Best Internet Providers in Sarasota, Florida
What is the best internet provider in Sarasota?
CNET’s top recommendations for the best internet providers in Sarasota are unlimited. It’s our top pick for most households as it has wide coverage in the area and offers speeds of up to 2GB at a competitive price. Xfinity offers a variety of plans to choose from to suit all budgets and needs, whether you’re streaming, gaming, or working from home.
If you are not in an area covered by the Xfinity network, you can also view Cutting edge fiber optics and T-Mobile Home Internetboth of which are solid choices. If you want the cheapest internet, choose the Xfinity Connect plan, the cheapest plan available on Florida’s Cultural Coast for $35 per month with download speeds up to 150Mbps. If you’re on a budget and you need the fastest speeds, Frontier Fiber offers symmetrical speeds up to 7,000Mbps for $300 per month.
Best Internet in Sarasota, FL
Sarasota Internet Providers Comparison
provider | Internet technology | monthly price range | speed range | Monthly equipment cost | data cap | contract | CNET Review Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
blue stream fiber optic | fiber | $45-$50 | 100-1,000Mbps | without any | without any | 2 years (optional) | not applicable |
Frontier Communications Read full review |
DSL/Fiber optic | $30-$299 | 200-7,000Mbps | without any | without any | without any | 6.3 |
fast system | fixed wireless | $79-$99 | 10-25Mbps | different | without any | without any | not applicable |
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$55 for eligible Go5G Plus and Magenta Max mobile customers) | 72-245Mbps | without any | without any | without any | 7.4 |
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review |
fixed wireless | $60-$80 ($35-$45 with eligible Verizon 5G mobile plans) | 50-1,000Mbps | without any | without any | without any | 7.2 |
unlimited Read full review |
cable | $35-$95 | 150-2000Mbps | $15 gateway rental (optional) | 1.2TB | Some plans take 1-2 years | 7 |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
Other available internet providers in Sarasota
- blue stream fiber optic: This DSL, cable and fiber provider offers limited network, service in Sarasota Less than 1% of addresses. Select homes can enjoy speeds of up to 1 GB, with prices starting at $45 per month.
- fast system: Rapid Systems is a local ISP covering Sarasota, Hardee, Fort Solitude, DeSoto and other small towns in Florida. It’s more expensive for home internet, and the speeds only top out at 25Mbps.
- satellite internet: No matter where you are in the country, satellite internet is always an option. This may not be the best. Because of high prices and slow speeds, providers like hughsnett, Via Satellite and Starlink Should not be your first choice for broadband.
- Verizon 5G Home Internet: Similar to T-Mobile, Verizon also offers fixed wireless service in Sarasota. Customers can choose from two plans: $50 per month (100Mbps) or $70 per month (300Mbps). In addition, eligible mobile customers will receive $15 to $25 off their monthly bill.
Cheap Internet Options in Sarasota
The average cost of residential broadband in Sarasota is $50 per month. This number may seem high, but there are some providers in the area that offer internet for less than this number.
Xfinity is the cheapest ISP in Sarasota, offering 150 Mbps plans for just $35 per month. Frontier Fiber and Blue Stream Fiber also offer service at below-average prices, but Frontier’s plans offer better service Cost per Mbps Compared to Blue Creek.
What are the cheapest internet plans in Sarasota?
provider | Starting monthly price | Maximum download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
---|---|---|---|
Xfinity connection Read full review |
$35 | 150Mbps | $15 (optional) |
Xfinity connects more Read full review |
$35 | 300Mbps | without any |
Blue Creek 100 | $45 | 100Mbps | without any |
Frontier Fiber 500 Read full review |
$45 | 500Mbps | without any |
Verizon 5G Home Read full review |
$60 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | 300Mbps | without any |
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
$50 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | 245Mbps | without any |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to Find Sarasota Internet Deals and Promotions
The best internet deals and top promotions in Sarasota depend on the discounts available during the period. Most offers are short-lived, but we’re often on the lookout for the latest deals.
Sarasota internet providers such as Xfinity and Blue Stream Fiber may offer lower introductory prices or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Others like Frontier Fiber and Verizon use the same standard pricing year-round.
For a more extensive list of promotions, check out our guide Best Internet Deals.
