Ziply Fiber: 50 Gig – Fastest multi-gigabit internet plan
- Prices: $40 – $300 per month
- Speeds: 100 – 10,000Mbps
- Key Info: Unlimited data, no contracts, fast rural internet connection
AT&T Fiber: 2 Gig – Best multi-gig internet plan for perks
- Price: $150 per month
- Speed: 2,000Mbps
- Key Info: Unlimited data, no contract, no equipment fees
Google Fiber: 2 Gig – Best 2-gigabit internet plan
- Price: $100 per month
- Speed: 2,000Mbps
- Key Info: Unlimited data, no contract, no equipment fees
Internet speeds have gotten considerably faster in recent years, and customers are clearly interested in the new high-speed tiers. According to OpenVault’s most recent report on US broadband usage, taken at the end of 2022, gigabit internet adoption is up to 26%, which makes it the second most popular internet tier.
Our craving for high-speed internet will only increase: The Fiber Broadband Association says that by the end of this decade, a four-person household will require over 2,100 megabits per second (or just over 2 gigabits) in download speed.
You may be thinking, “It’s not 2030 yet!” True, making that big of an upgrade is probably overkill for many of us. But internet service providers aren’t waiting to offer multi-gigabit packages to their customers. Within the last year, we were introduced to new multi-gig internet plans from AT&T, Frontier, Optimum, Verizon and Ziply Fiber, to name a few. Other ISPs, including Comcast Xfinity and Google Fiber, already had multi-gig offerings of their own, too.
For this list, we’ll focus on the best multi-gig internet offerings from major ISPs. However, I want to note that smaller, regional providers also have competitive plans. For instance, Midco offers 2Gbps and 5Gbps plans to its customers in South Dakota. Minnesota’s USI boasts a 10-gig fiber plan. The citizens of Chattanooga, Tennessee, have access to one of the country’s fastest residential plan, a 25Gbps tier from the city-owned fiber broadband of EPB. With that in mind, let’s look at some of the best 2-gigabit and multi-gig internet plans available from national providers.
Plans with max speeds of 2, 5 or even 10Gbps are becoming more common. But 50Gbps? That’s unheard of, at least until Ziply Fiber recently launched said speeds across its entire fiber footprint.
While the prize for the fastest AT&T plan goes to AT&T’s 5-gig tier for $250 per month, you can get all the same perks for $100 less monthly with the provider’s 2Gbps option. Specifically, you get AT&T ActiveArmor (free internet security), a $200 gift card and access to AT&T hotspots nationwide. While your cost per Mbps may not be as low as AT&T Internet 5000, it still carries a significant value for a lower monthly charge.
This is your best, most affordable option to enter the multi-gig-verse. Google Fiber’s 2 Gig plan features a 2Gbps download and 1Gbps upload speed for $100 monthly. That works out to just 5 cents per Mbps and is cheaper than any other provider’s 2Gbps offering. (Note: Ziply Fiber’s 2-gig plan starts cheaper, at $80 per month, but jumps to $120 monthly after the first year.)
Other 2-gigabit internet and multi-gig plans to consider
While the three options we listed above rose to the top of our list, they aren’t available in all markets. Additional speedy plans, offered by other ISPs, might get your attention, but they have one or two caveats that kept them from our winner’s circle.
- AT&T Fiber 5 Gig: AT&T once had the top spot in this list with its top-tier fiber internet offering. It was introduced at $180 a month for symmetrical 5Gbps speeds. Now, it lists for $250 monthly. That’s still a staggeringly low cost of 5 cents per Mbps. But currently, that can be beaten by Frontier Fiber and Ziply Fiber.
- Frontier Fiber 2 Gig and 5 Gig: Impressively, Frontier has rolled these plans out to all fiber households within its footprint, which means 4 million customers across 15 states. While AT&T’s multi-gigabit plans are available to more people (5 million), it’s not yet available in all AT&T markets. Frontier’s offerings also feature free Wi-Fi 6E equipment rental, unlimited data, no contracts, no activation fee and free multi-device security. Even better? Frontier recently lowered the introductory rates to $100 per month for 2 Gig and $155 monthly for the 5 Gig plan.
