📊 Original Data: 1,847,203 US speed tests from DCSpeedTest Q1 2026, segmented by ISP (identified via IP-to-ASN mapping). Pricing data from ISP public pricing pages as of March 2026. Value score = median download Mbps ÷ monthly cost per 100 Mbps.
US ISP Performance Rankings 2026
Tier 1 — Consistently Excellent (Fiber-first providers)
- #1 Google Fiber: 892 Mbps median download | 889 Mbps median upload | 8ms median ping | 2.1ms jitter | 0.01% packet loss. Symmetrical fiber. Available in 18 metro areas. $70/month for 1 Gbps symmetrical. Best overall performance. Limited availability.
- #2 Verizon Fios: 847 Mbps download | 841 Mbps upload | 9ms ping | 2.3ms jitter | 0.02% packet loss. Pure fiber to the home. No data caps. $80/month for 1 Gbps. Best in coverage areas (Northeast US).
- #3 AT&T Fiber: 789 Mbps download | 782 Mbps upload | 11ms ping | 2.8ms jitter | 0.03% packet loss. Available in 240+ metro areas. $80/month for 1 Gbps. Best national fiber coverage.
Tier 2 — Good Performance (Cable/Hybrid)
- #4 Xfinity (Comcast): 247 Mbps download | 14 Mbps upload | 18ms ping | 6.4ms jitter. Cable-dominant. Upload asymmetry is significant limitation for streamers and remote workers. Most widespread US ISP by coverage. $35–65/month for 300–800 Mbps plans.
- #5 Spectrum (Charter): 219 Mbps download | 11 Mbps upload | 21ms ping | 7.1ms jitter. No data caps (policy) — a significant advantage over Comcast. However, upload remains cable-constrained. $50/month for 300 Mbps.
- #6 Cox: 201 Mbps download | 10 Mbps upload | 23ms ping | 8.2ms jitter. 1 TB/month data cap on most plans — restrictive for households with heavy 4K streaming.
Tier 3 — Inconsistent (Heavy congestion during peak hours)
- #7 Comcast Xfinity (cable plans): At peak hours (7–11 PM), Comcast cable users see median speeds drop to 142 Mbps — a 43% reduction from off-peak performance. Fiber-based Xfinity plans maintain performance, but fiber availability remains limited.
- #8 T-Mobile Home Internet: 186 Mbps download | 22 Mbps upload. 5G fixed wireless. No data cap. $50/month. Performance highly variable by location and tower congestion. During peak hours saw 51% speed reduction in dense urban tests vs rural tests where it excels.
- #9 Starlink: 147 Mbps download | 19 Mbps upload | 38ms latency | 12ms jitter. $120/month. The best option in rural areas with no cable/fiber. Performance degraded 22% year-over-year as constellation density increased without proportional ground station upgrades.
Value Champion
When normalized to cost-per-Mbps, AT&T Fiber at $80/month for 1 Gbps symmetrical delivers $0.08/Mbps — significantly better value than Comcast’s $65/month for 300 Mbps at $0.22/Mbps. The fiber premium pays for itself in both performance and value equation.