Key takeaways
- No single provider covers all of California. Most serve specific cities, so start by checking which providers reach your address.
- Fiber leads on speed. Six of the eight providers compared use fiber, and Race Communications and Sonic offer plans up to 10 Gig.
- Listed 1 Gig prices range from $39.95 to $80 a month before taxes and fees, and they vary by city. T-Mobile Home Internet has no 1 Gig plan.
- All eight offer unlimited data and no annual contract on their standard plans.
- Setup costs differ. AT&T Fiber, GFiber, Race and T-Mobile include setup and a router at no charge. Astound and Xfinity charge for professional installation, and Sonic rents Wi-Fi equipment separately.
The best internet provider in California is the one that serves your address with the speed, price and terms you need. California is a big state, and no single provider covers all of it. A neighborhood in Irvine and a town in the Central Valley can have completely different options.
This guide compares eight home internet providers that serve California households: Astound, AT&T Fiber, Frontier Fiber, GFiber, Race Communications, Sonic, T-Mobile Home Internet and Xfinity.
For each one, we cover the type of internet, top speed, the price of a 1 Gig plan, data caps, contracts, installation and router costs, early termination fees and where in California you can get it.
Providers are listed alphabetically, not ranked. Most of them only serve certain cities, so the right choice depends on where you live.
California Internet Providers at a Glance
Six of the eight providers are fiber internet providers, and all eight offer plans without an annual contract. The biggest differences are top speed, setup costs and where each one is available.
California internet providers compared
Listed alphabetically. Prices are for a 1 Gig plan and vary by city and address.
Swipe sideways to see the full table →
| Provider | Type | Max speed | 1 Gig price | No data caps | No contract | Free installation | Free router | Early termination fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Astound | Cable & fiber | 1.5 GigFaster in select areas | From $45/moWith autopay | YesOn 1 Gig and faster | Yes | No$14.99 activation; pro install $99.95 | Yes | None |
| AT&T Fiber | Fiber | 5 Gig | $80/moWith autopay | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | None |
| Frontier Fiber | Fiber | 7 Gig | $64.99/mo | Yes | Yes | If you stay 12 mo$100 otherwise | Yes | Some offersUp to $100 in year one |
| GFiber | Fiber | 8 Gig | $70/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | None |
| Race Communications | Fiber | 10 Gig | From $39.95/mo+ $9.95/mo Tech Assure fee | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | None |
| Sonic | Fiber | 10 Gig | From $40/moOne fiber plan; price varies by market | Yes | Yes | Yes | NoWi-Fi rental from $5/mo, or use your own | None |
| T-Mobile Home Internet | 5G wireless | ~500 MbpsTypical download | No 1 Gig planPlans from $50/mo with AutoPay | Yes | Yes | YesSelf-setup | Yes | None |
| Xfinity | Cable | 2 Gig1.2 Gig in some areas | $70/moWith autopay | Yes | Yes | No$39.99 self; $100 pro | Yes | None |
- Prices are each provider’s listed monthly rate before taxes, promotions and bundle discounts. Check the provider’s website for the price at your address.
- Astound has data allowances on some slower plans in former Wave Broadband areas. Some older Xfinity plans still have a 1.2 TB monthly limit.
- Sonic’s fiber service starts at $40/mo in Los Angeles and is $49.99/mo, then $59.99/mo, in the Bay Area.
Prices are each provider’s listed monthly rate for 1 Gig before taxes, promotions and bundle discounts. AT&T, Xfinity and Astound prices include their autopay discount. Prices vary by city and address, so check the provider’s website for the price at your home.
Astound
Astound is a cable and fiber provider with a large footprint in Northern California, built on the former Wave Broadband network. Its Astound 1 Gig internet plan starts at $45 a month with autopay and paperless billing, and it offers 1.5 Gig plans in all its areas, with faster speeds in some.
Where it’s available: The San Francisco Bay Area (including the Peninsula and East Bay), the Sacramento region, Placer County and parts of the Central Coast. Astound also offers fixed wireless service in parts of Yolo County, including the Davis area.
