Best Prepaid Home Internet Plans for December 2024
Prepaid internet offers simple, pay-as-you-go service without credit checks or hassles. However, it's not available from most broadband providers.
Our Experts
Our picks
What is the best prepaid home internet plan?
Unfortunately, if you're looking for prepaid internet service, your options are limited. NOW is CNET's pick as the best prepaid internet plan overall.
NOW offers two prepaid plans with maximum download speeds of 100 or 200 megabits per second. The service comes with no credit checks, no contract requirements, free equipment, unlimited data and straightforward, pay-as-you-go pricing. You'll find additional details about the service and other potential prepaid internet options below.
More prepaid internet options would certainly be ideal. Since the end of the Affordable Connectivity Program, many Americans have struggled to afford home internet. There are a few alternatives to consider for cheap internet, but prepaid service is, unfortunately, not likely to be one of them. Here's how the prepaid services compare.
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Best prepaid internet plans
NOW Internet
Best prepaid home internet plan
Our take - NOW Internet offers two speed tiers: 100Mbps starting at $30 a month and 200Mbps for $45. Either plan is sufficient for web browsing and online shopping, light streaming and online gaming on a limited number of devices. Free Wi-Fi equipment rental -- a modem/router combo device -- and unlimited data are included at no extra cost. No credit check, deposit or contract is required to get started with Now Internet.
Cox StraightUp Internet
Best prepaid internet plan for Cox customers
Our take - Cox's prepaid internet plan, StraightUp Internet, is about as straightforward as it gets when it comes to signing up and paying for home internet service. No credit checks, equipment fees or term agreements are required, and the monthly price of $50 is good for three years.
Verizon Fios Prepaid
Fastest prepaid home internet provider
Our take - Note: Verizon Fios prepaid internet is no longer available to new customers. Current customers can still manage their accounts.
Best prepaid home internet providers compared
Please note that the plans below show each provider's cheapest available tier. The max speed is the top advertised speed for that given plan, but it might not be available in your area. Overall, the best selection for you -- and the most cost-effective plan -- might be a different tier that provides a faster speed at a higher price but a better value. To fully understand more about this value-based approach, check out CNET's guide to examining the cost per Mbps.
| Plan | Starting monthly price | Max download speed | Cost per Mbps | Equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cox StraightUp Internet Read full review | $50 | 100Mbps | 50 cents | None |
| Verizon Fios Prepaid 100 Read full review | $50 | 100Mbps | 50 cents | $100 upfront |
| NOW Internet 100 | $30 | 100Mbps | 30 cents | None |
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What to consider when choosing a prepaid home internet plan
Prepaid home internet service is ideal for getting a quick and easy connection, but it isn't for everyone. Here are some things you'll want to keep in mind when shopping for prepaid internet service.
Availability: Most major internet service providers don’t offer a separate prepaid internet plan. So, for example, if AT&T and Spectrum are the primary ISPs in your area, you won’t have the option of a prepaid home internet plan.
Costs: Consider the upfront and long-term cost of prepaid versus standard service to determine which is the better value. You could possibly get a cheaper plan from an ISP with no upfront costs.
Speeds: Will 100 to 200Mbps be enough speed for your needs? Unless you’re already a Verizon Fios prepaid customer, that’s the fastest you’ll get from a prepaid home internet service. For a few dollars more per month, it’s possible to get faster speeds than you’d get from a prepaid plan.
Payment options: With prepaid internet, your service ends abruptly when the prepaid period is over. Consider enrolling in auto-renew payments -- it’s available from both Cox and NOW -- to avoid any unexpected service disruptions.
How we chose the best prepaid internet plans
Selecting the best prepaid internet plans began the same way we at CNET evaluate all of the best internet providers: by seeing what's available. In the case of the best prepaid home internet, the choices are much more limited than, say, the best fiber internet providers or even the best rural ISPs.
Cox and NOW are the only two national internet providers to offer separate prepaid internet plans. Verizon Fios no longer offers its prepaid service to new customers and CenturyLink has a prepay option, but it's just a different way to pay for standard service. AT&T, Kinetic, Mediacom, Spectrum and others do not offer a standalone prepaid plan.
After narrowing down the options, we considered speeds, pricing and service terms such as fees, data caps and contracts, along with customer satisfaction reports to determine the overall value of each prepaid internet plan.
That's a similar approach to how we review and evaluate all major internet providers across the US, even though the category of prepaid internet is much more limited. See our guide to how CNET reviews internet providers to learn more.
Your prepaid home internet plan options summarized
Prepaid internet is separate from low-income internet plans in that there are no qualifications such as credit checks or deposits to sign up. The lack of high speeds and overall value are often a drawback to prepaid internet, but you may consider slower speeds a fair trade for simple, cheap internet service. NOW Internet service is our pick for the best prepaid internet, but Cox's StraightUp Internet may suit your needs as well if NOW Internet is unavailable.
Prepaid internet FAQs
What is prepaid home internet?
Prepaid internet is a pay-as-you-go internet service that allows you to pay for the next week or month of service ahead of time to avoid fees and other conditions that come with most standard internet plans. Prepaid internet plans typically require no credit check, deposit or term agreement.
Why get prepaid home internet?
Prepaid internet is best for those who would rather skip the common conditions of signing up with an internet service provider, such as credit checks and term agreements. Speeds are often lower than you'll get with standard internet plans -- Cox and NOW prepaid plans come with maximum download speeds of 100Mbps and 200Mbps, respectively -- but the ease of signing up and lower fees may make prepaid service the more sensible option for some households.
Do I have to qualify to get prepaid home internet?
Cox and NOW do not require any special requirements or qualifications to sign up for prepaid service. Your address and initial service costs are often all you need to get started.
What is the cheapest way to get internet?
Prepaid internet is most likely not the cheapest way to get internet. Prepaid internet is often more expensive than standard internet plans when considering cost per Mbps or the speeds you get for what you pay. Prepaid internet can come with lower initial costs, particularly if the provider would otherwise charge a deposit or deny service due to low or unestablished credit or outstanding balances from a previous account.
How can I get Wi-Fi without a provider?
Unless you connect to a free public network, you can't legally get home Wi-Fi without an internet provider.
An internet connection and router are needed for Wi-Fi. You can purchase a Wi-Fi router on your own, but without an internet connection to your home, there will be no internet for the router to connect to. You need an internet provider to supply that internet connection.
Is NOW Internet unlimited?
Yes. NOW is the only prepaid internet plan available to new customers that includes unlimited data. Prepaid service from Cox comes with a monthly data cap of 1.25TB.
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