Best Internet Providers in Grand Rapids, Michigan

What is the best internet provider in Grand Rapids?

CNET’s top pick for the best internet service provider in Grand Rapids is AT&T Fiber. Not only does it have wide availability, it’s also got symmetrical upload and download speeds making it a great choice for avid gamers, or users who do a lot of video conferencing. There are no hidden fees to be found, not are there any data caps.

Looking for a more affordable option? Look at Xfinity. The service provider has a wide range of plans that fit every need. Keep in mind that prices go up after an year or two depending on the plan.

If you can’t get AT&T Fiber and don’t want to worry about Xfinity’s confusing pricing structure, T-Mobile Home Internet is a refreshingly straightforward option. The fixed wireless provider includes everything you need in its single $50 monthly plan, and it guarantees it won’t ever raise your rates. 

Best internet in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Other available internet providers in Grand Rapids

• Satellite internet: You can get satellite internet at virtually every address in the country, but it’s only your best option in rural areas without any other connection types available. HughesNet and Viasat are the traditional satellite ISPs, and both come with high prices, slow speeds and low data caps. Starlink is a newer option from SpaceX that provides faster speeds, but you’ll still pay a much higher price than AT&T, Xfinity and T-Mobile.
• Verizon 5G Home Internet: It’s only available to around 1 in 5 Grand Rapids households, but Verizon 5G Home Internet is a solid option for fixed wireless internet in the area. Its speeds go up to 1,000Mbps at some addresses, and you can save an extra $15 to $25 a month when you bundle with an eligible Verizon Wireless plan. 

Cheap internet options in Grand Rapids

Xfinity is by far the cheapest internet provider in Grand Rapids, with plans starting at $30 a month available almost everywhere in the city. Those prices more than double by the third year of service, but when you factor in the savings from the first couple of years, they’re still a decent deal.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to find internet deals and promotions in Grand Rapids

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

Grand Rapids internet providers, such as Xfinity, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Others, including AT&T Fiber and T-Mobile Home Internet, 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 Grand Rapids broadband?

Nearly every address in Grand Rapids has access to fast internet. 99.7% of the city can get 250/25Mbps speeds, compared to 85.5% for Michigan and 87.3% for the country as a whole. That’s also ahead of other cities in the state, like Lansing (96.9%) and Detroit (98.9%).

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 Grand Rapids

Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it’s impractical to personally test every internet service provider in a given city. What’s our approach? For starters, we tap into a proprietary pricing, availability and speed database that draws from our own historical ISP data, partner data and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov. 

This guide leverages an in-house artificial intelligence tool called RAMP, which is trained on our own writing and uses our database to generate content about specific internet service providers that our writers can use in determining and presenting our picks for a given guide. Check CNET’s AI policy for more information about how our teams use (and don’t use) AI tools. 

Because our database is not exhaustive, we go to the FCC’s website to check the primary data for ourselves and make sure we’re considering every ISP that provides service in an area. Plans and prices also vary by location, so we input local addresses on provider websites to find the specific options available to 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 our prepublication fact-check.

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? 

The answer to those questions is often layered and complex, but 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, you can visit our how we test ISPs page.

What’s the final word on internet providers in Grand Rapids?

Almost every household in Grand Rapids has access to at least one high-speed internet provider, but some are still better than others. AT&T Fiber is the best of the bunch, with fast, symmetrical speeds, straightforward pricing and excellent customer satisfaction scores. If you can’t get AT&T Fiber at your address, Xfinity and T-Mobile Home Internet are good backup options, but they each have drawbacks. 

Internet providers in Grand Rapids FAQs