The Best Business Internet Service Providers of 2024

Business internet is a type of internet service provided by an internet service provider (ISP) that’s specifically designed for use in business and commercial settings, as opposed to residential ones. At its most basic, the concept is the same — the internet is how you log onto the World Wide Web, power smart devices and conduct any number of internet-driven tasks. But compared to residential internet, business internet is usually faster and more reliable. Also, business internet plans are likely to offer features the average personal user doesn’t need, such as backup routers and priority connections.

Almost every business needs internet service. Without it, companies would be unable to operate essential business software, such as cloud-based POS systems and business phone systems. Across industries, most businesses require internet service to conduct everyday operations in both their customer-facing “front office” and the “back office” where administrative tasks are completed. For example, a car dealership needs internet to run a credit check on a would-be lessee, a coffee shop’s self-order kiosks need internet to operate, and healthcare organizations need internet to use modern medical software. Any of these companies may also want to offer their customers Wi-Fi access.

It’s rare today to have a business that doesn’t require internet service of some kind. Even a street vendor who only operates at festivals and fairs would need to connect their mobile POS system to the internet to process sales. While this wouldn’t require a traditional business internet setup, they’d still need their smartphone to connect to reliable internet.

How much a business internet plan costs depends on several factors, including the type of internet (such as cable or fiber), your business’s location, your desired speeds and uses, and the package you choose. Among the top providers we investigated, starting prices ranged from $30 to $69 per month, while the fastest plans cost anywhere from $160 per month to more than $300.

It can be challenging to compare costs across vendors because they typically structure their pricing differently from one another. Plus, because there are so many speed and service options offered within a single ISP, it’s a good idea to talk with a service provider representative about the available packages so you have a thorough understanding of the best plan for your needs, the exact speeds and features you will receive, and the costs of add-ons. Hidden costs can be detrimental, especially to a smaller business, and no business should be cost-burdened by the need to operate their business online. Upstanding internet service providers will be candid and explicit about their prices.

Although month-to-month plans may appear less intimidating, the monthly costs are often higher than the costs associated with a two-year contract. You may also be able to lock in your rate and not have to worry about price hikes with a longer contract. Additionally, your vendor representative can help you assess the benefit of bundling services such as phone and internet, which often helps lower the overall costs.

Before you sign any contracts, it’s essential to note cancellation fees, whether the company offers a price lock to guarantee your rate for the duration of your agreement, installation fees, and the costs to upgrade or add features to your plan. See if the provider throws in free features because it values its customers or if they demand a fee for every change or addition to your plan.

Among the many reasons businesses need reliable business internet is to communicate with customers. Source: Verizon

These are some of the many benefits of getting a business internet plan from one of the top internet service providers.

• Enables reliable communication and software use: Business operations require internet-powered communication tools and business software to function properly. Business internet plans provide the mechanisms and speeds necessary to efficiently conduct everyday business.
• Improves mobility: Access to wireless internet is increasingly key to business success, as many teams today need to communicate through mobile phones and tablets. The best ISPs can support your wireless communication needs.
• Increases remote access: Wherever a business is located, it needs high-speed broadband internet to function appropriately and efficiently. For that, they need to partner with a reliable ISP.
• Offers professional support: The best internet service providers help your team troubleshoot quickly to allow your business to run smoothly and with minimal internet interruption. In fact, ISPs usually prioritize restorations and speeds for business clients.
• Enhances brand reputation: A powerful and reliable internet connection enables seamless customer communication that demonstrates the integrity of your business. Customers also tend to look more favorably upon establishments that offer them free Wi-Fi access.

One of the first things to do when choosing a business internet provider is to consider all the ways in which your business relies on internet service or will. With this information, you can determine what kind of bandwidth you need, and then you can assess your needs for any extra services or add-ons. From there, you’ll want to use guides like this one to research which ISPs offer packages that meet your needs and then confirm the service is available in your area.

Of course, there are several other factors you should weigh before choosing a business internet plan. Business.com spoke with business owners and leaders to learn what they prioritized when signing up with a business internet provider.

Infrastructure

Victor Santoro, CEO of Profit Leap, wanted a high-speed, stable connection, leading him to choose fiber internet.

“With fiber connectivity, our team spends less time troubleshooting connectivity and more time innovating,” he told us. “For fellow CEOs, the right technology infrastructure empowers your business to reach its full potential. Do your homework, understand your needs and find tools to build on.”

At Lush Life Brands, CEO Natasha Life required “flexibility and mobility,” so she chose a wireless solution.

“Since we host two major events and several smaller ones throughout the year, having a reliable internet service that we can take with us is crucial,” she said. “With over 1,000 attendees at these events, everyone is trying to connect to Wi-Fi, so having a dedicated service specifically for our vendors is essential. This allows them to stream content, process payments and manage other important tasks seamlessly.”

