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Updated Mar 06, 2024

Best Business Internet Services for 2024

Vivian Nguyen
Vivian Nguyen , Business Strategy Insider and Senior Analyst
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This guide was reviewed by a Business News Daily editor to ensure it provides comprehensive and accurate information to aid your buying decision.
Best for Digital Entrepreneurs
  • 5G internet
  • Large fiber footprint
  • No annual contracts
Visit Site
Links to AT&T Business Internet
  • 5G internet
  • Large fiber footprint
  • No annual contracts
Best for Startups
  • Ethernet Dedicated Internet
  • 4G LTE wireless backup
  • Protection from cyberattacks
Visit Site
Links to Comcast Business Internet
  • Ethernet Dedicated Internet
  • 4G LTE wireless backup
  • Protection from cyberattacks
Best for Remote Teams
  • No contracts or hidden fees
  • Business TV and mobile bundle
  • Competitive contract buyout terms
Visit Site
Links to Spectrum Business Internet
  • No contracts or hidden fees
  • Business TV and mobile bundle
  • Competitive contract buyout terms
Best for Rural Businesses
  • Persistent internet protocol (IP) addresses
  • Ideal for flight and aircraft
  • Near 100 percent reliable coverage
Visit Site
Links to Viasat Business Internet
  • Persistent internet protocol (IP) addresses
  • Ideal for flight and aircraft
  • Near 100 percent reliable coverage
Best for Brick-and-Mortar Businesses
Verizon Business Internet
Verizon logo
  • 5G Connection
  • 10-year contract price guarantee
  • Vast business phone plans
Links to Verizon Business Internet
  • 5G Connection
  • 10-year contract price guarantee
  • Vast business phone plans

Table of Contents

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Small businesses need internet connectivity, whether it’s an ecommerce company that operates online or a brick-and-mortar store that uses a suite of internet-connected business software and devices. Business internet, an internet service catering to customers looking to find the right internet plan for their business needs, is especially suited for commercial purposes.

Whether you want to perform digital outreach for new customers or your remote team needs phone services on top of the internet, reliable business internet service is key. We’ve researched some of the best business internet service providers out there to help you make the best decision for your business when it comes to staying connected.

Why You Should Trust Us

At Business News Daily, our team of small business experts regularly evaluates hundreds of products and services that are essential to business operations. To determine the best business internet services, we scoured the market and narrowed down our list of recommendations after in-depth, hands-on investigations that considered cost, features and ease of use, among other criteria. All evaluations were conducted with accuracy and fairness at top of mind. Learn more about our methodology.

Compare Our Best Picks

BND Ribbon
Our Top Picks for 2024
AT&T Business Internet
Comcast Business Internet
Spectrum Business Internet
Viasat Business Internet
Verizon Business Internet
Rating9.0/108.8/109.5/108.2/108.8/10
Starting Price

$75 per month

$69.99 per month

$64.99 per month

$175 per month

$69 per month

Installation Fee

$99

$99.95

$0

$300

$99 (free self-installation)

Equipment Fee

$0

$19.95

$0

$0

$15.99 per month ($299.99 one-time purchase)

Dedicated Internet

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Number of Plans

3

6

3

3

3

Review Link
Scroll Table

Our Reviews

AT&T Business Internet: Best Business Internet for Digital Entrepreneurs

  • Symmetrical download/upload speeds
  • Single bill and contract with flat rate or usage-based billing options
  • Expensive compared to cable or satellite
Editor's Rating: 9/10
Visit Site

AT&T Business Internet is an internet service that provides one of the fastest gigabit internet speeds on the market. Symmetric download/upload speeds, internet backup options and dedicated internet are just a few of the many features offered in one of three business plans offered by AT&T. We chose this plan for digital entrepreneurs who utilize digital marketing and need the fast internet speeds to promote their brand and build out their solo career.

Whether you need the fastest internet speeds to keep livestreams going or need to carry out large data transfers between networks, AT&T can provide some of the most powerful speeds on the market through its business internet plans. Customers in select areas will greatly benefit from using AT&T Business Fiber, while those who choose AT&T Wireless Broadband will find themselves able to connect from virtually anywhere. Though a bit on the pricey side, customers won’t need to worry about annual contracts or overage fees ― common features that come with traditional residential internet.

Comcast Business Internet: Best Business Internet for Startups

  • Ethernet Dedicated Internet for 100 percent business internet uptime
  • Advanced cybersecurity keeps your connection safe
  • Expensive gigabit internet compared to competitors
Editor's Rating: 8.8/10
Visit Site

For companies who are just starting out or only have a small team, Comcast Business Internet is an ideal internet solution. Customers can choose one of six business internet plans that cater to their specific business needs and can scale with Comcast as their business grows. Wi-Fi hotspots and 24/7 business support are also included to help keep startups running, with the option to include additional features like Ethernet Dedicated Internet.