How fast is Sarasota broadband?
According to Ookla’s speed testSarasota’s median download speed is 280Mbps and upload speed is 61Mbps. (Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET Ziff Davis.) Xfinity and Frontier Fiber compete for speed in this Florida city, with both offering download speeds of nearly 210Mbps.
If you’re looking for a faster connection in Sarasota, Frontier Fiber is your best choice. This ISP offers symmetrical speeds of up to 7 GB, or 7,000 Mbps, for $300 per month.
The fastest internet plans in Sarasota
provider | Starting monthly price | Maximum download speed | Maximum upload speed | data cap | Connection type |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Frontier Fiber 5G Read full review |
$130 | 5,000Mbps | 5,000Mbps | without any | fiber |
Frontier Fiber 2Gig Read full review |
$100 | 2,000Mbps | 2,000Mbps | without any | fiber |
Xfinity Gigabit Extra Read full review |
$85 | 1,200Mbps | 35Mbps | 1.2TB | cable |
Blue Stream 1 show | $50 | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | without any | fiber |
Frontier Fiber 1G Read full review |
$65 | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | without any | fiber |
Verizon 5G Home + Internet Read full review |
$70 ($45 with eligible mobile plans) | 1,000Mbps | 75Mbps | without any | fixed wireless |
Xfinity Gigabit Read full review |
$65 | 1,000Mbps | 20Mbps | 1.2TB | 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 get a better experience with a stronger connection. The recommended minimum download speeds for various applications are outlined below, According to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission. Please note that these are guidelines only and internet speeds, service and performance vary based on connection type, provider and address.
- 0 to 5Mbps allows you to handle the basics: browsing the Internet, sending and receiving email, and streaming low-quality video.
- 5 to 40Mbps gives you higher quality video streaming and video conferencing.
- 40 to 100Mbps should provide a person with enough bandwidth to meet the needs of modern remote working, video streaming, and online gaming.
- 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two people to participate in high-bandwidth activities such as video conferencing, streaming, and online gaming simultaneously.
- 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more people to engage in high-bandwidth activities simultaneously.
For more information, see our guide How much internet speed do you really need?.
CNET How to choose the best internet provider in Sarasota
Internet service providers are numerous and regional. different from the latest cell phone, laptop, router or kitchen toolsit is impractical to personally test every ISP in a specific city. What is our approach? We started by looking at pricing, availability, and speed information, using our own historical ISP data, provider sites, and map information from the Federal Communications Commission: fcc.gov.
It doesn’t end there: We used the FCC’s website to check our data and make sure we accounted for every ISP offering service in a certain area. We also enter local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. We evaluate customer satisfaction with ISP services by looking at sources such as the US Customer Satisfaction Index and JD Power. ISP plans and prices may change frequently; all information provided is accurate as of publication time.
Once we have localized information, we ask three main questions:
- Does the provider offer reasonably fast internet speeds?
- Are customers getting value for money?
- Are customers satisfied with their service?
The answers to these questions are often layered and complex, and we recommend the provider that comes closest to a “yes” in all three areas. When choosing the cheapest internet service, we look for plans with the lowest monthly fees, although we also consider factors like price increases, equipment fees, and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively simple. We look at advertised upload and download speeds and consider real-world speed data from the following sources: Okla and Federal Communications Commission Report.
To explore our processes in more depth, visit our How we test ISPs Page.
Sarasota Internet Providers FAQs
What is the best internet service provider in Sarasota?
Xfinity’s wide availability and low entry price make it the best internet provider for most homes in Sarasota. The cable giant also offers speeds up to 2GB and prices as low as $35 per month.
Is there fiber optic internet in Sarasota?
Fiber internet available 60% of homes in Sarasotaproviders such as Frontier Fiber, Xfinity and Blue Stream Fiber offer the largest fiber optic networks in the region.
What is the cheapest internet provider in Sarasota?
Xfinity offers the cheapest internet service in Sarasota at $35 per month with speeds up to 150Mbps.
Which internet provider in Sarasota offers the fastest plans?
Frontier Fiber, Sarasota’s fastest provider, offers Multi-gigabit Get speeds up to 7 GB for just $300.