Best Internet Providers in Detroit, Michigan

Detroit is an integral part of American history as an automobile hub, but the Motor City also lays claims to fame in sports (go, Lions), music (hello, Motown) and even food (cheesy, rectangular pizza). Although the city has cemented its legacy, it’s still upcoming when it comes to the latest and best broadband options. Detroit currently sits in 41st place on Speedtest.net’s ranking of city speeds for the 100 most populous US cities.

Detroit might not have the fastest internet provider options in the country, but Xfinity, our choice for the best ISP in the Motor City, offers its gigabit speeds to just about every corner of town. Fast fiber from AT&T Fiber or Zentro (formerly Snip) Internet (for certain apartments) is also available in certain areas. Get your motor running, and let’s explore the best internet providers in Detroit. Here is our guide to the best internet provider options for Detroit so you can get the best internet service.

Best internet providers in the Motor City

There is only one major player among ISPs in Detroit: Xfinity. No one else can top its combination of coverage and speeds across all parts of the city. It faces competition in some areas from AT&T Fiber, which offers fast upload speeds to go with fast downloads. Some residents may want to test an alternative from a fixed wireless provider like Verizon 5G Home Internet. 

Note: The prices, speeds and features detailed in the article text may differ from those listed in the product detail cards, which represent providers’ national offerings. Your particular internet service options — including prices and speeds — depend on your address and may differ from those detailed here.

All available Detroit residential internet providers

ISP availability across the Detroit metro area is very situational. While Xfinity has the broadest coverage in Detroit proper, you’ll find Spectrum or WOW cable services in some communities around the city. Zentro Internet (formerly Snip Internet) is a good fiber option for certain apartment buildings in Detroit. On the fixed wireless side, T-Mobile Home Internet is an alternative to Verizon 5G Home Internet, and it’s an especially good deal for T-Mobile phone customers. 

• AT&T Internet: AT&T Internet is different from AT&T Fiber. This old-school DSL service isn’t known for good speeds. Depending on location, you may be able to pull down 100Mbps, or you may get internet that’s at a painful crawl. The cost is $55 per month with no contract, but it’s not your best option unless no other ISPs service your home.
• Zentro Internet: Zentro Internet has acquired Snip internet, and provides fiber to apartment buildings around Detroit, concentrating in the downtown area. Like Snip, Zentro positions itself as a fast, hip alternative to other ISPs. There are no contracts, no data caps and no installation fees, and equipment is included. The $75-a-month plan gets you speeds up to 1,000Mbps. If you live in an apartment serviced by Zentro, you’ll find lots to like about the no-fuss plan and reasonable pricing. 
• Spectrum: Charter’s Spectrum cable service can be found in northwestern parts of the metro area, including Livonia and Farmington Hills. Call Spectrum for details on all the plans available for your address. A popular option is a 500Mbps plan for $60 monthly with no data cap or contract. A modem is included. If that’s not fast enough, look for the $70-a-month 1,000Mbps plan. Be aware that prices will jump after the first two years.    
• WOW: “WOW” stands for WideOpenWest, a cable provider serving six states. Coverage is focused on the wider metro area around Detroit, particularly to the north and west. In some areas, plans range from 100Mbps up to 1,200Mbps, but you may find a sweet spot with a promotional deal like the Internet 1 Gig plan for $50 a month for the first two years. There’s an option to add Wi-Fi for $10 a month. Look for a promotional gift card offer. You may luck out and find a deal where WOW covers your modem rental, but you can provide your own modem for most plans. Data caps vary from 1.5TB or 3TB on most plans, though the Internet 1.2 Gig plan is unlimited. 
• T-Mobile Home Internet: Verizon competitor T-Mobile Home Internet is the other option for fixed wireless in Detroit. There’s one plan with typical speeds from 72-245Mbps for $60 a month. Add an eligible phone plan, and your home internet will be just $40 monthly. Slots may be limited, so you must run your address to see if the service is available at your home.
• Satellite internet: Rural residents often look to satellite internet from Starlink, Viasat or HughesNet as a lifeline. City dwellers in Detroit, however, will find cable, fiber or fixed wireless makes more sense. One exception is Starlink’s travel plan. It’s not cheap, but it can keep avid RVers and digital nomads connected and working on the go. 

Detroit broadband at a glance

No matter where you live in Detroit, there’s a good chance Xfinity services your address. In some parts of the metro area, you may also have AT&T Fiber, WOW, Spectrum or Zentro to choose from. T-Mobile and Verizon may have open slots if you’d like to test out fixed wireless as an alternative. If it’s down to Xfinity or AT&T’s outdated DSL service, then Xfinity is your friend. Once you know who services your home, you can compare prices and speeds to find the best plan for your needs.

Pricing details on Detroit home internet service

The average starting price for home internet in the Detroit area works out to just under $48 a month. Promotional deals from Xfinity or WOW can dip below that, or you can score a deal by bundling an eligible phone plan with home internet from Verizon or T-Mobile. The intro price level for fiber is $55 for 300Mbps from AT&T Fiber.  

Cheap internet options in the Detroit metro area

The cheapest internet plan you can get will depend on which ISPs connect to your home. If that’s Xfinity (and it likely is), you can get online with a $20-a-month, 150Mbps plan. But that might not be your best deal in the long term since the promo price is only good for a year. Look for special offers at Xfinity’s faster speed levels and do the math. WOW is plenty competitive with its $30, 12-month promo at the 300Mbps level, so give that a look if WOW runs to your address.

Regarding bang for the buck, AT&T’s 300Mbps fiber plan for $55 gives you reasonable download speeds and equally fast upload speeds. Zentro Internet is a good deal for eligible apartment dwellers at $75 for 1,000Mbps. 

Fastest internet providers in Detroit

Ookla’s Speedtest data shows Detroit with a median fixed internet download speed of about 154Mbps, which we already know isn’t the fastest around. You can still find decent internet speeds if you’re in the right location. AT&T Fiber delivers multigigabit plans, while other ISPs have options for service at or around the 1,000Mbps level. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)

AT&T Fiber’s 5,000Mbps plan is untouchable when it comes to residential internet speeds in Detroit. The challenges with this are spotty availability across the metro area and the hefty price of $250 a month. AT&T’s 2,000Mbps plan is still fast but runs a more affordable $150 monthly. If you’re shopping around for gigabit service, there are more options, with WOW, Spectrum, Zentro and Xfinity all offering plans at that level. Here’s what you need to know about multi-gigabit internet plans.

What’s the final word on internet providers in Detroit?

Not everyone in Detroit will be able to pull down multi-gigabit speeds, but locations covered by AT&T Fiber can access that luxury. Thanks to its equally fast upload and download speeds (a trait that remote workers and avid gamers will love), fiber trumps other internet connection types. Limited fiber availability doesn’t mean you’ll be left surfing in the dark ages. Xfinity’s wide coverage area delivers gigabit download speeds. Residents in the wider metro area can also look for gigabit plans from WOW or Spectrum. 

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Detroit

Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it’s impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. What’s our approach? We start by researching the pricing, availability and speed information drawing on our own historical ISP data, the provider sites and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov.

It doesn’t end there. We go to the FCC’s website to check our data and ensure we’re considering every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. To evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP’s service, we look at sources including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. 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 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. 

To explore our process in more depth, visit our How We Test ISPs page.

Internet providers in Detroit FAQs