What is the best internet provider in McKinney?
CNET recommends Spectrum as the best Internet service provider in McKinney. In addition to serving nearly 88% of the city’s population, Spectrum offers some of the cheapest and fastest plans residents can find, according to the FCC. However, if Spectrum is not an option at your location, it’s worth considering AT&T Fiber and T-Mobile Home Internet for broadband.
We also compared providers based on speed and cost in McKinney. If you’re looking for the fastest service, AT&T Fiber’s 5 GB plan costs $225 per month and includes unlimited data.
If you want to pay the lowest possible home internet bills, providers like T-Mobile and Verizon are your best choices. While these fixed wireless ISPs offer basic plans priced at $50, similar to Spectrum and AT&T Fiber, qualifying T-Mobile and Verizon mobile customers can take advantage of discounts of $15 to $20 per month.
Best Internet in McKinney, TX in 2024
McKinney Internet Provider Comparison
| provider | Internet Technology | monthly price range | speed range | Monthly equipment cost | data cap | contract | CNET Review Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
AT&T Home Internet |
DSL | $55 | 10-100Mbps | not any | 1.5TB | not any | 7.4 |
|
AT&T Fiber |
fiber | $55-$225 | 300-5,000Mbps | not any | not any | not any | 7.4 |
|
Rise Broadband |
fixed wireless | $55-$75 | 25-100Mbps | Modem $10; $5-15 router (optional) | 250GB or unlimited | None, but some promotions require | 6.2 |
|
spectrum |
cable | $30-$70 | 300-1,000Mbps | Free modem; $5 router (optional) | not any | not any | 7.2 |
| speed of light | fixed wireless | $50-$130 | 10-50Mbps | different | not any | different | not applicable |
|
T-Mobile Home Internet |
fixed wireless | $50 ($30 for eligible Go5G Plus and Magenta Max mobile customers) | 72-245Mbps | not any | not any | not any | 7.4 |
|
Verizon 5G Home Internet |
fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 with eligible Verizon 5G mobile plans) | 50-1,000Mbps | not any | not any | not any | 7.2 |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider profiles.
What are the cheapest internet plans in McKinney?
| provider | Starting monthly price | Maximum download speed | Monthly equipment fee |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Spectrum Internet |
$30 | 100Mbps | $5 (optional) |
| speed of light | 50 U.S. dollars | 10Mbps | different |
|
T-Mobile Home Internet |
$50 ($30 with qualifying mobile plans) | 245Mbps | not any |
|
Verizon 5G Home Internet |
$50 ($35 with eligible mobile plans) | 300Mbps | not any |
|
AT&T Home Internet |
$55 | 100Mbps | not any |
|
AT&T Fiber 300 |
$55 | 300Mbps | not any |
|
Upgrade broadband to 50Mbps |
$55 | 50Mbps | $5-$15 (optional) |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider profiles.
How to Find Online Deals and Promotions in McKinney
McKinney’s best online deals and top promotions depend on the discounts available during the period. Most offers are short-lived, but we’re often on the lookout for the latest deals.
McKinney providers like Spectrum may offer lower promotional prices or streaming add-ons for a limited time. However, many companies, including AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon, use the same standard pricing year-round.
For a more extensive list of deals, check out our guide to the best deals online.
Photography: Mint Images/Getty Images
McKinney’s fastest internet plans
| provider | starting price | Maximum download speed | Maximum upload speed | data cap | Connection Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
AT&T Fiber 5000 |
$225 | 5,000Mbps | 5,000Mbps | not any | fiber |
|
AT&T Fiber 2000 |
$125 | 2,000Mbps | 2,000Mbps | not any | fiber |
|
AT&T Fiber 1000 |
$80 | 1,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | not any | fiber |
|
Spectrum Network Performance |
$70 | 1,000Mbps | 35Mbps | not any | cable |
|
Verizon 5G Home + Internet |
$70 ($45 with eligible mobile plans) | 1,000Mbps | 75Mbps | not any | fixed wireless |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider profiles.
What is a good internet speed?
Most Internet connection plans can now handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you’re looking for a network plan that can accommodate video conferencing, streaming video, or gaming, you’ll get a better experience with a stronger connection. Below is an overview of the recommended minimum download speeds for various applications, according to the FCC. Please note that these are guidelines only – Internet speeds, service and performance vary based on connection type, provider and address.
For more information, see our guide on the internet speed you really need.
- 0 to 5Mbps lets you handle the basics: browse the Internet, send and receive email, and stream low-quality videos.
- 5 to 40Mbps provides you with higher quality video streaming and video conferencing.
- 40 to 100Mbps should provide one user with enough bandwidth to meet the needs of modern remote working, video streaming, and online gaming.
- 100 to 500Mbps allows one or two users to participate in high-bandwidth activities at the same time, such as video conferencing, streaming media, and online gaming.
- 500 to 1,000Mbps allows three or more users to engage in high-bandwidth activities simultaneously.
CNET How to Choose the Best Internet Provider in McKinney
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 is our approach? We first looked at pricing, availability, and speed information, using our own historical ISP data, provider websites, and map information from the Federal Communications Commission’s FCC.gov.
But it didn’t end there. We went to the FCC’s website to check our data and make sure we accounted for every ISP offering service in an area. We will also enter your local address on the provider website to find specific options for residents. We look at sources such as the US Customer Satisfaction Index and JD Power to evaluate customer satisfaction with ISP services. 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?
While the answers to these questions are often layered and complex, we recommend the providers who come closest to a “yes” on these three questions. 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 sources like Ookla and FCC reports.
To explore our process in depth, visit our How to Test ISPs page.
McKinney Internet Provider FAQs
What is the best Internet service provider in McKinney?
Spectrum’s broad coverage, reasonable prices, and fast plans make it the best internet provider in McKinney. This cable ISP was also named a Best Cable Provider in 2024 by CNET, making it a solid choice for McKinney residents.
Is there fiber optic internet in McKinney?
AT&T Fiber is McKinney’s largest fiber provider, but some homes may be able to access fiber connections through Point Broadband.
What is the cheapest internet provider in McKinney?
Spectrum offers the lowest cost plan at $30 for 100 Mbps. Four providers are tied for second-cheapest service in McKinney: Spectrum, Speed of Light, T-Mobile and Verizon all offer basic plans for $50. However, eligible T-Mobile and Verizon mobile customers can get a $15 to $20 discount, which means their monthly internet bill could be as low as $30 to $35.
Which internet provider in McKinney offers the fastest plans?
The fastest internet provider in McKinney is AT&T Fiber, which offers 2,000Mbps and 5,000Mbps plans for $125 and $225 per month, respectively.