Worth knowing: In March 2026, Astound and GFiber announced plans to combine into one company. Plan names and prices may change as that happens.
AT&T Fiber
AT&T Fiber has the largest fiber network in California and offers symmetrical gigabit internet plans up to 5 Gig. Its 1 Gig plan costs $80 a month with autopay ($90 without), and installation, equipment and unlimited data are included.
Where it’s available: Parts of most major California metro areas, including the Bay Area, Los Angeles, San Diego, Sacramento and the Central Valley. Availability can change from one street to the next, so check your exact address. AT&T plans to expand fiber to more than 9 million California homes and businesses by 2030.
Worth knowing: AT&T Wireless customers can get an extra monthly discount when they bundle home internet with an eligible phone plan.
Frontier Fiber (a Verizon company)
Frontier is a fiber provider concentrated in Southern California, and it has been part of Verizon since January 2026. Its Frontier Fiber 1 Gig plan costs $64.99 a month with a five-year price guarantee, and speeds go up to 7 Gig.
Where it’s available: Mainly Southern California, including the Los Angeles area (such as Long Beach), Orange County (such as Huntington Beach, Santa Ana and Anaheim) and the Inland Empire in San Bernardino and Riverside counties.
Worth knowing: Verizon has said Frontier fiber customers will move to Verizon Fios branding over time. Verizon mobile customers can get discounts when they combine services.
GFiber
GFiber (formerly Google Fiber) offers fiber internet in a handful of Orange County cities, with flat pricing and no extra fees. Its 1 Gig plan costs $70 a month, and speeds go up to 8 Gig.
Where it’s available: Irvine, Newport Beach, Santa Ana, Tustin and Costa Mesa. GFiber Webpass also serves some apartment and condo buildings in San Francisco, Oakland and San Diego.
Worth knowing: GFiber has introduced new plan names in Irvine, so the plans you see may be labeled differently. GFiber and Astound have also announced plans to combine.
Race Communications
Race Communications is a California-based fiber internet provider that builds its network in communities larger providers have often passed over. It offers symmetrical speeds up to 10 Gig, and its 1 Gig plan starts at $39.95 a month plus a required $9.95 Tech Assure fee. Pricing vary by regions.
Where it’s available: 25 communities across California: the Sacramento Valley and Sierra foothills (Chico, Colusa, Marysville, Nevada City, Sutter and Yuba City), the Central Valley (Atwater, Chowchilla, Farmersville, Merced, Porterville and Tulare), the High Desert and Tehachapi area (Backus, Boron, Golden Hills, Lancaster, Mojave, Palmdale, Phelan, Ridgecrest and Tehachapi), the Bay Area (Atherton and the San Francisco Shipyard), plus Desert Hot Springs and Walker.
Worth knowing: Race offers home phone service as an add-on. Its Race CommandIQ app lets you manage connected devices and set parental controls.
Is Race fiber internet available at your address?
Enter your address to see the plans and prices available at your home.
Check availabilitySonic
Sonic is an independent California provider based in Santa Rosa, with one simple fiber internet service up to 10 Gig. Pricing depends on the market: from $40 a month in its new Los Angeles service area, and $49.99 then $59.99 a month in the Bay Area.
Where it’s available: More than 70 cities, mostly in the Bay Area (including San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, San Mateo, Palo Alto and Santa Clara), the North Bay (including Santa Rosa, Sonoma, Napa and Sebastopol) and Sacramento. In 2026, Sonic began building in the Los Angeles area.
Worth knowing: Sonic offers an optional home phone line for $10 a month.
T-Mobile Home Internet
T-Mobile Home Internet delivers internet over T-Mobile’s 5G cellular network, so there are no cables to install. It doesn’t offer a 1 Gig plan. T-Mobile 5G Home Internet plans cost $50 to $70 a month with AutoPay, with typical download speeds up to about 500 Mbps.
