Verizon Fios – Best Brooklyn internet provider overall
- Speeds from 300-2,000Mbps
- Prices starting at $50/mo.
- Unlimited data
Optimum – Best low introductory pricing
- Speeds from 300-940Mbps
- Prices starting at $40/mo.
- Unlimited data
Spectrum – Best for cable internet in Brooklyn
- Speeds from 300-940Mbps
- Prices starting at $40/mo.
- Unlimited data
Starry – Best Brooklyn ISP for apartments
- Speeds from 30-1,000Mbps
- Prices starting at $50/mo.
- Unlimited data
The best internet provider in Brooklyn is up for debate, but we consider Verizon Fios to be the best overall pick for most households. Optimum and Spectrum are also good choices for cable internet, and your Brooklyn address may be serviceable for other IPS such as T-Mobile or Starry.
So which should you get for your home? I’ve rounded up information on speeds, prices and more so that you can compare ISPs and get the best internet service for your needs.
But first a disclaimer: I’m not a Brooklynite. I don’t know the best place to get a slice, nor do I know which subway lines will take you to Coney Island. But I do know about the internet providers that serve Brooklyn, so if I can offer any advice to new or lifelong residents, it’s on which local internet provider may be best for your household.
Best internet providers in Brooklyn
You’ll find my picks of the best Brooklyn internet providers and what makes them stand out below, followed by other potentially available, though probably less worthwhile, internet options in Brooklyn.
Verizon Fios
Best Brooklyn internet provider overall
Product details
Price range
$50 – $120 per month
Speed range
300 – 2,000Mbps
Connection
Fiber
Highlights
Unlimited data, no contracts, free equipment with gig service
A fiber-optic connection, like the one you get with Verizon Fios, is often going to be your best option for home internet in terms of speed and value. Verizon Fios is the largest fiber-optic internet provider in Brooklyn, but its service area doesn’t quite reach every corner of Kings County.
Availability: Roughly 86% of households will have access to fiber internet, according to the latest data from the Federal Communications Commission. The remaining fiberless 14% includes random blocks throughout Kensington, Parkville, New Utrecht and other Brooklyn neighborhoods, as well as the obvious nonresidential areas, like Prospect Park and the Brooklyn Naval Yard. The FCC’s data is admittedly outdated, so there may be, and likely is, better Verizon Fios coverage in Brooklyn today.
Plans and pricing: You’ll have the choice of four speed tiers with Verizon Fios: 300Mbps starting at $50 per month, 500Mbps starting at $70, gigabit service (940Mbps) starting at $90 and Verizon’s new multigigabit service with speeds up to 2.3Gbps starting at $120 per month. Since Verizon Fios uses a 100% fiber connection, max download and upload speeds will be the same, or at least very close.
Fees and service details: Router rental is included with Verizon Fios plans. There are no data caps or contracts required.
Optimum
Best low introductory pricing
Product details
Price range
$40 – $80 per month
Speed range
300 – 940Mbps
Connection
Cable, fiber
Highlights
Unlimited data, no contracts
If you’re looking for cheap cable internet — and I mean that in terms of actual pricing, not necessarily quality — Optimum is a good place to start. Download speeds are right on par with Verizon Fios and pricing on comparable plans may be cheaper. Gig service from Optimum, for example, starts at $80 per month, $10 cheaper than Verizon.
Availability: Optimum serves Brooklyn just about everywhere south of Flushing Avenue, save for most westside neighborhoods such as Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, Dyker Heights and Fort Hamilton. Though Optimum does have a growing fiber footprint in NYC, the provider largely uses a cable network.
Plans and pricing: Optimum offers three plans in the Brooklyn area: 300Mbps starting at $40 per month, 500Mbps for $50 and gigabit service for $80. You’ll be able to enjoy that low pricing for a while, as Optimum internet plans include a two-year price guarantee. After that, a rate increase of just $10 will go into effect, which is one of the lower scheduled rate increases I’ve seen from any major provider.
Fees and service details: Equipment is included with Optimum plans at no extra cost. There are no data caps or contracts required.
Spectrum
Best for cable internet in Brooklyn
Product details
Price range
$50 – $90 per month
Speed range
300 – 940Mbps
Connection
Cable
Highlights
Simple pricing, unlimited data, no contracts, modem included, free access to nationwide Wi-Fi hotspots
Spectrum service areas start essentially where Optimum’s end, but there may be some overlap, particularly in the Bushwick, Prospect Heights or Borough Park neighborhoods where you may have the choice of both providers. Given the option of the two, I’d favor Spectrum, largely because of the simple, transparent pricing and low equipment costs — attributes that contributed to CNET naming Spectrum the best cable internet provider in the country.
