Best Internet Providers in Louisville, Kentucky

Louisville, Kentucky, likes to say it has Midwestern sensibilities and Southern hospitality, but we're here to talk about what's really important. Can you stream your shows in Derby City? Thankfully, the answer is yes. Spoiler alert: The best option for most people will be AT&T Fiber. 

According to Ookla's latest data, Louisville ranks in the top 10 among US cities when it comes to median internet download speeds. That's faster internet than some bigger cities like Charlotte, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles and New York City, among others. Fire up your Roku, why don't you?

Like most major US cities, Louisville has several internet service providers across the entire metro area. Those ISPs include big names like T-Mobile, AT&T and Spectrum (aka Charter Communications). You'll have your choice between fiber, 5G and cable connections. Unlimited data is even on the table.

Best internet providers in River City 

We're calling the race for AT&T Fiber when it comes to the best ISPs in Louisville. But even if it's not available at your address, CNET can help you choose the right internet provider for your needs.

Note: The prices, speeds and features detailed in the article text may differ from those listed in the product detail cards, which represent providers’ national offerings. Your particular internet service options -- including prices and speeds -- depend on your address and may differ from those detailed here.

AT&T Fiber

Best overall among internet providers in Louisville

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. . . Or call to order: Call to Learn More (866) 431-6052

Product details

Price range $55 - $250 per month Speed range 300 - 5,000Mbps Connection Fiber Key Info Unlimited data, no contracts, equipment included

According to Ookla data, AT&T Fiber has the fastest average speeds in the Louisville area at around 261Mpbs. That makes sense, as AT&T's cheapest plan offers max download speeds of up to 300 Mbps.

Availability: AT&T offers fiber internet across 66% of Louisville, which doesn't guarantee it will be available to you. Its areas of greatest serviceability include Seneca Gardens, Audubon Park, Rolling Fields and Northfield.

Plans and pricing: AT&T recently began offering its multi-gigabit plans in the Louisville area, which means customers have up to five plans to choose from, ranging from 300Mbps starting at $55 per month to 5,000Mbps starting at $180.

Fees and service details: AT&T Fiber doesn't have annual contracts, data caps or equipment fees.

Check AT&T Fiber availability

. . . Or call to order: Call to Learn More (866) 431-6052

Spectrum

Best cable internet provider in Louisville

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. . . Or call to order: Call to Learn More (877) 361-3842

Product details

Price range $30- $70 per month Speed range 100 - 1,000Mbps Connection Cable Key Info Unlimited data, simple pricing, no contracts, modem included, free access to nationwide Wi-Fi hotspots

Like AT&T Fiber, Spectrum keeps things simple with competitive pricing void of surprise fees, unlimited data and no contract requirements. 

Availability: Spectrum covers nearly all of Louisville, reaching nearly to Frankfort to the east and Corydon to the west. The company provides internet across more than 96% of the city.

Plans and pricing: Spectrum has a variety of cable internet plans, plus you may be able to bundle your internet with television service for a discount. Prices start at just $50 per month with download speeds up to 500Mbps.

Fees and service details: Spectrum internet includes your modem at no extra cost, but a $5 fee will apply if you want to rent a Wi-Fi router. There are no data caps or contracts with Spectrum internet.

Check Spectrum Internet availability

. . . Or call to order: Call to Learn More (877) 361-3842

T-Mobile 5G Home Internet

Best 5G fixed wireless among internet providers in Louisville

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. . . Or call to order: Call to Learn More (877) 687-6988

Product details

Price range $50 per month ($30 for eligible mobile customers) Speed range 72 - 245Mbps Connection Fixed wireless Key Info Unlimited data, equipment included, no contracts, no additional fees

T-Mobile 5G Home Internet is quickly proving to be a viable alternative to traditional home internet service. Thanks to the wireless connection, T-Mobile is able to expand its coverage area quickly, including to households in the Louisville area.

Availability: T-Mobile has coverage across more than 98% of the city. If you're located anywhere near downtown, you will have the most consistent coverage. Significant coverage is also available just southwest of the city.