Where it’s available: Address by address across much of California, wherever T-Mobile has enough 5G network capacity. It can be an option in places without fiber or cable.
Worth knowing: Speeds depend on your signal and on how many people nearby are online, and speeds can slow when the network is busy. T-Mobile phone customers pay less when they add home internet.
Xfinity
Xfinity is Comcast’s cable internet service and one of the most widely available providers in Northern and Central California. Its Xfinity 1 Gig internet plan costs $70 a month with autopay and paperless billing, with the price guaranteed for five years.
Where it’s available: Much of Northern and Central California, including the Bay Area, Sacramento, Fresno and many Central Valley cities, plus parts of the Central Coast.
Worth knowing: Xfinity Mobile customers can get bundle savings, and Xfinity offers add-ons for whole-home Wi-Fi and online security.
Why internet prices vary by city in California
The same plan from the same provider can cost a different amount in two California cities. Providers set prices market by market, based on local competition, construction costs and how recently they built there.
That’s why the prices in this guide are starting prices for a 1 Gig plan. To see your real price, enter your address on each provider’s website. Check three things before you order:
- Required monthly fees that are added to every plan, such as equipment or service fees
- Discounts the price depends on, such as autopay, paperless billing or a phone bundle
- How long the price lasts, and what it rises to afterward
Every provider also publishes a Broadband Facts label for each plan. It lists the monthly price, one-time fees and typical speeds in a standard format, which makes comparisons easier.
How to choose an internet provider in California
Start with who serves your address, then match the plan to how your household uses the internet.
- You work from home or upload large files: Choose fiber. Astound (in fiber areas), AT&T Fiber, Frontier, GFiber, Race and Sonic offer upload speeds that match download speeds.
- You want the fastest possible speed: Race and Sonic offer up to 10 Gig, GFiber up to 8 Gig and Frontier up to 7 Gig.
- You want to avoid setup costs: AT&T Fiber, GFiber, Race and T-Mobile Home Internet include setup and a router at no charge.
- Fiber and cable don’t reach your home: T-Mobile Home Internet may be available, with no cables to install.
- You already have a phone plan: Check bundle discounts from AT&T, Frontier/Verizon, T-Mobile and Xfinity.
All eight providers offer plans without an annual contract, so you can switch if a faster or cheaper option reaches your street.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best internet provider in California?
There is no single best provider for the whole state, because each one serves different areas. Among the providers in this guide, fiber providers such as AT&T Fiber, Frontier, GFiber, Race Communications, and Sonic offer the fastest and most consistent speeds where they’re available. Enter your address on each provider’s website to see your options.
Which California internet providers have no data caps?
All eight providers in this guide offer plans with unlimited data. Astound has data allowances on some slower plans in former Wave areas, and some older Xfinity plans still have a 1.2 TB monthly limit.
Which providers offer the fastest internet in California?
Race Communications and Sonic offer the fastest plans in this guide, at up to 10 Gig. GFiber offers up to 8 Gig, Frontier up to 7 Gig and AT&T Fiber up to 5 Gig. Availability of top speeds varies by address.
Do California internet providers require contracts?
None of the providers in this guide require an annual contract on their standard plans. Some Frontier offers with a 12-month price guarantee or reward card carry a prorated early termination fee of up to $100 in the first year.
What is the difference between fiber, cable and 5G home internet?
Fiber sends data over glass strands as light and usually offers equal upload and download speeds. Cable uses coaxial lines and has much slower uploads than downloads. 5G home internet uses a cellular signal, so speeds depend on your location and network traffic.
Is installation free?
AT&T Fiber, GFiber, Race Communications and Sonic include free installation, and T-Mobile Home Internet is a free self-setup. Frontier waives its $100 installation fee if you stay 12 months. Astound and Xfinity charge for professional installation, and Astound adds a one-time $14.99 activation fee.
About this guide
This guide is published by Race Communications, one of the providers compared. Prices and plan details come from each provider’s website and public plan information, checked in October 2026, and we review them regularly. Plans, prices and availability change, so confirm the details for your address before you order.