For the residents of the Steel City Verizon Views It is CNET’s top pick for the best Internet service provider in Pittsburgh. It gets the top spot on our list because of its wide coverage and fast speeds. If you’re one of the very few Pittsburgh residents outside of Verizon Fios’ coverage area, Xfinity and T-Mobile home internet They’re solid alternatives, but you’ll notice price increases and slower speeds, unlike Verizon Fios.
When recommending the best internet service in Pittsburgh, CNET takes into account high-speed internet, pricing, customer service and overall value. We also instantly check local addresses for service availability. In addition, we carefully read the terms and conditions of the service providers and, when necessary, will contact the Internet service providers to verify the details.
However, our process has some limitations. Pricing and speed data vary: certain addresses may qualify for different service levels or special discounts, and monthly costs may vary, even within a city. The best way to determine your options is to visit your provider’s website and enter your address.
Note that rates, speeds 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 provider prices and speeds across the U.S., according to our database of plan information provided directly by ISPs. At the same time, the text is specific to what is available in Pittsburgh. Prices referenced in the text of this article are from our research and include applicable discounts for setting up automatic payments each month – a standard industry offering. Other discounts and promotions may also be available for things like committing to a contract or bundling with a mobile phone plan.
To learn more about how to review ISPs, visit our full website Methodology page.
Best Internet Service Providers in Pittsburgh
There are three main options when it comes to internet in Pittsburgh: Verizon Fios, Xfinity, or T-Mobile Home Internet. The only other ISPs available in the city are Verizon 5G Home Internet (not widely available) and satellite providers (not very good).
Compare Internet Service Providers in Pittsburgh
| provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data ceiling | a contract | CNET Review Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xfinity Read the full review |
cable | $35 – $95 | 300-2,000 Mbps | $15 (optional) | no one | My choice | 7 |
| T-Mobile home internet Read the full review |
Fixed wireless | $50 – $70 ($35 – $55 with qualifying mobile plans) | 72-245 Mbps | no one | no one | no one | 7.4 |
| Verizon Views Read the full review |
Fiber | $50 – $110 | 300-2,000 Mbps | no one | no one | no one | 7.6 |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read the full review |
Fixed wireless | $50 – $70 ($35 – $45 with eligible phone plan) | 85-1,000 Mbps | no one | no one | no one | 7.2 |
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Shopping providers at my address
Source: CNET analysis of provider data
Other Residential Internet Providers Available in Pittsburgh
There aren’t many other options for internet in Pittsburgh other than the three providers listed above. Here are all other ISPs operating in the city:
- Satellite Internet: No matter where you live in the country, satellite internet is always an option — but it’s not a good one. Hughes Net and Visat It has slow speeds, data caps, and high costs, but it’s available everywhere in Pittsburgh. Starlink It’ll get you faster speeds and lower latency, but it’s more expensive: you’ll have to pay $499 for the hardware, and plans start at $120 per month.
- Verizon 5G Home Internet: Like T-Mobile Home Internet, Verizon uses its extensive 5G network to offer wireless internet plans. It’s not very widely available in Pittsburgh, but it’s worth a look if you’re hitting a dead end elsewhere.
Pricing information on home internet service in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh has five internet plans starting at $50 or less, which is on par with surrounding areas cleveland, Columbus and Philadelphia. Xfinity’s $35 per month plan is one of the cheapest you’ll find anywhere in the country, but it’s only temporary — the price jumps to $90 after a year. T-Mobile and Verizon’s introductory plans aren’t very affordable at $50 per month, but the price is fixed with both for at least two years.
