What is the best internet provider in Flint?

CNET recommends Xfinity as the go-to choice for fast speeds in Flint, Michigan, offering speeds up to 1200Mbps and competitive pricing, especially for the first year. However, if you have more modest needs, T-Mobile Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home Internet are also worth considering.

For those looking for the best prices or fastest speeds, we’ve identified the top options. Xfinity offers the most affordable plan in Flint, with its 150Mbps plan priced at $35 per month for the first year. The fastest option also comes from Xfinity, with its 1,200Mbps plan available across its extensive service area.

Best internet in Flint, Michigan

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Other available internet providers in Flint

• AT&T Internet Air: AT&T is now competing with T-Mobile and Verizon to offer a 5G home internet service. When you run your address, AT&T may offer this as an option instead of DSL. The company says to expect typical download speeds of 75 to 225Mbps. There are no contracts, data caps or equipment fees. You may qualify for a pricing discount by bundling with an eligible AT&T mobile plan. 
• Satellite internet: Xfinity blankets Flint, but if you’re outside of town or living in a more rural area, you may need to look into satellite internet from Starlink, Hughesnet or Viasat. Check into wired or fixed wireless options before putting the financial commitment into a satellite connection. 

Cheap internet options in Flint

Xfinity’s dirt-cheap $35-a-month plan gets you 150Mbps downloads, but with a couple caveats. You’ll need to provide your own equipment or lease from Xfinity for $15 a month. The price is only good for a year. After that, expect it to pop up. The price will also rise after the introductory rate expires after a year. If you’re determined to skip Xfinity, then consider bundling a T-Mobile or Verizon 5G home internet plan with an eligible mobile plan to save on your residential broadband price.

What’s the cheapest internet plan in Flint?

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to find internet deals and promotions in Flint

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

Flint internet providers like Xifnity may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Others, however, including AT&T Internet Air, T-Mobile Home Internet and Verizon 5G Home 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. 

How fast is Flint broadband?

Despite a lack of fiber internet, Flint fared pretty well in a recent Ookla speed test report. The city pulled down a median fixed internet download speed of 260Mbps. That’s slightly better than the Michigan state average of 229Mbps. Xfinity has the fastest home internet plan in town with its 1,200Mbps Gigabit Extra option. Xfinity offers a 2-gigabit plan in some parts of the country but hasn’t yet rolled it out in Flint. The next-fastest option outside of Xfinity is Verizon’s 5G Home Plus plan, which can reach speeds as high as 300Mbps, though actual speeds will vary. (Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)

Fastest internet plans in Flint

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 person sufficient bandwidth to satisfy the demands of modern telecommuting, video streaming and online gaming. 
• 100 to 500Mbps allows one to two people to simultaneously engage in high-bandwidth activities like videoconferencing, streaming and online gaming. 
• 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more people to engage in high-bandwidth activities at the same time.

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Flint

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. So 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 FCC.gov. 

But it doesn’t end there. We use 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, 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 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 Flint?

A lack of competition and a lack of residential fiber-to-the-home infrastructure means cable ISP Xfinity rules the roost in Flint. It reaches everywhere and offers the fastest download speeds. Introductory pricing is good but be prepared for an unwelcome price hike after the first year or two of service. After that, you can try to negotiate for a better deal or investigate T-Mobile, Verizon or AT&T for a 5G home internet plan. 

Internet providers in Flint FAQs