Best Internet Providers in Des Moines, Iowa - CNET
- Prices from $20 – $60 per month
- Speeds from 100 – 1,000Mbps
- Low introductory rates
- Prices from $55 – $115 per month
- Speeds from 200 – 3,000Mbps
- Unlimited data
- Prices from $50 per month
- Speeds from 72 – 245Mbps
- Unlimited data
Finding a decent internet service provider can be a way to save on your monthly budget. A good internet provider can also make sure you have stable internet connectivity. Nobody has time for endless buffering or routinely dropped signals. We’ve outlined the best internet in the area, including our top pick for Des Moines, Mediacom.
Faster internet services are becoming more widely available in Des Moines. Metronet connected the first customers to its fiber optic internet in the fall of 2022 and continues to expand in the area. The service offers multi-gig symmetrical speeds, meaning the upload and download speeds are the same. Google Fiber is also coming to the Des Moines area, and the infrastructure is in the building stage.
According to Ookla data from April 2023, the average download speed for fixed broadband in the US was 202 megabits per second for download speeds and 23Mbps for upload speeds. Given national averages, accessing multi-gig internet in Des Moines is a huge positive for residents.
Best internet options in Des Moines
Here are our top picks for internet providers in Des Moines. We rate the best internet providers based on availability, pricing and plan speeds.
<div id="toc-item-2" content="LIST ITEM" superlative="Best overall among internet providers in Des Moines" linktext="Read our Medicom home internet review" linkurl="https://www.cnet.com/home/internet/mediacom-internet-review/" like="" dislike="" offer="{"id":"c0859257-92c5-4410-aa4a-1f6dd9a6b9fd","label":"Mediacom Communications","slug":"mediacom-communications","edition":["us"],"imageId":"","imgUrl":"","imageHeight":0,"imageWidth":0,"typeLabel":"Product","objectType":"content_product","icon":""}" techobjectinfo="{"uuid":"c0859257-92c5-4410-aa4a-1f6dd9a6b9fd","name":"Mediacom Communications","slug":"mediacom-communications","productType":"PRODUCT","updateType":"PRISM","mod":1686597230951,"displayDate":"Mon Jun 12 2023 15:13:50 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)"}" overridecredit="" overridecaption="
” imagegroup=”{"uuid":"26febec1-af8b-437e-807e-29bdf4f02f17","alt":"Mediacom","caption":"
","credits":"Sarah Tew/CNET","imageData":{"id":"26febec1-af8b-437e-807e-29bdf4f02f17","filename":"xtream-powered-by-mediacom-logo-2022-357.jpg","path":"https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/ddfd2d053e9b2460ff17255c34cbc2abfa89de28/hub/2022/04/15/26febec1-af8b-437e-807e-29bdf4f02f17/xtream-powered-by-mediacom-logo-2022-357.jpg?auto=webp&height=500","dateCreated":{"date":"2022-04-15 00:37:42.000000","timezone":"UTC","timezone_type":3},"primeColor":null,"hasWarning":false},"size":"","float":"","lightbox":false,"imageUrl":"https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/ddfd2d053e9b2460ff17255c34cbc2abfa89de28/hub/2022/04/15/26febec1-af8b-437e-807e-29bdf4f02f17/xtream-powered-by-mediacom-logo-2022-357.jpg?auto=webp&height=500","imageCaption":"
","imageCredit":"Sarah Tew/CNET","imageAltText":"Mediacom","imageFilename":"xtream-powered-by-mediacom-logo-2022-357.jpg","imageWidth":4000,"imageHeight":2667,"imageDoNotCrop":false,"imageDoNotResize":false,"imageWatermark":false,"imageDateCreated":"2022-04-15","imageParallax":"","imageCrop":"","imageEnlarge":false}” precap-image-group=”{"uuid":"6ec98fec-facc-47ca-893d-a9be57f6ee33","alt":"mediacom-xtream-logo","caption":"
","credits":"Mediacom","imageData":{"id":"6ec98fec-facc-47ca-893d-a9be57f6ee33","filename":"mediacom-xtream-logo.jpg","path":"https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/c9ca5eeb4a24143b749db61bb34b5177c8b49050/hub/2021/07/15/6ec98fec-facc-47ca-893d-a9be57f6ee33/mediacom-xtream-logo.jpg?auto=webp&height=500","dateCreated":{"date":"2021-07-15 14:45:52.000000","timezone":"UTC","timezone_type":3},"primeColor":null,"hasWarning":false},"size":"","float":"","lightbox":false,"imageUrl":"https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/c9ca5eeb4a24143b749db61bb34b5177c8b49050/hub/2021/07/15/6ec98fec-facc-47ca-893d-a9be57f6ee33/mediacom-xtream-logo.jpg?auto=webp&height=500","imageCaption":"
","imageCredit":"Mediacom","imageAltText":"mediacom-xtream-logo","imageFilename":"mediacom-xtream-logo.jpg","imageWidth":407,"imageHeight":225,"imageDoNotCrop":false,"imageDoNotResize":false,"imageWatermark":false,"imageDateCreated":"2021-07-15","imageParallax":"","imageCrop":"","imageEnlarge":false}” usepricing=”true” ng-block=”{"id":"sbhgmftuj2oaya1","type":"broadband-listicle"}” edition=”us” data-key=”cnetlisticle__ca2a7d81-cf76-4956-8eca-f4ed80620d3a” position=”NaN” contenttype=”Best List – Precap” pagelayout=”FAQ Markup + BL Precap” showdetails=”true” class=”c-broadbandListicle g-outer-spacing-bottom-large”>
Product details
Mediacom stood out for its fast speeds and affordable rates. You might also see this ISP listed as Xtream powered by Mediacom.
