Best Internet Providers in Buffalo, New York
Our Experts
What is the best internet provider in Buffalo?
Verizon Fios is the best internet provider in Buffalo, with symmetrical upload and download speeds, reasonable prices and high customer satisfaction scores. The main downside is that only a quarter of Buffalo residents can get it.
If you can't get Verizon Fios at your address, you have a few other options. Spectrum is Buffalo's cheapest internet service provider, available virtually everywhere in the city. That said, prices increase by $30 to $35 after a year two on all plans. T-Mobile Home Internet guarantees it will never increase your prices, but its wireless internet isn't quite as fast as Verizon Fios or Spectrum, making it better suited to smaller hou
Our methodology
CNET considers speeds, pricing, customer service and overall value to recommend the best internet service in Buffalo across many 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 tiers of service, 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. At the same time, the text is specific to what's available in Buffalo. 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 Buffalo, New York
Spectrum
Cheapest internet in Buffalo, NY
Our take - Spectrum offers the cheapest internet in Buffalo if you're looking for the lowest prices. Unfortunately, the affordability doesn’t last long. After a year or two, it raises prices on all plans by $30 to $35 per month -- one of the reasons Spectrum has below-average customer satisfaction scores from J.D. Power and the American Customer Satisfaction Index.
Verizon Fios
Best internet provider in Buffalo, NY
Our take - There’s a reason Verizon received the highest score in Buffalo’s region in J.D. Power’s survey of customer satisfaction: the fiber ISP provides some of the best value in the country, and it’s wonderfully free of the pricing shenanigans internet providers are known for.
T-Mobile Home Internet
Best fixed wireless internet in Buffalo, NY
Our take - T-Mobile is one of the newer internet providers in Buffalo, but it's gained a lot of fans already. The main selling point is simplicity. T-Mobile only offers one plan, no extra charges and your price is locked in for as long as you maintain your service. It isn't as fast as Spectrum or Verizon Fios, but it's plenty for most people, and T-Mobile has the highest customer satisfaction score of any non-fiber ISP from the ASCI.
Buffalo internet providers compared
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Spectrum Read full review | Cable | $30-$90 | 100-1,000Mbps | $5 (optional) | None | None | 7.2 |
|
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review | Fixed wireless | $50 ($30 with eligible 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) | 50-1,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
|
Verizon Fios Read full review | Fiber | $50-$90 ($25-$65 for eligible Verizon Wireless customers) | 300-940Mbops | None | None | None | 7.6 |
|
Verizon High Speed Internet Read full review | DSL | $75 | 1-15Mbps | $50 (one-time charge, optional) | None | None | N/A |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
Other available internet providers in Buffalo
- Satellite internet: You can get satellite internet at almost every address in the country, but it’s only worth considering in rural areas with few other options. HughesNet and Viasat operate in Buffalo but are expensive and don’t provide much speed. SpaceX’s Starlink internet is a faster satellite option, but it requires an equipment purchase of $599 just to get started.
- Verizon 5G Home Internet: Like T-Mobile Home Internet, Verizon offers fixed wireless internet in the area. Its plans reach higher top speeds than T-Mobile’s but are less widely available. That said, you can get a great discount when you bundle with an eligible Verizon Wireless plan.
Cheap internet options in Buffalo
Buffalo has five different internet plans available for $50 per month or less. While Spectrum has the cheapest plan in the area, prices increase significantly on all plans after one or two years. Low-income households can save an extra $30 monthly through the FCC’s Affordable Connectivity Program, available through every provider on our list.
What’s the cheapest internet plan in Buffalo?
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Spectrum Internet 100 Read full review | $30 | 100Mbps | $5 (optional) |
|
Spectrum Internet Read full review | $50 | 300Mbps | $5 (optional) |
|
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review | $50 ($30 with eligible mobile plans) | 245Mbps | None |
|
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review | $50 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | 300Mbps | None |
|
Verizon Fios Read full review | $50 ($25 with eligible mobile plans) | 300Mbps | None |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find internet deals and promotions in Buffalo
Buffalo's best internet deals and top promotions depend on what discounts are available during that time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
Buffalo internet providers, such as Spectrum and Verizon Fios, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many providers, including 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.
How fast is Buffalo broadband?
According to Ookla speed test data, Buffalo residents see a median of 207Mbps download and 17Mbps upload speed. That puts Buffalo at 74th out of the top 100 most populated cities in the country and below cities like Cleveland (48th) and Pittsburgh (67th), but just above Philadelphia (76th).
Fastest internet plans in Buffalo
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Data cap | Connection type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Spectrum Internet Gig Read full review | $90 | 1,000Mbps | 35Mbps | None | Cable |
|
Verizon 5G Home Plus Internet Read full review | $70 ($45 with qualifying Verizon 5G mobile plans) | 1,000Mbps | 75Mbps | None | Fixed wireless |
|
Verizon Fios 1 Gig Read full review | $90 ($65 with eligible mobile plans) | 940Mbps | 880Mbps | 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 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 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 Buffalo
Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it's impractical to personally test every internet service provider in a given city. So what's our approach? For starters, we tap into a proprietary database of pricing, availability and speed information that draws from our own historical ISP data, partner data and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov.
This guide leverages an in-house artificial intelligence tool called RAMP, which is trained on our own writing and uses our database to generate content about specific internet service providers that our writers can use in determining and presenting our picks for a given guide. Check CNET’s AI policy for more information about how our teams use (and don’t use) AI tools.
Because our database is not exhaustive, we go to the FCC's website to check the primary data for ourselves and make sure we're considering every ISP that provides service in an area. Plans and prices also vary by location, so we input local addresses on provider websites to find the specific options available to 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 our pre-publication fact-check.
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, you can visit our how we test ISPs page.
What’s the final word on internet providers in Buffalo?
When it comes to internet service in Buffalo, there’s Verizon Fios and everything else. Verizon is the only company offering fiber internet in the area, the fastest and most reliable connection type available. If you can’t get Verizon Fios at your address, Spectrum, T-Mobile Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home Internet are all solid backup options, but each comes with its own disadvantages.
Internet providers in Buffalo FAQs
What is the best internet service provider in Buffalo?
Verizon Fios is the best internet service provider in Buffalo. It’s the only provider in the area that offers symmetrical upload and download speeds, its prices are guaranteed for two to four years, and it doesn’t have data caps, contracts or equipment fees.
Is fiber internet available in Buffalo?
Yes, fiber internet is available to 24% of Buffalo residents, according to FCC data. Verizon Fios is the only fiber provider that operates in the city.
Who is the cheapest internet provider in Buffalo?
Spectrum is the cheapest internet provider in Buffalo, with prices starting at $30 per month for 100/10Mbps speeds. The price increases to $60 monthly after a year or two, depending on where you live.
Which internet provider in Buffalo offers the fastest plan?
Spectrum and Verizon both offer plans in Buffalo with download speeds up to 1,000Mbps.
Home Internet Guides
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