Best Internet Providers in Iowa

What is the best internet provider in Iowa?

Mediacom is the best internet service provider for most Iowa households because of its high availability and low introductory pricing. Mediacom is the largest cable internet provider in the state and is available to nearly two-thirds of Iowa residences, according to the Federal Communication Commission. It also has the cheapest internet plan of any major provider, with service starting at $20 per month for download speeds up to 250 megabits per second.

Mediacom won’t always be the best option for every person. Fiber internet providers such as Metronet, Google Fiber or Quantum Fiber often present better speeds, reliability and overall value than Mediacom, although availability is more limited in Iowa. Metronet, for example, offers the second cheapest internet in the state, starting at $35 per month, while Google Fiber has the fastest plan, with speeds up to 8 gigabits per second (8,000Mbps) starting at $150 per month.

Wireless internet is also a practical choice for broadband, especially throughout Iowa’s many rural areas. Speeds and pricing may rival Mediacom's, depending on the providers in your area.

Best internet in Iowa

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Other internet providers in Iowa 

• CenturyLink/Quantum Fiber: Lumen Technologies offers DSL internet (CenturyLink) throughout much of Iowa and fiber internet (Quantum Fiber) in select areas. Quantum Fiber is preferable, with speeds of 500 and 8,000Mbps starting at $50 and $165 per month, respectively. Still, CenturyLink is a decent choice for broadband in rural areas, with speeds ranging from 20 to 100Mbps starting at $55 monthly.
• Kinetic: Similar to Lumen Technologies, Kinetic by Windstream has DSL and fiber internet, with fiber being the faster, yet less widely available, service. DSL speeds range from 15 to 100Mbps for $40 per month, while fiber service offers a range of 100Mbps up to 2,000Mbps starting at $40 to $180.
• Nextlink: Fixed wireless provider Nextlink offers a variety of speeds in Iowa, ranging from 25 to 500Mbps, but not all speed tiers are available in all service areas. Plans range from $50 to $140 per month and include unlimited data, but a one or two-year contract may be required for service.
• Rise Broadband: With speeds of 25 to 50Mbps starting at $45 per month, Rise Broadband’s fixed wireless service is a better option than satellite internet. Faster speeds and higher-value plans may be available from other providers. 
• US Cellular: Nearly 83% of Iowa households are serviceable for US Cellular, according to the FCC. But, like with T-Mobile Home Internet, that doesn’t necessarily mean fixed wireless internet is available in all service areas. If your address is eligible for home internet, expect speeds of 50 to 220Mbps starting at around $60 monthly.
• Verizon 5G Home Internet: Rounding out the list of fixed wireless providers, Verizon 5G Home Internet offers two plans -- speeds of 50 to 300Mbps starting at $50 per month or 85 to 1,000Mbps for $70. Both plans offer free equipment rental, unlimited data and no contract requirements. Qualifying Verizon mobile customers can get home internet for a discounted rate.
• Satellite internet: Wired and fixed wireless connections cover the vast majority of Iowa, so it’s probable that you won’t need to rely on satellite internet. If no other connection types are available, Hughesnet and Viasat are the most popular options, although Starlink may be the better choice for speed and data. 

Eddie Brady/Getty Images

Iowa internet options by city

It’s hard to cover the internet options of an entire state while giving individual cities the in-depth attention they deserve. That’s why we’ve also compiled lists of the best internet providers in cities across the US, including those in Iowa. If you don’t find your hometown below, check back later. We’re working to add more cities every day.

• Best internet providers in Davenport
• Best internet providers in Des Moines
• Best internet providers in Iowa City
• Best internet providers in West Des Moines

Cheap internet options in Iowa

Mediacom has the lowest starting prices on Iowa internet service, offering speeds up to 250Mbps, starting at $20 per month. Metronet has the second cheapest plan in the state at $35 for 150Mbps with the added advantage of symmetrical upload and download speeds, plus no equipment rental fees (a tech service fee of $13 monthly applies, however). Starting prices from most other major Iowa ISPs begin at $40 to $70 per month, depending on the available providers in your area.

What's the cheapest internet plan in Iowa?

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to find internet deals and promotions in Iowa

Iowa's best internet deals and top promotions depend on the discounts available during that period. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers. 

Iowa internet providers, such as Metronet, may have lower introductory pricing or special promotional offers, such as a free gift card for a limited time. Many providers, including Mediacom, Quantum Fiber and Kinetic, run the same standard pricing year-round. 

For a more extensive list of promos, check out our guide on the best internet deals. 

How fast is Iowa broadband?

Median download speeds averaged 162Mbps in Q3 2023, according to recent Ookla speed test data. That’s well below the national average of 263Mbps, placing Iowa 44th among all US states and Washington, DC, for fastest median download speeds.

It’s worth noting that 150Mbps is capable of handling a variety of internet activities, including streaming in HD, on multiple devices. In addition, many factors can affect speed test results, so the state’s average speeds aren’t necessarily an indicator of what speeds you can get in your home.

Fastest internet plans in Iowa

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

What’s 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 videoconferencing, streaming video or gaming, you'll have a better experience with a more robust connection. Here's an overview of the recommended minimum download speeds for various applications, according to the FCC. Note that these are only guidelines and that internet speed, service and performance vary by connection type, provider and address.

For more information, refer to our guide on how much internet speed you really need.

• 0 to 5Mbps allows you to tackle the basics: browsing the internet, sending and receiving email and streaming low-quality video.
• 5 to 40Mbps gives you higher-quality video streaming and videoconferencing.
• 40 to 100Mbps should give one user sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming. 
• 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two users to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming. 
• 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Iowa

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. So 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.

We also go to the FCC’s website to check our data and ensure we consider every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. We look at sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power, to evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; all information provided is accurate as of publication.

Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:

1. Does the provider offer access to reasonably fast internet speeds?
2. Do customers get decent value for what they’re paying?
3. 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. When selecting the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, although we also factor in things like price increases, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively straightforward. We look at advertised upload and download speeds and consider real-world speed data from sources like Ookla and FCC reports. (Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)

To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.

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

Nearly two-thirds of Iowa residents can count on Mediacom for home internet service. In areas where fiber internet is unavailable (which is much of the state), Mediacom is the best choice for fast speeds and low introductory pricing. 

If fiber is available, it will likely present faster speeds -- Metronet, Kinetic and Google Fiber (the fastest ISP in the state) all offer faster speeds than Mediacom -- and potentially lower pricing when considering cost per Mbps. 

Residents of Iowa’s rural areas can look to fixed wireless internet from T-Mobile Home Internet, US Cellular, Rise Broadband, Nextlink or others for broadband service where cable and fiber internet is unavailable. As a last resort, satellite internet is always an option, but you’ll want to explore all available choices before relying on satellite service's slow speeds and data restrictions.

Internet providers in Iowa FAQs