Best Internet Providers in Pittsburgh - CNET
You need to ask one question when shopping for internet in Pittsburgh: Is Verizon Fios available at my address? If it is, you’re in luck. Verizon Fios is CNET’s pick for the best overall internet provider in Pittsburgh. If you can’t get Verizon, Xfinity and T-Mobile Home Internet are solid backup options, but they have drawbacks like price increases and slower speeds.
CNET considers speeds, pricing, customer service and overall value when recommending the best internet service in Pittsburgh across various categories. Our evaluation includes spot-checking local addresses for service availability. We also do a close read of providers’ terms and conditions and, when needed, will call ISPs to verify the details.
Our process has some limitations, though. Pricing and speed data are variable: Certain addresses may qualify for different service tiers, and monthly costs may vary, even within a city. The best way to identify your options is to plug your address into a provider’s website.
Note that the prices, speed and other information listed above and in the provider cards below may differ from what we found in our research. The cards display the full range of a provider’s pricing and speeds across the US, according to our database of plan information provided directly by ISPs. At the same time, the text is specific to what’s available in Pittsburgh. The prices referenced within this article’s text come from our research and include applicable discounts for setting up automatic payments each month — a standard industry offering. Other discounts and promotions might also be available for things like committing to a contract or bundling with a cellphone plan.
To learn more about how we review internet providers, visit our full methodology page.
Top internet providers in Pittsburgh
There are three main options when it comes to internet in Pittsburgh: Verizon Fios, Xfinity or T-Mobile Home Internet. The only other ISPs available in the city are Verizon 5G Home Internet (not very widely available) and satellite providers (not very good).
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Product details
When Verizon Fios is operating in your city, the choice for internet is an easy one. Verizon’s fiber network gives you symmetrical upload and download speeds — ideal for households with people gaming online or videoconferencing — and it doesn’t have any data caps or equipment fees. All of that adds up to happy customers: Verizon ranked number one in Pittsburgh’s region in J.D. Power’s provider satisfaction survey.
Availability: 81% of Pittsburgh residents have access to Verizon Fios.
Plans and pricing: There are three Verizon Fios internet plans in Pittsburgh. You can get 300Mbps upload and download speeds for $50 per month, 500/500Mbps for $70 or 940/880Mbps for $90. Verizon even locks in your price for two to four years, depending on the plan you choose.
Fees and service details: There are no hidden fees or caveats with Verizon Fios. Equipment is included in the monthly price, data is unlimited and you don’t have to commit to a contract. You can also save up to $25 each month if you’re a Verizon Wireless customer.
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Product details
If you’re one of the 20% of Pittsburgh households that can’t get Verizon Fios, Xfinity is a good consolation prize. It’s available virtually everywhere in the city, and its speeds actually go higher than Verizon’s — at least when it comes to download speeds. As with all cable internet providers, Xfinity’s upload speeds are much slower than download. It also has some of the most confusing pricing of any ISP, with increases after one to three years depending on the plan.
Availability: Xfinity is available to 99.6% of households in Pittsburgh, according to the Federal Communications Commission.
Plans and pricing: There are five Xfinity plans available in Pittsburgh. You can get 200/10Mbps for $25 per month (increases to $77 after one year), 400/10Mbps for $35 ($92 after two years), 800/20Mbps for $60 ($97 after two or three years), 1,000/20Mbps for $70 ($102 after two or three years) and 1,200/35Mbps for $80 ($107 after two or three years).
Fees and service details: Renting a modem and router through Xfinity will add $15 to your monthly bill, but you have the option of using your own equipment. Some plans also require you to commit to a one-year contract to lock in the price for three years. All Xfinity plans in Pittsburgh include unlimited data.
