What is the best ISP in Santa Ana, CA?
In Santa Ana, surprisingly, there aren't many ISP options. After reviewing the available options, AT&T fiber topped our list as the best ISP in Santa Ana for most households. While it doesn't have the best coverage, AT&T Fiber has the fastest speeds in the city by a mile. It's also the only fiber optic provider in the area, meaning you'll get the same upload and download speeds — ideal for working from home or gaming online. It also offers some of the simplest and most reasonable pricing you'll find on an internet service provider. Prices start at $55 per month for the 300 Mbps plan and go up to $245 per month.
If you are looking for the lowest prices, Spectrum has the cheapest internet plans in Santa Ana $30 per month for 100 Mbps. What's even better is that Spectrum is available almost everywhere in the city and is a solid option to have as a default option if AT&T Fiber is not available at your address. The main drawback is that Spectrum raises prices significantly after a year or two.
If you don't want to worry about these built-in price increases, Verizon 5G Home Internet is the best wireless internet provider in Santa Ana. There's no guarantee it won't raise your rates, but unlike Spectrum, they don't come on a schedule and probably won't be as extreme.
Best Internet in Santa Ana, CA
Santa Ana ISP Comparison
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Agreement | CNET Review Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T fiber Read the full review |
Hair | $55-$245 | 300-5,000 Mbps | No one | No one | No one | 7.4 |
| AT&T Internet Read the full review |
DSL | 55 dollars | Up to 140 Mbps | No one | 1.5TB on some plans | No one | 7.4 |
| Spectrum Read the full review |
Cable | 30-70 dollars | 100-1,000 Mbps | $10 (500 Mbps plan only) | No one | No one | 7.2 |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read the full review |
Fixed wireless | 50-70 dollars | 72-245 Mbps | No one | No one | No one | 7.4 |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read the full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 for eligible Verizon Wireless customers) | 100-300 Mbps | No one | No one | No one | 7.2 |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What is the cheapest internet plan in Santa Ana?
| Provider | Starting price | Maximum download speed | Monthly subscription for equipment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spectrum Internet Read the full review |
30 dollars | 100 Mbps | $10 (optional) |
| Spectrum Internet Read the full review |
50 dollars | 500 Mbps | $10 (optional) |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read the full review |
$50 ($35 with eligible cell phone plans) | 100 Mbps | No one |
| AT&T Internet 300 Read the full review |
55 dollars | 300 Mbps | No one |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read the full review |
$50 ($40 with eligible mobile plans) | 245 Mbps | No one |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find online deals and promotions in Santa Ana, CA
The best online deals and top promotions in Santa Ana depend on what discounts are available at a particular time. Most deals are short-lived, but we often look for the latest offers.
Santa Ana ISPs, such as Verizon 5G Home Internet and AT&T Fiber, may offer lower introductory prices or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Others, including Spectrum, run the same standard prices year-round.
For a more extensive list of promotions, check out our guide to the best internet deals.
Fastest Internet Plans in Santa Ana, CA
| Provider | Starting price | Maximum download speed | Maximum upload speed | Data cap | Connection type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T Internet 5000 Read the full review |
245 dollars | 5,000 Mbps | 5,000 Mbps | No one | Hair |
| AT&T Internet 2000 Read the full review |
145 dollars | 2,000 Mbps | 2,000 Mbps | No one | Hair |
| AT&T Internet 1000 Read the full review |
80 dollars | 1,000 Mbps | 1,000 Mbps | No one | Hair |
| Spectrum Internet gig Read the full review |
70 dollars | 1,000 Mbps | 35 Mbps | No one | Cable |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What is 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 video conferencing, streaming video, or gaming, you'll have a better experience with a stronger connection. Here's an overview of recommended minimum download speeds for different apps, according to the FCC. Note that these are guidelines only and that internet speed, service and performance will vary by connection type, provider and address.
For more information, see our guide to how much internet speed do you really need?.
- 0 to 5 Mbps lets you handle the basics: web browsing, sending and receiving email, and streaming low-quality video.
- From 5 to 40 Mbps you can enjoy higher quality video streaming and video conferencing.
- 40 to 100 Mbps should give a user enough bandwidth to meet the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming.
- 100 to 500 Mbps allows one to two users to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities such as video conferencing, streaming, and online gaming.
- 500 to 1,000 Mbps allows three or more users to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities.
How CNET picked the best ISPs in Santa Ana
Internet providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest ones smart phone, laptop, router or kitchen toolit is impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. What is our approach? We begin by researching pricing, availability, and speed information, drawing our own historical data from ISPs, provider locations, and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission to FCC.gov.
It doesn't stop there: We go to the FCC website to check our data and make sure we account for every ISP that provides service in a certain area. We also enter local addresses on supplier websites to find specific options for residents. We look at sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and JD Power, to gauge how satisfied customers are with an ISP's service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent change; all information provided is correct as of publication.
Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:
- Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
- Are customers getting decent value for what they are paying for?
- Are customers satisfied with their service?
The answers to those questions are often layered and complex, but the providers who come closest to saying yes to all three are the ones we recommend. When choosing the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, although we also take into account factors such as price increases, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively simple. We look at advertised upload and download speeds and look at real-world speed data from sources like Okla and The FCC reports. (Disclaimer: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)
To explore our process in more detail, visit our how we test ISPs page.
ISPs in Santa Ana FAQ
What is the best internet service provider in Santa Ana?
AT&T Fiber is the best ISP in Santa Ana. It has the fastest speeds ever and is the only fiber optic internet provider in the city. Unlike Spectrum, AT&T Fiber doesn't automatically raise its prices after a year or two.
Is fiber optic internet available in Santa Ana?
Yes, fiber optic Internet is available to 29% of households in Santa Ana, according to FCC data. AT&T Fiber is the only ISP that offers fiber optic internet in the area.
What is the cheapest ISP in Santa Ana?
Spectrum is the cheapest ISP in Santa Ana, with plans starting at $30 per month for 100 Mbps.
Which ISP in Santa Ana offers the fastest plan?
AT&T Fiber offers the fastest plan in Santa Ana, with upload and download speeds of up to 5,000 Mbps.