Availability: For the most part, Spectrum cable internet covers Queens, Manhattan and Staten Island, but there are parts of Brooklyn, specifically Downtown Brooklyn and neighborhoods to the north and west, like Red Hook, Williamsburg and Sunset Park, where Spectrum is available.
Plans and pricing: Like Optimum and Verizon Fios, Spectrum has speed tiers of 300Mbps, 500Mbps and gigabit service with max download speeds of 940Mbps. Introductory pricing is also similar to Verizon Fios at $50, $70 and $90 per month, though customers should anticipate a $30 price increase after 12 months.
Fees and service details: Your modem is included at no extra cost, but renting a router will add $5 to your monthly bill. Spectrum does not have data caps or contracts.
Starry
Best Brooklyn ISP for apartments
Product details
Price range
$30 – $80 per month
Speed range
50 – 1,000Mbps
Connection
Fixed wireless
Highlights
Unlimited data, no contracts, no equipment fees, simple setup
As a fixed wireless provider, Starry internet works by sending high-powered internet signals over the air to dedicated receivers affixed to the top of buildings, which then send service through the building’s existing infrastructure to the individual units within.
Availability: If you’re moving into a building within Starry’s range (which includes roughly half of Brooklyn, mostly to the borough’s north, east and center) and it’s equipped for service, then Starry is definitely worth checking out.
Plans and pricing: Starry’s standard internet plan comes with max speeds of 200Mbps down and 100Mbps up for $50 per month. That’s plenty of speed for most apartments and, with unlimited data and your equipment included at no extra cost, the pricing is on point. Other plan options may be available, all the way up to gig service, and all are priced competitively compared to other Brooklyn internet providers.
Select buildings will be eligible for Starry’s discount internet plan, Starry Connect, which offers symmetrical speeds up to 30Mbps for just $15 per month. That’s cheaper than most discount internet plans and, other than living in a building where it’s offered, there are no special requirements to sign up, such as showing proof of income or enrollment in WIC or school lunch programs.
Fees and service details: There are no equipment fees, data caps or contracts required with Starry internet service.
Comparing all Brooklyn internet providers
Not all the providers listed above may be available at your address. It’s also possible that other ISPs or internet service types may be an option in your area. Here’s a quick comparison of all potential (and practical; I’ve left out satellite internet, for example) internet providers in Brooklyn.
Brooklyn internet providers compared
| Starting monthly price | Speed range (Mbps) | Equipment cost | Data cap | Contract | Approximate availability | CNET review score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon | $50-$90 | 300-2,300 | $15 (skippable) | None | None | 99% | 7.6 |
| Optimum | $40-$80 | 100-940 | $10 (skippable) | None | None | 75% | 6.2 |
| Starry | $30-$80 | 50-1,000 | None | None | None | 55% | 7.0 |
| T-Mobile | $50 | 35-115 | None | None | None | 35% | 7.4 |
| Spectrum | $50-$90 | 200-940 | $5 (skippable) | None | None | 28% | 7.2 |
| Astound | $15-$40 | 100-940 | $5 (skippable) | None | None | 2% | 7 |
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What other internet options are there in Brooklyn?
These internet providers may also be available in Brooklyn, but lack the availability or service qualities to be included among the best Brooklyn internet providers.
Astound: Formerly known as RCN, Astound gives Optimum a run for its money for the title of cheapest internet provider in the area with plans starting at $35 per month, but service is highly limited to select blocks in Downtown Brooklyn and Coney Island. There’s also a steep, steep price increase to look forward to.
T-Mobile 5G Home Internet: The arrival of 5G and its use for home internet is exciting, but the availability of cable, fiber and fixed wireless throughout Brooklyn makes T-Mobile’s $50 plan with speeds of 35-115Mbps a little less enticing. But if you’re interested, T-Mobile home internet is available in random spots throughout Brooklyn.
Verizon Internet: As mentioned above, Verizon Fios covers most, but not all, of Brooklyn. The lacking locations may have access to Verizon Internet, a DSL-based service, but the slow speeds aren’t worth your money when other options like cable internet, Starry or T-Mobile may be available.
Xchange Telecom: Mainly a fixed wireless provider with some DSL and fiber mixed in, Xchange Telecom is specific to the NY metropolitan area with service covering much of Brooklyn north of Kings Highway. Speeds up to 1,000Mbps are available, according to the FCC, but actual speeds and pricing will vary based on your location and the available connection type.
Satellite internet: No local list of internet providers would be complete without mentioning HughesNet and Viasat. Yes, they are probably available at your address, but slow speeds, high prices and restrictive data caps would make satellite internet an absolute last resort for internet in Brooklyn. You’d be better off rolling the dice with Xchange Telecom.
Brooklyn internet pricing
Excluding some of the impractical, and often expensive, internet options like satellite service and Verizon’s DSL, the average starting price for internet in Brooklyn is around $36 per month. That’s lower than many areas, but Astound’s cheap $15 per month plan is the main factor bringing the average down. Otherwise, expect the cheapest internet plans to run you between $40 and $50 per month, plus taxes and fees.
