Louisville, Kentucky, isn’t just about balancing Midwestern sensibilities with Southern hospitality; it’s got great internet options, too. Ookla’s latest data suggests that Louisville ranks amongst the top 10 cities in the US when it comes to median internet download speeds. That’s faster internet than some bigger cities like Charlotte, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles and New York City, among others. The best option for most people is AT&T Fiber.
Like most major US cities, Louisville has several internet service providers across the entire metro area. Those ISPs include big names like T-Mobile, AT&T and Spectrum (aka Charter Communications). You’ll have your choice between fiber, 5G and cable connections. Unlimited data is even on the table.
Best internet providers in River City
We’re calling the race for AT&T Fiber when it comes to the best ISPs in Louisville. Even if it’s not available at your address, CNET can help you choose the right internet provider for your needs.
Note: The prices, speeds and features detailed in the article text may differ from those listed in the product detail cards, which represent providers’ national offerings. Your particular internet service options — including prices and speeds — depend on your address and may differ from those detailed here.
300 – 1,000 Mbps
$50 – $80 per month
Our take – Like AT&T Fiber, Spectrum keeps things simple with competitive pricing void of surprise fees, unlimited data and no contract requirements.
300 – 1,000 Mbps
$50 – $80 per month
300 – 5,000 Mbps
$55 – $250 per month
Our take – According to Ookla data, AT&T Fiber has the fastest average speeds in the Louisville area at around 261Mpbs. That makes sense, as AT&T’s cheapest plan offers max download speeds of up to 300 Mbps.
300 – 5,000 Mbps
$55 – $250 per month
Fixed wireless
72 – 245 Mbps
$60 per month
Our take – T-Mobile 5G Home Internet is quickly proving to be a viable alternative to traditional home internet service. Thanks to the wireless connection, T-Mobile is able to expand its coverage area quickly, including to households in the Louisville area.
Fixed wireless
72 – 245 Mbps
$60 per month
12 – 150 Mbps
$70 – $300 per month
Our take – Satellite internet shouldn’t be your first choice for internet, but if you live outside the city and need rural internet, Viasat may be one of your better options for high-speed internet.
12 – 150 Mbps
$70 – $300 per month
All available Louisville residential internet providers
The providers listed above aren’t the necessarily the only ones you’ll come across in Louisville, just the ones we’d recommend most. Here’s a quick look at all Louisville ISPs that may be worth your consideration.
Top Louisville internet providers
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
AT&T Fiber Read full review |
Fiber | $55-$180 | 300-5,000 Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
|
AT&T Internet Read full review |
DSL | $55 | 75-225Mbps | None | 1.5TB | None | 7.4 |
|
HughesNet Read full review |
Satellite | $50-$95 | Up to 100Mbps | $15 or $350 one-time purchase | 15-100GB | 2 years | 5.7 |
|
Spectrum Read full review |
Cable | $40-$60 | 300-1000Mbps | Free modem; $5 router | None | None | 7.2 |
|
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
Fixed wireless | $50 | 72-245Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
|
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 | 100-300Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
|
Viasat Read full review |
Satellite | $120 | 25-150 Mbps | $15 or $299 one-time purchase | 40-300GB | 2 years | 6.1 |
Show more (2 items)
What other internet options are there in Louisville?
Louisville has several other ISPs available. If you’re shopping for a particular price or you just want to weigh all of your options, consider the following providers who didn’t make our best list.
- Earthlink: This provider has DSL, fiber and 5G internet plans available across Louisville. Plans start at $60 per month and speeds vary by available connection type.
- Kinetic by Windstream: Windstream high-speed internet is not widely available in Louisville, but if you can get it at your address you may enjoy download speeds up to 1Gbps. The company also has 200Mbps and 400Mbps plans. Prices start at $40 per month.
Pricing info on Louisville home internet service
Most providers in Louisville start their internet plans at about $50 per month. Some providers will offer a lower introductory rate, so be sure to check out the long-term pricing when you’re shopping for plans. Fortunately, few require an equipment fee.
Louisville cheap internet pricing
If you already have service with a certain phone company or television provider, you can often take advantage of cheaper internet rates in Louisville. For instance, Verizon 5G Home Internet offers the best bang for your buck at just $25 per month for up to 300Mbps, but you need to have an eligible Verizon mobile plan to take advantage of the deal. Similarly, the best Spectrum and Viasat plans come by way of bundled services.
For customers who only want internet coverage and need a lot of speed to work at home and stream video, AT&T Fiber is the best option. The speeds are far superior to other options with a price tag that is competitive to other providers.
For basic internet service, satellite service offers rural customers an affordable option. You may also want to look into the Affordable Connectivity Program to apply for a subsidy that offsets your internet costs.
Cheapest internet plans in Louisville
| Plan | Starting price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review |
$50 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | 100Mbps | None | None |
|
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
$50 ($30 with eligible mobile plans) | 182Mbps | None | None |
|
Spectrum Internet Ultra Read full review |
$50 | 500Mbps | Free modem; $5 router | None |
|
AT&T Fiber 300 Read full review |
$55 | 300Mbps | None | None |
Fastest internet providers in Louisville
Thanks to AT&T’s multigigabit plans, Louisville has access to some of the fastest residential internet speeds you’ll find anywhere, up to 5,000Mbps. AT&T won’t be your only option for high-speed internet in the area, as Spectrum and Verizon 5G offer speeds up to 940Mbps as well.
Fastest internet plans in Louisville
| Provider | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Starting price | Data cap | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
AT&T Fiber 5000 Read full review |
5,000Mbps | 5,000Mbps | $180 | None | None |
|
Verizon 5G Home Plus Internet Read full review |
1,000Mbps | 50Mbps | $70 | None | None |
| Kinetic by Windstream | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | $60 | None | None |
|
Spectrum Internet Gig Read full review |
940Mbps | 35Mbps | $70 | None | None |
What’s the final word on internet providers in Louisville?
Louisville offers some of the fastest average internet speeds in the country, much of that due to one provider, AT&T Fiber, although Spectrum is more than capable of delivering fast speeds in the area as well. Other options, particularly 5G home internet from T-Mobile or Verizon, are a little less enticing when it comes to speed potential, but the low cost and high availability make the two worth a look.
How CNET chose the best internet providers in Louisville
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. 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.
We then 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.
Louisville internet FAQs
Which is the best internet service provider in Louisville?
AT&T Fiber offers the fastest internet service for your money, although Spectrum boasts greater availability throughout the Louisville area. Either is a decent option for internet service, but AT&T Fiber’s likely to be the better value due to faster download and upload speed potential, lower equipment fees and more stable pricing.
Is fiber internet available in Louisville?
Yes. AT&T offers fiber internet service in Louisville. The provider offers speeds up to 5,000Mbps.
Can I get free Wi-Fi in Louisville?
There are locations in Louisville with free Wi-Fi, including the public libraries. AT&T also offers a potentially free internet plan for qualifying Louisville residents in low-income households. The plan costs $30 per month, but customers taking advantage of the Affordable Connectivity Program (which provides a discount of $30 monthly) bring the cost down to net zero.
