If you’re a gamer, you likely know that live gaming requires a better internet connection and faster speeds than most other online tasks.Without a proper connection, you end up enduring internet lag and buffering, which makes gaming impossible. Due to the high demand of gaming, you need an internet provider and an internet plan that offers some of the best download speeds, upload speeds, reliability, data allowance and latency available.With these five criteria in mind, we have broken down the top 5 internet providers for gaming that are most widely available throughout the country. What should you look for in a good gaming connection? High speeds – Determine what speeds you need for your gaming experience, but make sure to factor in both download and upload speeds since both are essential for preventing buffering and lagging.
Low latency – The best latency is the lowest latency. If your latency time is too slow, you will experience lag when gaming, so look into what technology your provider uses to find out latency speeds. Data caps – Live gaming uses a significant amount of data and overage fees can become expensive, so make sure your plan provides enough data for your gaming needs.How to choose an internet speed plan for gaming A good rule of thumb to follow when selecting an internet plan is to divide the number of devices you will have connected to the internet at a time by the speed plan you are considering (speed plan/number of devices).For heavy gamers, you will want the result of that equation to be between 40 and 75 Mbps.
Therefore, if you plan to have four devices connected to the internet, all performing heavy-bandwidth tasks, you will want a plan around 300 Mbps (300 ÷ 4 = 75).Expert tip: Some providers that say they offer unlimited data will still throttle your speeds Before committing to an internet provider and plan, make sure you ask about internet throttling.A handful of providers, especially in more rural areas, will throttle (slow down) your internet speeds if you have reached a certain data limit for the month.
It’s worth asking your internet provider if internet throttling is a possibility, even with an internet plan with unlimited data.#1 internet provider for gaming: AT&T fiber AT&T planAllconnect scoreStarting price*Download speed†Upload speed Fiber 3004.36 / 5$55.00/mo.300 Mbps300 Mbps Fiber 5004.40 / 5$65.00/mo.500 Mbps500 Mbps Fiber 10004.43 / 5$80.00/mo.1,000 Mbps940 Mbps 2 GIG4.03 / 5$145.00/mo.2,000 Mbps2,000 Mbps 5 GIG4.08 / 5$245.00/mo.4,700 Mbps4,700 Mbps *PABP & Paperless billing + taxes and equip fee.Price includes $5/mo.
AutoPay & Paperless billing discount (within 2 bills).$10/mo.equip.
fee applies.As of 03/07/25.**ABP & Paperless billing + taxes and equip fee after $5/mo.AutoPay & Paperless billing discount (within 2 bills).
$10/mo.equip.fee applies.
Incl.1TB data/mo.; overage chrgs apply.†Internet speed claims represent maximum network service capability speeds & based on wired connection to gateway.1GIG speeds require the latest router & recommended setup.
Actual customer speeds may vary and are not guaranteed. For more info, go to www.att.com/speed101. Overall, AT&T received first place for best internet provider for gaming because it offers a reliable internet connection for some of the best prices around.A symmetrical download/upload internet plan is key for a good gaming experience, otherwise there will be lags and buffering issues when interacting with other players online.AT&T’s fiber plans offer symmetrical upload/download speeds ranging from 300 Mbps to its 5 GB plan.
AT&T also has some of the lowest latency, with a median latency of 22 ms, which helps prevent lags.Recommended plan: AT&T 300 unless you live in a larger household If you plan to live game and stream from more than four devices at a time, then you will want to upgrade to the AT&T 500 or 1000 plan.However, for the average household, the 300 Mbps plan is more than sufficient for all of your gaming needs.
#2 Verizon Fios Plan nameDownload speedUpload speedPrice* 300 Mbps300 Mbps300 Mbps$34.99/mo.500 Mbps500 Mbps500 Mbps$59.99/mo.1 Gigup to 940 Mbpsup to 880 Mbps$74.99/mo.
2 Gig1.5 Gbps – 2.3 Gbps1.5 Gbps – 2.3 Gbps$94.99/mo.*For existing postpaid mobile customers with a Verizon mobile plan (excludes prepaid, business and data-only plans) who then add and maintain a Fios 300 Mbps plan.Auto Pay & paper-free billing required.
Mobile + Home Discount enrollment req’d.$99 setup and other terms apply.Subj.
to credit approval & may require a deposit.Fios avail.in select areas.
Wired speeds advertised.Wireless speeds may vary due to device limits, multiple users, network & other factors.See Verizon.com/yourspeed for more info.
2024 Verizon.As of 03/07/25.Verizon Fios is another great option for gaming, offering fast and reliable speeds for affordable prices.
