Posted: 2024-06-13 02:00:00

What is the best internet provider in Santa Clarita, California?

Spectrum is the best internet service provider in Santa Clarita. It has the cheapest prices in the area, speeds up to 1,000Mbps and unlimited data. Prices increase significantly on all plans after a year or two, but it’s still a decent deal all around.

It’s available only for 12% of homes, but if you can get it, AT&T Fiber has the fastest internet in Santa Clarita and is the only one to offer symmetrical download and upload speeds. Wireless internet is also available from Verizon and T-Mobile, but these are best for smaller households that don’t connect many devices simultaneously.

CNET considers speeds, pricing, customer service and overall value to recommend the best internet service in Santa Clarita across several categories. Our evaluation includes referencing a proprietary database built over years of reviewing internet services. We validate that against provider information by spot-checking local addresses for service availability. We also do a close read of providers' terms and conditions and, when needed, will call ISPs to verify the details.

Despite our efforts to find the most recent and accurate information, our process has some limitations you should know about. Pricing and speed data are variable: Certain addresses may qualify for different service tiers, and monthly costs may vary, even within a city. The best way to identify your particular options is to plug your address into a provider's website. 

Also, the prices, speed and other information listed above and in the provider cards below may differ from what we found in our research. The cards display the full range of a provider's pricing and speed across the US, according to our database of plan information provided directly by ISPs, while the text is specific to what's available in Santa Clarita. The prices referenced within this article's text come from our research and include applicable discounts for setting up automatic payments each month -- a standard industry offering. Other discounts and promotions might also be available for things like signing a term contract or bundling with multiple services. 

To learn more about how we review internet providers, visit our full methodology page.

Best internet in Santa Clarita, California

Product image
Speed range

300 - 1,000 Mbps

Price range

$50 - $80 per month

Our take - Spectrum is the best internet provider in Santa Clarita, largely due to its availability. Federal Communications Commission data shows that 94% of homes in the city can get it; the next closest cable or fiber option is AT&T Fiber at 12%. Spectrum has fast download speeds and decent prices, but low upload speeds, which is an issue for online gamers and remote workers. Its rates increase by $35 per month after one or two years.

Speed range

300 - 1,000 Mbps

Price range

$50 - $80 per month

Product image
Speed range

300 - 5,000 Mbps

Price range

$55 - $250 per month

Our take - If you live in one of the 12% of homes in Santa Clarita that can get AT&T Fiber, you should do it. Fiber internet is the best connection type you can get, and AT&T Fiber is CNET’s pick for the best fiber internet provider nationwide. You’ll get upload speeds that are just as fast as download speeds, and AT&T Fiber doesn’t automatically increase rates after a promotional period expires. 

Speed range

300 - 5,000 Mbps

Price range

$55 - $250 per month

Product image
Connection

Fixed wireless

Speed range

85 - 1,000 Mbps

Price range

$50 - $70 per month

Our take - If you want another option than Spectrum in Santa Clarita, you’re probably looking at wireless internet. Verizon and T-Mobile offer wireless plans in the area, and if you have a cellphone plan with either one, I’d go with that. The providers are similar enough that the discounts you get from bundling should outweigh the minor differences. 

Connection

Fixed wireless

Speed range

85 - 1,000 Mbps

Price range

$50 - $70 per month

Santa Clarita internet providers compared

Provider Internet technologyMonthly price rangeSpeed rangeMonthly equipment costsData capContractCNET review score
AT&T Fiber
Read full review
Fiber$55-$225300-5,000MbpsNoneNoneNone7.4
AT&T Internet
Read full review
DSL$55Up to 140MbpsNone1.5TB on some plansNone7.4
Spectrum
Read full review
Cable$50-$80300-1,000Mbps$7 (optional)NoneNone7.2
Starlink
Read full review
Satellite$12025-220Mbps$599 upfrontNoneNone6.5
T-Mobile Home Internet
Read full review
Fixed wireless$60 ($40-$50 with mobile plans)72-245MbpsNoneNoneNone7.4
Verizon 5G Home Internet
Read full review
Fixed wireless$50-$70 ($35-$45 for eligible Verizon Wireless customers)100-300MbpsNoneNoneNone7.2

Show more (2 items)

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

What’s the cheapest internet plan in Santa Clarita?

Provider Starting priceMax download speedMonthly equipment fee
Spectrum Internet
Read full review
$50300Mbps$5 (optional)
Verizon 5G Home Internet
Read full review
$50 ($35 with eligible mobile plans)100MbpsNone
AT&T Fiber
Read full review
$55300MbpsNone
T-Mobile Home Internet
Read full review
$60 ($40 with eligible mobile plans)245MbpsNone

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

santa-clarita-california
Thomas C. Gapen / Getty Images

How to find internet deals and promotions in Santa Clarita

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

Santa Clarita internet providers, such as Verizon 5G Home Internet and T-Mobile Home Internet, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Others, including AT&T Fiber and Spectrum, run the same standard pricing year-round.  

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

Fastest internet plans in Santa Clarita

Provider Starting priceMax download speedMax upload speedData capConnection type
AT&T Internet 5000
Read full review
$2255,000Mbps5,000MbpsNoneFiber
AT&T Internet 2000
Read full review
$1252,000Mbps2,000MbpsNoneFiber
AT&T Internet 1000
Read full review
$801,000Mbps1,000MbpsNoneFiber
Spectrum Internet Gig
Read full review
$901,000Mbps35MbpsNoneCable

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 Santa Clarita

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. 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.

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:

  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 answers to those questions are often layered and complex, the providers that 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.

Internet providers in Santa Clarita FAQs

What is the best internet service provider in Santa Clarita?

Spectrum is the best internet service provider in Santa Clarita, offering the broadest coverage, cheapest starting prices and unlimited data. 

Is fiber internet available in Santa Clarita?

Yes, fiber internet is available to 12% of Santa Clarita households, according to FCC data. AT&T Fiber is the only fiber provider in the city. 

What is the cheapest internet provider in Santa Clarita?

Spectrum and Verizon 5G Home Internet are the cheapest internet providers in Santa Clarita, offering plans that start at $50 per month.

Which internet provider in Santa Clarita offers the fastest plan?

AT&T Fiber offers the fastest internet plan in Santa Clarita, with upload and download speeds up to 5,000Mbps. 

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