Keeping up with the pace of NYC is no easy task. Whether you’re running to catch a train at Penn Station, or trying to stay ahead of the latest fashion trends, there’s nothing about New York that’s slow. Your internet service should be no different.

The best internet provider in Brooklyn is up for debate, but it really comes down to your household’s individual needs. When it comes to high-speed internet providers, options in Brooklyn are limited. You’ll find a cable internet provider or two, a major fiber provider and possibly 5G or fixed wireless service, depending on your address. So which should you get for your home? I have rounded up information on speeds, price and more so that you can compare ISPs and get the best internet service for your needs.

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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. 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.

Best Brooklyn internet providers

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Verizon Fios

Best Brooklyn internet provider overall

• Price range: $40-$90 per month
• Speed range: 100-940Mbps
• Connection: Fiber
• Perks: Unlimited data, no contracts, signup bonuses
• Why choose it: 100% fiber connection, excellent value, high customer satisfaction

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.

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 The FCC’s data is admittedly outdated, so there may be, and likely is, better Verizon Fios coverage in Brooklyn today.

Either way, chances are fairly good that Verizon Fios is going to be an option if you live in Brooklyn. That means you’ll have the choice of three speed tiers: 300Mbps starting at $40 per month, 500Mbps starting at $65 and gigabit service (940Mbps) starting at $90. Select areas may also have access to 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.

Read our Verizon internet review.

 

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Optimum

Best low introductory pricing

• Price range: $40-$80 per month
• Speed range: 300-940Mbps
• Connection: Cable, fiber
• Perks: Unlimited data, no contracts
• Why choose it: Low pricing, high speeds

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, and you’ll find it 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, which means dramatically slower upload speeds. Download speeds are right on par with Verizon Fios, however, and pricing on comparable plans may be cheaper. Gig service from Optimum, for example, starts at $80 per month, $10 cheaper than Verizon.

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.

Read our Optimum internet review.

 

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Spectrum

Best for cable internet in Brooklyn

• Price range: $50-$80 per month
• Speed range: 200-940Mbps
• Connection: Cable
• Perks: Unlimited data, no contracts, modem included
• Why choose it: Fast speeds, stable pricing

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. 

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 as the best cable internet provider in the country. 

Read our Spectrum internet review.

 

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Starry

Best Brooklyn ISP for apartments

• Price range: $15-$80 per month
• Speed range: 30-1,000Mbps
• Connection: Fixed wireless
• Perks: Unlimited data, no contracts, equipment included
• Why choose it: Convenience, fair pricing, favorable service terms

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. 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.

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.

Read our Starry internet overview.

 

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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.

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:

• Astound
• Optimum
• Spectrum
• Starry
• Verizon Fios

Brooklyn internet speeds

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.

What’s the fastest internet in Brooklyn?

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