps | 10 cents | Modem free, $10 router (non-compulsory) |
| Starlink Commonplace Learn full assessment |
$120 | 150Mbps | 80 cents | $349 one-time buy |
| Starry Web 100 Learn full assessment |
$30 | 100Mbps | 30 cents | None |
| T-Cellular 5G Dwelling Web Limitless Learn full assessment |
$50 | 415Mbps | 12 cents | None |
| Verizon 5G Dwelling Web Learn full assessment |
$35 | 300Mbps | 12 cents | None |
| Verizon Fios 300 Learn full assessment |
$35 | 300Mbps | 12 cents | None |
| WOW Web 300 Learn full assessment |
$30 | 300Mbps | 10 cents | None |
| Xfinity 300Mbps Learn full assessment |
$40 | 300Mbps | 13 cents | None |
| Ziply Fiber 100/100 | $20 | 100Mbps | 20 cents | $15 (non-compulsory) |
Present extra (20 objects)
Supply: CNET evaluation of supplier knowledge.
Components to think about when selecting a no-contract ISP
The fee per Mbps
An important think about evaluating any ISP plan is the value per megabit per second. A price per Mbps between 10 and 20 cents is fairly good, however probably the most cost-efficient plans value round 5 cents per Mbps or decrease. It is unbelievable to keep away from signing a contract (and escape the looming risk of early termination charges plus the liberty of switching suppliers at any time), however you must nonetheless do your homework.
Web connection sort
As well as, look into the sort of web connection supplied by the ISP. Some households — particularly these in underserved or rural areas — could not have many choices. However the common rule is that 5G and satellite tv for pc dwelling web are higher than DSL, cable web is healthier than satellite tv for pc and 5G web, however fiber web trumps all of them. As you’ll have already seen, the price per Mbps of fiber web plans is usually fairly low as a result of fiber speeds outpace the speeds supplied by different web connection varieties.
How we evaluated the most effective no-contract suppliers
Web service suppliers are quite a few and regional. Not like the most recent smartphone, laptop computer, router or kitchen instrument, it’s impractical to personally take a look at each ISP in a given metropolis. What’s our method? We begin by researching the pricing, availability and pace info, drawing on our personal historic ISP knowledge, the supplier websites and mapping info from the Federal Communications Fee at FCC.gov.
It doesn’t finish there: We go to the FCC’s web site to verify our knowledge and guarantee we take into account each ISP that gives service in an space. We additionally enter native addresses on supplier web sites to seek out particular choices for residents. We have a look at sources, together with the American Buyer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Energy, to guage how joyful clients are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and costs are topic to frequent modifications; all info offered is correct as of publication.
As soon as we’ve this localized info, we ask three most important questions:
- Does the supplier supply entry to moderately quick web speeds?
- Do clients get respectable worth for what they’re paying?
- Are clients proud of their service?
The reply to these questions is commonly layered and complicated, however the suppliers who come closest to “sure” on all three are those we suggest. To discover our course of in additional depth, go to our how we take a look at ISPs web page.
What is the backside line on no-contract ISPs?
Typically, it appears like you could signal away your firstborn youngster — or no less than the subsequent two years of your life — to get the most effective web service in your space. It is simple to be swayed by slimmed-down introductory costs, however hefty invoice will increase and unrelenting further charges could also be lurking behind that first-year cheer.
Fortunately, that is altering. Competitors is brewing amongst web service suppliers as we change into extra depending on broadband connections. That is one cause why many ISPs have begun dropping their contract necessities. Plus, you could even discover web offers providing to purchase you out of your contract to get you to change. That is excellent news for anybody seeking to successfully discover their dwelling web choices.
No-contract web service FAQs
What does “no-contract web” imply?
“No-contract web” — generally referred to as month-to-month web service — refers to broadband service that does not require you to signal a long-term settlement together with your web service supplier. For instance, with some ISPs, you could decide to a two-year contract to get broadband protection. That is not no-contract web. True no-contract web means you must be capable of cancel service at any time with out penalty (however the return of any leased gear).
Can I get Wi-Fi at dwelling with out a contract?
We get this query very often, as many assume they have to pay for Wi-Fi individually from their web service. That is not the case, typically. You typically get Wi-Fi while you enroll with an web supplier, as many will give you a gateway. That is a mixture of a modem (which connects your private home to the web) and a router (which takes that web sign from the modem and broadcasts it wirelessly to the opposite gadgets in your house). Even when your ISP solely offers the modem, you’ll be able to hire a router or use your personal. If you may get an web connection at your tackle with out signing a contract, you must have the choice to have Wi-Fi at your private home with out committing to a contract.
What’s the greatest no-contract web service supplier?
It might sound like a cop-out, however the most effective no-contract web supplier for you is the one which’s serviceable at your tackle. As we have talked about many instances in our ISP evaluations, all issues being equal, if you may get fiber web at your location, that is the way in which to go. It’s going to provide the greatest efficiency of all of the web connection varieties — you will get symmetrical obtain and add speeds — and can typically be probably the most inexpensive by way of value per megabit per second. GFiber, which incorporates all gear prices and charges in your month-to-month fee, is the most affordable, averaging just a bit over 4 cents per Mbps. Its availability pales in comparison with the fiber plans of AT&T, for instance. In case you dwell in one of many metro markets the place it provides service, GFiber is a straightforward alternative, however AT&T Fiber is likely to be everybody else’s high choice.
Can I get web with out paying upfront?