Best Internet Providers in Bloomington, Minnesota
Our Experts
What is the best internet provider in Bloomington, Minnesota?
Xfinity is the best internet provider in Bloomington. It has the fastest and cheapest plans in the area and is available almost everywhere. The main downside is its price increases: Your bill will go up significantly after one or two years. Xfinity doesn’t require contracts, so you’re free to switch at any time.
It's only available to around 1 in 10 homes, but Quantum Fiber is Bloomington's best fiber internet service provider. You'll get symmetrical upload and download speeds, and Quantum Fiber includes the cost of equipment in all plans. Wireless internet from T-Mobile and Verizon is also widely available in Bloomington, but those 5G home internet services are best for smaller households that don't connect a lot of devices at once.
Our methodology
CNET considers speeds, pricing, customer service and overall value to recommend the best internet service in Bloomington across several categories. Our evaluation includes referencing a proprietary database built over years of reviewing internet services. We validate that against provider information by 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.
Despite our efforts to find the most recent and accurate information, our process has some limitations you should know about. 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 particular options is to plug your address into a provider's website.
Also, 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 speed across the US, according to our database of plan information provided directly by ISPs, while the text is specific to what's available in Bloomington. 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 signing a term contract or bundling with multiple services.
To learn more about how we review internet providers, visit our full methodology page.
Best internet in Bloomington, Minnesota
Xfinity
Best internet provider in Bloomington, MN
Our take - Xfinity is the only cable or fiber internet provider that’s an option for most residents in Bloomington, so it’s your best choice by default. Xfinity has some good things going for it: Plans are incredibly cheap, you’ll get good speeds for the price and equipment is included with most plans. Unfortunately, prices increase significantly after the promotional period ends; two years on most plans.
Quantum Fiber
Best fiber internet in Bloomington, MN
Our take - Only 11% of Bloomington residents can get Quantum Fiber, but if it’s available at your address, it’s an even better option than Xfinity. You’ll get symmetrical upload and download speeds -- perfect for activities like videoconferencing and online gaming -- and equipment is included at no extra cost with all plans. Unlike Xfinity, Quantum Fiber’s prices don’t automatically increase after a year or two.
Verizon 5G Home Internet
Best fixed wireless internet in Bloomington, MN
Our take - Another good option that’s available throughout Bloomington is wireless internet. Verizon and T-Mobile both offer home internet plans in the city. We gave the edge to Verizon because it’s slightly cheaper, but if you have a cellphone plan with either provider, that’s the one you should go with. You can get great discounts for bundling with home internet.
Bloomington internet providers compared
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
CenturyLink Read full review | DSL | $55 | Up to 100Mbps | $15 (optional) | None | None | 6.7 |
| Quantum Fiber | Fiber | $50-$75 | 500-940Mbps | None | None | None | 6.7 |
|
Starlink Read full review | Satellite | $120 | 25-220Mbps | $599 upfront | None | None | 6.5 |
|
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) | 100-300Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
|
Xfinity Read full review | Cable | $20-$70 | 150-1,200Mbps | $15 (included in most plans) | 1.2TB (unlimited on most plans) | Optional | 7 |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What’s the cheapest internet plan in Bloomington?
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Xfinity Connect Read full review | $20 | 150Mbps | $15 (optional) |
|
Xfinity Connect More Read full review | $30 | 300Mbps | None |
| Quantum Fiber | $50 | 500Mbps | None |
|
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review | $50 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | 100Mbps | None |
|
Xfinity Fast Read full review | $50 | 500Mbps | None |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find internet deals and promotions in Bloomington
The best internet deals and top promotions in Bloomington depend on what discounts are available during a given time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
Bloomington internet providers, such as Xfinity and Verizon 5G Home Internet, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Others, including Quantum Fiber, 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 Bloomington
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Data cap | Connection type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Xfinity Gigabit Extra Read full review | $70 | 1,200Mbps | 35Mbps | None | Cable |
|
Xfinity Gigabit Read full review | $65 | 1,000Mbps | 20Mbps | None | Cable |
| Quantum Fiber | $75 | 940Mbps | 940Mbps | None | Fiber |
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 Federal Communications Commission. 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 and streaming low-quality video.
- 5 to 40Mbps gives you higher-quality video streaming and videoconferencing.
- 40 to 100Mbps should give one user sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming.
- 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two users to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming.
- 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.
How CNET chose the best internet providers in Bloomington
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.
It doesn’t end there: We go to 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 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. When selecting the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, although 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.
Internet providers in Bloomington FAQs
What is the best internet service provider in Bloomington?
Xfinity is the best internet service provider in Bloomington. It has the broadest coverage, the cheapest plans and the fastest speeds of any provider in the city.
Is fiber internet available in Bloomington?
Yes, fiber internet is available to 11% of Bloomington households, according to FCC data. Quantum Fiber is the only fiber provider in the city.
What is the cheapest internet provider in Bloomington?
Xfinity is the cheapest internet provider in Bloomington, offering plans that start at just $20 per month.
Which internet provider in Bloomington offers the fastest plan?
Xfinity offers the fastest internet plan in Bloomington, with download speeds up to 1,200Mbps.
Home Internet Guides
- Sometimes a provider is available in your Zip code, but not at your exact address
- See what exact plans are available at your home