As many people switch over to part-time or contract work, small startups have become a popular career choice for individuals looking to contribute to short- and long-term projects. For business owners, having fast and reliable business internet from a company like Comcast allows them to focus on recruiting, hiring and managing the best talent possible.

Spectrum Business Internet: Best Business Internet for Remote Teams

  • Great internet/phone/TV bundles for easy purchasing
  • No annual contracts or phone taxes
  • Most features come at a separate charge
Editor's Rating: 9.5/10
Visit Site

Spectrum Business InternetⓇ focuses on bringing digital business services to customers at an affordable cost. While it does offer internet-only packages, the real advantages come from bundling it with phone and TV. In addition, there are no contracts or added taxes and customers who are transitioning from a different provider are offered up to $1,000 in credit to cover early termination fees.

Remote teams can benefit greatly from Spectrum’s Business Internet services thanks to the numerous calling features included with business phones on top of the fast internet speeds. Employees working remotely or using a hybrid work model can also take advantage of Spectrum’s Business Connect app with RingCentral to communicate and process large file transfers. Read our RingCentral review

Viasat: Best Business Internet for Rural Businesses

  • Reliable internet coverage
  • Fast customer support
  • Slower in speed compared to cable and fiber
Editor's Rating: 8.2/10
Visit Site

Viasat’s Business Internet, though not as fast as fiber or cable, allows businesses in rural areas to set up and install business internet in what would typically be considered a non-serviceable area. With five satellites in orbit, Viasat is capable of providing high-quality satellite internet with no hidden fees attached. Where cable and fiber cannot cover, Viasat will provide to its customers.

Compared to other providers, Viasat also includes Persistent IPs. Unlike static or dynamic IPs, businesses who use Viasat’s business internet will be assigned three IP addresses dynamically and will occasionally switch between them to keep their businesses running. As the IP addresses do not change over time, this makes it easier to provide remote access to the business network and monitor activity on any connected devices.

Verizon Business Internet: Best Business Internet for Brick-and-Mortar Businesses

Verizon Business Internet
Verizon logo
  • Extensive business phone plans
  • Hassle-free installation
  • Limited business internet plans compared to phone plans
Editor's Rating: 8.8/10

Known primarily for their vast phone plans, Verizon also offers Business Internet plans using 5G technology to keep business owners connected to their customers. Business customers can choose from three different connection types based on their needs and preferences. We found that those who are looking to start a brick-and-mortar business will find Verizon’s easy internet installation and vast 5G internet coverage especially helpful.

Outside of 5G, Verizon also offers Fios and LTE business internet for customers who may need different connections for their business. Its Fios Business Internet plan connects businesses to an ultrafast fiber network while LTE Business Internet provides wireless connectivity for companies that need business mobility.

Business Internet Costs

Many factors need to be considered when looking into the cost of business internet. Most providers will offer plans that only reflect the cost of internet itself while others will offer one price that covers additional fees and costs, such as installation or early termination.

In our review, we found the base price of business internet to range from $49.99 per month to $500 per month, depending on the type of service and plan. This range does not include any additional equipment or installation fees that may be included.

The Business Internet price ranges for the best picks we reviewed are as follows:

  • AT&T: $75 to $325 per month
  • Comcast: $69.99 to $349.99 per month
  • Spectrum: $49.99 to $164.99 per month
  • Verizon: $69.99 to $199.99 per month
  • Viasat: $175 to $500 per month

AT&T, Comcast, Verizon and Spectrum’s prices reflect internet-only. Viasat’s price range while reflective of its internet cost, comes with many features that offset its price point. These features include but are not limited to hardware leasing, multiple IP addresses and prioritized connections.

Business Internet Features

FeatureDescription
Dedicated InternetA private gateway connection for your business allows you to keep operations afloat without fear of digital congestion slowing you down.
Wireless Internet BackupIn the event of an internet or power outage, ISPs will have some form of wireless internet backup that can serve as a secondary connection.
Business-Exclusive Phone and TV DealsConnect with your customers and employees by bundling the internet with phone and TV services.
Contract BuyoutsReceive credit from a future provider to pay off early termination fees from a previous provider.

Dedicated Internet

If you’re running your business under a shared internet connection, there’s a chance that you may have experienced slow internet speeds in moments of high traffic or congestion. When using business internet, however, customers typically will have a dedicated internet option that delivers fast internet speeds through a private connection. Even in moments of high internet traffic, business-critical systems, such as point-of-sale software and data transfers, can continue running smoothly.

Internet Backup Options

Things happen. Internet outages, natural disasters and other unexpected events could cause business internet to go down momentarily. Business internet providers are aware of this and know that businesses could end up losing money if they lose connectivity. When reviewing our vendors, we found that each of them offered various types of internet backup options.

