Best Internet Providers in Stockton, California
Our Experts
What is the best internet provider in Stockton, California?
AT&T Fiber is Stockton's best internet service provider, offering fast, symmetrical speeds at reasonable prices. It has the highest customer satisfaction scores of any national ISP, and unlike many other providers, your price won't automatically increase after a promotional period ends.
While Xfinity has the cheapest internet plans in Stockton, your bill will increase significantly after one or two years. Xfinity doesn’t require contracts on its plans, so you can always switch before the increase kicks in (or try to negotiate with customer service), but that’s an extra step we’re not crazy about.
T-Mobile and Verizon offer wireless internet in Stockton, and while there are no automatic price increases, its plans don’t reach the same top speeds as Xfinity, and they’re more vulnerable to network congestion. Still, they’re great for smaller households, and you can save by bundling with a T-Mobile or Verizon cellphone plan.
Our methodology
CNET considers speeds, pricing, customer service and overall value to recommend the best internet service in Stockton 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 Stockton. 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 Stockton, California
AT&T Fiber
Best internet provider in Stockton, CA
Our take - It’s hard to beat AT&T Fiber. It has the fastest speeds in Stockton by far, and it’s the only provider that offers symmetrical upload and download speeds -- ideal for homes that do a lot of online gaming or videoconferencing. And unlike many ISPs, its prices don’t increase drastically after a year or two. The one downside is availability: FCC data shows that only 23% of Stockton residents can currently access AT&T Fiber.
Xfinity
Cheapest internet in Stockton, CA
Our take - With plans starting at $20 a month, Xfinity is a full $30 cheaper per month than any other internet option in Stockton. The cable provider also increased its speeds recently, so you’ll get 150Mbps download speeds for that price -- an excellent deal. But that price increases to $35 in the second year and $57 in the third. Not all of Xfinity’s plans have such severe price increases, but it’s worth digging into the fine print before committing. (Xfinity doesn’t require contracts, so you can cancel before the rate increases kick in.)
T-Mobile Home Internet
Best fixed wireless internet in Stockton, CA
Our take - If you can’t get AT&T Fiber and don’t want to worry about Xfinity’s price increases, wireless internet is a solid alternative -- particularly if you don’t need a ton of bandwidth. Both T-Mobile and Verizon offer wireless internet in Stockton, but T-Mobile is available to more of the city. If you’re a cellphone customer with either provider, you can get great savings by bundling with a home internet plan.
Stockton 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 |
|
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 with most plans) | 1.2TB (Unlimited with most plans) | Optional | 7 |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What’s the cheapest internet plan in Stockton?
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Xfinity Connect Read full review | $20 | 150Mbps | $15 (optional) |
|
Xfinity Connect More Read full review | $25 | 300Mbps | None |
|
Xfinity Fast Read full review | $50 | 500Mbps | None |
|
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review | $50 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | 100Mbps | None |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find internet deals and promotions in Stockton
The best internet deals and top promotions in Stockton depend on what discounts are available during a given time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
Stockton internet providers, such as Xfinity and Verizon 5G Home Internet, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Others, however, including AT&T 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 Stockton
| 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 |
|
Xfinity Gigabit Extra Read full review | $70 | 1,200Mbps | 35Mbps | None | Cable |
|
AT&T Internet 1000 Read full review | $80 | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
|
Xfinity Gigabit Read full review | $65 | 1,000Mbps | 20Mbps | 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 person sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming.
- 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two people to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming.
- 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more people to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.
How CNET chose the best internet providers in Stockton
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 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, visit our how we test ISPs page.
Internet providers in Stockton FAQs
What is the best internet service provider in Stockton?
AT&T Fiber is Stockton's best internet service provider, offering the fastest speeds, unlimited data and straightforward pricing. AT&T is also the only fiber provider in the city, which means it's the only one that offers symmetrical upload and download speeds.
Is fiber internet available in Stockton?
Yes, fiber internet is available to 23% of Stockton households, according to FCC data. AT&T Fiber is the only fiber provider in the city.
What is the cheapest internet provider in Stockton?
Xfinity is Stockton's cheapest internet provider, offering plans starting at just $20 a month.
Which internet provider in Stockton offers the fastest plan?
AT&T Fiber offers the fastest internet plan in Stockton, with upload and download speeds up to 5,000Mbps.
Home Internet Guides
- Sometimes a provider is available in your Zip code, but not at your exact address
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