Best Internet Providers in North Carolina

The birthplace of flight after the Wright brothers' successful flight at Kitty Hawk isn't exactly soaring high with high-speed broadband. That said, quality fiber internet can certainly be found if you know where to look. CNET's list of the best internet service providers in North Carolina helps you pick out the fastest and most affordable options for your needs.

What's the best internet providers in North Carolina?

Whether gaming, watching movies and TV shows, or working, North Carolina is home to some of the fastest internet speeds in the country. While AT&T and Google’s fiber options are mainly limited to Charlotte and The Triangle, North Carolinians can access many internet connection types. Due to its wide availability in the state, fast speeds and simple pricing, we’re giving the nod to Spectrum as the best internet provider overall in North Carolina. Your options will vary depending on where you live, but fortunately, everyone in the state can get online, although it may be through satellite internet.

Best internet options in North Carolina

Source: CNET analysis of provider data

North Carolina broadband at a glance

Around 96% of North Carolinians have access to download speeds of 100Mbps and upload speeds of 20Mbps, according to state data. Additionally, North Carolina ranks seventh among the 50 states and Washington, DC, for the fastest median download speeds, per the speed-testing company Ookla. The median download speed in the Tar Heel State sits at about 231Mbps, thanks in part to the reliably fast Google Fiber, and in fact, Raleigh holds the top spot on its list of cities with the fastest internet, with median download speeds of about 290Mbps. North Carolina boasts a whopping five cities in the top 30 of Ookla’s ranking of 100 cities by fastest internet speeds, with Raleigh coming in at the top, Durham at seven, Charlotte at 21, Winston-Salem at No. 22 and Greensboro at No. 45. So yes, the Tar Heel State has some fast internet, mostly thanks to fiber internet from AT&T and Google. Just over 48% have access to a fiber internet connection, although mostly in Charlotte and The Triangle.

Internet breakdown by city in North Carolina

It’s hard to cover the broadband options of an entire state and give individual cities the attention they deserve. That’s why we also compile lists of the best internet providers in cities across the US, including those in North Carolina. We tackle details such as internet connection types, max speeds and cheapest providers. Check back later if you don’t find the city you’re looking for below. We’re working to add more locations every week. 

• Best internet providers in Cary
• Best internet providers in Charlotte
• Best internet providers in Concord
• Best internet providers in Durham
• Best internet providers in Fayetteville
• Best internet providers in Greensboro
• Best internet providers in Greenville
• Best internet providers in Hickory
• Best internet providers in Jacksonville
• Best internet providers in Raleigh
• Best internet providers in Wilmington
• Best internet providers in Winston-Salem

Internet pricing in North Carolina

The starting price of internet service in North Carolina will depend on where you live, but judging by the most widely available ISPs in the state, expect to pay around $50 to get online. If you’re an existing customer of certain T-Mobile plans and have access to its 5G internet offering, you can get that service for $40 per month.

How CNET chose the best internet providers in North Carolina

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 publication.

Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:

1. Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
2. Do customers get decent value for what they’re paying?
3. 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, 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.

Future of broadband in North Carolina

The federal government in late June awarded North Carolina $1.5 billion to expand high-speed internet access across the state. The Department of Information Technology Division of Broadband and Digital Equity “will use [Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment] funding to connect high-cost areas, remaining unserved and underserved locations, and community anchor institutions without fiber access,” reads the state’s five-year plan draft. The government also plans to boost digital literacy and make internet access more affordable.

Internet in North Carolina FAQs