I grew up just north of Boulder, Colorado, so I’m biased, but I believe it to be one of the country’s most unique and beautiful cities. Some might brag about its stellar college football team, the Colorado Buffaloes, but you can also brag about the speed of its internet connections relative to the rest of the state.
If you live in Boulder (or plan to move there), you have a handful of options, but the two most widely available internet service providers are Xfinity and CenturyLink. CNET’s pick for the best overall internet service provider in Boulder is Xfinity because of its extensive coverage across the city and wide selection of plans. Other options include CenturyLink, which is also widely available but offers only slower DSL plans, fiber plans from Quantum Fiber and 5G home internet offerings from T-Mobile (and, to a lesser degree, Verizon).
Best internet in Boulder in 2024
Boulder residents can expect median download speeds of approximately 274 megabits per second, according to Ookla Speedtest data — comparable to Colorado‘s statewide median (271Mbps) and the national median (263Mbps). (Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.) Not too shabby.
Boulder internet providers compared
| Provider | Internet technology | Monthly price range | Speed range | Monthly equipment costs | Data cap | Contract | CNET review score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CenturyLink Read full review |
DSL | $55 | 3-100Mbps | $15 (optional) | None | None | 6.7 |
| Quantum Fiber | Fiber | $45-$95 | 200-2,000Mbps | None | None | None | N/A |
| Rise Broadband Read full review |
Fixed wireless | $45-$50 | 25-100Mbps | $10 modem; $5-$15 router (optional) | 250GB or unlimited | None, but required for some promotions | 6.2 |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$55 with eligible phone plans) | 72-245Mbps | None | None | None | 7.4 |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review |
Fixed wireless | $50-$70 ($35-$45 with eligible phone plans | 50-1,000Mbps | None | None | None | 7.2 |
| Xfinity Read full review |
Cable | $20-$85 | 150-1,200Mbps | $15 (optional) | 1.2TB on some plans | 1 year for cheapest plan; none for others | 7 |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
Other available internet providers in Boulder
Though we think Xfinity, Quantum Fiber and T-Mobile are the best providers in the area, Boulder has other ISP options to consider.
- Live Wire Networks: This Colorado-based fixed wireless provider serves nearly 95% of the Boulder region. Plans range from 35Mbps (for $25 per month) to 150Mbps for $120 monthly. Equipment rental is included, and there are no data caps or contracts required.
- Rise Broadband: This fixed wireless provider serves approximately 15% of the Boulder area. There’s a pocket of availability just north of Washington Village, but it’s mainly an option for rural areas beyond city limits. You can get speeds up to 100Mbps with unlimited data.
- Satellite internet: CNET recommends avoiding satellite internet in cities with cheaper and faster options. That noted, if you live in a rural area where cable and fiber connections aren’t available, Starlink, HughesNet and Viasat are the viable satellite providers in the Boulder area.
- Verizon 5G Home Internet: Similar to T-Mobile, Verizon uses its cellular network to provide fixed wireless home broadband. Though it may offer higher max download speeds than T-Mobile (the 5G Home Plus plan features “typical download speeds of 300-1,000Mbps” to T-Mobile’s max of 245Mbps), it’s available to less than 37% of households in Boulder.
Pricing info on Boulder home internet service
The average starting price for internet in Boulder is just under $42 per month — less expensive than the national average but just a few dollars more per month than its bigger sibling to the south, Denver, which comes in at $39.
Cheap internet options in Boulder
The cheapest internet plan in Boulder is Xfinity’s Connect plan, which features max download speeds of 150Mbps for $20 per month. There are plenty of caveats, however: That promotional price lasts for only one year and doesn’t include an optional $15-per-month charge for equipment rental (which you can waive if you have your own modem and router).
T-Mobile Home Internet, which starts at $50 monthly, drops to $35 per month when you bundle an eligible cellphone plan, such as Go5G Plus and Magenta Max.