Cheapest internet plans in Brooklyn
| Provider plan | Starting price | Standard price | Max speeds | Equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Astound 250Mbps | $35 | $141 | 250Mbps down, 15Mbps up | $5 (skippable) |
| Optimum 300Mbps | $40 | N/A | 300Mbps down, 20Mbps up (300 if fiber) | $10 (skippable) |
| Starry Basic | $30 | $30 | 50Mbps down, 50Mbps up | None |
| Verizon Fios 300Mbps | $40 | $40 | 300Mbps down, 300Mbps up | $15 (skippable) |
| Spectrum | $50 | $75 (after year 1) | 200Mbps down, 10Mbps up | $5 (skippable) |
| T-Mobile 5G Home Internet | $50 | $50 | 35-115Mbps down, 6-23Mbps up | None |
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Brooklyn low-income internet options
Starry has arguably the best internet option for low-income households with its Starry Connect plan, which offers speeds up to 30Mbps starting at $15 per month. The only condition for signing up is living in a building where the plan is available. But let’s say you don’t live in a building with Starry Connect, what are your other options for affordable internet?
Select Brooklyn internet providers also offer a discount internet plan available to qualifying low income households. Additionally, you can apply for the Affordable Connectivity Program credit, which will grant up to $30 per month for home internet.
Here’s where you can learn more about each provider’s discount internet plans or programs:
Brooklyn internet speeds
Average residential internet speeds are about the same as the rest of the US, but slightly lower than the state of New York. Keep in mind these are averages and not necessarily an indicator of what speeds to expect from your ISP. Plans with max speeds much faster than the Brooklyn averages are available from multiple providers.
Excluding the addition of Verizon’s new multigig plan, gigabit service with speeds at or around 1,000Mbps are the fastest you’ll find from most Brooklyn ISPs. That’s plenty fast for most homes, but if you have the need for more speed, it may be worth checking to see if Verizon’s 2Gbps service is available and paying the high, though fair, price for it.
Fastest internet plans in Brooklyn
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Contracts, data caps and fine print
With all that speed, it’s easy to burn through data, which could pose a problem if any of the major Brooklyn internet providers enforced data caps. You won’t have to worry about that with Astound, Verizon Fios, Optimum, Spectrum, Starry or T-Mobile, as all include unlimited data at no extra cost.
Contracts aren’t an issue either, as none of the providers mentioned above come with a term agreement or early termination fee for canceling service. With no penalty for canceling service, it may be worth your while to give every decent ISP available at your address a shot to see which suits you best for your home. Just keep in mind that if you cancel service while receiving promotional pricing or special offers from a particular provider, it likely won’t be there for you if you decide to go back to that provider in the future.
Most Brooklyn ISPs are reasonable when it comes to added fees as well. Verizon’s equipment fee of $15 is a bit steep, but you may be able to skip the fee by using your own compatible equipment or ordering gig service, which includes the equipment at no extra cost. Optimum has the second highest equipment fee at $10 per month, but you also have the option to use your own equipment. Other Brooklyn internet providers charge $5 or nothing at all for equipment.
Brooklyn internet FAQs
Does Brooklyn have fiber internet?
Yes. More than 86% of households in Kings County are eligible for fiber-optic internet service, according to the FCC. Verizon Fios is the largest fiber internet provider in Brooklyn, but fiber service may also be available from Optimum or Xchange Telecom.
Brooklyn neighborhoods with the greatest fiber coverage include Red Hook, East Flatbush and Gravesend, while Downtown Brooklyn, New Utrecht, Brownsville and Kensington are among the neighborhoods with the least fiber coverage.
Can I get free Wi-Fi in Brooklyn?
If you’re out and about, you can find free Wi-Fi in a few Brooklyn areas, including Fort Greene Park and Brooklyn Heights Promenade. Check out this NYC parks map to find more locations with free Wi-Fi. You can also find free Wi-Fi at many coffee shops, restaurants, hotels and other businesses throughout Brooklyn.
As for free Wi-Fi at home, you’ll need an internet connection for that, which won’t be free unless you qualify for low-income programs that offset the cost of internet service. Most providers, including Verizon, Spectrum and Optimum charge an additional fee for Wi-Fi equipment but allow you to use your own compatible equipment and skip the fee, which would make the Wi-Fi aspect of your internet connection essentially “free.”
Can you get Xfinity in Brooklyn?
No. Xfinity does not offer internet service in Brooklyn. The major cable internet providers in Brooklyn are Astound, Optimum and Spectrum. Xfinity availability largely stops at the Jersey border, but there are select areas of Manhattan that are serviceable for Xfinity.
