Best Internet Providers in Santa Ana, California
Our Experts
What is the best internet provider in Santa Ana, California?
AT&T Fiber is the best internet provider in Santa Ana. It has the fastest speeds in the city by a mile and some of the most straightforward and reasonable pricing you’ll find in an internet service provider. It’s the only fiber provider in the area too, which means you’ll get the same upload and download speeds -- ideal for working from home or online gaming.
If you’re looking for the lowest prices, Spectrum has the cheapest internet plans in Santa Ana at $50 per month. That isn’t knock-your-socks-off cheap -- and only $5 less per month than AT&T Fiber -- but Spectrum is available almost everywhere in the city, and it’s a solid option to have as your default. The main downside is that Spectrum increases prices significantly after a year or two.
If you don’t want to worry about these built-in price hikes, Verizon 5G Home Internet is the best wireless internet provider in Santa Ana. There’s no guarantee that it won’t raise your rates, but unlike Spectrum, they don’t come on schedule and aren’t likely to be as egregious.
Our methodology
CNET considers speeds, pricing, customer service and overall value to recommend the best internet service in Santa Ana 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 Santa Ana. 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 Santa Ana, California
AT&T Fiber
Best internet provider in Santa Ana, CA
Our take - FCC data shows that around three in 10 homes in Santa Ana have access to AT&T Fiber, and if you’re one of the lucky few, you can stop your search now. Fiber is the gold standard for internet connections, and AT&T has some of the most affordable fiber plans you’ll find anywhere (and the price of equipment is included). That’s why AT&T has the highest customer satisfaction scores from J.D. Power and the American Customer Satisfaction Index. That noted, many Santa Ana homes can only get AT&T’s slower DSL plans, which we would recommend only as a last resort.
Spectrum
Cheapest internet in Santa Ana, CA
Our take - Spectrum has the cheapest internet plan in Santa Ana, but at $50 per month, it’s not exactly bargain basement prices -- and it increases to $85 per month in the second year. But Spectrum’s cable internet is available almost everywhere in Santa Ana, and it’s the only option for many homes. That said, Spectrum received below-average customer satisfaction scores from both J.D. Power and the ACSI.
Verizon 5G Home Internet
Best fixed wireless internet in Santa Ana, CA
Our take - If you can’t get AT&T Fiber and don’t want to deal with Spectrum’s price hikes, Verizon’s wireless internet is an excellent alternative. (The same goes for T-Mobile Home Internet -- it’s just slightly more expensive.) Wireless internet is a little less reliable than cable or fiber, but smaller households can get by fine with Verizon’s speeds.
Santa Ana internet providers compared
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
AT&T Fiber Read full review | Fiber | $55-$225 | 300-5,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
|
AT&T Internet Read full review | DSL | $55 | Up to 140Mbps | None | 1.5TB on some plans | None | 7.4 |
|
Spectrum Read full review | Cable | $50-$80 | 300-1,000Mbps | $5 (optional) | None | None | 7.2 |
|
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 |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What’s the cheapest internet plan in Santa Ana?
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Spectrum Internet Read full review | $50 | 300Mbps | $5 (optional) |
|
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review | $50 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | 100Mbps | None |
|
AT&T Internet 300 Read full review | $55 | 300Mbps | None |
|
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review | $60 ($40 with eligible mobile plans) | 245Mbps | None |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find internet deals and promotions in Santa Ana, California
The best internet deals and top promotions in Santa Ana depend on what discounts are available during a given time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
Santa Ana internet providers, such as Verizon 5G Home Internet and AT&T Fiber, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Others, however, including Spectrum, 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 Santa Ana, California
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Data cap | Connection type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
AT&T Internet 5000 Read full review | $225 | 5,000Mbps | 5,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
|
AT&T Internet 2000 Read full review | $125 | 2,000Mbps | 2,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
|
AT&T Internet 1000 Read full review | $80 | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
|
Spectrum Internet Gig Read full review | $70 | 1,000Mbps | 35Mbps | None | Cable |
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, 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 Santa Ana
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 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 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 answers to those questions are often layered and complex, the providers that 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, visit our how we test ISPs page.
Internet providers in Santa Ana FAQs
What is the best internet service provider in Santa Ana?
AT&T Fiber is the best internet provider in Santa Ana. It has the fastest speeds by far and is the only fiber internet provider in the city. Unlike Spectrum, AT&T Fiber doesn’t automatically raise its prices after a year or two.
Is fiber internet available in Santa Ana?
Yes, fiber internet is available to 29% of Santa Ana households, according to FCC data. AT&T Fiber is the only internet provider that offers fiber internet in the area.
What is the cheapest internet provider in Santa Ana?
Spectrum is the cheapest internet provider in Santa Ana, with plans starting at $50 per month. That said, the price increases to $85 monthly after one year.
Which internet provider in Santa Ana offers the fastest plan?
AT&T Fiber offers the fastest plan in Santa Ana, with upload and download speeds up to 5,000Mbps.
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