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Best prepaid home internet plan
Best prepaid internet plan for Cox customers
Fastest prepaid home internet provider
What is the best prepaid home internet plan?
Unfortunately, if you’re looking for prepaid internet, your options are limited. NOW is CNET’s pick for best prepaid internet plan overall.
NOW offers two prepaid plans with maximum download speeds of 100 or 200 Mbps. The service comes with no credit checks, No contract requirementsfree equipment, Unlimited data And straightforward, straightforward pricing. You’ll find additional details about the service and other potential prepaid internet options below.
More prepaid internet options would certainly be ideal. Since the end Affordable communication softwarea lot Americans have struggled to afford home internet. There are a few alternatives to consider Cheap internetbut prepaid service, unfortunately, is not likely to be one of them. Here’s how prepaid services compare.
Best prepaid internet plans
We took – NOW Internet offers two speed levels: 100 Mbps starting at $30 per month and 200 Mbps for $45. Either plan is sufficient for web browsing, online shopping, streaming, and online gaming on a limited number of devices. Free Wi-Fi equipment rental – modem/router combo device – and unlimited data are included at no additional cost. No credit check, deposit or contract is required to start using Now Internet.
$50 per month
We took – Cox’s prepaid internet plan, StraightUp Internet, is pretty straightforward when it comes to signing up and paying for home internet service. There’s no need for credit checks, equipment fees, or term agreements, and the $50 monthly price is good for three years.
$50 per month
300 – 2000 Mbps
$50 – $120 per month
We took – Note: Verizon Fios prepaid internet is no longer available to new customers. Existing customers can still manage their accounts.
300 – 2000 Mbps
$50 – $120 per month
Compare the best prepaid home internet providers
Please note that the plans below show the cheapest tier available for each provider. Top Speed is the maximum advertised speed for that specific plan, but it may not be available in your area. In general, the best choice for you — and the most cost-effective plan — may be a different tier that offers more speed at a higher price but at a better value. To fully understand more about this value-based approach, see CNET’s guide to Check the cost per Mbps.
| He plans | Starting from the monthly price | Maximum download speed | Cost per Mbps | Equipment fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Internet Cox Street Up Read the full review |
$50 | 100 Mbps | 50 cents | no one |
| Verizon Views Prepaid 100 Read the full review |
$50 | 100 Mbps | 50 cents | $100 advance |
| Now internet 100 | $30 | 100 Mbps | 30 cents | no one |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What to consider when choosing a prepaid home internet plan
Prepaid home internet is ideal for a quick and easy connection, but it’s not for everyone. Here are some things to keep in mind when shopping for prepaid internet service.
Availability: Most major ISPs do not offer a separate prepaid internet plan. So, for example, if AT&T and range If you’re the primary ISP in your area, you won’t have the option of a prepaid home internet plan.
Costs: Consider the initial and long-term cost of prepaid service versus standard service to determine the best value. You can probably get a cheaper plan from your ISP with no upfront costs.
Speeds: Will 100 to 200 Mbps be enough for your needs? Unless you’re already a Verizon Fios prepaid customer, this is the fastest you’ll get from prepaid home internet service. For a few extra dollars per month, it’s possible to get faster speeds than you would from a prepaid plan.
Payment options: With prepaid internet, your service ends suddenly when your prepaid period expires. Consider signing up for automatic renewal payments — available from both Cox and NOW — to avoid any unexpected service interruptions.
How we picked the best prepaid internet plans
Choosing the best prepaid internet plans starts in the same way we at CNET evaluate all the best internet providers: by seeing what’s available. In the case of the best prepaid home internet service, the choices are much more limited than, say, a prepaid home internet service Best Fiber Internet Providers Or even Best Internet Service Providers in Rural Areas.
Cox and NOW are the only national internet providers to offer separate prepaid internet plans. Verizon Fios is no longer offering its prepaid services to new customers and Century Link It has a prepaid option, but it’s just a different way to pay for the standard service. AT&T, Kinetics, MediacomSpectrum and others don’t offer a standalone prepaid plan.
After narrowing down the options, we took into account speeds, pricing, terms of service like fees, data caps, and contracts, along with customer satisfaction reports to determine the overall value of each prepaid internet plan.
This is a similar approach to how we review and rate all major ISPs across the United States, although the prepaid internet category is more limited. See our guide to How CNET reviews ISPs To learn more.
Summary of Prepaid Home Internet Plan Options
Prepaid internet is separate from low-income internet plans as there are no qualifications such as credit checks or deposits to sign up for. A lack of fast speeds and overall value is often a drawback of prepaid internet, but slower speeds may be considered a fair trade for simple, cheap internet service. NOW Internet is our pick for the best prepaid internet, but Cox’s StraightUp Internet may also fit your needs if NOW Internet isn’t available.
Frequently asked questions about prepaid internet
What is prepaid home internet?
Why get prepaid home internet?
Prepaid internet is best for those who prefer to skip common terms of signing up with an ISP, such as credit checks and term agreements. Speeds are often lower than what you’ll get with standard internet plans — Cox and NOW prepaid plans come with peak download speeds of 100 Mbps and 200 Mbps, respectively — but the ease of signing up and lower fees may make prepaid the most logical option for some households .
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What is the cheapest way to get internet?
Prepaid internet is likely not the cheapest way to get internet. Prepaid internet is often more expensive than standard internet plans when you think about it Cost per Mbps Or the speeds you get for what you pay. Prepaid internet can come with lower upfront costs, especially if the provider will charge a deposit or deny service due to low or no credit or outstanding balances from a previous account.
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How can I get Wi-Fi without a provider?
Unless you’re connected to a free public network, you can’t legally get home Wi-Fi without an ISP.
An Internet connection and a Wi-Fi router are needed. You can purchase a Wi-Fi router yourself, but without an Internet connection in your home, there will be no Internet for the router to connect to. You need an internet provider to provide this internet connection.
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