Best Internet Providers in Flint, Michigan - CNET

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.

Best internet in Flint, Michigan

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.  Sandra Lund/Getty Images

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