Whether it’s purchasing broadband internet as a secondary connection or using a backup router that offers hours of battery-powered connection, business internet providers typically will include this as part of their internet plans as well as 24/7 support and protection to keep you in the loop about your connection status until the primary connection comes back online.

Business-exclusive phone and TV deals

A lot of businesses nowadays don’t just rely on the internet to run their business. Calling via phone and video is just as relevant, whether a company is exclusively in-office or works off of a remote/hybrid work model. Most business internet providers are aware of this and may offer potential business customers great deals if they bundle internet with their phone or TV services.

In some cases, business customers may be able to save some money on this as well. More often than not, bundling business internet with other services offered by the internet provider will result in a discounted price for all services.

 

TipTip

Bundle your business internet whenever possible. Some providers will offer business phone plans or business TV plans that may be useful for your business.

Contract Buyouts

When starting a business, you may decide that switching providers is the best move. Maybe you’ve already started a business and you’re wanting to take advantage of offers provided by another internet provider. Some business internet providers do offer the option of buying out a contract from a previous provider to close in on a contract with a business customer.

It’s not strictly a contract buyout, however. The provider is not purchasing the contract to then give the new contract to the new business customer. Rather, they provide a limited amount of “credit” to cover early termination fees and other costs associated with ending a contract early. Be wary that the new provider may require your existing contract to explicitly say “early termination fees” as proof of the cancellation.

Choosing Business Internet

When choosing a Business Internet Provider, here are some things to consider.

1. Your Business Type

Do you plan on starting your business as a sole proprietor? Do you want to open up a small shop in a rural area? Is your business model heavily reliant on digital marketing and web conferencing? Figuring out your business type could greatly determine the business internet plan you decide on for your business needs.

 

Did You Know?Did you know

Some internet providers include additional features for specific business internet plans, while others offer them for an additional charge. Consider this when deciding what specific business internet needs you have for your business.

2. Location

After considering the pros and cons of being a small business owner and establishing your business brand, you’ll want to think about where to host your business. Most of the business internet providers we’ve listed offer relatively vast internet coverage. However, location is still something that should be considered when deciding what business internet plan to use. This is especially important if your team works off of a hybrid work model, where some employees may need to work from home in addition to working on-site. If you decide to make telecommuting a permanent arrangement for your business model, you’ll also need to consider if being a fully-remote team is an option.

3. Business Size

Do you plan on starting your own business as an aspiring entrepreneur or do you have a team already established? Do you have an idea of how many people you plan on hiring or have you closed in on your initial round of employees? If your business size is relatively small, you may be able to utilize a lower-tier business internet plan. When you need to upgrade or switch, most business internet providers will be more than happy to help you transition as your business scales.

Advantages of Business Internet

Compared to traditional residential internet, most business internet plans come with additional perks for business owners to help them either kick-start their careers or grow their company even further:

  • Priority connection just for your business: Most if not all business internet plans come with a priority connection data limit. When connection speeds slow down due to high traffic, your business can run uninterrupted with a private network dedicated specifically to your business. If you operate your business in multiple buildings, you may be able to get dedicated internet for each location as well.
  • 24/7 business support: Customers purchasing business internet will have access to 24/7 support for business-specific inquiries. General questions and maintenance/outage support can be handled through a provider’s specified contact method.
  • Discounts from bundles: Providers like Verizon and Spectrum offer some major discounts when you bundle their business internet with additional services offered, such as TV or mobile. These plans are designed to enhance your business internet experience and make running your business much more effective. These add-ons include features like web conferencing and extended phone lines.

Business Internet FAQs

Both types of internet typically offer similar internet plans, packages and prices. The major difference is that residential internet usually includes features catered to personal use, whereas business internet plans are designed for business owners and entrepreneurs. Business internet may offer more resilience and faster speeds so business operations can continue unheeded.

Technically speaking, no. If you are just starting your business or running your business from home, you may be able to get away with just using residential internet. However, as your business grows, you may find that having business internet ― along with its many benefits that include dedicated connection and internet backup ― will be more suitable.

Installation fees, equipment costs and features, such as priority connection and backup internet, are some other costs that business customers may need to consider when purchasing a business internet plan.

The bandwidth you require for your business will depend on how many people you employ and how much they utilize the internet. For a team of one to five employees who only use the internet to send emails, you can probably get away with between 50 and 100 Mbps. If you have more than 50 employees working on an ecommerce website, for example, you’ll want a plan that exceeds 1 Gbps.

Vivian Nguyen
Vivian Nguyen , Business Strategy Insider and Senior Analyst
Vivian Nguyen is a copywriter with over five years of experience creating written content for the gaming industry. Some of their most prominent works include feature articles and marketing copy for creative campaigns. In addition, they've worked with professionals in the education sector to provide resources for students and teachers looking to pursue a career in video games. Besides video games, Vivian has written about various topics in broadband technology, including but not limited to internet providers and visual media.
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