Additionally, Verizon offers exceptionally low latency scores of 15 ms and below for all of its fiber plans and symmetrical download/upload speeds.This means you will not have to worry about buffering and lagging with any of Verizon’s plans. Verizon Fios also leads the pack in the American Customer Satisfaction Index’s (ACSI) satisfaction benchmarks, ahead of other major providers like AT&T and Xfinity.Recommended plan: Verizon internet 500 The 500 Mbps Verizon plan will guarantee you and your family members are able to live game from multiple devices at a time.
If only one person in your household games or uses the internet heavily (live-streaming, working from home, etc.), the 300 Mbps plan is fine.You only need Verizon’s Gig plan if you have more than four devices at a time that are using the internet heavily.#3 Frontier Fiber PlanStarting price*Download/upload speeds Fiber 200 Mbps$29.99/mo.200/200 Mbps Fiber 500 Mbps$44.99/mo.500/500 Mbps Fiber 1 Gig$64.99/mo.1,000/1,000 Mbps Fiber 2 Gig$99.99/mo.2,000/2,000 Mbps Fiber 5 Gig$154.99/mo.5,000/5,000 Mbps Frontier Internet$64.99/mo.**Varies *w/Auto Pay and Paperless Bill per month. Exclusive offer for qualified addresses.
For new residential Internet customers only.Max speeds are wired, Fiber 1 Gig location dependent.Wi-Fi, actual & average speeds vary.
Max speed capable range for Fiber 500 (450-500 Mbps download/upload), Fiber 1 Gig (846-1000 Mbps download, 792-1000 Mbps upload), Fiber 2 Gig (1800-2000 Mbps download/upload) and requires 2 Gbps capable devices and wiring. Fiber 5 Gig (4500-5000) and requires 5 Gbps capable devices and wiring. Performance details: frontier.com/internetdisclosures.Requires Auto Pay or $10/mo fee applies.Printed bill available for $2.99/mo.
Fee does not apply to select customers.A $50 equipment restocking fee per household applies when Internet is disconnected.A fee up to $150 per device for Fiber 500, 1 Gig, and 2 Gig, and up to $400 for Fiber 5 Gig also applies if equipment is not returned.
Other applicable charges and additional services are extra.Subject to availability.Price and terms subject to change.
Cannot be combined with other offers.Other restrictions, Frontier policies and service terms apply.As of 03/07/25.**For new residential Frontier Internet customers only.
Frontier Internet service is not provided based on speed tiers or other level of performance and Frontier does not guarantee that you will be able to perform any particular internet activity with the service.For details see: frontier.com/internetdisclosures.Requires Auto Pay or $10/mo fee applies.
Printed bill available for $2.99/mo.Fee does not apply to select customers.Activation ($85) and other applicable charges, additional services and taxes are extra & subject to change during & after the promo period.
A $50 equipment restocking fee per household applies when Internet is disconnected.A fee up to $150 per device also applies if equipment is not returned.Service subject to availability.
Price and terms subject to change.Cannot be combined with other offers.Other restrictions, Frontier policies and service terms apply.
Frontier Fiber offers three fiber internet plans that range from 500 Mbps to its new 2 GB service.Like AT&T and Verizon, Frontier also offers symmetrical download/upload speeds so that no matter what task you are performing online, you will have equally fast speeds.Frontier has a median latency of 17 ms, making it a great option for gamers.
Recommended plan: Frontier Fiber 500 Mbps plan Frontier’s 500 Mbps plan is best for households that are using the internet heavily on more than four devices at a time.If you have more than 10 devices connected at a time, you will want to upgrade to Frontier’s 1 Gig plan.#4 Xfinity internet West region PlanAllconnect scoreStarting priceDownload speedsUpload speeds Connect3.58 / 5$19.99/mo.*150 Mbps35 Mbps Connect More3.69 / 5$25.00/mo.*400 Mbps35 Mbps Fast3.84 / 5$60.00/mo.600 Mbps35 Mbps Superfast4.01 / 5$65.00/mo.800 Mbps35 Mbps Ultrafast3.93 / 5$75.00/mo.900 Mbps20 Mbps Gigabit3.95 / 5$80.00/mo.1,100 Mbps35 Mbps Gigabit Pro3.89 / 5$299.95/mo.3,000 Mbps3,000 Mbps *Pricing per month plus taxes for length of 12 mo.
contract.All other plans on 24 mos.Additional fees and terms may apply.
Pricing varies by location and availability.All prices subject to change at any time.May or may not be available based on service address.
As of 03/07/25.Central region PlanAllconnect scoreStarting priceDownload speedsUpload speeds Connect More3.84 / 5$30.00/mo.**400 Mbps35 Mbps Fast3.73 / 5$55.00/mo.600 Mbps35 Mbps Superfast4.01 / 5$65.00/mo.800 Mbps35 Mbps Ultrafast3.93 / 5$75.00/mo.900 Mbps20 Mbps Gigabit Extra3.95 / 5$80.00/mo.1,300 Mbps35 Mbps Gigabit Pro3.90 / 5$299.95/mo.6,000 Mbps6,000 Mbps *Pricing per month plus taxes for length of 12 mo.contract.
