What is the best internet provider in Modesto, California?
AT&T Fiber is Modesto’s best internet service provider, offering fast speeds and customer-friendly terms. It’s the only internet provider in the city with symmetrical upload and download speeds — ideal for people who work remotely or game online.
If you’re looking for the lowest prices, Xfinity is the cheapest internet provider in Modesto, with plans starting at just $20 per month. That said, its rates increase significantly on all plans after a year or two (or both). Spectrum is another cable internet provider worth considering, but you’ll also have to deal with steep price increases in the second or third year.
There are two other options worth considering for households that don’t need a lot of speed: T-Mobile Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home Internet. Both are middle-of-the-road in both price and speed, but you can save by bundling with an eligible cellphone plan.
Best internet in Modesto, California
Modesto internet providers compared
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ayera Technologies | Fixed wireless | $39-$109 | 3-120Mbps | None (router not provided) | 100GB-4.86TB | None | N/A |
| AT&T Fiber Read full review |
Fiber | $55-$225 | 300-5,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
| AT&T Internet Read full review |
DSL | $55 | Up to 140Mbps | None | 1.5TB on some plans | None | 7.4 |
| Spectrum Read full review |
Cable | $50-$80 | 300-1,000Mbps | $5 (optional) | None | None | 7.2 |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
Fixed wireless | $60 ($40-$50 with mobile plans) | 72-245Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 for eligible Verizon Wireless customers) | 100-1,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
| Xfinity Read full review |
Cable | $20-$70 | 150-1,200Mbps | $15 (included in most plans) | 1.2TB (unlimited in most plans) | Optional | 7 |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What’s the cheapest internet plan in Modesto?
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xfinity Connect Read full review |
$20 | 150Mbps | $15 (optional) |
| Xfinity Connect More Read full review |
$25 | 300Mbps | None |
| Ayera Technologies | $39 | 3Mbps | None (router not provided) |
| Ayera Technologies | $49 | 15Mbps | None (router not provided) |
| Spectrum Internet Read full review |
$50 | 300Mbps | $5 (optional) |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review |
$50 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | 100Mbps | None |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find internet deals and promotions in Modesto
The best internet deals and top promotions in Modesto depend on what discounts are available during a given time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
Modesto internet providers, such as AT&T Fiber, Xfinity and Verizon 5G Home Internet, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Others, however, including Spectrum and T-Mobile Home Internet, run the same standard pricing year-round.
For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the best internet deals.
Fastest internet plans in Modesto
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Data cap | Connection type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T Internet 5000 Read full review |
$225 | 5,000Mbps | 5,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| AT&T Internet 2000 Read full review |
$125 | 2,000Mbps | 2,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Xfinity Gigabit Extra Read full review |
$70 | 1,200Mbps | 35Mbps | 1.2TB | Cable |
| AT&T Internet 1000 Read full review |
$80 | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Frontier Fiber 1 Gig Read full review |
$60 | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
| Spectrum Internet Gig Read full review |
$80 | 1,000Mbps | 35Mbps | None | Cable |
| Xfinity Gigabit Read full review |
$65 | 1,000Mbps | 20Mbps | 1.2TB | Cable |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What’s a good internet speed?
Most internet connection plans can now handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you’re looking for an internet plan that can accommodate videoconferencing, streaming video or gaming, you’ll have a better experience with a more robust connection. Here’s an overview of the recommended minimum download speeds for various applications, according to the FCC. Note that these are only guidelines — and that internet speed, service and performance vary by connection type, provider and address.
For more information, refer to our guide on how much internet speed you really need.
- 0 to 5Mbps allows you to tackle the basics — browsing the internet, sending and receiving email, streaming low-quality video.
- 5 to 40Mbps gives you higher-quality video streaming and videoconferencing.
- 40 to 100Mbps should give one person sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming.
- 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two people to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and gaming.
- 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more people to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.
How CNET chose the best internet providers in Modesto
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 use the FCC’s website to check our data and ensure we consider every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. We look at sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power, to evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; all information provided is accurate as 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. When selecting the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, though we also factor in things like price increases, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively straightforward. We look at advertised upload and download speeds and consider real-world speed data from sources like Ookla and FCC reports.
To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.
Modesto internet provider FAQs
What’s the best internet service provider in Modesto?
AT&T Fiber is the best internet service provider in Modesto, offering the fastest speeds in the city and some of the lowest prices. It’s also the only fiber provider in the city, which means it’s the only one that has symmetrical upload and download speeds.
Is fiber internet available in Modesto?
Yes, fiber internet is available to 22% of Modesto households, according to FCC data. AT&T Fiber is the only fiber provider in the city.
What’s the cheapest internet provider in Modesto?
Xfinity is Modesto’s cheapest internet provider, offering plans starting at just $20 a month.
Which internet provider in Modesto offers the fastest plan?
AT&T Fiber offers the fastest internet plan in Modesto, with upload and download speeds up to 5,000Mbps.