Availability: Mediacom is available throughout Des Moines, though you may have to check that your address can get the service. The FCC lists it as available in the Capitol East, Grays Lake and Kirkwood Glen areas, as a few examples.
Plans and pricing: Mediacom advertises the Internet 100, Internet 300 and 1 Gig plans. Speeds match the plan name. For example, Internet 100 offers 100Mbps in download speeds. Prices for those three plans range from $25 to $55 a month.
Fees and service details: Mediacom does have a $13 monthly equipment rental fee but no contract. It also has a 200 to 6,000GB data cap depending on your chosen plan tier.
<div id="toc-item-3" content="LIST ITEM" superlative="Best fiber service among internet providers in Des Moines" linktext="Read our Metronet home internet review" linkurl="https://www.cnet.com/home/internet/metronet-home-internet-review/" like="" dislike="" offer="{"id":"308b7378-07bb-4e96-9e0c-9f23a32ea582","label":"Metronet","slug":"metronet","edition":["us"],"imageId":"","imgUrl":"","imageHeight":0,"imageWidth":0,"typeLabel":"Product","objectType":"content_product","icon":""}" techobjectinfo="{"uuid":"308b7378-07bb-4e96-9e0c-9f23a32ea582","name":"Metronet","slug":"metronet","productType":"PRODUCT","updateType":"PRISM","mod":1686931869687,"displayDate":"Fri Jun 16 2023 12:11:09 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)"}" overridecredit="" overridecaption="
” imagegroup=”{"uuid":"d984c002-07d8-4425-9117-5b59ab87350e","alt":"Metronet logo on a smartphone","caption":"
","credits":"Sarah Tew/CNET","imageData":{"id":"d984c002-07d8-4425-9117-5b59ab87350e","filename":"metronet-logo-2022-027.jpg","path":"https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/4077fd62d960047aed25dc4bcb43c831613e9717/hub/2022/04/15/d984c002-07d8-4425-9117-5b59ab87350e/metronet-logo-2022-027.jpg?auto=webp&height=500","dateCreated":{"date":"2022-04-15 17:42:18.000000","timezone":"UTC","timezone_type":3},"primeColor":null,"hasWarning":false},"size":"","float":"","lightbox":false,"imageUrl":"https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/4077fd62d960047aed25dc4bcb43c831613e9717/hub/2022/04/15/d984c002-07d8-4425-9117-5b59ab87350e/metronet-logo-2022-027.jpg?auto=webp&height=500","imageCaption":"
","imageCredit":"Sarah Tew/CNET","imageAltText":"Metronet logo on a smartphone","imageFilename":"metronet-logo-2022-027.jpg","imageWidth":4000,"imageHeight":2667,"imageDoNotCrop":false,"imageDoNotResize":false,"imageWatermark":false,"imageDateCreated":"2022-04-15","imageParallax":"","imageCrop":"","imageEnlarge":false}” precap-image-group=”{"uuid":"5c2e6270-5bac-4898-a560-7c08a6add6bf","alt":"Metronet’s new green and purple loge","caption":"
","credits":"Metronet","imageData":{"id":"5c2e6270-5bac-4898-a560-7c08a6add6bf","filename":"metronet-new-logo.png","path":"https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/c811575ca0697427aa79702a0a3df82b85781781/hub/2022/07/28/5c2e6270-5bac-4898-a560-7c08a6add6bf/metronet-new-logo.png?auto=webp&format=pjpg&height=500","dateCreated":{"date":"2022-07-28 18:41:58.000000","timezone":"UTC","timezone_type":3},"primeColor":null,"hasWarning":false},"size":"","float":"","lightbox":false,"imageUrl":"https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/c811575ca0697427aa79702a0a3df82b85781781/hub/2022/07/28/5c2e6270-5bac-4898-a560-7c08a6add6bf/metronet-new-logo.png?auto=webp&format=pjpg&height=500","imageCaption":"
","imageCredit":"Metronet","imageAltText":"Metronet’s new green and purple loge","imageFilename":"metronet-new-logo.png","imageWidth":298,"imageHeight":144,"imageDoNotCrop":false,"imageDoNotResize":false,"imageWatermark":false,"imageDateCreated":"2022-07-28","imageParallax":"","imageCrop":"","imageEnlarge":false}” usepricing=”true” ng-block=”{"id":"scc36xobw1trggz","type":"broadband-listicle"}” edition=”us” data-key=”cnetlisticle__34517198-5496-4de4-8e69-8a90f982f28b” position=”NaN” contenttype=”Best List – Precap” pagelayout=”FAQ Markup + BL Precap” showdetails=”true” class=”c-broadbandListicle g-outer-spacing-bottom-large”>
Product details
As mentioned earlier, Metronet is a new service to Des Moines. We picked it as one of the best due to the multi-gig speeds.
Availability: Availability is still limited and is mostly to the north of the West Des Moines area, as it just entered the market fall of 2022. If you search many addresses on the website for availability, a message tells you that service may be more than three months off, but residents can sign up early for construction updates.
Plans and pricing: Plans go by speed tiers, including 200 Mbps, 1 Gig, 2 Gig and 3 Gig service plans. Prices run from $55 to $115 a month.
Fees and service details: Metronet has a $12 monthly Tech Assure fee, an additional, unavoidable charge. On the plus side, it does not have data caps, contracts or equipment fees.