What is the best internet provider in Katy?
Xfinity is the best internet service provider for most households in Katy, Texas. This popular cable ISP serves most of the area, offering low-cost service and speeds up to 2 gigabits. Fidium Fiber and T-Mobile Home Internet are also top-rated options in Katy for home broadband, depending on what’s available at your address.
Here at CNET, we’ve also found Katy's cheapest and fastest plans to help make your broadband shopping easier. Xfinity and Astound Broadband tie for the cheapest service at $20 per month, but Astound’s 300 megabits per second plan beats Xfinity’s 150Mbps. For speed, Fidium Fiber and Xfinity both offer 2 gigabits -- or 2,000Mbps -- for $75 and $120 per month, respectively.
CNET considers speeds, pricing, customer service and overall value to recommend the best internet service in Katy 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. At the same time, the text is specific to what's available in Katy. 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. Discounts and promotions might also be available for signing a term contract or bundling multiple services.
To learn more about how we review internet providers, visit our full methodology page.
Best internet in Katy, Texas, in 2024
150 - 6,000 Mbps
$20 - $300 per month
Our take - Xfinity’s network serves roughly 99% of Katy, according to the FCC, meaning it’s a likely option wherever you are in the city. However, wide coverage isn’t the only factor Xfinity brings to the table. This cable giant offers some of the fastest and cheapest internet plans in Katy, starting at $20 for 150Mbps and $120 for 2,000Mbps.
150 - 6,000 Mbps
$20 - $300 per month
50 - 2,000 Mbps
$25 - $85 per month
Our take - With symmetrical speeds up to 2 gigabits and no required contracts, data caps or equipment fees, Fidium Fiber is definitely an ISP worth considering if your address is serviceable. Fidium Fiber’s plans start at $25 monthly and increase to $85 for its fastest speed tier.
50 - 2,000 Mbps
$25 - $85 per month
Fixed wireless
72 - 245 Mbps
$60 per month
Our take - Although T-Mobile Home Internet may not offer the lowest prices or speediest plans in Katy, this fixed wireless provider does come with enticing service details. For $60 per month, customers can hit speeds up to 245Mbps, which includes unlimited data and equipment at no extra cost.
Fixed wireless
72 - 245 Mbps
$60 per month
Katy internet providers compared
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Astound Broadband Read full review | Cable | $20-$55 | 300-1,500Mbps | Free modem; $5 for Whole-home Wi-Fi (optional) | None | None | 7 |
| Fidium Fiber | Fiber | $25-$85 | 100-2,000Mbps | None | None | None | N/A |
|
Rise Broadband Read full review | Fixed wireless | $35-$55 | 25-50Mbp | $10 modem; $5-$15 router (optional) | None | None, but required for some promotions | 6.2 |
|
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review | Fixed wireless | $50 ($40 for eligible Go5G Plus and Magenta Max mobile customers) | 72-245Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
|
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review | Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 with qualifying Verizon 5G mobile plans) | 50-1,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
|
Xfinity Read full review | Cable | $20-$120 | 150-2,000Mbps | $15 gateway rental (optional) | 1.2TB on some plans | 1 year on some plans | 7 |
Show more (1 item)
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
What’s the cheapest internet plan in Katy?
| Provider | Starting monthly price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Astound Broadband 300 Read full review | $20 | 300Mbps | $5 (optional) |
|
Xfinity Connect Read full review | $20 | 150Mbps | $15 (optional) |
| Fidium Essential | $25 | 100Mbps | None |
|
Xfinity Connect More Read full review | $30 | 200Mbps | None |
|
Rise Broadband 50Mbps Read full review | $45 | 50Mbps | $5-$15 (optional) |
|
Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review | $50 ($35 with eligible mobile plan) | 300Mbps | None |
|
T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review | $50 ($40 with eligible mobile plan) | 245Mbps | None |
Show more (2 items)
Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How to find internet deals and promotions in Katy
The best internet deals and top promotions in Katy depend on what discounts are available during that period. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.
Katy internet providers, such as Xfinity, T-Mobile, Astound Broadband and Rise Broadband, may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Others, however, such as Verizon, 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 Katy
| Provider | Starting monthly price | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Data cap | Connection type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fidium Futuristic | $75 | 2,000Mbps | 2,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
|
Xfinity Gigabit X2 Read full review | $120 | 2,000Mbps | 200Mbps | 1.2TB | Cable |
|
Astound Broadband 1500 Read full review | $55 | 1,500Mbps | 20Mbps | None | Cable |
|
Xfinity Gigabit Extra Read full review | $80 | 1,200Mbps | 35Mbps | 1.2TB | Cable |
|
Astound Broadband 1000 Read full review | $45 | 1,000Mbps | 20Mbps | None | Cable |
| Fidium Supreme | $55 | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | None | Fiber |
|
Verizon 5G Home Plus Internet Read full review | $70 ($45 with eligible mobile plan) | 1,000Mbps | 75Mbps | None | Fixed wireless |
|
Xfinity Gigabit Read full review | $75 | 1,000Mbps | 35Mbps | 1.2TB | Cable |
Show more (4 items)
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, 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 Katy
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.
But 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 answers to those questions are 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, though 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 also 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 Katy FAQs
What is the best internet service provider in Katy?
Xfinity is the best internet provider in Katy, offering cheap plans and fast speeds to most residents.
Is fiber internet available in Katy?
Yes. Fidium Fiber is the largest fiber provider in Katy, and fiber connectivity is available to about 66% of households.
Who is the cheapest internet provider in Katy?
Xfinity and Astound Broadband tie for Katy's cheapest internet service, offering plans as low as $20 per month.
Which internet provider in Katy offers the fastest plan?
The fastest speed available in Katy is 2,000Mbps, which Fidium Fiber and Xfinity offer for $75 and $120 monthly, respectively.