Best Internet Providers in Naperville, Illinois

What is the best internet provider in Naperville?

Xfinity is CNET’s top choice for the best internet service provider in Naperville. We've picked it as the top option for most households in the area because it offers a ton of different plans, and offers solid availability. Xfinity's plans start at $35 a month for 150Mbps and go up to $95. If you're outside the coverage area of Xfinity, you can consider Astound, T-Mobile and Verizon 5G.

Looking for the cheapest internet plans in Naperville? Astound offers a $20 plan with speeds that go up to 300 megabits per second. However, it can come with hidden fees that could significantly increase your bill. If you want the fastest internet speeds in the area, AT&T Fiber has you covered with a 5,000Mbps plan that costs $245 per month, though it isn't available in every part of the area. Xfinity also offers a 1,200Mbps plan at $95 per month, which has better availability and should suffice for most users.

Best internet in Naperville, Illinois

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Other available internet providers in Naperville

• AT&T Internet: AT&T Internet reaches most of Naperville, but it’s an outdated DSL network with speeds up to 100Mbps. The plan costs $55 per month for whatever maximum speed you can get at your address. A 1.5TB data cap applies to most plans, except the 100Mbps plan. There are no equipment fees or contracts. Consider this as a fallback if you’re not happy with the cable options at your home.
• AT&T Internet Air: AT&T offers a fixed wireless internet option instead of DSL in some parts of Naperville. AT&T Internet Air costs $60 per month with no contract, data cap or equipment fees. Expect typical download speeds of 75-225Mbps.
• Rise Broadband: Rise specializes in fixed wireless rural internet for homes with few options. It covers a little bit of Naperville, to the tune of just under 10% of homes, according to the Federal Communications Commission. A typical plan for Naperville would be $30 per month for download speeds up to 25Mbps with unlimited data. Consider Rise if you’re in a rural spot outside of town with no decent wired internet options. 
• Satellite internet: If you live in Naperville, you will most likely choose a cable provider or a 5G home internet ISP. If you’re outside of town or living in a rural area with no strong options for getting online, then look into Starlink, Hughesnet or Viasat for satellite internet. Speeds can be variable, and prices are high, but it may be your best bet if cable, fiber or fixed wireless providers don’t work out at your home.
• T-Mobile Home Internet: T-Mobile’s coverage map shows solid availability of its 5G Ultra Capacity network across Naperville. You’ll need to run your address to see if an open slot is available. There’s one core plan for $50 per month (as low as $35 per month when bundled with a phone plan) with typical download speeds of 72-245Mbps. You can get other plans going up to $70 a month but they only add Wi-Fi hardware and support options, while speeds remain the same. There are no data caps, equipment fees or contracts. 

Cheap internet options in Naperville

Astound and Xfinity both offer an entry-level, $20-per-month cable internet plan, but speeds and fees differ. Astound’s plan gets you 300Mbps downloads with equipment included, but you’ll need to factor in about $16 in extra monthly fees along with one-time installation and activation fees that add up to as much as $95. The price stays good for two years. With Xfinity, you’ll get up to 150Mbps download speeds and will need to either provide your own equipment or rent for $15 per month. At that point, you might consider the 300Mbps Xfinity plan with gear included for $45 per month. Both of the Xfinity plans keep their low pricing for the first year. When the price inevitably goes up, get ready to negotiate your rate or try out a different ISP.

What’s the cheapest internet plan in Naperville?

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to find internet deals and promotions in Naperville

The best internet deals and top promotions in Naperville depend on what discounts are available during that time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers. 

Naperville internet providers, such as Xfinity and Astound, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Others, including AT&T Internet, tend to run the same standard pricing year-round. 

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

Bruce Leighty/Getty Images

How fast is Naperville broadband?

Naperville put in a strong showing in a recent Ookla speed test report with a 287Mbps median download speed for fixed internet. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.) Compare that to Chicago, which pulled down 162Mbps. Xfinity and Astound have Naperville covered with gig-level cable plans, but multi-gig speeds are elusive. In some neighborhoods, Xfinity offers its 2,000Mbps plan, while AT&T Fiber’s super-fast 5,000Mbps plan is only available across a small area of coverage. 

Fastest internet plans in Naperville

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 all at the same time.

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Naperville

Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it's impractical to personally test every internet service provider in a given city. What's our approach? For starters, we tap into a proprietary database of pricing, availability and speed information that draws from our own historical ISP data, partner data 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 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: 

• 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. 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.

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

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

Most residents of Naperville will face a choice between Xfinity and Astound for cable internet. Pricing is similar, but the details are different. Xfinity offers a 1,200Mbps plan across its coverage area (2,000Mbps in some neighborhoods), while Astound tops out at 1,000Mbps. Expect price hikes from both ISPs once your introductory period is over. Astound offers a two-year price guarantee, while Xfinity’s prices go up after one or two years, depending on the plan. Take time to assess fees, equipment costs and contract requirements before deciding. If you’re one of the few homes with access to AT&T Fiber, you’re in luck with symmetrical speeds and straightforward plans. Consider 5G home internet from Verizon or T-Mobile as an alternative if you’re not happy with the cable providers.

Internet providers in Naperville FAQs