Speed & Reliability

For The Rohg Agency founder Josh Cremer, “dependability and speed” were his biggest concerns. “We couldn’t afford downtime or lagging service with daily client work,” he said. Cremer ultimately chose a package with “reliable, fast internet allowing seamless collaboration across our global team.”

Robert Hill of Bullmight named “reliability and speed” as his “top priorities,” explaining, “Our digital marketing campaigns require fast upload and download speeds, especially when collaborating with clients via video conference.”

Costs & Contracts

When debating your costs and contract lengths, Santoro recommended considering future internet technology needs and your long-term budget. “Advanced systems cost more upfront but prevent replacement costs down the road,” he said, further noting, “If starting over, I would have negotiated a longer contract term to lock in rates.”

Hill also regretted not locking in rates with a longer contract. The lesson? “Don’t assume a short-term deal is more flexible; for most businesses, internet service is a necessity, not a luxury. Lock in the best rates for as long as possible.”

Scalability & Customization

Just because your business requires a certain internet speed now doesn’t mean that speed will always be the right one for your business. Many ISPs offer a large number of plans of varying speeds, allowing businesses to downgrade or upgrade their speeds as necessary, depending on their contract.

With this in mind, Cremer said, “Don’t just consider current needs. Think long-term and choose a provider able to scale with your business … I wish I’d anticipated how much internet needs can change. I’d suggest choosing a provider offering scalable, customizable options as your business grows.”

“For startups and SMBs, I recommend choosing a provider known for reliability and scalability over initial cost savings,” said Altraco co-owner Albert Brenner. “Transitioning providers is time-consuming and risky, so choose a partner ready to support your growth for the long haul.”

Brenner further shared, “My advice is to evaluate providers based on your specific business needs and future goals to find a customized solution rather than settling for a generic one-size-fits-all plan.”

Williams similarly advised, “Look for a company that listens and hears you; that understands your needs and provides you with options that best serve your needs versus trying to close the deal.”

The features to look for in a business internet provider may vary depending on your specific needs, but generally, you should pay attention to the following.

Fast Speeds

First and foremost, it’s important to assess the internet speed options different ISPs provide, which range from low to extremely fast. One specific aspect to pay close attention to is the download and upload speeds. If you see only one speed listed, usually in Mbps or Gbps, it’s likely the download speed. AT&T is one of the few providers to offer symmetrical upload and download speeds with all dedicated and fiber-optic internet plans, while Verizon offers the same with nearly all of its dedicated and fiber plans.

If your business is expanding, expecting to move locations or changing its customer interaction levels, the option to upgrade or purchase a higher-speed plan can be a key to success.

Varied Plan Options

While some internet service providers offer just a few service plans, others feature a large variety of plans with numerous unique features and categories. Depending on your business’s needs, a few plan options with set pricing and features may suffice. However, companies with more complex needs may benefit from an internet service provider with packages that support things like large-scale data backup, wireless backup internet options and even television services (for businesses such as restaurants and doctor’s offices).

Location-Based & Industry-Specific Coverage

If your business operates in a nontraditional industry setting, like a remote location or strictly mobile, the type of internet service and provider you choose can change the way your business operates online. Rural businesses may opt for a satellite-based provider or a provider with strong backup capabilities in the case of an internet outage. Businesses that rely heavily on mobile communications may opt for a vendor that specializes in wireless communication and uses 5G for high-speed internet connections.

Add-On Services

Add-ons — such as wireless backup, security tools and guest Wi-Fi — can be extremely beneficial to a growing business with evolving needs, but their inclusion in your package and your advertised costs can be misleading. When you’re shopping for an internet service provider, it’s critical to assess the features included with a plan and the add-on services that require an additional fee. If the price of a plan is low but your business needs an array of additional features, the total cost to attain those features may not be affordable. [Read related article: The Cost of Cybersecurity and How to Budget for It]

Robust Customer Support

Like Optimum, Comcast operates a network of stores across America under the Xfinity brand. Source: Comcast

Your internet service provider should promise — and deliver — quality customer service. Troubleshooting is an inevitable part of online operations; the internet is never a sure thing, and technical difficulties are common. Providers with 24/7 business-class support can help your company get the assistance it needs in a timely manner so you can continue operating smoothly. Before you choose a provider, it’s vital to look into each vendor’s customer support resources and ensure you will have the help you need to set up your service and handle any technical problems that arise. Most of the providers we’ve reviewed offer 24/7 customer support and uptimes above 99 percent.