What’s the cheapest internet plan in Boulder?
| Provider | Starting monthly price | Max download speed | Monthly equipment fee | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xfinity Connect Read full review |
$20 | 150Mbps | $15 (optional) | 1 year |
| Xfinity Connect More Read full review |
$35 | 300Mbps | None | None |
| Quantum Fiber | $45 | 200Mbps | None | None |
| Rise Broadband Read full review |
$45 | 25-50Mbps | $10 modem; $5-$15 router (optional) | None, but required for some promotions |
| Quantum Fiber | $50 | 500Mbps | None | None |
| Rise Broadband Read full review |
$50 | 100Mbps | $10 modem; $5-$15 router (optional) | None, but required for some promotions |
| T-Mobile Home Internet Read full review |
$50 ($35 with eligible phone plans) | 245Mbps | None | None |
| Verizon 5G Home Internet Read full review |
$50 ($35 with eligible phone plans) | 300Mbps | None | None |
| Xfinity Fast Read full review |
$55 | 500Mbps | None | None |
| CenturyLink Read full review |
$55 | 100Mbps | $15 (optional) | None |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
Boulder broadband speeds
Just about all Boulder households have access to broadband internet speeds of 250Mbps down and 25Mbps upload. As we mentioned earlier, Boulder residents see much higher median download speeds than the rest of the state.
What are the fastest internet plans in Boulder?
| Provider | Max download speed | Max upload speed | Starting monthly price | Data cap | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quantum Fiber | 2,000Mbps | 1,000Mbps | $95 | None | None |
| Xfinity Gigabit Extra Read full review |
1,200Mbps | 35Mbps | $85 | None | None |
| Xfinity Gigabit Read full review |
1,000Mbps | 35Mbps | $65 | None | None |
| Quantum Fiber | 940Mbps | 880Mbps | $70 | None | None |
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Source: CNET analysis of provider data.
How CNET chose the best internet providers in Boulder
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? 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 the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov.
This guide leverages an in-house artificial intelligence tool called RAMP, which is trained on our own writing and uses our database to generate content about specific internet service providers that our writers can use in determining and presenting our picks for a given guide. Check CNET’s AI policy for more information about how our teams use (and don’t use) AI tools.
Because our database isn’t exhaustive, we go to the FCC’s website to check the primary data for ourselves and make sure we’re considering every ISP that provides service in an area. Plans and prices also vary by location, so we input local addresses on provider websites to find the specific options available to 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 our prepublication fact-check.
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. To explore our process in more depth, visit our how we test ISPs page.
What’s the bottom line on internet providers in Boulder?
Xfinity covers nearly every address in the city and features the widest array of plan choices of any provider in the area. That’s why it gets our nod for the best ISP in the city. However, Boulder households have other viable options, including fiber plans from Quantum Fiber and a fixed wireless connection from T-Mobile Home Internet.
Internet providers in Boulder: FAQs
Which is the best internet service provider in Boulder?
CNET’s pick for the best ISP in Boulder is Xfinity. It covers almost the whole area, gives customers a wide variety of plans from which to pick and also features the fastest download speed in the city. Quantum Fiber offers only four plans, but its strength is it’s the only provider in the area offering symmetrical download and upload speeds.
Is fiber internet available in Boulder?
Yes. Quantum Fiber offers four plans: the lowest at 200Mbps for $45 per month and the highest at 2,000Mbps for $95 monthly.
Which is the cheapest internet provider in Boulder?
The provider with the cheapest plan in Boulder is Xfinity, whose Connect plan of 150Mbps starts at $20 per month. However, that plan doesn’t include an equipment rental, so you must factor in an additional $15 monthly charge. You would be better off going with Xfinity’s Connect More plan, which features 300Mbps speeds for $35 per month, including equipment rental. That may not be the cheaper plan on sticker price, but it’s a far better value.
Which Boulder internet provider offers the fastest plan?
That title goes to Quantum Fiber which offers a 2-gig plan for $95 per month, the fastest plan in Boulder. Xfinity comes in second with its 1,200Mbps plan.