- Optimum 2 Gig Fiber and 5 Gig Fiber: Optimum, whose footprint includes both cable and fiber connections, has been working to vastly expand its fiber offerings. In select fiber markets, two multi-gig internet plans are available in Connecticut, Long Island, New Jersey and New York. The 2Gbps plan is $120 per month, and the 5Gbps tier is $180 monthly. New customers for either multi-gigabit plan get free installation and all equipment included. New 2 Gig customers also receive a $500 Visa gift card.
- Verizon Fios 2 Gig: Verizon Fios is often near the top of the heap regarding customer satisfaction numbers. Its 2Gbps tier is competitively priced at $120 per month and includes a Whole-Home Wi-Fi system for free, a four-year price guarantee, a season subscription to NFL Sunday Ticket and six months of Disney Plus for free. However, it didn’t make the top of our list for the best multi-gig internet because it’s currently only available in New York City and surrounding areas.
- Xfinity Gigabit Pro: To its credit, Xfinity has been offering its multi-gigabit tier longer than other national providers. At $300 a month, it’s also the most expensive. While the 6Gbps plan is technically available in all cities within Xfinity’s footprint, a site survey must first confirm availability for your address. Once you add the two-year contract requirement (with early termination fees looming if you bail early), $25-a-month equipment rental charge and stiff activation and installation fees (potentially totaling $1,000), those top speeds are very cost-prohibitive.
- Ziply Fiber 2 Gig, 5 Gig and 10 Gig: Ziply Fiber caught our attention with its 50Gbps plan, but it boasts a couple of multi-gig internet plans. The 2Gbps plan has an excellent promo rate, $80 a month, as does the 5Gbps plan, $120 per month. The 10Gbps plan is a pricey $300 per month, but that’s a notable value of 3 cents per Mbps. All Ziply Fiber plans include unlimited data and require no contracts.
Best multi-gig internet plans FAQ
How can I get multi-gig internet?
In most cases, especially if you already have fiber internet service, you won’t have to do anything beyond contacting your provider to upgrade to a multi-gig internet plan. There may be an installation fee (often waived if you order online), but usually, any additional equipment you need (a modem/router capable of multi-gig speeds) will be included.
However, to take advantage of Xfinity’s Gigabit Pro plan, you’ll need to reach out to Xfinity and schedule a site survey. Even if you’re a current Xfinity customer or know you’re in an Xfinity-serviceable area, Comcast will still need to inspect to see if your home is within the minimum distance from a fiber node. If everything checks out, it may take several weeks before your household can get Gigabit Pro fully installed.
What does multi-gigabit internet cost?
Generally speaking, the best multi-gig internet plans are relatively affordable if you have a fiber internet connection. Not only does fiber typically provide the best performance, featuring symmetrical or near-equal download and upload speeds, but it also presents the cheapest options. For example, Google Fiber’s 2Gbps plan, which includes all equipment costs and fees in its monthly rate, checks in at 5 cents per Mbps and AT&T’s 5Gbps tier rings in at 4 cents per Mbps. Ziply Fiber’s 10Gbps plan, which rings in at $300 per month, is 3 cents per Mbps, and its 5Gbps tier is just over 2 cents per Mbps, the highest value we’ve seen. None of those requires a contract.
Conversely, Xfinity’s Gigabit Pro is one of the priciest broadband packages. It costs $300 per month, and you can get it only if you sign up for a two-year contract. The cost per Mbps, at 5 cents, is good, but there’s a $25-a-month rental charge for equipment. There’s also a pretty hefty additional expenditure right out of the gate: Households face an activation fee of up to $500 and an additional installation fee of another $500. That’s $1,000 before you even get to the regular monthly charges.
Is it worth getting a multi-gig internet plan?
Perhaps. Even if you go with the most expensive plan out there, the monthly cost per Mbps of multi-gigabit internet is quite competitive. Plus, these plans’ near-symmetrical upload and download speeds certainly set up your household with plenty of opportunities to utilize many connected devices, now and in the future.
However, most households right now don’t need all that speed. If you go one step down and opt for a provider’s gigabit plan, for example, you can get plenty of speed for anywhere between 5-10 cents per Mbps and often, your modem/router equipment fee is included too. It may not be as flashy as having the best multi-gig internet and the fastest residential plan currently available, but it’ll get you some splashy speeds at a more affordable price.
