What is the best ISP in Saint Petersburg?
Spectrum is CNET's top recommendation for the best ISP in St. Petersburg. It took the top spot in our ratings for its wide area coverage, fast speeds, and no-contract and unlimited data plans. If you're outside of Spectrum's coverage area, you'll find WOW Internet and Frontier offer solid alternatives.
If you're looking for the cheapest internet plan in the area, WOW Internet offers the most budget-friendly plan that comes in at just $25 per month for 300 Mbps. If you want the fastest Internet in St. Petersburg, Frontier offers a 5Gbps plan with symmetrical speeds up to 5,000Mbps for $130 a month. It offers a good price-performance ratio for high-demand households.
Best Internet in St. Petersburg, Florida
Saint Petersburg ISPs compared
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Agreement | CNET Review Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Border hairs Read the full review |
Hair | 30-130 dollars | 200-5,000 Mbps | No one | No one | No one | 6.3 |
| Rapid Systems | Fixed wireless | $79-$160 | 10-250Mbps | No one | No one | No one | N/A |
| Spectrum Read the full review |
Cable | 30-70 dollars | 100-1,000 Mbps | Free modem; $10 for router (optional) | No one | No one | 7.2 |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read the full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$55 for eligible Go5G Plus and Magenta Max mobile customers) | 72-245 Mbps | No one | No one | No one | 7.4 |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read the full review |
Fixed wireless | $60-$80 ($35-$45 with eligible Verizon 5G cellular plans) | 50-1,000 Mbps | No one | No one | No one | 7.2 |
| WOW Internet Read the full review |
Cable | 25-90 dollars | 300-1,200 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 Saint Petersburg?
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Shop suppliers at my address
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find online deals and promotions in Saint Petersburg
The best online deals and top promotions in Saint Petersburg depend on the discounts available during that period. Most deals are short-lived, but we often look for the latest offers.
St. Petersburg ISPs such as Spectrum, Frontier and WOW Internet may offer lower introductory prices or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many, including Rapid Systems, T-Mobile and Verizon, have the same standard rates year-round.
For a more extensive list of promotions, check out our guide to the best internet deals.
John Colletti / Getty Images
Plans for the fastest Internet in St. Petersburg
| Provider | Starting price | Maximum download speed | Maximum upload speed | Data cap | Connection type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Border fiber 5 giga Read the full review |
130 dollars | 5,000 Mbps | 5,000 Mbps | No one | Hair |
| Border fibers 2 gig Read the full review |
100 dollars | 2,000 Mbps | 2,000 Mbps | No one | Hair |
| WOW Internet 1.2 giga Read the full review |
90 dollars | 1,200 Mbps | 50 Mbps | No one | Cable |
| Border fibers 1 gig Read the full review |
65 dollars | 1,000 Mbps | 1,000 Mbps | No one | Hair |
| Spectrum Read the full review |
70 dollars | 1,000 Mbps | 35 Mbps | No one | Cable |
| Verizon 5G Home Plus Internet Read the full review |
$80 ($45 with eligible mobile plan) | 1,000 Mbps | 75 Mbps | No one | Fixed wireless |
| WOW Internet 1.2 giga Read the full review |
90 dollars | 1,200 Mbps | 48 Mbps | No one | Cable |
| WOW Internet 1 giga Read the full review |
55 dollars | 1,000 Mbps | 48 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 Federal Communications Commission. 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 video streaming and video conferencing with higher quality.
- 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 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 St. Petersburg
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 start by researching pricing, availability and speed information, drawing on our historical data from ISPs, provider locations and mapping information from FCC.gov.
It doesn't stop there: we use the FCC's website to check our data and make sure we account for every ISP that provides service in a given 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?
While the answer to those questions is often layered and complex, 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 on FCC. (Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)
Frequently asked questions about the Internet provider in St. Petersburg
What is the best internet service provider in Saint Petersburg?
Spectrum is the best Internet service provider in St. Petersburg because of its fast speeds and simple contracts. Plus, Spectrum offers wide availability to city dwellers, so its services are likely to be available at your address.
Is fiber optic internet available in Saint Petersburg?
Yes. Frontier Fiber is the only fiber provider available in the area, offering the fastest speeds in St. Petersburg.
What is the cheapest ISP in Saint Petersburg?
WOW Internet offers the cheapest plan in St. Petersburg: $25 per month for 300 Mbps speed.
Which ISP in Saint Petersburg offers the fastest plan?
Frontier Fiber offers the fastest plan in St. Petersburg. For $130 per month, customers can achieve symmetrical speeds of up to 5,000 Mbps.