Cheap Internet Options in Pittsburgh
| provider | Starting price | Maximum download speed | Monthly equipment fees | a contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xfinity connect more Read the full review |
$35 ($90 after 1 year) | 300 Mbps | $15 (optional) | no one |
| Xfinity is fast Read the full review |
$45 ($105 after 1 year) | 500 Mbps | $15 (optional) | no one |
| T-Mobile home internet Read the full review |
$50 ($35 with qualifying mobile plans) | 245 Mbps | no one | no one |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read the full review |
$50 ($35 with qualifying phone plan) | 300 Mbps | no one | no one |
| Verizon Views Read the full review |
$50 | 300 Mbps | no one | no one |
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Shopping providers at my address
Source: CNET analysis of provider data
How fast is broadband in Pittsburgh?
There are five party speed plans available in Pittsburgh, which are comparable to other cities of the same size. According to speed test data from OoklaPittsburgh ranks 73rd among the 100 most populated cities in the United States in terms of average internet speed. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.) Residents get download speeds of 215 Mbps and upload speeds of 52 Mbps on average, compared to 253/39 Mbps for the country as a whole. Verizon Fios is the fastest provider in town, with an average download speed of 234 Mbps.
Fastest Internet Plans in Pittsburgh
| provider | Maximum download speed | Maximum download speed | Starting price | Data ceiling | a contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xfinity Gigabit X2 Read the full review |
2,000 Mbps | 300 Mbps | $95 ($120 after 1 year) | no one | My choice |
| Verizon Vios 2 gig Read the full review |
2,300 Mbps | 1,500 Mbps | $110 | no one | no one |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read the full review |
1,000 Mbps | 50 Mbps | $70 ($45 with qualifying Verizon 5G mobile plans) | no one | no one |
| Xfinity Gigabit Read the full review |
1,000 Mbps | 100 Mbps | $60 ($115 after 2 years) | no one | My choice |
| Verizon Vios 1 gig Read the full review |
940 Mbps | 880 Mbps | $90 | no one | no one |
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Shopping providers at my address
Source: CNET analysis of provider data
What’s the last word for Pittsburgh ISPs?
No matter where you live in Pittsburgh, you should have access to a few good ISPs. Verizon Fios is the best of the bunch. It gives you similar upload and download speeds, doesn’t charge extra for equipment, and you won’t have to worry about your price going up after one year. Xfinity offers fast download speeds, but upload speeds are very slow, and the price increases dramatically after one to three years on all plans. T-Mobile is an affordable backup option, but homes with more than a few people may need more bandwidth.
How CNET chose the best ISPs in Pittsburgh
ISPs are numerous and regional. Unlike with the newer Smartphone, Laptop, Router or Kitchen toolit is impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. What is our approach? We start by searching for pricing, availability, and speed information, relying on our own historical ISP data, provider locations, and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov.
It doesn’t end there. We go to the FCC website to check our data and make sure we consider every ISP that offers service in an area. We also enter local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. To assess how happy customers are with an ISP’s service, we look to sources including the US Customer Satisfaction Index and JD Power. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; All information provided is accurate as of the time of publication.
Once we have this local information, we ask three main questions:
- Does the provider provide access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
- Are customers getting adequate value for what they pay?
- Are customers satisfied with their service?
While the answers to these questions are often multi-layered and complex, the providers that come closest to “yes” on all three questions are the ones we recommend.
To explore our process in more depth, visit our website How we test ISPs page.
Frequently Asked Questions for Internet Service Providers in Pittsburgh
What is the best internet service provider in Pittsburgh?
Verizon Fios is the best internet provider in Pittsburgh. It gives you symmetrical speeds of up to 2000Mbps and unlimited data, and the equipment is included in the price. Xfinity is available almost everywhere in town, but slow download speeds and increased prices make it less attractive. T-Mobile Home Internet is another good backup, with download speeds of up to 245Mbps and no data caps.
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Who is the cheapest internet provider in Pittsburgh?
Xfinity is the cheapest ISP in Pittsburgh, with prices starting at $35 per month for 300/100 Mbps speeds. However, the price of this plan increases to $90 per month after one year. Both Verizon Fios and T-Mobile offer monthly rates starting at $50, but with additional discounts for qualifying mobile customers.
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