Best Internet Providers in Cleveland, Ohio

What is the best internet provider in Cleveland?

After looking at several other options for internet service providers in Cleveland, Spectrum is CNET’s choice for the best overall internet provider for Cleveland residents in Ohio. Spectrum comes out on top for several reasons, one of which is its various plans that make it available across the city, as well as its affordable and decent prices.

That being said, while Spectrum is pretty darn decent, it isn't your only option for fast internet in Cleveland -- though as expected, your options largely depend on where you're located. For residents looking for the speediest connection available, then you can't go wrong with AT&T Fiber. It delivers internet speeds of up to 5,000 megabits per second, making it undeniably the fastest internet provider in Cleveland. However, it's important to note that its coverage is limited, with service available at only a select number of addresses in the area.

If none of the above options speak to you, then don't fret: there are plenty of other choices. Like 5G home internet (from both Verizon and T-Mobile), as well as satellite internet from HughesNet, Viasat and Starlink. If you have a Verizon or T-Mobile mobile plan, you can get home internet for as low as $35 a month. If you aren't interested in either of those services or are otherwise out of the area, Spectrum has the cheapest plan in Cleveland at $50 for 500 Mbps. Some households may even qualify for a $30 plan for 100 Mbps.

Best internet providers in Cleveland, Ohio

Source: CNET analysis of provider data

All available Cleveland residential internet providers

Some Cleveland residents may be fortunate enough to have a few choices when it comes to their ISP. If you find yourself in this situation, we recommend fiber internet if it’s available for its speed and stability. For those who live in parts of the city without access to the options mentioned above, here are the other choices:

• HughesNet: Hopefully, if you’re in Cleveland or its surrounding suburbs, you won’t need satellite internet. It’s only available at speeds of 25Mbps, with prices starting at $50 with a two-year contract and equipment fees.
• Starlink: Cleveland is among the cities with access to SpaceX’s satellite internet, but like the other satellite internet options, we don’t recommend it for city dwellers. First of all, it’s pricey, with a $249 starting price for equipment, and speeds won’t match most wired connections.
• T-Mobile Home Internet: Cleveland residents also have access to 5G internet from T-Mobile, which is available for $50 to $70 monthly and offers speeds up to 415Mbps.
• Viasat: Viasat’s monthly prices start at $50 and go up to $300, with speeds ranging from 25 to 100Mbps, based on your chosen plan.

Pricing info on Cleveland home internet service

Much like its sister cities in Ohio, Cleveland residents can expect to pay an average starting monthly price of $51 for home internet. The cheapest plan belongs to Spectrum's $30-a-month plan for download speeds of 100Mbps.

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Cheap internet options in the Cleveland metro area

If you want the most affordable internet in Cleveland, Spectrum has you covered. Although it’s not available for every address, this provider offers 500Mbps internet starting at $50 a month (some areas might also be eligible for the 100Mbps plan for $30). Other options include AT&T Fiber, which costs just $5 more a month.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data

What’s the state of broadband in Cleveland?

Median download speeds sit around 300Mbps in Cleveland, and options are available from Spectrum and AT&T that exceed that. Plans that offer speeds around a gig are available to certain addresses from AT&T and Spectrum.

Fastest internet providers in Cleveland

Multi-gigabit plans from AT&T Fiber may be available in select areas of Cleveland, but availability is extremely limited. For most residents, the fastest plans tap out around a gig and are available from Spectrum and AT&T Fiber.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data

What’s the final word on internet providers in Cleveland?

Cleveland’s internet options can be fairly confusing, because the same ISP will charge different prices based on address. Most providers hope you don’t notice, thinking you’ll be stuck with whatever options they give you. But the advent of 5G home internet service means that consumers now have some additional options, even if that just means additional leverage to better negotiate with your ISP. One thing is for sure, though: if you have access to fiber internet, we recommend going with that.

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Cleveland

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:

• 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.

To explore our process in more depth, visit our How We Test ISPs page.

Internet providers in Cleveland FAQs