Plans and pricing: Internet is $50 with autopay for speeds somewhere between 33 and 182Mbps. Qualifying T-Mobile Magenta Max customers can drop their internet cost to $30 per month. 

Fees and service details: No contract is required and there are no data caps or additional equipment charges.

Check T-Mobile availability

. . . Or call to order: Call to Learn More (877) 687-6988

Viasat

Best satellite coverage among internet providers in Louisville

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. . . Or call to order: Call to Learn More (877) 908-4080

Product details

Price range $70 - $300 per month Speed range 12 - 150Mbps Connection Satellite Key Info No hard data cap, nationwide availability

Satellite internet shouldn't be your first choice for internet, but if you live outside the city and are in need of rural internet, Viasat may be one of your better options for high speed internet.

Availability: Viasat is a good option for customers who are in rural areas not covered by fiber and cable. Viasat covers nearly all of Louisville, making it the most reliable option for customers in search of satellite internet. Viasat covers areas including Hillsview, Glasgow, Elsemere and Crestwood.

Plans and pricing: You'll have the option of up to five different plans from Viasat. Pricing starts at $50 for the first three months then $70 thereafter for 24 months for Viasat's slowest speed and lowest data tier. The cost rises quickly for faster speeds, if available, and higher data limits -- up to $300 for the first three months then $400 after.

Fees and service details: Viasat service comes with a $15 monthly equipment fee. Customers will also have to agree to a two-year contract and stay within the limits or their monthly data cap or settle for throttled speeds.

Check Viasat availability

. . . Or call to order: Call to Learn More (877) 908-4080

All available Louisville residential internet providers

The providers listed above aren't the necessarily the only ones you'll come across in Louisville, just the ones we'd recommend most. Here's a quick look at all Louisville ISPs that may be worth your consideration.

What other internet options are there in Louisville?

Louisville has several other ISPs available. If you're shopping for a particular price or you just want to weigh all of your options, consider the following providers who didn't make our best list. 

• Earthlink: This provider has DSL, fiber and 5G internet plans available across Louisville. Plans start at $60 per month and speeds vary by available connection type.
• Kinetic by Windstream: Windstream high-speed internet is not widely available in Louisville, but if you can get it at your address you may enjoy download speeds up to 1Gbps. The company also has 200Mbps and 400Mbps plans. Prices start at $40 per month.

Pricing info on Louisville home internet service

Most providers in Louisville start their internet plans at about $50 per month. Some providers will offer a lower introductory rate, so be sure to check out the long-term pricing when you're shopping for plans. Fortunately, few require an equipment fee. 

Louisville cheap internet pricing

If you already have service with a certain phone company or television provider, you can often take advantage of cheaper internet rates in Louisville. For instance, Verizon 5G Home Internet offers the best bang for your buck at just $25 per month for up to 300Mpbs, but you need to have an eligible Verizon mobile plan to take advantage of the deal. Similarly, the best Spectrum and Viasat plans come by way of bundled services. 

For customers who only want internet coverage and need a lot of speed to work at home and stream video, AT&T Fiber is the best option. The speeds are far superior to other options with a price tag that is competitive to other providers. 

For basic internet service, satellite service offers rural customers an affordable option. You may also want to look into the Affordable Connectivity Program to apply for a subsidy that offsets your internet costs.

Fastest internet providers in Louisville

Thanks to AT&T's multigigabit plans, Louisville has access to some of the fastest residential internet speeds you'll find anywhere, up to 5,000Mbps. AT&T won't be your only option for high-speed internet in the area, however, as Spectrum and Verizon 5G offer speeds up to 940Mbps as well. 

What's the final word on internet providers in Louisville?

Louisville offers some of the fastest average internet speeds in the country, much of that due to one provider, AT&T Fiber, though Spectrum is more than capable of delivering fast speeds in the area as well. Other options, particularly 5G home internet from T-Mobile or Verizon, are a little less enticing when it comes to speed potential, but the low cost and high availability make the two worth a look.

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Louisville

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. So 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.

But it doesn’t end there. We go to the FCC’s website to check our data and ensure we’re considering every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. To evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP's service, we look at sources including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power. 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. 

To explore our process in more depth, visit our How We Test ISPs page.

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