Connect devices close to a Wi-Fi router with an ethernet cable for a more stable connection. Source: AT&T

How you install internet at your business will depend on the type of internet service you purchase. However, almost all instances involve setting up an installation appointment in which the vendor will send a technician to your place of business to implement the service you chose. In certain cases, you may be able to self-install. Regardless, the length of time required will vary, though most installations take a few hours. For satellite internet, particularly in rural areas, your implementation can take several days.

For wireless service, the installation process involves setting up your modem, wireless router and Ethernet cable. Depending on the size of your premises, you may also need to set up a Wi-Fi repeater or extender to ensure strong service reaches all the relevant areas of your property. Your professional technician can help determine the right radio band and wireless protocols to ensure the best service for your location and use cases. [Find out more about setting up business Wi-Fi.]

For cable or fiber internet, the technician will take care of the required outside wiring, which usually involves in-ground cables and a telephone pole, along with a modem, a router and other equipment. Essentially, the wires send signals to the modem, which connects to the router to power your internet service.

For satellite internet, the technician will set up a satellite dish in an unobstructed outdoor position (commonly on a roof). Your ISP sends signals to a satellite orbiting the Earth, which in turn sends data to your dish. The dish then sends the signal to your modem, which ultimately provides the internet connection.

For 5G internet, the service depends on 5G towers and cellular networks. High-frequency waves are sent from the tower to your 5G modem or router, which then provides the internet connection either via an Ethernet cable or wirelessly. An Ethernet cord will provide more stability.

In all instances, once the physical work is complete, your service technician can walk you through establishing your networks, connecting your computers and other devices, and setting up cybersecurity measures.

To determine the best internet service providers on the market, our team of technology experts and software analysts evaluated an initial list of 24 vendors. We narrowed the list to 11 after considering the types of internet services and speeds offered by each provider and whether they were the ideal connections and bandwidths for business environments across the country.

In choosing six ISPs as our top recommendations, we studied each service’s download and upload speeds, hardware options, regional availability and installation process. We questioned providers about their plans and bundled services, and we experimented with setup, troubleshooting and customer support resources. We also read through user reviews, looking for testimonials that highlighted each vendor’s strengths and weaknesses to see how real-life customer experiences aligned with our own.

In the end, our experts and analysts studied each service’s functionality and evaluated the vendor’s internet products on more than 20 factors. These factors were weighted differently in our overall conclusion. The weights were determined based on how much business owners prioritize these criteria when shopping for business software and services and making purchasing decisions.

• Pricing (30%): Our experts and analysts compared and contrasted each vendor’s plans, judging which packages offered the best bang for your buck. We took into account monthly versus annual contracts, installation fees, service bundle options, price locks, cancellation fees, and how costs varied across internet type and speed.
• Features (25%): We looked for standard internet service functions like fast download and upload speeds, wireless backups and cybersecurity protection. We also assessed the available integrations and awarded extra points for advanced services, like fiber connections and symmetrical download/upload speeds.
• Ease of Use (25%): We tested the internet hardware and online tools ourselves, gauging each service’s learning curve, user-friendliness and customization options. We also considered whether there were easy-to-use guest Wi-Fi capabilities, mobile access and seamless connectivity for computers, tablets, phones and televisions.
• Customer Service (15%): We evaluated the range of each vendor’s customer service options, including whether phone assistance was provided with all package tiers. We also examined each ISP’s online resources for businesses interested in self-guided help.

Based on these criteria, we not only determined which internet service providers our readers could trust but also the ways in which each vendor could best serve different business needs. Some services were better at certain tasks than others or more suited to a particular type of company. These takeaways informed the “Best for” use cases you see on this page.

To learn more about our methodology, see our full editorial process.

While different internet service providers are tailored to specific types of businesses, they are still highly competitive. The best providers continuously work to improve their services by increasing the speed and strength of their internet connections and the breadth of their plans’ features. Choosing an internet provider with a commitment to improving its services can be pivotal, especially when many providers require their customers to enter a two-year contract.

Before choosing a provider, you may want to inquire about upcoming improvements. Some companies may not currently offer service in all the areas you need, but they might be expanding their reach to provide higher-quality, broader service in the near future. Many providers have committed to spending billions to expand their fiber networks across the country. Viasat is already available almost everywhere in the United States, and the company plans to be a global provider within the next two years after it adds more satellites. Other companies are continuously working to strengthen their dedicated, wireless and fiber-optic connections. The potential for improved access to high-speed internet service in the next few years may influence the success of businesses across all industries.

Integrations, partnerships and acquisitions are also important to consider. Spectrum’s recent partnership with RingCentral has significantly improved its mobile communication capabilities and allows businesses to more effectively operate with mobility. Online communication is complex, and providers that demonstrate their ability to integrate helpful technologies into their services should be recognized by business customers.