Our picks 90001 Edit ZIP code Why we chose these providers Sort by Best prepaid home internet plan 100-200 Mbps $30 - $45 per month Check with NOW Internet Provider not available in 90001 Edit ZIP code Or call to learn more: (866) 671-3650 Best prepaid internet plan for Cox customers 100 Mbps $50 per month Check with CoxStraightUp Internet Provider not available in 90001 Edit ZIP code Or call to learn more: (844) 812-6251 Best 5G prepaid home internet for rural areas 87 - 415 Mbps $50 - $70 per month Check with T-Mobile Or call to learn more: (877) 519-7610 Fastest prepaid home internet provider 300 - 2,000 Mbps $50 - $120 per month Check with Verizon Fios Provider not available in 90001 Edit ZIP code Or call to learn more: (888) 461-3204
What is the best prepaid home internet plan?
When it comes to prepaid internet service, your options are pretty limited. NOW Internet is CNET's pick as the best-prepaid internet plan overall.
NOW Internet offers two prepaid plans with maximum download speeds of 100 or 200 Mbps per second. The service comes with no credit checks, no contract requirements, free equipment, unlimited data and straightforward, pay-as-you-go pricing. You'll find additional details about the service and other potential prepaid internet options below.
More prepaid internet options would certainly be ideal. Since the end of the Affordable Connectivity Program, many Americans have struggled to afford home internet. There are a few ACP alternatives for cheap internet, but prepaid service is not likely to be one of them. Here's how the prepaid services compare.
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Best prepaid internet plans
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Connection Cable Speed range 100-200 Mbps Price range $30 - $45 per month NOW Internet Best prepaid home internet plan Our take - NOW Internet powered by Xfinity offers two speed tiers: 100Mbps starting at $30 a month and 200Mbps for $45. No credit check, deposit or contract is required to sign up for service. Either plan is sufficient for web browsing and online shopping, light streaming and online gaming on a limited number of devices. Free Wi-Fi equipment rental -- a modem/router combo device -- and unlimited data are included at no extra cost. Or call to learn more: (866) 671-3650 Check with NOW Compare Connection Cable Speed range 100-200 Mbps Price range $30 - $45 per month There are a few things to keep in mind about this service. First, you get to decide how you pay. With NOW Internet, you will "refill" (read: prepay) your internet service by the week or month. The option to prepay for a week of internet is ideal for anyone (such as students or out-of-state visitors) who needs service for a short time or those living on limited incomes who would rather break up their monthly internet costs into weekly payments. And if paying for internet service every seven days sounds like a hassle, sign up for the autopay option (but remember to cancel it if and when you move). Key Info No data cap
no contract
free equipment rental Compare Check with NOW Show more details Show more details Compare
Connection Cable Speed range 100 Mbps Price range $50 per month Cox StraightUp Internet Best prepaid internet plan for Cox customers Our take - Cox's prepaid internet plan, StraightUp Internet, is about as straightforward as it gets when it comes to signing up and paying for home internet service. No credit checks, equipment fees or term agreements are required, and the monthly price of $50 is offered at a flat rate with no price increases after a year. Read full review Or call to learn more: (844) 812-6251 Check with CoxStraightUp Compare Connection Cable Speed range 100 Mbps Price range $50 per month Pros and Cons Pros Gigabit speeds available across entire service area
Reasonable data usage terms, no throttling Cons Plans are pricier than other cable internet providers
Steep price increases after first year
Cox gateway device doubles as a public hotspot by default
Unlimited data bundles are a bad value Max download speeds of 100Mbps aren't bad for $50 a month. The same amount will definitely get you faster speeds with standard plans from Xfinity or Spectrum (or even standard internet from Cox), but there's enough speed to support browsing the web on your computer or smartphone, streaming and online gaming. While an Ethernet connection will deliver the best speed and reliability, the Wi-Fi router included with Cox StraightUp Internet can create a wireless connection suitable for a few users and devices. Key Info 1.25TB monthly data allowance
no contracts
no equipment fee Compare Check with CoxStraightUp Show more details Show more details Compare
Connection Fixed wireless Speed range 87 - 415 Mbps Price range $50 - $70 per month T-Mobile Unlimited Mobile Internet Best 5G prepaid home internet for rural areas Our take - T-Mobile's Unlimited Mobile Internet offers five prepaid internet plans, all free of contracts and credit checks. Speeds range from 89 to 415Mbps in download and 6 to 31Mbps in upload. Don't let the word unlimited in the plan name confuse you: There are still data restrictions. However, these data caps aren't as restrictive as you might think. On that note, your monthly price can depend on how much data you sign up for. For example, plans start at $10 a month for 2GB of 5G and or 4G LTE data and can reach as high as $50 a month for 50GB of data. Whichever plan you choose, your equipment is included in your monthly price. In addition, you won't be charged data overage fees once you exceed your data cap. Read full review Or call to learn more: (877) 519-7610 Check with T-Mobile Compare Connection Fixed wireless Speed range 87 - 415 Mbps Price range $50 - $70 per month Pros and Cons Pros No contracts