All other plans on 24 mos.Additional fees and terms may apply.Pricing varies by location and availability.
All prices subject to change at any time.May or may not be available based on service address.As of 03/07/25.
Northeast region PlanAllconnect scoreStarting price*Download speedsUpload speeds Connect More4.17 / 5$30.00/mo.**400 Mbps35 Mbps Blast! Internet4.20 / 5$35.00/mo.400 Mbps20 Mbps Extreme Pro4.10 / 5$60.00/mo.800 Mbps25 Mbps Gigabit Plus4.06 / 5$70.00/mo.1,000 Mbps35 Mbps Gigabit Pro4.02 / 5$80.00/mo.1,200 Mbps50 Mbps *Pricing per month plus taxes for length of 24 mo.contract.Additional fees and terms may apply.
Pricing varies by location and availability.All prices subject to change at any time.May or may not be available based on service address.
Last updated As of 03/07/25.Xfinity is one of the most widely available internet providers in the country and offers the fastest speeds out of any provider.Xfinity is primarily a cable provider; however, its fastest plan uses fiber technology.
Xfinity’s Gigabit Pro (3,000 Mbps) and Gigabit 6,000 plans are the only plans with symmetrical download/upload speeds that would be best for gaming.Xfinity ranks highest in consistency at 90.7% and has a median latency of 26 ms according to the Global Speed Index. Recommended plan: Xfinity 800 Mbps internet Xfinity offers an 800 Mbps download speed and 25 Mbps upload speed plan in each available region.You will likely not want to go below this plan since you want at least 10 Mbps in upload speeds for live gaming.
Xfinity also offers plans with 1,000 Mbps download speeds if you are worried about not receiving the speeds you need.Although Xfinity offers multi-gig plans, they are likely not worth the expensive monthly payment if you are not living in a smart household with multiple people gaming, working, streaming or learning at once.#5 Google Fiber PlansPriceUpload speedsDownload speedsData caps Google Fiber 1000$70.00/mo.1,000 Mbps1,000 MbpsNo Google Fiber 2000$100.00/mo.2,000 Mbps2,000 MbpsNo Google Fiber 5000*$125.00/mo.5,000 Mbps5,000 MbpsNo Google Fiber 8000*$150.00/mo.8,000 Mbps8,000 MbpsNo *5 and 8 Gig plans are not available in all locations.
Google Fiber is a fiber internet service with fast multi-gigabit plans that are perfect for heavy gamers.Unlike most providers, Google Fiber’s plans start out at 1,000 Mbps.This speed would be enough for most gamers, but if you want even faster speeds, Google Fiber also has a 2,000 Mbps plan and 5,000 and 8,000 Mbps plans in select locations.
Google Fiber’s availability is limited, but it continues to expand service to cities across the country. Recommended plan: Google Fiber 1000 Google Fiber’s lowest speed tier is 1,000 Mbps, which is more than enough to support a large, connected household and a heavy gamer.All of Google Fiber’s plans have symmetrical upload and download speeds, so even with its lowest tier, you get a great connection speed.Best routers for gaming If you’re a heavy gamer, then having a gaming-specific router can help level up your experience.
These routers tend to have higher speed capacity and unique gaming features that can help prioritize your network traffic. When looking for a gaming router, make sure you find one that with low latency, network prioritization and high speeds that can support your internet plan.Here are a few of our favorites: ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 Pro ASUS RT-AX68U ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AXE16000 Learn more about the best routers for gaming.Our methodology In order to determine the top 5 internet providers for gaming, we assessed a total of 16 internet providers based on speeds, reliability, latency, data caps, number of plans, customer satisfaction, value, affordability and availability.
The five providers chosen are some of the most widely available internet providers in the country that offer great speeds at an affordable rate. In order to determine the top 5 internet providers for gaming, we assessed a total of 16 internet providers based on speeds, reliability, latency, data caps, number of plans, customer satisfaction, value, affordability and availability.The five providers chosen are some of the most widely available internet providers in the country that offer great speeds at an affordable rate. Providers that offer symmetrical download/upload speeds and used fiber technology were ranked the highest since these two factors provide the greatest likelihood of a fast and reliable internet connection without any lags or buffering.We also didn’t include any providers that impose data caps lower than 1 TB/mo.
or that didn’t offer a Gig speed internet plan.You can be sure, therefore, that whichever provider you pick from this list, you will have at least one plan available that meets your gaming needs.Learn more about our methodology Read more Read less Get more of your internet questions answered at the Allconnect FAQs hub.
Written by:
Camryn Smith
Camryn Smith started writing for Allconnect in July 2022 and has developed broadband expertise across the landscape, including home internet providers, plans, pricing and equipment, as well as internet technolog…
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Edited by:
Anine Sus
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