Best Internet Providers in Flint, Michigan
Our Experts
What is the best internet provider in Flint?
Xfinity is the best internet service provider overall for most households in Flint because of wide coverage, a variety of plans and low-cost introductory prices. However, T-Mobile Home Internet or Verizon 5G Home Internet are also solid picks, depending on what’s available in your area.
If you’re hunting for the lowest prices or fastest speeds, we’ve also found those top options. The cheapest internet in Flint is Xfinity’s $20-a-month 150Mbps plan, with that pricing good for the first year of service. The fastest internet speed in Flint also comes from Xfinity and its 1,200Mbps plan, available across the cable ISP’s broad service area.
Our methodology
CNET considers speeds, pricing, customer service and overall value to recommend the best internet service in Flint 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 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. At the same time, the text is specific to what's available in Flint. 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. Discounts and promotions might also be available for signing a term contract or bundling multiple services.
To learn more about how we review internet providers, visit our full methodology page.
Best internet in Flint, Michigan
Xfinity
Best internet provider in Flint, MI
Our take - Xfinity ticks off a lot of boxes. It’s the most widely available wired ISP in Flint. It has the fastest residential speed available at 1,200Mbps and has some cheap introductory pricing deals. Flint lacks fiber internet service so that vaults Xfinity into the top spot.
AT&T Internet
Best DSL internet in Flint, MI
Our take - Xfinity doesn’t have much in the way of wired internet competition in Flint, except for AT&T Internet’s legacy DSL network. DSL can be slow, but getting speeds up to 100Mbps is possible, depending on your location.
T-Mobile Home Internet
Best fixed wireless in Flint, MI
Our take - T-Mobile Home Internet has a slight edge over Verizon 5G Home Internet in our ratings. Consider it an alternative if you don’t want to use Xfinity or want to jump ship from Xfinity after your promotional price for cable internet expires.
Verizon 5G Home Internet
Best fixed wireless alternative in Flint, MI
Our take - Verizon and T-Mobile offer comparable 5G home internet services, but you may find faster speeds from one or the other at your home. Verizon mobile customers can bundle with an eligible phone plan for home internet savings.
Flint internet providers compared
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
AT&T Internet Read full review | DSL | $55 | 10-100Mbps | None | 1.5TB (Unlimited for 100Mbps plan) | None | 7.4 |
|
AT&T Internet Air Read full review | Fixed wireless | $55 | 75-225Mbps | None | None | None | N/A |
|
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review | Fixed wireless | $60 ($40 with eligible 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) | 50-300Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
|
Xfinity Read full review | Cable | $20-$85 | 150-1,200Mbps | Varies | 1.2TB | Varies | 7 |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
Other available internet providers in Flint
- AT&T Internet Air: AT&T is now competing with T-Mobile and Verizon to offer a 5G home internet service. When you run your address, AT&T may offer this as an option instead of DSL. The company says to expect typical download speeds of 75 to 225Mbps. There are no contracts, data caps or equipment fees. You may qualify for a pricing discount by bundling with an eligible AT&T mobile plan.
- Satellite internet: Xfinity blankets Flint, but if you’re outside of town or living in a more rural area, you may need to look into satellite internet from Starlink, Hughesnet or Viasat. Check into wired or fixed wireless options before putting the financial commitment into a satellite connection.
Cheap internet options in Flint
Xfinity’s dirt-cheap $20-a-month plan gets you 150Mbps downloads, but with a couple caveats. You’ll need to provide your own equipment or lease from Xfinity for $15 a month. The price is only good for a year. After that, expect it to pop up. Also consider the 300Mbps plan that includes equipment for $35 per month. The price will also rise after the introductory rate expires after a year. If you’re determined to skip Xfinity, then consider bundling a T-Mobile or Verizon 5G home internet plan with an eligible mobile plan to save on your residential broadband price.
What’s the cheapest internet plan in Flint?
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Xfinity Read full review | $20 | 150Mbps | $15 (optional) |
|
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review | $50 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | 100Mbps | None |
|
AT&T Internet Read full review | $55 | 100Mbps | None |
|
AT&T Internet Air Read full review | $55 | 225Mbps | None |
|
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review | $60 ($40 with eligible mobile plans) | 245Mbps | None |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find internet deals and promotions in Flint
The best internet deals and top promotions in Flint depend on what discounts are available during that time period. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
Flint internet providers like Xifnity may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Others, however, including AT&T Internet Air, T-Mobile Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home Internet, tend to run the same standard pricing year-round.
For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the best internet deals.
How fast is Flint broadband?
Despite a lack of fiber internet, Flint fared well in a recent Ookla speed test report. The city pulled down a median fixed internet download speed of nearly 250Mbps. That’s slightly better than the Michigan state average of 244Mbps. Xfinity has the fastest home internet plan in town with its 1,200Mbps Gigabit Extra option. Xfinity offers a 2,000Mbps plan in some parts of the country but hasn’t yet rolled it out in Flint. The next-fastest option outside of Xfinity is Verizon’s 5G Home Plus plan, which can reach speeds as high as 300Mbps, though actual speeds will vary.
Fastest internet plans in Flint
| Provider | Starting price | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Data cap | Connection |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Xfinity Gigabit Extra Read full review | $85 | 1,200Mbps | 35Mbps | 1.2TB | Cable |
|
Xfinity Gigabit Read full review | $80 | 1,000Mbps | 20Mbps | 1.2TB | 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 Flint
Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it's impractical to personally test every internet service provider in a given city. So what's our approach? For starters, we tap into a proprietary database of pricing, availability and speed information that draws from our own historical ISP data, partner data 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.
What’s the final word on internet providers in Flint?
A lack of competition and a lack of residential fiber-to-the-home infrastructure means cable ISP Xfinity rules the roost in Flint. It reaches everywhere and offers the fastest download speeds. Introductory pricing is good but be prepared for an unwelcome price hike after the first year or two of service. After that, you can try to negotiate for a better deal or investigate T-Mobile, Verizon or AT&T for a 5G home internet plan.
Internet providers in Flint FAQs
What is the cheapest internet provider in Flint?
Cable ISP Xfinity offers a tempting deal of $20 a month for 150Mbps, with pricing good for a year. The catch is you’ll need to provide your own equipment or lease from Xfinity for an additional $15 monthly.
Which internet provider in Flint offers the fastest plan?
Xfinity’s 1,200Mbps Gigabit Extra plan is the fastest home internet in Flint. It costs $85 monthly for the first two years with equipment included.
Is fiber internet available in Flint?
Flint is behind the times on fiber internet. You won’t find fiber, but you can get set up with cable provider Xfinity if you need gigabit-level download speeds.
What internet provider has the best coverage in Flint?
Xfinity rules the internet scene in Flint and covers over 99% of homes in the city.
Home Internet Guides
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