No data caps
Simple, affordable pricing
Aggressively competitive with its terms and perks Cons Speeds may vary
Max download speeds don't match fiber and cable
Home internet customers deprioritized over mobile If you live in a rural area where cable connections from Xfinity and Cox are absent, a 5G home internet prepaid option from T-Mobile could be a decent alternative. Though your speeds may not be as consistent as a wired connection, a 5G fixed wireless option could be a lifeline for the many disconnected rural Americans. Key Info Unlimited data
equipment included
no contracts Compare Check with T-Mobile Show more details Show more details Compare
Connection Fiber Speed range 300 - 2,000 Mbps Price range $50 - $120 per month Verizon Fios Prepaid Fastest prepaid home internet provider Our take - Note: Verizon Fios prepaid internet is no longer available to new customers. Current customers can still manage their accounts. Read full review Or call to learn more: (888) 461-3204 Check with Verizon Compare Connection Fiber Speed range 300 - 2,000 Mbps Price range $50 - $120 per month Pros and Cons Pros All Verizon Fios plans are 100% fiber, with symmetrical download and upload speeds
No data caps or allowances on any plans
No term agreements necessary on any plans Cons Low fiber availability for a national company
While Fios and 5G are affordable, LTE and DSL options are pricey Verizon is the only major provider to have offered multiple prepaid options, including a gigabit plan. Pricing is roughly the same as standard Verizon Fios plans, but speeds on the two lower-tiered plans are a bit slower (100Mbps and 300Mbps compared with 300Mbps and 500Mbps). Still, $50 a month for up to 100Mbps or $70 for up to 300Mbps over a 100% fiber connection is a good deal for a prepaid service. Key Info Unlimited data
no contracts
free equipment with gig service Compare Check with Verizon Show more details Show more details Compare
Best prepaid home internet providers compared
Please note that the plans below show each provider's cheapest available tier. The max speed is the top advertised speed for that given plan, but it might not be available in your area. Overall, the best selection for you -- and the most cost-effective plan -- might be a different tier that provides a faster speed at a higher price but a better value. To fully understand more about this value-based approach, check out CNET's guide to examining the cost per Mbps.
Plan Starting monthly price Max download speed Cost per Mbps Equipment fee Cox StraightUp Internet
Read full review $50 100Mbps 50 cents None T-Mobile Unlimited Mobile Internet 2GB
Read full review $10 415Mbps 2 cents None Verizon Fios Prepaid 100
Read full review $50 100Mbps 50 cents $100 upfront NOW Internet 100 $30 100 30 cents None Show more (0 item) Shop providers at my address
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
Factors to consider when choosing a prepaid home internet plan
Prepaid home internet service is ideal for getting a quick and easy connection, but it isn't for everyone. Here are some things you'll want to keep in mind when shopping for prepaid internet service.
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Availability
Mostmajor ISPs don’t offer a separate prepaid internet plan. So, for example, if AT&T and Spectrum are the primary ISPs in your area, you won’t have the option of a prepaid home internet plan.
Costs
Consider the upfront and long-term cost of prepaid versus standard service to determine which is the better value. You could possibly get a cheaper plan from an ISP with no upfront costs.
Speeds
Will 100 to 200Mbps be enough speed for your needs? Unless you’re already a Verizon Fios prepaid customer, that’s the fastest you’ll get from a prepaid home internet service. For a few dollars more per month, it’s possible to get faster speeds than you’d get from a prepaid plan.
Payment options
With prepaid internet, your service ends abruptly when the prepaid period is over. Consider enrolling in auto-renew payments -- it’s available from both Cox and NOW -- to avoid any unexpected service disruptions.
How we chose the best prepaid internet plans
Selecting the best prepaid internet plans began the same way we at CNET evaluate all of the best internet providers: by seeing what's available. In the case of the best prepaid home internet, the choices are much more limited than, say, the best fiber internet providers or even the best rural ISPs.
Cox and NOW Internet are the only two national internet providers to offer separate prepaid internet plans. Verizon Fios no longer offers its prepaid service to new customers and CenturyLink has a prepay option, but it's just a different way to pay for standard service. AT&T, Kinetic, Mediacom, Spectrum and others do not offer a standalone prepaid plan.
After narrowing down the options, we considered speeds, pricing and service terms such as fees, data caps and contracts, along with customer satisfaction reports to determine the overall value of each prepaid internet plan.
That's a similar approach to how we review and evaluate all major internet providers across the US, even though the category of prepaid internet is much more limited. See our guide to how CNET reviews internet providers to learn more.
The bottom line on prepaid internet
Prepaid internet is separate from low-income internet plans in that there are no qualifications such as credit checks or deposits to sign up. The lack of high speeds and overall value are often a drawback to prepaid internet, but you may consider slower speeds a fair trade for simple, cheap internet service. NOW Internet service is our pick for the best prepaid internet, but Cox's StraightUp Internet may suit your needs as well if NOW Internet is unavailable.
Prepaid internet FAQs